Despite the arrival of Lazar Markovic and Adam Lallana, Liverpool are still struggling to score goals from midfield, and after being linked last month with Real Madrid star Isco last month, Reds fans have made it clear that Brendan Rodgers should put the Spaniard - who cost Madrid €30m last summer - at the top of LFC's transfer wish-list.
In September, The Independent claimed that:
* Arsenal and Liverpool are planning to make January offers for the 22-year old attacker.
* Liverpool have dropped their interest in Barca star Pedro to make Isco the club's number one target.
This follows a report over the summer in Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, which claimed:
"The imminent arrival of James Rodriguez at Real Madrid means Isco could be leaving the club, with Milan and Liverpool favorites to sign the midfielder"
I conducted a site poll asking fans if Liverpool should sign Isco in January:
* 11300 visitors participated in the poll.
* A whopping 78% of voters selected were in favour of the deal.
The Reds have been linked with 'unique' Isco several times in the past, and in 2012, Brendan Rodgers sent senior scout Barry Hunter to watch the attacker during his Champions League debut against Zenit St. Petersburg, a game in which he scored two impressive goals.
Last season, Carlo Ancelotti often played 'unique' Isco in central midfield, but the signing of Toni Kroos is a clear signal that the Italian wants an upgrade in that area. In a recent interview, Ancelotti also hinted that the 22-year old will have to adapt his position permanently if he wants to play regularly. He told reporters:
"We haven't been able to play him [Isco] in his usual position. I had a similar case [with] Seedorf, who was an attacking central midfielder. With sacrifice, he played in a different position. Isco can do what Seedorf did."
Isco's stock seems to be rising though, and after Madrid's weekend victory over Barcelona, Ancelotti hailed the attacker's 'fantastic' performance, and outlined how he has improved this season. He told reporters:
"Isco looks like he has been playing here a long time. He has just as much quality on the wing as in the centre, but the defensive work he is doing on the wing is very important. When we are attacking he can go where he wants and he is very good at choosing the right place on the pitch."
There is huge competition for places at the Bernabeau, but is it any different at Liverpool? If Isco comes to Anfield, he'll have to compete against Lallana, Sterling, Coutinho, and Markovic, not to mention Sturridge, who - after the arrival of Balotelli - may occasionally play out wide.
When it comes to direct competition, Isco would be up against Lallana and Coutinho for the number 10 role in the side, and of the three, you'd have to fear for Coutinho's chances of regular game-time, especially given the Brazilian's form struggles this season.
Do Liverpool need Isco? Is he a better option than Lallana and Coutinho in the number 10 role?
Author: Jaimie K
In September, The Independent claimed that:
* Arsenal and Liverpool are planning to make January offers for the 22-year old attacker.
* Liverpool have dropped their interest in Barca star Pedro to make Isco the club's number one target.
This follows a report over the summer in Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, which claimed:
"The imminent arrival of James Rodriguez at Real Madrid means Isco could be leaving the club, with Milan and Liverpool favorites to sign the midfielder"
I conducted a site poll asking fans if Liverpool should sign Isco in January:
* 11300 visitors participated in the poll.
* A whopping 78% of voters selected were in favour of the deal.
The Reds have been linked with 'unique' Isco several times in the past, and in 2012, Brendan Rodgers sent senior scout Barry Hunter to watch the attacker during his Champions League debut against Zenit St. Petersburg, a game in which he scored two impressive goals.
Last season, Carlo Ancelotti often played 'unique' Isco in central midfield, but the signing of Toni Kroos is a clear signal that the Italian wants an upgrade in that area. In a recent interview, Ancelotti also hinted that the 22-year old will have to adapt his position permanently if he wants to play regularly. He told reporters:
"We haven't been able to play him [Isco] in his usual position. I had a similar case [with] Seedorf, who was an attacking central midfielder. With sacrifice, he played in a different position. Isco can do what Seedorf did."
Isco's stock seems to be rising though, and after Madrid's weekend victory over Barcelona, Ancelotti hailed the attacker's 'fantastic' performance, and outlined how he has improved this season. He told reporters:
"Isco looks like he has been playing here a long time. He has just as much quality on the wing as in the centre, but the defensive work he is doing on the wing is very important. When we are attacking he can go where he wants and he is very good at choosing the right place on the pitch."
There is huge competition for places at the Bernabeau, but is it any different at Liverpool? If Isco comes to Anfield, he'll have to compete against Lallana, Sterling, Coutinho, and Markovic, not to mention Sturridge, who - after the arrival of Balotelli - may occasionally play out wide.
When it comes to direct competition, Isco would be up against Lallana and Coutinho for the number 10 role in the side, and of the three, you'd have to fear for Coutinho's chances of regular game-time, especially given the Brazilian's form struggles this season.
Do Liverpool need Isco? Is he a better option than Lallana and Coutinho in the number 10 role?
Author: Jaimie K
After last season i got the impression Isco was surplus to requirements and i thought he would be about the closest we would get to an up and coming world class player.
ReplyDeleteThis season however Isco has been in great form for Madrid and i cannot see them letting him go and if they by some chance they did there would be hot competition for his signature.
He is a natural play maker, he can be top assist, he has something that is misses from Coutinho right now.
ReplyDeleteI can't see it happening myself apparently Pedros handed in a transfer request I wouldn't mind him also. I feel LFC need player who has the X factor (not on about Simon Cowell...Cheryl on the other hand...) that can do something different who operates on a different level than the rest. Every top team has such a player we had Suarez. Sturridge is a consideration but is made out of glass. Man U - Di Maria Chelsea - Hazzard etc City - Aguero etc Arsenal - Alexsis...
ReplyDeleteI have been saying for two years here that Isco should be our number one target many have taken it As a joke cause they didn't rate him.
ReplyDeleteRather then since Rodgers has been here in total he has spent over 150Mil
We Got Allen 14mil Borini 14mil Alberto 8mil aspas 9 mil assadi 3mil Mingilot 7mil Lovren 20mil lallana 25mil toure loan manquillo Sakho 17mil wasted fund how these help Liverpool future don't know .
Good signings Sturridge 14m Moreno 10mil coutinho 8mil good for future .
the wasted money could have been 150
30 mil Isco replace Allen
60 mil Pogba replace gerrard
20 mil Reus lallana
20mil Aubeameyang up front or wide
These are the players we need not what we have been signing and we need manager that can get these players . We have a great future with this not what we got .
Wouldn't put Lallana and Manquillo in the waste basket... The rest sure.
ReplyDeleteWe need to make better use of what we ALREADY HAVE - Why keep Reserves and youth teams if you never play them ? We must show patience LAZER AND MARIO - Support them and they will come good
ReplyDeleteThere are some rubbisg comments here about Lallana - he will become a Liverpool Great - BE PATIENT -Look how young our squad is now - FANTASTIC POTENTIAL - KEEP SUSO
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone here believe Swansea are a good bet at 7/2 tomorrow ? L F C wimm be playing fringe players - WOW
ReplyDeleteAgree Simon Cowell is too ls now . Cheryl might be able to do a job but I don't see her as a natural defender and it's in defence we need to stiffen up.:-)
ReplyDeletewish we can get him
ReplyDeleteIt is clear from reading many Liverpool blogs that the whole team needs binning except possibly Sterling and we also need a new defensive coach and manager .... I am not sure about the owners either :-)
ReplyDeleteCoutinho made massive impact on the hull game since he came on. He's showing signs of improvement. Danny Sturridge back would help him back even more. He's always looking for runners to dink in his passes which sadly isn't happening. Even in the QPR game, he and sterling made it count with their pace and directness in the end. Only time before he rediscovers his form.
ReplyDeleteI also wouldn't put Mingilot in there... But then again I have no idea who that is... Oh and didn't Pogba just sign a contract extension a Juve? And why do you want to get rid of Allen? Just curious, I thought he's been playing very well recently.
ReplyDeleteBR only seems to want to buy players he can tell what to do and mould the way he wants. Otherwise why wouldn't he buy proven top class players- it jus doesn't make sense to keep buying players for the future when we are struggling now. Remember this was the season we were supposed to PUSH ON yea right
ReplyDeleteI do get where you're coming from but look at the way he's having trouble integrating 8 new players then add on another 6 - yikes!
ReplyDeleteJamie you are right ~Rodgers has been poor in the transfer window and he has alienated quite a few players especially senior players i.e reina agger Lucas
ReplyDeleteThis team will win lot of matches - (Diamond formation)
ReplyDeleteManquillo- Skrtel- Lovren- Moreno
Lucas (Pure DM)
Gerrard (get forward when possible/Yaya Toure mould) - Henderson (Ball winning CM)
Coutinho/Sterling/Lallana (Playmaker)
Balotelli/Borini - Strurridge/Lambert (Two Strikers)
.
BR will never play this team though.
Champions.
ReplyDeleteHe might or he might just swap Can with either Lucas and/or Gerrard
ReplyDeleteOnly Pedro looks like a proven quality from your pickings.
ReplyDeletePastore please
ReplyDeleteI dont think we need midfielders next season i wanna see this team:
ReplyDelete.........................................................sturridge
sterling..............................................lallana........................origi
.........................................henderson............coutinho
moreno............................lovren....................skrtek...........manquillo
........................................................mignolet
world class proven player adjust to most environments, potential and proven players take time to adjust.
ReplyDeleteThe 3 defensive players i mentioned will bring the back 4 and defensive side to our game stability.
If the club had those three defensive players at club now we would not be conceding goals willy nilly and we would not have lost to West Ham or A Villa.
The problem is the players B Rodgers brought in most are based on potential and age: Only Balotelli(24) who is being made the scapegoat for our Managers pathetic transfer spending in transfer window.
Balotelli(24) is world class, he just needs mobility, pace, speed around him. Same like Coutinho(22), If B Rodgers brought P Aubamayeng(25) Or L Adriano(27) plus Pedro(27) and they play Alongside Balotelli(24) If Sturridge (25) is ever out injured again it will bring the best out of Balotelli(24) and Coutinho(22) as Balotelli(24) and Coutinho(22) play in the holes and use the mobility, pace and speed of their attacking colleagues to exploit flaws in oppositions defences.
L Adriano(27) is world class, Just because he plays for Shakhtar Donesk he is not given the credit he deserves he is an out and out goalscorer with energy, mobility, pace and speed to burn.
ReplyDeleteHe would do well for the club for sure
Y M'Vila(24) and C Tiote(28) are class and quality at what they do and i could lay my car on it that they would give Modric(28) and Kroos(24) more to think about and no time on ball to show boat then they did with Gerrard(34), Allen(24) and Henderson(24) in the middle last week wednesday night.
Y' M'Vila(24) and C Tiote(28) are not pleasing on the eye but they break up play and stop oppositions teams dictating play and tempo, they stop oppositions best players getting on ball all the time and they PROTECT the Back four something Gerrard(34), Lucas(27), Allen(24), Henderson(24) and Can(21) CANNOT DO!!!!!!
T Krul(26) is a commanding GK who is descent from corners and is a good shot stopper. The defence need a GK Behind them they TRUST AND RELY ON, they DO NOT RELY OR TRUST S MIGNOLET(26)
Our club has needed wholesale surgery to the squad for 6 years now the problem is: The managers have shipped out dead wood and brought in more dead wood, so we have struggled to have a class quality squad.
ReplyDeleteIn January, B Rodgers needs to ship out the 5 players i mentioned and replace them with the class quality 6 players i mentioned.
Manquillo(20) is good enough and i know prefer playing at Right back than G Johnson(29) and G Johnson(29) should be sold in January.
B Jones(32) can't even get into side no matter how shocking S Mignolet(26) has been this season, so he should be sold. If we had better replacement Mignolet(26) would be nowhere near starting 11 after his performances this and last season.
K Toure(33), No matter how bad and poorly Lovren(25) and Skrtel(29) have been and conceding goals for fun B Rodgers sticks with them, so K Toure must not be an competition for the two he should be sold.
L Leiva(27) does not have the energy, legs, mobility, pace or speed to cover ground and him and S Gerrard(34) are PASSENGERS in the centre of park GAME IN GAME Out, But S Gerrard(34) has been amazing loyal servant, So he should just be used wisely from the bench.
F Borini(24) always looks like a headless chicken when he comes on and is nowhere near good enough to be a top class striker. He is a top 10-18 striker, our club is to big for him. He has to be sold in January
Yes world class players can adjust but they won't sign for BR for the main reason he hasn't won anything and our direct competition do have winners managing their teams imo
ReplyDeleteI'm with you we need major surgery but would 6 more players screw us up even more? I'd love us to get Reus Pedro Garray etc but it won't happen- unfortunately
ReplyDeleteAny person with common sense will know that you don't sell a world class striker who scored 31 goals and had at least 15 assists in the premiership and was ranked number 1 in world last season for £75M AND use £20M to replace him ( Lambert(32) and Balotelli(24) ) That in itself is SUICIDAL
ReplyDeleteB Rodgers should have brought Pedro(27) in the deal and take £50M cash and then B Rodgers should of brought in: L Adriano(27) Of S Donesk, W Bony(25) Of Swansea and Y Konoplyanka(26) Of Dnipro.
Instead of spending £45M on Lallana(26) and Markovic(20)
Gene, Why have players in the squad on good wages week in week out who offer no competition to their rivals? And the difference between the likes of Arsenal now, Chelsea and Man City is that even when they play badly the win as they have world class match winners in their side. We do not have enough world class players in our squad , let alone first 11
ReplyDeleteNo chance this will happen. He's one for RM's future
ReplyDeleteWe Definately need new midfielders at club.
ReplyDeleteWe concede goals for fun as our defence have NO Protection in front of them, No matter who we have at club now plays in the middle teams open us up like butter and get runs straight at our defenders.
The problem is in centre: we have no mobile pacey tough tackling enforcer, we need two to be brought to the club in January. As Lucas(27) and S Gerrard(34) do not have the energy, legs, mobility, pace or speed to cover ground and play DM Position role well.
Second problem is J Allen(24), J Henderson(24) and E Can(21) are all similar midfielders , All mobile, descent passing midfielders with a bit of pace and speed about them. All lack creativity and goals in their locker.
Third is B Rodgers needs to stop playing A Lallana(26) Or P Coutinho(22) Out wide they do not have the pace or speed to hurt full backs out there and they are both best playing in the Hole as an AM.
We have still not replaced the class or quality over 2008 we had in the centre of the park. ( Alonso and Mascherano)
And B Rodgers need to bring in two DM'S to club in January to balance side out then in the Summer B Rodgers should spend £50M on these two class creative box to box ball playing CM'S
1: T Alacantra(24) Of Bayern Munich for £23-£33M
2: B Etxebarria(27) Of A Bilbao for £10-£17M
I think we are not an attractive enough proposition for world class players. I'm sure during transfer window the bigger players will want to know who we've signed and who they're gonna be playing with. BR has some sort of playing style in mind but I've no idea what that is I can only go by who he's signed and that style will take 2 seasons to develop
ReplyDeleteAny news on Sturridge`s return?
ReplyDeleteI think Can is SG replacement and then he got injured so that's gonna take more time to get up to speed I think that's why he didn't go for Song who is playing well for West Ham
ReplyDeleteJust that BR said he will never be a top Euro striker til he overcomes his constant injury issues - thanks boss
ReplyDeleteWhat? Why on earth would h say something like that?!?
ReplyDeleteCan(21) is not a DM, he is in mould as Allen(24) and Henderson(24) just taller and builter.
ReplyDeleteHe played the DM Role against QPR and they have no world class attacking players but they should have beat us as the amount of times they got through to our defence was shocking.
We need two Mascherano, Momo Sissoko, B Matuidi, N De Jong mobile type DM's at the club
Maybe reverse psychology or maybe he's a fool - it's on bbc web site so would like to think it's accurate
ReplyDeleteBecause the manager is now under pressure again and whenever he gets under pressure he targets the players individually. He should just come out and say i messed up in transfer window so badly, now i am over reliant on Sturridge(25) and Sterling(19)
ReplyDeleteWhat`s with the age thing?
ReplyDeleteNow I think about it maybe he is preparing for international brake..
Have seen him play U21 games for Germany and he was really good in front of back 4- QPR was first game back no excuse but maybe part of the reason- if it's as I suspect it's gonna take 2 seasons to get this team playing wel- no SG or Lucas or Mignolet etc. Forget about top 4 and CL til then
ReplyDeleteIts because B Rodgers does not push the boat, you don't win football leagues and dominate European competitions with more average players in your squad than class or world class players. We are not Swansea , we are Liverpool. Maybe B Rodgers has taken us as far he can take us. And maybe a new manager is needed for us to win trophies
ReplyDeleteHe is a CM, he is not a DM.
ReplyDeleteJ Allen(24), J Henderson(24) and E Can(21) are all average ball playing centre midfielders with good energy, mobility and a bit of pace to them. They all lack creativity and goals to their game.
Its a bad Habit the numbers. We are over reliant on Sterling(19) and Sturridge(25)
ReplyDeleteI think BR wants to mould Can into a DM he has the physique to do that a bit like Matic
ReplyDeleteAfter losing our best attacker, being reliant on our other two is kinda normal?
ReplyDeleteI see what you did there! :)
ReplyDeleteSorry Allen and Sakho gets a pass...
ReplyDeleteThe GK needs a defense who know what their doing, it's easy to blame Mingolet, but when you can't trust the 4 infront of you, your bound to suffer as a consequence...We desperately need a better defensive coach...before we buy new players...
ReplyDeleteOzil is still trying to find his feet, we can now see why Real were happy to flog him to Arsenal... biggest waste of £42.5m in a long time...
ReplyDeleteAs for the others, when you move to a team with established stars like those at Chelsea and City, it's so much easier to settle...
Yeah childish I know but in these dark days anything to lighten my mood:-)
ReplyDelete