Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 12/13

missingtime · 26-07-2012 10:07AM

Shopping list:

1 x AM/CM (2 if Aquilani is sold)
1 x FW (2 if Carroll is sold)
1 x LWF
1 x DM/CM
1 x LB

I think Dempsey will be our LWF and Allen will be our DM/CM; that leaves us with another 3, possibly 5, players to get. The only thing I can think of is that Rodgers thinks that some of these positions might be filled in with Shelvey or Pacheco et al. Or that he is keeping his cards close to his chest when it comes to our targets. IMO without improvement on these positions it will probably be another season without CL.

SlickRic · 26-07-2012 10:19AM

there's nothing really there in Henry's interview that should really be of surprise to everyone.

we knew Kenny was a short term plan.
we knew Kenny was a believer that nobody is bigger than the club.
we thought a younger manager was needed for the long term.

the only thing we maybe didn't know was that Kenny would've been sacked regardless of the FA Cup.

meh.

Donnielighto · 26-07-2012 12:07PM

amiable wrote: »

Great contribution

in fairness it is pretty solid, better than the average club scout id wager

amiable · 26-07-2012 12:16PM

Donnielighto wrote: »

in fairness it is pretty solid, better than the average club scout id wager

How so?

Donnielighto · 26-07-2012 12:32PM

amiable wrote: »

How so?

advance it a few years, it tends to have the potential for players well researched, clearly not all but still a lot.

ever play it and then some random "wonderkid" who turns out to be unreal in real life. Or an understated player who becomes class.

LuckyLloyd · 26-07-2012 12:41PM

Kerrigooney wrote: »

Lloyd is gonna blow a gasket.

I think I`ll get some popcorn...

I'll just repeat something I said last week: Henry really should shut the **** up more imo. I don't see the advantage to such interviews, they just strike me as him creating a stick the media can beat him with if Rodgers comes under pressure down the line...

ush · 26-07-2012 12:45PM

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I'll just repeat something I said last week: Henry really should shut the **** up more imo. I don't see the advantage to such interviews, they just strike me as him creating a stick the media can beat him with if Rodgers comes under pressure down the line...

Better Henry setting himself up for a beating, than creating a situation where people nearer the field of play are needlessly put under the spotlight by his statements.

LuckyLloyd · 26-07-2012 12:50PM

ush wrote: »

Better Henry setting himself up for a beating, than creating a situation where people nearer the field of play are needlessly put under the spotlight by his statements.

But they'll be put under the spotlight anyway if things don't go well.

Did Henry's statements in advance of last season about how CL is the target really help anyone when the pressure came? By all means Henry should set very clear objectives of all staff at the club (including players) internally, and speaking in a direct fashion behind closed doors would be a big advantage to any organisation. But no-one has coherantly argued for why such statements to the media aid the cause of the manager and team.

He isn't obliged to make such statements so why bother?

Mr Alan · 26-07-2012 12:50PM

Sounds to me that if we have a repeat of last season this season, Rodgers will be on his way. Madness.

mike65 · 26-07-2012 12:52PM

I'm sure he will be, its the fate of every manager bar the chosen few.

Mr Alan · 26-07-2012 12:54PM

mike65 wrote: »

I'm sure he will be, its the fate of every manager bar the chosen few.

As I said. Madness.

murpho999 · 26-07-2012 12:55PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

Sounds to me that if we have a repeat of last season this season, Rodgers will be on his way. Madness.

Wouldn't that apply to everyone except Wenger and Fergie?

LuckyLloyd · 26-07-2012 12:56PM

mike65 wrote: »

I'm sure he will be, its the fate of every manager bar the chosen few.

Glad to see you accept such lunacy anyway. If we gained the same points tally in the league this year and got to the semi - finals plus of a couple of cups it would be ridiculous to sack Rodgers. And that's coming from me who is, to put it mildly, outraged at his appointment.

Constantly switching managers is not going to get us where we need to be.

mike65 · 26-07-2012 12:58PM

Oh dear, the problem with the internet is that stony faced sarcasm just does not travel.

Leiva · 26-07-2012 12:58PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

Sounds to me that if we have a repeat of last season this season, Rodgers will be on his way. Madness.

Looking at last nights and Saturdays game and the stats of pass complete etc I can see what Rodgers is trying to do, but I fear he won't have the time to implement it whilst also preventing a hiding in the tough opening games .

I can see some form of abandonment of tika-taka and reverting to a more negative shoring up style if we are getting mangled in games - which is why I think and have changed my mind on Carroll, he needs to stay .

But it could all go tits up pretty quick if you ask me and all these sound bites from the owners ain't gonna help if there is tough decisions to be made.

I truly hope I'm wrong but everyone is gonna need a massive amount of patience for the upcoming season

Mr Alan · 26-07-2012 01:00PM

murpho999 wrote: »

Wouldn't that apply to everyone except Wenger and Fergie?

No I wouldn't think so. I'd certainly hope not. I don't think football is quite that broken yet, we seem to be playing more than our part in trying to make it that way though.

AVB comes 5th next season, should he be sacked?
Pardew comes 5th/6th, sacked?

Jesus the world is ****ing bananas if you think that's the case.

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Constantly switching managers is not going to get us where we need to be.

This x 1000

Mr Alan · 26-07-2012 01:02PM

Leiva wrote: »

Looking at last nights and Saturdays game and the stats of pass complete etc I can see what Rodgers is trying to do, but I fear he won't have the time to implement it whilst also preventing a hiding in the tough opening games .

I can see some form of abandonment of tika-taka and reverting to a more negative shoring up style if we are getting mangled in games - which is why I think and have changed my mind on Carroll, he needs to stay .

But it could all go tits up pretty quick if you ask me and all these sound bites from the owners ain't gonna help if there is tough decisions to be made.

I truly hope I'm wrong but everyone is gonna need a massive amount of patience for the upcoming season

The biggest hilarity is that his most staunch advocates here, the type who've mentioned "systems" 10,000 times over the summer will be the first to turn on him.

Leiva · 26-07-2012 01:04PM

Some cünts are just subhuman ...

SlickRic · 26-07-2012 01:05PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

Sounds to me that if we have a repeat of last season this season, Rodgers will be on his way. Madness.

it's not as simplistic as you're making it sound.

Henry very specifically said though that 17th for the course of the second half of the season was not good enough. and it isn't.

if Rodgers continues that form, then he might be at risk.

but remember too, Henry's all but admitted Dalglish was never the longterm choice. he didn't do himself favours with the Suarez case and terrible league form either. but Rodgers is the longer term plan. it'd be easy to jump to the conclusion that we'll sack him if things don't go perfectly well in the first season, but I really don't believe that's what's going to happen.

unless results are as terrible as Kenny's final few months in the league, and the team looks largely rudderless, then there may be a good chance the position is re-considered.

like it or not, Henry wants progress on the pitch in the League. that is where the general performance of the team is reckoned. the cups are a wonderful opportunity, but don't show where the team is generally headed. results and performances in the league do.

i don't agree with constant changes of managers, and i don't think he'll be doing it with Rodgers without very good reason.

Chucky the tree · 26-07-2012 01:08PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

Sounds to me that if we have a repeat of last season this season, Rodgers will be on his way. Madness.

Doesn't sound like that to me actually. He said Kenny was short-term only, so he basically had a much higher bar set then Rodgers who they have said is a long-term appointment.

Mr Alan wrote: »

No I wouldn't think so. I'd certainly hope not. I don't think football is quite that broken yet, we seem to be playing more than our part in trying to make it that way though.

AVB comes 5th next season, should he be sacked?
Pardew comes 5th/6th, sacked?

Jesus the world is ****ing bananas if you think that's the case.

If Kenny came 5th or 6th he probably wouldn't have been sacked either.

whatawaster · 26-07-2012 01:11PM

I don't think Rodgers will be sacked if he had the same season Dalglish just did, purely because he is much more clearly their long-term choice. They are clearing out the playing staff and non-playing staff to make room for his replacements. I'm certain he will get time.

Mr Alan · 26-07-2012 01:13PM

It really is that simplistic tbh Ric. You're seeing what you what to see imagining that our owners will show some sort of saint like patience while Brendan turns us into Barca-lite. Won't happen. They're only interested in results.

John W Henry wrote:

"For us we were 17th over the second half of the season and Liverpool should not be in that position.

"I don't place the blame on Kenny and assistant Steve Clarke but I think it was obvious to every fan that something was wrong and something needed to be done."

He even goes as far as to say he doesn't blame Kenny (that'd the change for changes sake that I am always going about people going for)

Our owner said that based on the last 6 months a change had to be made.
Nothing to do with age.
Nothing to do with looking rudderless.
Solely to do with the form.
Something was wrong. So he sacked the manager.

That's what he said.

The sad thing is it's quite likely we'll finish 6th/8th on a similar points tally to last season & not even do well in the cups, that'd be a worse season than Dalglish had. Best of luck Brendan! :eek:

opr · 26-07-2012 01:13PM

Aquilani: "I have never said I wanted to leave the city because my family and I were not happy here. This is not true." #LFC

Aquilani: "I never asked to leave but I was always pushed by the club. I am here and I would like to play for LFC but it's not up to me."

Aquilani: "How can you pay £20m for a player and this player is never taken into consideration?"

Opr

K-9 · 26-07-2012 01:16PM

SlickRic wrote: »

it's not as simplistic as you're making it sound.

Henry very specifically said though that 17th for the course of the second half of the season was not good enough. and it isn't.

if Rodgers continues that form, then he might be at risk.

Just as 13th or whatever it was, wasn't good enough for Hodgson.

opr · 26-07-2012 01:19PM

Found the interview it came from with the BBC. He says the club have forced him to go out on the loan over the last few years.

Aquilani, 28, is back with the Reds after two seasons in Italy on loan.

"How can you pay £20m for a player and this player is never taken into consideration?" he told BBC Sport.

"I never asked to leave but I was always pushed by the club. I am here and I would like to play for Liverpool but it doesn't depend only on me."

Aquilani played the first half of Liverpool's friendly defeat by his former club Roma in Boston on Wednesday, and new manager Rodgers said afterwards that he is still considering whether he has a future at the club.

But the Italian international playmaker, who has two years left on his contract and is keen to commit his future to the club, says his initial meetings with Rodgers have been encouraging.

"I had a very good talk with Brendan where we were able to share our thoughts and it was a very positive chat," Aquilani explained. "I like his footballing philosophy and I like the mentality he has because it matches my own skills."

Aquilani was signed by Rafa Benitez but has not played a competitive game for the club since Benitez's departure in the summer of 2010.

Under Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish, he was sent on season-long loans to Juventus and AC Milan, and says it has been frustrating not to be able to prove to Liverpool fans he can make an impact in England.

"The situation changed after Benitez left," Aquliani added. "In past years, I felt forced out. I never asked to go on loan but they made it clear it was better for me to go.

"I think Liverpool people have to know that I have never said I wanted to leave the city because my family and I were not happy here. This is not true.

"I cannot say I have unfinished business in English football because I really never played but, the little I did, I believe I was able to show to Liverpool fans that I have quality and that I could have helped the team."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/mobile/football/18995512

Opr

whatawaster · 26-07-2012 01:22PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

The sad thing is it's quite likely we'll finish 6th/8th on a similar points tally to last season & not even do well in the cups, that'd be a worse season than Dalglish had. Best of luck Brendan! :eek:

While working towards changing our style of play, clearing out the dead-wood and inflated wage bill that Dalglish, Hodgson and even Benitez allowed to fester.

There is more to this than just league position.
Dalglish left us 8th, but he also left us with a squad full of players who are massively overpaid relative to their contribution on the field. We have thankfully started to address that this summer.

SlickRic · 26-07-2012 01:22PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

It really is that simplistic tbh Ric. You're seeing what you what to see imagining that our owners will show some sort of saint like patience while Brendan turns us into Barca-lite. Won't happen. They're only interested in results.

who said "saint-like patience"? "Barca-lite"? why all the hyperbole?

i just think Brendan will get more time as he's the longterm choice, and he's obviously being allowed to clear out some deadwood.

He even goes as far as to say he doesn't blame Kenny (that'd the change for changes sake that I am always going about people going for)

of course he's going to say that. he's not going to blame Kenny in front of the world is he? yeah, that'd be sweet music the ears of the fans, eh?

Our owner said that based on the last 6 months a change had to be made.
Nothing to do with age.
Nothing to do with looking rudderless.
Solely to do with the form.
Something was wrong. So he sacked the manager.

That's what he said.

from Henry's interview...Kenny was short term barring a miracle...

He added: "When I first discussed making a change before he took the job, we danced around it and discussed what role he would take at some point.

"He did say that if it was the manager's job, he would only do it until we had the right young man to come in for the long term. We spoke two or three times before he actually took the job.

"Kenny was always saying no one man is bigger than the club. Everyone knows what it meant when he came back, how he did right the ship and brought all the disparate elements back together.

we were looking rudderless, you can agree with that or not, but our performances for the last 6 months, Lucas or no Lucas, weren't good, and the manager didn't perform well at all, apart from a couple of performances in cup competitions.

The sad thing is it's quite likely we'll finish 6th/8th on a similar points tally to last season & not even do well in the cups, that'd be a worse season than Dalglish had. Best of luck Brendan! :eek:

we'll see.

and Dalglish, i'd suggest, wasn't just sacked for league position and performances; he also spent £100m getting us to last season's point. if Rodgers did that too, i'd be fúcking píssed off.

whatawaster · 26-07-2012 01:28PM

Alan - if FSG are only interested in short term results rather than the long-term health of the club, then why would they go for Rodgers over a "safe pair of hands" like a Capello, Van Gaal or even Benitez?

It can't be money, because not only is Rodgers probably well paid, but he also cost us millions in compensation.

To me it shows that they are in this for the long term. They wanted someone to come in and completely rebuild things. And rightly so, because LFC has resembled a civil service department more so than a well-run football club, with a bloated wage bill and personnel who had long outstayed their useful life.

amiable · 26-07-2012 01:33PM

opr wrote: »

Aquilani: "I have never said I wanted to leave the city because my family and I were not happy here. This is not true." #LFC

Aquilani: "I never asked to leave but I was always pushed by the club. I am here and I would like to play for LFC but it's not up to me."

Aquilani: "How can you pay £20m for a player and this player is never taken into consideration?"

Opr

A good PR move by Aquilani there

Mr Alan · 26-07-2012 01:34PM

K-9 wrote: »

Just as 13th or whatever it was, wasn't good enough for Hodgson.

Hodgson was different. He has just never been & never will be good enough a manager for Liverpool. Compounded by the fact he was a cretinous man.

He deserved nothing but the treatment he received.

Dalglish had fantastic abilities as a manager. Clearly illustrated by his record & shown as recently as our CL/title winning form after he took over from the hodge. Also illustrated by what he was able to perform in the cups last season.

He made mistakes & underperformed at times last season, no doubt. However, he deserved time to see if he could improve this year.

Rodgers has clear potential to be a top manager & seems a decent bloke.

He deserves time now the choice has been made.

Hodgson is beyond comparrison with the two lads above.

Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 12/13

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