8 Jan 2013

LFC legend raves: 'Unbelievable' £22m star is the 'buy of the season'. Agree...?

Manchester United striker Robin Van Persie has scored three goals in his last two games against Liverpool, (including two winning goals) and with a creative return of almost a goal a game this season (goal or assist), the club's defenders will have to be at the top of their collective game to ensure the Dutchman doesn't continue his red hot streak against the Reds. Anfield legend John Aldridge had a similarly prolific for Liverpool during his spell at the club, and he believes Van Persie is, so far, the signing of the season.

In his column for the Liverpool Echo today, Aldo - who scored 63 goals in 104 appearances for Reds - bemoaned FSG's policy of only buying young players with potential, and highlighted Alex Ferguson's purchase of Van Persie as a prime example of how buying experience can take a team to the next level. He enthused:

"Our policy seems to be to buy young players with potential but United bought a 29-year-old in the form of his life and it has paid off.

"Van Persie will win United a 20th title and prove a bargain at £22.5million. He been an unbelievable signing for them. He's the buy of the season by far".


In his press conference last week, Brendan Rodgers said he planned to bring in more experience during the January transfer window 'especially up front', but Daniel Sturridge hardly fits that description.

I remember when United announced the Van Persie signing; I felt sick, and like many Reds fans I'm sure, I thought to myself: Ferguson has just won next season's Premier League title. That's the way it seems to be going, and it just goes to show how experience - especially goalscoring experience - is an invaluable commodity.

Also's former team-mate, Mark Lawrenson disagrees that Van Persie is the signing of the season. He told The Mirror:

"Signing of the year is Michu all day long. Robin Van Persie has been outstanding but he cost £22million while Michu cost £2million. It’s a no-brainer. He proves that you can steal players from La Liga.".

For sheer value for money, Michu is arguably the signing of the year, and it still depresses me to think that the Spaniard could be a Liverpool player right now.

Luis Suarez and Robin Van Persie cost practically the same, but who is the better striker? Perhaps we'll find out this Sunday.

Jaimie Kanwar


56 comments:

  1. Liverpool for Life7:16 pm, January 08, 2013

    Van Persie is a fantastic player . Everyone knew that . Surprised that United got him without much competition from the other big money spenders . Would have been great if Liverpool had signed him , no doubt.

    As to who is better , Suarez or Van Persie . They are different types of players. So not really fair to compare .

     To me Suarez is undoubtedly more creative . Van Persie is more clinical .
    But what a great combination they would have been playing for LFC.

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  2. Van Persie is unquestionably a better finisher but i certainly wouldn't swap Luis with anyone else in the league. Its rare to see someone of his talent work as hard as he does.

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  3.  No matter what happens Michu is a bargain...but is he a first season ...wonder and will he perform in the second half of the season....defenders will be wise to him and his strengths so it will be interesting how he adapts.....great strikers carry on scoring by adapting there skill set to the opposition

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  4. Iam as partisan as it gets when it comes to the mancs but van persie is quality through & through, as much as i cant stand lawro these days i have to agree with him & say michu just pips him up to now though rvp may well end up the best for his impact in the final stages of the league season, hope we dont give him a sniff this weekend & if your in goal pepe...watch your near post!!!!

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  5. Suarez is an all round footballer. Pvssy is a great finisher. He does not have the technique to dribble like Suarez. But as a striker he gets the damn job done. thats what matters. 

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  6. Agree. I'm sure this will come as no surprise to anyone but I would take Van Persie over Suarez.

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  7. I agree that they are too different to compare but Van P is the most natural finisher. It's incredible that Suarez playing for a struggling side and who's goal tally isn't bolstered by penalties, is matching him this season.

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  8. don't even try comparing suarez to van because no any other player in the premier league has suarez's talents. look at his first goal against QPR. what would van have done with that...............shoot wide or give pass

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  9. Michu certainly is the bargain of the season, but Man U have signed a player that makes a vital difference to them. Finishing second or first that is. ferguson, as much as I dislike him, knew exactly what his team needed and went out to get it. Hope van Persie contracts a virus or some other short term illness Saturday evening.

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  10. Season has not finished yet, so far Van Persie does look good in premier league but did nothing really outstanding in the most recent Euro's.
    Seems to get flustered when up against world class opposition and can be easily wound up (hint..hint), Suarez is the complete opposite his style of play is second to none he truly is a world class player.
     For a signing of the season (so far) it has to go to Michu, new country settled in straight away, plays in midfield and scores goals, No brainer for me really. 

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  11. This is a good example of how misguided FSG's buying policy is. I suspect its because they dont know anything about the game. I just hope they dont blame the manager for its failure again.

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  12. we should be comparing van persie with andy carroll. in fact we should compare andy carroll with every other top striker in the world if you want to feel sick to the stomach about something. if we'd have got van persies holland teammate huntelaar isntead of him to combine with suarez we would be in the top 4. i'm never going to get over the waste of money that is carroll, downing, henderson (although he is a decent player), and id probably include allen as well. all british and all overpriced. now thats sickening. i guess thats why im so pro-foreign when it comes to managers and players.

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  13. Suarez has age on his side. The grass always seems greener. 

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  14.  i also forgot the waste that was charlie adam, i wonder why.

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  15. suarez is a different player to rvp, how can you comapre them? suarez is the complete forward (ie creates and scores), rvp's job is to put the ball in the net a la torres at liverpool. stupid article. 

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  16. and is this a pro-liverpool website?

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  17. Liverpool for Life8:06 pm, January 08, 2013

    In football as in Life you need to be flexiable to make it . By pursuing a youngsters only policy , if that is really true , is extremely shortsighted.

    Player of the Season so far , Luiz Suarez without a doubt

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  18. michu would do!! im a poet and I don't even know it !!

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  19. I see man u will have 12 men on the field against us or maybe its just my scouse victim mentality, lol

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  20. Yanks like the Moneyball theory because it works in American sport where there are no transfer fees just massive contracts for young players who can be traded on.

     Their only interest in Liverpool is profit and anyone who believes otherwise is deluded. There is no way they are ever going to  pay 30m or so for a 28/29 yr old regardless of what that may bring to the team. The whole ethos is now about youth players or mid range buys. They won't even sanction 6m for Ince. Dream on anyone who thinks we are signing a world class player in the next 5 years.

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  21. Any chance our team can bring in a player who is top drawer like Van Persie this window or are we destined to keep buying cheap players. Van Persie is to be really commended. He moved to a new team with a new system and is still able to lead the league in goals in his first season. Why can't we sign another player like that?

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  22. Respect your comments andy & agree about the yanks being in it for the money but i think they would splash the casj if they thought it would improve our chances of success & hence greater profits

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  23. Its time to give RVP  a good ankle kick - too protected - dish it out lads - he does not like the rough stuff

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  24.  Fsg may like the theory of money ball ...but they certainly cant put it into parctise....the idea i thought was to buy young talent cheap and sell on for a premium.....not buy crap at a premium and then loan out or sell for peanuts

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  25. your argument is flawed as they paid 15m on allen and 20 odd mill for sturridge and borini.....add that to what they give kenny and its a lot of dosh.....fsgs problem is they have wasted it ....they have spent about 110m on 6 players ...that is staggering in itself .....

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  26. its not all fsg ...rogers has spent about 40m on players

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  27. Depends on your perspective. If you look at it from a cost per goal perspective then it has to be Michu. But from a value per goal it's RVP. RVP has scored goals that have won games for united numerous times this season and I think that's what Aldo is getting at. While Michu has given Swansea an attacking threat and a midtable finish, RVP has given united a consitent goal machine and other title. As for RVP vs LS? Bring on Sunday and lets hope Luis is kissing his wrist multiple times!

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  28. Jamie, i don't know where everyone seems to be getting the idea that  liverpool only want young players. We bid for Clint Dempsey didn't we? Sure we refused to increase our offer (right decision imo) but we wanted him at the time.

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  29. Rodgers may have wanted him, but FSG's refusal to put up the cash makes it moot really.

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  30. I do sympathise with your comment as I too have ranted about the same issues in the past. But these negative emotions can blind you to why you follow the club in the first place. We dream of winning the league again in the future but we can't win it last season or the season before; that time has gone. The same as the expensive mistakes made under previous regimes has been done and cannot be changed. Before you know it you won't be sabl to see the woods for the trees and instead of hope you will be wallowing in pity over the occasional bad result. Be upset when we lose of course, it's an emotional game, but then you must move on, like we are doing at present. Have a little faith in Henderson and Allen as I have a feeling both will come good. Huntelaar is a good player, but so is Van Persie. Suarez is a good player and he's ours! Rejoice in the fact that Utd are as afraid of him as we are in Van Persie for Sunday. I have an emotional hunch that we might surprise a few people on Sunday, including some of our own fans....Anyway, not trying to lecture you, Be good...Onwards and upwards Brendan

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  31. Me too. Sort of... but
    Ian Rush didn't do much other than put the ball in the net and press defenders. Suarez or someone like him could have been Van Persie's Dalglish, if you catch my drift.

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  32. Van Persie shades it for me if we really want to compare the two. Simply because he puts the ball away. Suarez can create and dazzle but for all the chances he creates (especially for himself), he doesn't convert enough of them. Van Persie showed at Arsenal last season that he can also make something happen out of nothing - simply because he scored (and assisted) and rescued that team many times. Showing with his new side this season that he can do it with another average team.

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  33. Unfortunately they don't grow abundantly on trees and the ones that do are very hard to find. What works for one team might not necessarily work in another. Van Persie is obviously good enough to do what he does apparently anywhere. But Sturridge (please, please please!) could go on and become that for us. Just because he hasn't reached those heights yet doesn't mean he won't do so for us. I am optimistic yes, but that's because I find it more enjoyable. (I do rant occasionally though....)

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  34. True and I've not been not agreed with ay of them, at least not with the price he's paid. But im pretty sure whats happened since they took over has been that Brendan/Kenny/Damion maybe Hodgeson too have told fsg who they fancy and fsg have agreed the ones that fit their criteria.

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  35. I'm sorry JK but that is taking the 'short-term fix' over the 'long-term solution'; Lúis Suarez is 10 times the footballer that RVP is, & I rate the latter as one of the best & most technical in his position, although a 'late primer', not to mention an injury prone past (to put it MILDLY); a head-to-head comparison of the two players who incidentally both came to the EPL from the Eriedevise (Dutch League) in terms of technique, positional versatility, goal/assist return (time/age-adjusted), tactical awareness, dribble completion, ball retention, etc, etc..& LS comes thru shoulders above!

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  36. Do you not read the drivel you wright ? Yes rep and Suarez cost about the same........but you neglected go mention the relative ages ? AMATEUR

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  37. You comment made me chuckle till I realized that we were 21pts and 8 places behind that "average" team...

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  38. Where is your evidence that Suarez is '10 times the player' Van Persie is? That's just your opinion. Back it up with some facts.

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  39. In the long run though Jamie, how many seasons does RVP have left compared to Suarez? I know this is kinda pointless, as Suarez could leave at any time, plus who knows what injuries can come up.

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  40. I dont`t think moneyball works in football either, young talent is usually anything but cheap, as this is the problem

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  41. Michu is the signing of the season for me. RVP is a close second. Yes he cost a lot, but he gives them what they needed. It is a shame for Arsenal really as he spent most of his time there injured, has one full season and leaves them, not very loyal IMO, but a job is a job, and he made a good personal move.

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  42. I agree that they are in it for money, but I dont think that means they wont sign someone older if needed. To make a good profit they need to win stuff. I don`t think they aim to make money themselves per year, just when they sell the club. For the value to be better Liverpool need to start winning stuff. Look at our value compared to Man utds? We cost what £230mil? Man Utd could sell today for prob at least 1bil if not more. Looking at what FSG have been doing behind the scenes, it shows they are building the brand, like Man Utd did years ago, they plan to expand the stadium too, which will increase the club value by both the books and assets, so all they need to do is get the team winning. Liverpool is massive globally, but has difted a bit due to not winning enough medals. 

    I think one of the reasons for the ethos of young players, isnt just moneyball, but also FFP. IF that comes in correctly, transfer budgets will be a lot smaller, and this means having players who are going to be here for a long time make more sense over a longer period. The trick is making sure they are good enough to be here a long time.

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  43. I don`t think that is that incredible. Often lower ranked teams have one high scoring player, as everything goes through them, due to the other players not being that good. It is why sometimes some players look amazing at lower clubs, then don`t cut it at a big club. I think it is more incredible that at a club with a lot of good players RVP is scoring so many, as often the goals become more spread out as players don`t mind passing to someone else to have a shoot.

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  44. Van Persie is pure class and will win the league for United, signing of the season. Still sickens me how he ditched the gunners.

    Suarez is younger and a lot more resilient to injury, RVPs recent improved injury record aside.

    Van Persie is a predator, amazing finisher.

    Suarez is a joy to watch play live, his enthusiasm and effort is incredible, and an amazing conjurer of opportunities.

    With the correct supply and setup, RVP might edge it, but with our current squad Suarez is ahead for me




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  45. Couldn't the argument be made that one of the reasons why we don't get the more "experienced" veterans is our lack of Champions League Football? I would think that these players who are in the prime of their career don't want to go to the Europa League provided that they can make a similar amount of money for a team that is in the Champions League year in and year out.

    In terms of comparing the two, Suarez is more creative but I feel like RVP is much more reliable to finish his chances. If they swapped places though, I think Suarez would still be putting up similar stats.  Would RVP have scored 15 premier league goals playing for Liverpool this season as the only true striker on the team?  I'm not so sure.

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  46. Definitely will go for Suarez over RVP as Suarez is much younger and more durable (injury record wise), and more techical. Should a long term bad injury hits RVP anytime soon, it won't seem a good investment by Manc, but so far it has surprised many that RVP has remained healthy (contrary to his previous injury record) and an absolute lethal striker. 
    In regards to FSG buying policy, I think its absolutely naive to only buying young players and not mix it with experienced players. FSG is imo very stubborn and only will learn if they got burnt badly. I dont think they will regard the fans' opinions seriously, but don't underestimate the fans as they are so passionate about their team and know so much more than what FSG would regard as naive. Even with Arsenal with all their best young players (imo they do an excellent recruitment of young players of the highest caliber) have not won anything for the past 7 years). FSG are solely riding on their luck if they can win anything with their current team (or even get into top 4).

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  47. Good point. RVP was not going to play for a team that did not feature in the CL and what's more is, RVP probably earns as much as Borini, Sturridge and Suarez combined on wages.

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  48. We all new what RVP is about, its not a revelation. They paid a fortune for him in fees and wages. I think its got to be michu for nearly a tenth of RVP he has kept on par with the top scorers.

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  49. well said! could'nt agree more ;-)

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  50. Really? wouldn't have guessed that :-)!!

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  51. Haha the joke's on them because for a mere 13 million more they could have had Super-Andy!

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  52. I would love to see your evidence to back up your OPINION (the premise of this whole dialogue), on why you would pick a player in the twilight of his career, over another 4 yrs younger, who is already matching his goal tally this season (only his second, 9th for the former!), and a more complete footballer....why not conduct a head-to-head comparison as I initially stated to put it to rest!

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  53. Brilliant player. As much as I rate Suarez, I rate Van Persie more but Suarez is considerably younger and he could get considerably better. Always been a fan of Van Persie's technique (bit like Bergkamp, hence my like) and now in the last few seasons, he has brought the whole package together. He is what I call near a all-round no.9, he is clinical but he isn't solely about goals, he can create for himself and for others as well as contribute to the team's possession (see his performances as the false nine a few seasons ago). Though I've heard him refer to himself as a '9 and 1/2', which makes sense. An obvious quality player, so its not a surprise that he is doing well and not surprising that some may choose Michu as he was unexpected to a certain degree in terms of buy of the year/season but still, Persie is doing great. Like Anteater says, if he is the difference between 1st and 2nd, than that is priceless and for that reason, he could well be my pick. Who knows how good Suarez could become, Persie only brought the whole package together in the last few seasons. I just hope Suarez is still at the club in his late 20s. If he develops even more, would love to see how good he becomes.

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  54. Fergie demanded more goals and that is what RVP promises, his form over the last 2 seasons is immense. Fergie even changes his shape occasionally to accomodate RVP. It's had a negative effect on Rooney though who has been pushed deeper and Welbeck only has 1 goal I think. 

    United's defence is also pants but they can outscore anybody, wouldn't be surprised if we lost 3-2 or something. 

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  55. There is no real quality competition for places in squad, in whole squad if club was ever to have Gerrard, Suarez , Agger and Skrtel out of side all together due to injury or illness or suspensions we would be screwed.

    FSG need to give B Rodgers £26M now to bring in these five good players to get club back competing and amongst the top 4 contenders:

    1: M'Villa(22) Of Rennes or M Diame(25) Of West Ham to compete with LUCAS for £3-£7M

    2: D Rose(22) Of Tottenham for £2-£5M to compete with Enrique at LB.
    3:J Butland(19) Of Birmingham for £3-£6M to compete with Jones and Reina GK

    Two loan players :
    1: Jeffren Suarez Of Sporting Clube De Portugal to compete with Sterling and Assaidi    RW / RWF

    2: Kevin Gamiero Of PSG to compete with Borini, Sturridge and Suarez.

    Those five players would give us more class, depth, experience and quality to squad and help get our club back amongst the elite.

    And with those five players Champions league could be obtained and then if club was to get back in Champions League with those players.

    Then in summer owners would have to back B Rodgers heavily with £65-£70M to bring in 4 attacking players of Gerrard and Suarez's quality(World class)

    1: Willian(24) Of Shakhtar Donesk for £19-£24M  LWF / RWF   

    2: Isco(20) Of Malaga for £14-£16M                      AM

    3: A Sanchez(23) Of Barcelona for £19-£22M          RWF

    4: B Arfa(25) Of Newcastle in swap deal with A Carroll and £10M

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  56. I wish we were just as average as Man Utd.

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