22 May 2015

Confirmed: 'Absolutely sensational' attacker signs 5-year deal with Liverpool. Sterling's replacement?

Amid the ongoing Raheem Sterling contract fiasco, Liverpool have officially confirmed contract extensions for Jordon Ibe and Jon Flanagan.

Ibe - described by Rodgers this season as (deep breath): 'Absolutely outstanding'; 'Absolutely sensational'; 'terrific'; 'wonderful'; 'brilliant'; 'exciting', and 'important' - has signed a 5-year deal, whilst Flanagan has to make-do with a 12-month extension.

The club confirmed the news on its official Twitter account on Thursday:

"Liverpool are delighted to confirm that Jordon Ibe and Jon Flanagan have both signed new contract extensions with the club".

Brendan Rodgers on Flanagan:

"He [Flanagan] has been a huge miss for us this season. It has just been unfortunate for him because he was about to sign a new deal just before the injury.”

Rodgers Ibe:

"He [Ibe] is a young kid that has got a lot of potential; he still has a lot of work to do to become that consistent performer at the top level, but there's no doubting his potential and he has really grown and developed over the course of the last season"

Ibe's reaction:

"I'm over the moon. Liverpool are a great club and I like the philosophy here. I'm enjoying it - I've just been brought into the first team and I've enjoyed the games I've played in. Hopefully I can just keep doing well at the club"

It's good to see two young players sign up for extended deals, but contracts mean nothing these days, and it won't surprise me in the slightest to see Ibe pulling the same schtick as Sterling in a year or two, especially if Rodgers continues his sickeningly sycophantic approach to players.

As for Flanagan being a 'huge miss' this season - that just underlines Rodgers' questionable performance in the transfer market yet again. He brought in Manquillo and Moreno, and if either of them had elevated the team, Flanagan's absence wouldn't have made a difference.

On a related note: It's amusing to see the club release this positive news on the same day as the explosion of negativity related to the Raheem Sterling contract saga. It's and a nice bit of counter-spin by Liverpool, and the perfect response to Sterling's disloyalty.

Author: Jaimie K


162 comments:

  1. Ibe is going to be a better player than Sterling, mark my words! He is supposedly two years behind Sterling in his development path but he is more committed on the pitch, he passes the ball better and doesn't run into as many blind alleys. He is a much better team player as he isn't so selfish.

    Is Sterling a good player? Yup. Is he great? Not by a long shot yet. He could well become superb but only if he knuckles down, works hard on and off the pitch and doesn't keep this over-inflated view of himself. He wants CL football but when he played in the CL this season he was anonymous. He wants to win trophies but in our best chance this season he was poor against Villa. He has not yet become the player who wins you tight games. He is a poor striker as his finishing is not good enough. In a season where we have desperately needed goals due to losing both Suarez and Sturridge (for the most part) he has been found severely wanting. He has scored far too few goals for a player of his ability and now has alienated himself from the club and the fans with his agent's cynical maneouvring to get a big money transfer. His heart is not with LFC despite several years at the club.

    He has Frozen several times when it mattered so I say Let It Go! 😃

    As for Manquillo not elevating the defense, the guy is out injured! He is a loan signing so is not a disastrous signing by any means. Moreno hasn't been outstanding but he hasn't been bad either.

    Your negative view of BR displayed by your desperately dull alliteration (😜) sickeningly sycophantic is just too OTT to offer anything meaningful to the debate!

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  2. Great news! I was a bit worried they wouldnt renew Flano's, but yeah thats brilliant. It'll be good to see their development a while longer. Very much looking forward to some Ibe action next season.

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  3. Phew..there's a contract extension for Flano...i really like this kid. One of the very few that plays with his heart for the club.

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  4. Jamie's preferred adjectives for Rodgers to use when describing Ibe, 'mundane, average, workman like, journeyman, prosaic, tedious, banal, jejune'. That should sort out any over hype.

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  5. "I'm over the moon. Liverpool are a great club and I like the philosophy here."


    What philosophy is that, Jordan? The philosophy of over-praising and over-inflating the ego and demands of youngsters?


    Or the philosophy of playing players out of position?


    Or the footballing philosophy of, well, could be anything from 3 at the back, to 4 at the back, to 5 at the back, possession football, non-possession football, seriously, who the heck knows?


    Or the transfer market philosophy of either buying over-priced/over-rated or inexperienced/under-developed players?


    I could go on, there's a lot of mis-management to choose from, sadly : (

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  6. I also think its great news.
    I'd now hope the club fast track Ibe's development at the expense of Sterling... starting with the next game.

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  7. Brilliant post, so much truth in it, sadly.

    Whatever is going on behind the scenes needs to improve immediately as another transfer window like last summers will be the final nail in the coffin marked, "mid-table mediocrity"

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  8. Great news mostly for flanno, also.. It's funny many of us are believing chelski and citeh will pay 50M? To get sterling..i highly doubt, neither have spent over 20m on potential..., unless.. Assuming they have a brainless group of committee (like here ).,sadly they don't.

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  9. Excellent news. Examples that Sterling could learn from.

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  10. That's not mismanagement, it's just decisions you don't agree with.

    Developing flexibility tactically for individual players and for the team is not mismanagement.

    Using the transfer market in line with our financial strictures is just the reality of what we have to do.

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  11. Also there is a player who looks to my eye better than either Sterling or Ibe in Ojo who should come through next season straight into the first team set-up, perhaps after an early-season loan.

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  12. Good news. But Jaimee you are also aiding the hyperbolistic praise for our youngsters. We can see that "Absolutely sensational" is in quotes but maybe if you could also refrain from using such overblown praise it could help calm down our youngsters and make them aware of the reality

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  13. COnintuously playing people out of position from the start of a season right through to the end is mismanagement, it is part of BR's footballing philosophy at our club. Otherwise eh shoudl have bought players for their position. It is his philosophy just like it is for Barca to play a CDM (Masch) as a CB. If not once its a decision (maybe contingency) but if done every game its the pattern, the plan, the idea, the philosophy. And I just cannot see it any other way

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  14. Yes it is mis-management, all of it, whether you're able to admit it or not.

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  15. Sorry, are you saying that Barcelona playing Mascherano is also mismanagement? I agree with you that it's "the philosophy", but I can't agree that it's also "mismanagement".



    The idea is to develop players to be able to fulfill a number of outfield roles. I have trouble understanding how anyone would see this as a weakness. It's been a coaching objective shared by the best European coaches for forty or fifty years. I've been very glad to see Liverpool adopting a modern approach to this and it speaks to me of the quality of the coach and his work.

    Position is relative. It depends how the opposition set up, it depends on the composition of your team, and it's much less important than *role*. I could tell Sterling to go and stand on the left wing but never to take his man on and to focus instead on feeding the ball into the space behind. His position would be left wing, but that wouldn't be his role: his position wouldn't be the most important aspect of what I was asking him to do.

    So much of the value within our squad comes from the development of players towards flexibility and understanding of different roles over the last three years. The outstanding examples are Suarez, developed from winger and support player into a number 9; Sterling, who instead of being an Aaron Lennon-type of simple winger has become a complete forward with a well-rounded game; Coutinho as an inside-left capable of contributing to every phase of play; Sturridge converted to a number 9, despite being a 10 or winger for most of his career -- there are many other examples.



    Calling this "mis-management" just makes no sense at all. It's clearly management, energetically and competently performed in line with a consistent programme of work.

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  16. That's not an argument I can really engage with.

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  17. Not looking to argue. You quoted me to disagree with me, I did likewise.

    You're welcome to your opinion that LFC are being managed well.

    I see it differently.

    I saw us briefly challenge for the title, then go straight back down to where we were before, one level above mid-tier mediocrity.

    I put this down to bad management, from buying the wrong players to playing them out of position, to changing our style of play again and again to...well, I could go on and on...

    If you consider all the above good management, then, we can only agree to disagree.

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  18. What's the alternative? Just playing the same players in the same roles with the same tactical plan from week to week? That stuff doesn't wash in the premier league these days, especially if you're looking for some sort of advantage to get into contention for the top places. You

    For me it's been good management that's stopped us sliding down even further, which is where we were headed. The club was right on the brink before Rodgers came in, the squad was an absolute disaster area. We've slowly seen good footballers come in, players with something to their game, and a team learning to play different kinds of football for different situations. There are things that could have been improved on, but to call what's been achieved the result of mismanagement doesn't just seem like another legitimate opinion, to me, it seems demonstrably incorrect and unjustifiable. But if you don't feel you need to justify it, that's your business I guess!

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  19. Whether it has been done by Barca or Moureen is irrelevant. Playing a CDM as a CB is mismanagement. If he succeeds there it doesnt mean you made a "tactical masterstroke" as most people would want s to believe. BR playing Ibe as a right back, playing our ill-advised mercenary winger Pound Sterling as a striker and as a left back, playing one of all-time greatest CAMs Stevie as a CDM is mismanagement. For Louis Enrique to play a CDM as a CB is mismanagement even if that CDM happens to be Mascherano. In you saying that "playing Mascherano is mismanagement" you display an appallingly poorly hidden inability to read whats been said. I did not say playing Masch is mismanagement. I thought we are supposed to comment on what we have read not what we assume or wish to have been said by the other. I hope I havent come down too hard on your response. forgive me if my response appears uncivil. I respect the open and critical realism on this site.

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  20. I think you might want to have another look at this from a logical standpoint:

    "Playing a CDM as a CB is mismanagement. If he succeeds there it doesnt
    mean you made a "tactical masterstroke" as most people would want s to
    believe"

    Mismanagement means making decisions which have unexpected negative consequences: mismanagement causes things to go wrong. If your decision has positive consequences (i.e. the "player succeeds") it's not mismanagement, it's good management.

    You don't seem uncivil, it's fine, be as direct as you like.

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  21. BR just can't help himself he is still talking about the Srerling situation and painting himself into a corner whilst putting out the fire with petrol.



    I would accept it if I thought it was a predetermined strategy but I very much doubt it. If you don't want to make a situation worse and decide you are not going to talk about private negotiations then that means keeping yer gob shut.


    There is no way Sterling will be staying long term

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  22. You mean Srirling.

    I wish BR would say just *one* thing. He has a tendency to say two or three, often contradictory things, without even being pushed.

    I want to tell him: know what you're going to say before you say it. Say it. Then stop talking.

    He waffles so much that it sometimes makes me wonder if he's doing it on purpose, just throwing out these clouds of words to confuse people. Because when he wants to be direct he has no trouble at all with concision, and actually comes across as something of a legitimate hard man, very keen-eyed and calm.

    But when he's doing interviews he puts on this fluffy act and says daft things. Daft!

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  23. Pounds Sterling needs to find a new agent this Aidy fellas a nut to me Sterlings leaving is his big pay day another unscrupulous agent and player who has no idea and believes all the BS he gets fed.

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  24. At this rate, I'm expecting anything to happen, unless the club take a serious stance on the Sterling situation. I saw Rodgers comment today and to be honest I was disappointed.

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  25. His agent makes Raiola look like angel...

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  26. There is no way fans will not boo $t£rling from the next game..

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  27. If he wants to leave he should be sold.

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  28. The way the club has dealt with the Sterling saga is laughable. Rodgers has been mouthing himself off for many months now.


    If Sterling's behaviour was so bad then why was he not once excluded from the squad? Sterling will not stay because the club under the current management will not go anywhere.


    There are many questions that will need to be answered. Sunday is the day for Rodgers. I doubt it will be a pleasant meeting between FSG and Brendan.

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  29. Are you defending Sterling????????!!!!!

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  30. Well look at how the club has handled the contract of a 20 year old kid. It has been in the media since January this year thanks to Rodgers.


    There comes a time and place where you keep your mouth shut. Rodgers keeps on having verbal diarrhea. Why did he not hang Henderson's contract out to dry too? What, because he was not asked? Something tells me there are issues between Rodgers and Sterling. The skeletons will come out sooner or later.

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  31. How are things going to change under the current management? The only players signed under Rodgers who have made an impact are Sakho, Can, Coutinho and Sturridge. After more than £200m spent it wont get better.

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  32. Rodgers should accept his fair share of blame not doubt about it. But the way this 20-year-old mercenary has conducted about his contract is disgraceful at best and not befitting of someone who owes every bit of his professional career to the initial trust of Rodgers and LFC.

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  33. Ibe is a good player as is Flano but this Sterling rubbish needs to be put to bed and the club should just sell him along with a quite a few more wastes of money then we need to sign Klopp on as the new manager before we miss the chance, if FSG are trully intent on taking the club forward then they need to realise Rodgers is not upto the task of turning the club into a genuine league contender.

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  34. Absolutely mate. It's just the new thing people have latched on to to regurgitate as if they had a thought.

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  35. With the current situation, I'd be very very disappointed if Sterling even makes the bench.

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  36. Agreed, but reading between Rodgers' comments today, he'll make the bench or might even start surely.

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  37. Bang on the money.

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  38. Stan Dinaround1:52 pm, May 22, 2015

    #snigger

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  39. He has a hard time keeping quiet does Bren.

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  40. From what Cara says, Sterling g is down to earth and gets down and enjoys his football. Rodgers has said this too. Truth is the Sterling/agent in the press and at meetings seems to be different to the Sterling on the training ground. Can you chastise a player for rumours in the press?

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  41. Ward had this stuff in the media before Rodgers said a thing. I know you like to think everything from aids to global warming is down to Rodgers but seriously, try and be a little objective for once. Foe a change and a laugh.

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  42. Glad it's not just me -- thanks Jay Jay.

    I used to sit next to someone who I swear only went to football because it gave him an opportunity to be angry with rich people in public. I could never quite understand that, really.

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  43. Stan Dinaround2:04 pm, May 22, 2015

    One thing we all knew about Sanchez, was that he could handle he physicality of the PL, I'm not of the same opinion over Pedro... But at £7m, maybe he's worth a punt....

    PS... If you want to use the € sign, hold down the alt gr button next to the space bar and press the € button, usually shared with the 4...

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  44. Have always preferred the way KK dealt with the media. No nonsense, to the point, and unafraid to put them in their place.

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  45. Yeah, fantastic. I can see why Rodgers didn't feel he could get away with that sort of attitude early on, though. Maybe as he gets older he'll toughen up and find his inner weegie.

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  46. All that was missing was a statement from BR saying Sterling has been OUTSTANDING..

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  47. I'm hoping the bench, and bring him on late in the game for a crescendo of boos.

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  48. Mike Aitcheson2:57 pm, May 22, 2015

    He himself is destroying his career. He is still paid to play football, and still getting nearly £2m per year. We would get around £10-15m compensation and save nearly £9m in wages.
    He would have to ask himself whether he would get the move he wants if he Didn't play well over the next 2 years.
    I doubt it

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  49. I have upvoted because I think he sometimes need to be a little less accommodating. But to be honest at times KK's blunt unhelpful monosyllabic responses to even quite reasonable questions were embarrassing and made me cringe.


    This was especially frustrating when the press conferences were the only time you got things straight from the horses mouth,

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  50. I know it's not Mohammed

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  51. We could install stocks in place of the bench and leave him there to rot with people jeering him and throwing things at him like rotten vegetables or large boulders.

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  52. Understood. I guess I never really put too much stock into what is said during press conferences. Always found KK's grunts and monosyllabic responses - *especially* when in answer to reasonable questions - to be highly entertaining.

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  53. I do think all this focus on Sterling takes the heat off Brendan. Him taking a tough line in the press might appeal to FSG and they could forget to sack him but I am sure BR would not stir things deliberately just to save his own neck. .

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  54. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! I couldn't agree more Jamie! We are Liverpool Football Club renowned the world over and some jumped up 20 year old or any player for that matter shouldn't be able to hold the club to ransom, my views on Suarez where exactly the same for many reasons in the past no player is irreplacable regardless of how good they are it's just having a manager with the ability to identify the replacement and unfortunately we don't FSG need to show guts and think big and make bold decisions otherwise our best players leaving will become a seasonal thing like hayfever. We need a Klopp or Simeone in an ideal world to take the team by the scuff of the neck and bring about the changes needed on the field and the board to give the manager totally trust in his decisions

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  55. I agree! We should just take the cash for the litte rascal and put the money to good use (as long as Brendans not wasting it).....hmmm! Cough!!

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  56. BR will surely start him, the man is totally out of his depth.

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  57. I do think all this focus on Sterling takes the heat off Brendan. Him taking a tough line in the press might appeal to FSG and they could forget to sack him but I am sure BR would not stir things deliberately just to save his own neck.

    The club spin of releasing the good news about Ibe and Flanno was indeed a masterstroke It seems to have completely overshadowed any comments in the press about Sterling.


    See and still some people say the club is not being well managed.;-)

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  58. I don't consider Sterling to be disloyal.


    But I do consider his agent to be classless.

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  59. Sounds like that should be a The Most Interesting Man in the World quote.

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  60. I read the article in the Echo.


    I personally didn't find anything wrong with anything Rodgers said. All seemed to be matter of fact, and very politically-correct.


    He didn't reveal anything of substance, other than confirming that Sterling has two years left on his deal.

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  61. I just don't understand why he said he expects Sterling to see out his contract. He must be the only person in the Country daft enough to pretend to believe that

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  62. He might not believe that. Could he be playing a game to get City to come in with a crazy offer? They *do* need more English players, especially if they are getting rid of Friggin.

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  63. He has to say that. Doesn't have a choice.


    Any other answer will create even more headlines... even if he said "no comment".


    And that would go for any player. He still hasn't even acknowledged that Glen is leaving.


    The only person he's acknowledged is leaving is Stevie and that's because a contract is already done.


    Despite the majority of us wishing Brendan would talk less, most of what he says is simply politically correct jargon.

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  64. I wish I believed that everything the club does is planned with Machiavellian skill rather than blind incompetence but I really can't after the debacles of the past couple of years.

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  65. Understandable. Don't know what I was thinking.

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  66. Mike Aitcheson4:54 pm, May 22, 2015

    I believe all this endless harping about BR overpraising is so overplayed as to be ridiculous.
    YES BR does consistently, and often unnecessarily, big up his players. But to believe that BR is such an all-powerful, mind altering influence on their egos that it is responsible almost solely for situations like this is pathetic
    Rafa was the polar opposite- never ever saying much positive. SG said so in his book; Alonso left because of his lack of humanity (The birth of his child).
    So show me the youth players he took from the reserves and developed into world beaters? Show me something he won from the final 5 years of his tenure? . Truth is he won NOTHING after 2006. Nothing.
    So overpraise and his tendency to say players or the team were 'Outstanding' CANNOT be much of a factor when assessing our failures. Call it for what it is:
    A RED HERRING

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  67. Maybe he finally grasped the complication of the situation and he is dealing with it in a similar way that he dealt with Suarez situation. Also FSG may be telling him to play hardball.

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  68. I sometimes cant help but think if he was a foreign manager the press would tear him apart.

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  69. I am not so sure if he is doing what is best for his career. His name is almost automatic first choice at LFC. He can be spending one or two more years developing his trade and then potentially jump ship anywhere. But then again, what do I know, I am just a fan.

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  70. does anyone really believe any club would be stupid enough to do that?.... Rot in the reserves is just fan talk, and particularly stupid fan talk at that.
    If Liverpool get a big enough bid they will sell, if they don't, then they won't.
    Then its up to sterling to play well next season to get a move at that time.
    Because not many clubs would want to take him if it looks like he isn't playing well on purpose. And if he throws his toys out the pram for two seasons it'll mess up the Euro's and world cup for himself.
    I think Liverpool are in a win/win situation because if sterling is made to stay for one more season, he will have to play well for the above reasons, so Liverpool will probably get at least as much as they would get now, because after all he hasn't set the world on fire for 2014/15 season. And they will have saved 4.5 mill on the contract he has turned down

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  71. So do you guys believe BR should play Sterling against Stoke. I feel that with all the publicity he could have a bad influence in the locker room. I can only imagine what Hendo, and Cout among others may be feeling by statements such as Sterling wants to leave because he wants CL football.

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  72. We're in agreement, but it seems as though you're arguing with me...?

    That was what I was implying when I said he is more than likely hurting his career by forcing through a hasty move elsewhere. He's not going to get anywhere near the playing time he gets at LFC, and will more than likely spend a majority of time on the bench if he goes to the likes of City or Chelsea.
    If he thinks that's what is best for his career, though...more power to him.

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  73. IMO, Liverpool have not done anything wrong in the Sterling contract situation from an administration point of view. of course, Rodgers' media handling has not been good but I like that they have stood firm in it. The problem comes is that Rodgers constantly plays Sterling when he is not happy which adds more fuel to the fire for the agent as it shows him and you cannot play without my client so he deserves high wages.


    I am disappointed in the fact that Sterling thinks he is better than Liverpool. The team that gave him a chance and guided him during his rape case and other off field issues and he ditches all that because he wants to win trophies it seems. Well, I treat this as an insult to the club when a player who has no left foot and cannot even get his shots off the ground thinks he is better than a top team. I can name 20 young players below the age of 21 better than Sterling and that is the cold, hard truth. Let him leave and he will become the next Lennon or SWP. This is a club that has moved past Fowler, Owen, Rush, Mcmannaman and many others and Sterling is nowhere near their level.

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  74. I agree completely, Jamie, except that we should sell him now to the highest bidder. His absence wouldn't make a hole in the squad and would force BR's hand to buy more decent strikers rather than think Sterling can play in that position. He cannot finish and even when he's at AM/L or AM/R his final ball is invariable poor. I believe he is currently at his 'highest-value' stage due to hype and one or two good performances. I really don't believe he is going to get any better. He's small and easily pushed off the ball. Go now, Sterling!

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  75. Yeah, what has he done in CL or EL to be so happy about. Go missing against Basel or Besiktas. If he wanted CL so much, he would have performed when it mattered.

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  76. Hendo and Phil are professional enough to do the job without being influenced by the Sterling drama.


    In answer to your question, I'd put Sterling in goal and give Migs a break.

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  77. I agree Ibe is far more willing to take a shot and has a more keen eye for a goal and stays on his feet more when it gets a bit rough.

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  78. I can only name 19 so go on name them! (but remember if you get one wrong you lose) ;-)

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  79. I disagree. What he is doing is not likely to enhance his career and I bet you have not even considered the fact that he is likely to spend more time on the bench at another club.

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  80. Thinking more of a toe.

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  81. But Hendo and Phil are also humans and its only natural for them to feel something or have what if questions. don't you think. I fear that this saga might affect the entire team (if it hasn't already, maybe from the AV game)

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  82. Apologies. I just assume everyone is like me: cold and emotionless.

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  83. Just lets stop all this nonsense regarding Sterling, not as good as he maybe thinks he is. Let's sell him bring in as much as we can, and invest wisely and bring in a top manager, who can attract some decent players who want to play for this club.

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  84. So this is where I am in conflict with my thoughts.
    I never once expected that Sterling should be the one to carry this team on his back. After all Gerrard did not carry Liverpool on his back when he was 20 years old though he contributed a lot. So I try to give him a break.


    Then he/agent goes on about him being awesome and why Liverpool should pay him more. Then people should judge him as a complete package. This is where he fails miserably.


    Lets assume that for a second ManCity end up paying 80M for him, and he goes missing in games, wouldn't ManCity fans think that for the same amount of money we could have had Bale or Ronaldo type players who deliver week in week out? (I know as a Liverpool fan, I keep thinking the same thing about Markovic). Is this the type of pressure that he wants on him on a daily basis. I really don't think Sterling is mature enough age wise of football wise to handle that type of pressure.

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  85. Agreed. I was just trying to elaborate on your statements.

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  86. ...I'll name it in three..... :0)

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  87. Oh I married long enough to know that I am never right. Its always the misses.

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  88. I also Agree with everything that has been said,and I think things will only get worse with BR in charge. He is taking the club down.and it needs to be stopped. Contrary to what he believes " he is not the only man for the Job ".

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  89. He has brought the pressure on himself by thinking he is better than the club. He is not. The fact of the matter is that only the British media and Liverpool fans rate him so highly. If you ask anyone in Spain, Germany or France, he is alright but not that amazing. This sense of entitlement which he thinks he has is what irks me a lot. Who is he to think he is better than one of the biggest clubs in the world and who have given him the chance when not many would have.

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  90. We got ibe pottentialy better much stronger so fuck off you gold digging twat . Haha your career is gona nose dive but never mind you can go home and coint your pennys

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  91. believe me I feel exactly the same. But this is where I kinds of start asking is he an ill advised kid who is confused, or a mercenary as Jamie says. evidence points to the latter.

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  92. Get a bidding war going or make him play out his contract and if any english team get him on a free we get compansation and that amount would be a decent figure due to his england career and the estimated value so either way we dont lose but if city or mancs want him then cough up hes gona be a great player when if he matures so pay a great price to secure his services from us

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  93. Young ibe looks like he could be more of a better stronger player than sterling will be

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  94. ...sado-masochism was never the invent of fifty shades of grey...


    ....it started when the male of the species, in his wisdom, decided to take the plunge and redefine his existence...


    ...it should have been as a super-hero, but he turned up at college stoned and pissed took a wrong turn and ended up in 'husband' class...


    ...there began the descent........

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  95. Ideally, I wouldn't sell either. Lucas is our only DM, and despite all his criticism, Allen is a serviceable squad player who probably won't make any noise about sitting the bench. If we added quality DM and kept Can at CM, we'd be covered. Or if we keep Can at Defense, then we'll need to get 2. Either way, selling Lucas or Allen will increase the buys by one.

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  96. ...how dare you think they walk around in a bubble of contracts, money and hangers-ons...

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  97. ...I was thinking more of a front right disc....

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  98. Allen is useless. Another 1 of rodgers marquee buys who are surplus to requirements. For midfield I would buy kondogbia. Higuain up front and vietto. Son heung min and konoplyanka for the wings. Trippier for right back. Kolarov for left back

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  99. I wouldn't sell him to our rivals. We should not be in the business of strengthening other English teams. If Sterling so badly wants a move, he can have one ... but only abroad.

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  100. ...some will come back at me with talk of xavi or iniesta even mascherano, however, Allen lacks height and nowadays when you look at effective midfielders you see matic at 6'3-4", felloffme at 6'3" henderson at 6'2" etc...I've seen umpteen times that allen is quick, tenacious, good positional sense, but then so are all the best midfielders; their advantage then in that case is their extra reach or speed with longer legs...


    ...for me allen is a good player but unless he gets a block of kryptonite fall on his head while asleep he just doesn't have the extra required for us to push on...


    ...lucas while not excessively tall, is solid dependable and positionally he protects that back four very well, great sub or cup player to have on the staff...plus he's Brazilian and is a draw for players when they see who is at the club..


    ...i really have nothing against Wales - i went there once for dirty weekend... but.......

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  101. But I just may be the lunatic you're looking for

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  102. B R is the problem - wants to keep Sterling when 80 per cent of fans hate him

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  103. If you think of the 'whole' Ray - its actually better for the club if we keep him:


    ....we get to keep a good player..who alot of clubs want..


    ...we don't capitulate to his demands...


    ...we show strength in negotiating and keeping a player to his contract...


    .....we show the world LFC are stronger than an agent and his charge....


    ....we stick it to aidy ward that his words dont count for sh**....

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  104. Lucas has had his time we could do with an upgrade eg Song. Allen should be a squad player.

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  105. I agree with your points. Also would like to add that this false '80%' is taken from absolutely thin air. Are a portion of supporters upset yes, and rightly so. However let's use our memories, when Gerrard was being tempted in '05 by chelsea turned down a 100k/week new deal and even went so far as to hand in a transfer request, all look lost the sky was falling our captain was going to be sold and people were out in the streets literally burning his top.. A MASSIVE U-turn happened however, and as they say the rest is history.
    In total everybody don't be so reactionary, think about this for a minute, let's settle down and keep our heads. You never know in 14 years Dalglish may widely be seen as our #3 with Gerrard as #2 and Sterling as #1 for greats

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  106. I would prefer selling Lucas based purely on business reasons. At the moment we should be able to coup substantial part of his original price (around £9M), whereas with Allen we would be nowhere near his original price (around £16M). Allen is still only 25 y.o. and there is still time for him to mature. Additionally, Allen is also homegrown player.


    Besides, LFC should invest in a proper, top-class DM for the next season and Lucas, although rather dependable, is not and will never be a top-class DM.

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  107. ..fat lady singing and all that....


    ...we just don't know and before freakin' out I agree we should all take a breath.....

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  108. Ancelotti would be even more merited if Real Madrid will part with him. He even has the EPL title already.

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  109. Personally I have no problem with Lucas replacement, but he should be replaced! If you mean keep Allen, sell Lucas and Bring nobody then we shall see the shafting of our defense next term!

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  110. I think the vote is irrelevant xavi is a much better player than Lucas

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  111. Rodgers will never sign another dm if lucas goes mark my words. He'll play allen as our dm. A midfield with no anchor or balance.

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  112. The best outcome:

    New manager, buy new DM, keep Lucas as backup DM, and sell Allen.

    Any other outcome is sheer lunacy.

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  113. If he said he wanted him out his price would drop 40% at least!

    Can't spill your heart out to the press if you are a manager.

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  114. I think that the threat to a professional footballer of spending the next two years playing with the youngsters would be enough to make him realise what a prat he has been. Two years out of a footballers twelve year career is a big chunk of time.
    It would mean that the owners would need to sound convincing and be sincere in carrying out that threat. The prospect of two years out of the limelight, and with no chance of a pay rise would switch the lights on even in that dim little brain of his.
    Even his agent would realise that once everyone believed that LFC mean business, the press would soon lose interest and the story would die, for two long years!!!
    Divide and conquer.

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  115. When Rodgers played Ibe at rwb, Can at cb, and Sterling at cf we went on a record winning streak. I'm not sure how that's mismanagement. I completely agree that the role is what's important not the position.

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  116. Stan Dinaround8:36 pm, May 22, 2015

    Lucas goes, Enrique and Johnson go, and also Gerrard, is there a single player left at the club that Rodgers didn't have a hand in....?

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  117. Two words for that list mate. John Barnes. Top of the bloody list. No other Liverpool player could do the things he could with BOTH feet. And his rap was alright. "You've got to......"

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  118. We've needed an athletic enforcer for ages. Allen is just not imposing enough and against physical teams he'll get eaten alive.

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  119. Stan Dinaround8:50 pm, May 22, 2015

    Damn straight, Barnes was awesome, and is my No.1

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  120. Stan Dinaround8:53 pm, May 22, 2015

    song is very rarely on song for long... too inconsistent.

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  121. When Lucas plays well we usually win when Allen plays well it makes no difference because he doesn't affect a game ,but I'd sell both as we need midfield's who are both athletic and injury free

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  122. Stan Dinaround8:56 pm, May 22, 2015

    I don't think Rodgers likes DM's... not once have looked like buying one since his arrival....

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  123. Everyone bar Rodgers can see this

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  124. There's a flip side to every coin what about all the kids clubs release at a stones throw......or the. One where a manger leaves says he won't poach the players then immediately does so......and the list is endless its a did eat dog business nothing more nothing less

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  125. I'm in agreement. I think it is a little bit understated how much of a positive effect playing with word class players has on young players. I think that's why he wants to leave. Playing the most minutes of any player on the team (I think) and having the pressure of carrying the team at 20 years old imo is worse for his career than less play time, no pressure, and training with world class players. He might be doing what's best for his career. The solution is for LFC is to hold him for next season and buy some world class players or as class as they can get to it, and try to compete next season. Limit his playtime and let him develop no pressure. Then if he wants to leave sell him. But the cycle will keep repeating itself until LFC are in a position that they don't have to rely on a 20 year old to bear the weight

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  126. Article is spot on....no comments or additions required although 2 strikers and a world class DM are the top priorities to me. That doesn't preclude signing a guy like Pedro for the middle of the field. I voted for him instead of Lallana as did most but alas the 'fantastic', 'superb', 'top class' transfer committee only brought in mediocrity, absent Emre Can....

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  127. Craig Johnston will always be my favourite player, not only for his sheer work rate but he wrote the Anfield Rap

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  128. Its like trying to choose your favourite STD

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  129. Allen is not useful. While does hustle a bit, seems to run in circles, gets shrugged off opposition and for 15m we deserve much better. I feel we need a world class DM to provide cover at the defensive end but have enough passing skills and mobility to launch an attack. Carvalho or Schneiderlin would be s good start to reviving our lost luster in the marketplace and credibility with the fans.....

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  130. Indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  131. EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why BR doesn't get this is beyond me.........

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  132. LFC should get shot of this arrogant little prima donna. Cash in now and get £40 - £50 mill from mugs like chelski or city. He'll just warm their benches and eventually leave to play for someone like Aston villa, crystal palace etc, with respect. Ibe and Sinclair look much better.

    As far as his agents concerned he's just a greedy disrespectful so so, who just wants to line his fat greedy pockets. For the money we'll receive, hopefully we can buy 2 top class experienced players.

    Once again get shot, and watch his career fade into obscurity into obscurity. He's no Luis Suarez and never will be.

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  133. Remember Momo Cissoko! Broke Lampard's ankles :)

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  134. I think Ibe lacks the intelligence and finesse of Sterling. We'll see how well Ibe copes when people are more familiar with him.

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  135. Allen = Sell Lucas = Keep

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  136. Unless we bring in a top class experienced defensive midfielder in the summer, we should not even contemplate selling Lucas. Even if we did sign such a player, I'd keep Lucas around until January at least.

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  137. Sterling and intelligent don't go together, sorry. Consistently makes incorrect decisions.

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  138. voice of reason1:30 am, May 23, 2015

    i feel like lucas is getting pushed out of the club just like agger and reina

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  139. Everyone, had their glims, talents, question is how much talent and consistency BR have?

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  140. That's harsh, even for Allen ;-)

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  141. I agree. People need a more realistic appraisal of Ibe or they are going to be disappointed. He's a direct stop-start winger who may be converted into a striker if he can improve his composure and finishing, but equally, might be converted to a full-back if he can't improve his crossing. He's certainly not yet capable of playing the kind of roles that Sterling has fulfilled, being involved in every phase of play, and he might never be, and he's a *long* way from being a finished product.

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  142. Sell him to man city and get dzeko and cash or arsenal for walcott and cash.

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  143. To keep the transfer fee up, probably.

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  144. Maybe it's weird, but I prefer Rodgers' way of dealing with the media. Less confrontational, lots of double-speak, often says nothing despite talking for three minutes, but sometimes also expresses genuine opinions. KK was too confrontational for my liking. Rodgers is not perfect but knows how to keep his club (and himself) in the media's good books.

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  145. he doesnt seem like a player who would settle at Anfield...

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  146. we can cope without Sterling but we can't cope with Rodger.

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  147. Classless. Jay Jay.Pure classless comment.I wont join in whats plaguing you.

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  148. Classless pointing out your your contradictions? OK then.

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  149. Hey Stan, unfortunately our Aussie keyboards don't come equipped with Euro signs, our Shift+4 is the $ sign. Pounds are Alt+156 (£), no idea how to get the Euro sign...

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  150. Stan Dinaround4:02 pm, May 25, 2015

    Makes sense, don't exactly need it.....

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  151. which one did you point out? I see none in your "nonsense" comment.

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  152. Sometimes those decisions have expected negative consequences. Selling Reina, Maxi, Agger, sending Coates and Ilorti on loan and replacing them with Kolo, Allen, Lambert, Moreno etc then playing Mario as a lone striker even when DStudge was available, playing Sterling as a striker, playing him as a right back, playing Ibe as a right back, playing Allen and Lucas in the same team at the same time, changing formations 3/4 times in the same match and starting a semi-final without a striker. These things will give you a known negative result. If done once, it can be construed as mistake/learning curve but if done more than 4/5/6/7/8/9/10 times its not a mistake its mismanagement.


    I'm just curious, granted, BR has some tactical masterstrokes, but Ancelotti, Rafa and Klopp are available. Do you still want to give BR more money and 1/2/3 or 4 more seasons? If your answer is yes then I rest my case.

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