IT’S hard to believe that the season is nearing its end and the transfer window is drawing ever closer. As this current campaign seems about over for the Reds, barring another biting end, it’s time to look ahead to the off season.
It would be hard to find a Liverpool fan who is satisfied with the results from this season. There certainly have been a variety of ups and downs but the problems facing this Liverpool club have become glaringly evident.
With a poor record against the top half of the table and another season outside of the top four, it is clear that Liverpool has its share of holes to fill in order to progress.
One of these holes is at defence. With the future of Martin Skrtel unsettled and the retirement of Jamie Carragher imminent, the need for defensive options must be addressed this off season. An array of quality players in this position have been rumoured with Liverpool but there is one name that Liverpool fans will be all too familiar with.
Ashley Williams. The Welsh international is the current captain of Swansea and the Welsh national team and one cannot overlook his talent. However, adding this player could be a mistake.
Firstly, Brendan Rodgers could further alienate the fanbase if he brings in Williams and the player doesn’t perform. This is going to be seen from the beginning as Rodgers chasing his former players and if it weren’t to work out then the repercussions could be harsh for Rodgers. This is something that he cannot afford.
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Secondly, the player’s age isn’t all that welcoming. Sure, something can be said about experience but there are younger options out there that would be able to grow and develop as Liverpool players and have longer lasting impacts on the squad. 28 might not be that old for a footballer but if Liverpool are trying to get younger than taking a risk on a 28 year old is not the way to go.
Finally, there is the much chronicled issue surrounding Ashley Williams and Luis Suarez. Suarez has been one of the lone bright spots for the club this term and they will certainly make an attempt to hold on to him this summer, irrespective of his bite on Branislav Ivanovic.
The odds are already stacked against Liverpool after finishing outside of the top four once again. There is no need to give Suarez extra incentive to leave by bringing in a player whose apparent disdain for the Uruguayan is well documented.
With so many talented options being linked with Liverpool these days the addition of Ashley Williams does not make much sense. Going forward, one would most likely assume that the club is better off without the Welsh defender.
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I don’t fancy Williams, he’s too old and he wants to go to Arsenal anyway so let Arsen have him, he’s got money to burn unlike FSG.
Williams is a world class moron. I don’t want him. Suarez won’t want him
Just yet another mediocre swansea player .we already have enough of them
We should dump Rodgers b4 he fills our team with Swansea rubbish
did rodgers personally told u that he wanted Williams.So y ru getting 2 excited.juss take a chill pill & relax
Ashley Williams is a decent player and could operate very well with a partner good in the air(….something lacking in the current Liverpool defence) .. also could be losing Agger(could’ nt blame him right now) plus selling him to Madrid could land us with some decent money to spend .
Williams is a nice player lets add him
Williams is a nice player, we need him
Please we do not need another SWAN SEA PLAYER .BR needs to understand this is LIVERPOOL.
Williams is good so too are a lot of them out there.. I don’t think we need him.. We need Young prospects who can learn and grow with the team…. I don’t think we can afford some hate among the team now…
This summer we have the following which should be clear to see that its not rocket science to sort out.
Pacheco – cant keep going out on loan and its not happening for him, get rid for nothing if needs be. will not get much for him if at all.
Wilson – has to be the most dreadful young player we have had for a long while, he is average at best and out of contract, release and get his wages off the bill.
Spearing – great little guy for the right level and he just is not ever going to be what we need to compete at the top end of this league, we need better, sell him and save on wages again, max 3 mill sale.
Carroll – great player he could be in 2- 4 years time for the right team but that’s just not us and he will not get games, save on his 70 w – 80 k weekly wages and use the 12 mill or so to put back into the team. cant see us getting more than 12 mill sale.
Assiadi – nothing against the guy, but he is just not being used, use him as part of the Toby Alderweireld deal. we could get back what we paid around 2.7 – 3 mill max as sale. this guy just is not good enough, we need better.
Coates – mates with Suarez does not mean we should keep him, i wanted him to work out but we cant wait forever and we have a lack of funds to really push on and we need so many new players that we must trade to use the cash and save on his wages again, bring in better, sell for around 6 mill max, we will not get more then that.
Shelvey – dont rate this guy at all, cant for the life of me see what he is going to give us that Henderson, Allen and other young players give us. sell him for around 5 mill, which would be great business, he is OK but again so over hyped its crazy, use his wages and the cash to go and buy one better player that will give us more. sell for 5 mill max, will not get more then that.
LOAN OUT – Suso, Robinson, Flanagan, Ngoo.
That above creates more space in the team for better more quality to come in rather then having around 5-7 players that are currently offering next to nothing while taking up space on the team and wage resource!!!
If we can sell the above for a total £ 26 mill and then save on those wages that are offering no return, also loan out the players that are not quite up to it but could come good that would be great business.
Then add the 25 – 30 mill that we seem to be able to spend, thats around 56 mill to spend.
If we can keep Skrtel then fine if not add his value at around 10 mill the above figure.
but skrtel should be kept as a squad player and with the money above we need.
centre back x2
midfield power house x1
creative mid x1
forward x1
we must have a great market this summer other wise we are not getting top four next year either?
The only change to your comment would be that we should look to keep Carroll. We won’t get any where near the £12m you’re suggesting as no one wants to take a punt on him. He had a good season and a half at Newcastle, with the first one of those being in the Championship. He’s shown since then some flashes of brilliance, but has been too inconsistent. Add to this the large package he is on. However, if he’s prepared to work for it and be an impact player, then he may just give us another option. I would also like to see the defensive coaches work a lot with him too, with the potential of seeing if he could be converted into a CB (ala Dion Dublin) and becomes comfortable playing at both ends? He shows a lot of good movement on defensive set pieces and often is the player making the headed clearance….
A player I would want to see come in is West Ham’s Diame. Good looking player, powerhouse and good on the ball. Yes has a questionmark over his fitness/injuries, but has looked good for the hammers and we have Lucas as backup.
REINA
JOHNSON LOVREN AGGER ENRIQUE
LUCUS
GERRARD ALONSO
COUTINHO ERIKSEN
SUAREZ
Fook off Williams . You are not welcome
insighful , what a complete waste of time you are, its fans like you that make lfc a bad name?
Better than the silly fantasy football nonsense you cone up with Samuel
No .it’s delusionsits like you that make us a laughing stock
Don’t care how good he is. Don’t care how old he is. Don’t care how much he’d cost. Talk that garbage about luiz suarez and his only friend at liverpool will be B.R.
In the changing room who do you think theteam will listen to? Williams?… OR… THE MAN… THE MYTH… THE LEGEND… Steven Gerrard?!
Be interesting to see if we do get Pearce from Reading and how he’d go.
Red n proud!!!
Signin williams will b a mistake YNWA
Rodgers has already let down Liverpool fans with his ‘ghost goal’ and by being up fergieas at&e all the time
But this would be another betrayal by signing sc%m Williams
Id like to do to Williams what Williams wants to do to Suarez _-punch the head off him
Ashley you are not welcome at LFC
William ain’t ready!
dejan Lovren is a great young but already proven good player.
He is a tough player with solid presence and good pace to him, good in the tackle but clever with the ball for around 8- 9 mill would bring years of ability for the future but is one that is for the present too.
Wanyama is another player who i think could be a beast! well worth if you could get him for 10 mill.
David villa is a player that people seem to be writing off!!! oh dear what a stupid thing to do, because i tell you now if you see him roll up at bloody spurs then its game over, he is still a world class player and if we think we should not be trying to buy him then there is something wrong with this club and the manager.?
Carroll 14 mill – out.
Spearing 4 mill – out.
Wilson – contract out
assaidi 3 mill – out
coates 6 mill – out
pacheco 0.5 mill – out
Ngoo 1.5 mill – out
id like to see us do this –
Owners will probably go to 30 mill for transfer market.
add the above to this figure, so around 27.5 mill at best for above that’s then around 57 ish mill to spend, bearing in mind Carraghers wages at around 110 a week have been taken off the wage bill as has Carroll’s and others.
Reduce the wage bill by sending out Robinson, Flanagan, Shelvey all on 1 year loan’s with recall option, that takes there wages form the bill away and in all fairness we are not going to be relying on these type of players at the current time to get us back into top 4!
Then we go like this if we can really push it of for start of window….
david villa – 15 mill
wanyama – 10 mill
lovren – 8 mill
Cissohko – 8 mill
Reports have it that FSG have blocked Rodgers attempt to sign Williams …so that’s good news
get on with it Liverpool, after this year and having not made the champions league again!!! we must be now have a blue print plan in place ready to get on with already putting deals and things in place for getting the recruitment right !!!
If not i need to know what the managers the board and the whole club are playing at, you look at some clubs they are gearing up and have done deals already, Dortmund have lost maybe the two most high profile players but yet have deals in place to bring in others, Liverpool are far to slow.
Do we not know see how we need to get on with it with no mess this summer?