31 Aug 2013

'It's good business - Lawro urges LFC to sign 'terrific' €10m attacker. Game-changer...?

From Mkhitaryan and Willian to...Victor Moses? Hardly the kind of signing to set pulses racing, but Liverpool continue to be linked with a move for Chelsea squad player, and Reds legend Mark Lawrenson believes the 22-year old attacker would be a good signing for the club.

According to the Liverpool Echo this week:

"Liverpool FC have registered their interest in taking Victor Moses on a season-long loan.

"The Reds have made an enquiry with Chelsea about the 22-year-old’s availability".


Liverpool were linked with a move for the Nigerian striker last summer, and at the time, Moses told MTN football:

"I don't know for now [whether I will move], but there's a link for me to Liverpool, Chelsea and some other clubs in England. If the offer is cool, why not, I will move."

Clearly, Moses deemed Chelsea's offer to be 'cooler' than Liverpool's, (i.e. they offered more money) so he ended up at Stamford Bridge. Like so many players, Moses seems to be a mercenary, just in it for the money, and his comments above underline that. In his column on Thursday, Lawro fully endorsed the move. He told the Liverpool Daily Post:

"There is talk Rodgers could move for Chelsea’s Victor Moses on loan, and I think that would be a good deal. Moses can change games, and if he comes on loan that would represent good business".

If Moses - who cost €10m last summer - can 'change games' then why are Chelsea willing to let him go? Moses' stats last season:

* Overall: 10 goals/4 assists in 44 apps.
* 9 goals/3 assists in FA/CC/Europa League.
* League only: 1 goal/1 assist in 23 apps.
* 2011-12: 6 goals/1 assist in 38 apps.

Moses' record for Chelsea in the cups is creditable, but it's pretty dire in the league, which is Liverpool's main priority this season.

Jose Mourinho left Moses out of Chelsea's squad for last night's Super Cup game against Bayern Munich, which suggests a move is imminent, but the Portuguese clearly rates the Nigerian. After the Blues' recent 2-0 pre-season victory over AC Milan, Mourinho enthused:

"Victor [Moses] has been terrific. He's another player who works very hard. He has not missed a single minute of training. I think Victor is a very good option for us. He is a player who makes the team stronger and gives us options"

I'm sure Rodgers sees Moses as a squad player, and as a loan deal, there's not much risk involved. There's also the possibility that he could turn out to be a star performer like Sturridge and Coutinho, but I can't see it.

Is Lawro right? Would the signing of Moses be 'good business' for Liverpool...?





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65 comments:

  1. so 36m on defence and only 13m on attack
    whats wrong with lfc
    its a fact you always spend more on attack then defence
    sign yarmolenko instead of moses

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  2. Unlike other loan deals, where you could buy after the loan, you know Chelsea would take him back. Especially if he has a good season. So why improve a player for Chelsea? Why not sign your own winger and develop him?

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  3. we are only missing one class left winger so we should go all out for one
    suarez,sturridge,coutinho ,yarmalenko ?
    vs
    dormounts team last year who Rodgers said he wanted to set up like
    lewondowski,reus,goetze and kuba
    id say we are just as good

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  4. Good business with zero risk, like with Cissikho if he does well we can buy him, If not we send him back to sit on the bench???............He has an opportunity like Sturridge did, the rest is history!!!

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  5. spend on attack not defnce
    only lfc spend more on defence then attack
    ps hope moses is just a romour

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  6. Unless we have an option to buy written into the loan agreement

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  7. I will conclude with a bit of positivity
    if Liverpool beat utd we go top for 2 whole weeks depending on north London derby result ofcource
    imagine looking at the gtable for two weeks and everyday lfc are at the top
    and we go 5 points clear of the mancs

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  8. one last question
    can iloris play as a cdm

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  9. Do you think, Chelsea would do that? They must regret sturridge leaving. If Moses came and Rodgers gets the best out of him, they wouldn't want a similar situation.

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  10. What you do is build from the back , not from the forward line , Shankly use to do it . There is nothing wrong with Liverpool. look how much city have spent so far , and spurs on forwards .it doesn't win you the league . get the defense sorted first with class the forwards will then be sorted , But be honest we haven't got a bad forward line have we? sturridge ,Suarez cortenio.etc etc

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  11. Nice thought after 3 games. But isn't it where you are in may that matters?

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  12. Why would we loan Moses to be a squad player (coming off the bench when needed) when we have the likes of Sterling and Ibe that can do just as good if not better, makes no sense at all to me. Stay clear of this on BR

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  13. I was thinking the same thing about Sakho.
    Thats If any of these players turn up,that is.

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  14. Sakho plays CD and LB not CDM, not sure about Iloris though!

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  15. Couldn't agree more! Always build from the back just like when you start an attack- build from the back! Not all big money signings are automatically quality! Many examples down the years from all clubs.. I'm positive about the way we are heading.. Needs must... We can't splash £100M on 3/4 players these days so we got to find players like Sturridge and Coutinho

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  16. The player is king as he can sit in the stands unless Chelsea bend, nobody wants that, If he wants a transfer clause he will insist on it!!!

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  17. why loan moses and give him game time surely its better to give our own young players game time,one more thing if we sign a left winger,wheres that leave henderson ,back on the bench,sorry but henderson deserves his chance ,and until he stops performing he should start

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  18. Mentally it would be a good thing, absolutely!!!

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  19. Moses has won trophies, like Toure, Sakho, Gerrard, Suarez etc, BR said he wants more winners in the squad and we will have. It's about players expecting to win and not hoping to win, a winning mentality is only gained from winning trophies.
    The youngsters need help!!!

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  20. agree mate plus chelsea want 2million for the loan then we will also have to pay his wages

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  21. moses is 22 hardly a old pro and what trophies as he won,he was at a club that won ,he was not a major part of there success

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  22. Very surprised at the negativity about Moses. Moses is a very talented player who combines great skill, pace and importantly strength and power - something our current attacking wide options lack. I remember his last season with Wigan where his performances towards the end kept Wigan up - he destroyed Arsenal at the Emirates. And his stats for Chelsea are very good, especially when his relatively limited playing time and opportunities are taken into account. Also he was pretty loyal to Wigan - don't remember him agitating for a move - so not sure calling him a mercenary is right. Most players would choose the option with the best wages and opportunity to play champions league given that choice wouldn't they?
    Like everyone else, I'd love to see Yarmolenko join but we'll be competing with Champions League clubs for him - unfortunately I really wouldn't be surprised if he wound up at AC Milan or even Man United given their need to make signings and their past track record of stepping in for players we've been after. I think Moses is a reasonable fall-back especially if he can be loaned with an option to buy at a not outlandish price. Even as a season loan he could really contribute. Also, any big money move for Yarmolenko I think may depend on getting some money in from the sale of someone like Skirtel given our prospective spend on CBs and the need to keep the wage bill manageable with no European football revenue.
    I'm very excited at the prospect of Iliori and Sakho joining though I'll believe it when I see it! We need greater strength, power and importantly speed at centre back and when you also put the likes of a fit Tore, Kelly and Cissoko into the mix we'll have great defensive quality in depth at last. And genuine long term success for Liverpool will start with us being very strong defensively - combine that with Suarez, Sturridge, Gerrard, Coutinho, Aspas, Moses, Stirling, Borini, Henderson and Ibe as matchday squad attacking options and we look pretty well balanced.
    Finally, I think a move we should seriously consider is McCarthy from Wigan or Diame from West Ham - both would offer excellent DM competition for Lucas which we really lack at the moment.

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  23. He has won trophies wile sitting on the bench, he is hardly a 1st team player or he wouldn't be farmed out on loan.

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  24. Still been around a winning team Jas, no matter how small his part. Didn't he win the CL and UEFA Cup with them?

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  25. we are not talking about Torres the disguising is about loaning a Chelski fringe player who we are being linked with for a season long loan, you stated he is a winner, as he has won trophies wile being sat on his backside looking from the sidelines.

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  26. Welcome back!!! :)

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  27. Just in it for the money? Arn't they all?

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  28. I think Henderson should play centrally because he gives more physicality to the team than Allen and Lucas (IMO), but, playing him on the right wing with Aspas on the left wing could also be a possible solution. I also think signing a LW is important because it'd be over expectations from Sterling and Ibe to be consistent throughout the season as they're still young and can suffer burn out just like Sterling did last season.

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  29. Look at Sturridge mate, he was a Chelski fringe player - see what BR did with him?

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  30. henderson will only get a game out on the left unless we have injuries at the moment ,if he gets a chance more central then lets hope he takes full advantage of it

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  31. yes sturridge as done great but not all rodgers signings have been so succesful

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  32. I wouldn't be too bothered by his league stats, they're completely distorted by substitutions and him not getting a fair crack of the whip... I would say that his Wigan stats are more important to assess, and clearly there, his performances were good enough to have the likes of Chelsea interested!

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  33. We already had three class attacking players at the club any way, its about adding to what you've got.. Suarez is valued at about £50m and the other two are at a minimum another £20m each! As well as having Hendo and Sterling to add to those players we already had prior to the transfer window..

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  34. If push came to shove, we could play the Dagger as a CDM.. I think he's got a good skills basis for it, and I think that Toure & Sakho being paired up would still by a well balanced and experienced defence behind that!

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  35. 4eva LFC, LFC 4eva11:27 am, August 31, 2013

    I'm so sick of people saying, it doesn't win you the league will it has won Chelsea, Man City the tittle, but more to the point it will put you right in contention on a regular basis.
    Not to mention no ones asking for ten F%^&*@g strikers but one more would be nice along with an attacking midfielder
    shit we have more CB then we do anything else so forgive us, who might wish for those two extra players as well. Lets not forget it's been over 20 years.
    P.S do you really think that our forward line is that good and please enlighten me on who is the etc,etc their real test is this week.

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  36. Why are we loaning a player from Chelsea, especially when he cost less than 10 mil pounds? If he turns out to be good, will Chelsea sell him to us? Don't quite understand the agenda behind it.

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  37. Playing time is vital to develop players and the team. It seems pointless to me to play a player who if he does well will go back to his club. Far better to buy or at least secure an option to buy. Otherwise get someone else in or use the playing time to develop a younger player.

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  38. 4eva LFC, LFC 4eva11:47 am, August 31, 2013

    Not all defenders can defend so what's your point and by the way if their is a really gifted striker out there for us are we going to tell him to wait till we get the backs sorted, yeah and i'm pretty sure Barca built their team from the back up and not around Messi. Mate usually the big money signings as you put it, Falcao, Hulk, RVP, Ronaldo,GB, Eto, Messi etc,etc these guys ARE QUALITY already proven as are 90% of them.
    Not to mention that just because KK spent 100 mill on average shit (Suarez excused) does not mean that BR will do the same, hasn't he proven that he can be careful in the market, i don't know but these are some pretty interesting points too.
    By the way Steve above i can't say a bad word regarding Shankly, but Pele said something once he said all the Brazilians need to do is score more goals than the other team, they score 1 we score 2 does that make him right about how they were thinking? because it worked.

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  39. play with 3 CB, sakho,agger,toure...meaning the FB can be are wingers and gives gerrard a freeroll in CM alongside lucas

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  40. liverpool4life56512:15 pm, August 31, 2013

    People are saying Moses will have his medical tomorrow and be in stands for the united game, and jaimie, his game time was mostly from the bench last season, he abit like Sturridge, needs game time.

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  41. No point complaining like your earlier comment because Hendo has started both league games and came off the bench in the cup to score. What's interesting is if Hendo starts we have no other centre mids in the squad. He needs to take his chances just like every other player in the team. I doubt someone like Moses can take his place. In attack he's on the right but in defence he forms part of a midfield 3, it's pretty interesting.

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  42. That is absolutely right. And agree the best situation would be to loan with an option to buy, but the bottom line is Rogers needs someone to play wide areas THIS season to help Liverpool get top 4. Stirling and Ibe are great prospects but they are physically still boys not men....and don't have the 2-3 seasons of top flight experience to be relied on to perform consistently at the level requires. In my mind that is why it would be worth getting Moses even if it is just for the season.
    Like everyone else I'd love us to buy a top drawer wide player like Lamela or YarmoIenko in the £20m-£30m bracket, but also think we have to accept this isn't fantasy football - Liverpool don't have a billionaire owner willing to just splash the cash, are not getting £50m+ in to spend from selling our most valuable asset to fund purchases, and don't have any European competition to bolster the pot. In those circumstances loan deals like this make pretty good sense if it gets the right type of player in to compete now and hopefully help get us where we need to be at the end of the season to then operate in the transfer market at a higher level more successfully.

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  43. 'JK is away until September 21st'...not.

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  44. Theycallmemrburt1:03 pm, August 31, 2013

    I called the Moses transfer on here, whilst we were bidding for Willian before our link to MOSES lol. I was just being logical at the time in terms of our spending philosophy and the type of winger available who is most similar to Nathan Dyer and SInclair. Our complete summer has been one big American owned PR stunt that the fans have fallen for hook line and sinker. Bid for a player you have no chance of getting and it demonstrates ambition. Then they can always say "We did try" I actually like the way we are signing players but disagree with LFC Ltd's attempts to dumb down the masses by portraying a completely false view of their structure.

    You can't believe big business. Believe..... only when it is tangible.

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  45. Spot on... we have about £5 mill surplus from ins and outs which coupled with the £20 million FSG and BR talked about being put in gives us just over £25million ...with Sakho at £15 million, I'd trust The Telegraph and Goal.Com over the more dubious amounts quoted, Ilori at a reputed £8million and Moses for a couple of million....that's it folks. We simply don't have the cash of Man City/Chelsea and even Spurs this time with the Bale cash....why is it so difficult for some fans to realise that? If we get Sakho, Ilori and Moses, coupled with what we've already brought in, it's been a very decent window...the biggest hurdle to our success IMO will be if Spurs click as a team with their new signings.

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  46. Moses' stats are a little misleading as he has been in & out of the Chelsea squad. Ironically liverpool's most tactically astute manager, Benitez rated him highly & he chipped in with a few goals! Mourinho also rates him otherwise he would have sold him outright! What he can offer genuine width on the left, freeing up Coutinho to play centrally. He's pacy, direct, good dribbling skills & is a game changer in big games. Remember Wigan's double over arsenal a few seasons ago!
    Overall, Lawro makes real sense, I definitely think he's a level or two above Ibe & Sterling & would make us more potent without breaking the bank!

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  47. By the way I reckon England should have made sure he played for them instead of Nigeria. I suspect he fell under the radar, England's loss!

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  48. liverpool4life5651:57 pm, August 31, 2013

    Sahko is in the building ;-)

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  49. liverpool4life5652:01 pm, August 31, 2013

    Totally agree with you mate :)

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  50. So many names flying about these last few hours, i wish it was Mon 11pm already with 3 new players (Sakho, Ilori and a good attacking minded player) oh and 3 points in the bag this weekend is going to be torture.

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  51. Agreed. Can't deny it looks like Spurs have assembled a great squad with the Bale cash but you can only play 11 on the pitch and our best 11 if we do get the Sakho and Moses in, and with Suarez back, can compete with the top sides. Only position I think we need someone stronger and more athletic is the defensive midfield role - Lucas does not look back to his best or as mobile since his injury and we do lack a bit of physicality at times in the defensive midfield area. Given the lirtle I have seen of Ilori that might be a role he could also play as he does appear to be very good on the ball (like David Luiz). Sakho should hopefully address the concerns over pace and physicality at CB.

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  52. Fantastic! But not believing it's done until it's official.
    So hope we do get another 2 or 3 deals as well as this sorted by the deadline. I'd go in for McCarthy or Diame too if the budget will stretch that far though it's probably too late now.

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  53. is there an option to but and if so what price....or are we just putting him in the shop window for Chelsea....this guy turned us down for Chelsea so whats changed

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  54. They also have the distraction of the Europa League so they need that squad depth more than we do at present... This may sound odd but my only concern with Suarez coming back is that we default to just constantly giving it to him again. We actually seem to play better as a team without him. If he could be truly integrated as an option, pulling defenders etc but not always getting the ball, instead of the automatic "go to guy" we could be a real threat up front. I know what you're saying about CDM but with Stevie playing a slightly deeper role these days too I think we may be ok...seemed to work against Villa in the second half at any rate?

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  55. There was another one posted on Twitter of him with a mate pointing saying "Direction, Liverpool"... so it does look very much like we have a new CB in town!

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  56. Thing is, that is the choice Liverpool made with Suarez...if a big bid has come in early from outside of the Premier League I think they'd have sold him but when that didn't happen they've had no choice but to keep him. And no time to replace him. If we'd got Diego Costa we'd be open to offers I think. Agree with you about needing to play in a way that doesn't focus entirely on getting the ball to him but don't think we can lose his invention and goals.
    Agree that Gerrard can play deeper but you lose something in terms of his passing, delivery and goals in forward areas I think. And if either Gerrard or Lucas get injures we are in trouble!
    And second half against Villa we lost control of the midfield - weren't able to boss possession at all. But did defend ok.

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  57. no option to buy ,just helping chelsea out

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  58. sorry what earlier comment

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  59. prefer yarmolenko

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  60. Yes, we all do....but we've got to live in the real world though!

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  61. Definitely not lose his invention, but he can be wasteful so maybe it's about smartly assessing when he's the better option or not, which Cout' is capable of I reckon. Re. Stevie, what I meant is that he's already playing slightly deeper overall to some degree as he's certainly not doing the box to box stuff anywhere near to the same extent. As such I think there's a little less pressure on Lucas at the moment (who I think is still doing a decent job) and against Villa he effectively became a second CDM as we sat back. The worry of course is if Lucas gets a serious injury again...but given our cash constraints I think we've done as well as can be reasonably expected.

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  62. LFC can bid all they want, but these days they can't attract top talent.It's not a case of LFC wanting Yarmolenko, it's if Yarmolenko wants LFC.Let's see now,AC Milan and Champions League football or LFC....

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  63. You can come off lucky with big money signings, its more a 50/50 gamble than a 90% certainty. the players you mentioned are the cream of the footballing world and would be certainties. But was Torres? Shevchenko? Robinho? Kaka? Ibrahimavic? all these armchair managers would have thought so. They have to run the club properly, with money restrictions and shopping in a market where players and agents want to spark up an auction for their services - it pays to put that extra work in and scout for the best options. Plus when your not in the champions league you have to shop in a certain isle. Man city had to do it, they couldent just buy anyone as if they were playing a ruddy computer game, thats because there is much more behind the scenes of a transfer than just saying we should or should have got him in!! Getting players in below the radar is the way to go, and its tough to identify them. Would coutinho and sturridge have come so cheap had the owners and every other club known how good they could be, NO of course not, Rodgers did his homework, took a gamble and woosh!

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