Liverpool Banter Archive June 08 2015

08 Jun 2015 22:38:00
I was one of the people who thought Sturridge wouldn't work out, and was gladly proven wrong.

When we signed milner and ings I thought "excellent we need another couple of players to try at right wing back". They could be the greatest players on earth but they will undoubtedly get played out of position (if they don't warm the bench like 90% of Rodgers signings)

08 Jun 2015 23:03:34
Nevada - "I was one of the people who thought Sturridge wouldn't work out, and was gladly proven wrong. "

So you think the fact he missed nearly all of last season due to different injuries and will miss the first two months of next season at least because he won't be fit till October at the earliest, is right then? Hmmmm

09 Jun 2015 00:03:56
Yeah red Lenin. Be mad at him for being injured.

09 Jun 2015 12:55:21
He is mentally weak and refuses to play through even minor injuries. We cannot afford to carry lightweights.

08 Jun 2015 20:49:07
Benteke to Liverpool is looking more likely now, but don't be surprised if a rival premier league team bid when we do. It won't be the £32.5M transfer fee being quoted either, I'd expect a figure being confirmed at around £25M-£27M if we confirm the signing.

Would of prefer a better striker, but if it means he stops ripping us apart when he plays us, then fine!

09 Jun 2015 02:29:54
Will be devastated haha.

If we want anyone like that go get gignac, mitrovic. Atleast there a tad more mobile aswel as being big.

09 Jun 2015 13:15:45
"I'd expect a figure being confirmed at around £25M-£27M if we confirm the signing" - What are you, Liverpool's chief negotiating person in charge or transfers?
You have no idea, like the rest of us to be frank, so stop with your "I'm in the know" drivel

08 Jun 2015 20:30:02
Obviously Stats don't tell the whole story of how good a player is but here's some interesting relevant ones on Ings.

He scored more goals than Sturridge, Balo, Borini and lambert put together in 35 games than their accumulation of 40. According to Sky's stats he has a higher chance conversion than all of these. He furthermore has more assists than any of these players. I understand it's obviously hard to reach any sort of form when you're in and out the side and plagued with injury. He's had to play Infront of The midfield maestros of George Boyd and Dean Marney, who are clearly streets ahead of Coutinho. Exactly.

He's going to be our 2nd or third striker. He scored more goals than Evertons £28m one last season in a much worse side.

At the end of the day if it doesn't work out if we we're to sell him given his age and the fact he's English we would gain our money back on him. IF, which I hope he does do well, he clearly has a lot of potential. I would, go as far to say that if he played I in a Quality side he wouldn't be that far of Harry Kane.

I just think it's sad to say that a player is written of before even kicking a ball. Must be a great confidence boost for them.

08 Jun 2015 21:24:08
Lukaku scored 20 in all comps

08 Jun 2015 21:35:58
It's not his fault,, but this Striker-Transfer was supposed to be the most important for our club in a LONG time. We are absolutely failing again in the window and everyone can see it

08 Jun 2015 21:56:43
Give the kid a chance, I really rate this guy. I'm sick of so called supporters slating players before they hau ve even kicked a ball in vein for our great club. fair enough, there is a lot of dead wood to be got rid of butUn this guy will prove to everyone that he is TOP class. Coutinho to ings = GOALS. 😁

08 Jun 2015 22:00:35
He has not been written off by the vast majority of sensible liverpool supporters. He is young, talented and has joined a better team. As Aldo has said, he is a great buy with loads of potential. Enjoy life in Liverpool Danny, do you natural thing and the supporters will love you.

08 Jun 2015 22:07:40
The window hasn't even opened and we have gotten two good additions. Total failure.

08 Jun 2015 22:08:40
No DBol, I really can't see it. Maybe perhaps because we are only a couple weeks in?

And we have more deals done than any other top team in Europe as of right now; two of which have been free transfers, aside from the fees that accompany them.

08 Jun 2015 22:13:40
Well said Bower. Great signing 2nd best striker at the club with another maybe to join him and Origi and had Arsenal, Spurs or United signed him everyone would be saying we missed out. I feel they have missed a trick there. Welcome to LFC Danny. He will need to grab his chance when it comes.

08 Jun 2015 22:15:46
DBol, your use of capitals - you're not suggesting we buy Shane Long, are you?

08 Jun 2015 19:28:36
Can people please give Ings a chance?

In his first season in the Prem, Suarez scored 11 premier league goals and claimed 6 assists in the league for a team that finished just outside the European places and won a cup. He went on a league goal drought of 7 games at one point and if I remember correctly was 23 at the time.

Ings in his first season scored 11 premier league goals and claimed 4 assists in the league for a team that got relegated. He also had a significant goal drought for 8 games. However he was a year younger than Suarez at 22.

My point is not that Danny Ings is going to be as good as Suarez and fire 23 goals in his second season (although that'd be nice). My point is that all the people saying "How is an 11 goal a season striker going to help" are taking his goal scoring record at face value. You're not considering any of the circumstances.

There is every chance he could flop, I'm not going to deny that. But this disgusting abuse before he's even kicked a ball for us makes me ashamed to be a Liverpool fan to be honest.

He is a hard working, proven goal scorer who wants to play for us. I'm not asking you to net on him winning the golden boot. I'm just asking that you give him a chance and show OUR player some support.

08 Jun 2015 19:37:58
EMS great post I couldn't agree more, but I remember the slating Sturridge got as well on here before signing, Ings will prove to be a great piece of business.

08 Jun 2015 19:44:59
Imgs is a good buy. The bottom line is he is young and inexperienced. he plays for a poor team that is relegated. he was supported by a poor midfield, in a team of not particularly good players that delivered him a low quality supply. He had poor training staff. He still managed to score 11 goals in one of the leagues in the world (whereas our 4 so-called strikers managed 8 between them

We have a better midfield and as such he will get a better supply of quality balls. He will be playing with better players and he will have better training staff and training facilities. At 22 he is still developing and on the ascendency. He will improve at Anfield. He is a very very astute acquisition and we will benefit from his presence.

The only downside is Brendan.

08 Jun 2015 19:54:13
Milner and Ings wouldn't have been my choice of signings but as long as they are our players will support them. End of the day milner hopefully can cover Gerrards contribution in goals and assist whilst adding more defensively and if Ings can add 10 goals then we are in a much better position.

Still think we need some one to take set pieces and need to get another 20+ goals from somewhere, but is an improvement

08 Jun 2015 19:47:40
Great Post!!

Also I know people say a good back up striker, we should be encouraging this kid to be a regular striker for us regardless what he cost. I have not seen up him up close but we will create chances and the boy looks clinical. To me a link up player will suit him and hopefully he is given a chance.
Maybe looks like a diamond style of high energy midfielders, the approach will be similar to Juve.

08 Jun 2015 19:50:16
I think he is a good little signing. Still young has potential and out of contract. If the team is playing with confidence and we get on a run he will be a good player to come off the bench.

So far so good. Milner free and Ings for a tribunal fee.

08 Jun 2015 20:16:36
Absolutely! Top post! Get behind them all. Welcome Milner, welcome Ings - do this great club proud and help BR also prove all his doubters and hypocritical fans wrong. Beat of luck to all at the great LFC for the 2015/16 season YNWA!

08 Jun 2015 20:19:21
Milner for a free transfer, the player man city (2nd best team) were desperate to keep, would not have been your choice ?

Who would have your been your choice then and guaranteed a better return for money, experience and football player ?

08 Jun 2015 20:24:54
In the end, we support our players because if they succeed, we all succeed. My fear is not the players as such. It is everything else. Sorry to burst the bubble but I can`t help but be very concerned about how big a mess our club is in atm. With the owners dithering as to either fire BR or weaken him by firing his staff and bringing people in he clearly will not want is a recipe for disaster. I will support my club and it`s players till the end because our squad is more than decent. it is all the other nonsense that worries me severely.

08 Jun 2015 20:25:36
I agree with the point about taking goals at face value, its ridiculous. Again its about time fans started getting behind signings however Suarez has talent that was clearly evident despite the lack of goals. Talent that Ings hasn't yet shown, albeit in a poor Burnley side. I did say that he would be an interesting one if he were to sign, as even during his goal drought, he was making things happen.
What I fear will happen however is that he just gets 10-15 minute cameo appearances here and there, with only a handful of starts thrown in. What I want to see is that he is the starting striker for at least 3 or 4 games back to back, should maybe be even more if he shows anything in those matches. If he doesn't get that then I fear another Borini/ Lambert/ almost any promising player we have bought instance.

08 Jun 2015 20:55:00
If the club sign 20% of the players that the fan ask for we could have won the league by now .Everybody knows who the good players are, and who can fit the system . All we ask for is one or two class players a season is that difficult for the 8th richest football club the world ,you build a team you don't have to buy them all at once and in three seasons we'll have good team that can challenge.

08 Jun 2015 20:58:06
Suarez has gone! He had / has talent but knew nothing about how to conduct himself in a professional, mature manner. I want this club to be as great again as it was and deserves but I also want it to be respected, as it was, for being a great team bigger in whole than the sum of its parts. Forget Suarez - I had before he even left - when he led people to disrespect our great club due to his hideous behaviour. Danny Ings, welcome to LFC, give it your all, respect this great club and learn more along the way and hopefully you will gain and grow with the respect of generally an excellent group of fans!

08 Jun 2015 21:01:47
I first read that as "my point is ings will be as good as Suarez" I was almost just about to skip ha but top post sums it up nicely!

08 Jun 2015 21:11:49
Fail to see how the owners are 'dithering' where Rodgers is concerned. He survived and we're moving on.

As for Ings, he should get the starting nod at this point. Sturridge is out for a while, and Origi has played no BPL football. If Balotelli's gone this summer, he's definitely getting the start (unless we add, obviously)

08 Jun 2015 22:23:40
Completely agree with your post, EMS. We should give the guy a chance.

However, careful with the stats - Luis scored 17 goals in 39 games in all comps in 2011/12, whereas Ings scored 11 goals in 37 games in all comps last season. Also Lukaku scored 20 in 48 last season in all comps.

The more important point is that Ings is s versatile striker, as shown by his even spread of goals with right, left and head, and is a young England player who already has U21 caps.

Lets support him and hope BR gives him a decent run in order to be able to prove himself.

I actually think, having a similar-styled (albeit not in same class - yet) striker to Suarez could really help Sturridge next season and/or Mario (if we still have him).

08 Jun 2015 22:46:39
So you don't see them firing the staff he trusts and employing a staff he doesn't want prolly hence, weakening him as dithering? Doesn't have mean they don't trust him. Why are they keeping a guy they fundamentally don't trust? Because you ignore the fact that it is raining won't make it stop raining. Asking to just support the owners and managers is just foolish because it fails to take into account the very concerns I mentioned. I will continue to voice my concerns about the shambles we are in because the review changed NOTHING in my view. Did the owners appoint the assistants? NO! I would understand the sackings if that was the case but it wasn't. All ithe review did was pass the buck over to assistants that BR brought in and are now paying for his own failures. People can call me negative all they want , it won't change the fact that my concerns are valid.

09 Jun 2015 05:05:38
Dont know about you guys but i see a certain Micheal Owen in Danny Ings. Now i think if BR switches to a system with two strikers with coutinho behind them i am sure Ings will score 15+ goals rather easily. but if he is alone upfront and we try that death by football trash thing he might be the next player we hang up the ladder. It was similar with Balo borini and lambert.

09 Jun 2015 10:59:07
EMS you summed up my thoughts exactly. I'm fed up with 'fans' slating players before they kick a ball just because they aren't world wide superstars. let's face facts at the present time we will not attract these superstars we all crave. In my opinion the world stars that would come are more than likely mercenaries. Instead we need to find those diamonds in the rough like Coutinho and Suarez. I am excited by Ings, he is young versatile and has proven he can score in the premier league. More importantly it appears he had other offers (as did Milner) and therefore both chose us, I would take players who actually want to play for us over players just coming for a pay day any day of the week

08 Jun 2015 18:52:29
Why not go for gignac . He's had a very good season and wouldn't cost the world

08 Jun 2015 19:21:29
Because it might make sense 5ive haha

08 Jun 2015 19:43:30
They would prob ask for 6 mill and we would offer 1m and add ons

08 Jun 2015 20:30:49
He`s off to Dynamo Moscow and is not good euff and too old. Fixed it for you!

08 Jun 2015 17:06:00
Can I just say I was very relieved when I saw that Derby bought Bent after he was released by villa.

08 Jun 2015 17:31:55
Why?

That in reference to historical interest in the player?

08 Jun 2015 17:53:01
davey we've been signing all english free agents so far.

08 Jun 2015 15:58:31
Hi eds is there any interest in marc bartra?

{Ed002's Note - Try the Barcelona or European pages.}

08 Jun 2015 15:40:25
Even though he doesn't deserve it and may get a couple red cards, has anybody thought if we just unleash balotelli and let him play his game and not try to control him he'd be actually quite good? He likes to play the deeper striker role where he can link up with the mids and roam around. Ideal if he had sturridge or origi ahead of him to run through.

I'd sell him for sure but if we have no takers then we may aswell try and not blow 30m on benteke.

08 Jun 2015 17:45:47
Glad I'm not the only who thinks Balotelli can still save his career at Liverpool. Awful season no doubt, but apart from Coutinhio (who really just had an acceptable season) nobody did well. Balotelli is just an easy target to defer the truth, that everybody in the squad had as bad a season as he did.

08 Jun 2015 17:55:57
can balotelli save his career in liverpool? yes. but a very, very big portion of the work has to come from him.

08 Jun 2015 18:14:29
I can't see Rodgers giving him that chance.

Sturridge was out almost all season and Rodgers did not give any of his strikers a fair chance (Balotelli, Borini or Lambert).

08 Jun 2015 18:21:55
Clear difference between "can" and "will".

I don't think the guy has the passion to get to the top. Such a great shame as the attributes he has deserved someone with a lot more dedication and execution.

What a waste.

If you could combine Balotelli's ability and Carra's application you'd end up with


well

Suarez!!

08 Jun 2015 20:38:59
Look balotelli is a con.

Most of his goals at milan were either free kicks or penalties, and this season i have failed to see any kind of footballing intelligence at all.

You're either a centre forward who's big and stands in the box or you like to get involved in build up play and run at the opposition a bit.

Balotelli however is a centre forward who should be moving around in the box, but instead he trudges round as far away from the ball as possible, shows no movement and if he was given marks for creating chances he would probably be in the minus numbers. And don't give me any crap about him having a certain 'play style'- he's a big, athletic lad, i'm sure he can run a bit faster and more nimble than someone who needs a zipper frame.

Then there's the blatant lack of practising.
Suarez wasnt world class when he came here, he kept practising and practising and perfected his game.

Balotelli clearly has some kind of natural ability in being able to hit the ball very hard, and he has a big aerial presence - so you say go and perfect your shooting accuracy and your in the box movement, as well as heading.

But nah, clearly he's beyond that. I haven't heard one report or defence from liverpool colleagues who claim he is working overtime to correct his flaws.

Proof is in the pudding really.

08 Jun 2015 20:42:59
I want him gone. That way, he will no longer be used as the scapegoat for all our troubles and will no longer serve as cover for others` blunders. I think he can still play despite his inability to work on his talent which he defo has.

09 Jun 2015 03:17:36
so gerrard is a con?

08 Jun 2015 16:09:35
All this talk about strikers and mid fielders. The reason we didn't win the premiership season before last was down to bad defending.I would be much happier if there was some serious moves top class cb as well,the performances last season was probably worse

08 Jun 2015 17:14:36
Poor defending was A factor. No arguments there. But I don't thing we were good enough to win the premiership in any other department either.

08 Jun 2015 18:16:10
We've signed plenty centre backs we just don't use them well.

Also Can needs to be shifted into midfield, he should be much better there than having tricky wing forwards turning him dizzy!

08 Jun 2015 21:04:13
if we don`t defend well, then that is a coaching issue BUT our issues are uncoachable hence, we lost the title due to an admission of failure from a manager who clearly couldn`t be arsed about our defensive woes

09 Jun 2015 00:05:17
It's pretty clear that our poor defending is down to coaching. We have had so many centre backs come and go under the current manager.

09 Jun 2015 03:25:18
We need two solid top level experienced players at the back.
Howedes to replace Skrtel at RCB, Arbeloa in at RB, it would allow Flanagan to naturally claim the RB position in one or two seasons. Plus we don't need a RB to bomb up and down the wing, we already have Moreno who's a defensive risk.

08 Jun 2015 15:07:06
Hi eds and other readers

What would be a good summer for you.

I am hoping for a striker that can score 20 goals a season, Defensive mid and new center back.

I think this would be enough to push back into top 4.

Thoughts?

Regards

08 Jun 2015 15:24:13
It's who we can get is the problem, it seems benteke is the only half decent striker were looking at and he's just not suited to our game, which is why we had sterling playing up top last season because he had pace.
Sherwood even though I hate him is right, he said benteke shouldn't go to Liverpool because they don't cross the ball, and it was only when Sherwood got appointed did benteke start scoring again because he plays the long ball game.

I can see what's going to happen right now, ings will be better than benteke because he's more suited to our game but will sit on the bench if we sign benteke because you can't buy someone for 30m and sit him.
Then we'll have another lambert and balotelli situation next season with ings out of form because he never plays and benteke getting slated by our crappy fans because he's not performing. When really it'll be Brendens fault not his.

08 Jun 2015 16:03:12
My issue is that now Ings has arrived that gives us the 4 forwards we need in Lambert, Origi and Sturridge. I will assume that Balo, Borini and Aspas will move on. Will we buy a fifth forward? i'm not so sure!

08 Jun 2015 16:05:11
Best result from now would be

Lacazette, he really should be the absolute number 1 priority. He's the real deal. If we're looking at 30+ million for Benteke we're crazy, I'm confident that kind of fee could get Lacazette and he is so so so much better for us than Benteke. We need to replace the defending from the front attitude we had with the relentless pressure of Suarez as well as some of his eye for goal.

If we get him, then we can focus on a Mascherano, Medel, Fernandinho, Matic, Khadira type quality defensive midfielder. Lucas can't be relied upon for a whole season and we don't have someone who protects our defense, haven't for years, hence why our centre backs so often look utterly exposed. Gerrard never was the answer there but if we sort that then I'm sure our defenders will look much more solid if they're not so disjointed from the rest of the team.

A goalkeeper. Lloris, Ter Stegan, ?? someone that inspires the defenders from behind the line as well as the defensive mid protects in-front and that can allow us to play a higher line, press further up the pitch.

In that order and only once the primary need has been addressed should we spend the kitty on the secondary and tertiary objectives so we don't end up short of funds again and come up a couple of mil short on Lacazzette.

08 Jun 2015 16:23:48
Benny C best post I've read on here for a very long time and I couldn't agree more. Nice to see a bit of logic instead of utter restarted nonsense

08 Jun 2015 16:24:55
For me I would be happy with the below as our business this summer.

Rui Patricio (although looks like Bogdan).
Martin Montoya.
J. Milner. Free.
Y. Konplyanka. Free.
M. Kovacic.
D. Ings. Free.
G. Higuain.

For me that would be an ideal summer and all are feasible targets that could be bought.

Sell.

Enrique.
Coates.
Skrtle.
Alberto.
Aspas.
Lucas.
Allen.
Borini.
Balotelli.
Lambert.

08 Jun 2015 16:26:37
Fatjan you exactly right with that post but the problem is Rodgers doesn't see the need for a DM and lacazzette is WAY out of our league, we may have the money but he wouldn't be interested atall.
Think that's why the only serious links to strikers we've had is benteke, because he plays for a lesser team than Liverpool.
Vietto would be a good shout but he likes Spain.
So who else is there?
I think the main problem I have with Rodgers in charge is we buy from teams who's players would jump at the chance to play for us, where as a klopp/ancelotti/Benitez are known successful managers who can and will attract top players with or without CL.
This is our main problem I think.

08 Jun 2015 15:56:20
My list:

Vietto

Medel

Cech

The realistic list which still won't happen lol :

Mitrovic/konoplyanka

Imbula (Marseille lad)

Lopez (ac Milan)
Navas(real if they get de gea)
Schmicel (spelt wrong but would be expensive I imagine)

Both lists are unrealistic but if were going to improve these are the positions we need to fill and they were just a couple of names thrown out that I like.

I do like Ings and Milner and have a feeling (just a little one) that these have been signed to save abit on our transfer budget and with some luck we will go all out and spend out on one top player and add bogdan aswel.

Which could be

Vietto, ings, Milner, bogdan

With ballo, borini, aspas, Alberto, gwrrard, ebrique, jonno out.

And potentially sterling, skrtel going aswel which would then need addressing. But until they go I suspect a very quite summer and only one player spent on

08 Jun 2015 16:51:32
Jones, you are forgetting Origi.

We are not going to be getting Higuain. We will have 4 strikers next year and that is enough. Ideally, yes Origi would take a year on loan, as he is just a kid right now and we could bring in a player like Higuain but that's not going to happen.

Sturridge, Origi, Ings, and one of Lambert or Balotelli.

08 Jun 2015 17:07:43
Sadly puzzled I agree, but every transfer window (which hasn't opened yet btw) I hope for one qwality signing and I am left disappointed that yet again we have gone for resale or quantity instead.

We have the whole summer to wring our hands and moan, i rhink i will wait and see where we are at the end of it.

08 Jun 2015 18:08:43
There's a slight chance on Higuain as per one of the Ed's have said. That's why I included him as he is the best out of options available to us.

If he moved somewhere else then I would choose Carlos Vela. I know we have no chance in likes of Tevez, Vietto, Martinez, Rues, Cavani, Falcoa or Benzema and that's why I chose Higuain.

08 Jun 2015 18:18:19
Barnes, Milner is proven top quality.

08 Jun 2015 14:49:50
I haven't read the site for a few days, question for the posters ( although I'm sure its already been asked ) and in particular Ron Keague and Daveybootle. Whether you wanted him to stay or go, how do you think he has behaved letting his backroom staff fall on there swords for him? And is his behavior befitting of a Liverpool manager? Banter please ed's.

08 Jun 2015 15:06:35
Wasn't it an independednt review of the club? Every one knows I've wanted BR gone since before Christmas. I don't think it's about BR letting his assistants take the fall. ed002 has said the review was done,this all seems to be part of the review and FSG's decision making. I feel they are making a mistake not getting rid of BR and starting again in the coaching and management department but ultimately it's their decision. I don't think it's necessarily BR's job to say ''yup I've not been as successful as I want,so I'll give up a sweet paypacket and move on''

08 Jun 2015 15:13:39
Ruthless.
Yes, all LFC's top managers had a ruthless streak.

Xx

08 Jun 2015 16:04:30
In comparison to which manager/managers in particular Ron? RUTHLESS I'd say gutless myself,but it's all about opinions and maybe honor and pride are dying out with my generation Ron and giving way to vacuous self serving values. It's all about the Benjamin's now, regardless of how you look.

Bobatron, do you not think a manager who believed in his ability and his " PHILOSOPHY ", would have said in this so called " review " that if my team are to blame then so am I, and if you deem them not good enough then you deem me not good enough? So if you move them on then you move me on?

For me I now view him as a weasel, who would back stab anyone to save himself, although why any of this has shocked me I don't know, because he's blamed everyone but himself when it's gone wrong for the last 3 years.

08 Jun 2015 15:58:26
Without actual knowledge of what is going on inside the club it becomes pure guess work as to who is doing what.

08 Jun 2015 15:57:34
Waro, I've always stood by my mates as I would in any picket line etc etc.

If he has acted like that then it's wrong. Then again, he's in a position where he's expected to act out of interest for the club.

I'm not sure this is all from the manager and I suspect players may have an influence in this decision.

Brendan did hint previously at other problems.

If he has influenced the decision then he's a snake.

08 Jun 2015 17:12:04
I understand the point that Waro has made.
But, IMO, I think that FSG have changed the emphasis on how the club is set up.
There will be a head coach, interchangeable at any time.
But with fixed staff (subject to performance) that are not the Head Coach's direct choice.
That is not to say that a future new Head Coach could not being someone with him, but likely not a full top and tail change that has been the norm previously.
That's how I'm reading it anyway.

08 Jun 2015 19:46:59
I think the juicer has hit the nail on the head with his post, let's get behind Rogers and whoever comes in , we must improve on last year

08 Jun 2015 23:12:25
Waro, I have echoed the same concerns on the result of this shambolic review and the as you say, gutless decision to keep him under such strange conditions. I have lost faith in BR standing by his staff and saying, "if they go, I go too" because you need to have integrity, be principled, be a team player and take responsibility for your failures as a leader, all of which he lacks so not holding my breath there. As for the owners decision, it is baffling that they say they wanna keep him yet fire his assistants. Isn't that weird? I would understand if they appointed Pascoe and Marsh but they didn't, BR did. How do you do that and appoint people he doesn't want? So if he fails again, should he get the blame then? I'd say no because it will be the owners fault because their review would have caused whatever mess that this would cause. I am very skeptical of this new system and our concerns need to be considered instead of written of as negativity, IMO.

08 Jun 2015 23:35:43
Waro why would he do any of that? He's an employee trying to make a wage,whose probable future wages/jobs and notoriety come from not getting sacked.

Now given we've heard different things about the bringing in of Balo and the transfer committee and BR's power in it.He's got a ready made excuse that the team isn't his. especially if that Jhonson contract was enforceable,and Gerrard had as much power as has been hinted at.

Now there are probably times when people have walked away from jobs because they feel they had failed,and lost the trust of those in charge. But there are plenty of time,in any walk of life,that those on sweet contracts have sat and reaped the rewards,of the contracts given them in error. I personally wouldn't walk away from this job. I would think it would have a negative impact on my future employability,income etc.

08 Jun 2015 14:10:25
A lot of you so called "fans" complaining about ings already.
The guys good, he's more suited to our game than lambert balotelli and borini.
He scored more for a team that had the worst goal scoring record in the league than lukaku and falcao.
But if we signed lukaku for 30m this morning all you lot would be preaching top 4 right now.
Ings presses, gets in behind and is quick!

What you should be worried about is barret saying this morning that were still very interested in benteke, who imo would be a disaster signing, 30M+ doesn't press, doesn't run in behind and has said he wants guaranteed playing time from who ever he sings for.
He's a slower version of balotelli, and there game is very very similar so what's the point?

08 Jun 2015 13:15:27
I like Ings, I can see why the management pushed so hard for him,
He'll add good ariel presence and he's good at getting in behind, and he seems to have an arrogance in his play, I like a player that believes in himself,
Now I just hope he gets a run of games and isn't shunted out to left centre back or some other ridiculous position.

08 Jun 2015 13:41:24
Yeah I'm sure a striker that scored 9 goals from open play will bring us top 4 back. A player that shirked the chance to save his club. That's just the kind of player we need.

08 Jun 2015 13:45:39
Burnley were relegated.

08 Jun 2015 14:13:03
Im pretty sure Ings will not be the only striker coming to LFC. He will probably be 3rd choice with Origi as 4th choice striker. I think the club will cash in on Sterling and use the cash to sign a proven performer like Aubameyang or Higuain instead of relying on Sturridge's fitness. Ings has simply come as a squad player along with Origi to replace Borini and Lambert. Balo will probably be replaced with a 1st team striker so that is 3 out 3 in and gives the club 4 strikers to start the season with.

08 Jun 2015 14:19:04
What's burnley getting relegated got to do with ings?
Burnley scored the least goals last season 28 and ings was involved in 17 of them, 60.7%
11 goals in 35 games for a bad team is great.
10 goals in 36 games lukaku
Balotelli
Falcao
Dzeko
Jovetic
Welbeck all scored less.

08 Jun 2015 14:28:14
Ings is a good player with great potential. Playing in a team with better players, players who will find him more often than not will only improve him. With this will come more chances.more goals. I have a feeling a lot of humble pie will be eating for the next year or two when it comes to Ings. a good buy.

08 Jun 2015 14:49:14
Natural Poolie is quoting something said by an editor so instead of forming his own opinion he jumps on the bandwagon! Sound familiar?

08 Jun 2015 18:11:57
There's plenty of that going about rover!

08 Jun 2015 12:27:57
HI Ed,

So many rumours about kovacic has been flowing for the past few days. Is any part of it true? Since chelsea have also been reported to be behind benteke, is there any other stirker we'd be looking for?

{Ed002's Note - RTP.}

08 Jun 2015 12:41:23
A British manager who decides (after a lacklustre season) to fill our team with good old fashioned English players who play with pride, and hard work, and pride, and passion and pride. I'm so glad that we are back to doing this because English players always win us trophies. It worked out well for Kenny in his last season.

So much pride and Englishness in this team now we'll surely win because the team that's most English and most passionate always wins. Right?

08 Jun 2015 13:05:32
See EMS' and my point below.
No reason why an English-centric team won't get you top four and better, and through the CL qualifying stages.
Then you build from there.
The foreign players will come if there's CL football to offer, otherwise why would the fancy names that everyone craves come up to Liverpool and a very alien (to them) way of life ?

08 Jun 2015 13:16:26
Did someone say we'd win trophies guaranteed with these English players, I must of missed that post but having a nice group of English players can only help, to know what it means to play for liverpool because if you believe Flanagan, hendo, Sturridge, sterling, ibe and I injured lallana haven't been among our best players not forgetting gerrard then I can't help ya. Jhonsons rubbish yeah that's true but think of balo,borini,skrtel,migs(at times) lovren, Moreno, Nuff said.

08 Jun 2015 13:16:29
Having a strong core of good british players is certainly a positive! Can't sense if you're being sarcastic though. Support the players, we don't need negativity clouding the club.

08 Jun 2015 13:17:05
well of course that's not true but i think its a good thing if you can find English players up to par and of fair value in transfer market. If you mean Milner then personally think he is a great addition, and Ings although novice to this sort of stage maybe looks like a proper striker with good football brain

08 Jun 2015 14:36:08
I think perhaps the humour in my post has been missed, also the point.

08 Jun 2015 14:52:22
There is no doubt in the Epl that you need British players in your team scattered with a sprinkling of the more talented and technically gifted foreign influence.

08 Jun 2015 15:01:07
Nevada, irony is something this site has a problem with, next time put a smiley at the end!

08 Jun 2015 17:01:31
The OP was derisive, rather than sarcastic.

08 Jun 2015 19:13:50
The original post wasn't actually a tongue in cheek pop at our signings. It was actually a tongue in cheek pop at the narrow minded method by which people view a signing as good or bad.

Too many people were far more concerned with whether a player was English or passionate and not with whether or not we actually need the player. That was my point, I just decided to wrap it up in a package that made it more silly than inflammatory hoping that the good humoured people of lfc supporters might see it for the good humoured banter that it was. I'll be more obvious next time.

08 Jun 2015 12:00:40
I think Ings is a good signing. He reminds me of Bellamy with his pace and power. I think he will do well for us and offers more than Borini. Let's get behind the lad. If he went to Chelsea or Man City all fans wouldn't say he's not good enough.Remember Suarez, Rush, etc etc were not great known forwards before coming to the club and look how they worked out.

Baz

08 Jun 2015 12:36:45
Borini played less than 400 minutes for us in the league last year, so I'm not clear why people keep bringing his name up? Ings has stated he expected plenty of play time wherever he went and was seeking assurances over game time. Make of it what you will, but I can't see him signing for us to only play 400 minutes.

08 Jun 2015 12:45:40
Stop hiding behind disagrees and post a coherent alternative view to Baz!

All this hate to new signings who haven't even played yet is just utterly pathetic!

08 Jun 2015 12:53:51
Ings is nowhere as quick as Bellamy.

08 Jun 2015 13:15:15
P.S. I'm not a BR lover or apologist, quite the opposite, I wish we had gone for Klopp.

However, Ings is a decent young British striker who we are likely to have not paid much money for. His style and effort fits with the sort of game that most of us like to watch and like Liverpool to play.

So, rather than slating him because he is not Benzema or Jackson Martinez, or Luis Suarez, let's support him and see what he can do in our team.

With a bit of luck, a more established striker will be bought to supplement him, Sturridge and Origi.

I certainly have more faith, given how BR sets up his teams, that Ings will have more of an impact for us than either Ricky or Mario did.

08 Jun 2015 13:19:13
Let negativity consume their sorry souls. Ings is young and could become a beast of a player with technical coaching and good service. Look forward to seeing him in a red shirt!

08 Jun 2015 13:37:11
I don't see how a striker that scored 9 goals from open play is going to make any difference. People saying they like his work rate and attitude yet the guy shirked his responsibility as top scorer and penalty taker to refuse to take the penalty that could of kept his club in the PL. What's he going to do if he finds he has a important penalty to take in EL? Refuse?

08 Jun 2015 13:47:24
Burnley were relegated.

08 Jun 2015 14:38:03
Zed, 'more faith given how BR sets up his teams' ? He didn't t even play a striker for half the season. Ings can be added to the borini, balo, aspas, lambert pile of bench warmers that get dropped if they score/ have a good game and then BR wonders why they don't do well when he recalls them 10 games later and gives them 10 mins playing time.

08 Jun 2015 14:48:18
I don't understand why you keep repeating that Yuri, unless you've got your keyboard set to paste your last comment over and over again.

Just to give you one in a myriad of examples why your comment is pointless:

in 2002-3 West Ham were relegated, much as Burnley have been now.

They sold (during that close season and/or in the following January):

Joe Cole
Glen Johnson
Michael Carrick
Jermain Defoe

Does that make all of the above crap players? I'm talking at the time, not now!

08 Jun 2015 15:28:00
Swishcleaner, let it he said that you're a knob.

08 Jun 2015 15:53:20
I really hope Ings comes in and makes the doubters eat their words. There are so many people that cannot see the wood for the trees. We don't have champions league football so we are not going to attract Tevez, or that level of striker. We are already in debt and people want 50m signings, it's not going to happen. We have the making of a great young squad and have increased our quota of English players. Get behind the team and stop slagging of our new players until they at least play!!!

08 Jun 2015 16:00:02
Swishcleaner may of expressed himself in an unsavoury way but the crux of the argument, that Rodgers seems to misuse all of the striking staff, is a pertinent one. Ings will fair no better than any of the other players if Rodgers uses him in a similar fashion.

08 Jun 2015 16:07:39
Swish, I agree that BR's peculiarities are a major risk, and that's why I would strongly prefer someone else in charge now. However, for whatever daft reason, Balotelli and Lambert were not in any way the same sort of striker that has been used in the past (i.e. Suarez). Ings is more that style, hustling, low centre of gravity etc etc. And he has what I deem successful experience of the EPL during his season with Burnley (which Borini didn't have prior to joining us and quite frankly was unlikely to gain sitting on the bench).

Therefore, I do hope that Ings will get more game time and see more of the ball, and therefore contribute more than our existing reserve strikers.

I do still think, as I've said, that we need a front line, experienced striker, as Daniel is unfortunately made of fine bone china, but Ings should still be given the chance to prove himself a shrewd buy.

Dwarfonaboat - although we appear to be in agreement on this point, I think, when looking for knobs, you should look closer to home. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, it just gets my goat when people start jumping all over a young new joiner before he has even pulled on the shirt.

08 Jun 2015 23:29:16
Ings might not have been my choice but he's here now and needs our support because if he succeeds, we all succeed. However as Swisch and Zed have plaster, I don't trust BR with getting the best out of new signings. In fact, I can say that he has actually made them worse and Can, a very talented player, is a good example of that. If Ings comes in and we start playing Lallana as a striker just because BR feels like it, don't be surprised.

08 Jun 2015 11:58:30
Ings scored 1 goal more than lukaku yet is costing us 22m less and wants to play for us. This equals fans moaning like hell. Not all i know. Imagine the internet in the 70s and 80s bloody hell. Whoa this rushie bloke from chester he's poo. Omg were replacing keegan with dalglish have you seen celtic play. Weve sold our best striker and now getting aldrige from lowly oxford ffs.

08 Jun 2015 12:24:26
Difference being we had managers who knew what they were doing back then. Rodgers has done nothing but prove he doesn't know what he's doing.

08 Jun 2015 12:48:47
Lukaku scored 20 in all comps mate.

08 Jun 2015 12:57:56
The ccomparison to Lukaku is irrelevant. Ings is a good player, and most people will have already told you that. Like them, I am most concerned with whether he can step up. Every season, LFC go around picking up "bargains" they are sure will play like a £25 million player, but they end up getting burned. This is the prevalent experience, and the one the fans want to avoid, hence the concern.

08 Jun 2015 12:59:37
Some fan's can hardly call themselves fan's. We've always bought strikers from the lower leagues. Rush and aldo were outstanding john barnes came from Watford best no 10 we ever had

08 Jun 2015 13:55:05
Sure, let's bring up things from 30 years back, that's relevant. NOT.

08 Jun 2015 14:01:59
Kevin Keegan is another

08 Jun 2015 14:06:10
But lukaku is crap haha

08 Jun 2015 15:11:13
Si, signing John Barnes from warford is hardly comparable to Ings. He was a well established player who was signed for a big fee. Every top team would have wanted him at the time. Us and spurs are the only team in the top 6 showing any interest in Ings and he's basically on a free. I don't disagree that he has potential but all we did last year was buy a squad full of potential.

08 Jun 2015 11:11:18
Hey Eds, a two-parter if I may;

(i) how do you see Teixeira and Rossiter's development being managed going forward, and;

(ii) where do you see any clout/guts/purchase coming from in midfield next season, mindful Gerrard is done and Lucas likely to follow?

{Ed001's Note - (i) right now, badly mismanaged if anything. Teixeira needs to recover from his injury and get game time for us, but that is not going to happen. Next best thing would be a Prem loan, again not going to happen. So he will either end up going back down to the Championship or sit in the reserves next season. Rossiter needs a loan to the Championship where he will get games or a team like Crewe in League One, that play the right type of footie and offer good coaching. Otherwise he should be in and around our first team squad with the odd sub appearance next season. I expect he will just be left in the U21s though.

(ii) is that not the reasoning behind adding Milner?

08 Jun 2015 12:51:24
Ed where does the signing of Ings leave players like sinclair who in my opinion shows as much if not more potential.

{Ed002's Note - It makes no difference - it was known that the club were looking to Ings. Players will come and go and youngsters will get their chances if the deserve it. Loans may be an option if Liverpool get a lot smarter at the loan business. Else they will move on.}

08 Jun 2015 13:41:57
Thanks ed, i hope he does well for us now he is confirmed no point bitching about it just support the lad.

08 Jun 2015 10:57:20
I think Ings is a sensible/logical addition to the squad. He scored over 10 goals last season in a team that got relegated! He also has a great work rate, he never stops - the lad works his nuts off - exactly what we need. Work rate is catching, it will rub-off on his team mate, hopefully.

It seems a no brainer to me!

Good luck Danny Ings!

08 Jun 2015 11:26:46
I fail to see what he offers that Fabio Borini doesn't.

A hardworking forward who wants to do well and scored 10 goals in a side down the tail-end of the table (Burnely, Sunderland).

All sounds very familiar to me.

08 Jun 2015 11:29:24
The only way fans will accept Ings is if another striker (more experienced and better quality) comes in. If it is only Ings, then the fans will turn on the owners and manager as the signing of a top striker was a priority for this summer and Ings does not fit the criteria. Decent squad player to be used in Europa and domestic cup competitions but without a top calibre striker, the club will not get top4 next season either.

08 Jun 2015 11:32:02
Dont we have another striker that scored 10 odd goals to help keep a team up last year? Only 24 and works really hard. I hope Ings succeeds but it frustrates the hell out of me when half the players we have aren't given a run of games.

08 Jun 2015 11:43:36
Good to see the signing of Ings, would of preferred us to sign Charlie Austin as I think he is more of a finished product. but the lad can only get better so let's give him a chance & support him.

08 Jun 2015 11:48:59
Boring doesn't score enough.

08 Jun 2015 12:07:46
I think Ings will do o.k. Definitely better than Borini and I prefer him to Austin.He does not mess around in front of goal like our existing attacking players and is not afraid to go in where it hurts.

08 Jun 2015 12:17:31
Ings is younger, homegrown, and suits our system more due to being faster and more direct.

Added to the fact he scored far more goals from open play. Borini played in a better team that created better chances, and also scored a fair few penalties. Ings actually scored more in a team that did get relegated, didn't have any cup runs and he did this without taking penalties.

We have players capable of stepping up and taking a spot kick so that is not as important to us as a player with the pace to get in behind or the abiity to beat a man and get a shot off, so that he can score more goals from open play.

Not to mention the fact that Borini scored his 10 or so for Sunderland in his 3rd season in top flight football. He had already had a season in Serie A with Roma and a season with us.

Last season was Ings first in a top division. How did Borini do in his first season in the Prem? 1 goal? Ings got 11.

I really don't get the comparison. They are both very hardworking. The comparison starts and ends there.

08 Jun 2015 12:25:35
"Boring" should read "Borini" lol.

08 Jun 2015 12:42:24
Our strikers scored a combined 8 goals last season. Ings scored 10 in a relegation fighting team, that sums up why he is a good addition for me. Hopefully with Sturridge fit and with the amount of chances we create (we still created chances just didn't score from them) he will up that tally to mid teens.

08 Jun 2015 12:45:53
I think I am right in saying a fair few of Borini's goals for Sunderland were penalties. If you look at the goals Ings scored, the majority were poachers goals in and around the 6 yard box showing good movement and sharp reactions. Look at his header at old Trafford as an example, selling the centre half a dummy and giving himself a free header at the back post. I don't see him as he answer by any stretch of the imagination, but I think he will prove to be a good signing!

08 Jun 2015 13:23:50
Great signing. No brainer for the money paid. Work-rate, pace and goals. Exactly what we need.

08 Jun 2015 16:03:35
With Rodgers at the helm do you honestly expect Ings to be used correctly? Borini has been completely mismanaged, Lambert was a mistake to begin with as was Balotelli yet he still failed to give Borini any half decent chance. Any striker in that position would struggle for form.

08 Jun 2015 10:35:53
Hello eds,

So appears ings is a done deal. I hate to say it but I think it's tough times ahead for Liverpool. As much as I like ings, he's a hard working player, he has the heat, but he's not top quality! If you think about it, we went from Suarez, to Lambert, to balotelli, now to ings. If anything, that's going backwards. Liverpool ain't going to be able to attract any top class players without champions league and with Brendan Rodgers in charge. don't get me wrong, no matter who is in and who is in charge, I will always be behind them. But things need to change at liverpool football club, and fast.

JD

{Ed002's Note - None of this has anything to do with the Runt. Move on.}

08 Jun 2015 11:26:14
I am fairly sure that Ings outscored Lambert and Balotelli combined last season. I would say that is a step forward, but I understand it is not the big name people want.

08 Jun 2015 14:41:52
Would'nt be hard to out score our strikers as most weren't played or even on the bench for many games.

08 Jun 2015 10:33:39
Hi Eds,I was wondering if you had any charities you guys support? EMS and I had a bet on the amount of goals Balo would get this season for Liverpool Whereas I wouldn't expect him to transfer me the money. It would be nice if the bet was honoured in some way and he could make a donation to a charity of your choice?

{Ed002's Note - My great friends at the Seva Foundation do a lot of good work and have been helping in Nepal. Every little helps thanks: www.seva.org }

08 Jun 2015 10:55:53
Way ahead of you Bob. In honour of all the footballers who have died or suffered career ending heart attacks on the pitch I have set up a monthly direct debit of £8.67 to the British Heart Foundation.

This is a charity that is also close to my heart as I lost my Grandad to a heart attack and one of my childhood friends died whilst playing football at just 16 years old.

I intend to continue this donation for as long as I live.

08 Jun 2015 10:57:57
Thanks ed002 I'll make a donation myself too :)

{Ed002's Note - Good chap.}

08 Jun 2015 11:25:46
On ya EMS :) all for good causes and a few laughs along the way, sure your grandad and friend would be proud!

Feel like having another £10 wager this year for charity?

08 Jun 2015 11:56:52
Cheers mate. That means a lot.

Anytime mate. If I'm going to gamble, I'd rather lose my money to charity than a casino!

08 Jun 2015 15:08:42
We'll wait till near the beginning of the season and see what we can do.Most likely Ings to score so many goals etc? I'll bring it up again closer to PREM start in August

08 Jun 2015 09:35:34
Apparently Pako Ayesteran still owns a house on the Wirral. Makes sense like

08 Jun 2015 10:59:46
Brendan owns houses in Burnley, so what ?
Actually, cue the "should be managing Burnley then" remarks, haha.

08 Jun 2015 11:56:00
Burnley wouldn't have him.

08 Jun 2015 09:29:45
I doubt how efficient our transfer planning is tbh ? When we have a player like coutinho &maybe we could use texeira in that position why are we looking at kovacic ? what we need at the moment is a strong ,vocal,powerful mid fielder to play alongside milner & hendo. some one like kondogbia / cissoko / medel esque .

08 Jun 2015 09:51:43
which is exactly why we won't buy them. cause we need them.

08 Jun 2015 09:59:35
Kovacic doesn't play where Teixeira or Coutinho plays, he plays a similar role to Henderson, but has different attributes.

08 Jun 2015 10:12:35
i don't really understand what the fuss is about. kovacic is good player and can score a goal and he is available. i really don't understand why we don't need him? we need good players in all positions. He gives us options which would actually make an Impact. We need Quality, what's the harm? say if we were bidding for someone like vidal, should we not bid just because we have too many mids? ever seen that arsenal midfield - ramsey ozil wilshere carzorla rosiscky sanchez ox and walcott in one team. or chelsea for instance they got 6-7 top top midfielders. i for one think kovacic is genuine quality and i would be absolutely thrilled to have him at anfield.

for further proof please watch yesterdays croatia vs gilbratar match plz

08 Jun 2015 10:22:02
I think the issue is funds are tight and most would rather see those funds used to buy top quality in the positions we're severely lacking like a keeper and a couple of strikers. Not another midfielder that BR has no idea how he wants to use him.

08 Jun 2015 11:07:46
on the money swishcleaner.

08 Jun 2015 11:32:27
Everyone would love Kovacic if we had a bottomless pit of money. The problem is we don't and signing him means we won't be spending money in other areas. A better goalkeeper (I think) is more important than another central midfield player of whom we have an abundance of right now.

08 Jun 2015 12:35:39
We won't get Kovacic.He will be to expensive.I do not think Texiera will be up to the job either but would love to be proved wrong on both fronts

08 Jun 2015 08:39:20
Any info on our supposed interest in Bentaleb from Spurs?

{Ed002's Note - I don't, sorry.}

08 Jun 2015 05:13:29
Well at least the media is linking us to players like Zlatan, Tevez, Kovacic, higuain. so they haven't given up on LFC. Sadly from what i read here a lot of fans have given up hope for next season.
people we have had a squad when N'gog was our main striker, even then i believed we were top 4 certain. well he scored more goals than balo :P

08 Jun 2015 08:25:43
It was the same 2 years ago and we came 2nd

08 Jun 2015 08:30:31
Don't let the media leaked propoganda suck u in . We will have ings(who I like) origi Sturridge and lambert as our strikers next season . But hey we was in for the names u mentioned

08 Jun 2015 09:03:33
How is the fact that the emedia is linking us to anyone supposed to make us more optimistic? tomorrow they can link us to Messi. Based on what we did this season, our manager and the squad we have (minus Gerrad and maybe Sterling) and given how much our rivals improved there are a lot of reasons to be pessimistic. Yes, I will be more optimistic if Tevez and Zlatan will sign for us - but it will not happened. Simply, too good to be true.

08 Jun 2015 09:42:38
Ron, give it up lad, your looking for any crumb of comfort to back up your baseless argument for keeping swiss tony!

A so called man who let his backroom team take the blame for his ineptitude. Letting a man who has been with him 10 years take the hit, shows how slimey he is, I for one can't wait now until he's gone. I can't think of 1 manager from our past who would have agreed to sack his team to save his own skin.

08 Jun 2015 12:29:06
Love you Waro xx

The way you effortlessly turn every thread into an argument about the owners decision to keep Rodgers.

You're amazing xx

09 Jun 2015 14:29:13
Waro is right. BR has no integrity, principles nor backbone to take one for the team. The fact that the owners don`t trust him by hiring additional babysitters to watch over him proves that point.