WITH an interest in Joe Allen seemingly about to become a firm bid in the coming week or so, we are making the same type of purchase as we did last year. Allen certainly ticks the same boxes as Downing and Henderson did.
Young, British and aren’t going to come cheap. In the cold light of day, summer 2011 proved to be a bit of an underwhelming but extremely expensive exercise in recruiting British players.
So is Joe Allen going to be the exception to this rule, or is Brendan Rodgers, like Dalglish before him, attempting to maintain a core nucleus of British players? My personal take is that Joe Allen is likely to be a one off. Having worked with him at Swansea for a long time, Rodgers is familiar with the Welshman and my own eyes witnessed us being unable to get the ball off him at Anfield for long spells of our goalless draw with the Swans late in 2011.
We’re not the only ones being linked with Joe Allen by any means, although it seems we’re the only ones who have concrete interest. The press have linked both Arsenal and Manchester United with Allen over the course of the summer, and seeing as Spurs seem to just let us do the scouting and then come in with huge wage offers, no doubt they like Allen as well.
With one of the best passing games in Europe, statistically at any rate, Allen is very well thought of in footballing circles and it’s no surprise that Rodgers wants to be reunited with him. In a tactical set up where keeping the ball is king, someone like Allen who may only make short passes is important in ensuring the engine remains ticking over. It’s also part of “resting with the ball” which is imbued into the Mourinho school of thinking, of which Rodgers is a student.
So take away Allen’s nationality from it. He’ll prove to be a very good signing for us I think, providing that the deal gets done but the latest reports indicate a firm offer has been made to Swansea for his services. The whole “British players” argument has resurfaced as our rivals go abroad for signings. United have brought in Kagawa, Chelsea Hazard and Arsenal Podolski, but they are also being linked with Santi Cazorla from crisis hit Malaga.
“Why aren’t we bringing in these players?” scream many of our fan base. “They would be ideal in Rodgers’ 4-3-3 system.”
That much is very true, Hazard and Cazorla in particular can play wide of a front three, Hazard both sides. The sad truth of the matter is that missing out on that sort of player isn’t down to preferring British players. It’s just that we aren’t the draw we once were and we have no chance of landing players of this quality whilst we’re not in the Champions League. That sort of player would be immense for Liverpool and would no doubt propel us back towards our ultimate goal of competing for the title, but that quality of player will by and large go to a Champions League club and we have to dine from the second table.
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It is perhaps Rodgers’ biggest job to find and nurture the next Hazard and the next Cazorla. If his revolution is to succeed, we need to bring in non established quality players and let them make a great name for themselves at Anfield.
If a player is available at the right price and they are of sufficient quality, I feel that the manager would buy them whether they were British or from Botswana. In an ideal world there will be plenty of young lads we can bring into the team who are British and preferably Scouse, but we cannot gamble on that and I don’t think that Rodgers is prepared to sit and wait for that to happen. Allen isn’t a return to British transfers, he’s a player he rates highly and will be crucial to the way his team plays.
Not that I have anything against British players, by the way – it’s just that you pay a lot more than they are worth and the same type of player is available abroad for a lot less money. Either way, I will be delighted with Joe Allen if we sign him. Make it so.
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I really hope Liverpool dont pay £15 million, he’s not worth it and will only be criticized when he doesn’t live up to expectations
I think he worth the let us buy it & see. I’m very sure the man that single handedly held us will not be a flop if join
Those who dont see Allen as worth a bid obviously didnt watch much of Swansea last season. The boy is technically gifted, hardworking, great eye for a pass and despite his 5’6 short stature surprisingly strong and good for a tackle.
He was the 6th most successful passer in not only the Premier League but the whole of Europe!
He is the Welsh Xabi! Sign him up
No their are still players outtheir like gaston ramirez,drie mertens and matius suarez the only problem we have is that our coaches we had,had no interest in such players thats why rafael benitez was special to these guys but i have faith in BR
we need forwards eg wingers, not midfielders.
we are bloated with central midfielders, and are short up front. cant understand geeting more midfielders while so many already at the club. DM we have lucas and spearing but for the other two CM positions i cant see how we can sell two from the likes of aqua, adam, henderson, shelvey while allen and stevie are certs. does this mean aqua and adam are on their way? forwards/wingers are surely where we are short in numbers and in quality. suarez, borini, cole, downing, pacheco, bellamy and caroll up top not great depth especially if bellamy and carroll thought to be leaving
Link for tonight’s game anybody???
Link for tonight’s game anyone????
No one said this summer was going to be easy. It’s tough at the moment at Anfield . I respect rogers for having the balls to take this mammoth task on.
I can see Cole, Aqua and Adam leaving or being sold and Shelvey going on loan. Spearing can only be considered cover. Downing’s a tricky call, I’d like to see him get a bit more time.
I say buy him! A years experience in the prem, young, confident and receiving plaudits left & right. What’s not to like?
I think Bellamy is gone and at least one of Carroll, Suarez, Johnson, Agger & Skrtel. We’ll deffo need a wide-man and a striker…
Lol
Anyone got a link for tonight s game please
http://www.p2p4u.net
Espn
We did have funds to bring in these type of players but it was KD & Commolli who spent too much $ on players who have done nothing with the price we paid!
Carroll, Henderson and Downing cost NESV 75m pounds! Mata, Aguero and Ramirez could have been bought for a similar price for a similar role! We went British while the others have made impacts!
NESV are left regretting this and trying to pick up the pieces! Money been used now is at a fraction – once bitten twice shy!
Allen in the eyes of Rogers is a perfect fit as he has worked with him! Although I personally would live Ramirez, who would tick all boxes, but also make Suarez and Coates happier too!
Elia anyone?
The owners need to back B Rodgers with £90M -£100M to bring in these 9 players to bring in more pace,speed, mobility, class,quality, competition and hunger tO SQUAD/CLUB.
A Good Back up Gk:
Al Habsi Of Wigan should be brought for £2-£5M GK
Two Defensive players:
S Kjaer Of Wolfsburg should be brought for £8-£11M CB
A Cissokho Of Lyon should be brought for £3-£9M LB
6 Creative attacking players:
J Allen Of Swansea should be brought for £10-£14M CM
I Munian Of A Bilbao should be brought for £15-£19M AM
J Hoillet Of Blackburn should be brought for £3-£6M RW/RWF
S Sinclair Of Swansea should be brought for £3-£6.5M LW/LWF
T Walcott Of Arsenal should be brought for £12-£15M RW/RWF
C Dempsey should be brought in swap deal with C Adams and £3M. AM/FD
Then we could have two good sides competing in ALL competitions this season: WITH 9 PLAYERS BROUGHT TO CLUB:
4 3 3 FIRST TEAM
REINA GK
JOHNSON RB SKRTEL RCB AGGER LCB ENRIQUE LB
LUCAS DM ALLEN CM
MUNIAN AM
HOILLET RWF SUAREZ CF SINCLAIR LWF
4 3 3 Second Team
AL Habsi GK
KELLY RB COATES RCB KJAER LCB CISSOKHO LB
GERRARD DM HENDERSON CM
AQUILANI AM
WALCOTT RWF BORINI CF DEMPSEY LWF
Both teams would have players in middle of park who could dominate play and keep hold of possession but also both sides would have mobility,pace,speed,class,quality and goals in attacking trio up top.
So owners need to back B Rodgers with £90
there is no questioning this kids quality, but do we really need him with the amount of midfielders we have at the minute, at a price at 15mil? we really should be looking at forwards, with are only experienced players been able to play wing been Suarez, Bellamy, Cole, Downing. we might need some additions, especially in this style that thrives on wing play. and think of the bargains- Elia 7-9m, Babel 3m, Krasic 6-8m. yes babel is abit of a weird option but just there for back up. with Andy maybe leaving we need some upfront additions too- Demba Ba 7m release clause, Heskey Free( just a joke ), and if the owners were willing enough 15mil for Gaston Ramirez who is very versatile, Wing-Up Front- And attacking mid.
maybe be a big dream but imagine the teams it would make:
1) Reina
Johnson Agger Skrtel Enrique
Lucas Gerrard Aqualani(Gaston Ramirez)
Suarez(Krasic) Ba(Borini) Elia(Pachecho)
more youth giving time too. happy times to come in the new era.
I reckon that he’ll be a one off, personally, as he showed last season (and playing for a smaller club) that he is very much a quality player. I had no problems with the fee for Adam, it seemed about right but he hasn’t quite shone yet.
It was, however, the fees for Henderson and Downing that disgusted me, as neither had ever really shown any outstanding qualities that justified them. I agree with what somebody said a bit further up about the amount we’re seemingly willing to pay for Allen but he’s young enough and if he’s still with us in 5 years time, it may have been worth it.
@denis..u shuld hv been appointed instead of brendan..am a fan of ur philosophy already.good game plan
Funny, the last time some clown went out and buy British, more or less about the same stuff was said then. 85 mill and 1.5 years later we could safely said that all the 4 British players are flops, to put it mildly.
The fact is British talent is grossly overated and overpriced. For 10 to 15 mill, i ca assure you we can get much better talent elsewhere. Case in point, Mata 24 mill, Downing 20 mill with 0 goals, 0 assist, i rest my case. Oh did i mention Henderson at 20 mill…
I agree with you totally…….Buying british is rubbish. they cost too much and they aren’t good enough.