17 May 2015

Urgent Transfer? Liverpool make €20m bid for powerhouse La-Liga star; negotiations ongoing

After a period of mid-season stability, the defensive frailty that has plagued the club during Brendan Rodgers' reign has returned with a vengeance over the last six weeks, and it seems that LFC's manager is planning to throw even more money at the problem this summer.

On Monday, Spanish journalist Kike Marin claimed that Liverpool scouts flew to Spain last week to watch Real Sociedad captain Inigo Martinez in action, and according to Spanish newspaper Marca this weekend:

* Liverpool contacted Real Sociedad 'a few days ago' to enquire about the 23-year old's vaialbility.

* The Reds put in a €20m offer, but Sociedad rejected the bid, and 'told' Liverpool to meet the defender's €30m buyout clause.

It's hardly surprising that Sociedad rejected the €20m offer; it's typical lowball tactics from Liverpool, and with a €30m buyout clause in place, the Spanish club doesn't have to sell for a penny less than that.

Martinez appears to open to a move, and he confirmed this last week, when he told reporters:

“I really like it when the press and other clubs are talking about me. I won’t lie. Who wouldn’t? If they’re talking about you, it’s for a reason.”

Some info about Martinez:

* Contract expires: 2017

* 149 apps for Real Socieded (11 goals for the club so far)

* One appearance for the Spain national team.

* 2013: Helped Spain win the European Under-21 Championship.

* Four injuries since 2011: Hamstring; 2x muscle injuries, and Meniscal damage (13 games missed as a result).

* Averages 37 games a season.

* 41 yellow cards in 4 seasons (averages 10 per season; one every 3.2 games)

The defensive shambles against Crystal Palace highlighted once again the egregious lack of leadership in central defence, and as the captain of Real Sociedad, Rodgers possibly sees Martinez as someone with the ability to come in and organise the club's defence.

Is throwing money at the problem the right solution, though? Spending £20m+ on a new central defender every season is not a viable transfer strategy, and sooner or later, Rodgers (or whoever is in charge next season), will have to choose a partnership and stick with it.

That said, in this instance, signing another defender makes sense. Sakho is increasingly injury prone, and this season, he's made only 26 appearances. He clearly cannot be relied-upon to be available most of the time, and if another defender comes in, Sakho could be the one who suffers the most.

That would be a shamed as Sakho is much improved this year, and he played an integral part in Liverpool's post-Christmas defensive stability. If he can remain fit next season, Lovren will almost certainly spend most of his time on the bench, which is fair enough.

Whatever happens, it's important that the next defender Liverpool sign is mentally strong enough to deal with the pressure of expectation. Lovren buckled under that pressure, and bar a few decent performances, it's arguably affected his season.

If Rodgers is serious about buying yet another central defender, then one of the current crop will surely have to leave, and with Kolo Toure seemingly set to stay, Lovren looks like the the most likely candidate to end up on the Anfield scrapheap.

Author: Jaimie K


214 comments:

  1. I would heartily welcome this guy. Class act.

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  2. Illarramendi reportedly available for 10M... that's a steal imo!! A bit rough around the edges still perhaps, but consistent playing time should help him find the potential that got him the transfer to Madrid in the first place. Seems Coutinho-Sturridge esque to me.

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  3. we dont need to target defenders. theres BR again strengthen in positions we dont need. this guy has truly destroyed LFC. after todays match there was enough evidence for me to know BR is not a good enough manager for LFC.


    what kind of motivator is this man?
    1. why he went to 3 at the back after winning against QPR and drawing at chelsea with 4-2-3-1 is just beyond me. we lost 3 of the most important games in a row against man united, arsenal and Villa. its a dumb formation that dont work long term


    2. after that embarassing showing at Wembley when thats really all we had to play for, how can we draw with West Brom and lose against Hull? like is he there to be the best friends of these players or is he there to motivate them to win? because i cant see the motivating, and it dont help with his stupid tactics


    3. why is sterling still playing? after all his nonsense hes contributed nothing, and continues to use his poor let foot and waste chances. BR keeps sterling on the pitch even when hes the worst on pitch and takes off someone playing better. this Manager cant manage a team properly, taking off our legend Stevie g against Chelsea for an ovation? how about take off Sterling who has got a match rating of 4-6 in the games since United, including against newcastle where he scored but missed 3 simple sitters, as usual.


    4. BR has proved he cant compete at many times this season. and for him to play 3 at the back again is just an outrage. i honestly believe it is. we lost to United at home, Arsenal 4-1 and VILLA at wembley. atrocious. we have had terrible results this season and all blame goes down to Rodgers.


    5. on the biggest day of our Lionel Messi 'Steven gerrard', How BR cannot motivate the team to destroy palace i dont know. how we can lose the match after going up 1-0 at home i dont k know. we were drawing 1-1, what did pardew say to his players that BR never said. when i watched Southampton, the amount of willing runnings stretching the lines was unbelievable. they stretched the lines and pass were picked all day long. i dont see that Rodgers tactics. i see a soft manager who pats his team on the back when they lose, which is a bad manager.


    6. i never want LFC to lose but i do want us to lose agaisnt Stoke, so Southampton finish above us. tbh they deserve it, and BR keeps saying, as he always goes along seasons making excuse by the day, '5th place is about where were at' we will be lucky to finish there. this season has been so poor, the owners need to see Southampton finished above us, despite buying there 'so called best players'. seeing Southampton above us is an outrage and would be a clear indication for Rodgers to lose his job. and i must say his transfers have been absolutely sickinening. Markivic? Lambert? Borini? Allen? dont even get started with Aspas


    theres need to be serious changes at LFC this season and giving Brendan Rodgers another chance when he is targeting players like Ings is a insult and a clear indication he hasnt learnt from the likes of Lallana , who have been supreme failures aand should have cost £3M.


    Next summer we need real quality, balance, experience and goals. these are the realistic targets we can attract to LFC.


    Yevehen Konoplyanka - LW - FREE - experience
    Kevin Prince Boateng - CM - FREE - expreince
    Andre Ayew - RW - FREE - experience
    Alexander Kolarov - LB - FREE - experience
    Sami Khedira - DM - FREE - experience
    Andrea Pirlo - DM - FREE - Experience
    Pedro Rodriguez - Rw - £25M - marquee
    Son Heung Min - ST - £15M - top player - 17 goals
    Mauro Icardi - ST - £25M - top player - 23 goals


    total: £65M (same spent on Lallana 25m, markovic £20m and Lovren £20M)


    sell sterling £40M, borini £10M, balotelli £10m, aspas £5m allen £5m luis alberto £5 lambert £5m
    total: £80M

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  4. Adding to our collection of 17m+ left-sided CBs.

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  5. Wow, not even a pause for thought, relentless.

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  6. voice of reason5:07 am, May 17, 2015

    how can BR make suggestions when the new manager has not come in yet... that said imo we dont need a new CB, Can needs to go into midfield and Lucas can compete at times.... we still need a CDM who may possibly put everyone on there toes or even go into the starting 11 (sami khediera's free)... a new striker BADLY, maybe stick with manquillo, promote mclaughlin and buy a new RB so we have that position covered and hmmm a new manager that should about do it for summer business imo

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  7. Sterling worth 5m after yesterday's preformance .

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  8. BR is not going to be our manager next season.


    Either FSG has their Manager selected & scouting on his advice or there is someone looking after the transfer business for LFC.


    No sane owner 'll allow BR to spend a single penny on CBs after today's display - this guy has no idea of the defensive side of the game; even Championship sides won't allow Palace to hit 3 after falling behind at home.

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  9. Can LFC get Sami Hyypia in as a coach to buff up the pathetic defensive philosophy at the club before throwing some obscene amount of money again for another defender?

    Also, I rather see SG stays at LFC as a player-coach than to see BR's inept display on all fronts as a manager again next season at my beloved club. Can BR and Ian Arye just go? Or has FSG given the duo too big a serverance package that John Henry's balls are now being held very tightly by the two?

    I just cannot bear to see LFC becoming an increasely burgeoning laughing stock for top clubs and players round the globe. Just read in soccernet mentioning Man Utd is launching a bid for Thomas Muller. Here we are feeling the excitement of Danny Ings coming in for us. The gulf between LFC and the top clubs in Europe are widening with every passing season. Not only results on pitch but also the kind of players targeted and attracted.
    With no change at the helm of the management, we are doomed to be conjoined with mediocrity for the longest period of time we can imagine, even though we have already been so ever since the beginning of our constant absence at the UCL.

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  10. Man I just don't get it, there's fifteen odd teams below us who don't all seem quite as angry.
    2nd, 5th, it ain't so bad.

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  11. Maybe because they didn't spend 125 million last summer?

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  12. If I could I would give you 64 upvotes for this post

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  13. voice of reason6:29 am, May 17, 2015

    whoa prince is free get him get him quick

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  14. The most worrying thing about this is that getting deals done early indicates the manager is staying

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  15. Maybe they have No ambition ?

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  16. My friend, avoid sounding offensive, may I ask how long have you been a LFC fan? Making downwards comparison with the rest of 10-odd teams instead of an upwards comparison with the top 4 teams is an insult if you are talking to any fan that started adoring LFC before FSG came in to the rescue of the club.

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  17. To be honest I got as far as "destroyed LFC" and thought what a crock, trust me I've been a Fan long enough to understand the ethos of the Club and as much as I want us back at the top, I've waited so long that I don't want it to be a flash in the pan when we get there.
    I want us to build a Bastion again and I'm not about to whine, moan and throw the towel in after just finishing fifth and second previously.

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  18. But I have a very bad feeling that BR will be our manager......If he stays we will know how much FSG actually care for LFC.

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  19. No use of getting defenders they all look bad under BR why because he doesnt like to use a DM

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  20. You are absolutely right, my friend!

    We need a change, a really big one. But firstly not to the playing squad but to the helm of the management. It's an absolute disgrace for the entire season 14/15. Nothing develops at LFC except the egos of some young English players. Raheem deserves a 100k weekly wage? Jordan Ibe deserves a 30k weekly wage? My a**e if anyone asks me.
    You hope Southampton can climb over our head in the tables, this is certainly a somewhat realistic scenario. But I'm really worried about the purse strings of FSG if this happens because our 'absolutely magnificent' (sorry if I use Raheem Sterling's patented praise words) management will want to raid Southampton with another 100 mil pounds
    Before we can be back on track for anything, we need to get rid of all the people at the helm of the management.

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  21. Soton are only two points behind us

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  22. Weirdly, I agree with both you and case here. We spent a lot of money in the summer and its disappointing not to see a significant return on that investment; a piece of silverware, a CL place, whatever. Some of our performances have been woeful and there seems to be a mental fragility that wasn't apparent during our 2nd place finish. With the weight of expectation from that overachievement hanging heavy, it's been a strange and frustrating season.

    Yet, when I think about it, I know that Liverpool needed to invest in squad depth more than any of the current top 6; it was either that or field the Anfield tea lady and the guy who cuts the grass. All these players take varying amounts of time to adapt; many are young guys who are also adjusting to a new way of life and a new language to boot. The teams above us already had a wealth of resources at their disposal and could afford to focus their attention on a couple of main transfer targets, Utd excluded, who have a seemingly bottomless pot of cash. We lost our best player, so missing out on our top target Sanchez is key.

    Then there's the injuries. I hate excuses, but injuries to four key players this season have crippled us; Sturridge (obviously), Sakho, Lucas and Lallana. I don't think it's a stretch to say that the amount of time we've been without this important quartet is highly unusual and has contributed to instability in our performances. Not an excuse, more like terrible luck.

    Thes points considered,

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  23. No point signing anyone because everybody I know has lost faith in B R - He must go first

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  24. Sorry Ash, the words aren't flowing as I would like and after re-hashing this numerous times I'm afraid it may turn out a 'modern art masterpiece', but the gist of my thoughts are that your post is an excellent and balanced summary of the season.
    The crucial point you make which I think merits a good deal more discussion is the mental fragility present throughout the team, particularly towards the end of the season.
    My own hope is that it's purely a 'Gerrard's last season' thing and will dissipate during the summer, although as ever we will need at least one Marquee, tent or awning to help it on its way.

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  25. Fair enough, I understand your stand in terms of the support for LFC.

    Now looking at present group of people managing the club and their habitual ways of throwing money at the transfer market, how can anyone be convinced that a bastion can once again be built under this group of people?

    To me, one that has zero inside info about the club, it seems like a labyrinth of mystifying contradictions happening at the club regarding transfer policy. Is FSG unwillingness to spend big on established player and only willing to buy young and cheap? It's really a myth to me. On one hand, it seems like the club is always looking out 'cheap' deals, cheap in terms of low-balling clubs for their established players e.g. Inigo Martinez. Of course, to no avail all the time because LFC is no longer a force to be reckoned with in world soccer. But then we will throw money, an obscene amount of money, at either English player (Lallana), one-season wonders (lovren) and unknown foreign players (Markovic) that absolutely defy the definition of 'young and cheap'??! It's a neither-here-nor-there situation?
    There's outrightly no way of progress for LFC if the club cannot even define a proper transfer policy for the good of everyone. Without that, the bastion you mentioned will the furthest pipedream that one can imagine.

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  26. He has every right to be angry mate., we're 5th and from your thoughts we deserve to be there? Do me a favor. i don't want to express my feelings because i might get a ban, if fsg do not wheel the axe at the end of season, then we are in for a mass exodus (fan base )

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  27. Hey xxcell2010, I appreciate your reply and if I may, I will come back to it again when more of me is in the land of the living, but my initial response would merely be it's all about the money; I doubt FSG have an unwillingness to spend big on players, more they see that for the moment they have to prioritise balancing the books and, with the Stadium - increase future revenue.
    I don't think myself that their willingness to invest is in question, although I won't (and don't think many would) argue that we haven't got 100% value for money so far on transfers and I will be pretty p*ssed off if that does not improve this summer.
    My closing thought for the minute is a bit of cliché but I will and hope others do - 'keep the faith' FSG have succeeded in all else that they've done so it will eventually translate to LFC, but not if we try and bail half way through the project.

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  28. Completely agree with you Jaimie . Unfortunately a lot of our fans will love his signing because he used to play for England lol. Most fans just don't get it. If Man city are willing to let him go then surely , SURELY either Man city are being really stupid and don't have a clue what there doing which is hard to believe since they finish above us every season unless we've got Saurez or they know they have better already and are going to bring in better . Sturridge did great for us last season and maybe if Saurez wasn't playing alongside him he would not of done quite so well but at the end of the day Mourinho knows exactly what he's doing . He sells him to us and then goes and buys Costa.when we were linked with Borini I looked up his career and I knew he was going to be s poor signing. He used to play for Chelsea reserves which coincidently Rodgers used to manage do I knew the chances were we would buy him. A aspas is another .i looked him up and noticed he had 1 half decent season with 9/10 goals with struggling celta Vigo ( a bit like Danny Ings 9/10 goals with struggling relegated Burnely basically ) the season before aspas was playing in Spanish second division where he was second top goal score , the top goal scorer in that league that year was ulloa who was playing for Liecester in the championship at the time. That tells me Ulloa is the better player so I didn't hold high hopes for Aspas to be honest. If I can work these things out why on earth can't Rodgers? Milner will turn out to be a poor bit of business as Im pretty sure bringing in Ings won't help move us forward either .carrol was an English striker who scored 9/10 goals in his first season too wasn't he ?looked what happened there, we completely fell for it and ended up paying 35 mill for him lol. At least Ings would only be a 5 mill mistake but still pointless .

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  29. Alright; I think Ash's response to Eric sums up how I feel. I do share your frustration, too, and there are certainly things about Rodgers' management that I dislike. That said, I'm not convinced that we're doomed under him, nor am I convinced that he's the best for us. How's that for deep?

    About that list of players: I'd take all of them, except Icardi. They would improve the team and the squad.

    I'm also not sure Lallana has been a supreme failure. He's played well. The problem is he's been injured so hasn't played enough.

    As for not needing to target defenders, I don't think that's my point here. If an opportunity to drastically strengthen a position arises, I'm inclined to explore the option, and Martinez would be a drastic improvement, in my view.

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  30. Thanks for that dear, many people making excuses we lost Suarez and sturriedge to injury ..sorry but only school boy could be fooled with that. Also why some tend to agree we are selling club? This is beyond a myth.. Athletic Madrid lose their best player every season still they're challenging for title every now and then. ,it's a bad management overall that needed changing.

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  31. I must admit I'm ambivalent about the manager staying for next season, but I'm drawn to the idea of Klopp, Ancelotti or (gasp) Benitez taking over. But maybe change for its own sake isn't what we need. We'll never know until we try it.

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  32. Of course; he has every right to feel any way he wants, as do I, as do you and don't think for a minute I think we deserve or should aspire to anything less than 1st.
    It's not a competition but I'd be surprised if you're anymore annoyed about the season than I am, I'd like to try and maintain a sense of perspective though, that's all - LFC are most certainly NOT 'destroyed'

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  33. I think about how much Vincent Kompany cost, or Gary Cahill or Branislav Ivanovic and I think, why do we waste so much money on central defenders. Most decent defenders cost no more than £12M tops. Our best defender buy of the last 20 years was a Finnish guy bought for about £4M from I believe a German outfit. You shouldn't have to throw money at it. Jesus, Tony Pulis could sort it out for free. What next, David Luiz for £70M? How can you complain about money for marquee strikers when you spend £20M on a left sided centre back every year? It's truly incompetent and someone has to say 'stop'.

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  34. Players we've been linked with that I believe won't turn out to be anything great for us.Milner,Ings , Cheryshev , Pirlo . Players we've been linked with that we just won't get. Lacazette, Benzema , Bacca , Alves, . A player we could get that I think would turn out to be a great signing for us is Aubameyang . I've also noticed a young Belgium called Michy Batshuayi who plays for Marseille but mostly on the bench that has scored 9 goals in 889 minutes of playing time which is just under 10 games. Origi has scored 8 goals in 2064 minutes which is just under 23 games so Origi has scored 1 goal less but has played more than double the amount of games Batshuayi has . That tells me Batshuayi is better perhaps and since he's only played 889 minutes says he's not a regular starter so maybe more than possible to get him if going for relatively unknown young talent is what we have to go for like usual of course

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  35. So he's been all season. I'm still struggling understand why lallana got subbed and Sterling stayed on the pitch.

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  36. Danny Ings and origi the new striker partnership of next season , if Burnley had Origi and Ings playing upfront this season would they of stayed up ? Oh sorry I almost forgot they did have 1 of them lol. are well at least we will have Milner next season lol. I thought our aim was to move up the table next season ?

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  37. That makes no sense at all to me. Can you explain how that works -- how you will read into the club keeping their current coach that it's a measure of the owners' "care" for the club?

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  38. All these people have also failed to meet their targets this season.

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  39. Not meant to be sarcastic, but surely we have already tried the changing the manger thing numerous times without success, what we haven't tried is sticking with one and ironing out the rest of the cracks.

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  40. Or that their ambition is no less strong than others but is tempered by realism.


    Yesterday was particularly disappointing but as Ash says the margins are small at this level and imbalances in the team formation, players carrying injuries and even perhaps the pressure of Gerrard's last match (not to mention poor refereeing 'cos that would be sour grapes) could all have contributed to a lacklustre performance.


    I think the formation has been found out too and left the 3 CBs exposed but I am not sure BR has much choice at the moment and to have changed the formation might have been worse.


    Clearly things need to be improved and equally clearly Lovren just is not going to make it. Weight of expectation might be a factor but I cannot see how that explains some of his actions/inactions.


    Once again Mig was suspect for their first goal and goals like that at crucial times change the course of a match

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  41. It doesn't matter if we had the best 3 centre backs in the world, without any protection from the midfield we will still have the same problems.

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  42. It is very difficult to ask an offensive question without sounding offensive but credit for trying ;-)

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  43. He's clearly lost the dressing room. None of the players play for him anymore and even his proclaimed "protégé" thinks he can develop better elsewhere. If I was an owner I'd be thinking post-Villa all the final matches were winnable and CL qualification was achievable. I would want my manager to concentrate every single mental and physical resource to achieving that goal. I would have expected him to go like gangbusters and the whole team to go with him. I WOULDN'T have expected him to begin a lamenting tour about injuries and transfer budgets for the next season. Rodgers seems to have been caught day dreaming again when he should have been getting the team focused on a tough slog. It’s been the mentality of a loser. A man who ignores the immediate challenge to focus on hazy future ones. A man who expects significant funding for those challenges but shows no appetite to show his mettle for an immediate challenge that would bring him a greater chance of getting that marquee player. At this point Rodgers feels more like a shaman. A pyramid scheme operator who is starting to get found out. And I'm not sure that we can afford to keep shovelling our money into this pipe dream.

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  44. i do want us to lose agaisnt Stoke, so Southampton finish above us. tbh they deserve it

    No matter what else you say, this is decisive for me. I can write you off. That's just pathetic.

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  45. Or 'in a relegation battle'. God forbid we should exaggerate about our situation. As I said above, I feel we've come up short by small margins, but nothing that can't be tweaked. It's odd to think that many of those who are apoplectic with rage at the thought of a 5th place finish would probably be cock-a-hoop if we had ended our season just one place higher. As you say.....perspective.

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  46. Can I say sensible again or were you not going to go there! :)

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  47. I agree entirely about some of the mystifying decisions around transfers and money.


    The only hope is with fans constantly highlighting the issues and the consequences apparent on the field and in the targets we lose out on, that FSG and all will learn from the mistakes.


    Well that's my hope at least ;-/

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  48. If we had fought all the way and finished 5th then I would be okay with it.


    However we haven't. How many times is BR going to play sterling up front when we all know his finishing is awful and his performances over the last few months have been lack lustre to say the least. Its even more frustrating when we have the likes of Lambert, Balo, Borini and even Sinclair in the squad.


    Last season we all said we needed a DM as the defence has zero protection.. no DM was brought even thou Song was available for free....


    How many games are we going to watch were the team give up.

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  49. I had a similar hope but Jamie is currently making sure I've dotted all the t's and crossed all the i's ;-)

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  50. Our 3 CB's were exposed last season yet BR did nothing to solve this problem.

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  51. There's a test you have to pass, a sort of cross between a pub quiz and a DNA profiling that you take when you sign up for Disqus, to establish whether you should be allowed to have an opinion about LFC or not.

    The most important part of the test, of course, is whether or not the new member agrees with the opinions of a panel of experts led by kev and RAY. If yes, then sure, they are scouse, Liverpool, they can come in. If not then -- well, you know what comes next. Trapdoor, firepit, agonised screams. You get the picture.

    So you should sign up mate, aye?

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  52. I'm struggling to figure out why Sterling is even in the starting 11

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  53. Except for bringing four new defenders to the club of course.

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  54. Read what I wrote.. our CB's were exposed.. new defenders doesn't will stop them being exposed.

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  55. We've scored more goals in the last 30 minutes of matches, more than any of the teams below us. And we're 7th in terms of goals scored in the last ten. That doesn't suggest a team that gives up.

    Particularly since they are a *young* team. I think what we are seeing is to do with a slight lack of endurance. Keeping going for 90 minutes, pacing yourself, being clever and staying fresh, this is something which for most players comes with experience.

    I've noticed us run out of steam and have bad patches in matches, too, but this is not down to psychology. They just haven't got the juice. They'll be better next season, no question.

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  56. I get what you are saying and I agree with you but at what point do you say this is not working and we need to change it.


    This summer both Klopp and Rafa are available, do you change now or wait another season where there might be no top manager available.

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  57. Plenty of these people who are being all "outraged" now, were saying we'd be in a relegation scrap *this* season. Sigh!

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  58. I didn't grasp what you meant by "exposed", sorry, I thought you meant exposed as bad, rather than tactically exposed.

    I think Can was purchased to be a DM, so I don't think they did nothing, I think that for whatever reason what they did just didn't work out.

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  59. Sorry mate but too many times this season I have seen Liverpool players lose the ball and just stand there instead of trying to win the ball back.


    You watch a team like Leicester, they were fighting for PL survival and you can tell as they battle for every ball and do not give up.


    As such they have survived. Now look at Newcastle.. the compete opposite.


    At times we have resembled more like Newcastle then Leicester and that is unacceptable for me.


    I am never happy when we lose but I can take if I can see our team has battled right up to the final minute, there has been far too many times this season we haven't

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  60. voice of reason8:59 am, May 17, 2015

    demand and supply everyone knows LFC has defence issues so given there need for the player this drives up there price.... also BR OUT!!

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  61. I don't know about that. I wonder what you were watching when we went half the best part of half the season unbeaten?

    But I *do* agree that we could have been more assertive in the last part of the season. I'm not going to make excuses for them, the players have not been good enough in all kinds of ways this season. I can cut them some slack, though, since it's the end of a long hard season and they have very little to play for.

    It's a difficult moment. Many fans are disgruntled and have collectively lost that spirit which alone used to make LFC a special club, in my opinion. Many of them have started to resemble the grumpy middle-aged bores at clubs like Spurs and Villa. Too many times we've been able to hear the opposition singing "where's your famous atmosphere" at Anfield, it's dismal. Several important players are renegotiating contracts and some look set to leave the club. Key players have been injured or lost form. It's been a very tough ride for them.

    For me this is not a moment to form opinions but to stick by your guns, to stay by the conclusions formed during more competitive periods. I see plenty of positive signs throughout the squad that promise good things to come, though I'll admit that I'm starting to be concerned that the club are about to throw all our progress away by making a reactive decision. We'll see.

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  62. Hey Ghost, I'm sure we all kind of agree one way or another, for me it's just a matter of timing and by the sound of your comment you are the same.
    I've said a few times on other threads, I don't hugely disagree with many of the negatives about Brendan but I would give him next season myself - I think he's earned that much. If it gets to Christmas and we've had another poor start then I will have reached my 'Brendan limit'
    I can totally see your point and understand the worry that we should grab one of the other options while they're available but I just can't let that override my previous view.
    At the end of the day whatever happens will get my backing. I'll never be a 'told you so type' and I'd hate that to be thrown back at me if we kept BR and subsequently missed out on better options, but you've got to go with your gut instinct I guess.

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  63. The only thing I want to hear us buying is a giant broom.

    Maybe then we can sweep all this mediocrity out of our once elite club and start populating the key positions, on and off the pitch, with men up to the calibre our great history dictates.

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  64. Spot on about Sakho, he's been a massive miss for us, no matter the formation. And though I try not to say it'll "never" happen with players -- Dejan Lovren, well, gosh. There are no words.

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  65. Nigh on £40 million worth of "not good enough for LFC" players imho.

    We're just as bad at buying defenders as we are at buying strikers.

    And that's SHOCKING.

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  66. I'm not bothered about the money, and there's too much talk about money and not enough about football these days, for my liking, but Lovren...

    ...some centre-backs, when their game gets messed up, they can go out to full back or even into midfield to recover -- or just simplify their game, we've seen Skrtel do that before. But Lovren doesn't have anywhere to go. And he's been absolutely humiliated.

    He's been that bad -- screwing simple clearances behind, standing constantly 5 yards out of position, not responding to simple movements by forwards -- I'd be surprised if we could find a buyer for him in a decent league. I'm not one to exaggerate these things -- but seriously, I've seen better defenders at League 2 level this season.

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  67. Spot on as usual mate

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  68. I haven't watched this guy play but if he is awesome why not. Irrespective unless Brendan Rodgers (if he is at liverpool next season) chins up and hires a defensive coach with an idea of how to defend in innovative ways to defend different kinds of attacking lineups. Or himself brings about a consistent defensive stability with a very strong mental strength instilled into the players, no matter who liverpool buy, they will end up like lovren

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  69. We didn't shell out 22mn for Depay as our priority was striker. Not sure if will shell out 22mn on defender for the same reason. Even if we do, one would think that Depay would have been a better investment at that price.

    PS: Not sure why Lallana was substituted yesterday. His movement and pressing was good.

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  70. Well said, especially on the issue of buying defenders every season to solve our defensive frailities. I never supported us going for (lovren) esp for that kind of amount. Always knew that any attacker with pace & power can give him hell. I would really prefer us to recall tiago ilori, who has done well on loan for 2 diff clubs and also has pace which is a plus for a CD. Besides whats the reason of buying a player 7m a not even giving him a chance to make a claim in the team. He could be the next Varane. The most important thing like u said have your pairings in denfensive partners and work on them with a good DM presumably Can.

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  71. Also get a defensive coach

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  72. That's my sense, too. A new manager would probably be constrained by the same transfer policy of "miss out on top targets". I would like Rodgers to re-acknowledge the salience of a real defensive midfielder, learn how to use one of BSBSL as a proper 9, as he did with Danny Graham, or use a simple two-striker formation that doesn't require - in BR's words - two nine-and-a-halfs a la SAS. Tactical stuff in other words. He needs to play to the strengths of the players he has at his disposal way more often than he does. I feel that Gerrard leaving will lift some shackles and allow him to build a midfield the way he wants, without this awe-inspiring presence towering over his selection meetings.

    And maybe that's why I'm not against the idea of a new manager. Can't help wondering if a different dude could have done better with this squad, and my unscientific answer is yes.

    Then again, I like his style of football in the main, which is why I've fought in his corner since Day 1. But still, there are things that irk me, and this season our results aren't sweet enough a distraction. When Shelvey got sent off against them, for a foul that should've seen their player also get tossed, BR elected to drop Shelvey from his plans instead of supporting the player, ostensibly because of Jonjo's rant against the whiskey nose. Which was a valid rant, I thought.

    The Reina debacle left such a sour taste, as did Agger and Sahin.

    So I like the guy and also dislike him. The entire power structure at LFC needs to modify its behaviour if we're to return to consistently performing like an elite club.

    I guess the deciding factor will be Colin Pascoe, whom I admire greatly for some reason, so I will conclude that BR must stay, Rafa Benitez is appointed technical director, Ian Ayre goes back to being commercial director and the club gets a CEO that isn't tainted by Salah/Willian/Mkhitaryan/Dempsey/Konoplyanka/Costa/Eriksen/Depay/Striker/YougetThepicture.

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  73. voice of reason9:40 am, May 17, 2015

    rodgers plays to much favouritism afraid Illori's getting the Suso treatment

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  74. Pieter Engelbrecht9:40 am, May 17, 2015

    bring illori back

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  75. Man that was an article in itself ,yeah BR screwed up big time a young inexperienced manager/players playing in Europe ,weak strike force, injury to key players.I wholly agree with the list of players but doubt if we would be able to attract them.

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  76. “There is no chance of us bringing in a defensive coach,” Rodgers said. “We have conceded a large number of soft goals, there’s no argument about that, but I think it is just a lack of coaching time that is hurting us. We need to reinforce basic principles at defensive set pieces, but we know that already. We have to get better and we will be working on it.

    “When I first came in I was asked whether I would bring someone in to help the strikers score goals. I didn’t, and we got goals anyway. I think what we have this year is more games to carry, which takes a slight intensity out of us. We are in the big competitions now and there is an added expectancy on us, which there should be. We are Liverpool. When you concede the goals that we have been conceding there will always be questions asked of you. We need to answer those questions and I believe we can. In terms of bringing someone else in, we don’t need it.”

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  77. The mad thing is I think we have a very good squad and are only a couple of players of really making a strong challenge not just for one season but over many seasons.


    I just no longer have any faith that BR is the man who can do it.


    I hope I am wrong, I hope he proves many people wrong and buys well in the summer and gets off to a good start but I have this horrible sinking feeling that in the next few months we are are going to be "My god what's he doing signing him"

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  78. That's true, but both did better in Europe, and we can still mathematically finish below Dortmund in the respective standing, plus their transfer budgets were so much smaller. Then there's the issue of track records. Well, Ancelotti's budget wasn't smaller, but they're a special case.

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  79. He moans about lack of coaching time? Every manager who is in charge of a top European club has to deal with the lack of coaching time. BR is so naive and inexpereinced that it is almost frightening.

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  80. Even Coates has been superb for relegation threatened Sunderland. As soon as he will play for Liverpool again ...he will be garbage.

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  81. Exactly what i thougt. But he was the one that bought him while constantly loaning him out without trying him out in the first team. I mean he was brilliant in hes stint with granada. I watched him against barca he worked hard in containing messi in a match dey eventually won. Call him back! & focus our attention (transfers) on striking options.

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  82. Bring Suarez back problem solved

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  83. For me the Lovren case is similar to Balotelli's. Culture shocks for both, with Lovren moving from being covered by two bullish and smart defensive midfielders to being ignored by Gerrard. He struggled to adapt his game, and once he started swimming upstream, he began to over think the basics. Such is the nature of self-doubt. He also then tries too hard, evidenced by some shocking passing. To me he's still got skill. Just a matter of sorting out the team's approach to defending as a whole.

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  84. Pieter Engelbrecht9:52 am, May 17, 2015

    amen to that.How can Lovren change from hero to villan in one season?

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  85. That's a scary quote.

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  86. Pieter Engelbrecht9:54 am, May 17, 2015

    at last somebody who talks some sense

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  87. Hi again Ghost and sorry if it's poor etiquette, don't mean to rob Robo of right of reply - just wanted to say as mentioned, we're really all not a million miles apart - beginnings of a great squad - we all seem to agree, needs finishing over the summer - we all agree, needs a manager to get the best out of it - we all agree.
    Just that your gut feeling has you hoping you're wrong about Brendan and mine has me hoping I'm right, overall though we're all only making up two sides of the same coin and for me no one really cares who turns out to be right or wrong - just that LFC come out ahead ;-)

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  88. Hey that about sums the whole thing up.

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  89. Hahaha. PROBLEMO SALVEE!

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  90. Where was Borini yesterday?? Didn't see him

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  91. But do we need a really big change? Or do we just need to make a few small ones?
    As other people have pointed out, we're almost there squad wise. We're what 6 points off fourth? If Sturridge had been fit for even half the season, I'm confident that would've been worth an extra 6 points or more.
    It could be argued that proper cover wasn't signed and that is undoubtedly true but that suggests to me that if we can add the right players to our current set up then we can mount a challenge, as we did last season

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  92. He was there. Saw him at the end

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  93. He was there after the match, along with everybody, but I didn't see Balotelli.

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  94. I couldn't believe how quiet Anfield was yesterday but I suppose that's what happens when tickets are sold for thousands - you end up with a load of oyster swilling, prawn sandwich munchers.
    BRING FOOTBALL BACK TO THE PEOPLE

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  95. Simple we are 9th richest richest club in the world any other top club BR would be gone by now.....If FSG really care and want to succed about LFC they should start by hiring a Top Manager

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  96. Spot on mate but very aggressively delivered. I think we need the aggressiveness, if only det can hear or read our comments

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  97. You are just being shellfish

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  98. How do I pick the bones out of that one! Easiest way is to say I pretty much agree with all of it and I genuinely do. So - that's that then - period, the end, game over, slam dunked, no need for further convo, hole in one, back of the net.
    In all honesty I really do agree. Funny enough my first post on here was to defend Jonjo when he saw red for what I thought was a very minor differing of opinions with Emre last year.
    I'm firmly of the belief that you don't stop walking alone the minute you leave and Jamie IMO at the time was maybe over egging the criticism of Jonjo so I 'guested' a quick quip which was quickly struck from the record.
    Anyway, I've gone off track but you can see I do readily find fault in how things are handled and BR too, does get it wrong A LOT and regards your other points and whilst trying to leave a bit of room on the interweb for others - maybe we both see BR getting the job done but only if he Bucks his bl**dy ideas up and the rest, including 'legs/11 Pascoe' the suits and everyone else involved, LEARN and CHANGE, no deja vu next season please.

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  99. It makes me so angry I begin to clam up and my mussels get all twitchy :)

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  100. Haven't we said that before? ;-)

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  101. So many tributes from all over the world. Big clubs, big players, rival players....all love Stevie G. Why is he so ridiculously legendary?

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  102. No more 20m defenders please just get Illori back and give him a chance

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  103. I think people were reselling the tickets for thousands. Sometimes people want money more than football.

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  104. Haha top post! Sorry for being long-winded about mine - I let my thumb think out 'loud'. Totally agreed re Jonjo. Glad you pretty much agree. Amen to no deja vu, and high five for "legs/11 Pascoe".

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  105. Doesn't indicate anything. Managers are transient flotsams of a football clubs. Deals need to be done early this summer *regardless* of who will be the manager. If a new manager comes in, he will work with what he's got.

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  106. Phew. Relieved to hear that. I feared there was drama.

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  107. Balo has been very good since he joined Liverpool.

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  108. No one seems to care that Lampard is leaving the EPL too...well that settles the long infamous debate!

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  109. This also makes me crabby.

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  110. Sorry jock, but in this instance I do believe you're talking utter abalone.

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  111. Don't apologise to me for goodness sake, as I'm probably demonstrating now I'm the worlds worst at waffling, Ideally we'll all be high fiving end of next season ;-)

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  112. To be fair the atmosphere has been poor for a while now.

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  113. Fsg have long admired the Arsenal model where they rebuild the stadium stayed in the Champions League still pulling in the money from that competition fortunately for Arsenal they have a manager that can do this we do not. I don't think Rogers wants to be in any European competitions next season to make life easier for himself !

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  114. I may have missed some news but thought Toure was off.

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  115. Kopite S,
    I've read your post back a few times and I'd like to apologise for overreacting in my response, I don't agree with large parts of your view and feel it may have differed had we not had this bad run in and that is where I'm trying to balance my own perspective from.
    I did get the impression a lot of folks were more irate than perhaps they logically should be but I'd just finished reading back through yesterdays main thread and that may have clouded my judgement.
    What I should of done is make my comment a standalone post and not a reply to yourself, sorry again.

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  116. That is absolute nonesense. How long have you watched football for never mind supported Liverpool? We will not get relegated. But we may be in for another season such as this, FSG have a big decision to make but they need to me much smarter than they have been in tyhe past and muh smarter than many fans who want to wield the Axe.

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  117. I agree with everything after the Sterling thing. He has been poor at finshing but is no worse than Borini in that department but has far more speed and skill. He is a better player than the others too which is obviously a failure in transfers.

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  118. I enjoyed the rob robo the right to reply.

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  119. Hence after buying striker, next priority is DM.

    And then if we have money to spend next priority order is GK followed by quick pacey CB.

    ie need whole new spine to team.

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  120. Truly destroyed LFC? Did you only start watching us last season?

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  121. Neither did we. Your about ten million up on what we spent and there is another ten million player we don't even have here yet.
    But if the point is that we spent less than all but one team above us then I agree. If the point is that we lost our top target to that one team who spent less who spent around ten to twenty million less than us but who's most expensive signing is ten million more expensive than ours, then I agree. If it is that none of those teams above us have been without their top scorers of last season, then I agree. If it is that they are not without thier second top scorer for nearly all the season then I agree.

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  122. I've haddock up to here with these fishy puns. It's neither the time nor plaice

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  123. The diffenence is we are sayong we didn't buy well when Soto learly did. We are saying we lost our two best players, two top scorers to different things and replaced them badly. Soto got Pelle who had more goals than out top scorer before christmas and Mane who has been a revelation. We got Mario and Ricky. So yeah I agree that there does need to be some chnge up and the committee needs shaking. But that doesn't necesarly mean the manager going. But that is not to say I say keep the manager. If we can definitely upgrade (and there are few mnagers out there that I would consider DEFINITE upgrades) then fine. But how many are available? Ho many are willing to take on a non CL club? How many want to take on a club who's fans have Newcastle syndrome and perhaps think they deserve more than they should? How many of these managers want to take on a club who's owners want to only offer relatively small wages? Who have a practice of buying young players?

    My problem with all the whiners and grumps is they think that one change will sort everything. It's naive and, to use your own isult, shoolboy.

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  124. Mate your so spot on I could not agree anymore the players don't care anymore it's a disgrace. Stevie don't deserve this

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  125. Well Jock, that's just the kind of anti-marine comment I would've expected from Nevergonnacrackthecod !!

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  126. I agree in part woth his. Rodgers gave up on CL too early. He said it probably couldn't be done whan it was still possible and we, as a team didn't look like they were willing to go out and spill blood to try and make it happen. That is a failure of his and in all cup situations I have felt it is the same.

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  127. He'd take us down a blind "alley but" nothing new there

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  128. I'm not sure that is the reason Jonjo was left out. He had every right to kick off at Fergie and I loved it. I hope that had nothing to do with Jonjo. I always thought it was because he is a stupid player. He doesn't do most of the things he should be doing enough. Lots of nbasic stuff. One story I heard on the Anfield Wrap was they were near the manager in one game and Rodgers spent the first 45 minutes telling Shelvey where he should be. You cannot micromanage players.

    The Reina thing to me was the first sign that Rodgers didn't have full control no matter what he said about having last say etc. He said publicly that Mignolet was coming in as competition to Reina, he said he went out for dinner with Reina to tell him the same thing, something Reina said also. Then Reina was getting moved on. This doesn't look like the manager has the power there.

    The other two sitiations I can sort pof agree with but I suppose when you add them all up it doesn't paint the manager in good light.

    I know why you admre Pascoe. His legs.

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  129. Well, I've never been religious, almost an Atheist one could say, but last season I had an unexplainable religious experience, a visiting from the man himself.
    I really saw the light - it was a bright enamelled glare and it spoke to me; now was the time, judgement day was upon us and 'he' would reveal himself among us, we would know it was him because he would be wearing the 'seven' day creational shirt and he'd reap terror, 'destruction' and blood letting upon all non LFC believers...
    Luckily I'd been a believer for about twenty-eight years, give or take - the destruction was a sight to behold though ;-)

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  130. Agreed. Felt the change should have been Sterling. Frustrates me to see Lambert coming on and Lallana coming off. If any of our players know how to get the best out of Lambert it is Lallana.

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  131. One of the numerous exapmles of a Committee signing. Ilori was signed and Rogders said he would be good at some point in the future but we neeeded first team players. Then Ilori never got a sniff.

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  132. Coatez has been superb? The only times I have seen him he was poor. Only the twice like but still.

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  133. I think you spelled Sakho's name wrong.

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  134. You guys are kracken me up.

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  135. Lampard tributes happened last year...this is the reason why I hope Gerrard does not come back to play for the club.

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  136. Ha ha, it's difficult for you to see perhaps? If crystal palace hadn't sacked Neil warnorck do you think they will not be a relegation team by now? I'm all for backing a manager but not at this stage, br first season we finished 8th I didn't utter any single criticism so it's not just I'm being too harsh nor impatient type. Br is simply not up to the task be wise my good friend

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  137. Rob Robo
    Hero of Stanley P̶a̶r̶k̶ Glen.
    Starring * Handsome McScotsman *

    "They took my right to reply: I will be avenged!"



    COMING SOON

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  138. I've worked with people who never recovered from this kind of setback. It can haunt you for years. Playing football's easier than most kinds of work, but there's something about the way Lovren was against Palace, it seemed like he was just totally gone.

    I liked the way Palace went after him, though -- that was good, hard Premier League football, professional football the way it should be played. If the opposition have a weakness, you go after it, and you keep going after it, until it breaks. Villa did us like that in the semi final. The midtable clubs in England need to do this, it forces the top clubs to keep improving: those games against Stoke early in BR's tenure, before our defenders had learned to play the ball out properly through the press -- that was an invaluable lesson for them.

    This is another kind of lesson, though, isn't it: and the main point of it is, "don't play Dejan Lovren for Liverpool ever again".

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  139. We are not Crystal Palace. They got Pulis in charge to save the season the only way he knows how. Then Pardew who, no one really rates took over and has them playing better football. We have imporved in the table since BR took over. So whats your point?

    To me it is clear. There is no point changing unless it is a difinite upgrade. Pulis was a definite upgrade. Pardew is not an upgrade to Pulis but plays better football. But both are upgrades on Warnock. So sorry mate your not being wise you are avoiding the obvious. You talk of change but have not actually thought about the myriad of comlications that come with it. Your ideas are imature. If it looked like the club were courting big name managers then sure as hell I would be game but they are not.

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  140. Yeah it seemed a poor decision on the surface. I presume it was about fitness -- Lallana was always being subbed early for Saints as well. Perhaps the hope that Sterling, given enough minutes, might recapture his form, that he has to be out there, solving his problems, also figures.

    But a little part of me wonders if there is some politics involved here. Rodgers is, apparently, giving Sterling every opportunity to prove his value. Every opportunity. No-one could accuse him of holding Sterling back, of dropping him for disloyalty, of being a martinet. He's not giving Sterling *any* ammunition to use against him. Leaving him out there means no close-up of his disappointed face as he makes his way off the pitch; no headlines for Raheem; no chance to build up a conflict between them. Just the lad being sent out there, and left out there, with his terrible form, his fragile ego, and the crowd and his teammates slowly losing their patience, there for everyone to see.

    It's pretty ruthless stuff, when you think about it...

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  141. That's a needlessly hostile interpretation. Rodgers had a stack of new defenders to bed in, coming together in a world cup summer. You can't just have them all play together like *that*. It takes time. They took some time, and then we went a million games in the league without conceding a goal.



    It's funny, I read this sort of thing and I think -- thank god, someone who actually talks about the reality of coaching and developing players, whose emphasis is always there -- rather than just saying the easy things, the things the most volatile fans like to hear. Takes all sorts.

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  142. We both need a defensive and attacking coaches. You are right in that his naivety has led him to both ignore extra coaches whilst bemaoning caoching time. Nivety or arrrogance or both.

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  143. Yeah he's terrible. Standing still, always facing the opposition goal, marking tight and heading the ball out is not good enough for a Liverpool defender. Any fit lad of 6'2" can do that. It's the other stuff Coates struggles at, the stuff which a side who is going to be dominating possession and trying to carry the game to the opposition needs its defenders to be able to do. Like run, tackle back, cover wide, step into midfield, etc etc etc.

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  144. Sorry but Reina was a shadow of his former self and when Barca turned his head i thought might be the end.
    It seemed his form dropped dramatically he was on a large wage and as a result and i was happy for him to leave

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  145. Hang on.

    Wait. Hold up everyone.

    Did you just call Brendan Rodgers... a shaman?

    That's incredible. I can't believe that you would mean that in a negative sense. How is that not the most incredible endorsement of anyone.

    Brendan Rodgers. Coach.... Tactician....

    Shaman.

    Holy cow! Yes!

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  146. Nicolas Chamberlain2:11 pm, May 17, 2015

    ''... a clear indication he hasnt learnt from the likes of Lallana , who have been supreme failures aand should have cost £3M.''



    You were saying things that actually made sense, until that line; utter nonsense. Lallana is our best signing with Can and maybe Moreno. The rest are simply not good enough.

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  147. I've figured out that Case is a very nice gentleman before asking that question though...and he turned out to be exactly one. :)

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  148. Actually in terms of the playing squad, we just need 2 good and healthy strikers. DS is certainly more than just good but he is unfortunately too prone to injury. We were that close last season when we had LS and a relatively healthy DS.
    I'm not saying we need an complete overhaul of the playing squad, it is meant for the people scouting and controlling the finances of all the transfer activities at the club.
    What can we fans do when we constantly see a lone player up front in Raheem Sterling plus a couple of players being played out of position at the right back/right wingback/right winger? All I can remember is we had 120 mil pounds to spend before the start of this season. I just cannot help it feeling outrightly angry about the situation.

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  149. Did u see fsg were they there ?

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  150. Richard Lionhart2:43 pm, May 17, 2015

    Milner has always sucked. He has one or two good games a year at best.

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  151. Wait you got past "totally destroyed LFC" and was like ?yeah that's all fine"?

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  152. The thing is D Lovren is a very good centre back, but problem is he has no protection in front of him ( Gerrard , Henderson or Allen just don't break up play good enough at all)

    And we have a left back who thinks he is Neymar, If Moreno actually learns how to defend first and foremost then Lovren would not be exposed so easily.

    Even J Terry and Kompany would get exposed one vs one against Bolaise, Zaha or any mobile, quick , pacey winger with skills.

    But J Terry and Kompany have Left backs next to them who can defend and the insurance policy breaking up play in front of them ( Matic and Fernandinho)

    When the owners get the balls to sack their YES man Rodgers and actually change their philosophy for three seasons at least:

    Its all great bringing in Youth if we were competing for League year in Year out like Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City and Man United have been for last 10 years consistently and had numerous World class players within our squad at our disposal but we do not at all.

    We have one world class player at club who is leaving in Summer, we finished 2nd last season. And second in 2008

    Prior to that we have been finishing 4-7 over the last decade we have fell between one of those positons more than not.

    The Owners need to change things for three years: As we are £250M away from Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City and Man United in Squad class and quality that is the reality

    But Owners need to sack Excuses.com and YES Man Rodgers, along with I Never seal a world class signing player that all the top clubs in Europe are after as haggle over wages for months on end and am not good at sealing deal unless your average or dead wood or young player with potential.
    Next manager hopefully Klopp needs to be back with net spend of £70-£80M this summer and whatever he can get shipping out the 12-13 dead wood average players I am always mentioning.
    As J Redknapp Yesterday said after game we need big rebuild, its like two paces, 6 paces back with us.

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  153. I agree Raina wasn't the player I fell in love with years ago but rather than it being a comment on Reina himslf my point was about the strange goings on re the committee. This to me was another exmple of their being a disconnect between Rodgers and the other members.

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  154. just like the players do

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  155. i was going to ask the same question about the team

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  156. Fans are mercenaries!

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  157. toure was off he stank in his last game

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  158. its par of the coarse under the rodgers tenure that if an attacking player score he is either taken off or dropped

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  159. As everyone knows here I was certainly his biggest advocate and was fighting his corner from day one- what I saw yesterday was total collapse, implosion and failure rarely witnessed. Lovren crumbled to pieces and I have a feeling as u put t above- a psychological trauma from which he may never recover. I cannot believe that someone on top level is able to blow it so prominently- sadly I have give up on him, maybe its better he moves onto russian league, else if he stays another year under Rodgers he will be fighting for 5th choice centreback- oh how I hate the taste of humble pie

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  160. 9th in terms of accounts - you account for both finance & history, fan base - we are actually among top 6. LFC, 2 Spanish clubs, Bayern, MU & may be Juve - I don't know which order to put.......


    For any of the other 5, BR won't had been even approached first time.

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  161. 8th on the last list ?

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  162. BR should have played Lucus and Heno in front of the back 3 yesterday .

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  163. I don't mind losing if we do it respectably. We are playing like a conference side most times.

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  164. I'm your man for the role of the handsome Scotsman

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  165. #Brendanout.
    I don't know what more can be said.
    What I worry about is. Will fsg get a wc manager in or go Eddie howe.

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  166. The thing is, we've been missing out on our top targets for years now, long before Rodgers and FSG. Rafa complained about getting 2nd and 3rd choice players and Rodgers is getting the same. He's not in charge of transfer or wage structure, he's the first team coach. With all that in mind I think Rodgers has done a fairly decent job. If the club decided to replace him with Klopp for example, I would understand why but I think it might be a bit short sighted

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  167. There's no killer instinct in our squad. Team of nice boys. We need a bit of grit and drive in our team.

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  168. Haha that one was the best

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  169. Nicolas Chamberlain4:55 pm, May 17, 2015

    Yep, I forget to mention that too!

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  170. well said...you are definitely spot on with your assessment....Brendan Rodgers is a total flop....just disgusting ...watching/remembering our games against opposition we normally annihilate....shows how poor we've dropped over the years!!!! we need a coach that has won something and is always in Europe!!! LIVERPOOL IS AN EUROPEAN TEAM FOR CHRIST-SAKES!!! Brendan Rodgers has decimated our team...and moreover have you noticed that all the players that made an impact last Season were not bought by Rodgers!!!

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  171. voice of reason6:08 pm, May 17, 2015

    just like how balo was a committee signing u can tell when its a committee signing BR just does not rate them i think Sakho and Emre Can were also committee signings btw

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  172. He's not on your case is he?

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  173. I agree, Stipe, yesterday was really bad. I feel for Dejan because I thought that if he could pull through and make a success of the move, it would be a great story. But that's going to take some coming back from. His teammates won't trust him again.

    Don't worry about that pie, we all have to take a bite sometimes. The nice thing about football is that there'll always be another player, another season, another...pie... or whatever... along soon :)

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  174. Agreed. Staying another year is not the problem, his team mates trust is a deeper issue, and it can be felt, especially in the last few games. How can he prosper in a system where everyone expects his mistakes which are just around the corner? Maybe if he gets professional help he could turn it around but I think he's far too gone... A shame...
    On a side note fingers crossed for Kovacic, who had a fantastic game vs. Juventus, another from a contingent of croatian players, who hopefully will leave better impression.

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  175. Higher grade stuff, Stu

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  176. Agreed on all counts. Palace hunted him like hyenas. I do hope he'll recover, though. There were flashes of a promising partnership between Lovren and Sakho, but then they clashed heads. Never mind.

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  177. Is Kovacic coming here? That would be nice.

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  178. That was the last rumor in croatian newspaper- about 30 mil.euros; barca want him but can't get through because of the transfer ban, let's hope Reds show some life in this regard.

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  179. I loved it, too. Our player showing some fire. Brilliant. Fair enough if he wasn't tactically up for it, though, and I'm glad he's found a place in a good Swansea team.

    Definitely not a good light, but also shows that he doesn't have full control, as you say. We have a coach, but we need a manager.

    I'm off to do a billion squats as the first, painful step to fulfilling that Pascoe ambition.

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  180. Who doesn't love waffles? If I ever save up enough to visit Liverpool then the first thing on the menu will be a round of high fives and waffles on me. Here's to success, next season!

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  181. Would be an awesome start to the transfer window!

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  182. The silver lining we would all hold on to

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  183. So do I and they are two of our best signings of the last two summers.

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  184. voice of reason10:43 pm, May 17, 2015

    BR's signings most likely are allen, borini, lallana, lovren, markovic (i think), moreno (i think), mignolet (i have no issue with mignolet) the committee buys (assaidi, aspas, alberto et al) haven't been terrible its just when BR does not rate you your time at the club is basically up i am still baffled at times how Lovren could ever be seen by BR as an upgrade to Sakho, from day one i knew Sakho would be a beast of a CB now he's a nailed on starter... poor man management almost saw us lose Sakho (Everton debacle could have escalated)

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  185. I think that that was just Rodgers lying as he did with Andy Carroll. Trying to play the good guy then swiftly turning into a sly little bastard. If you're trying to say that he prioritised a top choice goalie for £10M just as competition and had no idea that the original goalie would be sold I call bullshit. He wanted to sell him from the off but didn't have the guts to tell him straight. Same as Andy Carroll. Just subtly tried to force his hand.

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  186. Well then I demand that FSG supply a manager that can coach basic defensive skills.

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  187. He wants more coaching time to prepare for less coaching time. The Circle of Horseshit.

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  188. I dunno maaaaan:

    http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2253895-dejan-lovren-reliving-lyon-nightmare-at-liverpool

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  189. voice of reason11:49 pm, May 17, 2015

    who knows what will happen as sad as it was with King Kenny u kind of saw it happening after the handshake snub after the FA Cup match with BR idk

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  190. What a load of shit.

    I'm a keen gardener though, so I hold manure in high regard.

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  191. I think he's a very good player from what I've seen, but I think there are other priorities.

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