Liverpool have been linked with a whole host of Brazilians over the last year, and Real Madrid star Marcelo is the latest Samba star on the Reds' radar.
According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo today:
* Brendan Rodgers believes Marcelo is the 'ideal' solution to LFC's left-side worries.
* The Reds are willing to pay €30m to seal the deal.
Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos is a big fan of Marcelo, and insists that the 26-year old is the best left back in the world, and in February, he raved:
“Marcelo has everything. I like his quality, the way he joins the attack, his dribbles. He’s a much more technical player than I was, although maybe I was faster. He’s a magnificent left-back for Madrid.”
Marcelo - nicknamed 'El Loco (The Crazy)' by his Real Madrid team-mates - has an excellent creative record for a left-back, which would certainly come in handy at Liverpool:
* 2009-10: 4 goals/9 assists in 43 apps.
* 2010-11: 5 goals/7 assists in 50 apps.
* 2011-12: 3 goals/8 assists in 44 apps.
* 2012-13: 1 goals/1 assists in 19 apps.
* 2013-14: 1 goals/6 assists in 33 apps.
* TOTALS: 14 goals/31 assists in 144 apps.
* Goal/assist every 3.2 games
What about the Brazilian's defensive stats this season? In 33 apps:
* 43 interceptions (1.3 per game)
* 79 tackles (2.3 per game)
* 20 fouls conceded (0.6 per game)
* 45 clearances (1.3 per game)
* 6 blocks (One every 5.5 games)
* Aerial duels won: 43%
With Aly Cissokho on his way back to Spain, and Jose Enrique's career on the line, left-back is a priority position for Liverpool this summer, and in my view, Jon Flanagan is not the long-term solution. He's an option for the position, but the Reds need someone more experienced for the Champions League.
Flanagan is having a great season for the Reds, but his positional play arguably leaves a lot to be desired. It seems some fans are blind to his deficiencies due to the fact he's a homegrown player, but all LFC bias aside, there are areas in which Flanagan needs to improve, and he surely will (over time).
Liverpool are also linked with Luke Shaw, who's valued at £30m, but I'd rather see Liverpool spend that kind of money on a player like Marcelo, who has massive experience of domestic and international football.
Having said that, Marcelo's defensive stats don't appear to be the greatest....
Who cares about that, though - you can never have too many Brazilians in your team ;-)
Author: Jaimie K
According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo today:
* Brendan Rodgers believes Marcelo is the 'ideal' solution to LFC's left-side worries.
* The Reds are willing to pay €30m to seal the deal.
Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos is a big fan of Marcelo, and insists that the 26-year old is the best left back in the world, and in February, he raved:
“Marcelo has everything. I like his quality, the way he joins the attack, his dribbles. He’s a much more technical player than I was, although maybe I was faster. He’s a magnificent left-back for Madrid.”
Marcelo - nicknamed 'El Loco (The Crazy)' by his Real Madrid team-mates - has an excellent creative record for a left-back, which would certainly come in handy at Liverpool:
* 2009-10: 4 goals/9 assists in 43 apps.
* 2010-11: 5 goals/7 assists in 50 apps.
* 2011-12: 3 goals/8 assists in 44 apps.
* 2012-13: 1 goals/1 assists in 19 apps.
* 2013-14: 1 goals/6 assists in 33 apps.
* TOTALS: 14 goals/31 assists in 144 apps.
* Goal/assist every 3.2 games
What about the Brazilian's defensive stats this season? In 33 apps:
* 43 interceptions (1.3 per game)
* 79 tackles (2.3 per game)
* 20 fouls conceded (0.6 per game)
* 45 clearances (1.3 per game)
* 6 blocks (One every 5.5 games)
* Aerial duels won: 43%
With Aly Cissokho on his way back to Spain, and Jose Enrique's career on the line, left-back is a priority position for Liverpool this summer, and in my view, Jon Flanagan is not the long-term solution. He's an option for the position, but the Reds need someone more experienced for the Champions League.
Flanagan is having a great season for the Reds, but his positional play arguably leaves a lot to be desired. It seems some fans are blind to his deficiencies due to the fact he's a homegrown player, but all LFC bias aside, there are areas in which Flanagan needs to improve, and he surely will (over time).
Liverpool are also linked with Luke Shaw, who's valued at £30m, but I'd rather see Liverpool spend that kind of money on a player like Marcelo, who has massive experience of domestic and international football.
Having said that, Marcelo's defensive stats don't appear to be the greatest....
Who cares about that, though - you can never have too many Brazilians in your team ;-)
Author: Jaimie K
I think we certainly need to invest in a left-back next season, despite the form of Flanno. The fact he can play left-back and right-back with equal comfort means he will always get games if his performance is up to scratch and can be a good squad member for years to come.
ReplyDeleteIf he does maintain this form and this form is a true showing of his overall quality, then he can keep Johnson and a new recruit on their toes whilst perhaps being a long-term successor to Johnson. We'll see.
If we could get him, Marcelo would be a massive buy for us. Would prefer him for Euro30M than 30M pounds for a much younger but less experienced Shaw.
ReplyDeleteJohnson seems to be coming back into some form - do you think he'll be given a new contract that he will be happy with?
30 M for him ? it's a joke ? he's good but not 30M for a defender good.
ReplyDeleteEvery time i see a big match with Real Madrid he's nowhere to be found.
If he wasnt Brazillian playing for one of the big spanish team, people would not even talk about him.
He would leave Real? £30m is cheap for that quality if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteWho cares?!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou've been watching different games to me then. I think he's been excellent.
ReplyDeleteIf we win the league we're a huge chance. Oh champions league and the big star transfer rumours you carry, how I missed you.
ReplyDeleteGracias.
ReplyDeleteWell it's great to perform against small team but when it matters he's often caught out of position, sure he's good in attack but not great in defense, he actually often make stupid challenge in big match that cost his team.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair i may be bias, even if its important in football nowadays i'd
ReplyDeletetake maldini-type full back all day instead of dani alves-type.
Marcelo LB and Sterling RB. Liverpool would go from having the worst fullbacks in the league to having the best. Then buy Kono to replace Sterling on the wing or another world class attacker. I think Sterling is just like a right footed Jordi Alba. Liverpool score buckets of goals now but just imagine a good pacey right winger being backed up by Sterling and the same on the left side. I'm positive if Barcelona or Madrid had Sterling coming through their youth system they'd turn him into a world class attacking fullback.
ReplyDeleteOff topic but Konoplyanka surly watching Sundays
ReplyDeletematch there's no way he'd pick Tottenham over Liverpool especially as
we're set up perfect for his game and strengths. Maybe Liverpool won't
want to negotiate with their clown of an owner again or just have their
eye on bigger and better players, we'll just have to see.
Lawrenson talks nonsense with such regularity I'm amazed he's been a pundit so long. Pulis is a good organiser and knows how to set a team up to be difficult to beat but it's brutal to watch. To compare him with Rodgers is laughable
ReplyDeleteIt could be argued that Shaw would be a better buy due to his age and therefore getting a player for longer. Personally I think it's just crazy to believe we will spend anything like that on a full back. I just can't see it happening.
ReplyDeletewe need a LB, Flanagan has done well, but not well enough, as evidenced by Sunderlands goal midweek.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Flanno statement but he has also been awesome at times. This is one point on a neutral website that singled Flanno out for praise.
ReplyDelete"Whilst Flanagan's positional sense has belied such inexperience
(particularly as a left-back), it is his confidence with ball at feet
that has been most impressive. His forays into opposition territory are
not simply kamikaze gambles into attacking areas (as is the case with
Cissokho) but instead measured dribbles, typically leading to a pass
laid off to Jordan Henderson or one of Liverpool's front three. Against
Spurs, Flanagan made 25 passes in the opposition's half, more than the
adventurous Glen Johnson on the opposite flank and Luis Suarez wide
left. He retains the defensive discipline and stamina to rarely be left
caught upfield."
After watching Sterling's outstanding motm performance against the spuds there is nooo way I would want anyone playing in that position. Maybe I'm just being biased from the highs of the weeks gone past but Rodgers is right in saying these kids could saves the club's a lots of millions of pounds
ReplyDeleteIMO Flanno is Johnsons replacement ie RB.....Marcelo would be a great buy.....I think Joses time at LFC is up and I expect both he and Johnson will be gone in the summer.
ReplyDeleteAlberto Moreno please
ReplyDeleteI think Flanno should be the successor to Johnson. He can fill in on both sides, and Johnson is hardly getting any younger. He is only 29, but how much longer can he continue putting in good performances at arguably the most physically taxing position on the field?
ReplyDeleteSpurs only had one recognised central midfielder on the pitch, Bentaleb. A midfield of Bentaleb, Eriksen and Sigurdsson lacks discipline and an enforcer like Sando provides exactly that.
ReplyDeleteIf Sandro and Paulinho were in there, who could then release Eriksen centrally, they would have had a much better game. But instead, they were unable to control anything and Coutinho found himself with a lot of room to work with.
We would still have won the game. The early goal was also critical but the mistake from Dawson for the second goal meant the game was over.
All you are saying is Lucas is no longer required. But if you don't want to acknowledge basic team structure and the impact a dedicated DM can have, then that is your prerogative.
The only reason Lucas lost his place is because it's Steven Gerrard. The un-droppable, irreplaceable, indispensable Gerrard (in Rodger's eyes).
ReplyDeleteLucas does not have that great of a reputation, while Paulinho does. I think Fernandinho is better than Lucas because he has more aspects to his game, similarly Fernando - but Sandro and Paulinho are nothing special, Paulinho especially, is overrated and not better than Lucas is.
IMO we got overrun in midfield early on because of Gerrard. Now Gerrard has a far more physically limited role, Henderson/Allen/Coutinho do all the running for him.
I do love your optimism dude and I agree that Lallana would be the one to get, however your estimates of what we are going to get for these players is way out. Who in their right mind will pay us £8m for aspas? maybe half that. Borini we might get 6-7 IF we sell him, he's been in decent form and may make for a good backup to SAS. Assaidi we'll be lucky to get £2m, Reina will be there or thereabouts. Rodg wont sell Allen and based on this season, you might get 7-8m for him. Ill be generous here and add up Aspas (5), Assaidi (3), Reina (5), Allen (8) and Borini (7) gives us enough to MAYBE get Lallana, but we have trouble with squad depth as it is! taking away a bunch of squad players for one first teamer in our current state is ludicrous!
ReplyDeleteHow can you write off Flano so conveniently?. Why can't he be our long-term solution?
ReplyDeleteThis Liverpool team seems to be playing fearless football and we have the best strike force in world football at the moment that alone is enough to strike fear in any defense.Being a Chihuahua in the race we have already exceeded all expectations this season anything else from now on is a bonus yet thoroughly deserving for the hunger and desire to be among the best.Cheers
ReplyDeleteI think Marcelo is a more established L/B so if we qualify for CL we will need one ,Flanno does not have that kind of experience yet so we still need a L/B .Coentrao seems a much better option for me m8.
ReplyDelete1 goal, six assists? I'm no stats man but I'm pretty sure Johnson and Enrique better that. Never been a big fan of Marcello. Not a bad player but not worth that much money imo. If we were to spend that much I would prefer it if it went on Shaw and I don't think he's worth that either.
ReplyDeleteThis is why the Premier League is the toughest in the world. The Germans may have been CL finalists but from top to bottom in the top division I think England has better quality and depth. Lower teams winning games is not always just fluke, they often deserve their wins, just like Palace did.
ReplyDeleteI thought that too and then we spent 17 million on Johnson. The years have passed and the transfer fees have increased so even though I wouldn't do it either, I can see this happening.
ReplyDeleteUntil we hold that trophy we should be wary of anyone. Starting with West Ham. I think we'll do it though and we will beat Citeh and Chelski at home. If I were a Citeh or Chelski fan I'd be a lot less confident than I am now. Sure CP did a great job on Chelsea but Chelsea don't have strikers who have scored nearly 50 goals between them this season. Being so reliant on their midfield to score, Chelsea were always heading for trouble. Letting go Lukaku was probably Mourinho's biggest mistake this season. As for Citeh, they have been sloppy and I just expect them to drop more points than us between now and May.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that we can claim that both Johnson and Flanagan have issues with positional play. I think it's not entirely their fault. Sure, in some instances they might lose concentration and make a mistake but when both wing backs are consistently caught out then it's a tactical issue, not to do with the player themselves being somehow deficient. I'm pretty sure you could say the same thing about Luke Shaw who is consistently found up around the attacking penalty area. Put any wing back in that kind of formation and they'll suffer the same fate.
ReplyDeleteI think a top class wing back demands that kind of fee. Any player who can defend reasonably well but also be good with the ball at their feet, show good pace, score goals and create assists ... it's a rare combination. Most players in those positions are good at one thing or the other. Truly well rounded wing backs are worth a lot of money.
ReplyDeleteBut we play better with every midfield combo that doesn't have Lucas. Henderson , Allen ,Gerrard all perform better without Lucas. Coincidence? I think not. Lucas was ahead of Hendo and Allen last but has rightly fallen behind in the pecking order and we'd do well to get an upgrade. Lucas has his heart in the right place just like Agger and that's why fans get sentimental about them. But we have to be ruthless in football and try to improve the weakest part and Lucas is the weakest link right now.
ReplyDeleteI doubt FSG would think that
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to assess the performance of Johnson and Flanagan on Sundays performance as they really didn't have to defend. The team selection (as prescribed by Jaimie before the match) was perfect for the occasion - but we will find their true worth when we play Manchester City and Chelsea later so I defer any judgement until then. What a tremendous team performance on Sunday! The four 'standout' features for me was the scissor interplay by Sterling and Johnson which led to the own goal; the movement of Flanagan to create the goal for Coutinho; Suarez strength and precision to beat the defender and thread the needle for the second goal; but most of all Sterling's overall performance in attack and defence. What a contribution he made to the team!
ReplyDeleteI will be surprised (and disappointed) if Flanagan and Sterling are not selected to accompany Gerrard, Johnson and Sturridge to the WC Finals in Brazil this summer.
Well if thats the case why dont the Brazilian selectors see it that way.
ReplyDeleteCould it possibly be they know more than you!!!!
Where did I mention Lucas in my comment?
ReplyDeleteI think that if we finish top 3 then Rodgers should be Manager of the Year. If we finish top 3 and Everton get top 4, I'd go Rodgers then Martinez and then the title winner (unless Arsenal miraculously win it, in which case Wenger should be worshipped as a God).
ReplyDeleteThe "overrated" Paulinho was an integral part of Brazil's team which won the confedarations cup. Fernandinho has never played in Brazil and hence he is not selected and only a blind Lucas lover would say that Lucas is better than Fernandinho. Ramires too has shown with his performances that he is an integral part of Chelsea and gets more gametime for Brazil than Lucas.
ReplyDeleteI think Sterling, Gerrard, Hendo, Johnson and Sturridge will go, but I don't think Flanno will.
ReplyDeleteEngland would do well to take him since he can play on either flank comfortably, has a working relationship will several of the fellas in the England squad and I personally wouldn't want Kyle Walker as Johnson's understudy, if I was Hodgson. Don't rate him at all. Unless I'm forgetting someone, Clyne is certainly a possibility, then Flanno should go.
The England set-up don't seem to rate Flanno though.
Only gets more game time because Lucas has spent the better part injured.
ReplyDeleteReges is the same as Fernandinho as he moved to Portugal at a very young age. Luiz is a defender but plays in the Midfield very often. Against Liverpool in December, totally dominated the game. Also played CM against Man City at Etihad.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't you see that LFC have improved so much without Lucas? Just see the games after Christmas. All great performances by the Midfield except Villa at home.
Defensively they havent improved and i wouldnt blame past poor performances on Lucas.
ReplyDeleteWhilst Pulis has done a good job, no one was really calling for him to be manager of the year before this game. So I don't see how one performance can change that.
ReplyDeleteRodgers has consistently delivered, if him and then Suarez don't scoop the top awards it will be a crime.
so 35 points out of 39 compared to 36 out of 57 in the first half, not an improvement I see. I can't explain any further but don't be shocked when Lucas is sold in the summer. Just listen to BR's interview yesterday, he has categorically said that we have improved after SG has replaced Lucas and Lucas will be used as a sub in the rest of the matches if required. What more proof do you want?
ReplyDeleteJohnson's positional play is great, and he has a greater range of possible positions because of his recovery pace. Flanagan is poor in that respect and has to be more precise because he's slower. It's not about being caught out attacking. Full back positioning is about the distance between you and your centre back, the byline, and the opposition forwards, and depends on the relative pace of the opposition compared to what you have. The optimal position for any given situation is pretty simple, but if you don't have significantly greater pace than the opposition then just a yard away from there and you are in trouble; if you turn one pace too slowly then the forwards are in.
ReplyDeleteFlanagan has been caught out time and again by naive defending against midfielders who draw him not one but ten yards away from where he should be and play the ball in behind him; he has been caught out leaving a yard or two too much space for people to attack behind, and being too tight out wide; he has been caught in between positions whilst his side is being attacked... I can picture examples of these things clearly.
What I like about him though is that it's clear to me that he's learning and improving on this stuff game by game. I also love his crisp first touch, his sharp passing, the way he uses his body to beat players, his enthusiasm and fairness in the tackle, and of course his devastating finishing :)
Of course you cant explain any further u never answered what i said i doubt u even read it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it becomes painfully obvious sometimes when you see the acres of space down his side of the pitch and Agger is left floundering, trying to cover the area. I guess it's one of those things with a younger player, you've got so much to worry about that I think his concentration is going to slip from time to time. It's absolutely something he'll get better at, I'm not really worried about him in the long term. I agree - his passing and touch are really impressive, he seems so assured on the ball, just like he did that time he started his first game in ages against Everton. All the pressure in the world but he was calm, put himself in good positions and made really good passes. He just has the look of a good footballer, albeit one that occasionally needs a bit of a slap to get his focus back.
ReplyDeleteI read it again. What have I not answered?
ReplyDelete