Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 11/12 (End of March 2012 onwards)

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Why does he need to? We'll never get a squad of players who'll fit into the first 11 and have little or no difference in quality, especially when you are asking someone to replace someone like Lucas. Spearing should definitly be kept, apart from Lucas we have no one else at the club who can play DM and I'd still be perfectly happy to see Spearing line up for us in a lot of league games to be honest.

PaulieC wrote: »

To weigh in on this - against Newcastle, whilst alot of our players were bítching and moaning at each other and the referee, Spearing was working his balls off.

The guys a professional and clearly loves playing for his club - he mightn't get much game time but he waits patiently and works hard for the team when given the opportunity - he mightn't have the talent or skill of some other players out there but they could take a leaf out of his book for definite.

He'll do a job for us as a squad player, for (I'd imagine) low wages, and we won't ever get much trouble out going by what I've seen so far.

No need to sell

Daemonic wrote: »

Agree with all this. It's one area Man U in particular have excelled at over the years; having decent squad players who are happy to play 15-20 games a season and never moan.

Have to 100% agree with all of this. Firstly, if we were to sell him, how much would we get for him? Probably not an awful lot, just a couple of million. And he's probably on very low wages, I would imagine less than £20,000 a week, perhaps even half that. So selling him isn't going to be a massive boost to our finances.

Who are you going to sign happy to play 2nd fiddle to Lucas, for less than £3m, getting paid less than £20,000 a week and better than Jay Spearing?

Spearing is one of the first names on the team sheet for me with Lucas out. We don't have the midfield to function without a true DM. For me, Spearing is as good a back up DM out there, who will happily deputise for Lucas, or play some of the Europa/League Cup games next year. For some tough away games, he can slot in beside Lucas. The 2 of them did very well together at the end of last season.

His attitude is fantastic. Reina said he was the best trainer at the club and I'm not surprised. He's only 23, it's not ludicrous to suggest he might improve slightly, especially after this season in which he's played a large part as a first team regular. The point about United squad players is a very good one. Players like O'Shea who came in and did a job were vital to them, even if they were deemed 'not good enough' by a lot of fans.

As for his ability, well we saw with his shot over the bar and overweighted through ball to Suarez against Everton that in the final third he offers little to nothing. He is small and he was outmuscled by Fellaini a few times. But he is very quick, great fitness, covers a lot of ground always applying pressure, tenacious and his passing ability is not to be sniffed at imo. He's not the worst in the world at opening up the play and bringing the fullbacks into it or playing neat short passes in triangles.

In short, as a backup player he is of a very decent quality and I've been very pleased with him this season. If one good thing is to come of Lucas' injury it's that Spearing has been given a lot of game time and has come on a lot because of it. When Spearing needs to be called upon next year I won't be looking at it as a glaring weakness in our team.

Melion wrote: »

The thing that confuses me about Spearing is his step-up from the reserves. He always seemed to pop up with a goal in the reserves and if anything, looked like he could be a similar player to Gerrard(obviously not at that high level) but now when he reaches the edge of the box, he hasnt a clue what to do.

Really? I wasn't aware of that at all, have to say I'm surprised. I'm seen him take a few pops from range, a couple of them decent efforts. I'm sure he'll get a goal eventually

Sasquatch76 wrote: »

Right, I'm out of here for the summer. Here's hoping to another cup success that the club can build on and move forward from. To those going to Wembley, a) I'm jealous as feck and b) sing your lungs out!!

See you in July/August.

YNWA!

Go and conquer sir, but where are you off to that you won't have Internet access?

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Go and conquer sir, but where are you off to that you won't have Internet access?

Mayo?;)

eldwaro wrote: »

going back to a point made earlier...

do you think that the refrain from a panic buy, ie Teixera, was a blessing?

I think we would be sitting slightly prettier now to sign a bigger and better player.

I don't think Teixera would have been a panic buy.
He seemed to be a punt at the price Liverpool were looking to pay for him.

Andy Carroll wrote: »

I bet Spearing is getting paid more than £20k per week.

Prob is now with his appearance money, I reckon he is pushing €30k a week including appearance & win bonus. In fairness he hasn't been getting much win bonuses lately.

Andy Carroll wrote: »

I bet Spearing is getting paid more than £20k per week.

Hmm, dunno about that. 20k a week is over 1m a year. I'd be shocked if he receives seven figures a year in remuneration.

Had a figure of almost £1.25m in my head as what his new deal worked out at per year when things like Merch rights/loyalty bonus etc were factored in on top of his basic wage.

Comolli signed Spearing, Kelly, Pacheco, and I think Flanagan onto new contract extensions roughly around the same time.

argosy2006 wrote: »

Spearing won't even get beach time with Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson,Shelvy,and Adam fit, Plus we should buy another midfield player, with experience,

Deserves a career else where. Proved his decent enough to have one,

Could play for everton lol

Until Lucas gets injured and it's realised that none of the other midfielders you mentioned can defend for their lives

argosy2006 wrote: »

And then we play spearing, and right off another half a season,
We really need a better back up, Someone with experience, Who has won something,
A really pro who been around the block,

You're leaving out the most important bit - who's willing to play second fiddle

If we could get one then fine but imo, Spearing doesn't cost much, he keeps his head down and works hard, he's a good squad player who'll do a job when we need him to.

DM isn't a necessity atm, a partner for Lucas is.