With Charlie Adam tipped to arrive at Liverpool in the near future, the issue of central midfield will seemingly become a big topic among Reds fans. With Steven Gerrard, Raul Meireles, Jordan Henderson, Alberto Aquilani and perhaps Adam all vying for offensive midfielder spots, it is difficult to see how they all can fit in:
Raul Meireles – With the arrival of Adam seemingly imminent, it has led to speculation that the Portuguese international may depart the club. Reports in Italy suggest that Inter Milan maybe interested in persuading the 28 year old to move to the San Siro. A £14million has been suggested for the player who only arrived from Porto last summer for £12.5million. It has been hinted that age and niggling injuries has persuaded Kenny Dalglish to allow the player to depart. Personally, I hope he doesn’t go, he had a decent first season and found his feet gradually as the season wore on. It takes time to adapt to a new league, and I think it would be unfair to allow the player to go before he is truly allowed to shine.
Alberto Aquilani – His agent speaks daily in newspapers, TV and radio about how the Italian midfielder wants to stay in Italy. It is unlikely he will return to Anfield but there maybe a scenario where he might have to if no Italian club can meet Liverpool’s asking price. Juve manager Antonio Conte is still considering his options, and has yet to make up his mind on Aqua, while both Napoli and AC Milan have reportedly been interested but there has been no sign of movement in attempting to buy the 26 year old.
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we need options this season- and good ones at that! Squad depth. Im sure lfc will try to offload high earners like jovanovic, cole and players offering little to the team like them- poulsen, ngog, degen, el zhar. These guys must be getting £300k per week between them!
Mourinho always said…2 good players competing for every position. We will have Lucas, Gerrard, Meireles and Lucas and henderson who can also operate on the right. Taking into account probable injuries over the season we might also need Spearing who is still yet to prove it consistently in the Prem. Shelvey definitely unproven. Mata is very skilfull but looked lightweight the other night against England. Downing, Dann and an off the shoulder striker…Wickham is unproven in the top flight and too similar to Carrol. We need a player similar to Fowler or Owen. Not sure who tho? Meireles was one of our best players under Daglish but Adam will contribute to 15 goals a season for sure. Don’t forget that all the top 6 teams struggled last term due to injuries in the midfield department as they did not have adequate cover!
there is talk of marales getting sold 2 inter 4 12 mil (hope not) he is a quality player & jonjo shelvey going 2 blackpool on loan
I keep reading we need depth in numbers. True but for central midfield we have without blinking Stevie (at least 2 years left in him), Raul, Lucas, Henderson, Spearing, Shelvey and Conor Coady. I’ve left out Cole and Poulsen cause with luck they’re gone, but we have 7 cetral midfielders we can only play 3 maximum unless Kenny has a bizarre new system in mind. Adam has a record of flourishing for 18 months then disapearing (what he did at Rangers) and this could be happening again, good 18 months then come Feb to May his form dipped. Yes he takes a good set piece, but to quote the old Wales rugby coach Steve Hansen (on John Davies a powerful tight head prop when Wales were struggling there) sure we could play him for set pieces but he’d be useless around the pitch. Adam adds nothing for me so surely we’d be better pushing Conor Coady and Jonjo forward than waste money on Adam. After all we all know there are areas of the squad far more in need of an upgrade than central midfield
lol,its great to see all the different opinons here as to where this player fit in and that player and we have to many midfielders who s going and who s staying,i thinks its great to have so many options and im sure kenny might be just thinking the same too its a long season and to have 2 players for every poisition is a must!not alone is there so much buzz been genereated by all this buying but i wonder what other managers are thinking about liverpool as in how we are going to line up for the first game of the season ,the suspence is killing me already lol.so i booked a flight to norway last night and going to carch the first game of pre season looking forward to seing with my own eyes the team sheet and the formation for what i think will be a cup winning year for kenny maybe even a double !!!ynwa
Meireles over Adam every single time. What are we doing?
Sadly, Kenny and Comolli don’t look Meireles cause he’s 28 and not British, despite the fact that he’s had a good debut season. You have to be young and British apparently.
The reason Gerrard hasnt looked his best for the past 18months is coz of his groin problem, he finally got the op he needed few months ago and has even said himself that he has lost weight and is the fittest he’s been in years and his groin feels a 100%, Gerrard will be playing for at least another 4 years with LFC,dont forget he’s only just 30, We will see the true Gerrard next season,it will be like weve signed a world class player! So stop this sh!t saying sell Gerrard and that he’s finished coz you’s havent gotta clue!
great coach but if wat m reading in papers is true then m doubting his judgement as liverpool is a global club with fans all over so wats up with buying overrated english young players esp if we are 2 consider that there many gud lads at our academy…y adam? yes he is exceptional with setpieces but he has shown that he cant really play as we the cards that he gets and y go 4 sme1 who failed 2 make in the celtic/rangers team when there the likes of mata,vargas and so on.
There is the 25 man squad limit imposed by EuFa. And 25 squad players is not enough to compete for the PL, cups and Europe. We’re not just thinking about next season, but the one after that and the one after that. The only way around the 25 man squad is with ‘home-grown’ U21’s. All the PL teams who are struggling with squad sizes will be trying to snap up domestic players. They may be over-priced and over rated, but thats market forces for you. If you maintain a policy of buying decent, lower priced imports, then you will be limited in your squad numbers and you’ll see teams drop away like Arsenal who do not have sufficient squad depth to handle fatigue and injuries at the end of the season.
Liverpool are trying to compete in this uncertain market and make sure that what domestic tallent there is about is signed by us as opposed to going to a competitor….
Excellent comment – I agree totally.
I also find it hard to believe people are questioning having. ‘too many’ players in midfield, counting spearing and shel eh as regular first 11stars. They are good young players but we need as many top quality players as possible to compete, in the league and with the regulations.
I for one have never been so happy with our transfer policies, spending big on young British players with massive potential, as opposed to the cheaper foreign ‘squad players’ we’ve seen in the past.
And finally, as if any one of us knows a fraction of what the King & Comolli do! They’re spending hundred of millions of pounds that belong to a proven sports team owner (FSG) …we watch on telly, read blogs and play FIFA!
Well said Nark. I agree with you and Gazza completely. As if anyone knows more than Kenny????
The only manager to have won the league with two different teams. It’s absurd to think we have fans that think we have too many decent young players. The rebuilding has to be done long term not this season only.
Just relax, watch it unfold and have faith in the King.
YNWA.
why do we have to sell any of the central midfielders competition is the ingriedant for winning the mancs chelski and arsenal have many midfield players vying for a place which keeps an edgeon the players with the shirt and it aint done them clubs any damage . When we were at the top we had competition for every place .
it all depends on the formations Kenny decides to play…4-4-2, 4-3-3, 5-3-2, 3-5-2. The majority of our midfield can play in multiple positions and having more of them gives us strength in depth. Somthing we’ve been missing for a while.
Next season we won’t be playing in the Europa League so there is no need for such a massive squad with a load of central midfielders. Lucas, Meireles, Gerrard and Henderson will fill in in central midfield so there is just no need for an overrated Adam. Kenny seriously needs to stop targeting overrated and overpriced British guys like Adam and Downing.
And haven’t you guys already noticed? It doesn’t matter how good a player Meireles is, he is not young and British, that’s why he will be sold. A fantastic Portuguese international who has had a decent debut season will be sold so there will be space for an overrated Adam. It’s clear that Kenny and Comolli are trying to gradually get rid of the relatively older foreign guys and bring in overpriced British youngsters.
eric it is not about next season its about the next ten seasons fella your thinking with blinkers on we hope to be back in the champs league next season and with all the other cups we will need a big squad to deal with all the games and also i think you may find pepe reina is 28 is he going kuyt is 30 is he going adams will bring something to the club we have not had in a long time a quality left footed player which will balance the midfield
‘It’s clear that Kenny and Comolli are trying to gradually get rid of the relatively older foreign guys and bring in overpriced British youngsters.’
If this is true then what are the motives???? Are you suggesting that Kenny is trying to make the squad weaker????
Eric, I have to ask. Are you a Liverpool fan??? Do you know the first thing about football??? Or are you just young and dumb???
sell Johnson? man wot are u smo*ing?
we are talkin about rebuilding n strengthing and u’re talkin about selling a key player arguably one of d best in his position in the EPL (offensively) and who’s on a reasonable wage. no disrespect to Carra but he offers little or nothin goin forward(as he lacks pace or any form of creativity).
I know GJ has been kinda shaky in defence but still, his class is there to see.
In fact, there were some games last season where we needed a late goal and I was hopin Kuyt would be taken off so that GJ could go forward cos he obviously has d abilities of the modern day winger (pace, dribbling, crossin) plus he’s got strength, and can take decent shots.
Use Lucas as a sub cause he’s not good enough to start, how he got our player of the year baffles me.Personally I would sell him he would’nt get in any of the teams who finished above us this season.
For a start Adam is no where near the player Raul is and sure enough Spearing would go with Poulsen as neither of them are good enough.
At 25 i do not see Adams game rising to the levels required.
We got to start thinking longer term, so I can see all of these players playing a role in the team. Gerrard is not going to be around for ever, and with his injury history he is unlikely to be ticking along at the same age as a Scholes or Giggs. He is probably also still our best defensive midfielder too. I could see Kenny dropping Gerrard back and using Adam/Mierless in a more advanced role, with Henderson blooded gradually.
We’ve also got to think about formations. The PL has shown that a rigid 4-4-2 can be broken up to easilly by well drilled teams, so you need to have the playing staff who can allow you to shake this up a bit – whether this be 3 at the back and pack the midfield, a Rafa style 4-2-3-1 or something else, having quality midfielders will give him options. How many of us have decried Liverpool over the last few seasons as not having sufficient depth.
I know we still need some important positions filling, and I am as concerned as the next man about left-back and the wings, but suspect we’ll see more movement there as Jovanavic, El Sar and Cole are moved on.
Personally I’m not sure what the Adams fuss is about? I can see why KK wants him, he adapted in the PL really well and shone out from a team that lacked quality although they had a flyer to the season. he was however consistent and covers a lot of ground, creates goals and can chip in with set pieces. However if KK is looking to adopt the pass n move that we know n love we have Raul and Aqua at our disposals to do that. I feel Aqua was hard done by at LFC. I was amazed Lucas was there for such a long period and I could speak for us all we wanted him to go. Now look at him! player of the season. If Aqua got a chance plus another season for Raul with Stevie G and Hendo, the midfield looks promising and not forgetting young Spearing. Really we need to concentrate on width especially now with Carroll leading the front line. Downing looks to join and would you like N’Zombia on the right? with Johnson RB and possiblity of either Clichy or Enrique LB that would prove a good team. We have a good base and I don’t see why we should upset the midfield area. Rafa did that and look what happend, Xavi went and Mascherano followed. Have Hendo and Raul fighting for that place and have Lucas and Stevie G constantly playing.
the reds must be freed from the dependency of Gerard so must add players like charlie.He is capable to take the king’s(gerard’s) crown in his absence.
Remember that you heard it here first. Adam will be a massive player for us next season. guaranteed. Have faith in King Kenny and Commoli. Jonjo out on loan, Aqualani can feck off and Poulsen is out for sure. Lucas, Adam, Gerrard, Meireles, Henderson. Spearing does a job but thats it, cover for Lucas is as far he will get. Thats great competition with 4 of those five being able to play in wider more advanced positions when injuries occur. We don’t have time to blood this year we need champions league football ASAP. YNWA.
We don’t need Adam, good player though he is. I want Meireles and he deserves too. There is much more deadwood to get rid of – poulsen, jovanovic, ngog, Insua, and many more.
The only way a team is going to improve is if they sign players better than they already have, like Juan Mata! Adam is not better than Gerrard or Meireles so for that reason he shouldn’t be signed.
Sorry Tom But I dont agree. A better player in a team does not equate to a better team. Or else england would be better team.
I think we need the Mourinho approach that some of you guys mentioned (2 players for every position competing) One thing I do need to say to you Charlie Adam disbelievers..Have you seen this guy pick a pass? He is not just a quality set piece taker, this guy can create. If and when we deploy 4-3-3 Would you want to be in a battle with CA, JH and stevie? I can think of plenty of midfields who won’t fancy it. All these good players at LFC, let’s welcome them all and make a real assault on the three competitions we are in next season. YNWA. PS respect to Lucas Leiva who of course would be knocking on the door for his place.
Agreed.