Despite increased defensive solidity this year, Liverpool are seemingly on the lookout for another central defender, and Reds boss Brendan Rodgers reportedly has eye on Bayer Leverkusen star Kyriakos Papadopolous, who is currently on loan from Schalke.
In March, multiple reports claimed that Liverpool are back in the hunt for Papadopolous, and according to The Mirror on Sunday:* Papadopolous has 'no intention' of returning to Schalke.
* Rodgers has scouted the Greece international 'extensively'.
* Papadopolous's agents have 'been in touch; with Liverpool this week to see whether Rodgers maintains his interest.
Liverpool were heavily linked with £19m-rated* Papadopolous in the winter and summer 2013 transfer windows, and during those periods:
* Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported that the Reds put in an offer.
* 'Sources' close to the player' claimed that Rodgers is a huge fan, and that Papadopolous was keen to join Liverpool.
* Liverpool legend Jan Molby insisted that Papadopolous 'fits the profile' of the type of player Liverpool 'want to build a team around', and shrugged off worries about the young defender's injury history. He noted: "When I’ve seen him [Papadopolous] in Champions League matches, I’ve been impressed. he’s a talented young player with real potential. He is as strong as a bull, dominant in the air and very good in one-on-one situations".
* Former Monaco CEO Tor-Kristian Karlsen described Kyriakos as 'one of the best center-backs in Europe', and claimed that several Premier League clubs - including LFC - were chasing the youngster. He tweeted: "Liverpool interest is concrete. Has been on the shortlist/highly rated by many European top clubs (including Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd). Nice transfer coup for Liverpool if they manage to land Papadopoulos.
* ESPN football analyst Rafael Honigstein then confirmed Karlsen's contention, claiming: "Liverpool are pretty close to landing Kyriakos Papadopoulos. There’s no fear he will be affected long-term [by the injury]"
So, Papadouolous's agents have allegedly been in contact to see if Liverpool are still interested in a deal? In light of the following damning facts, they're clearly having a laugh:
* From November 2012 to October 2013, Papadopolous spent an incredible 322 days on the sidelines with a knee injury.
* Since returning from that setback, he's suffered another SEVEN injuries in just 18 months (including THREE this season alone) and spent a further 202 days on the sidelines.
* Since his major knee surgery, Papadopolous has suffered two serious recurrences, which suggest his knee is basically kaput.
* To top it all off, Papadopolous is now injured *again*. On Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen confirmed the latest setback with the following tweet: "Kyriakos Papadopoulos has suffered a dislocation of the left shoulder joint in Cologne. He had an operation on Monday and is out for three months".
Unbelievable. This guy should just retire now as he's clearly not built for football.
With this kind of injury history, I can't seriously believe that Liverpool are genuinely interested. Why take a massive risk on a central defender - or indeed any player - who is perpetually injured?
Like Daniel Sturridge, Papadopolous is not reliable, and although he's available on a free transfer, there's no real benefit if he ends up spending most of his time on the sidelines.
Author: Jaimie K
We have had a Greek before at center half and he never let us down.
ReplyDeleteYes but he didn't have Papadoupolos' injury record
ReplyDeleteAnd you will not put any blame his way.
ReplyDeleteSuarez left, that should have been priority no 1 to find somebody to fill the void.
Again you will disagree.
LFC just like every other club have scouts.
ReplyDeleteI do not see the issue here. That is why there are also agents who go look for new homes for the players they represent.
It is just poor old Rodgers who works under these conditions. Shame, I wonder what a manager like Pulis would have done with £120m available to him. Rodgers hands tied behind his back.
None of the signings that were made this season was approved by him.
A manager like Pulis? - Years ago John McEnroe made a now famous quote which many believed to be tennis related but was actually aimed squarely at your Pulis remarks.
ReplyDelete"Sanchez would of been a great signing and our chances would have been that much better to finish top 4 or put in another title challenge" - Loganlfc, 28/04/2015.
Great so now we are both in total agreement, so next season when we successfully sign a Sanchez-like player what a great season we will both have to look forward to.
According to Rodgers, he does.
ReplyDeleteBut then again, you knew that. You just wanted to ask a rhetorical question.
No... anything that deflects blame from Rodgers is merely an excuse... no matter its validity!
ReplyDeleteTotal AND complete AND utter failure. Yeah he foes a bit over the top at times.
ReplyDeleteThere are a bunch of reasons for problems this season. Some call them excuses.
ReplyDeleteYou have this idea that people will not put any blame his way... which is simply not the case.
ReplyDeletePeople (Mike, myself, etc.) have continually admitted that Rodgers hasn't done as well as we'd hoped.
We just think that he doesn't deserve all of the blame.
The irony here is you're accusing someone such as myself or Mike as not putting any blame his way (which is not the case), but you're the one that is seemingly putting ALL the blame his way.
No, I do not see us challenging with BR next season. Policy tweaks? What policy tweaks? How much more money should Rodgers be given to win a trophy? Last season we qualified for CL without having to worry about Tuesday, Wenesday or Thursday night matches.
ReplyDeleteWe challenged last season with out the worry of Europe and this season did not make it past the group stage. Europa League showing was just as pathetic. We were horrendous.
Sorry, but you are not going to be able to convince me. I have seen enough to suggest that Rodgers is taking us on a road to nowhere.
No, I do not see us challenging with BR next season. Policy tweaks? What policy tweaks? How much more money should Rodgers be given to win a trophy? Last season we qualified for CL without having to worry about Tuesday, Wenesday or Thursday night matches.
ReplyDeleteWe challenged last season with out the worry of Europe and this season did not make it past the group stage. Europa League showing was just as no better. We were horrendous.
Sorry, but you are not going to be able to convince me. I have seen enough to suggest that Rodgers is taking us on a road to nowhere.
Excellent points.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is the season has been a failure because the club (including the manager) didn't adequately replace our best player from last season, our manager couldn't figure out the right tactics for 4 months, and the players have under performed too much.
ReplyDeleteSo who do we need to blame? His new signings which have either not featured much or played out of position?
ReplyDeleteWho was responsible for our first half of the season showing? FSG?
Who else do we need to blame?
This is issue we get with all these people. If you say it is jot all his fault then that means you love him and make excuses for everything. It doesn't compute for them that we can see a spread of blame.
ReplyDeleteI've put plenty of blame his way. Some of it is his fault, some not.
ReplyDeleteYou however, put ALL the blame for everything his way
Still waiting for your suggestion on who we should have bought . They had a replacement. They didn't have a back up replacement. truggling to see who that should have been. Let's hear your suggestion.
Wod Suso have done worse. By that do you mean been injured?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agree.
ReplyDelete" lead to our worst start in more than half a century and then Rodgers goes on to admit that whatever he was doing was not working and should have been changed sooner?"
ReplyDeletebecause he is Moron .
My suggestion? Not to sign Balotelli.
ReplyDeleteBring me the shortlist of the names that were available to Rodgers and then we can speak.
But oh of course, Balotelli is the only option Rodgers had I suppose ;-o
Combination of Rodgers, the players, and the transfer committee
ReplyDeleteRodgers & the transfer committee failed to bring in the adequate replacement for Suarez's goals. They spent 120m and wasted most of it. Including raiding a mid-table Southampton club that overachieved last year. Lo and behold, we ended up with mid-table players (though hopefully Lallana will provide some worth.
Rodgers failed to tactically adjust to the players at his disposal. The example I consistently use is the wrong strategy of utilizing Balotelli as a lone striker.
The players in general have failed to perform, specifically in the first half of the season.
If we had a halfway decent first four months of the season, we'd be sitting in the top 4 right now. Instead, we were borderline dreadful and had to rely on a 13 game stretch to get ourselves even in contention.
Fair enough, - policy tweaks for me means less of the squad fillers this time round and more selectiveness, less quantity more quality, that kind of thing, along with a strengthened resolve to get the key players and if that means paying more money then where possible, do it.
ReplyDeleteStrangely, you've kind of made a case for our slip in form this season, a lot of extra games and new competitions. If you add that to our failure to get that one important 'top level' player then it's not hard to see where we've ended up this season, it's just that we disagree about who's to blame. No point arguing our respective cases anymore I feel.
Whoever of us is right though, lets just hope the situation improves. Ultimately, I don't mind how we get the job done ;-)
Rodgers admitted himself that what he did first half of the season was not working and that he should have changed sooner.
ReplyDeleteNext please.
But he has then complained about lack of experience in the squad and complained about not having the right tools. Rodgers has shown he doesn't like Balo much, Markovic doesn't seem to be trusted, Sakho doesn't seem like he was his option, Alberto barely got any time Nd Ilori didn't get any. Actions speak.louder than words. Whatever final.say means, it doesn't seem like it means what Logan thinks.
ReplyDeleteYou made a claim that we should have bought someone else.
ReplyDeleteSo Mike asks "who"?
And your response is to ask him for the list of "who" and "then we can speak".
How does that make any sense?
Eh, don't worry... he thinks that by saying "I rest my case", it somehow wins a discussion.
ReplyDeleteOK let's say you're right and BR IS to blame for our performances.
ReplyDeleteSo how come Suarez is suddenly to blame for us doing well and not BR?
don't forget earlier in this thead you said you were saying BR was not up to it from the beginning of the season. The manager who got us to within 2 points of the PL. Quite an about turn that isn't it?
After all , the manger is responsible, results were good then so why did you change?
No matter what happens those things will be said at some point in the near future.
ReplyDeleteAnd... so you're agreeing with me?
ReplyDeleteYeah I have seen that before. Some.people.don't quite understand how conversations work.
ReplyDeleteYou constantly say what should have been done .
ReplyDeleteNEVER EVER what SHOULD have been done.
My point IS that there was a lack of real options. I myself would have gambled on remy ,not Balotelli
Oh, and- do your own research. I asked for your solution. Anybody can just pooh pooh what has been done. Let's hear what alternative you believe would have changed our season
On the whole I agree but I think there have been little bits of bad luck along the way as well.as some.poor performances from some.crucial players.
ReplyDeleteThat has been implied by Rodgwrs numerous times. So only some things he says are to be trusted. Can you tell us which ones so we don't get confused please.
ReplyDeletePoor showing throughout the seasons and across competitions.
ReplyDeleteStill these BR devotees will discover any reason under the sun to defend him
I love it when he decides he's proved a point when he hasn't done anything of the sort
ReplyDeleteYesterday Resting his case. Today Next Please. Before that Foot in Mouth.
The list is long and distinguished....
I am done for today arguing about Rodgers but I will end the this page off by saying that FSG will sack him and I posted this a wjile ago, comments from Tom Werner back in February and if some cannot read between the lines then so be it.
ReplyDeleteQ. How important is it to the club in general - and Brendan Rodgers in particular perhaps - that the team maintains this momentum and makes the top four to qualify again for Champions League football?
A. “I want to make sure I give great credit to Brendan and his coaching staff for what he has done. We have to look at not just the play each week, but the positive direction that is going on at the club.
“I don’t know if the word is critical – it certainly is important to make top four but it’s important that we continue this positive momentum.
“We’ll all be disappointed if we don’t make top four but I’ll be disappointed if we don’t win the FA Cup for Steven Gerrard in his last year at the club.
“And not just for Steven but for our fans.
“It’s important that we continue to progress in the right direction.
So we have CL as important and disappointed if we do not win the FA Cup. FSG will be looking at £117m = no return but obviously I will be told Werner is just answering questions for the sake of answering.
Questions too difficult?
ReplyDeleteWe also have to remember, CL football was achieved last season without having to play in Europe.
ReplyDeleteClear sign that BR will be shown the red card at the end of the season.
ReplyDeleteYou could very easily pick words from those quotes and use them to add weight to the argument that Brendan will likely remain.
ReplyDeleteNext.
More like going is circles. I do not have to second guess what is going to happen. I have been saying for a while now that Rodgers time is up and most are still arguing with me about that ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhich words? Did you want Werner to tell everyone that he will be sacked?
ReplyDelete"I don't know if the word is critical" - implying the word isn't critical, thus suggesting BRENDAN STAYS.
ReplyDeleteEnd of.
You do make me laugh!
ReplyDeleteYou make a prediction- Rodgers will be sacked-
then you say you don't have to second guess what will happen...
"I've never made predictions, and I never will! (Paul Gascgoine?LoganLFC)
I think Mou was right to lambast Wenger -10 years of attacking football without a title.
ReplyDeleteI think BR has only this feather in his cap and can shout about it like Wenger (though the defense had been shambolic),but sadly Wenger is 2 feet taller to non-existent entity called BR.
more like asked questions you can't answer.
ReplyDeleteI'll ask another time who you thought BR should have bought, maybe when you've had time to prepare eh?
free agent yeah ,i wonder how many free agents have come good playing for LFC
ReplyDeleteWerner said: 'We've got great confidence in Kenny. We feel the team is going to make strides in the future and he enjoys our full support.
ReplyDeleteYou see, sentiment is a funny thing. At least it will not come as a shock to me when FSG pull the plug.
Like I said, read between the lines.
A shameless copy and paste but another good quote and perhaps somewhat relevant, although I really don't know:
ReplyDelete"There are no "knowns." There are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don't know. So when we do the best we can and we pull all this information together, and we then say well that's basically what we see as the situation, that is really only the known knowns and the known unknowns. And each year, we discover a few more of those unknown unknowns." - NGCTC (I think)
You make me laugh too! You are still arguing with me when I have told you Rodgers will be sacked.
ReplyDeleteWould you consider Van Gaal to be similarly clueless?
ReplyDeleteHe has done worse than BR also with no European football and with an even bigger transfer budget and a PL winning squad as a starting point?
Surely by your reckoning that makes him worse than BR?
See my below reply to Mike, it will show you the trouble reading between the lines can get you into. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYeah why sign Yaya. We have had a you're before
ReplyDeleteSo I guess your case is closed then? There are probably 100's of replies from 10 different people in parrot fashion.
ReplyDeletePoint missed.....
ReplyDeleteWent right over your head didn't it?
And that tells you what, between the lines?
ReplyDeletehashtag : onlymaninstep
That's because you've posted pretty much the same thing 1000's of times in Parrott-like fashion.
ReplyDeleteAs I said before, honestly I'm happy to debate with you and as we hit an impasse, agree to disagree. It's only that you tried to leave the party with a 'I've conquered all and won the argument, so there' - kind of post, that you've generated a load more responses, all in good spirit though.
except he's still here
ReplyDeleteAnd still without his alternative strikers to Balotelli..
Wenger is still doing a job at Arsenal though. Qualifying for the CL every season without fail and very good in the transfer market.
ReplyDeleteMany said that Arsenal were going to choke this season, and is what is said about them every season. They might not have won many trophies of late but can still attract some of the best players and will be better next season as they have a very good squad and will add another world class player next season.
They have plenty of stability as a club.
Brilliant post. I find I've tired of arguing the same points with the same people over and over again but good to see you flying the flag brother
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to check the results and see whether the anti BR brigade had any basis for saying we had gone backwards
ReplyDeleteWe haven't. Period.
See, I do not have to post 'I am right you are wrong' comments.
ReplyDeleteRodgers will be sacked whether you like it or not and you can argue till you are blue in the face.
All will be revealed. You will just have to wait and see.
ReplyDeleteRodgers will be sacked if they can find a superior replacement who will take the job. Not unless.
ReplyDeleteYou do understand the difference between an opinion and a fact don't you?
Are we still arguing about Rodgers?
ReplyDeleteNo point missed.
If you are John Henry you are playing a cruel trick by posting under a Pseudonym.
ReplyDeletewhich part of me posting 'BR may well lose his job this summer' was difficult to understand?
ReplyDeleteWhat I dispute is your certainty that it will happen rather than its possibility.
You still haven't mentioned your Balo alternative.. question too difficult?
Well why argue with me then?
ReplyDeleteI am being bombarded with comments because some believe Rodgers will still be here next season.
FSG have been sitting and twiddling their thumbs doing nothing about having to make sure that LFC finish top 4 next season.
I leave it there.
You clearly are like a stalker.
ReplyDeleteHow very dare you.
ReplyDeleteWhat..., you mean jimmy the greek...? from round the corner....? the one who hangs around the kebab shop....? Yeah, he never let me down whenever I had a 'job' for him; you're right.....!
ReplyDeleteBecause you claim certainty.
ReplyDeleteThere IS no certainty.
It will only happen if a clearly superior alternative accepts the job
I do not have to mention anything. I have done loads of that for many months now.
ReplyDeleteRodgers did not have to say yes to Balotelli. There were other options. One was rejected at the last second, Remy.
Like I said, bring me the shortlist Rodgers had to work off of oh but no, Balotelli of course was the only striker as an option?
Bring the shortlist and we will talk again.
Objection your Hono(u)r!
ReplyDeleteThat is for FSG to decide.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know what they have been doing since December last year when Rodgers admitted his job was on the line?
Errr... how many times are you going to prove my point . Blimey.
ReplyDeleteDo you just lose track of what you said?
Man makes prediction.
Then says he doesn't have to make predictions
Clear enough?
I don't.
ReplyDeleteAnd neither do you.
So PLEASE- Stop arguing your opinion as fact.
You said FSG had already decided based on insufficient evidence. Leave room for a different outcome than your prediction and all this will stop.
Nobody would bother if you did that. Few would take much notice..
Did you just cut and paste your own post fo that? You continually repeat nonsensical posts
ReplyDeleteIt's not for me to produce a list. You argued that BR failed by buying Balotelli and I asked YOU to name someone we should have bought instead.
Your only response to repeated requests is to say' No YOU come up with a list'
How can we judge who YOU think would be good from MY list? YOU are the one who said he should have bought someone else. PS I already quoted Remy as a better buy.
NOW let's hear your solution . You said BR is clueless. Prove it by answering the question for once.
Is that Ed 209 in your avatar Mike? If you want some light relief from your current debating you may find - 'Honest Trailers - Robocop' on the tube semi-jolly. There's one on Topgun and a few other 80's classics too.
ReplyDeleteI had had more than a little alcohol when I saw them so don't get your hopes up though.
I guess if Toure leaves this guy is backup.
ReplyDeleteIt is- good spot!!
ReplyDeleteSeen a few of the HT clips
Try How It Should Have Ended( HISHE)-
Great fun!!!
Brilliant!, not seen the HISHE one's just had a quick watch of the Star Trek one - VG!. For anyone else and especially fans of 'fifa' (the game) Honest trailers - fifa 15, worth a watch too.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Bony who I am not keen on but makes Balotelli look like a school boy? Could have gone for Benteke? Southampton signed Pelle? Even West ham managed to sign Sakho who makes Balotelli look amateur.
ReplyDeleteBring me the shortlist of strikers that were available to Rodgers and we will chat again. Balotelli was not the only striker on there.
No I have been saying the same thing for a while now.
ReplyDeleteJust like those who argued with me that FSG would make money available in January for players. They did not and is exactly what I was saying for months while others told me I did not know what i was talking about.
I do not have to prove anything. Rodgers will be sacked.
I'm pretty sure you never mentioned Pelle (11 goals) before this season. Benteke? 10 goals 1 assist. Not exactly stellar. Bony? £28m for 10 goals? same 10 for Sakho
ReplyDeleteBalotelli granted only has 2.
But how much difference do you REALLY think 8 goals all season would have made?
You have berated Rodgers all year long , but NONE of your list even scored HALF as many as Sturridge did last year- How could BR have known that he would only play 7 matches all season?
Sanchez scores 22 this year. THAT's the type of player we needed but they weren't available. Just 10-12 goal also rans
*Facepalm*
ReplyDeleteWe're talking about January transfer window now?
WTF
Exactly. Nobody's 'exonerating' Rodgers, to use one of Logan's favourites, it's just that not EVERYTHING is his fault. Don't know why that's so hard to understand for some
ReplyDeleteI've ghthad enough of Logan for today. He just keeps moving the subject and missing every point that's made.
ReplyDeleteFor your consideration:
Logan feels BR was incompetent and amateurish in not replacing Suarez last season. He has made several suggestions o we should have bought:
Bony. Pelle. Benteke.Sakho.
3 with 10 goals, 1 with 11 this season.
IF only we'd bought them ....
Listen mate, Balotelli was not the only striker Rodgers could have said yes to.
ReplyDeleteEvery option I have listed is better than Balotelli and with £120m available to Rodgers he could have signed someone better than Balotelli.
No I am making a point that many were telling me 'I do not have a clue' and it blew up in their face after they argued for days, weeks months on end.
ReplyDeleteB R is crazy enough to go after this sick note -Sickens me to hear Fowler saying we need reinforcements - thats bullshit - what we need is to sign good uns to begin with and not the rubbish B R buys
ReplyDeleteLucas injured again - Bloody laughable
ReplyDeleteIt's easy with hindsight to say Suso and Kelly wouldn't have been any worse than Lallana and Lovren but in pre-season if you'd been asked who'd have a better season, Lallana/Suso or Lovren/Kelly I think you'd have gone for the former
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that particular prediction coming true cannot seriously mean that you are right about this one?
ReplyDeleteThe world doesn't work like that. If it does, you'd better put a 10 game accumulator on this week and retire a millionaire
Rodgers didn't say yes to Balo though, he was told: Balo will sell shirts, get us more TV time and keep us in the headlines.
ReplyDeleteHopefully not a mistake the club will make again.
None of those players would have made the difference. It's not just whether they scored more than Balotelli, even though they did. At the time that Sanchez said no the list of players of that level was next to nothing. Rather than sign an average striker- which all of those are really (10-12 goals) BR gambled on a talented but difficult International talent. I think it was a poor decision too, but I also recognise that if it had panned out, we would potentially have a world class striker for peanuts
ReplyDeleteWith Suarez gone, that's what we needed.
Rodgers didn't say yes to Balo though, he was told: Balo will sell shirts, get us more TV time and keep us in the headlines.
ReplyDeleteHopefully not a mistake the club will make again.
(Jamie you could delete the duplicate post, no offence was intended, but perhaps that's why it's gone for moderation)
This means nothing. What else is Werner going to say in this situation? When asked if CL qualification is important, the only answer he can give is the one he advanced, and any Chairman/owner etc in the same position would give exactly the same rote response.
ReplyDeleteWerner said: 'We've got great confidence in Kenny. We feel the team is going to make strides in the future and he enjoys our full support.
ReplyDeleteRememeber that Jaimie? It is not like Werner has come out and said Rodgers is here to stay. He did not mention anything of the sort.
All he did was thanked Rodgers for what he has done.
I watched 'Valkyrie' before posting that article, and one of Cruise's co-conspirators uses the phrase 'total and complete and utter failure', and for some reason, it just cracks me up (in the movie). It's just the way the guy says it with his upper class English accent; it sounds so damning. And that's why I used that phrase ;-)
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's over the top, though. Gerrard in midfield and Balotelli as a lone striker = total failure this season.
what an unproductive speculative article. You have done much better than this
ReplyDeleteWerner doesn't have to 'come out and say that Rodgers is here to stay' - they gave him a new contract recently, which is a strong indication that they want him to stay.
ReplyDeleteThey gave him a contract extension because of last season. It does not mean they have to keep him especially when they are not getting a return on investment.
ReplyDeleteYou even said it yourself, Kenny was sacked after winning a trophy. FSG spent £117m of LFC's money this season with no positive return.
Do you honestly think they will accept the way this season is going to end for LFC?
I do not have to go around in pointless circles. Rodgers will be given his marching orders whether you like it or not.
ReplyDelete17m*
ReplyDeleteNo. Right now our priorities are set on first team players. Not squad depth. Signing him and expecting him to play first team are the exact type of transfers we should be avoiding.
ReplyDeleteWe need first team defenders, Skrtel might start declining with age, Lovren is getting BETTER but still not there, so we are stuck with Sakho, who I think is a good player and deserves his place in the starting 11.
But this transfer should be avoided like the plague, otherwise I'm applying for the transfer committee and will work for free.