Another new signing and more questions and answers come from it.
Stewart Downing is an England international but these days that doesnt take much to achieve. He offers us width and has alot of experience in the Premier League but how does his signing impact the midfield that we have?
There is little movement of transfers at the moment and it makes me wonder where everyone is going to fit in. A midfield that has a list of Spearing, Lucas, Joe Cole, Meireles, Gerrard, Adam, Henderson, Maxi, Poulsen, Kuyt, Shelvey, Aqualani and now Downing. A total of 13 midfielders that have a chance of being in the first team. Thats also nearly half of the 25 man squad that need to be registered so no doubt not all of them will be included or sufficient backup will be lacking in other areas of the pitch.
Poulsen’s agent claims he is staying to fight for his future. Sounds more like he won’t get a better deal anywhere else. Rumours of Cole, Maxi and Meireles leaving. Can anyone match Cole’s wages? Who will stump up more than what we paid for Meireles? Maxi went on record suggesting he would return to South America if we would let him leave on a free or for next to nothing. I’m not a massive fan of Shelvey but he is still young and maybe a run in the side in the Cups will help him progress.
Assuming Cole, Maxi and Meireles do go that will leave our midfield with Spearing, Lucas, Gerrard, Adam, Henderson, Aquilani, Poulsen, Kuyt, Shelvey and Downing. Instantly I feel Poulsen will be a bench warmer. Due to our summer buys Lucas may get less game time too unless our formation alters from 4-4-2 or someone suffers a major injury. To accomodate our three buys Kuyt may be on the bench more as I don’t see Kenny dropping Stevie G if he’s fit. Kuyt could also be used as a backup to Suarez and Carroll which gives an extra option up front.
Aqualani’s agent seems to have been trying to engineer a move back to Italy firstly to Juventus and then to Fiorentina. Now thats fizzled out he’s happy to wear a red shirt this coming season. Aqualani has alot to prove in the Premier League but to do this he will need constant game time to find his best form and maintain it. This just doesnt seem possible to me unless he is required to fill in for someone not available.
If the summer goes as planned we are hopefully seeing some people moved on to not overload the midfielders on our books. This will help bring in the revenue again so maybe some of the wages we remove and transfer fees we get back will go some way to satisfying the bank balance.
Who will still be at Liverpool by the time the window shuts?
Where will they all fit in during the season?
Who would you prefer to stay and who are you happy to see leave?
Now that Stevie G is back I’d expect Lucas to go back in his shell. Henderson was a wasted 20 mil and a signing hardly going to fill Shelvey & Spearing with confidence. Joe Cole is worth keeping. Maxi & Poulsen should be moved on, I like Maxi but he’s not a winger and Adam gives us more angles than Maxi. Aqua would have been handy to keep but with Adam and that 20 mil hack Henderson in the team Aqua should be sold. Seriously the signing of Downing is a good one but we are so far away from the top 4 than most of you realize. Left back is very weak, centre-halfs are shaky at best and injury prone and we have zero back up strikers once Ngog is sold.
Poulsen, Aquilani, Cole, Maxi should all be sold.
The stats are only good (e.g. assists) if the striker that Downing plays with is clinical. You have to ask if he has played with World Class Strikers…. Bent? No. Carew? No. He is now playing with Carroll and Suarez, so i am sure he is going to be a great signing.
Strange how previous liverpool managers also wanted Downing (Houllier and Benitez… let’s not forget Capello. Forget his bad experience with England — it is the egoistic English players who are to blame for their poor performance). That should tell you are well-regarded he is.
I don’t really understand the criticism that has been aimed at Carroll, Adam and Henderson. When Carroll was fit for the Geordies last season, he was simply unplayable. He will be fighting fit this time. Adam was brilliant for Blackpool and was also their captain — i think a successful team always needs more unofficial captains in the team (e.g. Dalglish, Hansen, Souness, Whelan, Grobbelaar etc). What about Henderson? Well, I can only say to those who saw Gerrard playing between 18 to 21… he was raw, running around like a headless chicken at times, diving into nasty tackles… look how he turned out in the end? Henderson reminds me of a young Gerrard and his first cap is at the same time as Gearrd. He has stamina, good passer, can score from outside the box. Reminds you of anyone?
Has everyone forgotten where Barnes, Aldridge, Houghton and Beardsley came from? Watford, Oxford and Newcastle United respectively. I’m puzzled about all this clamour for players from exotic sounding clubs like Villareal and Valencia. Mata is good, but he will need some time to settle in if signed. Do you know why Man Yoo keeps winning? Because they have British players fired up by Fergie’s anger and passion.
I think we need three more players to be challengers for the title. A solid leftback, central defender and a right winger who could play striker too. Hopefully we sell Ngog.
benny – at last someone who actually talks a bit of sense instead of falling for all the sensational type bulshit that the morons that leave comments usually believe.
liverpool very rarely bought superstar players in the past it was players with the right attitude and lots of potential.
i personally would keep the aqua man as when he plays the ball is move much quicker and chances get created.