Our Rivals Squad's next year - Liverpool 2015/2016

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RobinLFC said:
Kovacic would be an exciting signing but we should aim for a DM who protects our defence and provides a good connection to the midfield. Of course, someone like Schneiderlin or Witsel would be perfect for that role but that's never going to happen. I would've loved Nainggolan as well although he's more of a box-to-box guy but it seems that's impossible as well. I don't have a clue as to who it's going to be, but we definitely need one.

As for the striker, there are still a lot of good players out there who're attainable. Bacca (despite his age), Benteke (despite the quoted price), Martial (more of a gamble but worth a punt), Lacazette, Jackson Martinez and Higuain (not gonna happen), and probably plenty of others. We do need one though, Sturridge isn't even fit for the start of the season and we can't have Ings as our primary option if we want to be genuine competitors for top four. Firmino can do a job up front as well but I'd rather see him behind the striker alongside Coutinho.
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I too think a DM would be the order of the day. The two players you mention are out of the question but Illara would be a good buy, imo. He is a good holding player with good passing range. He would suit you well.

Striker is the tricky one. Bacca already confirmed that he is going to Milan, Martinez is joining A.Madrid and don't see much chance of Liverpool signing Lacazette, or Higuain. Benteke is the best bet but I wonder if he is the man Rodgers needs for the style of football he wants to play.

All in all a good summer window for 'Pool. Whether it is good enough to usurp any of the top 4, is anybody's guess at this moment.
 
TheGame said:
-------DM-------
Henderson-----Milner
-------Coutinho----
-----Firmino----Sturridge---

Looks really good for Liverpool with that lineup I think once they get a holding player in.
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Not convinced. Lacks width and Henderson/Milner combo is a bit meh. Firmino is a bit of an unknown, hard to say how he'll settle, and Sturridge is seemingly never fit.
 
Another midfielder and striker is still required, but they've had a decent window regardless.

I'm sure they'll resolve the midfield issue, but like us, I see them starting next season with their current striker options, minus Borini and Lambert. There aren't many strikers available that will really improve on what they have whilst being realistically attainable. Missed a trick with Bacca and Martinez is off to Atleti. Lacazette is staying and the likes of Higuain, Cavani and even Benteke probably won't find them appealing if all want to be in Europe's elite competition.

The aforementioned Lambert and Borni shouldn't be difficult to shift, as there will be suitors and their wages are unlikely to be obscene. Balotelli is a different story though and I can't see him leaving unless it's a loan. A quartet of Sturridge, Ings, Balotelli and Origi won't neccesarily be horrific. They just need Sturridge fit and firing needles to say. And I think Balotelli could offer more even if he is vastly overrated, he's got more ability than he's shown. Juries out on Origi, but I wouldn't expect much from Ings.

It will be interesting to see how they fare. In terms of transfers they've made bigger strides than any other top side to date, but enough to crack the top four? I actually think City would be the most likely to miss out from the current top four occupants as it stands as they have such a thin, ageing squad and their pursuits of De Bruyne and Pogba seem futile. They are actually in a more worrying predicament than ourselves IMO.
 
Glanville95 said:
Another midfielder and striker is still required, but they've had a decent window regardless.

I'm sure they'll resolve the midfield issue, but like us, I see them starting next season with their current striker options, minus Borini and Lambert. There aren't many strikers available that will really improve on what they have whilst being realistically attainable. Missed a trick with Bacca and Martinez is off to Atleti. Lacazette is staying and the likes of Higuain, Cavani and even Benteke probably won't find them appealing if all want to be in Europe's elite competition.

The aforementioned Lambert and Borni shouldn't be difficult to shift, as there will be suitors and their wages are unlikely to be obscene. Balotelli is a different story though and I can't see him leaving unless it's a loan. A quartet of Sturridge, Ings, Balotelli and Origi won't neccesarily be horrific. They just need Sturridge fit and firing needles to say. And I think Balotelli could offer more even if he is vastly overrated, he's got more ability than he's shown. Juries out on Origi, but I wouldn't expect much from Ings.

It will be interesting to see how they fare. In terms of transfers they've made bigger strides than any other top side to date, but enough to crack the top four? I actually think City would be the most likely to miss out from the current top four occupants as it stands as they have such a thin, ageing squad and their pursuits of De Bruyne and Pogba seem futile. They are actually in a more worrying predicament than ourselves IMO.
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Good points.

I do still believe we will get another striker, the more reliable journalists suggest our main target is Benteke but we won't pay the £32.5 release clause.
Bacca would have been good.

Sturridge being fit is a big question mark, we can't afford to rely on him.

I don't know about top 4, that has to be the aim though. Obviously you then try and work out who we replace, and I can't see for example Chelsea or City being outside those positions as it stands.
 
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We'll be looking for a deep lying playmaker type midfielder now, if Lucas is set to move on. I don't know much about Illarmendi but if he fits the bill then I imagine we'll inquire for him first with Rafa at Real. Get em cheap! (if we can)
 
Oh I never really thought about having an insider at RM :drool: Think they'll give us Modric on the cheap?
 
Tommy said:
Oh I never really thought about having an insider at RM :drool: Think they'll give us Modric on the cheap?
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Haha the kitman there has as much say about Real Madrid transfers as their manager does :p
 
Cheech Wizard said:
We'll be looking for a deep lying playmaker type midfielder now, if Lucas is set to move on. I don't know much about Illarmendi but if he fits the bill then I imagine we'll inquire for him first with Rafa at Real. Get em cheap! (if we can)
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I don't think illaramendi is the answer to your issues. Madrid preferred playing kroos, Ramos, Lucas silva and the likes at DM over him. From what I've seen of him he is clearly out of depth at a top level. Sure at a club like soceidad or similar clubs he may do a decent job but for a team in the top half of any league illaramendi cannot be the first choice DM.
 
johnny boy said:
Good points.

I do still believe we will get another striker, the more reliable journalists suggest our main target is Benteke but we won't pay the £32.5 release clause.
Bacca would have been good.

Sturridge being fit is a big question mark, we can't afford to rely on him.

I don't know about top 4, that has to be the aim though. Obviously you then try and work out who we replace, and I can't see for example Chelsea or City being outside those positions as it stands.
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I am just of the belief that most teams summer transfer business rarely goes according to plan. If you do sign a striker and a central midfielder then that should be counted as a perfect window in your aspirations for top four, even if you can questions few signings.

Plus, there is a scarcity of forwards available and a few teams who are in need of one in the PL like United, Spurs, Arsenal and of course Liverpool. Personally, I could see Spurs being the only club to sign one and even that won't be a significant name that attracts interest from other clubs (Martial for instance).

It's a controversial opinion I know, just as it stands they would be the most vulnerable of last seasons squad.

Just assess their squad for what it is. They have four centre backs; one is 34, one has seemingly peaked, one was a disaster last season and the other is an admittedly exciting prospect. They have two ageing right backs. Two unconvincing left backs. Three central midfield options, if you exclude youth products and three offensive midfield options where Silva is the standout by a landslide, but 31. They have no issues up front and the best options in the league, but they honestly need a fair bit of surgery and Sterling is probably the only likely acquisition as it stands.
 
Glanville95 said:
It's a controversial opinion I know, just as it stands they would be the most vulnerable of last seasons squad.

Just assess their squad for what it is. They have four centre backs; one is 34, one has seemingly peaked, one was a disaster last season and the other is an admittedly exciting prospect. They have two ageing right backs. Two unconvincing left backs. Three central midfield options, if you exclude youth products and three offensive midfield options where Silva is the standout by a landslide, but 31. They have no issues up front and the best options in the league, but they honestly need a fair bit of surgery and Sterling is probably the only likely acquisition as it stands.
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I think there's just too much quality in Silva, Aguero and Yaya (when he's bothered) to not get top four. A title challenge may look out of grasp, I'd definitely concede that, but they just aren't bad enough to drop into the wilderness.
 
DWelbz19 said:
I think there's just too much quality in Silva, Aguero and Yaya (when he's bothered) to not get top four. A title challenge may look out of grasp, I'd definitely concede that, but they just aren't bad enough to drop into the wilderness.
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I agree, I'm just stating who is the most vulnerable out of the current top four and they are in a more precarious position than ourselves and Arsenal IMO. Still clear daylight between themselves and Liverpool, but if I was a City fan I'd feel concerned all the same.
 
Coates to Sunderland confirmed for an undisclosed fee. Considering his injury record, a £50 club store voucher and a treadmill for the training facilities would probably have been a fair price. Anything 7 digits is just a bonus.
 
Just saw the tweet regarding Clyne. Says more about us than Liverpool that he chose them instead. CL football, superior wages and a guaranteed regular starting spot - and yet we weren't good enough for him. Shockingly worrying.

Again, great transfer for them. They're having a brilliant window.
:(
 
Gandalf Greyhame said:
Just saw the tweet regarding Clyne. Says more about us than Liverpool that he chose them instead. CL football, superior wages and a guaranteed regular starting spot - and yet we weren't good enough for him. Shockingly worrying.

Again, great transfer for them. They're having a brilliant window.
:(
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Really? They've signed a lot of players but they're hardly groundbreaking.
 
DWelbz19 said:
Really? They've signed a lot of players but they're hardly groundbreaking.
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I agree none of them are really 'game-changing' per se. But they're all good solid dependable buys. Milner always puts in his 100%, Firmino might not be even as good as Sturridge, but he definitely is an upgrade over Balotelli/Lambert, and Ings is decent backup. Clyne is the most promising young RB in the league and they had nightmares at that position. People talk about Gerrard and Sterling leaving, but they weren't really driving them forward last season, they will not exactly be missed on the pitch as much as we think.

The point is, their purchases have not been exactly world-class or star signings, but they vastly improve the Liverpool sqaud from what it was last season. And last season, till the last three games, they had a very real chance of pipping us to fourth. So yes, they are having a great transfer window, which can only get better with the Kovacic/Benteke signings that are expected.
 
Gandalf Greyhame said:
Just saw the tweet regarding Clyne. Says more about us than Liverpool that he chose them instead. CL football, superior wages and a guaranteed regular starting spot - and yet we weren't good enough for him. Shockingly worrying.

Again, great transfer for them. They're having a brilliant window.
:(
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I see no reason for concern as a United fan. One player apparently chose us for whatever reason, but almost every other player in that position would've taken the move to Manchester.
 
Tommy said:
I see no reason for concern as a United fan. One player apparently chose us for whatever reason, but almost every other player in that position would've taken the move to Manchester.
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It would be a while before we start worrying about Liverpool seriously. Clyne will regret not joining the better club. :P

What I'm worried about is that we're not back to being that-club-whom-everyone-wants-to-play-for yet. If we had been involved in the title race last season, things would have been different. We need to have a season after which such situations become no-brainers again, and the Clynes just don't think of choosing anyone but us.
 
Gandalf Greyhame said:
Just saw the tweet regarding Clyne. Says more about us than Liverpool that he chose them instead. CL football, superior wages and a guaranteed regular starting spot - and yet we weren't good enough for him. Shockingly worrying.

Again, great transfer for them. They're having a brilliant window.
:(
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Not sure if he would have been a regular starter with us. LVG seems to prefer Valencia and is in no panic mode of finding another competitor for him at RB/WB.
 
Twigginater said:
Having watched a lot of him play for Barcelona under 14s he's not cut out for this level. Deluded Scousers on Facebook saying he's better than Depau.
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I've no idea who he is, to be honest. If it doesn't work out, then whatever, minimal investment. If it does work out, might have ourselves another Ibe level player... Maybe even another Sterling? We'll see.
 
prath92 said:
I don't think illaramendi is the answer to your issues. Madrid preferred playing kroos, Ramos, Lucas silva and the likes at DM over him. From what I've seen of him he is clearly out of depth at a top level. Sure at a club like soceidad or similar clubs he may do a decent job but for a team in the top half of any league illaramendi cannot be the first choice DM.
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He's played in ca. 90 games for RM over the past 2 seasons (started about 15 + another 20 something in cups). There is an illustrious list of players ahead of him at the club so the fact he isn't an RM starter shouldn't be held against him. I'd love him at Liverpool and he'd be perfect behind Milner and Henderson. If we want Top 4 then Can shouldn't be starting in a pseudo DM role (because BR doesn't like playing a DM anyway - don't know what he thinks Lucas is though).
 
Twigginater said:
Having watched a lot of him play for Barcelona under 14s he's not cut out for this level. Deluded Scousers on Facebook saying he's better than Depau.
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So you watched him play for the U14s, under fourteens, and can categorically state he is not cut out for 'this level'. We need to sign Twigginater as our Spanish scout.
 
Rafateria said:
He's played in ca. 90 games for RM over the past 2 seasons (started about 15 + another 20 something in cups). There is an illustrious list of players ahead of him at the club so the fact he isn't an RM starter shouldn't be held against him. I'd love him at Liverpool and he'd be perfect behind Milner and Henderson. If we want Top 4 then Can shouldn't be starting in a pseudo DM role (because BR doesn't like playing a DM anyway - don't know what he thinks Lucas is though).
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He looked out of depth whenever he played. Isco was benched but he played really well whenever he got a chance. He started whenever bale was injured and played so well that people wanted him to continue in the 11. Illaramendi never had the same impact. He was always scrappy getting bullied off the ball and more often exposed the defence than shield it. Which is why Madrid had to start kroos over him even though kroos is a #8.
 
Insanity said:
I too think a DM would be the order of the day. The two players you mention are out of the question but Illara would be a good buy, imo. He is a good holding player with good passing range. He would suit you well.

Striker is the tricky one. Bacca already confirmed that he is going to Milan, Martinez is joining A.Madrid and don't see much chance of Liverpool signing Lacazette, or Higuain. Benteke is the best bet but I wonder if he is the man Rodgers needs for the style of football he wants to play.

All in all a good summer window for 'Pool. Whether it is good enough to usurp any of the top 4, is anybody's guess at this moment.
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Yep agree with pretty much all of that.

We could have got Top 4 last season had Sturridge stayed fit, that was a great opportunity missed due to transfer market ineptitude. This coming season will be much harder as although we have improved so will each of those finishing above us. Arsenal look just a player or two away from challenging, Chelsea remain favourites, City and United will both splash 100M+ each for sure (though I don't think Sterling will do much to improve City) and that should be enough to keep both Manchester clubs clear of our grasp .. especially with the EL on our plate too.
 
Rafateria said:
So you watched him play for the U14s, under fourteens, and can categorically state he is not cut out for 'this level'. We need to sign Twigginater as our Spanish scout.
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I think he might be joking. I think.
 
Didn't Tim Sherwood turn down Sterling before he moved to Liverpool because he didn't think he was up to it?
 
prath92 said:
He looked out of depth whenever he played. Isco was benched but he played really well whenever he got a chance. He started whenever bale was injured and played so well that people wanted him to continue in the 11. Illaramendi never had the same impact. He was always scrappy getting bullied off the ball and more often exposed the defence than shield it. Which is why Madrid had to start kroos over him even though kroos is a #8.
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Yep, agree with that. Looked like a deer in headlights, don't want someone who can't cope at the top level like that.
 
ZDwyr said:


How are Liverpool fans feeling about it?
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Hard to say, he hasn't been involved with a Premier League club before and didn't exactly do well when he was at Forest.
I honestly don't know what his record was for the England U19s either.

Obviously Rodgers rates him so hopefully it's a good move for us.
 
Tommy said:
If it doesn't work out, then whatever, minimal investment. If it does work out, might have ourselves another Ibe level player... Maybe even another Sterling? We'll see.
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What is this Ibe stuff all about? Liverpool fans seem convinced he's some genius talent, but what is this based on?
 
Kentonio said:
What is this Ibe stuff all about? Liverpool fans seem convinced he's some genius talent, but what is this based on?
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He's looked better in the youth games than Sterling ever really did, and while he hasn't really kicked on into first team football like Raheem has, I'd argue that part of that is because he hasn't had a chance. He's quick, can pick out a good pass, decent shot (like Raheem, quite a few mistakes in the shooting department, but he's only 19), and has a great mentality towards the game.

I'll be surprised if he ends up as anything less than a super-sub/squad player for us. I can't see us selling him to a Championship team or anything like that... Just needs a good run of games.
 
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