23 Apr 2013

Striker raves: 'Magnificent' £12m star would be a 'great signing for LFC'. Buy...?

Liverpool continue to be linked with a summer move for Swansea City defender Ashley Williams, and Southampton striker Rickie Lambert - a rabid Reds fan - insists that the Welsh star would be a quality addition to the Liverpool squad.

In his post-match interview after Swansea's 0-0 draw with Southampton, Lambert - who played alongside Williams at Stockport County - revealed that he tried to get Williams to spills the beans on where he'll be playing next season. He told reporters:

"I asked him [Williams] going out of the tunnel - ‘Are you going to Liverpool or not mate?’

"Ash wouldn’t tell me. He kept that one quiet.

“He has done magnificently over the last few years. It is good to see him doing well. He is a great player and would be a great signing for Liverpool”


Lambert is not the only one who thinks Williams would be a great buy for Liverpool:

* When asked in February about the possibility of Williams moving to Anfield, Joe Allen told the Daily Mail:

"Ashley [Williams] has grown enormously as a player. He has got a lot of experience over the last few seasons at a high level, and I’m sure he would be pretty comfortable if he was to play at an even higher level"

* Ian Rush is also in favour of the deal, and in March, he told ThisIsSouthWales:

"To get Williams would be great. At the right price Swansea would let him go, and he would be good for Liverpool with his experience."

* Jan Molby concurs with Rushie, and in his column for the Liverpool Echo in March, he wrote:

"He [Williams] looks better this season than he did last. He’s assured, even when he’s being put under pressure. He can play and he can graft. You don’t get many centre backs like that at the moment"

* Wales boss Chris Coleman is convinced that Williams can be a success at one of the big clubs in the Premier League, and in an interview with the BBC in March, he enthused:

"I'm not surprised that he [Williams] is being linked with big clubs. He's a terrific defender and a great personality [and has] a great mentality towards football"

Fans should probably start getting their heads around the idea that £12m-rated Williams be leading Liverpool's defence next season. For some reason, there seems to be a lot of apathy and/or vitriol towards the idea, but he is undoubtedly a good defender, and the his stats over the last five years prove this beyond a shadow of a doubt. Indeed, this season - according to Opta stats - Williams is a more effective defender than both Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel.





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10 comments:

  1. liverpool4life5657:55 pm, April 23, 2013

    I like him as a defender, because he a leader, we need one, because carra going to retire and neither skrtel,or agger are real leaders....

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  2. Not sure calling Rickie Lambert 'rabid' is particularly fair!! He won't leave Southampton anyway...

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  3. Woops, don't think you were insinuating that - still, I maintain the 'rabid' comment...

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  4. while not overly excited by the idea the defense does need new players and Williams is imo better than who we have right now for the style we play. I`m sure there are better players out there for that price but I would still see it as a improvement.

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  5. It all depends on what rodgers can/likes to do with kelly and wisdom... Im not a friend of 12m for williams, but if you think about our Defenders - where would you rate them? and how much did you rate them last year? I think its like this Skrtel 15-20, Agger 20-25 (at least that was last year when we rejected bids for both). Williams has a better ball winning rate then both our defenders, and hes about the same age, so its not really an typicall "overpriced british player" all the people are making him... hes a very good defender and a natural leader, something we really lack - experience and leadership... WIth Carrager retiring we will be forced to anounce a new vice-captain next season, and i personally hope its Agger. Not just because of hes liability - because of his Role in our team. People often say hes close to world class, a wonderful player etc, and i think he should step up and transform to our "big mouth" at the back, someone who guides the defensive line and tells others what to do. Hes long enough here and theres respect to him from anywhere (Fans other players ...) Its just the little bit thats missing if i think about D. Agger, he just needs to adapt to a leader role and he will be a step closer to the "world class" people classify him to be ...

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  6. I think he is a quality player and has fantastic leadership qualities. He knows our system,would fit in effortlessly and make us a better team. Not sure if i see it happening tbh.

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  7. As a replacement for Skrtel, I'd take him.

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  8. Williams sharing the locker room with LS hmmm interesting

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  9. guy what would you rather pay £12m for 28 year defender who hasn't play in the Cl or Howedes. 25 years old played in Cl big and strong wins loads of headers but cost 16 to 18 million

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  10. Let's be honest, what are the chances of every player in every dressing room at every club is going to like each other? It's not likely. As in all walks of life there is going to be people who you like and dislike, you jut have to move forward and try and make things work.

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