Have Liverpool signed the right players this summer?

One must not discount Charlie Adam’s who was brought to provide creation and invention in the middle of the park, something Liverpool have lacked since the departure of the influential Spaniard Xabi Alonso. The problem with this of course is he’ll be competing against seven other central midfielders for two spots, one of which is guaranteed to be reserved for talismanic figure Steven Gerrard. Two other players he’ll be up against are Alberto Aquilani and Raul Meireles, two class players in their own right. It does beg the question were some of these British signings worth the lofty price tags they were purchased for? Especially when two of the Young British players we brought specialise in position we already have quality players in?

Of course last but not least is Liverpool’s record signing Andy Carroll. Whilst in theory the ridiculous sum of thirty five million pounds paid for his services may debase all sense of reality (especially considering how Barcelona paid Valencia just over thirty million for David Villa) the risk could pay off. One thing Andy Carroll did at his time with Newcastle was feed off quality service from the likes of Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan. If his shot to goal ratio was decent at Newcastle, it is surely likely to improve at Liverpool with the likes of Steven Gerrard and Stewart Downing providing quality service from the midfield area. A twenty goal plus season will at least ensure Liverpool a place within the Champions League, any more may even offer Liverpool a sniff at possibly winning the league, though this may seem far too ambitious to predict before the season even starts.

Whether these British signings come through or not, the jury will be out this season because of the war chest King Kenny was armed with. With Liverpool comes expectations and there will certainly be great expectations from Andy Carroll. But I’m sure he has broad enough shoulders to cope with the expectations of Merseyside.

Article is courtesy of Haider Ali at This Is Futbol

47 responses to “Have Liverpool signed the right players this summer?”

  1. Micky-G says:

    Well a good taste of reality is probably good for all. Yes we were missing some talent but nothing can excuse the club if N’Gog, Insua, Sotir, Poulsen & Cole are still contracted to the club by the end of summer! What a waste of 20 mil on Hendo, wasn’t needed at all with the club always chasing Adam. I don’t think Kenny has much if any left in the transfer kitty to even add the type of players needed to make us a top 4 team. In Gervinho, Arsenal have a quality player who cost 15mil, at Liverpool we have a stupid policy policy chasing over priced Britsh fodder!

  2. Bomber25 says:

    I don’t think all Dalglish’s signings are the right ones. Concentrating solely on just British players when British Football has moved on might not turn out to be a wise move. Dalglish should have gone for the best not just British. After the Hull result – which is a clear sign that his re-building job is not complete – Dalglish now has his eyes set on Aiden McGeady. Will this old dog ever learn new tricks?

  3. Lloyd says:

    obviously I expected that sooner or later, all those 4­ buys we made were totally wrong and wrong you all could­ see today, this going to be yet another poor season­ forget about those people who says oh clam down this is­ just a friendly all bullshit, just how on earth kenny­ bought those 4 average useless players , plus if u add­ carroll in january that makes it perfect , really this­ club has no future im too sad but im being honest ,­ everyone is disappointed the way we did business in­ this transfer window thats a fact even tho still some­ pretending they are happy and optimistic about the new­ season, they all lie , no one is optimistic at all.

  4. Guy says:

    Lloyd you’re not a liverpool fan…shocking attitude

  5. tex says:

    one question….why is there no name attributed to any of your sites posts?

  6. Richard says:

    There’s always an element of why did we buy x, why didn’t we buy y, we should sell z. That will never go away, and is part of fun of being a fan – if we weren’t trying to second guess the manager what would we do ? For my part I think that in most cases it’s too soon to tell. Sure, Suarez is an exception to that, but even Andy Carroll is going to take time to settle in.

    We’ll know soon enough, probably by Christmas, whether the new signings are as good as we all (well, most of us, eh Lloyd ?) hope and that Damien Comolli and Kenny have done a good job.

  7. Me says:

    Look at it this way, 100 mill spent and do you have a midfield better than Wilshere, Song and Nasri? Or a forward line better than Gervinho, Walcott and Van Persie? The answer is no. And all those players cost 40 mill altogether. That is 60 million extra for players that aren’t as good. You have overpaid for the wrong players.

  8. Paddy says:

    Well Lloyd, you proved one thing, not all Liverpool fans know their football.Oh, and please don’t talk for me with your pathetic,negative comments.I’m not pretending anything, but I think you might be pretending to be a Liverpool erm supporter. Do us all a favour and go and support someone else why don’t you.

  9. Bomber25 says:

    Thankfully, Liverpool had been chasing Suarez before Kenny returned. Left to Kenny, Suarez – one of the best strikers in the world today – would not be wearing the colours of Livepool FC only because he is not British.

  10. Will says:

    I’m excited about the signings all showed individual ability in asia and today against hull. Yeah the result wasn’t good but let’s not sum up a season that hasn’t started yet!?

    I love how positive Lloyd is!?! Come on mate one friend and you’ve written your team off?!?

    Back to the transfers… Think about it we have bought from direct competitors. Would you sell some of your best players to a competitor cheap? Of course not… That players a cammodity!

    Let’s be excited about the new season. After all we’re supporters… Some people can be sooooo negative!!!

  11. True Football says:

    I agree totally with Lloyd. 80 million spent with the exception of Downing we have not brought in any quality that could readily replace the midfield or anyone from our starting line up from last season. We have not secured the services of a decent left back or centre half the true weakness last season. For the 80 million (50 million in this transfer window) we should have been able to get a center half, left back and a creative midfielder with known ability and a proven track record. Like Diego or even invested in promising talent and buy either muller, hazard or mata all of which would add width and were linked to Liverpool during this transfer window. Man U were poor by their standards last season and they have invested in areas they struggled and shed the dead wood it would take a mammoth performance from our 3 average midfield purchases if we are to catch them.

  12. caleb says:

    Personally, I thnk henderson was a bad buy. Adam and downing are decent signings. I also would have rather had mata then downing. I also think we need cissiko if I spelled theat right at left back but let’s please not over pay. Overall I think with signings we have already made we can still have a good season I say the highest 2nd place the lowest 5th place

  13. SuaRed says:

    The players we’ve bought are all good players. Thought Henderson, Adam and Downing all done ell tonight. They all can all see a pass and there movement is very good.carroll looked fitter which was a bonus.

    The game was lost in the first half! Cole, Ngog, Poulson and Maxi can all get their coats for me! It even spread to Kelly! Who if we’re all honest has had a shocking pre-season. He’s the third right back behind Johnson and Flanagan for me! or me in the second half only Wilson looked out of his depth!

    It’s pre season and I’m very happy with what I’m seeing from the new players.

  14. Red78 says:

    We’ve spent really badly and it shows. Of the 100 million spent the only non British buy Suarez is by far better than the rest. Dalglish has got it all wrong should’ve got mata hazard or Turan. 2 man team all next season AGAIN !!!!

  15. SuaRed says:

    P.s Lloyd and True football !!! Are you two for real?

  16. Bomber25 says:

    It is looking like a one man team next season thanks to Dalglish’s obsession with buying British.

  17. Felderkirk says:

    I don’t think it’s fair to criticise Lloyd and Totalfootball for their opinions. Granted, they might be a little TOO ‘realistic’ for some people’s tastes, but the essence of what they write is hard to argue with. Liverpool were promised a ‘busy transfer window’ and there was genuine optimism in May. My one main criticism of our current transfer policy is that, on the one hand, we seem to move too slowly, in search of a good price, whereas with other players, we’re happy to splash the cash.

    This strategy of dallying and stalling very nearly cost us Suarez in January, while the other side of it saw us throw 20 million on a midfielder we arguably didn’t need. It would be fair to suggest that Henderson was a PR signing – a statement of intent to the fans that we were going to spend, but an easy gesture to make given the fact that nobody else was in the market for Henderson at the time.

    Look, I wasn’t expecting miracles from Kenny this season – and I hope now that the hitherto transfer action (or lack thereof) has helped to calm a few people down – but i wouldn’t be surprised if the main world class player we have – Luis – moves on next season if we haven’t made the CL. A marquee signing of sorts would go some way to reassuring him that he made a good choice signing for us, because great foreign players want to play with great foreign players. Not a load of English players they’ve never heard of.

  18. James says:

    Get a grip! It was a pre season game with over 11 subs and fringe players. Its not the first game of the season. I bet my left nut that the starting line up against Sunderland will do far better than what we sa today. But mainly, I cant believe that one loss in pre season and people are doubting KK and the owners transfer policy etc. Very dissapointing and i’m ashamed that you ‘support’ the same team as i do to be honest.

  19. Kenny says:

    WHEN ARE PEOPLE GOING TO REALISE THAT DALGLISH IS A COMPLETE BLUFFER?HE DOESNT HAVE THE RUTHLESS STREAK NECESSARY TO GET RID OF 40 FAGS A DAY JOE COLE,ZIMMER FRAME POULSEN AND THAT USELESS CUNT NGOG.IF YOU DONT AGREE-WE HAVE A FIRST TEAM SQUAD OF 35.WE ARE AN ABSOLUTE FUCKING FARCE.PLAYERS SEE US AS A RETIREMENT HOME.HOW LONG CAN DALGLISH LAST?THE OWNERS HAVE GIVEN HIM PLENTY.STEVE CLARKE IS WORSE THAN USELESS.9 GOALS IN 3 GAMES CONCEDED.THIS ALSO WRECKS THE CONFIDENCE OF THE PLAYERS.WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BIG CLEAROUT?DALGLISH HAS ALREADY BOTTLED IT.CLARKE HAS ALREADY PUT HIS ARMS AROUND JOE COLE.WE ARE LIKE THE BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF IN THE 80s-35 USELESS CUNTS HAVE ALREADY GOT JOBS HERE.DONI HAS A GAMMY KNEE AND WE STILL SIGNED HIM.DALGLISH CANT HANDLE ANY CONFRONTATION SINCE HILLSBOROUGH.TERRIBLY SAD EVENT BUT DALGLISH IS OF NO USE TO US.WE NEED HIM TO GO.DO THE DECENT THING,KENNY.BE HONEST.

  20. Kopstar says:

    Wasted 100 million only good buy is Suarez Andy Carroll is the biggest waste of money if villa wanted 30m for downing daglish would given it to them. Carroll was a panic buy looks useless TOTAL waste 100M.

  21. luke says:

    i think there is to much negative attitude towards the players we have bought, and the price we have paid.i personnly think in general we have done some good business.for one i think we had a stale sqaud last season which has been totally refreshed with the recent signings. also have a ponder on what has actually been spent if you throw torres and babel into the mix.yes we would all love some of these marquee signings some blinkered twats want, but we have to be realistic as fans and realise we don’t have the lure of champions league football to offer. lets get behind our city and boys!!!!!

  22. byrnesey says:

    Ye ok we overpaid for these players we all know that.
    Personally I think there the right signings.

    Downing-Everyone keeps going on about bleeding Mata,ye hes a class player but not an out and out winger like downing, very few players can cross a ball like him.
    One thing we have lacked for a long time is width and he will bring us that.

    Adam-an absolute gem of a player in my opinion,his set pieces,his fighting spirit his passing and we cant complain about the price for him.

    Henderson-with Henderson its all about potential he has all the attributes of a very promising player,far from the finished article but with guidance from Clarke and Kenny could well fulfill his potential.

    Carroll-The big man has alot to live up to with his astronomical price tag.An absolute beast,with the service he’ll be getting this season from everywhere in midfield and of course my main man Luis I can see him hitting around 20 goals this season.

    Finally to all the doubters,do your homework check out the statistics for chance creation from these guys excluding Carroll and then you’ll see why we bought them.
    I think there very clever signings from Kenny.

    YNWA

  23. Exasperated ! says:

    If Ronaldo cost £8 million ?
    & Torres cozt £5 million ?
    Would it be ridiculous to pay £3.5 million for Andy Carroll ?
    No it wouldn’t , it would be considered damn good business & the percentages are the exact same between £80 million , £50 million & £35 million .
    The guy that wrote this article is obviously biased against either British Players , English players or both .
    David Villa has never kicked a ball in England & light weight so called World Class player’s like Shevchenko or Villa or Mutu or Silva wouldn’t & haven’t score more than 10 per season in England .
    Balotelli never kicked a ball in England , has proved he is shite & he cost £5 million more than Henderson who has proved himself to be an outstanding young player with 2 years top flight experience at only 20 years old !!!
    This Article is fucking insulting .
    Does the foreign author expect tried & tested proven quality British players to be free ?
    As for these supposed World Class players Jefran or was that Jalfrezi & Mata , what tha hell have they won & why haven’t I ever seen them play ?
    World class my arse .
    Third World Class more like .

  24. Exasperated ! says:

    What fucking century are these foreigners living in !!!?
    £80m is the transfer record & nobody spent anything near that on a British player , but that is the going rate for a top player in this day & age .
    Again what century are they living in ?
    Carroll cost less than half that , Downing & Henderson together come in at under half that & less than what Tores alone cost Chelsea , none of our signings even cost as much as the Italian Goalkeeper Buffon who cost £35 million .
    Carroll cost just about half what Inter paid Barca for Ibrahimovic & Carroll is twice the player he is !
    Berbatov cost Utd £35 million & Carroll is better & younger than him .
    Dzeko never kicked a ball in England but cost £30 million & Carroll is better than him .
    Robhinio cost more than Andy Carroll & he was shit !
    The blatant racism in this article is fucking outrageous !

  25. mac says:

    we have bought overpriced rubbish this season if your going to spend 100 million then buy top qaulity,henderson,downing,adam will not get us back in to europe,the next couple of buys have to be top class or we can forget about top 4

  26. benny says:

    Some of you bloggers are muppets. Listening to what Kenny was saying, they have pushed the players hard the day before by running 9,000 to 10,000m. Therefore, in addition to this game and the travelling in the morning, they have played about a game and a half over two days.

    I think this is great training. Push the players hard to ensure they are fighting fit come the beginning of the season. Hull is the perfect team to play against as they are tough, run hard and very english. Am i worried? Yes, only in the lack of pride in players such as Poulsen, Aquilani, Ngog and Cole – all players that we are looking to get rid of but finding it hard to find buyers. Look at the backline that started this game? All reserves except Carra. And now the punters in this forum is expecting Coady to run the midfield? You have very short memories. I still remember when Gerrard first started, he was hardly a great player.

    I don’t understand the criticisms unleashed at Carroll, Henderson, Adams and Downing. These are good players who will likely play every premier game this season. Have we had this consistency besides Gerrard, Reina and Carragher in the last few seasons? No. Players like Torres, Van der Vaart, Wesley Sneider etc etc do not play even 70% of the season. English players will start the season well and still be there giving their all in November.

  27. Micky-G says:

    Exasperated – you are a fool. Andy Carroll wasn’t worth 10 mil let alone the 35mil paid, potentially worth 35 maybe but cannot see it myself. Henderson is not worth more than 7mil in the current market and Sunderland are much much stronger now because of it.
    Kenny & Comolli have wasted good money on nobody’s. Apart from Downing, none of the others were required at all. The more pressing issues in the team have not been met. Everyone is laughing at us. I love the club and want to see us do well but top 4 is a very very long way away with the rubbish still contracted at the club and the complete lack of quality signings coming in.

  28. Aussie red says:

    All this neg crap is ridiculous yes Liverpool football club should not lose to hull regardless of the competition but it is a friendly and come the kick off to 2011-2012 we will add to last nights side – pepe reina, glen Johnson, Dan agger, skrtel, aurelio, Gerrard, Lucas, meireles & saurez just to name a few?? We haven’t got the wages of city and champions league football to attract star names Kenny is building an efficient unit! I’m not expecting beautiful football to be played overnight but I have trust in Kenny to get the results! How about we actually back king Kenny, all our players old and new, the board and the club something we Liverpool fans have always prided ourselves something other teams have been envious of! Something called the LIVERPOOL WAY!! In Kenny we all should trust YNWA!

  29. Exasperated ! says:

    Mickey G
    Who do you support ?
    Are you trying to say Carroll isnt as good as Berbatov Dzeko or Robhinio ?
    You are either a muppet a liar or both .
    Andy Carroll will hit 20 + league goals next season & will out score any of the others I mentioned .

    • Bomber25 says:

      Mickey G,

      “Are you trying to say Carroll isnt as good as Berbatov Dzeko or Robhinio ?”

      The passing of time has proven that he is not in the same league as the players you have mentioned.

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