The Liverpool Thread

[Mike.]

we're not going to sign Lamela, don't get me wrong. but I think it's fair to say we think every player has his price, we thought willian's wasn't over 30 million, if we actually thought we'd try sign Lamela, then we'd value him, and then see if he's worth it for what Roma wanted for him etc

Turan is probably the most likely next target

You cannot fail with Turan, really cant. Might as well give up 4th. I still think you should have matched the 35. If it had one from there then fair enough

 

[Mike.]

I remember talking with Zebedee way back, and he said exactly this when you had the first windfall. That if you didn't get right then, it was going to take you 5 years to get back. I thought he was being too pessimistic. I'll never argue his word again

 

[LFCMarshall]

With how much players have been going for this summer, I wouldn't call what Spurs offered overpaying anyway.

I wouldnt aswell.. i meant in terms of what FSG value the player at, they may have to overpay in certain situations

A player of Willian's quality being available and interested in us is rare yet we have missed out

I remember talking with Zebedee way back, and he said exactly this when you had the first windfall. That if you didn't get right then, it was going to take you 5 years to get back. I thought he was being too pessimistic. I'll never argue his word again

The lad was right.. The Torres, Alonso, Masch money needed a complete new spine of the team being replaced and we did it very poorly

Dalglish for as much of a legend he is really damaged us, along with Comolli got it badly wrong

 

[zzeezzy]

It's not all doom and gloom... you still have Jordan Henderson. (he'd improve United's midfield though tbf, everyone would! haha)

 

[Ride The Walrus]

I do still think we have a **** good team, but the problem is, Spurs are just much better. It's a big kick in the **** that Spurs are so much further ahead of us, and have been for years now. One of our only hopes is Willian and Lamela both aren't as good as Bale, and they struggle, and Arsenal panic buy some ***** players.

 

[Joel`]

It's not all doom and gloom... you still have Jordan Henderson. (he'd improve United's midfield though tbf, everyone would! haha)

Not being funny like, but change the record? We all know United need a midfielder, you don't need to bring it up every post.

 

[LFCMarshall]

Tony Barrett reporting we have an interest in Lamela but think the 30m asking price is too high.. why are we targeting players of this caliber if we wont match the obvious high asking price for them?

complete waste of time... the likes of Eriksen and Turan seem to be fairly 'simple' signings if we are being tight with our money

 

[Ride The Walrus]

Weirdly, Guardian saying liverpool are believed to have an interest in Lamela

but then it gets worse! apparently in a guardian article not yet out, we're put off by Roma's 30 million asking price for him


if true kill me

please

 

[Mike.]

Tony Barrett reporting we have an interest in Lamela but think the 30m asking price is too high.. why are we targeting players of this caliber if we wont match the obvious high asking price for them?

complete waste of time... the likes of Eriksen and Turan seem to be fairly 'simple' signings if we are being tight with our money

Spurs will pay that, they have a great connection because of Baldini too.

 

[LFCMarshall]

Spurs will pay that, they have a great connection because of Baldini too.

No doubt, with Bale seemingly off a £60mil double deal for Lamela and Willian is fantastic business .. still 30mil+ left from the Bale sale alone

 

[LFCMarshall]

Tony Barrett

There is money available to Rodgers but he appears hampered by the desire of FSG, to ensure that LFC do not pay more than they believe a player is worth. It is a noble and financially astute aim, but top level football is dismissive of it and the reality they are discovering is that if you dont want to pay the asking price for a player the likelihood is that there will be someone else who does

Perfectly summed up.. admire FSG for the stance, but they are living in a dream world

 

[Ride The Walrus]

Liverpool over promise and under deliver in the transfer market

Tony Barrett

A year ago, Tom Werner claimed Liverpool “certainly have the resources to compete with anyone in football.” Eighteen months earlier, the Liverpool chairman had claimed that his style was “to under promise and over deliver.” Yesterday, Liverpool were out-bid by Tottenham Hotspur for Willian who became the third major transfer target they have missed out on this summer.

In light of their latest setback, a comment made by Brendan Rodgers at the weekend is worth revisiting. “We are having to sell players to gain money to get players in and we are trying to balance all of that while trying to progress,” the Liverpool manager said.

What is becoming increasingly clear during this transfer window is that Liverpool do not have the resources to compete with anyone. They do have money to spend but Rodgers is working in a climate in which he has to try to balance the books at the same time as producing a team capable of competing with those who do have greater spending power.

So far this summer, Liverpool are trading at a profit. Equally significantly, six weeks have now passed since Rodgers said they had “three to five weeks to improve the team” after “improving the squad” earlier in the transfer window. Liverpool now have less than a fortnight to put that right while others – most notably Tottenham, Manchester City and Chelsea – have already strengthened.

There is money available to Rodgers but he appears hampered by the desire of Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the club’s owners, to ensure that Liverpool do not pay more than they believe a player is worth. It is a noble and financially astute aim, but top level football is dismissive of it and the reality they are discovering is that if you don’t want to pay the asking price for a player the likelihood is that there will be someone else who does.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Diego Costa both slipped through Liverpool’s fingers while a bid was also considered for Stevan Jovetic only to be put off by the Montenegro forward’s desire for Champions League football. In recent weeks, Erik Lamela, another Spurs target, has come under scrutiny but, again, Liverpool believe Roma’s £30 million valuation of the forward is too high.

Liverpool could yet make the kind of signings required to turn them into genuine contenders for a place in the Premier League top four but as things stand they are guilty of over promising and under delivering in the transfer market. Their only excuse, albeit a significant one, is the ongoing absence of Champions League football which makes them a less attractive proposition for many potential signings.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/football/

 

[Tyton]

Well, last time you had no problem with overpaying, you ended up with Downing and Caroll...

 

[DarloGeorge96]

Roma's asking price for Lamela isent 30mil... It's 29.9

 

[Ride The Walrus]

Well, last time you had no problem with overpaying, you ended up with Downing and Caroll...

is 30 million for Lamela overpaying, though?

 

[LFCMarshall]

Well, last time you had no problem with overpaying, you ended up with Downing and Caroll...

And that's the reason they are keen to ensure it doesn't happen again... they trusted people who have been in the game alot longer than they had and they messed up

 

[zzeezzy]

Not being funny like, but change the record? We all know United need a midfielder, you don't need to bring it up every post.

I'll cut you a deal, I'll stop talking about it when we have a midfielder?

 

[Tyton]

is 30 million for Lamela overpaying, though?

Isn't it? He's a 20 year old player, talented, but mostly unproven at the top level. Oh and he becomes pretty good in FM13 about 5 years into the game. Not exactly a bargain.

Madrid got Isco for similar money, and he's been spectacular in the Champions League, performs in the big games and was one of key players of Spain's Euro winning U-21 team.

 

[Joel`]

I'll cut you a deal, I'll stop talking about it when we have a midfielder?

Sadly I don't think Woody pays much attention to what you post. Just saying, it gets tiresome. Everyone knows we need one, we don't need reminding.

 

[Joel`]

Isn't it? He's a 20 year old player, talented, but mostly unproven at the top level. Oh and he becomes pretty good in FM13 about 5 years into the game. Not exactly a bargain.

Madrid got Isco for similar money, and he's been spectacular in the Champions League, performs in the big games and was one of key players of Spain's Euro winning U-21 team.

15 goals in 33 games from the wing for Roma is unproven?