Some thoughts on Liverpool’s transfer personnel in the summer

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This article will not discuss positions which we all agree needs to be strengthened left back, and both the wings. However I will try to point out a few personnel who I’d like to see come in and about a few currently on the books of LFC. We can all agree that the following players will be offloaded by the club come summer and we will hope to raise the maximum amount possible from these sales.

  1. Joe Cole
  2. Milan Jovanovich
  3. Christian Poulsen
  4. Paul Konchesky and a few others who are on loan like El Zhar, Emiliano Insua and may be even Nathan Ecclestone.

Left back: Of the above mentioned players I’d like for Insua to be given at least a year more at LFC. He was very good last season for Liverpool and was a real assist provider from the left back position; the season would have been different with his as a cover for Aurelio rather than the woeful Konchesky. There are a few question about his defensive capabilities and positional sense but all the available statistics show that he’d been better than Konchesky. So I’d want him to be given another season if not as a first team starter then definitely as a second choice left back. If he were to stay the defensive options for liverpool at right and left back will be

RB: Glenn Johnson-1, Martin Kelly-2 and John Flannagan-3.

LB: New first team player-1, Insua-2 and Jack Robinson.

Center back: I do not think that Liverpool needs to purchase a new center back as I’d keep Soto as a 4th or 5th choice CB for a year and also Daniel Agger, as injury prone as he is, for a year also. We have two young central defenders in Danny Wilson and Daniel Ayala, one who is a full Scottish international, a champion’s league player with rangers and the other one with solid performance at Derby where he is on loan and everyone who’s seen him is raving about him. They can be 3rd and 4th choice CB defenders, although, i wouldn’t mind a Sami Hyppia kind of a defender for his kind of price.

Left Winger: The one winger who I had in my mind and who is also experienced at the premier league level is Adam Johnson. He is an all round winger, can hug the line, can cut in and has pace and trickery to beat his man and a good shot. Manchester city are reportedly interested in a big money move for Alexi Sanchez we just might be able to get him for 10- 2 million price tag, with the only potential problem being man city may want to keep him just to comply with home grown rule and that might drive his price up.

Right Winger: Don’t have any real name for a Right winger with kuyt doing spectacularly there and Glen Johnson bombing down the touchline, the person selected would have to be exception to take kuyt’s place.

Striker: Liverpool has two exciting strikers in Suarez and Carroll and if need arises Kuyt can also take on the role of a central striker. Does Liverpool really need a striker?? In my opinion David N’gog deserves another season at Liverpool. This season he started really well with a very well taken goal against Arsenal in the opening game and continued his form to score a total of 7 goals in the season. He’s has in past been criticized for his lack of upper body strength and suffered mostly due to direct comparison with ‘El Sulko’. This season he has improved his upper body strength, his hold up play is good and he can score pass well, although his positional sense, heading abilities needs improving and he the ball entangled in his feet which needs to be improved too. I think he is as good a 4th Striker as any and will give him one more season at LFC to see if he improves or not.

Alberto Aquilani: The most controversial name on the list, Liverpool fans want him, he wants to play in Italy and Juve don’t want to pay up. I am a big fan of his and hated that Roy Hodgson sent him out to loan in Italy just as he was fully fit and ready to give his best for LFC. He’s a playmaker and can unlock defenses with his passing and movement. Imagine the passing of Aquaman with the positioning and movement of Luis it’d be great to watch. He can shoot and make amazing passes. In his first season with LFC he was coming out of a major injury and near the end of the season what he could do. In my opinion King Kenny is the perfect man to bring out the best in him. His man management skill is better than either Rafa’s or Roy’s and thus he will be better at “handling” Aquilani. His biggest weakness is that he is lightweight and is not prepared for the physical aspect of the English game. My response is David Silva. He is not the biggest or the strongest but he has been successful at Manchester City. I think Aquilani can play a similar role for LFC. The final reason to bring him back being why sell a creative player for a cut price and go buy one at a higher price.

Please post your views.

YNWA fellow Reds.

 

Bhaskar.

Twitter @bhaskarb

 

34 Comments

    1. no way why matt jarvis? wen ders people like young johnson much more quality players..remember we hv cash t spend nw nd insted we buy a jarvis?? Come on rethink

  1. No chance of getting Adam Jonston, City will never sell him to us. We need a young solid quick CB, Carra is on his last legs, and as much as I love Soto he is not LFC class. Insua maybe as back up, but we need a new CDM and a back up striker, Ngog is woeful

  2. Agree with most of that apart from the following:
    Centre back, Carra still has enough in his tank but Skrtel is too error prone. Wilson will come good but in about 3 years time. Soto gets turned inside out by any quick striker.

    Also Ngog – not seen enough to convince me he will ever be good enough for this league.

    If we are going to challenge for the title we need a good young striker (Connor Whickham please) and a quality centre half. We are behind the likes of Manu and Chelsea in terms of centre halves.

  3. I agree with almost all of this

    N’Gog off the bench isn’t too bad and Kuyt can certainly fill in there.

    I’d like to see another winger.

    I like the list of people you’ve given to sell.

    Left back is a giant concern, I love our young talent at fullback, but I don’t want to lean on them to heavy just yet.

    I also agree with Deano. I love Soto, but he’s shaky at times and can cause too many fouls. Skrtel is kind of streaky and relies too much on his physicality and can get burned by anyone with pace.

    Nice post!

  4. I think the first question has to be ‘What formation will we play?’ It looks like Kenny & Steve (let’s be honest, Mr Clarke is the tactical brain helping make sure Kenny’s time out the game isn’t noticed whilst the King is man manager extraordinaire – a brilliant double act) are playing a flexible 4-3-3 most matches which can morph into a 4-4-2. I like this flexibility and is a modern formation the likes of Madrid and Chelsea have used succesfully recently (also I think Villa-Boas has used this at Porto, interestingly…). There’s also a 3-5-2 which he’s rolled out.

    Assuming a 4-3-3:

    Reina

  5. Agree with a lot of the comments but my opinion is very much the same as Deano. Soto gets beaten far to easily and skrtel looks like a headless chicken sometimes. Carra and Agger are class but think we need a couple of centre backs until the young lads come of age (wilson & ayala). For me Phillipe Mexes would be a welcome addition on a bosman free and pay the money for Cahill from Bolton.

    I know you didn’t want to name targets but a punt on Taiwo from Marseille for the left back slot could be the answer and I agree that insua could do a job as back up.

    For the wings we would never get Johnson from City so for me its looking like Ashley young, Stuart downing, stephaine marveaux or Arda Turan pick any two!

    For me Ngog needs mire game time but not at our club. A loan move might be an option but if not I think he must go. Conor Wickham maybe worth a punt and as pointed out Kuyt has shown his best form in recent weeks playing with Suarez, who for me looks a bargain at just shy of £23million.

    My idea for the LFC squad for 2011/12:
    (new signings on caps)
    GK – Reina, Jones, Gulasci
    RB – Johnson, Kelly, Flanno
    LB – TAIWO, Insua, Robinson
    CB – Carra, Agger, MEXES, CAHILL
    RM – Kuyt (also CF), YOUNG
    LM – DOWNING, Maxi
    CM – Gerrard, Lucas, Aquaman, Spearing
    CF – Carrol, Suarez, WICKHAM

    The additions would cost about £50 million at a guess but adds a few free buys aswell.

    YNWA

    1. i totally agree with the above squad. it is well balanced and looks like it can challenge. my doubts are landing both downing and young. cahill is a definite. please bring aquilani back and wickham looks good. spearing is getting better but should aquilani come back, he will will have to compete with mereiles. taiwo will definatley be a good buy. what is for sure this summer is that Pool will buy quality players.

    2. GK – Reina, Friedel, Gulasci
      RB – Johnson, Kelly, Flanagan
      LB – Clichy, Aurelio, Robinson
      CB – Carragher, Cahill, Agger, Skrtel, Wilson
      W – N’Zogbia, Kuyt, Maxi, Sterling
      CM – Gerrard, Parker, Lucas, Meireles, Spearing, Shelvey
      ST – Suarez, Carroll, Wickham, Pacheco

  6. Yeah, just Pepe! What I meant to say was:
    RB: Johnson / Kelly / Flanno – feel sorry for Flanno with two ahead of him, but think GJ can play either flank

    LB: New 1st choice / Robbo – we need to make sure young blood are incentivised and not blocked. Insua’s return would send wrong message, as much as i have soft spot for him, a new approach is needed. GJ offers another option/cover.

    CB: Carra

  7. Yeah, just Pepe! What I meant to say was:
    RB: Johnson / Kelly / Flanno – feel sorry for Flanno with two ahead of him, but think GJ can play either flank

    LB: New 1st choice / Robbo – we need to make sure young blood are incentivised and not blocked. Insua’s return would send wrong message, as much as i have soft spot for him, a new approach is needed. GJ offers another option/cover.

    CB: Carra / Agger / Skrtel / Wilson / Ayala – Kelly should also be in this mix. There’s no need for another CB so long as one of 1st three are fit and can talk ’em through.

    Mid 3 – Lucas is great DM now, Jay an able deputy. Ste & Meriles offer creativity, but another one perhaps two creative players needed. Happy have Aqualani back.

    Fwd 3: A wide right is needed and perhaps a speedy alternative to Carroll to offer alternatives, in a Villa esque mode to play on the shoulder. I don’t think Ngog is gonna be the guy to bring on – we need a genuine alternative goal threat in same way Berba at Manure often comes off bench. Be good to see Rahem be an option and maybe even Pacheco too as alternative to Suarez on the left (as able deputy).

    Anyway, enough from me. Thoughts?!

  8. N’gog and Insua are just not good enough though at least N’gog stays in shape unlike 5 mins “Help me I am winded” Joe Cole. Conner Wickham looked terrific against 5’2 spanish kids who looked malnourished but have we seen enough against full sized people? Watched Arsenal game and he looked very very mediocre. Bojan though looks to be promising if he really is leaving Camp Nou. Skilled enough to play up front and on the wing.

    Adam Johnson no chance agree with MM.

    Winger issue to me is this. How much do we spend and how long does he last before Raheem Sterling comes? Do we go situational and get a premier league winger for the long term? Jarvis is decent at best and please dont use the “Most crosses this season stat” as Pennant did that once too.

    And do you guys prefer a traditional wing (N’zogbia type) to amplify Carroll’s effect or a tricky/decent pace/ scorer type like Lavezzi which would make Suarez doubly dangerous but make Carroll less so?

    Hoping Aqua comes back, he has consistent range all over the park, which no player we have can claim. We have players who can pass deep but its more hopeful and not the usual as under Xabi. Watch him move the ball at Juve, its effortless from 5 yards to 40 yards. Aquilani next to lucas means we have true passing range from the center, thus if we do get a pacy wing, we can push the opposition fullbacks back at will. A metronome passer to dictate tempo next to the engine that is Lucas would be terrific. Rate Aqua considerably higher than Adam and his Hollywood distribution.

    Unlike some of you I seem to think Skertl has been actually quite good under Kenny. He seems to be back to the stage when he first came under Rafa. Agger is done, too injury prone. Class is useless if its on the trainers table. Would love to see Kelly at CB as a naturally gifted athlete inside would be tremendous. Hoping for Cahill but I wonder if Arsene finally sees the light and offers him CL footy.

    Hoping for a LB to cover for 2 years until Robinson comes into his own. Aurelio is biscuits or I would gladly keep him as the cover.

  9. A nice read, but saying that agger should get “one more season in lfc” is ridiculous.. also think we should get a right winger and a young striker:)

  10. Look all we need in liverpool is ashley young(RW) adam johnsom(LW) aquilani(CM/AM) if aqulani goes then charlie adam… jones in blackburn(CB)..left back-bastos or enrique..dts all we need IMO

  11. This article is rubbish! Basically, you want to make do with what is and just get 2 wingers.Yet you also want to sell 7!In the top part you list Insua as one we all agree to be sold, then later want to keep him! Thank god you are not actually involved in our team policy!

    Anyone with half a brain knows we have no depth to our squad and would be in a mess if it was not for some good youth players. But that is what they are – youth players who need to be nursed along for the next two or three years, not overused and strained.

    The youth players issue aside, we have too many squad players and not enough class players and the team cannot go through a season like that, Witness – Gerrard and Torres have shown over this last 18months that even eatablished stars seriously break down if too much reliance is placed on them. And frankly, any player no matter how good is any use to the team if he is unable to play for long periods due to injusry.All that does is weaken the squad,

    KK has said that he does not want to overplay our young players and that we need at least 4 top class players, I trust his experience and judgement more than yours!

    As for Soto, Insua and Ngog,I do not see how they are even fit to be reserves! And Kuyt is a good goal poaching penalty box striker, not a winger – he wont be putting balls over for Carroll!

    I think you have no ambition for Liverpool to be challenging at the top of the PL and Europe and are a graduate to the Woy Hodgeson school of mediocratity.Bet you were one of them wanting him to stay and not be sacked!

    1. Hey old times thanks for your encouraging words. The purpose of this piece was not to say i am right and it should be this way, the purpose was to start a conversation and show that is the squad as bad as it has been made to look.
      By all means get the best for LFC to fill places where we need personnel, splurge on a new Left Back. Probably get a Centre Back also, but don’t spend on back ups as we have lot of good ones in the team already.

      As far as Ngog is concerned i don’t see how his return is different from a Mauruane Chamakh at Arsenal or a Pavylechenko at Tottenham. He needs game time and as suggested by lot of people maybe could be sent out on loan to a Premiere League Club.

      I wanted King in charge as soon as i found out he was interested and failing him Pelligrini was my choice. so hope that answers your concern of me being a Roy sympathiser.

      YNWA

  12. Concerning insua, glen johnson was a liability defensively last season too and insua is young he’ll improve besides he provided width on the left flank. I’ll also like to hold on to joe cole.

  13. aquilani should be back and insua.lfc should nt buy any left back cos johnson can play left aurelio robinson but if sell insua then buy another lb l dnt want 2 mention name but nzogbia is a better ldea can defend an overlap.cb get cahill or shawcross and suarez type 2 more then is over

  14. What’s the news on Arda Turan?
    I really hope he comes in… My choices for the rest would be:
    LB: Enrique
    LM: young
    RM: Johnson
    CM: Aqua/Adam

    It will give us pace, trickery and loads and loads of option for set pieces :)

  15. What’s the news on Arda Turan?
    I really hope he comes in… My choices for the rest would be:
    LB: Enrique
    LM: young
    RM: Johnson
    CM: Aqua/Adam

    It will give us pace, trickery and loads of option for set pieces :)

  16. What’s the news on Arda Turan?
    I really hope he comes in… My choices for the rest would be:
    Left Back: Enrique
    Left Mid: young
    Right Mid: Johnson
    Centre Mid: Aqua/Adam

    It will give us pace, trickery and loads of option for set pieces :)

  17. What’s the news on Arda Turan?
    I really hope he comes in… My choices for the rest would be:
    Left Back: Enrique
    Left Mid: young
    Right Mid: Johnson
    Centre Mid: Aqua/Adam

    It will give us pace, trickery and loads of option for set pieces!

  18. Kelly and Johnson together on the right. Agger staying is a must. Bring back Insua still young enough to improve with Aurelio. Aqualani should be given another chance to prove himself. The King will make him a world beater. Utilise the youth. Bring Pacheco, Morgan, Amoo, Raheem in to fill the slots and learn from the seniors. I don’t think we should overpay for Adam or Ashley. They’re not 90 minute players. Not the Liverpool way. Spend instead on Arda Turan and spend big on Tevez. He would be the missing link that takes te Reds above the rest. A mentality that’s so Liverpool and he will appreciate the commitment of the Kop and the King. Always thought that we took the worse part of the deal when it came to the choice of Masch and Tevez. Don’t spend on strikers. We have an abundance of talent in our youth setups. We might not even need wingers if we have a double set up of Aurelio/Insua and Johnson/Kelly on each side. Sell Poulsen, Konch, Jova and Joe (sadly) and all those who want out. Most importantly we need to tie the King down to a permanent contract. That would actually be the catalyst to our future success. We’re basically the same team with more injuries to the important players ad yet we’re where we are. He knows what we need. In the King I trust. So that would actually be the most imortant buy for the future. King Kenny forever.

  19. For me LW=Ngzobia, baqton or adam johnson
    LB=baines, insua, robinson
    no need for central defence bring aquilani back

  20. id like the following to leave;

    joe cole, aquilani, el zhar, ngog, poulsen, konchesky, brad jones, degen, jovanovic, darby, plessies, tom ince, insua;

    Loan out; wilson, ayala.

    Release; aurelio, love him but he just doesnt give us enough games in return for his wages, even though he is not a high earner, there just in not any point.

    Buy;

    Many people know we need a left back, if in a ideal world we had man citys money then two would be needed.
    but iof we cant or cant even try to get fabio coentrao here, because he can operate in many team systems and positions then id like CISSOHKO.

    CISSOHKO – HAS PACE, HAS THAT DRIVE AND WILL GET BETTER AND BETTER, HAS AGE ON HIS SIDE AND HARDLY GETS INURIES, THIS GUY IS FIT AND HAS ENERGY TO GIVE TO THE SIDE.

    JUAN MATA – if we cant get or maybe we are not looking at him we should be, id like navas but i fear he will stay in spain, and he is so spanish he gets home sick very much, also real or barca might come in for him, but i love little mata.

    HE WOULD GIVE BALANCE, PACE AND SOME TRICKERY TO THE LEFT FLANK, HE CAN ALSO PLAY UP TOP WITH A TARGER MAN TOO, THIS GUY IS ALSO BEST MATES WITH OUR PEPE TOO. HIS AGE AND CONTRACT ARE WHAT FSG ARE LOOKING AT ALSO.

    ROLANDO – THIS GUY HAS WINNER ALSO OVER HIM, HE KNOWS RAUL THAT WOULD HELP HIM SETTLE IN, HE IS VERY QUICK, GOOD AT SET PLAYS AND IS YOUNG AND AGAIN JUST WHAT FSG LIKE IN A FUTURE INVESTMENT.

    SCOTT PARKER, FOR HIS PREM KNOWLEDGE BUT I FEAR HE MIGHT GO TO SPURS AND HE IS A BIT OLD FOR FSG POLICY, BUT WHAT A ENGLISH PLAYER HE IS, HE STILL GETS UNDERATED, BECAUSE OF THAT FOOL BARRY AND LAMPARD, FOR ME PARKER SHOULD PLAY WITH GERRARD FOR ENGLAND.
    iF WE CANT GET PARKER ID LIKE EITHER

    EVER BANEGA OR MOUSSA SISSOKO

    I DID WANT LAVEZZI, BUT HE IS STAYING AT NAPLOLI, WHY I JUST DONT KNOW.

    I LIKE TO BREAK THE BANK AND GET AGUERO BUT I JUST CANT SEE IT, IF NOT ID GO FOR A RIGHT SIDED WINGER – FRONTMAN WHO CAN FLOAT AND PLAY EITHER WIDE OR UP TOP, ID GO FOR HULK.

    HULK – HE IS JUST BOSS,

    SO THAT’S

    HULK
    CISSOHKO
    MATA
    ROLANDO
    MOUSSA SISSOKO

    1. LB. Cissokho is the best there is, and his crosses are top notch & he is fast going up & down. 2nd choice, probably Ezzaguirre of Celtic.
      Midfield. Ince should be sold. Let him go on loan to another Prem team together with Ngog. Aqua should only be sold if we get Ever Banega bcuz he is a box2box MF + he can pass, Alonso style. If we keep Aqua, then get a solid DM in Yann M’villa. This guy is like a Mascherano who can pass, plus he’s box2box too.
      LM… Ashley Young. He can terrorise, cross or cut in and shoot. Pablo Hernandez is good too & wouldn’t be as expensive as Young and Mata.
      We don’t need a new striker. Arrival of a good winger (P. Hernandez) should push Kuyt to play upfront with Suarez & Carroll. Besides, we can dig into our academy for Adam Morgan & D. Pacheco for back up.

  21. Ins – Friedel (Free), Cahill (£18M), Clichy (£7M), Parker (£10M), N’Zogbia (£13M), Wickham (£11M)
    Outs – Jones (£2M), Darby (Released), Kyrgiakos (Released), Poulsen (£3M), Cole (£6M), Jovanovic (£4M), Ngog (£5M), Amoo (£350K), El Zhar (£3M), Aquilani (£8M), Insua (£5M), Degen (£2M)
    If it was me in charge of course!

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