6 Nov 2014

Replace Gerrard? - Molby urges LFC to sign 'world class' €24m playmaker ASAP

A year ago, Reds legend John Barnes suggested that 'world class' France midfielder Yohan Cabaye would be a 'good signing' for Liverpool, and lo and behold, in January 2014, the Reds were heavily linked with a move for the midfield maestro, who ultimately ended up at Paris St. Germain. Cabaye - who cost the club €24m - is struggling for game-time at PSG, and Barnesy's former team-mate Jan Molby has urged Brendan Rodgers to make another move for the midfield maestro.

Liverool are allegedly monitoring Cabaye, who is reportedly desperate to quit PSG, and according to Anfield legend Jan Molby, Cabaye is an ideal replacement for Steven Gerrard. He told tv3sport.dk:

"If Yohan Cabaye really available, then Liverpool must seriously consider signing him. The club needs to think about a more long lasting solution [to Gerrard]"

Molby also outlined what Cabaye could bring to Liverpool:

"He [Cabaye] can play both as an attacking midfielder and holding player. He's a smart player. He distributes the ball well and he can make goals. He has all the important attributes, but the most important thing is that he has already proven that he can dominate matches in the Premier League"

Cabaye has started only two PSG games since September, and in a recent interview with L'Equipe, he revealed his frustration with life at PSG:

"To be honest, I am unhappy. This [being on the bench] is new ground for me and the only thing for me to do is to show what I can do. I'm 28; I'm not just starting out. I will not change my style of play now"

Cabaye is an excellent player, but where would he fit into the team?

* A Gerrard/Cabaye pairing in midfield is non-starter. One of the two would need to be defensive, and Gerrard doesn't have the legs or the mobility to play that role for 90 minutes.

* Forcing Cabaye out of position and into the Lucas role would be a total waste of the player's creativity and playmaking skills, though given Rodgers penchant for misusing players, it wouldn't surprise me if he took that route.

* If the Reds signed Cabaye, one of either Henderson, Gerrard, Allen, or Lallana would need to be left out to accommodate him, so who would it be? The obvious choice is Gerrard, but that won't happen as Rodgers will always pick him if he's fit. Without Gerrard:

----------------------- Mignolet

Johnson --------- Skrtel ---- Sakho --------- Flanagan

---------------------- Allen

---------------- Hendo ---- Cabaye

------- Coutinho -------------- Sterling

------------------- Sturridge

This would (IMO) be the most effective midfield with current players (with Lucas/Allen interchangeable until the club signs a top class holding player), but I just can't see Rodgers leaving Gerrard on the bench for an extended period of time.

As for Alan Pardew's contention that Cabaye is 'world class' - no chance. He hasn't excelled and/or dominated at all three levels of football (domestic, European, and International), thus he is not (IMO) World Class.

Still a top player, though.

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23 comments:

  1. I just don't see how Cabaye will fit. He is a CM through and through. Coutinho and Sterling have the AM spot locked down, Hendo is starting at CM (so why would Cabaye play the bench here rather than PSG) and he would be wasted at DM. Is he a great player? yes. SHould LFC sign him? no...

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  2. Until B.R can prove that he knows what he is doing with his team,and they start winning games consistently,then i wouldn't trust him with anymore money.And especially recruiting players,because he's made a mess of that already.

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  3. love gerrard but Cabaye is a better footballer

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  4. Given the state of our central midfield I would take Cabaye in a heartbeat. Not for crazy money. Possibly even a loan with intention to buy. Gerrards legs are gone, Lucas is still edging towards the door. Henderson and Allen make up the numbers but neither look technically good enough often enough to help us stay at the level thats required. Cabaye not the long term answer but certainly would be an improvement for now.

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  5. Cabaye was the main holding midfielder for France at the World Cup. As long as we have other CMs who will go both ways, like Matuidi and Pogba did for him at the WC, it could work. Hendo, Lallana, Allen and Can could all fulfil that role in front/alongside him.

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  6. Alan Harper,, Mike McGlynn,, and Mel Johnson, will not be sent to scout him,
    LFC have just sacked the 3 of those scouts, I wonder which of them recommended Aspas etc, just curious.

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  7. I have to point out that my recent article shows that 2 deep midfield players is pretty common for Liverpool and was used successfully last season. Any player who goes into that position isn't locked into a deep lying role, never allowed to get forward. So the kind of player you want in that role could well be a box to box type of player and Cabaye might not be entirely wasted.

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  8. If they are to bring in a new midfielder i hope Lars Bender is who we target none the less at a knockdown price Cabaye would be a handy addition.

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  9. After that its obvious FSG have written off this seasons buying as a disaster it will be interesting how much money is going to be available.

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  10. BR must make current set players play on the pitch let alone winning the match because everytime players got the ball they don't know what to do next. kind of the college day matches..no link up play at all...BR before all should atleast up the tempo of the game and create chances..for noweven a single pound wound be useless to waste on transfer because of BR inefficiency in signing players even though we needed class players.

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  11. Nevergonnacrackthecode7:41 am, November 07, 2014

    OH MY GOD!
    Molby has my footballing brain


    i said bring in martinez,musa, cabaye,reid

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  12. Nevergonnacrackthecode7:42 am, November 07, 2014

    he can be our fabregas while ,martinez our costa


    cabaye is simmilar to fabreags but better

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  13. agree with you .. a midfield 3 of Cabaye Henderson and Can/Lallana doesn't look bad if you ask me.

    Cabaye certainly has gerrard-esque passing and set piece abilities. If he's avaliable at a reasonable price, it would be a great move

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  14. forthegoodofliverpool9:35 am, November 07, 2014

    why Allen i just dont rate him as DM getting Kramer and playing him alongside Can as holding with Cabaye and sterling/shaqiri ahead of them with two upfront of Balo and studge

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  15. Sign this, sign that... have you not realised yet that FSG won't pay the wages. That's why we spend £100M+ on a load of average players instead of buying a few top class ones.
    We aren't signing players unless there's the potential to make a profit on them. Doesn't matter who the manager is, and we aren't going to be getting a top one of those any time soon either, we are 'Arsenal 2.0'... except without regular Champions League.
    We are going nowhere while they stick to this 'Moneyball' cobblers... the Redsox are the proof of it... how's the racing team doing, by the way?
    LFC are NOT FSG's main focus or priority, you're all deluded if you think otherwise. Why? Abramovich goes to every Chelsea home game. How many LFC home games does Henry get to? How many Redsox games does he get to?

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  16. I like the idea of Kramer and Can- yes please

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  17. yes no more british based players!!!

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  18. If we do sign him I think he should base himself in Britain. It's just not fair to expect the poor lad to commute from France every day.

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  19. its better liverpool to sign cabaye and play with emre can and hunderson

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  20. So who's brain are you using?

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  21. Don't tempt me......

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  22. B Rodgers needs to ship out these 7 players in January first and fore most:


    GK: B Jones(32) RB: G Johnson(29) CB: K Toure(33)


    DM: L Leiva(27) CM: J Allen(24) AM: Suso(20)


    FD: F Borini(23)




    And then B Rodgers needs to bring in More class and QUALITY than QUANTITY:


    B Rodgers should bring in these 5 players in January:


    Two Defensive players: GK DM


    GK: E Begovic(27) Of Stoke for £7-£11M to compete and oust S Mignolet(26) out of starting 11


    DM: Y M'Villa(24) Of Rubin Kazan ( On loan at I Milan) for £8-£12M to displace S Gerrard(34) and L Leiva(27) as DM in starting 11.




    Three class QUALITY attacking players: CM LW/RW RWF/LWF


    1: CM: Y Cabaye(28) Of PSG for £16-£18M to compete with J Henderson(24) and E Can(21)


    2: RW / LW: Y Konoplyanka(25) Of Dnipro for £10-£14M to compete and Cover L Markovic(20)


    3: RWF / LWF: Pedro(27) Of Barcelona for £23-£27M to compete and cover R Sterling(19)


    The 7 players at top should be shipped out as soon as possible, even though K Toure(33) had an amazing game against Real Madrid mid week i still am haunted by the mistakes he made against West Brom and Fulham away last season.


    And the 5 Class Quality players i have mentioned would shape squad nicely and offer more than the 7 players B Rodgers needs to ship out in January:


    A Commanding GK and Mobile Tough tackling Enforcer will offer our Leaky Defence some Class cover and protection in Behind and in Front of them game in game out if they are fully fit and injury free. ( Begovic(27) and Y M'Villa(24) )




    A Class quality creative ball playing box to box, goal scoring centre midfielder who can dominate games. ( Y Cabaye(28) )


    And two mobile pacey quick goal scoring wide men who can bring more class, creativity, goals, mobility, pace and speed to attack. ( Konoplyanka(25) and Pedro(27) )

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