Liverpool Banter Archive February 17 2018

17 Feb 2018 23:46:50
Mirror reporting that mane is set for a pay rise "due to his heroics in champions league. " I'm just wondering if there are actually any talks over new contracts or again if the papers are just writing anything they can while we aren't playing.

Thanks.

{Ed002's Note - I really have no interest in contracts or digging for such private information.}

18 Feb 2018 03:16:22
He may be set for a pay rise. but its unlikely because of how he played in one game.

18 Feb 2018 07:46:39
I wish they'd sort Firmino out with one.

18 Feb 2018 08:19:27
Bobbie has been getting bonuses all season due to the amount of goals-based incentives in his contract. But I do agree Salah, Bobbie needs to be tied up at all costs.

{Ed001's Note - I would not worry about Bobby, he is very happy in Liverpool.}

18 Feb 2018 08:46:25
Glad to hear bobby is happy! Was looking pics of just bobby and moreno and they look lonely and abandoned lol.

18 Feb 2018 09:56:27
If true could be a good way of consolidating Mane's confidence boost. What a fantastic player. I know Salah has been brilliant this season, but I think Mane is our best player.

18 Feb 2018 09:18:14
All Bobbys dental work is done in Liverpool city centre. He would have to give 10 years notice just to move to another clinic.

18 Feb 2018 09:21:26
Yeah that's great to hear he's happy at Liverpool, of all the players to keep happy, it's him!

18 Feb 2018 12:51:20
Ye Firmino couldn’t be happier right now.

18 Feb 2018 20:26:44
Thanks for the info, Ed. To me, HE is the guy we cannot afford to lose. In fact, we need to get players in of his talent, attitude and brilliance to play alongside him in other areas of the pitch. Were we to lose Salah for some reason, I can in the end, live with that as I was able to move on from Cou way before he got sold. Bobbie? NO WAY! He is THE glue that holds that team together. He is the living epitome of Klopp's system. He's happy at Pool then, long may it continue.

{Ed001's Note - I really do not expect Salah to leave this summer either.}

18 Feb 2018 20:30:53
I love the fact bobby is going slightly under the radar, I mentioned to my mate who’s a City fan that he should be on the shortlist for player of the year and he gave me a proper odd look like I was taking the piss.

{Ed0333's Note - He’s the catalyst of everything we’re gonna achieve Cobra. If you asked Klopp the one player he’d give his spare kidney too I’m sure Bobby would be top of the list.

17 Feb 2018 13:58:22
Hi ed01 if your around mate. I'd love your opinion on Robbie Keane shirt time at Anfield. I was watching highlights on YouTube yesterday with my 4 year old (obsessed Liverpool fan) and wondered what went so wrong for him. Thanks in advance.

{Ed001's Note - he was a dick who let himself down.}

17 Feb 2018 14:56:39
Was he that bad ed1? I know it was a move he'd wanted all his career but I'm not sure he was really wanted when he arrived. I remember sky making a big deal about him being a Liverpool supporter at the time and interviewing him in a cringeworthy made up kids bedroom. I'm not sure he was the type of player we needed though- I'm also fairly certain he never really got a run of games. Was it down to attitude or ability? I would be very interested to hear more though if you have a moment. After the match perhaps? Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - attitude, though imo he was nowhere near good enough anyway.}

17 Feb 2018 15:07:09
In what way ed? I was young enough at the time and just remember him getting very little time as Rafa didn't want him.

{Ed001's Note - Rafa did want him, that is nonsense. He didn't get games because he did not deserve them and he couldn't be kicked out the door fast enough.}

17 Feb 2018 15:08:26
Well done aoe. Up to my neck in wedding details so much I thought we were playing today. Nope. 24th. Now what am I going to do with my Saturday?

17 Feb 2018 15:23:46
He should never of joined in the first place, useless signing.

17 Feb 2018 15:37:13
Rafa wanted him and realised pretty quickly he'd made a mistake. I gather Robbie was rather fond of a pint at the time.

I also heard he's the meanest, most money obsessed git ever and after he went back to Spurs he arranged a lads' weekend out in Dublin for the squad. For £15k a man. Of which Robbie personally pocketed £5k. When 'arry Redknapp found out he basically told Keane he couldn't play for Spurs again, which is why he ended up on loan at Celtic and subsequently departed the club.

17 Feb 2018 16:45:37
I don’t think pints where the problem.

17 Feb 2018 20:44:28
Didn't we get rid of Peter Crouch"aldinho" to make space for Robbie Keane? I was absolutely gutted when we sold Crouch.

{Ed0333's Note - my recollection is vague but Robbie Keane was a marmite signing. Some people thought he was a stellar signing and would be the missing link to a title push and some thought he was not of Liverpool standard. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. As things planned out he was a massive waste of time, money and space.

18 Feb 2018 00:14:17
I heard that it was something that he was having with his pint, and it wasnt a scouse pie .

17 Feb 2018 23:14:48
Was in a store with my wife when he came in with his, what a total dick. I’m Irish so was kinda chuffed to see him walk in but his attitude to the staff and other people was unbelievable, what a complete tw*t, he wouldn’t give time to kids who were in with their parents.
Not only the worst ignorant footballer I’ve ever met but the worst human I’ve ever met, complete ****.
Sorry about language Ed but I’ve never met a worst person in my almost 50 years on the planet.

{Ed001's Note - he did not exactly manage to endear himself to anyone while at Liverpool either.}

18 Feb 2018 01:54:00
I still wonder why Rafa bought him instead of Berbatov.

18 Feb 2018 08:20:40
"He was a d**k who let himself down". Well, that that was quick.

18 Feb 2018 09:51:58
Well Rafa wanted a wide player / second striker for Torres and decided to buy Keane. Robbie was a boyhood fan of Liverpool and had a very good stats at Spurs! We paid £20 mill back and recouped £13 mill after 6 months. Scored an excellent goal against Arsenal! We had practically no back up for Torres under Rafa.

18 Feb 2018 09:52:32
At first I didn't think Keane would be good enough and then I succumbed to the hype and thought he would do the business. Was he post torres? Hard act to follow if so.

18 Feb 2018 10:11:02
One of those signings I had a bad feeling about from day 1. We did well to get rid of him 🤝.

17 Feb 2018 09:22:32
Is there actually any news source or site that is accurate for rumours anymore? To be honest, this is the only site I’ve trusted for many years but surely there has to be some journalist out there still left with credibility.

17 Feb 2018 09:45:50
I don't bother anymore. I used to think The Independant were quite good, but I've changed my mind lately.

17 Feb 2018 10:23:50
From down here in Australia, this site is goldust. Thanks and respect to the creator, all other Ed's and all contributors.

{Ed001's Note - cheers mate.}

17 Feb 2018 12:29:37
Well said, it’s a terrific site.

17 Feb 2018 12:47:26
Always recommend this site ed's are genuine and want to help where they can and don't take much rubbish.

17 Feb 2018 13:41:45
Love the honesty on this site. Thanks eds.
not going to lie though I still believe we're signing Leo Messi every window when we're linked with him on LFCSingaporeDaily. con.

17 Feb 2018 17:38:55
Take it from me. Over a decade of trust! Best site from the day one!

17 Feb 2018 07:47:23
Hey eds and reds

Was wondering what the plan is with grujic
By all accounts he's doing very well playing the 6 at Cardiff bar a few random pot shots from distance.
Is he a possibility to play deputy to Henderson as the 6 next season or will he be loaned/ sold
I think he could be a colossus in midfield he needs to bulk up and get fitter from what I've seen

Cheers eds.

{Ed001's Note - it depends on him, before he went out he was not working hard enough in training and so not getting chances because he did not earn them. Instead his dad was busy whining in the press. Now he has gone out on loan and had the kick up the arse he needed and hopefully it will have clicked. However it is up to him, he has to play well, work hard and earn his chance for next season.}

17 Feb 2018 08:33:34
The question is whether there is a place for him in the squad next season. Our midfield will be overloaded even if Can, Milner and probably Lallana leave. We have Keita and probably another midfielder coming in the summer. Hendo, Keita, OX, Gini, new mid competing for the midfield slots so Grujic better step up big time. Half a***d effort in training or poor performances in the championship will not cut it anymore. Its do or die for his LFC career.

{Ed002's Note - The problem comes IB from promises being made to players and not kept - hence the issues there have been. The ideal time for the loan would have been when he first arrived but that was not possible. YUou are right he is rapidly heading for a decision point, and hopefully Liverpool take the lesson learned away from this whole affair.}

17 Feb 2018 08:47:52
Unfortunately I think its too late for Grujic's LFC career. The kid will not want to be rotting on the bench or stands next season so a loan (more likely) or a sale will do his career a favour. But even that will probably be done with a view to raising the transfer fee if he plays well. No matter what Klopp says in the media, I think deep down he knew Grujic was never going to be a quality option in midfield especially with fans getting impatient for trophies and the player himself not giving 100% every time in training.
The blame for Grujic's LFC career however cannot be laid solely at LFC's doorstep due to lack of proper planning for youngsters' careers. Grujic and his dad must have had a say in matters and it looks like wrong decisions were made by both parties at all intervals.

{Ed002's Note - It is Liverpool's fault IB. Commitments were made that should not have been. Liverpool agreed to the transfer of Grujic after agreeing a record fee with Red Star Belgrade and making an astonishing wage offer (which has very much come back to bite the club due to the structuring of it. I don't know what promise of game time had been made but it was explained by his representative that Liverpool offered him a year as a squad player getting regular playing time and then the step up to the first team - the same promise as Klopp would lie to the Work Permit committee about. This far outstripped any other offer, particularly with the club are promising significant starting game time. Inter could not match the transfer fee in cash and certainly not the wages even though they were his first choice destination. Chelsea offered a lower transfer fee (that could have been resolved) but would not be looking at him for the first team for probably two and a half years. That would comprise an initial loan back to Red Star (perhaps even including the next season at Red Star - but that was not Chelsea's preference) and then two years on loan in Europe as he was seen as being behind the pecking order of another midfield player (Pasalic) who was going through that process with Chelsea already. Liverpool's offer also ended interest from Napoli, Hamburg, Wolfsburg, PSG, Manchester United, Everton, Manchester City and Roma (although none of these clubs put a firm offer on the table as I understand it) but Stuttgart, Udinese and Anderlecht had proposals which they thought would be more acceptable to the family of the player who were worried about the damage a move to Liverpool could do to his career - not just financial proposals but career building proposals. In order to get a work permit Klopp showed up to the hearing and made guarantees which Liverpool needed to keep or it could potentially be taken away - and that is the reason for the loan now. The wages are very significant for a player of his age. The club should not make any guarantees to youngsters.}

17 Feb 2018 09:30:00
Ed2 do you think we’ve learned with the new Colombian kid we’ve signed and sent on loan or do you think that is to get him a work permit? I’m still hopeful that criticism he received will be the makings of him.

{Ed002's Note - Arroyo is different to the likes of Allan, Taiwo Awoniyi and Brooks Lennon which were mistakes given the lack of a development structure. Lennon has left completely and the others will struggle to qualify again this coming summer. Arroyo is a risk because he does not qualify for a Work Permit but he has been purchased with some sort of plan in place. A couple or three years on loan and progression through the international ranks would help but Liverpool will likely still need the help of the "special conditions" clauses. Right now the credibility Liverpool had has gone. In two or three years it will be different.}

17 Feb 2018 11:30:54
Surely whatever promises were made to the player, he still has to hold up his side and put the effort in in training. Add to that he's had his fair share of injuries. it works both ways.

17 Feb 2018 11:15:24
The lesson learned for FSG / Club / Board : Not all youngsters would go on and become a £50 mill profit like sterling!

17 Feb 2018 11:52:55
Ed002, Liverpool seem to have taken steps to rebuild relationships with other clubs i. e Southampton by paying an inflated fee for VVD and Fulham by loaning Ojo. They seem to be learning from past mistakes and putting things in place so these are not repeated.
Is this something FSG have stepped in to do, which I believe is the case with the purchase of VVD, or is it more down to the Liverpool board learning?

{Ed002's Note - There was no rebuilding with Southampton and there was no negotiation for the price. FSG asked for the price not the club. They were given a figure £15M higher than the asking price that was to be told to another interested side - and returned to say they would pay it and proposed terms. As for Fulham, two people remain at the club who were around when the illegal approach was made by Liverpool and they have made the situation clear to the owner. I don't know if the loan helps or not to be honest. Hopefully Liverpool has learned as you say.}

17 Feb 2018 12:34:47
I still think he has a chance but needs to step up and prove he can perform at championship level first. Here’s hoping he does so and they go on and get promoted, then I’d love to see him playing in PL next season with them for another season too before deciding if he’s ready to return in 18 months to compete for a starting spot (which is what we should have done with Ward) .

17 Feb 2018 12:40:16
Cheers for the reply ed2, it’s nice to hear we at least have a plan with the lad. Can’t help but wonder how some of the young players’ careers may have turned out with the right structure in place. I’m a big believer in youth and in this day and age, proper development for youngsters should be a massive priority going forward in light of the insanity in the market. Not to mention the irresponsibility of mismanaging youth. I really hope the club changes it’s ways. I really hope this is a sign of at least a little thought being put into the future.

17 Feb 2018 13:51:34
Thanks for the reply Ed, appreciate it as always.

{Ed002's Note - You are welcome.}

17 Feb 2018 16:53:54
I sometimes wonder who Ed02 is and how high up the food chain he is. Maybe a major decision maker in UEFA? I wonder how he gets such precise info. As omniscient as Dumbledore?

18 Feb 2018 09:53:00
Realtofel
Ha ha. This is nothing mate. If you want to see his vintage best, Try European page. He is literally unplayable over there. Only a highly knowledgeable man could even enter into the European Breakaway league topic. You could disagree with his views but I don’t think you could have a second opinion on his information. Liverpool news are Just like drinking a tea for him!

18 Feb 2018 11:21:21
I always thought he was young enough to turn into a centre back. He has the physical attributes and obvious ball skills. Maybe he doesn’t want to play there, I just think we should have tried it, done a bit of a “Hummels” on him.