Premier League 14/15 (Not just Liverpool talk)

[TylerB]

Don't think it's hindsight to be fair. Lambert lacks any pace and for me was never going to fit into Liverpool's team, when they're on form they press high up the pitch and play with a real intensity and that's just not his game. Balotelli was always destined to be a disastrous signing. Every Man City fan I know says he's a 1 good game in 6 type of player, sulky and petulant and it's no coincidence he's played for and been discarded by a lot of top teams. Rodgers ego got in the way, he thought he could be the man to "tame" Mario, he was wrong.......

 

I agree that he was a bit of a strange signing in that his attributes didn't fit Rodgers usual criteria for a signing. But Liverpool had Champions League football this season and needed a bigger squad, and Lambert is a proven player in this country. I also agree about Balotelli in that Rodgers probably thought he was the man to get the best out of him, only he's found that Balotelli isn't anything like as good as his reputation, or the clubs he has played for, suggests. But at the start of the season I would have still expected them to score at least 15 goals between them. They have a total of 3 in the league. Neither of them are anything like bad players and nobody can have expected that, including Rodgers.

[TylerB]

I think you can talk about individual players or bad luck with injuries until you're blue in the face. But for me a manager should be looking to make year on year progress and Rodgers hasn't done that this season. Might be harsh with Liverpool losing Suarez but tough **** that's football, and lets not forget he had all the Suarez money to spend and a load more to boot...........

 

But who would you have spent the Suarez money on as his replacement? It's all well and good people saying that he should have spend 30 or 40 million on one player, but who, realistically? All the top players that would have gone a long way to replacing him are already at top clubs earning larger amounts of money than Liverpool can offer. The Sanchez exchange never happened in the end, which isn't on the manager, and a potential deal for Marco Reus never materialized after Borussia Dortmund suddenly decided to keep the player after a transfer deal between the clubs was apparently agreed. Again you can't hold the manager responsible for that. People went on about Liverpool's defence not being good enough last season so Rodgers tried to amend that somewhat by signing Lovren, who was Southampton's player of the season let's not forget, and at the time looked to be a very good and sensible signing - although somewhat expensive at 20 million.

[Howjy04]

But why were you not saying this last season when Liverpool were playing absolutely outstanding football every week and blowing sides away? Serious question without any insulting or other nonsense. Rodgers has got many things wrong this season but last season he got many things, the vast majority of thing in fact, absolutely right.

 

But did he Beechy? Over 50 goals conceded last season will never win you the league.Brilliant,exciting ,goal scoring football is great to watch but there needs to be efficiecy at boths ends.If you had conceded 5-10 goals less season you would probably have won the league.A slight improvement in the goals against this season but look at the other end.Granted ,Suarez and Sturridge hasn't helped but the top clubs replace top players with top players.Sanchez didn't want to live in Liverpool and chose London.But Falcao,although not yet performing,chose Manchester.Di Maria chose Manchester.You suggested Ings the other day to come to liverpool.Really? He was a Championship player ,in your opinion,not long ago.Liverpool don't pay the wages anymore and until they do they will always fall short.Still the FA Cup to play for.

[TylerB]

Ings wouldn't be my choice, but it's the type of calibre player Rodgers might have to go for unless he can pull something out of the hat. As mentioned earlier in the thread I'd much rather Liverpool sign Berahino, a pacey player with a lot of potential but also a bit of an attitude apparently. Say what you like about Rodgers but he does improve young players massively - Flanagan, Henderson, Coutinho, Sterling etc, they've all come on in leaps and bounds during Rodgers' tenure. You could add Sturridge to that list too, when he's not injured!

 

Last season Liverpool were arguably a slip away from winning the league. As an attack minded side you're always going to concede goals. Had Liverpool been anything like as good at the back you'd probably be talking about an Arsenal 'Invincibles' comparison. United are obviously a prosperous club but let's not pretend that either Di Maria or Falcao would have joined them in their current state, that being United no longer being in the top 5 clubs in the world, without the ridiculous wage they can and did offer.

[Howjy04]

It will always be a balancing act to win the league.Only a few managers get it right.At the moment Brendan hasn't.

[Howjy04]

Ings wouldn't be my choice, but it's the type of calibre player Rodgers might have to go for unless he can pull something out of the hat. As mentioned earlier in the thread I'd much rather Liverpool sign Berahino, a pacey player with a lot of potential but also a bit of an attitude apparently. Say what you like about Rodgers but he does improve young players massively - Flanagan, Henderson, Coutinho, Sterling etc, they've all come on in leaps and bounds during Rodgers' tenure. You could add Sturridge to that list too, when he's not injured!

 

Last season Liverpool were arguably a slip away from winning the league. As an attack minded side you're always going to concede goals. Had Liverpool been anything like as good at the back you'd probably be talking about an Arsenal 'Invincibles' comparison. United are obviously a prosperous club but let's not pretend that either Di Maria or Falcao would have joined them in their current state, that being United no longer being in the top 5 clubs in the world, without the ridiculous wage they can and did offer.

 

Liverpool,at one time,were the best in the world,no question.Beating teams for fun,scoring goals at will but always had a really solid defence that worked as a unit.I don't know if you saw the likes of Hansen and Lawrenson playing together.Unfortunately ,for you, you are watching second raters ,whom the manager keeps calling 'fantastic '.United are the biggest club in the world with the possible exception of Real Madrid.United's income dwarfs anyone in the Prem so they will always be able to get the top players in and pay what like or need to.

[TylerB]

Liverpool,at one time,were the best in the world,no question.Beating teams for fun,scoring goals at will but always had a really solid defence that worked as a unit.I don't know if you saw the likes of Hansen and Lawrenson playing together.Unfortunately ,for you, you are watching second raters ,whom the manager keeps calling 'fantastic '.United are the biggest club in the world with the possible exception of Real Madrid.United's income dwarfs anyone in the Prem so they will always be able to get the top players in and pay what like or need to.

 

I'm not talking about their fan base or history though. At the moment they are miles behind Real Madrid, Barcelona and FC Bayern, where they want and should be, and not even the best side in England. I'm well aware of what Liverpool once were, but this is present day and Liverpool haven't been a top club for years now. But I do know that despite a very mixed season (one that could still end in Silverwear at this moment in time) that Liverpool have a much better bunch of players and are financially in a far, far better position since Rodgers joined the club. None of that can be argued.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Why do you harp on about Suarez like he's the only world-class player to make a big difference to a side? Take Hazard out of Chelsea or Ronaldo from Madrid and they're nowhere near the same force despite having other fantastic players. But it's down to the manager and the system he played that got Suarez playing so well and scoring pretty much every week last season. When Luis first joined Liverpool his talent was there for all to see but he would need 3 or 4 chances to convert one and was nowhere near as prolific.

 

Because he made the difference to a team that were regularly finishing 5th to 7th, he leaves and look where they are likely to finish...

 

I don't think Hazard is world class, losing Ronaldo would make a big impact. However both of those teams are huge and could easily drag in a great player to replace the loss of a great player. Liverpool, despite Rodgers protestations, are no longer a big club in terms of the world stage and as they were discussing on 606 if Rodgers called a players agent the agent would probably say 'aren't you a country and western star?' ;)

 

The thing I really don't understand is they battled really hard to get into the CL and then gave it up like it was the JPT.

 

More problems loom as I see there are reports Henderson is going to turn down 80k per week! Will the last player of hope at Anfield turn out the lights when they leave!!

[valiant_593]

Hazard is definitely world class.

[TylerB]

Because he made the difference to a team that were regularly finishing 5th to 7th, he leaves and look where they are likely to finish...

 

I don't think Hazard is world class, losing Ronaldo would make a big impact. However both of those teams are huge and could easily drag in a great player to replace the loss of a great player. Liverpool, despite Rodgers protestations, are no longer a big club in terms of the world stage and as they were discussing on 606 if Rodgers called a players agent the agent would probably say 'aren't you a country and western star?' ;)

 

The thing I really don't understand is they battled really hard to get into the CL and then gave it up like it was the JPT.

 

More problems loom as I see there are reports Henderson is going to turn down 80k per week! Will the last player of hope at Anfield turn out the lights when they leave!!

 

Of course they could, but what has what they can do because of their financial muscle got to do with Rodgers and what he could realistically do after losing Suarez? I don't understand. Every team has a couple of players that they are much lesser without. Daniel Sturridge is one of Liverpool's two, and he's been missing for the majority of the season and when he has been on the pitch he's been nowhere near 100%. Obviously it makes a big difference to the Liverpool side and a big difference to the points tally at the end of the season.

 

I'm a fan of Henderson, I like him as a hard-working player and admire his attitude. But he'd be very, very lucky to be on 80K per week, so if reports are correct, which I don't believe at all, then thanks and goodbye to him.

[beasty77]

Up until the recent game between the 2 sides Arsenal had actually conceded the same amount of goals as Liverpool. Both sides are much better going forward than defending. The big difference being Giroud has been fit and scoring goals all season and Sanchez has been outstanding as expected for Arsenal, while Sturridge has missed most of the season and any sort of replacement for Suarez wasn't found.

 

Also, Arsenal have got Ozil, who since coming back from his injury in the new year, is starting to look like the Ozil that played for Madrid. Fantastic player..Plus Giroud hasn't been fit all season, he got injured in August, and has only recently come back a couple of months ago..

Looking at Liverpool's side would any of their players get in Arsenals side??I didn't think so either.

[TylerB]

Also, Arsenal have got Ozil, who since coming back from his injury in the new year, is starting to look like the Ozil that played for Madrid. Fantastic player..Plus Giroud hasn't been fit all season, he got injured in August, and has only recently come back a couple of months ago..

Looking at Liverpool's side would any of their players get in Arsenals side??I didn't think so either.

 

You're not even worth responding to sometimes you're that blinkered. According to how you rate the whole Arsenal squad you should not lose a game, ever. Yet you'll finish 4th in the EPL...

 

At least you let it slip and finally admitted that up until recently, and perhaps the first month in his Arsenal career, that Ozil hasn't been anything like the player you thought you'd signed. Still, at least while he has the odd good game here and there and scores a good free-kick now and again you can continue to tell everyone that he's one of the best players in the world.

[beasty77]

You're not even worth responding to sometimes you're that blinkered. According to how you rate the whole Arsenal squad you should not lose a game, ever. Yet you'll finish 4th in the EPL...

 

At least you let it slip and finally admitted that up until recently, and perhaps the first month in his Arsenal career, that Ozil hasn't been anything like the player you thought you'd signed. Still, at least while he has the odd good game here and there and scores a good free-kick now and again you can continue to tell everyone that he's one of the best players in the world.

 

Arsenal do need a new goalkeeper, a commanding centre back, and a defensive Midfielder to be challenging Chelsea. They're not that far behind them, that's what the most frustrating thing is..

As I've stated before, Ozil, since coming in the Premier, has got the 2nd most assists in the Premier League. Now for someone, who you say is a waste of money, and you would prefer Coutinho instead, maybe hasn't been that bad of a buy as you seem to make out. His first season here, they win the FA Cup, coincidence??

All im saying, last season was a one off season from Liverpool, and this season proves that. Yes you were a slip away from winning the league blah blah blah, but they didn't win the League. End of..You also go on about how good sick note Sturridge is. Is he really that good

, I mean would he get in Chelsea or Man City's squad?? If and I mean if, Liverpool were to challenge again for the league, then they will have to get a good manager in, but its attracting them to Liverpool..

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Of course they could, but what has what they can do because of their financial muscle got to do with Rodgers and what he could realistically do after losing Suarez?

 

Simple, you could have gone looking for quality established players to transform into world class players like Alonso, Torres and Suarez. The problem is its a case of 'Brendan who?' as he and the club are no longer good enough to attract the best. Take Sanchez for example, they are simply no longer an attractive club as they were in the 80's.

 

What's Rodgers biggest signing?

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Looking at Liverpool's side would any of their players get in Arsenals side??I didn't think so either.

 

No-one at present, not even the greedy little beggar.

 

That should be a worry as Arsenal too are a number of players short of really challenging and yet Liverpool just don't have anyone that would make them better.