Liverpool’s transfer policy has come in for some severe stick from naysayers the world over this summer – myself included – however, as Kenny Dalglish begins to make his own indelible mark on a squad that lacks both quality and depth, a larger picture begins to emerge; all of the targets either acquired or in the latter stages of negotiations have been pursued with one aim in mind – getting the best out of and utilising the talents of the club’s record signing, Andy Carroll.
Stewart Downing looks all but assured to complete his move to Liverpool from Aston Villa within the next few days for a fee in the region of £20m – a wholly ridiculous valuation given the player’s actual ability. Even given the inevitable inflated premium that you have to stump up for English talent it seems a tad over the mark to say the least.
However, if you factor in that Downing has had the most completed crosses in the Premier League – 135 to be exact – in the last three seasons and it’s clear why he’s being pursued so fervently.
What has become clear, despite his injury troubles after signing for the club in January, through no fault of his own may I hastily add, is that the club simply did not have the players capable of getting the best out of Carroll. There isn’t a natural winger at the club at the moment and that means you drastically limit Carroll’s sizeable impact in the air.
To put it quite simply, the club have had to reinvest nearly £100m on top of their initial outlay of £35m on the big man to ensure that they get the best out of his undoubted potential. Those are some weighty figures to carry around on your shoulders.
Charlie Adam has also signed for the club for roughly £7m despite being out of contract next summer. The club’s keenness to sign the Scot after just one year of top flight action is in part down to his superb set-piece delivery. Without Adam’s free-kicks and corners last season – which notably rendered 9 assists and 12 goals – Blackpool would have been sunk a lot sooner than the final day of the season.
Even Jordan Henderson, a player that almost everyone can agree that the club have overpaid for, represents a bargain of sorts when you factor in the reasoning behind his purchase.
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problem with this article is you are judging all of these players, before seeing them in a red shirt…the trick..and if you look at Man Ure..this is what Ferguson does, it to build a team..not a collection of talented individuals..take darren Fletcher..huge asset to Man Ure..can you imagine the mancs been thrilled to see him in their squad when he first turned up…
also our signings not catching the eye like the ones down the the road…don’t see where fegies signings are any different…huge parallels for me..Jones..£19m for potential..£20m on a goalkeeper who has never played outside of spain…huge risk… similar fee on Ashley Young… when almost without exception Villa fans say Downing has been there outstanding player…so if a transfer policy was to come in for critisicm…
where you are right is the view that these players are been bought to build a team..whether that’s to get the best out of Carroll, Suarez or both..doesn’t matter…as long as that creates the best out of a team..look at the current league champions for how well that works..not lots of individuals i’d swap for any of our players…but as a team…well that’ll be why they are champions…
and maybe that’s not an aim that is beyond us next season…adding strength to weak areas and improving the depth of the squad…all potentially bodes well…
STRINGY spot on lad, i am made up with the downing deal he works like kuyt and has loads of pace and can pass a great ball loads of lfc fans will be surprised how good he is, i cant wait for the season to start,