Liverpool Banter Archive May 06 2015

06 May 2015 23:10:10
dear supporters of Liverpool FC . I am from Romania and I love this club's 2001 finals with depotivo alaves, I have great sadness in my heart because of this magnificent club, lose his greatness, in the last 25 years poor management led to the downfall this club, Shankley and Bob pasley transform this club in one of the top three clubs in the world in the 70s 80s . For 25 years spent a lot of money and a very stupid magament brought negative results except winning CL2005NOT ENOUGH FOR LIVERPOOL FC, . IS TIME Rebuild this CLUB. first step.< Changing mentalities

07 May 2015 06:40:43
If "mentalities" is Romanian for "manager", I agree completely.

07 May 2015 07:50:06
In the last 25 years take out Istanbul 10 years ago and Lfc record is abysmal for a club of it's size and money spent always took the cheap option and when we decided to spend £ the wrong one this I believe comes from the very top it hasn't helped having 2 sets of Americans in charge who wouldn't know a basketball from a football

06 May 2015 22:45:21
Eds do you think that Rodgers will be given more time if we somehow manage to secure 4th place? Ed002 you have mentioned Rodger Schmidt who you believe should be our next manager, do you know if he is being considered as an option if BR is relieved of his tenure?

07 May 2015 02:26:34
I would like to hear the Ed's ideas and opinions on Schmidt ! His name had cropped up before

{Ed002's Note - His name has only com up before when I mentioned it when asked the same question. Unfortunately I don't get to decide on who should be Liverpool manager/coach.}.

07 May 2015 10:23:02
Maybe you should ed002.
Our owners could certainly do with someone like you as an advisor, you have been right nearly every single time about the mistakes the club makes.
Right that's enough brown nosing, I'm off to vote.

{Ed002's Note - Use your vote carefully Mickey. I am not allowed to vote, but even if I were I live in one of the safest seats in the country, so there is a certain futility.}

07 May 2015 15:09:41
Ed002 isn't allowed to vote hmm. So he or she is either foreign, a peer of the realm, insane or under the age of 18.

07 May 2015 15:10:32
Sorry - could also be at Her Majesty's pleasure of course . The plot thickens

06 May 2015 21:19:07
Hi eds I was wondering if there are any clubs who have looked at signing Gotze. I remember a few years ago we were interested but never went for him I don't think. Last I heard Bayern were looking to swap him for Gundogan and maybe he might leave. I would have asked on the European page but there wasn't many answers on there. Cheers for any reply I've always been a big fan of him as a player

{Ed002's Note - You need the European pages - where I have already answered the question.}

06 May 2015 21:33:21
(06 May 2015 04:06:15
Ed002, been a few reports recently that have suggested Gotze could leave Bayern? Is this true and is he on the market? I think he's a fantastic player and it'd surprise me if Bayern were willing to let him leave.)

That's all I could find Ed002 I couldn't find a reply sorry if I'm looking in the wrong place

{Ed002's Note - It is all there and nothing whatsoever to do with Liverpool.}

06 May 2015 22:00:58
Ed2 I couldn't see any reply to the post on the European page: technical error?

{Ed002's Note - It is nothing to do with Liverpool - move on.}

07 May 2015 12:35:20
Why ask about such players here anyway? They will NOT move to liverpool no matter what. It makes us look delusional to think we can compete for the same players as City,Arsenal,Utd,Chelsea, let alone Barca,Real and Bayrern. Get real!!

06 May 2015 17:26:51
Quintero!!

06 May 2015 20:45:38
??? Porto's Quintero? He is one of the most technically gifted players I've seen from south america, but is just like suso, not even near to PL intensity and physicallity to be in the XI each game; has no stamina.

06 May 2015 16:27:55
ED 01 & 02, what do you guys think about Liverpool's summer target for forwards ? Will they go for pure, strong Center forwards ( benteke, cavani, icardi etc) or supporting strikers/false 9 ( son heung min, firmino etc)?

{Ed002's Note - I have told you where there is interest.}

06 May 2015 16:47:50
I really don't wanna see any more big strikers at the club. We will only be looking to sell them 12 months down the line. We need forwards that will breach opposing defences using their pace and movement. Not only that they need to be clinical. Look at how better we played with Sterling up front instead of Balotelli and Lambert. If his finishing was better, he'd be perfect up top for us.

A player like Lacazette would be perfect for us along side Sturridge, with Coutinho feeding balls through to them. However, with Sturridge likely to be picking up regular injuries I'm sure Sterling, Ibe or Origi could do a decent job along side him too.

If not Lacazette, then someone similar in my opinion.

Red Rum

06 May 2015 16:57:27
thanks ! ya I have read it !! But I am just curious to know your thought about our striker problem ? what types of player should we target ? As this season we have made lot of chances but couldn't convert them ! we failed to score sufficient amount of goals comparing to other teams.we made lots of crosses,passes but there were no incisive forward in the box to convert them ! let's look at other top teams for example
;chelsea has costa,drogba,remy;man city has aguero,dzeko;man u has van persie,rooney ,falcao;even arsenal has giroud who saved them quite few times. the teams like spurs,liverpool struggled due to lack of top strikers ! IMO we should target a genuine box to box striker whatever system we adapt !

06 May 2015 17:18:05
Collins, LFC are going to struggle to sign top players without CL and Rodgers in charge.

Do not get over excited about the summer window coming up, Ed002 has continuously talked about the difficulties LFC will face as the club will first have to move on the many players signed over the last three seasons = money wasted = to fall in line with FFP = to make some money available to spend.

Ed002 has also said to forget the likes of Lacazette as it is just not going to happen. We can look forward to players like Milner who will just be eating away at our wage bill.

Happy days, FSG, please get rid of Rodgers!

06 May 2015 17:32:32
Collins

Personally I hope we go all out for a new striker, forget the other areas.

The thing with balotelli is, is that he is lazy and he was hardly prolific at man city was he.

I did honestly believe thought that balo would see this as last chance saloon and knuckle down, but unfortunately he just really doesn't give two hoots.

I wish we would have signed remy last summer and we may have been in a different situation.

Hope we keep hold of Lucas which we should, because the price of 5-7mil banded around for him is crazy. What are we going to get with that money.

Hopefully the striker we get is above Ings cause he hasn't really shown that much as the season has gone on, to show he could handle playing for us.

06 May 2015 17:36:05
If labour/snp get in tomorrow the country will be awash with strikers (dockers, tube drivers, construction workers).

06 May 2015 17:42:39
Great work max slating a player even before he signs for us. No matter ed2 calls us fickle

06 May 2015 18:07:35
ReetRed, I was not slating Milner. Ed002 has said before that Milner will come at very expensive wages so he will be eating away at our wage bill when we could rather give Rossiter a chance.

06 May 2015 18:47:31
Max is right, IMO. Milner is not cheap and his wages and signon fee would be substantial. We are going to be in a mess due to BR`s blunders and the debt the club has taken in hence, getting top players will be an uphill battle. Milner is not a top player and not what we need especially with Hendo, Can and even Rossiter and Williams in his position. he`s a utility player but so is Can. We need goals and a top striker is what we need.

06 May 2015 18:48:40
What's a "box to box striker"?

The implication is a striker who operates between our box and the opponents box.
I don't want a striker who is sitting in our box, I want them up the business end scoring goals.

06 May 2015 18:52:50
Max, Milner is miles away from Rossiter if it didn't work out for Rossiter you would be on here giving out that Rodgers should have got an experienced CM. Milner is a great signing and from what we believe he will be on circa 120k per week!! No brainer. I can't wait until he does well next season and your on here saying what a great free signing he has been. Rossiter looks good but doesn't look ready. Loan to a championship or PL club next Seanon

06 May 2015 19:00:12
JQLFC96

Rossiter has not been given a chance to prove himself so the fact that you can say "Milner is a great signing and from what we believe he will be on circa 120k per week!!" is quite laughable as Milner will also demand a high signing on fee.

I do not sit on the fence my friend. At the start of the season the signs of Rodgers screwing this season up were already there and look where we are after spending well the most money LFC ever has in a transfer window this season.

Read it and weep.

06 May 2015 19:11:26
Rossiter is far from ready, at best he will play in the lower end of the championship next season, and that is actually not even going to happen because i easily rate Jordan Williams ahead of him and he was barley ready for league 1! If someone like you were in charge we would be in league2 in a couple of seasons! James Milner is also a completley different player to Rossiter which shows you actually don't know what you are on about. We have no players in the academy similar to Milner maybe apart from Brannagan (who is so weak and needs to add 10 Kg of muscle before he is ready for the first team)

06 May 2015 19:27:05
Kanasani, I do not know what I am on about?

You do not know what you are on buddy. I do not have to explain myself when looking at the signings made this season and Milner will be yet another disregard for LFC's money and the players we already have at the club.

Milner can go to a club that can afford his wages. LFC need to stop signing players who will not improve us. Milner is not going to improve us especially when LFC will be hemorrhaging the wage bill.

Brannagan is an attacking midfielder. Rossiter is a CM midfielder. Milner will just be another square peg round hole, a very expensive one.

06 May 2015 20:18:00
Milner on 120 a week is not much considering the wages of a lot of premier league player. Milner is a very very solid player and would definitely benifit our team. To say he is not an upgrade on Joe Allen or Lucas doesn't make sense to be fair because that's all we have.I mean he gets into the city team week in week out. Rossiter has not been given the chance because he is nowhere near ready for the first team. I know some new players have not hit the ground running but many players come to the premier league and don't for the first season but excell the next. We also bought mostly young players markovic, can, origi who can only improve. Lovren was very good before we got him and he will do better next season. Imo Rodgers has spent enough time buying players that are not ready namely the above we need to buy experienced players this season. We are also loosing two of the highest wages on our squad next season.

I don't believe your reply was warrented of a read it and weep but however you get your giggles.

06 May 2015 22:11:32
i don't even get how you keep talking about rossiter when he has been badly injured since he started the Boro game at anfield where apart from a fluke goal looked out of his depth and the team played better when he was subbed for Williams.

06 May 2015 22:24:13
JQ of LFC96 DO YOU MEAN Gerrard is leaving in the summer? Father time may have caught up with him! yes he has been not been able to carry us (like he always did) for the last few seasons. But he has tried! you fella have just referred to a living legend as a "high wage" go back to bed mate! you obviously dreaming because you think Milner can take Lucas's place? no wonder Rodgers is getting away with his tactics your clueless.

06 May 2015 23:01:26
max if you don't rate milner then you don't know your football , anyone who has watched him play will tell you how good he is , what i don't get about fans like you who go on about how much a player will cost and moan about it saying its too much well as the old saying goes you get what you pay for , i bet if we had a chance to sign messi you and the other fans who go on about the wages or how much the transfer is will say he will cost the club too much money , if you want good players at our club then you have to pay the going price and pay the going wages , maybe that's why you don't get its the reason we have not won anything in years and are miles of the top or winning the prem , its no coincedence that chelsea or man city win the prem , its because they pay the price for the top players and they pay the wages , and with having these top players they get into the champs league no problem which pays a lot of money we can't expect to win the prem on a shoe string budget

james milner is a very good player who can play in a few positions and can set up goals and defend and score , so i will be delighted if we get him and he will be worth every penny in the wages we pay him , and if you don't sgree with that then i say to you go and watch him on youtube on when he is playing on tv and you will see how wrong you are

06 May 2015 23:03:13
I can't believe we're comparing Milner, a 300 game veteran of the prem league and a regular international to Rossiter who's made one cameo!

Clearly the guy has talent, but throwing Rossiter into midfield against Chelsea vs having an experience player like Milner brings two very different things.

I think Milner is an upgrade on Allen, brings experience into the dressing room, provides cover at DM, RB and even AM If required, and although there a signing fee it's not the c.20mln+ he would cost without his contract expiring this year. It's a smart decision and we can spend any remaining transfer budget in getting a striker.

06 May 2015 23:14:19
Rwd Rum , i have to disagree with you on the strikers , we should have done better with sterling up front the reason we never is because he is not a striker , if BR had used lambert and ballo more often this season then i'm sure you will be saying something different , sterling is not a a striker but a winger he does not have the movement of a striker and he is not clinical like a striker , i would rather have had lambert and ballo playing instead of sterling , i think if they had played the same number of games as sterling then i'm sure they would have scored more goals , it does not make sense , look at suarez sterling was faster than him so are you saying that sterling should have been picked instead of suarez , and after BR put sterling up front he thinks he is better than he really is because of the way he is treating the club and the fans , i believe the owners will do what is right and i trust them to get the right people in

07 May 2015 00:38:48
Scouse John mate I think you have taken me completely out of context here. I was just saying that he is our highest earner and will not be at the club next year all of which is true. I have not in any way doubted his commitment or what he has done for the club. Where did you get that from the above comment!! Mate you should get a job for the tabs you make tosh out of nothing!! Gerard is a legend and all ways will be.

Oh and yes Milner is a better player than Lucas imo.

07 May 2015 01:25:00
Milner is not a DM so your comparison is pointless

07 May 2015 12:40:59
Ohio, so are most of your posts so what's your point? Oh you used Caps lock you must be right. LOL

06 May 2015 10:54:02
Thanks Ed for doing the transfer update over on the 'rumours' side.
I'm only concentrating on attacking players at the minute SURELY this is priority finally after last summers failings. Vietto, Son and Memphis need to be our targets. We need to land one of these to promise goals next season. Ings ect it's just not good enough

06 May 2015 16:36:01
Attacking players? Other than a top goal scorer, I really don't see the need for any more attacking players. Maybe if Sterling leaves then a replacement for him would be needed.

Priority IMO:
One top striker to replace Borini, Lambert and Balotelli
A passing midfielder to replace Gerrard
A right back to replace Johnson and Manquillo
A goalkeeper to replace Migs.

Anything else is a bonus. Personally, I'd also like one right sided centre back to replace Skrtel and Toure as well. John Stones would my choice, but probably out of the question.

Red Rum

06 May 2015 15:55:28
Liverpool should sell skrtl, mignolet, enrique, toure, Allen, borini, lambert, ballotelli and sterling. Let go Gerrard and Johnson. Bar Johnson and Gerrard there's money there to buy two top class players. I would take milner in to replace Allen and bring talented youngsters through to fill the gaps.
Get the best striker available and buy begovic or cech. Bring can into midfield next year. Lallana and lovren will show they are outstanding players next season if given a shot under a new man.
Sterling has had a bad season, agent fault or not, I think bridges have been burnt. His value will be excessive. He is not a finisher. Excellent young player when firing but hasn't been firing too often. Ibe will turn out a better player

06 May 2015 18:52:12
We have to keep our best players due to not being able to spend substantially this summer and Sterling needs to be kept (not at all costs but kept none the less within reason). A clear out is needed and rewarding Skrtel with any type of contract is just rewarding mediocrity.

06 May 2015 19:16:17
Why would any sane person want Mignolet out, without him this season we would have never reached 2 semifinals and probably be 8th in the table. He has kept us in so many games and the only thing bad is his kicking, he dosent flap at crosses anymore(because he mainly boxes them away) and is easily a sensational shot stopper. Begovic who many call for has been absolutley awful this season and would be a huge downgrade on Mignolet. We need a better goalkeeper than Brad Jones who is just awful. No competition. Danny Ward is easily twice the GK Brad Jones is.

06 May 2015 14:21:48
eds any news from Macca? have liverpool been looking at any world class strikers we need a proper goal scorer who is going to be fit i don't see that consistancy in any of our strikers atm
i know we have tried for big names i.e costa but they all seem to the money how likly is it we can another 20 goal plus striker in the window?

thanks in advance

06 May 2015 15:21:33
Yep have been looking and then had to look away when they realised the price tag + likelihood they would like to come to us makes the look a bit painful.

Montoya, Milner, Ings plus minus one or two other names that no one have never heard about.

06 May 2015 12:38:09
I keep seeing posts about full backs lately and just wanted to start a little debate on the subject.

The club currently has 10 full backs all ready for senior football. Now you're probably wondering where the hell I've pulled 10 from!

Well first there are 2 pretty much certain to stay:

*Moreno - Will probably be our first choice left back next season.

*Flanagan - despite his recent injury set back, it's hard to see us giving up on him so soon and besides, who would buy him right now when he's out for 9 months?

Then we have 2 pretty much certain to leave:

*Johnson - far too high wages and not enough ability to justify them anymore.

*Enrique - arguably the worst defender at the club. Too many lapses in concentration and not enough intelligence on the ball either.

Next we have 2 players whose futures are completely up in the air:

*Wisdom - has had a good spell at West Brom but hasn't pulled up any trees either. At 21 years old surely it's too early to write him off? I think he's more than good enough for our squad.

*Manquillo - doesn't really strike me as any better than our own youth prospects so I'm not sure I'd want to take up the option to sign him permanently.

We also have 3 players who're coming up to an age where they need to be in and around senior football to improve:

*McLaughlin - has struggled with injury but it's getting ridiculous that this wonderfully talented wing back still hasn't had a single first team appearance. Looked very good in pre-season.

*Smith - got afforded one cameo last season out of position against Chelsea (great job Brendan) and then hasn't been seen since. Had his loan deal cut short due to a contract dispute. Once again Liverpool demonstrate why they are a terrible club for young players to develop into senior players.

*Stewart - signed last summer from Tottenham the 21 year old has had very succesful loan spells and good runs in the reserve team. Looks like he could be a very useful squad player already and certianly won't want another season of going back and forth between the reserves and league 1.

Lastly we have 1 exceptional talent in the U21's who will probably start knocking on the door next season:

*Connor Randall - impressed during pre-season, has also looked solid for the reserves this year and probably needs a well thought out career plan now to develop him into a senior player.

So there you have it. 10 full backs all ready for senior football in some capacity at varying levels of the game. So before we sign Trippier, Montoya or Byram the club really needs to get it's act together and sort out the 10 already at the club. Our management is absolutely attrocious sometimes as at least half of these players probably have no idea what the club has planned for them next week, let alone next season. Our management of young players, loans and transfers simply must improve.

Out of the 3 full backs we've been linked with Trippier is hands down my pick. Montoya hasn't been great recently hence why a club banned from transfers is still willing to sell him and Byram is just another young prospect and probably isn't even as good as those we already have at the club. Trippier on the other hand has played in every single one of Burnley's premier league games this season and stood out as one of their best players. He's even created a fair amount of goals despite being defensively solid. Only problem is he might prefer a rumoured move to Southampton based on our form this season. As i say though, we shouldn't even be considering him until we have cleared up the current mess!

Personally I would like to see Johnson and Enrique moved on, Manquillo sent back to spain, and McLaughlin and Smith should be found loan deals with clubs in strong leagues who verbally agree to give them significant game time.

I would go into next season with Moreno, Trippier, Wisdom and Stewart as our senior full backs with Flanagan to hopefully come back from injury after Christmas (although I'm worried it may be another full season out when physio and match fitness is considered) and Randall continuing to develop in the reserves for now making the odd cameo for the first team in cup games.

We cannot afford to keep messing these players around though with ill-planned spontaneous loan deals and constantly signing other clubs academy products to provide squad cover. Sign players to come straight into the first team and use our own graduates as back up.

I'm interested to know what other posters and even Eds think of this mess though, which 4 full backs they'd ideally go into next season with, and what you'd do with the others?

{Ed001's Note - to a point I agree with you, though I wouldn't sign Trippier, I would give McLaughlin the chance to make the position his own, with Wisdom as his cover in case of injury. After all, in an emergency, we have other youth prospects or even Can, Hendo, Sterling etc, so why bring one in? Sending McLaughlin out on loan seems counter productive to me. He needs to play now, with us.}

06 May 2015 12:56:22
Good shout Ed001. I have to admit though, since LFC tv decided to put profit first I haven't seen a lot of the U21's. Does McLaughlin look ready to be a first choice Premier League right back now? He certainly didn't look far off it back in pre-season but I think he missed a chunk of the season with injury. Thanks for the reply though mate.

{Ed001's Note - it is impossible to really tell until they get given a chance. Look at Flanno, he was a million miles away from being a Prem right back until desperation forced us to give him a chance. Harry Kane was woeful in loan spells and yet he has had a great season. The only real way to find out is to give them a run of games.}

06 May 2015 13:15:41
I would absolutely love to see Mclaughlin and Wisdom get a run of games at RB next season but everyone knows its not going to happen. We all have to accept that the club will sign a RB with Flanno injured and most of the players EMS listed above are highly unlikely to even get a look in. Stewart is another interesting case as is Smith who could be back up to Moreno but i just do not see the club showing enough faith in so many youngsters unless something drastically changes.

06 May 2015 13:23:31
I personally don't see the need for a right back but I'll want a left back especially if garbutts available on a free. I think fot the rb position a lot will depend on whether McLaughlin can seize his chance. Play him in preseason and a few league ganea see how he gets on wisdom will always be available and Emre can do a job there

{Ed001's Note - I would love us to add Garbutt it must be said.}

06 May 2015 13:34:19
I agree with you on all of the above except I don't think we need Trippier, I don't think he's good enough so I would rather we play what we have.

The likes of Bellerin for Arsenal would surely be the same as McLaughlin getting games for us the start of the season, or even Stewart. He's now ahead of Chambers (who may go CB alright and yes a better prospect).

I'd like us to play our own young fellas to find our own Bellerin. We have enough for RB and money should be focused elsewhere instead.

06 May 2015 13:59:07
Eds, What is the situation on Enrique? I know owners must want to move his wages, but is there interest from any club?

{Ed001's Note - I know of no interest in him at all. Maybe Thomas Cook could employ him as a hholiday rep?}

06 May 2015 14:20:22
Agree with everyone we really need to start giving these young lads a chance.

Look at sterling if we had bought konoplyanka the other January would sterling have gotten as much of a chance as he did.

Our youth ranks are full of brilliant prospects its about time we really see if they can make it.

06 May 2015 14:47:02
Brad Smith refused a contract extension sometime last year and has been frozen out I think. He will leave in the summer.

I think it is time to move on the likes of Stewart, Pelosi, Yesil, Lussey and Vigouroux, who are all at ages when you really need to start plying regular senior games, and they are not going to get it at LFC and plays in positions where we have more than enough players in the first team squad.

06 May 2015 15:05:04
I thought Enrique already had a new role at the club?

Isn't he Sterling's chief travel agent and fluffer?

06 May 2015 15:13:06
Again biased as I hoped we would have gotten Konoplyanka but think he would have improved our chances of securing the title. Not saying he would have clinched it for us but is a different player to sterling.

More of a wide player and a much better shot on him, but more importantly have to remember our options available at the time.

Ibe & sinclair was what 17? Ojo 16? We had no real attacking options on the bench besides Moses.

But agree about the FB thing we are fine in that position - striker and DM for me!

On a side not how good is Ward? Surely he can be an improvement on Jones?

06 May 2015 16:52:37
Ed001- on Trippier how come you wouldn't want him. On the few occasions I've seen Burnley he's looked good and I remember thinking the same about Clyne in the last and he's had a great season. I have however not watched him an awful lot. On McLaughlin I remember him making his debut under I think Rodgers in the first pre season and thinking he was going to be a good player, but he's never been given the chance

{Ed001's Note - I just don't see the need for Trippier, he is not good enough to make a real difference to our team, so why spend money on him? We would be better off putting the money towards a player that will.}

06 May 2015 18:29:14
If you could choose a right back who was attainable who would you go for? I would prefer us to go for somebody younger rather than say Alves or Adriano who's names I've seen mentioned.

06 May 2015 19:04:01
Trippier might b a good player BUT Burnley is NOT LFC and like his buddy Ings, are not what is needed. If we can`t buy a good RB then give the young boys a chance because at least, they know the expectations of playing for a big club because they grew up in that culture. Look at Flanno and Raheem when KK gave them their start. Flanno started in a big game vs City and the composure he showed was mind-blowing and so is Sterling who needs work BUT is a top talent. Same with Mcloghlin. i saw him play the first half in a freindly vs Roma in Boston in 2012 and I remember saying to myself that this kid will be special. How did we know they were good enuff if we did not play them? We need our youngsters playing now and the ONLY way we will know if they are good enuff is if we are commited to playing them like the saints play theirs. Unfortunately w/ BR in charge, that will NEVER happen hence if you wanna see these players, you know what needs to be done.

06 May 2015 18:54:54
I'd go for a new right back too.
I think Moreno lacks positional sense and would prefer us to upgrade on him too.

Maybe we'll go for Micah Richards (RB), Milner (Mid) and Ings (strk) as we have no money and they are all out of contract?

06 May 2015 20:58:39
Zeddicus, no that's Kirikou mate, he fluffs Sparky's tail as well.

06 May 2015 22:04:45
Ryan Mclaughlin is literally the worlds most injury prone player, this season he has played in 5 or 6 u-21 games and was taken off injured in 4 of them. Although he has potential and is excellent going forward i don't think he will ever make it, not only at Liverpool but anywhere, he is that injury prone! Manquillo will be recalled by Atletico Madrid, Flanno will miss probably most of next season, Johnson is going. Andre Wisdom is no RB he just isn't mobile or agile enough for a role like that and is best at CB. So we have Conor Randall and Andre Wisdom as cover. A quality RB is needed if Emre Can isn't going to play there next season. Kevin Stewart has been playing his best games out on loan and in the U-21 in a defensive midfield position and LB. So he could be good for cover as is Jordan Williams for DM & CB.

06 May 2015 23:09:57
Montoya? Can also play LB.

07 May 2015 04:03:31
Whatever happens I would simply be happy if the club stopped throwing money away in positions that do not justify the expenditure. If we have a lot of decent prospects then we should be giving them time to make an impact. I mean McLaughlin has been talked about as a youth prospect for years yet has never been given a chance, it's beggars belief. I think ed001 has hit on the important point though - no matter how ill prepared a player looks for the premier league you simply have no idea how well they will do until you thrust them into that sort of atmosphere. Sometimes they'll wither, sometimes they will absolutely shine - if we never give them a chance we'll never find out! I hope we start giving our youngsters more time to impress. At the moment it feels like a merry-go-round of loans with absolutely no chance of any youth player being given a decent shout.

06 May 2015 10:00:43
Morning Ed001

I was wondering if I can ask your opinion on the pan-european breakaway

Ed002 recently wrote a very interesting and informative article regarding the breakaway, and I asked if over the years of meetings that have been held, if the discussion of away fan ticket allocation and travel arrangements has ever come up, and unfortunatley it would seem its a topic not up for discussionw ith the clubs (up to now). which leaves the travelling fans in the lurch a little bit.

For example, on match day if the travelling team were to be allocated 2000 seats, and the average plane holds 200 people that would require 10 planes taking off from one (maybe 2) airports within a relatively short space of time - which at the minute does not happen at all.

Do you not think its imperative the clubs, who do end up in the 2 tier breakaway leagues should be doing something to help the travelling fans out, in some way shape or form?

I just noticed a comment of yours regarding naming rights of a stand and that you would rather turn a blind eye to that sort of thing as its a reminder of "football losing its soul". and I totally agree with you.

Do you feel that if we end up with a breakaway league (with Liverpool in it or not)with only a small handful of away fans turning up at each ground, will not only finally take any working class element out of football that is left, but the soul will be completely gone too.

Away days, rivalry, singing the home end out is a massive part of the game (even still at my age!!!) - of course this is directly from a supporters point of view, and I am sure the club owners and television companies see it very differntly and financially rewarding.

Getting to a few Champs league or Europa league away games can take its toll on the old wallet - but 14 / 15 / 16 (depending on the make up of the league) is just not finacially feasible, I would imagine for around 70% of the working class fans.

I would like to hear your opinion Ed001 on the matter and how you invisage away fan sections of ground to look like, pots the pan-european breakaway

Regards

{Ed001's Note - I expect the away fans element to pretty much vanish when it happens. Sadly the clubs do not care, most would be happier to be able to not need to make provisions for away fans because it reduces capacity and increases policing costs. Plus away fans don't spend money in the club superstore etc. For me, a European breakaway league will be a sad day for football and signal the final nail in the coffin for it being a sport and completing its transformation into a business.}

06 May 2015 11:43:59
Hopefully it will never happen Ed as at best its years away and a lot can happen not just in football but also the real world too in that time.
The picture doesn't look good at the moment I know with money hungry business men players etc milking every penny out of every fan at every opportunity but someone with enough sense may emerge and save our game in time.
Well we have to hope so as footballs loss will be another sports gain be it rugby ludo or whatever.

{Ed001's Note - I hope you are right, but money rules everything in this world and I am sure it will happen.}

06 May 2015 11:54:44
Eds right how many of us here could afford regular trips to milan anf paris plus the burgeoning ticket prices. It will be a sad day

06 May 2015 11:56:56
Ed001 - Well that was my trail of thought but I was genuinely hoping I was missing a trick somewhere - that really does stink on all accounts.

So I guess your not a fan of it happening then? I am certainly not and hope it all falls through, but I guess there is nothing the working class fan can do about it.what a bloody shame :(

{Ed001's Note - I hate the idea mate, I don't enjoy European football anyway, I find it bores the pants of me and I don't care if we beat Real Madrid, I don't know all that many Madrid fans to have banter with so it is irrelevant. Football doesn't really care about anything but TV revenue. They forget that the match between Liverpool and Manchester United got the biggest worldwide TV audience, even bigger than the Barca-Real Madrid matches.

People just look at the success of the Prem and think they can sell a pan-European league in the same way. They have forgotten that English football sells because of its history, because it was the first organised league and because the competition has been historically fierce, no matter which teams are in it.

They fail to realise that the league is so strong because of the strength of its roots. The lower leagues are stronger in England than anywhere else in the world, that is what makes England special and the FA Cup for that matter. The lower leagues are being eroded already and the Prem will suffer because of that. Take the top teams away to a European league and every club will suffer. That will affect the quality in the European league as well.

Sorry I am rambling on so much I completely forgot what I was even talking about!}

06 May 2015 12:32:38
I think the vast majority of us share your passionate feelings against this money milking scheme Ed and luckily for us we have all the power because if we don't subscribe to thier ever increasing TV packages they don't exist.
Every penny in football comes from us the fans be it gates TV even sponsorship because if we don't buy the products their is no sponsor.
Power to the people :-)
We hold every ace in every pack if we did but realise it.

{Ed001's Note - can you see fans doing that? Sly have banked on fans buying subscriptions for years and so far it has not been a gamble at all. Fans continue to allow themselves to be milked for everything they have worked hard to earn out of a love for their club. You only have to look at Newcastle to see how easy it is to stuff your pockets full of cash and laugh at the fans while doing so. In fact Ashley has very publicly stuck two fingers up at the fans, but they still keep going in huge numbers to fill the fatman's already bulging wallet.}

06 May 2015 12:49:14
No your not rambling, it's food for thought regarding the effects on every other team and club and how they would suffer and your right, I don't know any real Barca or Real fans either to have the Monday morning banter with in work (or hide in the toilets all day, which has been the case for most Monday mornings this season)

But that's all part of the game which would not slowly vanish, it would instantly be lost

Not being able to take my sons to the likes of the Nou camp and the Bernabaue would be a tradegy too. they will become a unaccessible dream to them, only to be seen on a TV

The money to get to such away games is one thing.but getting it past Mrs Kemlyroad65 every fortnight is another thing in another scale

There is more chance is seeing Clark Kent and Superman in the same room

The more I think about it the more clear, easier it would be for clubs just not to have a traditional away end.

What a sad thought :(

{Ed001's Note - it would be a big loss and the atmosphere would suffer badly. If you think it is bad in the Prem now, think what it would be like without the away fans creating noise! It would be like American sports, with cheerleaders and music to cover up the fact that the fans are too busy queueing for hamburgers and hot dogs to actually sing and chant.

No offence meant to Americans, but the atmosphere is just not the same at sports like basketball. It has its own attractions, but it is not the atmosphere that swept me along just walking to the ground and hearing the chatter and chants in the streets outside.

One of the great parts was always seeing the away fans getting off their buses and hearing them singing and chanting as the home fans chanted and sang in reply.}

06 May 2015 12:56:55
Totally agree the TV companies have called it 100% spot on so far and continue to do so but like a massive UK supermarket chain has just found out you can only treat your customers with contempt for so long and when the public turns it turns very quickly and winning it back is usually near impossible.
Every fan counts :-)

{Ed001's Note - it is good to see that particular supermarket chain suffering, though sad for the staff they employ.}

06 May 2015 13:03:56
I can't agree with you enough Ed001

I'll never forget knocking Barca out of the Champions league after 0-0 draw at Anfield

Barca had most of the Anfield Road end and at the final whistle, every Barca fan stood up and started singing "Liverpool, Liverpool"

I thought that was a absolute touch of class

06 May 2015 14:07:42
In it's own weird way, would a pan-European league perhaps not be a good thing for local supporters, or at least those of larger clubs not involved? I would think it would lead to cheaper tickets, likely a more local group of players, less televised coverage, etc. - more like it used to be in a round about way, rather than what it is today? I guess I would think some would be okay with say Liverpool staying in England with the likes of Chelsea, City, and United going to a European league? Not making a case for it either way mind and my personal selfish preference as a foreigner would be to see Liverpool play at the highest levels (whatever that happens to be) so I can watch more easily, but I could see some local supporters being quite alright with losing a bit of us international types?

06 May 2015 14:16:49
Don't know why the original poster is worried about flights to watch Liverpool. There are plenty of flights from the 5 London airports, that's where the bulk of the new "fans" for this breakaway league will be coming from anyway.
Imagine a stadium full (or empty usually) of corporate ticket holders.
It will be the final nail in the coffin for the game I think.
I can see a breakaway happening but it being a huge mistake when the one thing that makes football popular (it's soul) is ripped from the game and fans just simply get bored of it all and stop watching.
Games like Madrid vs Liverpool are special because they don't happen very often, if your watching that several times a season then what's the point? It's just another game.

06 May 2015 15:36:20
Not being funny but if it was Pan-European the worry for me would be would we get invited?

Yes we have the history etc and if based on tv revenue we would be invited due to global fan base but if it was based on recent success, we would be hoping rather than expecting to be invited.

06 May 2015 18:58:23
If it happens the clubs will become franchises like in NFL and the community identity will cease to exist.
Local teams will live on and fans will gravitate towards that.

Pan European breakaway league will die on it's arris.

06 May 2015 19:14:05
Great points ED. The Pan-European League reminds me of an all-star game in U.S sports which is made up of the best of the best YET offers complete snoozefests for games. Football is a grassroots and poor man`s sport where everyone can play regardless of background, size, or race hence, doing a league like that will not get people watching as much as they would be watching a LIV vs UTD showdown with all the history, storylines and fierce rivalry attached to it. Give me that, anyday of the week.

06 May 2015 10:34:16
Is depay meant to be bought for a striker role or are we look for him and a striker?

Just curious as if he is meant for a wide role what does that mean for Ibe, Sterling, Lallana, Markovic, Couts etc.

Know they are more central and believe we would benefit from a naturally wide player but have a lot of players not getting game time and limited room for our academy players, so would would this mean for our current players?

06 May 2015 10:55:03
I think Depay is to replace Sterling but let's see what happens.

06 May 2015 11:19:45
Depends on who is in charge. If it's Rodgers you can expect a few of them to go on pointless loans.
Nothing better than loaning out your promising youngsters to bring in another promising youngster in the same position.
I know he's a good player but we already have several good young players in his position, for the money we would need to buy him we could buy a decent striker that we desperately need.
I would only buy him as a replacement for sterling.

06 May 2015 11:43:48
He is going to United.

06 May 2015 12:54:22
United are busy chasing Bale, he is second on there wish list if they don't get there number one target

Which, you would like to think, puts us in a position to offer him regular first team football as a unique selling point, coupled with the fact he is not wanted by LVG if they land Bale

One can only hope I guess

06 May 2015 13:26:50
And you know that because you're his agent?

06 May 2015 13:38:50
Well fortunately they don;t work one signing at a time. They have an open cheque and enough executives to chace 4 or 5 names at a time and Bale will not come (or no come) at the expense of Depay. If they weren't interested in Depay they would have said so by now and as long as this option is open to them, he wil not be joining us. If anything it is we who have financial issues and other priorities that can prevent us from bring him even if we can because our main priority now is a top striker and we cannot bring more than one top player (if at all) without releasing one of our big names (sterling basically). In other words check the betting odds on Depahy next team, you will find the answer there.

{Ed001's Note - betting odds? Stupid way to back up a nonsense statement. Bale has every bit of bearing on Depay and Man Utd as they are wanting either/or of them as it stands. As for betting odds, it wasn't so long ago they had Ribery as odds on to join Liverpool, remind me what happened there?}

06 May 2015 14:20:57
reetred. read the posts

06 May 2015 14:23:31
So Depay is only being looked at as a replacement for Sterling if he go's Ed? Ok, didn't realise that was the case. In other words we are not going to get him.

06 May 2015 16:26:33
Word on the street is that Depay is being advised to go to Liverpool and that is his preferred option; Bale to United seems likely to happen according to what I've heard today

06 May 2015 19:00:45
Which street is that?
Bale to Utd seems likely, Depay to LFC is unlikely. We can't afford him. Madrid will probably get him as a replacement for Bale.

06 May 2015 19:18:03
I don`t think Depay is needed even if we DO sell Sterling. We have Ibe and Marko who can play wide or behind the top striker. What do you think, Ed01?

{Ed001's Note - I would rather go for Son, but I do think we would need to replace Sterling.}