Liverpool are currently linked with a move for West Ham sensation Manuel Lanzini, and with the January transfer just around the corner, the Argentine attacker has confirmed the Reds' interest in a deal.
Last week, the Daily Express claimed:
"Jurgen Klopp [has] asked for regular updates on how his [Lanzini's] situation and long-term future is developing".
When asked on Sunday about LFC's interest, Lanzini told ESPN:
"It's an absolute honour that a team like Liverpool has put an eye on me, but at moment I am focused on [West Ham]. The club wants me to stay. I am fine here".
Liverpool may covet Lanzini, but according to Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan:
"We have an unbreakable option, so any other team's interest is irrelevant. Manuel has been a fantastic signing for the club".
An 'unbreakable option'? Like most contractual details in football, such a clause is barely worth the paper on which it's printed.
Unfortunately, players hold all the power these days (just ask Rafa Benitez), and if Lanzini wants to leave, he'll leave.
Some info about Lanzini:
* Nicknamed 'The Jewel'.
* West Ham Stats: 6 goals/assists in 11 apps (1 every 145 mins).
* Contract with Al-Jazira contains a €10m buyout clause.
* Jul 2015: West Ham boss Slaven Bilic compared Lanzini to one of the Premier League's top attackers: "You have playmakers between the lines like Silva [and] he [Lanzini] is like him. He can play in all positions behind the strikers".
* Oct 2015: Bilic raved: "He is a phenomenal player, who is very comfortable on the ball, no matter where he is and gives everything in every training session".
So let's get this straight:
* Lanzini - a player with practically zero top-level experience, arrives from the Arabian Gulf League (!), and immediately hits the ground running with 6 goals/assists in 11 games.
* Conversely, Adam Lallana - a £26m Premier League-experienced international - has scored only one league goal since late-December 2014, and contributed only two assists in the last 33 hours of league football.
How is this possible? I just don't get it. Some fans think I'm too harsh on Lallana, but it's time for people to WAKE UP and stop enabling his under-performance.
All I've ever expected of Lallana - or indeed any experienced attacking player - is the contribution of goals/assists on a reasonably consistent basis. This is not an unreasonable expectation!
Despite his creative decrepitude, Lallana is - according to his enabling apologists - a vital player for Liverpool, and an immovable cornerstone of Jurgen Klopp's 'gegenpressing' system (Yes, because Klopp's entire plan would fail without Lallana's genius).
Oh, I forgot - Lallana is a hard-worker, who's good at as running, and pressing, both of which are far more important for an attacking player than actually *scoring* or *creating* goals on a regular basis.
Give me a break. I'd take Lanzini - someone who actually *does his job* - over Lallana's huff-and-puff mediocrity any day of the week.
Author: Jaimie K
Last week, the Daily Express claimed:
"Jurgen Klopp [has] asked for regular updates on how his [Lanzini's] situation and long-term future is developing".
When asked on Sunday about LFC's interest, Lanzini told ESPN:
"It's an absolute honour that a team like Liverpool has put an eye on me, but at moment I am focused on [West Ham]. The club wants me to stay. I am fine here".
Liverpool may covet Lanzini, but according to Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan:
"We have an unbreakable option, so any other team's interest is irrelevant. Manuel has been a fantastic signing for the club".
An 'unbreakable option'? Like most contractual details in football, such a clause is barely worth the paper on which it's printed.
Unfortunately, players hold all the power these days (just ask Rafa Benitez), and if Lanzini wants to leave, he'll leave.
Some info about Lanzini:
* Nicknamed 'The Jewel'.
* West Ham Stats: 6 goals/assists in 11 apps (1 every 145 mins).
* Contract with Al-Jazira contains a €10m buyout clause.
* Jul 2015: West Ham boss Slaven Bilic compared Lanzini to one of the Premier League's top attackers: "You have playmakers between the lines like Silva [and] he [Lanzini] is like him. He can play in all positions behind the strikers".
* Oct 2015: Bilic raved: "He is a phenomenal player, who is very comfortable on the ball, no matter where he is and gives everything in every training session".
So let's get this straight:
* Lanzini - a player with practically zero top-level experience, arrives from the Arabian Gulf League (!), and immediately hits the ground running with 6 goals/assists in 11 games.
* Conversely, Adam Lallana - a £26m Premier League-experienced international - has scored only one league goal since late-December 2014, and contributed only two assists in the last 33 hours of league football.
How is this possible? I just don't get it. Some fans think I'm too harsh on Lallana, but it's time for people to WAKE UP and stop enabling his under-performance.
All I've ever expected of Lallana - or indeed any experienced attacking player - is the contribution of goals/assists on a reasonably consistent basis. This is not an unreasonable expectation!
Despite his creative decrepitude, Lallana is - according to his enabling apologists - a vital player for Liverpool, and an immovable cornerstone of Jurgen Klopp's 'gegenpressing' system (Yes, because Klopp's entire plan would fail without Lallana's genius).
Oh, I forgot - Lallana is a hard-worker, who's good at as running, and pressing, both of which are far more important for an attacking player than actually *scoring* or *creating* goals on a regular basis.
Give me a break. I'd take Lanzini - someone who actually *does his job* - over Lallana's huff-and-puff mediocrity any day of the week.
Author: Jaimie K
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