With Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano looking a lot closer to sealing his switch to Barcelona, I expected us to spend any money gained on strengthening certain positions within the squad. Roy Hodgson claimed that he bought Christian Poulsen to play alongside Mascherano but I’m sure that he was simply just saying that to keep Mascherano’s price tag up. It was quite obvious that an experienced holding midfielder like Poulsen was bought as a replacement for the outbound Argentina captain, so it baffles me as to why reports in Spain are claiming that we are in talks to sign yet another defensive midfielder.
Spanish paper AS reported that Liverpool are currently negotiating with Real Madrid over the transfer of Mali international Mahamadou Diarra, who is expected to cost in the region of £7 million. Diarra was originally signed by Real for €26 million in 2006 but has found himself on the fringes of the club since a serious knee injury in 2008 hampered his time with the Galacticos. I would have had no problem with Diarra replacing Javier Mascherano as our main holding midfielder as I remember how dominant he was during his time at Lyon. The problem though, is that we already have two holding midfielders at the club in the shape of Lucas and Christian Poulsen. When you also then observe the fact that Alberto Aquilani, arguably our most creative central midfielder, has been allowed to go on loan to Juventus then it makes a move for Diarra even more baffling.
With Aquilani now gone we are one player short in the central attacking midfield position and I was hoping that Roy Hodgson already had a player lined up. He may still have a player lined up that the media haven’t caught onto yet but with only days now left in the transfer window I can’t see him signing both Mahamadiu Diarra and another central midfielder. I did consider that maybe Roy wants Lucas to start playing in a more advanced role, where he used to play during his time in Brazil and where he played a couple times last season and impressed. Although Lucas has looked good playing in a more attacking position in the past, I wouldn’t want to start the season with him and the inexperienced Jonjo Shelvey as our back up to Steven Gerrard.
I’m now watching with interest what happens between now and the end of the transfer window because I trust Roy and I’m sure he must have something up his sleeve for him to be happy to let a key first team player like Aquilani leave this close to transfer deadline day. As for Mahamadou Diarra, I would certainly welcome him here as our first choice defensive midfielder, I just wonder what it would mean for the two other players challenging him for the position.
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sell lucas and get diarra we get 6 mil for lucas and spend 7 million an diarra and get defour or banega and sell kuyt and get arda tudan please please and also sign a left back with pace and a give pacheco , babel , dalla valle some chance
I agree Frahan. and so does every other liverpool fan. unfortunatly Roy still seems to think he is in charge of Fulham.
It is not that baffling. Poulsen was brought in as a replacement for Mascherano. Then when Hodgson thought Masch would stay we suddenly had one central midfielder too many. So Aquilano was persuaded to go on loan for a season. This had already been agreed when bids started to come in for Masch. Suddenly we’re one player short again in central midfield. Diarra would be an excellent choice. Have a look at his record. In every year he was in Lyon they won the league- they haven’t done so since he left. The last time Madrid won the league was when he played a full season. He then got injured and Lass was brought into cover for him. Madrid politics have since taken over. But Diarra is a very good player. And no we’re not short of central attacking midfielders. That is the position where both Joe Cole and Stephen Gerrard feel most happy. It is also Lucas Leiva’s natural position (hence why he sometimes looks a little awkward). Neither should you forget that Poulsen started his career as an attacking midfielder. Dirk Kuyt could also be asked to play that role. So we’re certainly not short there. What we need is a hard-tackling ball winner- like Masch or like Diarra. This would be excellent business. And you know Madrid often get it wrong about who they release- they did after all get rid of Wesley Sneider not so long ago just because he didn’t seem glamourous enough!
Hey #1&2 posters, as a Liverpool fan I do not give any other fan the right to speak for me. I like Lucas and still think that he will come good. There are too many quality coaches that agree with me no matter how many fans you think agree with you.
At the moment it looks like we are going to lose Kuyt as well as Masch and Aqua even if Roy is given the money it is all going to be too late.
I fear the yanks are going to hold onto the club and sales will pay the bills or they’ll just keep the dough.
yes this guy’s a good defensive midfielder but the question is whether we need him or not. the answer, quite frankly, is no, we do not need him. if and when masch leaves, we still have poulsen and lucas in that position. what we need more of is a creative midfielder now that aquilani has been allowed to go on loan. van der vaart or marek hamsik would be good options but realistically, there’s not much time left in the transfer window so i doubt we’ll have any more big name players coming in.
i think liverpool should have put lucas on the transfer list.find another holding midfielder more quality and have a strong mentality of winning
the yank&sr @gona keep d masch cash…simple..bloody assholes…..we need a left back..desperately..cant hv agger playin dre all season…dnt think we’ll ma*k d top 4 again dis season wid d current squad…roy will b sacked by december…n torres n gerrard will leave by nxt season..den we3 wilbecome a club fighting fr survival in d league…