13 Sept 2013

'He'll be a real threat' - BR hails 'brilliant' £10m star. Possible LFC striker option...?

Last week, Jordan Henderson hailed LFC loan signing Victor Moses as a 'brilliant' addition to the squad, and with the international break now over, Liverpool fans will hopefully see the Nigerian international in action in Monday's Premier League game against Swansea. Jamie Carragher and Mark Lawrenson also believe Moses is a good signing, but Why did Brendan Rodgers bring him to Anfield? In his pre-Swansea press conference today, the Reds boss explained his thinking, and hinted at where he might play for Liverpool.

When asked this afternoon why he signed Moses - who cost Chelsea £10m last summer - Rodgers told reporters:

"He [Moses] has got the profile that suits our game, with the technique and the quality.

"He’s a humble guy, and like a lot of our attacking players, he has flexibility and tactical intelligence, and is comfortable in different positions.

"He’s got great feet, great ability, and can shoot with either foot. We've seen him play a lot from the left, but he can play behind the main striker, and when he was a young player, he was the number nine. With him in the team, he’ll be a real threat for us".


Moses up front is not a possibility I'd previously considered, but Rodgers specifically mentions his ability to play as a striker, which possibly means he sees him as potential (occasional) cover for Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez.

With Stewart Downing and Fabio Borini no longer at the club, and Rodgers' professed wish to have Coutinho playing centrally, it's more likely we'll see Moses deployed on the left or right of the front three.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi is convinced that Moses will be a success for Liverpool, and in an interview this week, he predicted that the 22-year old would lead Liverpool to the title. He told reporters:

“I am happy with this [Moses' transfer] because Liverpool is a club I like very much. The arrival of Moses means Liverpool will win the championship because he is a very good player who will boost the side.”

That would be great, and I hope this prediction comes true...but Let's hope Keshi is referring to the Premier League and not the League 'Championship' ;-)



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40 comments:

  1. Will he be the first Nigerian to play for lfc

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  2. One doubt,Can chelsea recall him midway like we did with shelvey last year,if they feel that we are real contender by december?

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  3. If he has the season Rodgers and Keisha think he's capable of, we could well be in with a shot at the title - big if though... For now though, 3 points on Monday please

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  4. There was a fee paid for this loan, to that end Chelsea cant recall him. He will be with us until the end of the season unless we decide to terminate the loan like we did with Sahin.

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  5. Keshi is referring to the Premiere league and not the Champion's league. Moses offers a lot to Liverpool that Downing didn't offer. That is the ability for more direct play by his ability to run at defenders and go one on one. Moses likes to attack any open spaces he can find . The Nigerian is comfortable working in very tight spaces and has great technique on the ball (what some people might call dancing feet). He is not Pele but is the kind of player Liverpool has needed to sign for a long time. He has a great footballing brain and will help elevate the level of play overall.


    Moses is a player that posses a winning mentality. Having recently won the Europa cup with Chelsea and then the African cup of Nations with his country Nigeria he will give a 110% to help take Liverpool to the next level.


    I think he will excel in any of many positions Rodgers might want to play him no matter if it's up front as a striker or on the wings. I couldn't be happier with his signing as his inclusion in the team sheet makes Liverpool's offence a lot more dangerous. I think his inclusion in the attacking line with the likes of Suarez, Coutinho, Sturridge, and Gerrard will really cause a lot of problems for defenders. I have a good feeling about our chances for a top 4 finish for the first time in a long time.

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  6. TBH I wished we bought him when he was at Wigan, he can make things happen for us! He brings to the table a lot of things we lack pace, dribbling ability & strength. He can play anywhere along the front 3, so I hope we have an option to buy?

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  7. Yes, ironically Liverpool is a city which welcomed Nigerian sailors back in the 1950s. So I'm surprised he's the first!

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  8. I wish we had a right to buy option for Moses so I could get properly excited about him

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  9. Cheers been looking everywhere to find out

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  10. It's a pity we can't buy him for certainty at the end of the season. That's really the only down side to the deal.

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  11. Moses will be very good signing. I really like the idea of him spelling Dan or playing along side either Dan or Luis. He is ideal when we play physical teams like stoke who are physical.....

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  12. The reality is if he has a good season with LFC, then the reality is he will want to stay if getting to play and in turn push the sale through if he is wanted by LFC. The only problem is if he has a great season the price may go up a bit!

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  13. I would like us to go all out tmrw. We are top, backs up. Swans are on the back of an away win but against a surprisingly bad W Brom team. I still think they are knocked from the first day.
    We havent conceded a goal, but we havent scored so many either and this is a game i in particular would like to see rodgers throw down a marker.
    It's hard to change a winning team yes, but i thibk more than one goal will be needed to win this game. I would like to see him show the confidence to start Gerrard and Hendo, dropping Lucas to the Bench. Coutihno, Moses, Aspas, Stur.
    Lucas has been great so far this year and probably os harsh to drop him. But the oppertunity of being top of the league and gicen a chance to put a sword to an iffy looking swansea team away, would be a real statement. A job i think that team could really do well. Though i do think we will ship a goal at some point.
    I think this team has a lot mire gials from a lot more areas than we have seen in a while. I would love to see them prove that.
    Most will look at Aspas and say he has not excelled, which he hasnt, and lucas should be on instead. But i would give Aspas one more start, 5weeks in now and i think we will see something from him monday. If it doesnt work Lucas at half time would be the hard call.
    I'm goin 4-1 win with 4 different scorers :)

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  14. I agree. I do have a feeling he wont be at CFC next season. Whether it is because he had a great season and Chelsea get a good deal, or he bombs and is sold to everton, i dont think he is in Mourihnos plans at all.
    I'm leaning towards the first option and think he will be a very direct and powerful addition to the squad.

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  15. 'The arrival of Moses means Liverpool will win the championship because he is a very good player who will boost the side'. Well that escalated quickly! Seriously, I had a few chuckles when I read that. What a funny man

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  16. Maybe he'll split the seas and work another miracle ;)

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  17. Better than Downbeat anyway. I saw him put in some vintage poor performances for Westham recently being subbed etc. And Allandice said he bought the Downing from Villa not LFC, well he better go and get him from Villa as the Downing from LFC's turning up every week lol. Also Carolls injured again there's a surprise... Do you think we were right to sell him and then brought Sturridge in ? Ummm....

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  18. The moderation monster took my last comment...help!

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  19. The casual way that guy said that makes me laugh. It'd be different if he said 'Liverpool can CHALLENGE for the championship'. Tommy Smyth on ESPN has also been similarly favourable to Liverpool like that too...surprisingly. He reckons Liverpool will make the top 4 at Chelsea's expense...WHAT did he just say!?

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  20. Ever since last year, BR is trying to an aspect of our game which we might have last seen 2 decades back - speed. Lot of possession doesn't count much if the speed is not there as the defending teams get time to fall back in numbers & can over crowd the last 25 meters. Moreover, they can hit back with fast counter attacks.



    I rate victor to be a very good prospect, just a shed behind being great. He was bought by AVB at Chelsea after 5th offer, a homegrown category & had he not a Wigan player, easily could have cost the Russian Don twice price. He is 22, has another 2-3 years to mature & by the 25, can easily become a world class attacking player.


    I think Moses is a BR type forward, comes with multiple attributes for different positions & when Suarez returns, probably he 'll alter with at either flanks allowing Stu & Pipo play at central role. JM doesn't have any plan with him (which Manager should have, if he is allowed to spend including salary 60m, for a position already having Mata) & only reason he might block his transfer to LFC is, if he thinks with Moses LFC can be a better force than Chelsea.

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  21. He was with Chelsea last year and they did not win the league.
    Pipe down I say!!

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  22. Dropping Lucas for an attacker??
    Slippery slope that mate ;)

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  23. I think we would see the same team that played against Man Utd on Monday vs Swansea. Toure is fit again, Kelly/Wisdom instead of Glen is the only change I would assume. Aspas will be sub at 60th min (unless he plays really well, in which case Henderson) so Moses could gain some time with the team and possibly start in coming games.

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  24. I read that too. Shows how little most managers know about football.

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  25. They can, if they pay the fee for termination.

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  26. I know you're most probably right right and it'll not happen. Still though i feel Gerrard sitting deep and Hendersons energy in mid could be enough to allow us the luxury against teams like Swansea. I think the gloss will fall off them this season and they will struggle a bit. And if we want that CL spot we are going to have to start dispatching mid table teams with confidence, not trepidition.
    Pipe dream though probably ;)

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  27. Theoritically it could work but the problem is that if we want a 2 man midfield then at least one of them has to be a ball carrier like Yaya Toure or Ramires, unfortunately Henderson is not that powerful midfielder and Gerrard is looking really good in that deep lying playmaker role. Taking Lucas out would not only weaken our defence but also weaken our attack because Lucas plays some good passes through the middle which Henderson can't and I think a midfield of Gerrard- Allen - Hendo can work, but not any 2 of the 3 like we saw against Mansfield last year and also against Southampton where Lucas didn't start. I would like us to continue play pragmatically and we can start banging in goals when Suarez comes back. Just hope we somehow win both these games in between. I am really optimistic though we will not score as many goals as we would want.

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  28. "Pipe down"? The point I'm making is many of else felt that a Marquee signing in that position like Willian or Lamela, might have propelled us forward to challenge for higher than 4th and keshi seems to think Moses is that calibre of player. My "big if" comment was a clue I'm not convinced just yet, but if he's right...

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  29. From Keshi's mouth to Fowler's ear

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  30. Maybe none of the sailors had time to have a footballing career on the side. WIth being at sea all the time and stuff...

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  31. True! They certainly had a liking for scouse women, liverpool has one of the highest rates of mixed race population in Britain! Liverpool was really a pioneer in inviting multi culturalism onto the shores of Britain, the city should be proud :)

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  32. Keshi probably doesn't watch the Premier League, but I kind of disagree with the idea that Moses can turn Liverpool into title challengers. There is no if, Suarez and Sturridge can, but Moses can't. However my comment was in a lighter vein and i respect your opinion. How I wish Moses could be the player Keshi says he is but quite frankly I don't see any evidence to suggest something like that.

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  33. hmmmm....why the sarcasm in the closing??? why not just take it as a positive and encouraging comment..??

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  34. If Ibe chooses to play for Nigeria in the future, would he technically be the first Nigerian footballer to play for us, just being FIFA Registered as English at the time? :P

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  35. I'd agree that Lucas out of the team weakens our defence, but i definately don't think it woild in any way weaken our attack. Yes Lucas, for a defencively minded player does provide better balls than your avg defensive mid, i have no doubt if we deployed Gerrad in that role, the pass accuracy, forward passes played, assists and goal return would definately improve from that position on the pitch. I also think Hendersons overall attacking game would benefit and improve from being given the responsibilty of being the main driving force in midfield.
    It seems to me to be a balancing qct between the detriment to defence, and the value added to attack. So far this year we have looked solid defencively, but maybe a little stale up front.

    Im not saying we play like this against city utd etc, but if we are serious top4, then for me the choice between playing a player who may prevent a goal, or one who might contribute more to getting one, when we are playing mid division teams, well its an easy one. We have to start expecting to beat these teams, and set up our team to do so.

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  36. Jordan Ibe was born in England, raised in South London so I see him as English with Nigerian heritage. Vic Moses was born in Nigeria, came to England when he was 11!

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  37. would definately improve?. Not meaning to be rude but Does last season ring any bells? Lucas is the glue that keeps this side together. We win games without Gerrard but as Kenny found to his dismay last season not so many without Lucas. Gerrard cant do what Lucas does and Vice versa but If we lose what Lucas brings to the team we will plummit.


    I take your point about Henderson and he does look a player, but we are yet to click this season and we are still winning. A hallmark of champions some would say. We are only 3 games in with Suarez to return. If we play a 4-3-1-2 like we have been with Studge and Suarez up top with Coutinho in behind anything is possible.


    Again as Far as Lucas is concerned Kenny is now resuming his Carribean cruise rueing the day he lost him to injury.

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  38. Yeah i remember last season :) I remember one striker for 6 months, a 17 year old as an automatic starter, Stuart Downing as our best wing option or left back, Glen Johnson at left back, Henderson on the wing, and no creative player to sit behind the forwards. We have a very different team than we did 8 months ago. Our options and quality in the squad is much deeper. I dont think you can compare the two situations. We are in a better position now than we were, and we should not stop trying to improve our performances. To be afraid to try something different with a completely overhauled squad, because it did not work at points the previous season, is a bit short sighted.
    As for Kenny , well i dont think Lucas injury had a whole lot to do with him not being in a job in fairness. I'm sure he missed him, but of all the things that contributed to his sacking thats near the bottom.
    Do you remember abysmal home form? 0-0 draws, 65 million spent, ridiculously ill advised t-shirts, inability to deal with the media, one of the worst goal scoring seasons in recent memory.
    Sorry but i dont buy the arguement of an injury free season for Lucas remedying much of that.

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  39. Just love reading your posts. Agree totally on Moses, half a year from now everybody will be scrathing their heads and wandering how got him and Stturidge when nobody wanted him and they both turned out to be amazing and relatively cheap...

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