The Liverpool Thread

[zzeezzy]

Coutinho's stats are an indication of when stats don't always tell the whole story... He was vital to us second half of the season

Remember, Coutinho could do all the hard work for somebody to give a simple assist and on paper Coutinho would be credited with nothing

Yes and no.. Di Maria played in different positions throughout the season with the different systems LVG employed as well. For a main creative outlet I think those stats by Coutinho are too low. Then again I suppose it's in some way relative to where you finished, if you hoped for top 4 players like that need to deliver more.

Although Di Maria (easy comparison) had a bad season by his standards he still delivered the goods when it mattered making vital assists to win us points that contributed a large part to getting top 4.

 

[LFCMarshall]

Yes and no.. Di Maria played in different positions throughout the season with the different systems LVG employed as well. For a main creative outlet I think those stats by Coutinho are too low. Then again I suppose it's in some way relative to where you finished, if you hoped for top 4 players like that need to deliver more.

Although Di Maria (easy comparison) had a bad season by his standards he still delivered the goods when it mattered making vital assists to win us points that contributed a large part to getting top 4.

United are a better side with better attacking options.. Coutinho could do more, without doubt, but the team with which they play for plays a big role as well. Barring a run of form, Liverpool for 3/4 of the season were all over the place

I certainly love a few stats, but watching Coutinho week in-week out gives me absolutely no concerns about his contribution to the team

 

[zzeezzy]

United are a better side with better attacking options.. Coutinho could do more, without doubt, but the team with which they play for plays a big role as well. Barring a run of form, Liverpool for 3/4 of the season were all over the place

I certainly love a few stats, but watching Coutinho week in-week out gives me absolutely no concerns about his contribution to the team

Be interesting to see which striker you bring in, IMO that's one of the signings that will shape your season. Is there any signs of you getting another CM? Find it hard to see just Milner filling that void, but he is a good versatile signing for you guys.

 

[Chelski Shogun]

not sure how accurate but a few reports of Chelsea entering the race for him

**** off Sterling! He's a decent footballer but at £50m City can have him. Honestly we'd be complete idiots to pay that much for him, especially given how well we did in last summers window.

On the Firmino deal, £29m might be a little expensive, however I've seen a lot of him and he's easily been one of the best players in the Bundesliga over the past couple of seasons. You've definitely got a decent player, but similar to Coutinho in that he can be rather inconsistent at times.

 

[LFCMarshall]

Be interesting to see which striker you bring in, IMO that's one of the signings that will shape your season. Is there any signs of you getting another CM? Find it hard to see just Milner filling that void, but he is a good versatile signing for you guys.

Completely agree... Without a fit Sturridge we have nobody. Ings and Origi are good back-ups but that second first team standard striker is needed

Benteke, Rondon, Bacca seem to be the linked names

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Yeah I agree about him not being a lone striker,

But I don't live up to this Balotelli hype that he's world class player on his day.

Balotelli was a good player in his best days, but nothing more in my eyes. People will show you screamers he scored, but on the whole as a player, nothing much for me. I'm ready to give him another chance as I will with everyone at the club, but it was a struggle watching someone play with so little/no passion for our club.

Everyone knows he needs support, but the fact is neither Lambert or Borini would have give him anything last season.

I think Rodgers will change his style next season, its figured out. So I wouldn't be fooled if he ended up in the plans.

He was certainly a completely different player at Milan than last year with us. Individual quality wise, I personally don't think there's any question he's World class. His first touch is even better than Suarez's for me. When Mario's interested, he can be unplayable. Unfortunately, the difference between he and Suarez is that attitude.


Although I don't agree he's not passionate about the game and the club. It's just with his laid back manner, he doesn't appear to be. We have this attitude in England that football should be the all consuming thing as it is with the fans. But players like Balo and Henry, who still love what they do, leave it behind and can escape like that to other things and it comes across as not being as dedicated as others. And with Mario not being an all out, chase every player down non-stop stereotypical English forward, he's an even easier target than most.

 

[LFCMarshall]

He was certainly a completely different player at Milan than last year with us. Individual quality wise, I personally don't think there's any question he's World class. His first touch is even better than Suarez's for me. When Mario's interested, he can be unplayable. Unfortunately, the difference between he and Suarez is that attitude.


Although I don't agree he's not passionate about the game and the club. It's just with his laid back manner, he doesn't appear to be. We have this attitude in England that football should be the all consuming thing as it is with the fans. But players like Balo and Henry, who still love what they do, leave it behind and can escape like that to other things and it comes across as not being as dedicated as others. And with Mario not being an all out, chase every player down non-stop stereo typical English forward, he's an even easier target than most.

Berbatov is very similar but he had obviously quality

 

[PatrickLFC]

Completely agree... Without a fit Sturridge we have nobody. Ings and Origi are good back-ups but that second first team standard striker is needed

Benteke, Rondon, Bacca seem to be the linked names

From a somewhat realistic list of names, I'd like to see us bring in Aubameyang. Not world class technically, but he can play wing when Sturridge is around, and can be an impact sub off the bench. And with his unbelievable pace, he's suited to the passing/through ball style we prefer to the target man/crossing style. His finishing is good but it isn't elite, but he'd certainly get plenty of practice with Coutinho and Firmino behind him

 

[LFCMarshall]

From a somewhat realistic list of names, I'd like to see us bring in Aubameyang. Not world class technically, but he can play wing when Sturridge is around, and can be an impact sub off the bench. And with his unbelievable pace, he's suited to the passing/through ball style we prefer to the target man/crossing style. His finishing is good but it isn't elite, but he'd certainly get plenty of practice with Coutinho and Firmino behind him

I agree, Aubamayang would be one of my first choices as well... Lacazette the main one but slightly more unrealistic

 

[PatrickLFC]

And with regards to Firmino, he almost certainly hasn't been bought as a winger. He's been bought to play centrally, whether that's as CAM, a CM or a striker, I think the intention is for him to be central, though that's not to say he won't end up on the wing at times. Depay was cheaper, younger and a natural winger, yet apparently we weren't interested, which means that we have not been after a winger.

Still, perhaps that was all talk and we really did want Depay?

 

[PatrickLFC]

I agree, Aubamayang would be one of my first choices as well... Lacazette the main one but slightly more unrealistic

Yeah Lacazette would be my first choice too, but sadly it's not realistic unless we change our transfer strategy entirely and offer 45m or something for him. Love the ambition shown by the Firmino deal, but our budget isn't likely to be big enough to buy him and Lacazette. Aubameyang would be a great signing though

 

[zzeezzy]

And with regards to Firmino, he almost certainly hasn't been bought as a winger. He's been bought to play centrally, whether that's as CAM, a CM or a striker, I think the intention is for him to be central, though that's not to say he won't end up on the wing at times. Depay was cheaper, younger and a natural winger, yet apparently we weren't interested, which means that we have not been after a winger.

Still, perhaps that was all talk and we really did want Depay?

Lol who on earth told you that?! You were definitely in for Depay, but as soon as United registered an interest in getting him you didn't have any chance. (LVG played a huge part in us getting him don't get me wrong). No offence to you but I'm sure he was set for PSG even if United didn't get him.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

And with regards to Firmino, he almost certainly hasn't been bought as a winger. He's been bought to play centrally, whether that's as CAM, a CM or a striker, I think the intention is for him to be central, though that's not to say he won't end up on the wing at times. Depay was cheaper, younger and a natural winger, yet apparently we weren't interested, which means that we have not been after a winger.

Still, perhaps that was all talk and we really did want Depay?

We openly had a good few hours sit down with Depay at an airport hotel prior to Utd signing him. That's on record. And PSV have repeatedly said we where the main club contacting them about him on a serious basis until Utd jumped.

We badly coveted Depay whatever the new line out of the club is on that.

I don't have a clue what he'll end up doing with Firmino, but I sure as heck know Phil needs to be playing in the traditional Brazilian # 10 role which suits him best.

 

[xJamieWilliams]

He was certainly a completely different player at Milan than last year with us. Individual quality wise, I personally don't think there's any question he's World class. His first touch is even better than Suarez's for me. When Mario's interested, he can be unplayable. Unfortunately, the difference between he and Suarez is that attitude.


Although I don't agree he's not passionate about the game and the club. It's just with his laid back manner, he doesn't appear to be. We have this attitude in England that football should be the all consuming thing as it is with the fans. But players like Balo and Henry, who still love what they do, leave it behind and can escape like that to other things and it comes across as not being as dedicated as others. And with Mario not being an all out, chase every player down non-stop stereotypical English forward, he's an even easier target than most.

Suarez and Balotelli are worlds apart in majority of things, not just attitude.

Henry and Balotelli have the same arrogance maybe, but Henry had a better attitude, that's an easy mistake to make.

Balotelli doesn't deserve to be mentioned in a category with them two in terms of talent, that may be just my opinion though.

 

[xJamieWilliams]

And with regards to Firmino, he almost certainly hasn't been bought as a winger. He's been bought to play centrally, whether that's as CAM, a CM or a striker, I think the intention is for him to be central, though that's not to say he won't end up on the wing at times. Depay was cheaper, younger and a natural winger, yet apparently we weren't interested, which means that we have not been after a winger.

Still, perhaps that was all talk and we really did want Depay?

I think we did want Depay,

but we couldn't start on a bad note by telling fans we'd ****** it already!

 

[PatrickLFC]

We openly had a good few hours sit down with Depay at an airport hotel prior to Utd signing him. That's on record. And PSV have repeatedly said we where the main club contacting them about him on a serious basis until Utd jumped.

We badly coveted Depay whatever the new line out of the club is on that.

I don't have a clue what he'll end up doing with Firmino, but I sure as heck know Phil needs to be playing in the traditional Brazilian # 10 role which suits him best.

We openly had a good few hours sit down with Depay at an airport hotel prior to Utd signing him. That's on record. And PSV have repeatedly said we where the main club contacting them about him on a serious basis until Utd jumped.

We badly coveted Depay whatever the new line out of the club is on that.

I don't have a clue what he'll end up doing with Firmino, but I sure as heck know Phil needs to be playing in the traditional Brazilian # 10 role which suits him best.

The club said they were never in for him, but there were mixed reports all around, that's why I added the qualifier at the bottom of the post. Not going to argue that whether we were or not, he was always United bound as soon as they showed interest.

No question, we should build the team around Coutinho, play him in his best role for sure!

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Suarez and Balotelli are worlds apart in majority of things, not just attitude.

Henry and Balotelli have the same arrogance maybe, but Henry had a better attitude, that's an easy mistake to make.

Balotelli doesn't deserve to be mentioned in a category with them two in terms of talent, that may be just my opinion though.

Just differing opinions and ones no more right or valid than the other so it's all good.

I just personally think ability wise Mario has it all and is every bit as good as anything out there.

But ability and attitude/ self motivation to give everything every game are two very different things.

If Mario had Luis attitude, I have little doubt you'd have a completely different view on just how gifted he is. But he sadly doesn't, and without that those gifts go to waste a lot of the time.

All that said and considered, we could still of gotten a **** of a lot more out of him last year if we'd worked with instead of against him. And as we're showing no signs of the later I don't get at all why we'd keep him around another year to hardly play.

It wasn't a gamble per se when we bought him at £16 million. Someone will ALWAYS take a chance on that talent and being the one to get him motivated. We were always going to get the bulk of that back even now.

Best for all parties to move on.

 

[xJamieWilliams]

Just differing opinions and ones no more right or valid than the other so it's all good.

I just personally think ability wise Mario has it all and is every bit as good as anything out there.

But ability and attitude/ self motivation to give everything every game are two very different things.

If Mario had Luis attitude, I have little doubt you'd have a completely different view on just how gifted he is. But he sadly doesn't, and without that those gifts go to waste a lot of the time.

All that said and considered, we could still of gotten a **** of a lot more out of him last year if we'd worked with instead of against him. And as we're showing no signs of the later I don't get at all why we'd keep him around another year to hardly play.

It wasn't a gamble per se when we bought him at £16 million. Someone will ALWAYS take a chance on that talent and being the one to get him motivated. We were always going to get the bulk of that back even now.

Best for all parties to move on.

I know he is technically good, as does everyone. But just not as good a lot of people think, like you said just opinions so no harm in voicing them!

I think he will stay as no one seems that arsed on buying him at the moment, long way to go though.

Agree about the gamble, his name is worth £10 million to most people alone!

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Well, keeping him and continuing to pay his salary if Rodgers and Balotelli aren't going to at least try make it work, seems completely asinine.

But then signing him (I have little doubt this one was on the rest of the 'committee' and Rodgers had NO part of it) was a completely asinine move to start with when the manager didn't want him as he wasn't his style of player.

So it wouldn't be a surprise.

 

[Theatreof Dreams]

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