1 May 2013

'We need to improve' - BR reveals LFC's transfer plans. Another £32m waste...?

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has once again reiterated the need to add 'more quality' to Liverpool's squad during the upcoming summer transfer window.

Speaking to Sky Sports yesterday, Rodgers outlined his transfer plans for the summer, and emphasised the importance of getting any business done early. He explained:

"We need to strengthen and we need to improve.

"In January, we brought in two outstanding players in Sturridge and Coutinho, and hopefully we will have a similar impact in the summer.

"In the main, the players have done very well. I just think we need a bit more depth and a bit more quality"


It's definitely a good sign that Rodgers accepts that the squad needs more quality. Adding depth is one thing, but if the players brought in don't actually improve the squad, what's the point?

In my view, Rodgers' performance in the transfer market last summer can only be described as catastrophic. Not one of his summer signings has made any significant difference to LFC's season:

* Allen: A good player, but wasn't needed. Made no difference to the club this season.
* Sahin: Waste of money. Rodgers didn't know how to use him properly, so why sign him?
* Assaidi: Another waste of money. Barely used by Rodgers this season.
* Yesil: One for the future. Could still come good, but no immediate impact on the squad.
* Borini: Injury-plagued season, but hasn't shown anything yet to suggest he'll come good.

Approximate cash outlay = £33m
Impact on the club this season = ZERO

That may sound harsh, but it's true, and i personally don't believe it's an exaggeration to suggest that Rodgers' poor performance in last summer's transfer market has cost LFC a place in next season's Champions League.

Just imagine if he'd spent that money effectively - the club could've grabbed one or two players who came in and made a Sturridge/Coutinho style impact, and we could be looking at a place in the top four right now instead of top-8 mediocrity.

The right players are out there, but Rodgers just bought badly. And please don't give me the 'but LFC didn't have a scouting network in place' excuse (!) That is nonsense. The club's scouting network is not just one or two people, and there are plenty of people at Anfield with ideas about player purchases.

Addtionally, Rodgers is a 20-year veteran of the game; are we to believe that he had absolutely *no knowledge* of the transfer market outside Allen, Borini et al? If that's the case, then it's even more disturbing that the money he wasted on ineffective players.

Rodgers has redeemed himself somewhat with his January transfer activity, but if he gets it wrong again in the summer, it will cost the club dearly.

Let's hope Rodgers chooses the right 'quality' players this time, because if he does, I genuinely believe that Liverpool can put in a strong challenge for the top four next season.

The early signs aren't that great, however. Alex Pearce? Ashley Williams? Shane Long? Are these the kind of 'quality' players LFC fans can expect this summer? All three are good players, but will they take the Reds to the next level...?



NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)


137 comments:

  1. Yep, more wasteful buys just like Rafa. BR wont do nothing next year either at most be a 6th place finish.

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  2. The good times are back3:00 pm, May 01, 2013

    Jaimie. Why do we not see you lashing out at Henderson or Downing anymore? Clearly you couldn't see the fact that both these players needed a season to settle. Now you cannot say anything bad about them as both have been very good under Rodgers this season.


    I will be having a laugh when Borini and Allen have a better second season just like Downing and Henderson have. Remember, Borini has been injured for majority of the season and Allen was playing with a bad shoulder. Mark my words, next season both these player will make you eat humble pie!

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  3. Im just hoping that the signings we made in January are going to become more regular, i.e. actually signing good players. hopefully it means they have sorted their act out. Too long we have been poor in the transfer market, and signed 5 or 6 poor - rubbish players for every 1 good player.
    Yesil still has a long way to go so he can turn out to be good, plus he was pretty cheap.
    What happened to that Texieria guy? *sp*.

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  4. I don't think any Liverpool fan would want them to keep playing badly. I would love it if Borini scored 20 goals next season.
    I hope you are right.

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  5. liverpool4life5653:05 pm, May 01, 2013

    I think your being quiet harsh on them players, also our transfer team wasn't all in place by the time we done out transfers, in January everything was then you saw the real buys, also allens done well, borini? Can't really judge but he shown he has good movement as you saw against Newcastle finding space for him self, and sahin? He made a impact got 3goals but he was too light weight for the PL. and assaidi has shown his talent when he played from the start of games but people Infront of him have just been better.

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  6. Why does this even need to be explained? You assess things in moment, not based on how things might change in the future. Henderson and Downing had poor first seasons at LFC. Just because they're playing well now doesn't change that, and it doesn't make the criticism of them at the time wrong, either.

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  7. The good times are back3:09 pm, May 01, 2013

    Jaimie, you also miss the fact that FSG's policy at the start of the season was to sign young players and that is exactly what Rodgers did. How many youngster have we signed in the past that actually made a instant impact?

    When you write negative stuff it is to suite your argument instead of looking at the bigger picture.

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  8. The good times are back3:16 pm, May 01, 2013

    Downing maybe but Henderson is a young lad. FSG's policy is to buy young. Now you want to blast Rodgers because of having to follow FSG's policy of buying youngsters? How many youngsters in recent times have joined the club and delivered instant success?

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  9. Yeah, that's my concern about BR... He can be rather clueless at times...

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  10. It's not about instant success. You judge players on a week by week basis based on their performances. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean that's wrong. That's the nature of football. I'm not going to just say nothing about how a player performs just because he's young and may come good in the future. The irrefutable reality is that Rodgers' signings last summer have made zero positive impact on LFC's season. If fans can't handle the truth, then that's not really my problem.

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  11. So what if that was FSG's policy? there are thousands of young players out there who could've come in and had a bigger impact that Allen and Borini.


    Rodgers chose those players, so he lives and dies by his decisions.

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  12. Oh, if only BR could be as "bad" as Rafa.

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  13. I concur that rodgers summer buys had little impact. It could be one of two reasons. Either they are no good or they need like hendo to settle in.

    however do you see the contradiction in the fact that previously you have been advocating selling suarez to use the money to bring in others. Can you see the problem in trusting him with 50 million plus to spend - what if he waste's it? And we're left with more dead wood to carry.

    A lot of our performances in the second half of the season have been encouraging. We are short of a CD,CM and perhaps another forward and on top of that some experience. i wouldnt for one be going for someone like benteke but someone like Berbatov, who will be cheap but has won things and is proven class.

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  14. The good times are back3:26 pm, May 01, 2013

    Wow, noddy badge for you!!! Now go and tally up all the other youngsters that have joined the club recently let's say going back 10 or so years and then lets see your answer. :)

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  15. There's no contradiction. Rodgers is the manager, and he is going to spend money no matter what anyone thinks. He had a nightmare summer last year, but his transfers in January suggest there's hope.

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  16. The good times are back3:27 pm, May 01, 2013

    Jaimie, how many youngsters that have been signed by the LFC over the last 10 seasons or so have delivered instant success???

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  17. The good times are back3:30 pm, May 01, 2013

    Answer my question. How many youngstesr that have joined the club over the last 10 seasons or so made and instant impact?

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  18. Why don't you stop twisting my words and what this article is about. Nowhere have I stated that instant success is required; I've argued that none of the players Rodgers signed last summer have made any positive impact *over the season*. Since when is a 9 month season instant success?

    You'd expect £32m+ worth of transfers to make some small positive dent on the team, but that hasn't happened across the whole season. That is the point, not instant success.

    £32m is a lot of money, and the club has zero return for it so far.

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  19. There's no question to answer because the question itself is totally unrelated to the article, or what I'm arguing. You have the wrong end of the stick completely, and just repeating it every 5 minutes isn't going to change that.

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  20. More nonsense from the most negative, drivel spouting LFC 'fan' of all time.

    To say that Allen is/was a waste of money in ludicrous. he is an excellent player who has had a touch time of it. If you can't see the potential, the idea of why he was bought into our team and the necessity of a player or players of his type, then you don't understand the culture or style of football the Rodgers is trying to implement.

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  21. i agree jamie last year, i was agreeing with you about downing, as he was absolute crap, but this year, he has found the form he was displaying at villa, hence the reason we bought him. I also agree allen and borini have provided nothing, and fact is we cant go out and say wow, they are amazing when there is no evidence, the evidence suggest they have contributed nothing.

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  22. to be fair youngsters normally go into the academy or reseves for a couple of years then come through, if this is the case;


    stirling, shelvey, kelly, wisdom, suso, robinson, flanagan all made good impacts when they came into the team and funnily enough they where all signed under benitez!!!

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  23. Agree, Philip. I really hope that next season both Borini and Allen become integral to the team and turn things around like Hendo and Downing, and there's every possibility that might happen, but at this moment in time, they've made next to no impact, and there's nothing wrong with acknowledging that.

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  24. JK, Are you a twitter follower of Old Holborn?

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  25. Jaimie why didn't you apply for the managers job. You are awfully keen to tell him how to do it. You remind me of what we used to call a barack room lawyer. they knew everything but when push came to pull they didn't have a clue.

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  26. I don't have a twitter account. I hate that site. I'm aware of Old Holborn though.

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  27. The good times are back3:44 pm, May 01, 2013

    But that brings me back to the point I am trying to make.

    FSG appointed Rodgers for the long term which means FSG are thinking long term. FSG even said that they did not expect any miracles when they appointed Rodgers. Rodgers was told at the start of the season that he needed to sign young players for the long term and is exactly what he did.

    If FSG did not expect any miracles this season and laid down their long term policy then why are you blaming Rodgers for signing youngsters who were never going to guarantee to deliver instant success?

    Was Lucas signed to hit the ground running. It took him 2-3 season before he actually started paying back his transfer fee. When you sign youngsters they will not guarantee success.

    Buying a youngster like Borini is a totally different situation as to buying someone like Van Persie who will hit the ground running.


    Youngster who is coming to a massibve club vs experienced player in his prime...

    That is my point..

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  28. Yeah, whatever. This is what fans do. I guess we should just all shut up, say nothing, discuss nothing, and blindly accept everything that goes on.


    Nothing about football is hard to understand, but people like you like try and intellectualise it, and make out that only a select few are capable of grasping what it's all about. That just isn't true.


    The only hard thing about football is the motivation/man-management side of things. Everything else (tactics/formations etc) is easy.

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  29. Wasn't Sturridge actually available last summer? For the amount of money we spent we could have brought in Sturridge and Dempsey (I know Dempsey hasn't exactly been fantastic this past season but he's had a bigger impact than any of the players we signed last summer).
    The only reason I'm OK with Alex Pierce is he'd be a free transfer and we need some depth everywhere.

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  30. The good times are back3:52 pm, May 01, 2013

    But the likes of Sterling, Shelvey, Kelly, Suso and Robinson have been at the club longer than Borini and Allen which means they are settled.

    Martin Kelly has been at the club since the age of seven by the way so Rafa did not sign him. good try...

    I bet Sterling would have nailed it if he was signed as a first team player and delivered instant success.

    Spot the difference?

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  31. Why do you keep going on about instant success?! What is so hard for you to understand?


    * Rodgers spent £32m+ on players last summer


    * None of those players has made any discernible positive impact on the club's season.


    * Irrespective of the transfer policy, you don't just blindly spend money for no return whatsoever. There has to be some positive impact from the players you buy.


    * For the 100th time: No one is arguing for 'instant success', just some positive impact over an entire 9-10 month season.


    * If you buy 5 players and none of them make a difference, that is transfer failure, no matter how you spin in.


    * There are plenty of players the same age as Allen and Borini who made an impact at different clubs.


    Your attitude to transfers is damaging - it just gives managers and players an excuse not to deliver.


    If FSG call Rodgers into a meeting and ask him to explain why the the players he bought for £32m haven't made a difference, do you really think they'll be happy with excuses you're providing?! Get real.


    For the money they've put into the club this season, the minimum they have a right to expect is a rudimentary challenge for the top four.


    Liverpool couldn't even do that, and the main reason (IMO) is that Rodgers' summer signings failed to make any impact, especially pre-Christmas.

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  32. I wasn't impressed with his summer signings, especially Borini(nothing against him just think a proven striker would have been better). But I don't think he can be judged to heavily on a summer where he couldn't know too well what was really required. The only real way to know that is to go through a season and see where we are short. But because of this he should have spent little over that window.

    I don't think the signings were really catastrophic, it was more his management of them that was the problem. Sahin on paper was a great signing he just chose to play him out of position, much like Rafa did with Lucas. I don't for the life of me know what's goin on with Assaidi. I won't be too harsh on Borini or Allen because to do so would be the same as everyone has with Lucas and Hendo!

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  33. To be fair, both Borini and Allen haven't really been played in their exact positions. Don't get me wrong, Rodgers should've and could've bought better players but some of our targets look quality e.g. Dede, Remy, Ben Arfa, even Williams.

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  34. The good times are back3:57 pm, May 01, 2013

    But then why are you calling Rodgers transfer sdealing catastrophic if Borini and Allen could very well be successful signings in the long run?

    Like I said, you are writing things to suite your argument and only yours!

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  35. You definitely have a point regarding some of the players above (Allen, Sahin and Assaidi) but I wouldn't include Borini or Yesil. I think we need to see what Borini does next year before judging him and Yesil wasn't bought for the 1st team this year so he isn't going to have any impact on the 1st team (seems pretty logical). Not sure why you included him in the list. One of the things I picked up on is the point you make about making excuses for not having a scouting network in place at the time. I am not sure if that was the case or not regarding the scouting network but if it was true, it may be a valid reason as to why all purchases haven't worked out. We definitely do have this in place now and we have seen the rewards from the Jan window so does that not suggest that BR is doing something right in that regard.
    It is also a bit premature to say that the 30 odd million has been wasted. If Borini comes good next year (i.e. Pires, Henry) and if Yesil progresses and makes it to the 1st team, it won't be money wasted. We may just need to wait a little while before we see the return on the cash.

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  36. Of course I'm writing things to suit my argument. is that supposed to be some kind of amazing revelation? We are in the NOW, not the future, and judging from this season alone - which is all we can judge by - Rodgers' transfers last summer were extremely poor. They've made no difference to LFC's league campaign (or the cups); they haven't helped challenge for the CL, and they've basically made no impact whatsoever.


    That may change next season, and if it does, then it can assessed next season. For now, the transfers last summer were, IMO, catastrophic. If Rodgers have the right players instead of those five, LFC might be in the CL now.

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  37. It will be certainly interesting who he brings in and ships out. the likely culprits to leave are IMO Skrtel, reina (unlikely but possible), Suarez (50/50), coates and spearing, plus also carra retiring. To be honest that is some experience if they all leave and I would not like to imagine a squad if he did only bring youth to Liverpool especially when you have rightly stated the players he brought in are not firing yet. The problem with bringing to many youth players in; is when times are bad in games or you have a poor run it is often the experienced players that can call upon thier experience to help get them back on track. If we have none, it can get difficult. What we also need to understand is if these players do go then gerrard will be sitting in the dressing room thinking he has been demoted to the Liverpool youth academy, how would he feel?? I have recently said it and i will say it again, I think if mourinho goes to Chelsea I truly believe he will come in for Gerrard (Especially knowing he only has 15 months remaining on his contract. If the players above all leave and gerrard is surrounded by youth in a Liverpool team in transition developing to one day to be great, I think he will be tempted to use his last 3 years at a team where he can win the only thing he is missing ; the league title and a Chelsea team with mourinho is more or less going to do it especially if you read the reports of how much he is gonna get. In addition if Chelsea put a big bid in FSG will no doubt rip their hand off as this is their transfer policy, get them in young and cheap but sell them on old and worth something. Some day wee need to live without gerrard and i believe it maybe sooner than we think!!!

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  38. Please tell me you not being serious

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  39. Jamie
    I was under the impression that a sort of commitee made the buying decisions now, rather than Rodgers alone? or am i wrong on that?

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  40. 30m wasted this year; that may change next year. Plus, prior to his injuries, Borini showed nothing to suggest that he'd make any impact.

    As for the scouting network - are we really to believe that a club with over 100 years of history like LFC can't cope when one or two of the head scouts leave? What kind of infrastructure is that? Do transfers just grind to a halt?!


    Even if the senior scouting positions weren't filled, what about the countless scouting reports compiled over X number of years? What about Rodgers' own knowledge? Did he arrive at the club and say 'Well, sorry - I've been in the game 20 years but I have absolutely no idea about players, or who we could sign'?!

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  41. Yes, I am being serious. Football is not difficult to understand. If it is, why don't you tell me specifically what aspects of football are so terribly hard for mere mortals to grasp.


    You can try and intellectualise football all you want, but as Bill Shankly said, it's a 'simple game' that involves a group of men kicking a ball around trying to score goals.


    Tactics/formations are not rocket science. The offside rule etc is not string theory. It is simple, whether you choose to accept it or not.


    The hard parts of football are the intangibles: motivation/man-management/handling different personalities/egos etc.

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  42. The good times are back4:10 pm, May 01, 2013

    Your argument is flawed Jaimie.


    Who should Rodgers have signed then Jaimie but please give us players in the same age group and tell us how your selection of players in the same age group as Borini, Allen, Assaidi and Yesil would have guaranteed CL football next season.

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  43. id take Ash Williams and Shane Long. over Skrtel and Downing any given day. even if i had to utlizie long in wing.

    personally i we will go for another creative talent to take over downings place in first 11.

    even that Downing is hitting form. he isnt at his best, good enough for LFC.

    Skrtel.... if someone throws over 7million for him, bite the hand off! Seriously, i think ive never seen professional footballer with so little ability on ball.

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  44. I agree about Borini but my point is that players like Pires and Henry were crap in their 1st seasons and look how that turned out. That is why I always like to judge players in their 2nd season. Not all players are going to hit the ground running at their new clubs. I don't know about the structure of our scouting department but judging by the players that we signed over the past few season, something needed to change in that area. I just think it is a bit harsh to say that the 32 million has been wasted as we won't know that for sure until given more time. The fact that the Jan window was so successful for us and BR definitely had his scouting team in place at that time leads me to believe that we should have more confidence in him that you are giving him credit for. It always makes me laugh when I see fans slagging off Managers for signing players from former clubs as if it is some sort of weakness. Somebody like Mourinho would never do that but then again, what has he won :)

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  45. how is jamies argument flawed??? BR bought the players in the summer and they have been shite??? whats flawed about that statement? Question; have allen, borini, assadi and yesil been a success for liverpool 1st team, you answer must be no other wise where have you been??

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  46. Players take time to settle so why do we always whine about new players not setting the world on fire, just give them space to learn to play at Liverpool, It is a bit different than most other clubs to say the least!!!

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  47. My argument is not flawed just because you don't agree with it. You got the wrong end of the stick completely with you 'instant success' stuff. My argument makes perfect sense: if you buy players for £32m+, then there should at the very least be some positive impact from them, otherwise what's the point i buying them?

    And once again, you're twisting my words. I didn't say they should've 'guaranteed CL football'. I said CL may have been a greater possibility had the signings been more effective over the season.

    Plus, it is not an absolute fact that FSG denied Rodgers the chance to sign players older than Borini/Allen. Rodgers chose those players because he managed them before. If he found the right players, then I have no doubt FSG would've sanctioned the signing of players aged 24-27.

    I would've signed 26-year old Michu for £2m. That is a no-brainer. Jordan Rhodes is another player I would've signed, and I argued many times last summer that LFC should grab him. Between them, those two have 50 goals and 8 assists this season, at a combined cost of £10m.


    Liverpool needed goals this season - especially prior to christmas - , not a makeshift defensive midfielder, and the club could've had those two for less than what Allen cost.


    Michu is no risk as he was so cheap, and look at how he's turned out.


    Of course, people will make the lame argument that those two might now have scored for LFC< but why wouldn't they? It makes no sense. They're both goalscorers, and would've been playing with higher quality players, so the probability is they would've scored goals.

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  48. Very well said!!!

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  49. The good times are back4:21 pm, May 01, 2013

    WTF!!!

    All the players signed by Rodgers are youngsters!!!


    That is the clubs policy. Please tell me how many youngsters in the last ten yours or so have cut the mustard in their first season at the club.

    You clearly cannot see past your nose

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  50. Of, come on :-) Henry got 26 goals/11 assists in his first season. Pires got 8 goals/10 assists. How is that 'crap'. If Borini and Allen had anything approaching similar figures (or equivalent impact based on position) I'm sure most fans would be more than happy

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  51. I think it is quite a valid excuse that he didn't have a proper scouting network in place, maybe not an excuse but it must be considered. Surely the scouting network needs to be advised for what type of players to get and for all we know they could have been looking for the next Rory Delap to feed balls in to Carroll from throws. Also Rodgers doesn't know these scouts I can understand him not wanting to take their word on players he may not have seen, it's his ass on the line and I'm sure he would have taken more stick if he spent 10 million on a guy no one knows about.

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  52. Pointless article really !!

    You don't know what players he will bring in and you are already slating him ... that's pathetic !!

    You are writing articles for the sake of it ... don't you ??

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  53. The good times are back4:31 pm, May 01, 2013

    Ok Jaimie.

    You also seem to miss out on the fact that we are talking about youngsters coming to LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB.

    Would Michu have GUARANTEED 21 goals in his first season at a club like LIVERPOOL?

    If your answer is yes then the world clearly has gone mad :-o

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  54. None of Rodgers' players settled or made any kind of impact. That's the point. If one or two take time, fair enough, but for an outlay of £30m+, there has to be some return, otherwise what's the point?

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  55. sissoko 20 , alonso 24 (same age as assadi) arrived at liverpool, wasnt reina 24 when we signed him in july 2006. Agger 21 when he signed and was called into starting 11. Mascehrano 23 when we signed him. torres 23 when he signed in 2007. to be fair all of above made instant impacts and they would all be regarded as young in the eyes of FSG policy.



    to be honest the argument is, the right youngster comes in and starts straight away. coutinho, rooney and above!!

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  56. Who know's what those players will do next season, with another pre-season under their belts???

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  57. You twist things so much it's unbelievable. Once again, who said anything about 'guaranteeing' anything? There is an extremely high probability (based on this season) that Michu would've scored goals for LFC.

    Plus, you go on about youngsters needing time settle in; well, what about the likes of Benteke, Weimann and Rodriguez? All young players in their first seasons in the Prem, and all making massive contributions to their respective teams. If you buy the *right* young players, they can deliver. If you get it wrong - like Rodgers has - you get nothing in return.

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  58. I don't deny that, but the fact remains that this season, those players have made no difference whatsoever/ Do you think if Rodgers had told FSG last August that all the players he bought would make no impact this summer, that FSG would've been fine with that? Don't you think they would've expected at least a minor impact from at least one of them?

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  59. He only slated his signings from the first window, and he gives credit where it's due regarding christmas. What's the problem?

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  60. This article is extremely harsh - look at their ages and remember this - IT TAKES TIME TO BUILD A GREAT TEAM - WE HAVE A GREAT MANAGER - at llast were going the right way.

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  61. In the case of 40 % B R made it CRYSTAL CLEAR that they were buys for the future - and Borini was injured for 60 % of the season

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  62. The good times are back4:51 pm, May 01, 2013

    Jaimie,


    Are you suggesting that playing for Liverpool is as cut and dry as playing for Aston Villa, Swansea and Southampton?


    Why did Ferguson or Abramovich or Mancini not sign Michu?


    Plus, Michu's second season in the EPL will be the one to be judged as many players have had a storming season in their first season in the EPL and fail in their second season.


    One example is a player that did extremely well in his first season in the EPL at Swansea which was Sigurdsson. LFC wanted to sign him but guess what, he went to a bigger club i.e. Tottenham and has not been able to replicate the form he hads in the EPL with Swansea compared to his form at Spurs.


    Explain that. Thank you and good bey :)

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  63. I think he made great signings. Allen was man of the match in several games before his dip in form. Obviously a very talented footballer. Borini has a good goalscoring record prior and will be a very good player for Liverpool. It's just as valid to claim that as it is to claim he will be crap. It's clear to all that watch him play that he is a very intelligent player. He just scored on his third touch at the weekend after months out! Assaidi while a bit lightweight-for me is 50/50 whether he will succeed. Hard to tell with him but he was very inexpensive so no big loss if not. Yesil has scored several goals for the u21s. He was brought in for the future and for around 1 million pounds I would say that is a very astute purchase. One of the hottest young prospects in Europa and a player many think will be the future of the Germany squad. Sounds pretty good to me really.



    Henderson, Downing and Suarez are perfect examples of how it takes a while to settle at Liverpool. Suarez more than doubled his output. Henderson is10 times the footballer he was last season and Downing...well no one can argue that he didn't take a year to settle.

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  64. I have one suggestion to make...Seeing that you are an expert in all areas of our beloved team and that no one ever seems to be good enough, I would suggest FSG to sign you. You could be our director of football and sign players for Liverpool, you could also replace Brendan Rodgers when results are not coming our way, you could also play in all positions when players are out of form. In simple words, you could be an all rounder or better, you could go and hide back in the cave you came out from and stop supporting Liverpool. Since I joined this page, I have NEVER read one positive post from you. All you ever do is criticize and belittle our players.

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  65. Why are you suddenly on BR's back about everything (So much for being fully behind him!). If you want a new manager every year, and subsequently a constant period of transition, then go support Chelsea. Also the title is misleading...since neither the budget or the targets have been specified then how can you judge how well the funds will be spent?

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  66. Jaimie loves the red tops, seems like you believe every word!

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  67. The good times are back5:08 pm, May 01, 2013

    Well done for making yourself look like a fool. You have proven my point that many youngsters have failed to make an impact in their first season at LFC.

    Agger only became a regular in his second season. Mascherano only made 5 appearances in his first season at LFC.

    You clearly cannot see past your nose.

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  68. i don't have any major issues with anything Jaime has said. Must say that the "need to improve" has always been a constant after we lifted the champions league trophy on that faithful night in Instanbul. We are not even close to meeting those previous standards in overall quality of our squad .

    It is my belief that standards have fallen at Liverpool Fc over the years. If you can simply compare two teams from that night in Instanbul in 2005. These teams would be Liverpool Fc and AC Milan. AC milan in my opinion has remained a formidable force in world football while Liverpool suffered from a period of what i will call "total mayham" which brought about a serious dip in performance and instability brought about from miss-management under previous owners and which almost led to administration. We never quite recovered from that scary period at Liverpool FC.

    Today Milan is a team full of talent with players like Balotelli, EL Shaarawy, De Jong, Boatang , Robinho just to name a few. These cats can make any starting 11 on any team. Unfortunately the same can't be said about most of the Liverpool squad today. We have Luis Suarez as our biggest asset. We have Philip Coutinho , Daniel Sturridge , Sterling and Suso as players who will be real bright lights at Liverpool. It can be said that Coutinho and Strurridge are showing signs of greatness.



    Getting in more quality in our transfer signings is a definite must. Hearing the manager say that make me happy. So far i am not confident that he will deliver simply based upon some of the names that have been linked with Liverpool FC. I know he has a shoe string budget but if he continues to pursue former players or cheap rejects from other clubs we will continue to avoid a top four finish. We need players who are more technically gifted and unfortunately it might mean shopping far from home. There are not many Coutinho's in the premiere league and not many of them will be British. To catch up with the likes of Milan we have to scour the globe for hot young talent just like many of the big boys do.


    I don't believe it is possible to win major trophies on the cheap. Serious money will have to be spent in other to purse talented players.

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  69. Id argue that none of the above players have had a negative impact. Assaidi is a quick skilful player with not much end product but in fairness he hasn't been given a chance. He has impressed me when ive seen him. Not too bad for 3 mill. Sell him for 4 or 5. Allen in fairness has had bad form of late and was an easy substitute to make in recent games but for 15 million, Christ, we could have had anyone. I think hes a very good player in the making. Lacks physicality but is a great passer, dependable and his odd flourishes of skill make me think hes one for the future. Needs to be more creative. Not worth the money but, like Hendo and Downing now I think he has a future. Yesil cost beans and is a cracking player and as you say one for the future. Not a waste of money in my book. Sahin contributed a few goals, albeit very expensive goals, and was played out of position. Not a good one for Brendan. In fairness he was shipped fairly quick but he has proved his quality with Dortmund. Borini is the hardest one to comment on. When hes played he creates space for the attacking player, drags defenders away from the ball and seems to have decent positional sense. Very unfortunate season, one goal, not much to show for 10.5 million. With confidence could come good. Overall none of the players are world class which is exactly what we need.

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  70. allen is a welsh international who cost 15m ...hes no kid in playing terms ....i dont see potential in there game thats why i dont rate them

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  71. but they didnt cost 15 and 11 million

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  72. Rodgers has to be excused for the errors he made last summer. This was his 1st season at a club of this magnitude and he's a young manager. I agree that his summer signings made no impact whatsoever but he was taking charge of a side he knew little about and he did what he thought he needed to. He bought Joe Allen thinking we needed him but I'm sure BR knows now that we didn't. Borini was brought in cuz he's a poacher but Rodgers made the error of playing him out wide, thinking or hoping he could make an impact from there. He can't play anywhere but in the middle, hence his ineffectiveness. With Assaidi I don't know what the problem is. He makes the bench often and he has looked bright in his few appearances but he is seldom given an opportunity.
    I believe we have an intelligent young manager and he knows exactly what we need to improve. Hopefully this time around his transfer dealings will be better

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  73. agents are banging on the doors of clubs all the time ....trust me you know who is available and what they can do ...through my work i know a guy who used to be a an agent and the tales he tells about the legnth some guys will go to get there clients foot in the door is unreal at any one time they know who is available what they want and where they want to go ...they all p*ss in the same pot

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  74. You do realise that Sterling, Suso, Shelvey and a few still coming through are what you are referring to wasteful buys, don't you?

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  75. I wonder what's the feeling about Downing at the moment? Would you keep him or would you sell him?

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  76. you really are an anooying prriiick, kanwaarr, WILL YOU FUUUCKKK,K OFF

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  77. This will be deleted as criticism is becoming rarer on this forum which is s shame.


    I can't disagree with the main point in the article but just as many here me included were quick to dismiss Downing & Henderson we were wrong.
    We my yet be wrong with Borini & Allen the problem is the pressure to perform is absurd.


    We could find that Sturridge and Coutinhio may struggle with form next season.
    I think if anyone has any humility or they are smart enough they'll wait until January 2014 to make some judgements based on SOLID evidence rather than 1/s a season or a 1 season

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  78. If only BR could sign that flop I can't score a goal even if you paid me Torres or that 0 yard passer Alonso or that can't keep a clean sheet keeper Reina

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  79. Assaidi and Yesil cost next to nothing, sahin was on loan. Yes we overpaid for borini and Allen (bulk of the 33 mil) but both are young and can improve and have some resale value. BR also shifted a lot of deadweight (has to get some credit for ridding us of joe cole I don't care how much it cost), brought in coutinho and Sturridge who have made a difference (which u acknowledge to be fair) and has got some decent return from Downing and Henderson. I'm not saying he's been brilliant but aside from Rafa I don't see many realistic options to replace him. I agree this transfer window will be a real test and he'll have to do better, but lets not write him off just yet,

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  80. who are you trying to kid? Allen and Borini are not capable of getting much better than they are now. If they don't have the fundamental technical skills by now they are not going to ever get it. They are average. Coutinhu and players like him picked up certain skills on the beaches of Sao Paulo at such early ages that make them more special than the rest.

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  81. The piece of business, or non-business that most amazes me is that Liverpool had lined Diame up on a free before Rodgers arrived. He came, that deal was dropped and then the club spent £15m on the inferior Allen. Now there is talk of Liverpool BUYING Diame. A agree entirely with the aricle. Rogers wasted a lot of money on players who have made no difference in terms of improvement.

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  82. I think these evaluations have been unduly harsh, particularly on Allen, yes he hasn't exactly set the world on fire but you should't forget that for the 1st quarter of the season he was pretty much our best midfield with Gerrard struggling to adapt, Lucas out injured and Henderson and shelvey being inconsistent at best. Plus we don't really know how long he was carrying that shoulder injury for. Borini to injured to tell for me while yesil wasn't meant to be an instant impact player while we'll probally still make a profit on assiadi

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  83. downing and henderson have improved that greatly they helped us to finish 7 th most likely .Wow if borrini and allen can improve us by the same amount we might be able to finish 7th next season too or maybe 6th.Downing and henderson have not improved that greatly ,i think your head is tuck in the last game.How improved were they when we lost 3-1 to villa ?and when we played southampton ?Over the whole season Downing and Henderson have not really improved by much if any and even if they have its too little affect cause the teams were competing against have improved more so its still not good enough .I just hope we dont end up buying williams,mcarthy,and ince etc.If BR keeps going back to Swansea for new signings he will eventually end up with most of his team from last season,the problem is they finished about 10 th

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  84. Allen and Borini are still young and can certainly improve, they can't get worse can they? I don't agree that 'picking up skills on the beach' is the determining factor in a players potential, it's a romantic viewpoint that only
    Brazilians have some kid of natural\instinctive flair and
    Skill but it just isn't true, football is a profession and
    From Italy to wales they are getting first class
    Training from a young age and there's no reason they can't develop all the required skills.

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  85. Adding Yesil to this list was a bit harsh i hardly think too many people expected him to be a first team player this season at all.

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  86. You wouldn't say "I paid 32 million for these seeds, its been 6 months and their still not trees"
    Your totally excluding the process of progress.

    Why don't we all just chill out and have some faith, we don't need to worry about prices cos its not our money.
    Get behind the team,encourage them and hope they achieve their potential.

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  87. i think Allen will come good.. he was good in the 1st half of the season!

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  88. From what i can see Assaidi must be having Language problems he doesn't seam to look like he is understanding people, that can change also BR has tried to play him in midfield, hopefully the hiccup can be sorted and he will come good because he looks really good on the ball.

    Allen I think burnt out a little then picked up a knock

    Yesil has been really good in the youth team

    Borini I'm sure would have been happy to play with a broken ankle but apparently it would hurt a little, looks a good little poacher

    Sahin didn't want to play in the position we asked him to play in simple and I'm very happy of that because he left and we looked elsewhere and got some handy little guy from Brazil for 8 million.



    Some not ready to play in the first team yet some are taking a little longer to settle, give it time Jamie this feels like its the right direction to me the lads all look really jelled. With what money we had and what players we cleared out we did pretty well this season IMO

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  89. And where would we be without sturridge & coutinho? It's a rough game to ignore successes and focus on those that either won't work or may take time. Who should we have bought in the summer instead? If you say michu....

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  90. We must buy the best players in the world not the best players in England. SO PLEASE NO MORE ENGLISH PLAYERS!!!

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  91. we know you love to stir emotions so will ignore that!

    Allen was praised strongly at start of season but lost his way in an unsettled, underperforming, and shallow squad.

    I don't think anyone would have expected Shelvey, Suso, Sterling, Wisdom etc to have been vital first team players this year amd therefore doesn't surprise me if the new players take longer to settle.

    Coutinho and Sturridge came into a fitter and stronger team/squad

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  92. Thats the problem if Rodgers waste's the money from a potential sale then not only have we lost 50 million pounds we have lost one of the best players in the world. It would be nice to see what LFC gain simply from suarez shirt sales!


    We have to remember that Rodgers at the moment isnt a well known name and therefore will not attract top talent through sheer personality. We see this from the buys in the past where most of the players he has purchased have some sort of link with him - even now he is being linked with reading and swansea players.



    Im not saying he isnt a good manager but becaue he is a bit of an unknown quantity then people wont sign simply because of him. Once he has won something -then certainly more bigger names will flock to liverpool.

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  93. Yesil isnt needed in that list but generally agree on the others. The shining light though is the jan signings have been awesome. So I`m hoping for a summer like Jan rather than a summer like last summer.


    This time I will forgive BR due to not having a scouting team in place, benifit of the doubt if you will. However if he messes up in the summer than that will be it for me. I would rather sign one of two top top players than people like Williams and Long. We dont need mediocore we have that already.

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  94. NonEventHorizon11:58 pm, May 01, 2013

    Here's one for everyone to consider.... If we were all told a month before the Euro's that we'd be buying an Italian striker that was in the Italy squad and had worked with BR before for £11m, would we have thought that was a positive buy? The reasons for buying Borini don't look too bad, imo, when put like that.

    I agree with JK on the rest but think we can't really assess FB yet, he deserves until at least Christmas before we all call for him to be hung, drawn and quartered ;-)

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  95. Are you actually serious regarding the tactical side of the game? Over the mourinho days tactics have advanced a great deal and i don't think you can compare what shankly had in his day to the situation now, i'm pretty sure Shankly would have never known about the medium block, transitions or ball circulation or any other tactical terms of this manner used today.

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  96. Exactly, Thats why he Bought the Italian Borini, and the Welshman Allen.

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  97. One things for sure if this summers transfers are anything like last years, irrespective of potential for players to get better, I expect BR to be out of a job. A good manager looks after the present and future simultaneously, this is why u can't fault Alex the red nosed reindeer!
    In other words if we don't buy players this summer that can perform straight away, BR has to collect his P45. Diame for Allen last year would have made so much sense. This summer Diame, benteke or Remy, Angelo Ogbonna & Williams/Dede.

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  98. Wow what a revelation. If manager does not sign good players and therefore the team does not improve he will be sacked! I'm sure Brendan Rodgers would understand this perfectly well. I'm sure the plan would have been that all players signed would all be successful. But when you think about it isn't that what all teams want? The nature of competition is that some will suceed and some will fail. As some people have already pointed out, last year everyone was saying that Downing and Henderson were hopeless etc etc.

    Turns out that both are quite handy players. (If somewhat overpriced!)

    This (article??) is a hysterical overreaction.

    It all probably boils down to what you actually want. Do you support Liverpool or do you run a website that is designed to get as many clicks as possible?

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  99. He tried to sign dempsey and sigurdson buy Ayres ballsed it all up remember. Im not being funny like but that's what's caused us to not qualify.

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  100. Lucas can making highly rate of tackle,but cannot assist many chances to score the goal.Please add 1 new CDM players.Downing and Henderson is wastefull signing because cannot contribute many goal.Performance now improving but stiil not enough.They are only just better player but cannot push to exellent players.Slowly thinking and acting.Better ship out with others rusty talent players carroll and Borini.Only Suso and Coutinho world class attacker that LFC have this season.J.Shelvey should playing for CDM position and not attacking player.Spearing should call him back for next season.He must improve tackling and be more creative player.Lucas is good player but not to creative and briliant.

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  101. Yes, I have to agree with JK here. 32 mil pounds is a hell lot of
    money. For the financial status of LFC now, without champions league
    money for 3 successive seasons and coming 4th, 15 mil pounds for the JA and 11.5 mil
    pounds for Borini is simply too much. There are plentiful of 500k to 3
    mil pounds as-good 'seeds', if not better ones, all around the world. It just
    the incapability of the management and scouting team to find them. These 2 players combined for a total
    of 26.5 mil pounds and hardly making any positive impact for almost 1 full season.

    I'm
    try not to slate KD and Comolli again but even oil-field backed Mansour
    City and Chelski won't label their 35 mil pounds and 16 mil pounds
    purchase as 'players for the future'. In our case they are AC and JH as
    every LFC fan should know. This is a super stupid practice that should
    never be condoned and followed.

    Seriously, what makes us so sure
    that LFC will not do a 'Portsmouth' or 'Leeds Utd' at some point of
    time, given our present financial status and results on pitch? FSG is a
    sports management company, nothing really affiliates it to some oil or
    diamond mining activities, at least from what I read online. Also is
    there a clause in the club's ownership contract stating that it cannot
    do a Hicks/Gillett? Therefore, meticulous financial management is very
    much needed at the club, at least for the next couple of years. Wastefulness in the transfer market will push LFC even further away from the leading clubs in EPL.

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  102. Jaimie, I think you may have missed the boat too with your replies to some of the comments.

    Rogers strengthened the side, by adding new players. These were to compete with existing players already in the squad.
    IMO, what he has done has been successful. Why?

    Well, his moderating of the previous players in the squad showed he had faith in Hendo, Downing coming good. And funnily enough, they did.These were players we all thought were dead wood, and should have been shipped out asap.

    You have to remember that with the money he invested in the quad (30 odd mil), this has gone on to create a team that will definitely challenge for awards next term. His signings were never guaranteed to make an instant impact as soon as they arrived. The ones which he bought to do so (Sturridge, Coutinho) did. If you notice apart from Coutinho and Sturridge, the rest were players to fight for positions.

    Next season, if these players would, and should have improved, thus improving the squad further once others are sold. The rotation system of managing comes into play.

    If we want instant success then you have to spend big to get that, whether young or old. But hes bought value and, imo, bought well.

    A lot of these players signed need to develop character to the style Rogers wants, and not their ability. Cos they have the ability, as we can see from some of the players who suffered previously.

    Cheers

    Mike

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  103. Couldn't agree more. I think I will reserve judgement on Borini and Allen until next season but as things stand they look a waste of money. We needed players who could make an immediate impact and whilst easier said than done Sturridge and Coutinho show that the right players are certainly out there. We definitely need to make wiser investments this summer and hopefully sign quality. Missing out on players like Benteke and Michu hurt. If Swansea and Aston Villa and sign those players for moderately small fees why on earth can't we?

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  104. you all talk as if you managers. bullshit, there is no money to buy quality players. look at Chelsea, city, psg and others they buy players i mean quality players for 20 and above for million pounds and he utilize his money well to bring the best of players he can you write foolish stories about him

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  105. Well I guess my answer would still be Coutinho, because he is a good youngster that we signed.
    But we have indeed signed some complete and utter dross in the past.
    I was just trying to be positive ;-)

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  106. Absolutely correct Mike!!!

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  107. I stand corrected in that case. Does surprise me though as I can't remember either of them doing much when they first arrived at Arsenal. Thought it took both a while before they started producing but obviously not. Still doesn't change the fact though that all players don't hit the ground running. I really should have given Lucas as an example (can't go wrong with that one). I don't understand how you include Yesil in the list though when he wasn't bought for the 1st team. Hopefully in regards to Borini, it will prove to be money well spent but we wil have to wait another 6-12 months to be sure.

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  108. Your memory isn't that bad Gerard....What Jamie failed to point out is that Henry went through something like his first 13 games without scoring....or only scoring once or so...and he was getting a lot of grief from the Arsenal fans....he finished the season strongly...but in terms of immediate impact he took a while to settle in, so those figures are somewhat skewing the actual picture of Henrys first season at Arsenal.

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  109. Is your memory very short Jamie...at the start of the season Joe Allen started very well, and was being hearlded for his displays...though a lot of that could be put down to him playing in the Olympics and probably being up to speed in regards to his fitness...admittedly he lost his way half way through the season...but he is still young as well as clearly carrying an injury. Yesil was never bought for the first team, so regarding his impact, there can be no question, and then Borini has just been unfortunate with two fairly bad injuries, but I suppose you can expect players to make impacts from the doctors table. The only real dissapointment was Sahin, but hey..several players with great reputations to come to the PL and just can't cut the mustard...ie...Morientes...a player who was able to settle in every league he ever played in bar England, Juan Veron...Shevchenko....to name but a few...these things happen...you could whinge about it...but it doesn't help the situation and is not something anyone can really explain why...there is no science to it...if there was it just wouldn't happen. I just hope oour next few signings are more like Coutinho and Sturridge who have made amazing impacts in a short space of time, which would be a great article to read about, instead of a down in mouth, lets beat Rogers with a stick one like this.

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  110. So Allen had a few good games. Big deal. The season is longer than a couple of months, and over the last 9-10 months, Allen has made zero difference to LFC. That's the issue here. You judge a player over a season, not just on a few games, and none of Rodgers' signings have made and difference whatsoever. That is self-evident, and it's amusing how fans take it so personally and rush to defend them, even though it's obvious.

    Things may change next season; Borini and Allen may turn out to be LFC's two most important players, and I hope it turns out that way, but for now, they've made zero impact, and there's nothing wrong with highlighting that. Fans just don't like to hear the truth.

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  111. Jeez, what is it with people and their pigheaded insistence on twisting things? Again with the 'instant impact' stuff? That is not what this is about! I never mentioned anything to do with instant impact - I've stated repeatedly that I'm talking about impact over an entire season.

    At the end of the day, Henry grabbed close to 40 goals/assists in his first season. Whether he got the bulk of his goals at the beginning, middle or end is irrelevant - he made an impact overall, and that is the point. Allen et al have made no impact *across the season*

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  112. wtf are you talking about man?? jk did not start this argument...he is talking about waste of money and you are talking crap...I really have to agree with JK.will another 32m go to waste?

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  113. Cheers Coliemac. At least that explains why I have memories of both of them struggling when they first arrived. Didn't realise they kicked on in the second part of the season.

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  114. The good times are back10:00 am, May 02, 2013

    Why did City, UTD, Chelsea or Spurs not sign Michu and Benteke for there low fees?


    Why did Villa and Swansea not sign Couthino or Sturrdge?


    Same difference isn't it?


    The logic on this site is bordering on ridiculous.


    Was Allen bought for the long term or to make an immediate impact?


    Was Lucas bought to make an immediate impact?


    The logic on this site suggests that the money we spent on Lucas was a catastrophic waste but how do you tie that logic up if he was not bought to make an impact in his first season at the club?


    FSG have a policy in place to buy young. If they spend 100 million on 10 youngsters can that be classified as a catastrophic waste of money when those youngster join the club for the LONG TERM not what they are going to contribute immediately.


    Logic on this site suggests that everytime we buy a youngster it will be a catastrophic waste of money?

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  115. In regards to the course of a season, you are right but it was nice of coliemac to point that out as I was starting to think that my memory was failing me. It was just a bit skewed.

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  116. Good points, but the scouting network had nothing to do with Coutinho and Sturridge. Rodgers admitted that he'd been following Coutinho 'since he was 15', so he's a target identified by him. Same with Sturridge - it's not as if LFC needed a scouting team for him, especially when he was linked with a move to Anfield last summer, when the club allegedly had no scouting network (!)

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  117. There is no 'bleak outlook' - it's just fans like you who take things too personally, and think you need to defend LFC players against every little criticism, no matter how valid. The point I've made since the beginning is very simple:

    * Rodgers spent £32m+ on players last summer who've made ZERO impact over the whole season.

    Whether fans like it or not, that is a fact, and it's not something that should just be brushed under the carpet using excuses like 'they'll come good' and ' they need time to settle'.

    Transfers have to deliver some benefit to the club too, especially over a whole season, otherwise what is the point of spending the money?

    No one is saying that Borini et should've propelled LFC into the CL, but they should've have at least some discernible positive impact on LFC's league position/cup competitions/ability to challenge for the CL.

    If not, then what you're suggesting is that all signings get a free pass for an entire year where they're not expected to make an contribution to the team. They just get paid big bucks every week to 'settle in' and that's it.

    I doubt FSG will see it that way. For a £32m outlay, there should be some kind of return over a year, and there's been nothing from Rodgers' summer signings, and that has cost LFC dearly.

    The club could've signed Diame, Michu and Rhodes last summer for LESS than the cost of Joe Allen. If those three players had been at LFC over the last year, I have no doubt whatsoever that LFC would be in (or close to) the top four right now.

    Rodgers bought the wrong players. He wasted the club's money, just like Dalglish and Comolli.

    That may change next year, but for *this season*, his transfers have abjectly failed.

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  118. Take things personally....i'm not taking anything personally at all...yes criticisms can be made...of that there is no doubt....but how you can criticise the transfer of Borini when he has been out injured for practically the whole season with two really bad injuries....I suppose Rodgers should of seen those coming...like seriously. And you claim 32 mill has been wasted...of those players you mentioned the only waste that can be criticised is the money spent on Sahin. That is the only money that was basically wasted. Anything else can be put down to investment...and therein lies your issue Jamie...you like every other fan these days expect miracles and instant success. I'm sorry things like that don't happen overnight...even with the likes of City's money and even Chelsea back in the day...it still took time. Rome wasn't built in a day...you should remember that...it Fergie Six long years to get a PL title and my god did he make some shocking signings along the way....but I suppose there are probably some mancs out there who still complain about what he does even with the legacy he will leave behind....which I can't stand to see, but do respect and hope Rodgers can at least give us chance of overhauling.

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  119. It really is like talking to the wall.

    How many times do I have to make this point?! It has NOTHING to do with wanting 'instant success', and the fact you keep going about this means you either just don't understand the very simple point I'm making, or you're deliberately twisting my words.

    Expecting some kind of positive impact from £32m worth of transfers over an ENTIRE seasons is not wanting 'instant success'. Anyway, I've made this point a millions times in this thread, and I can't be bothered to repeat myself again. If you want to persist with this 'instant success' nonsense then knock yourself out.

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  120. Jamie as I said the instant impact should of come from Sahin....that's where the critcism should lie...and only Sahin. The amount spent has nothing do with anything....as I stated...every other transfer you mentioned was an investment. They were not bought to make an instant impact...Borini has just turned 22, Allen 23, Yesil 18, Assaidi at 24 maybe...but 2.5 mill....probably make that and some if selling him. I can give you two players....Nani and Anderson...cost Utd that much alone....still there...and still have made literally no impact....but the rest of the squad carry them. Now if you were expecting Allen, Borini, Yesil and Assiadi to have us flying and challenging for top 4 then you have to be on something. They were always going to take time to bed in. I am genuinely excited about next season. If Suarez can keep his nose clean and we can stay relatively injury free for a lot of the season I believe this side could break not only into the top 4 again but even top 2....!!! A few astute additions in the summer and this side could easily go places....they played city off the park in both games this season and were unlucky, the same with both games against Arsenal, andwe won't talk about the Utd games...but those small little margins have made a huge difference, a slight tilt in those games and this side would be easily Top 4 and that was with only one recognised striker for half a season. Now I think, less of looking back at the bleakness of certain situations and more of looking forward at the light at the end of the tunnel....that is all.

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  121. Jaimie, this isn't related to this article but I am curious to know your opinion seeing as you also lived in Germany and possibly other countries.
    I have seen a lot of comments from fans stating that Rodgers won't be able to sign the same calibre of player as KD because of KDs reputation. In regards to British players, I think those fans definitely have a point but I don't think this has much affect on foreign players because KDs success was so long ago. When I am discussing footie with German or Dutch friends and refer to the great Liverpool team, hardly any of them know the name Dalglish or Souness for example, which really surprised me to be honest. Based on my experiences, I don't think that argument holds much water when referring to foreign players. Just wondering if you (or any fans on the site who lived abroad) had a similar experience in foreign countries and if you think the name and reputation of a Manager is more important to a potential signing than the history of the club.

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  122. Paul.Philosophy12:10 pm, May 02, 2013

    No balanced philosophical debate here...

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  123. The club has plenty of depth in some of the players they have what they are in dire need of is 3 or 4 first team stars.
    Therefor removing the deadwood would then allow the fringe players and some first teamers to be solid back up.

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  124. I'm in my 30s, so my German friends are well aware of Dalglish/Souness etc, and LFC's history, mainly because they're old enough to remember the 70s/80s. When I lived in Germany, LFC were a big deal, and were widely respected by the Germans.

    Nowadays, it would seem that managerial pull is more important than the actual club itself, unless it's a club that is regularly successful (i.e. Barcelona/Bayern/Madrid etc). Liverpool won the CL in 2005, but haven't won the league for almost 23 years, so they're perceived differently these days, especially by the younger football fans, who've grown up with LFC being perennial failures in the league.

    I think you're right re foreign players though - LFC's history is still respected across Europe, and still has pull. Suarez joined LFC because of the club's history, so it just proves that LFC still has the X factor.

    Rodgers doesn't have the pull (IMO) to sign high profile players. Sigurdsson chose Spurs over LFC, even though he'd worked with BR, and AVB probably had something to do with that.

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  125. I agree with wat your sayin about young players growing into liverpool and how we play but you bring young players in to back up your stars. Lucas was able to come in back when rafa signed him because we had class in masch n Alonso. He didn't have to play every game and contribute alot to the team because we had the players already. Rodgers spent alot of money on young players but none on players we needed to up the level of our play. You don't but players for the bench when we don't have enough talent on the pitch, joe Allen is mediocre but still could be useful backup for our midfield but Assiadi hasn't been seen much(waste) We might not need instant success but we need to be better. I think I speak for most fans when I say we need to be closer to the top 4.

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  126. That's what I found a bit strange as I am 38 myself and most of the friends I would discuss this with would be in their 30s. Might have been my pronunciation of the names with the Irish accent that threw them off :)
    In reference to AVB, I did find myself wondering where we would be if he had been offered the job. Been really impressed by him this year.

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  127. You comments are mind blowingly staggering. Your arrogance is quite unbelievable. Taking what you say at face value means that any good manager of people will make a top class football manager as the rest (player selection, tactics, formations, reading of the game....) is simple that anyone can pick up. Absolute rubbish. You can write all you like the statement you have made is rediculous.

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  128. Really? You've been impressed with AVB? Why? He hasn't achieved anything Redknapp hasn't. I can't see how hiring him has made one bit of difference for Spurs.

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  129. Absolutely.
    When you look at his stint at Chelsea, he has taken a lot on board since then and looks like the Manager that people were making him out to be. To me, Spurs
    look better organised under AVB while still maintaining their attacking flair.
    Been really impressed by Vertonghen. For me, he has been one of the buys of the season. If you look at his other signings like Lloris and Holtby, I would say the signs for Spurs are good, providing they keep Bale of course. I expect Spurs to kick on next season under AVB once it really becomes his team.

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  130. The good times are back6:34 pm, May 02, 2013

    Is Sigurdsson a high profile player Jaimie? Better than Couthino?


    You talk utter rubbish. Sigurdsson chose money instead of playing for Liverpool.


    I see you still have not answered my question on why he has not been able to replicate his league form at Swansea.


    So much for a catastrophic waste as you would be on Sigurdsson case now if he had joined LFC. If he couldn't replicate his form at from Swansea at Spurs then what would you be expecting from the youngster at Liverpool?


    END GAME.

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  131. The good times are back6:48 pm, May 02, 2013

    That is right Jaimie, delete my posts after they have gone live.


    Just shows what a coward you are.

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  132. I'm glad JK sees it. We are on the road to being Swansea part 2. Mid table mediocrity beckons. Rodgers will be out by Christmas if he performs half as poorly this season.

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  133. All of the so called Tactics can be learned in two days my friend...but the willingness to carry these tactics to the tee is what takes one ages to understand. Mourinho could use these tactics because he could motivate the players to follow them. His quote - "if you play the way i tell you, we can't lose, if you can't i don't want you".
    JK is correct, it is a simple game, that's why its the most Popular game in the world. Try Chess if you love tactics so much.

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  134. You do ofcourse realise that EVERY manager signs people who don't make significant impacts in their first years. I think the people crowing about Hendersons improvement or even Lucas can attest to not speaking too soon.

    Allen WAS needed as Lucas was injured. Sahin for the same reason. Who cares if Sahin went back to Germany, he didn't make it at Real Madrid, he didn't make it at Liverpool. Who cares, he was a loan cover player.

    Many of BRs signings were in reaction to players leaving relatively suddenly - in those situations you cna only buy whats available, then only what the owners give you. Its been well documented BR wanted Sturridge in the summer but the move was blocked by the owners.

    Assaidi - well, I don't know about that one. Next season will tell.
    Borini has been injured for large parts of his debut season. We'll see how he fares next year. All other signings were a success.

    I think at times people have to get real and realise that every signing isn't going to have the impact of a Suarez, a Coutinho or Sturrigde. Players develop and adapt at different rates.

    You can use whatever stats to either praise or beat a manager so how about we wait for some of these guys to be here for 2 seasons so at least we have something to measure them against before we trash our own team on a whim.

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  135. If we buy the best players in England, won't we have the best team in England?

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