Comments on: Rumours: Reina, Arby, Alonso and Mascherano

By: Kev

Kev — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:13:25 +0000

The galactico era ended at Madrid becuase that club has no stability at all. Coaches that win the league still get sacked if they fail to win the Champions League at Madrid. By the way let me just remind you what the galactico’s won between 2000 and 2006 when Perez last had the presidency. Two la liga titles in 00-01 and 02-03 and one solitary CL in 01-02. Not a great return on the money laid out for players such as Figo, Zidane, Beckham et al.

During that time (6 years) Madrid had 6 coaches Carlos Queiroz, Jose Camacho, Mariano Garcia Remon, Vanderlei Luxemburgo, Juan Ramon Lopez Caro and Fabio Capello. Also during that time our very own Rafael Benitez landed 2 la liga titles and a uefa cup. So how influencial was Makelele during this period? Not very so the ‘facts’ would seem

You could attribute the decline of Madrid at this time as much down to the losses of Hierro, Redondo and Macca as much as losing Makelele.

By: cezar

cezar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:59:23 +0000

P.S.
Senna won’t play in the same club as Xabi.
He was angry some time ago that Xabi was starting for Spain and he was not, and declared that he feels he too much better than Xabi to be sitting on the bench.

By: cezar

cezar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:55:30 +0000

“I totally accept how important Masch has been to us, however, if we are to play more ambitious football then why the need for a holding midfield player?”
Remember, the Galactico Era at Real ended with the departure of Makelele.
Would you rather turn 5 draws against weak teams into wins at the cost of losing against the big 4 / in CL?

By: cezar

cezar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:52:35 +0000

You know, real life is not football manager.
All those changes will unsettle the team
Silva, and VdV are not physically strong, so they might be a gamble, and so is Aguero. Remember Rafa had the opportunity to get him before he went to Spain, but didn’t, just because of that reason.

By: Kennedy Kaponda from Malawi

Kennedy Kaponda from Malawi — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:15:00 +0000

As a die hard supporter we all need Xabi, Reina, Torres and Arbeloa on our mission to win the premier league trophy next season

By: Dave B

Dave B — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:33:15 +0000

Suggesting we buy Joey Barton is the biggest load of bol**cks i think ive ever heard! But Kev does make a gud point, Masch probably wont be as missed as i was thinking, £45million would be very handy, and we do need another striker and having Gerrard back alongside Alonso would be a good thing and Spearing coming through aswell. I was hugely impressed when he came on against Real Madrid, he didnt look out of place at all, he could be the future. We need everyone else to stay though.

By: Imran

Imran — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:12:36 +0000

I wish Barca and Real M would take “no” for an answer!.We made it clear very recently that neither Alonso or Mascherano are for sale but they seem determined to get their way.It also seems the very pro-Man Utd British media wants Liverpool to sell it’s top players as they know that we’re getting closer to challenging their darlings.

I’d much rather that we kept our best players then take the money because it takes years to build a winning side.Here’s hoping Rafa understands this loud and clear!.

By: Simon

Simon — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:28:51 +0000

Mascherano is good, but Alonso is better. We NEED to hold on to Xabi; if we can get £40 Million + for Javi, that would be great, but frankly I wouldn’t sell Xabi for that – he’s just too important.
We do need a second out-and-out striker. Torres spent too much of last season out of the game, and without a recognised striker we struggled. Would finding a class striker be so difficult with £40M to spend?
Most importantly, though, we need to bring through some of the youngsters, and while we’re doing that, remind the team what it means to defend a set piece. Sort that lot out, and the title can be ours…

By: tom

tom — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:29:53 +0000

right you lot ae of your head why would we sell javi mascherano hes absolutely amazing if anyone watched liverpool in the gerrard houllier years then youd know about didi hamman in the holding midfield role absolutely mint mascherano is the hamman of the moderner times. he smashes everything up and gets liverpool the ball back. you cant replace him hes amazing.glen johnson would be a great right back hes a solid defender and a fantastic wing back. and slso who said carra was getting to old your wrong carra’s got experience.

By: Neil

Neil — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 06:34:02 +0000

Sell the likes of Dossena and Lucas, they are passengers, buy Owen as a second striker something we missed last season. Keep the rest.

By: steve ismay

steve ismay — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:01:23 +0000

Joey Barton ??

Why take 5 steps back with a player like that. He would only bring trouble to the club, and besides we have better players already who don’t play every week.

By: L33 LFC

L33 LFC — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 07:42:34 +0000

I can see where Kev is coming from with this, 45 mil for Masch will allow us to sign 2 quality forward players, which we desperately need. There were obviously a few games last season in which we couldnt break teams down when they parked the bus. Stoke home and away, Fulham at home, just a couple of examples.

Id take 30 to 35 million and have Barca throw Bojan in the deal. Eto’o would cost us a silly amount in wages. Bojan is young and has massive potential. Then, maybe even take a gamble on Mickey Owen. The lad still knows where the onion bag is.

As others have said, we have some good young lads coming through….Spearing, Plessis, Lucas even. It might be time for them to step up and take their chance.

As for the 2 attackers we could buy with the cash from Masch….Rafa will have somebody up his sleeve, whether or not it be Silva. Schneider was a good shout, but he seems a little lazy when Iv seen him play, which, to be fair, isnt an awful lot.

I just hope to God he keeps hold of Alonso.

By: Dunxx

Dunxx — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:35:30 +0000

Are you mad? Joey Barton shouldn’t even get a job as the driver of Liverpool’s lawn mower let alone pull on a Liverpool shirt.

By: Kev

Kev — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:41:39 +0000

We have a strongest 11 that is as good if not better than anything else in the premier league. This has been proven by our resutls in head to heads against the other big 3.
Primarily, our biggest problem has been cover for these players, particularly Gerrard and Torres. Clearly we don’t lose many games, losing fewer than anyone else last season but still coming 2nd. Therefore we must start turning draws into wins. This has much to do with the players we employ in the absence of Gerrard and Torres. For most of the season Gerrad was our only regular scoring midfielder and following Robbie Keane’s departure, Torres was our only recognised top class centre forward.
Therefore When either of these two are knackered or injured or just not playing particulalry well, we need players in the squad that can come in and essentially fill the void left by these two key players. these players do not have to be carbon copies, however they do neet to be players that can create as well as score goals. I.e. when Rooney and Ronaldo are not firing at Utd, they can call upon Tevez and Berbatov. in some cases when Utd have been struggling, Fergie has had all 4 on the field at the same time and Utd have duly turned either a losing or drawing position into a win.
I do acknowledge that part of our problem last season was in the way that we played. In the latter part of the season we released the shackles and were a bit more ambitious in our play and as a result scored goals for fun finishing the season as top scorers. I totally accept how important Masch has been to us, however, if we are to play more ambitious football then why the need for a holding midfield player?
Part of the reason we have utilised a holding player is becuase we haven’t had the attacking talent to defend high up the pitch, instead preferring to soak up pressure and hit teams on the break. We did less of this during the latter part of last season and played some of the best football of the Benitez era. I believe Masch is a world class player, but not a title winning one. Players that win titles for you get goals and make goals and we simply do not have enough of them. If we could get £45m for him then perhaps we could use the money to get some top class attacking players to play alongside torres and Gerrard and turn more of those draws into wins. We have an abundance of players at the club that can hold the midfield including Alonso, Lucas, Plessis and Spearing Alternatively we could spend a small amount of money on a proven premiership player that could do the job. I only mentioned Barton becuase he would be cheap cover. We could even get Marcos Senna and still have plenty of change left over from £45m. At 32 he surely wouldn’t cost much. clearly this team needs to evolve and sometimes it happens at a cost to certain players. Judging by our financila situation it appears we’ll have to sell big to buy big.

By: Nicholai

Nicholai — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:54:34 +0000

NO! dont sell masch!! we’re terrible without him at defence

By: Kev

Kev — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:38:05 +0000

Nothing to do with poor defending at set pieces then?

By: lloyd ramjain

lloyd ramjain — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:56:43 +0000

i heard that xabi and mashcherano are coy over their future and alonso says if he gets a better deal he’ll leave us we cant let this happen mash ans xabi should be given new contracts pls someone pls enlighten me on tis topic i cant handle xabi or mash leaving anfield

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:45:30 +0000

Thank you for mentioning the CL quarter final home leg against Chelsea! Our defense was terrible without Masch!

By: chrislloyd

chrislloyd — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:09:46 +0000

joey barton is only fit to die in the gutter
talentless
motiveless

liverpool don’t need scum like this

By: samuel charles

samuel charles — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:13:34 +0000

okay this is heart breaking as we are so close to getting the complete first 11 right, if we have to go back to the drawing board then id probably do this, (this is only using the money after selling whats been reported as alonso being so called ready to leave? and macsherano’s agent meeting barcas agent? here gos.

if you think we could get 45 for msacherano add that to the 35 mill for alonso thats a recoup of 80mill,

a, get aguero and silva and van der varrt with that cash.

b, with the budget rafa has which is so called 20mill, id use that for the 10 mill for johnson and by sjender.

c, with players sales, like arbeloa, dossena, hobbs, itandge, leto, hamill, degen,voronin that would fetch about 25 mill, id buy richards and llorente

my team, torres aguero
silva van der vaart gerrard kuyt

capdevilla agger carragher johnson

reina

subs / squad = lucus, insua, aurelio, skrtel, snijender, benayoun, reira, babel, richards, i know this seems crazy but with all these options and tha chance to bring in player for all positions, but players with proven ability we then have much more strenght in depth.