AFTER his second brief pre-season appearance against Thailand in Bangkok on Sunday morning, it became much clearer that Luis Suarez was on his way out of the club, or at least clearer that he wanted out of the club.
So far there have been few players linked with the club as ‘replacements’ for Suarez but one name that has cropped up once or twice in the past week is Valencia’s Roberto Soldado. With reports that Tottenham are to finalize a move for the Spanish striker late Sunday evening it would appear that Liverpool will have to set their sights elsewhere.
Many Reds fans have spoken of their joy at being linked with the striker and I’ll admit that his goalscoring record in the past few seasons has been highly impressive but he is far from an adequate replacement for one of the most deadly footballers – and strikers – on the planet.
With a record of 81 goals in 144 games for the struggling Spanish side, Soldado would appear to be a solid replacement for near enough anyone but what a player like Suarez brings to a team like ours is much more than just goals, he is more or less the epitome of our style of play; he is all-action and adds something to the first-team whenever he’s on the pitch.
As good as Soldado may be in front of goal, the £30 million touted for him wouldn’t buy enough of what Suarez gives us to be worth the money.
Not only that, but at the age of 28 I believe he is too old to be able to adapt to the Premier League and that is something a lot of fans seem to have missed. Remember Morientes? Shevchenko? They were world-class strikers that were in their late-20s and were all set to set the league alight but failed.
[ad_pod id=”unruly-video” align=”center”]
I have always believed that, for certain players there is an age that, once passed, makes a player much less likely to adapt – physically – to the pace and speed of the English game. That isn’t to say that the English game is better or worse, it’s just a simple fact – football on these shores requires much more from a player and the younger they are, the better as they’re more likely to be able to adapt to it.
Tottenham will surely feel that they’ve jumped ahead of us and that this will be a ‘coup’ on their part but I truly believe that we’ve dodged a very expensive bullet, if we do happen to miss out on Soldado.
If we were bankrolled by a Russian oligarch, then I wouldn’t care how or when we squandered our money but we’re not so we can’t just go blindly throwing a fortune at players who are too close to 30.
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at live4liverpool@snack-media.com
Follow us on Twitter here: @live4Liverpool and ‘Like’ us on Facebook
Woe – you do surprise me – so you don’t think John Henry likes to squander his money – well I never.
So, in the absence of a stated alternative, you’re suggesting that it’s better to buy NOBODY rather than spend 30 million on a striker with a goal-scoring record of a goal every game-and-a-half, right?
Liverpool need a striker lyk BURAK YILMA OR JACKSON MATINEZ in tym.
Perfect replaces for Suarez
So far in this transfer window he has spent 2 million if you include the sales of Carroll and Shelvey – BUT wait Brendan says we can expect HUGE SIGNINGS soon – what is he SMOKING THEN
the tours are over. Now they will be in England to finalise their Marquue signings……I hope!!
What is BR smoking?? He buys second rate players like Aspas and Alberto when we need a player like coutinho. Allen and Henderson need shipping out as they’ve had enough time and just arnt doing it.
Maybe Suarez is right about the quality of incoming players.
I’ve been a Red all my life and I don’t think we will mount any challenge this season.
I hope I’m wrong but I don’t think so.
I don’t think aspas and alberto are second rate players. Could be the bargains of the season. You clearly don’t realise we haven’t got a suger daddy wiping our arse financially like citeh. We got a bargain in coutinho. Aspas and alberto might be similar. As for hendo, he was much improved last season and is developing in to an excellent player. Have patience
Dream on u dope . Aspas and Alberto are second rate. Liverpool are one of the biggest clubs in world football yet Norwich & soton outspend us. Fsg are only concerned about profit. It is time deluded kids like you wake up
40 – 50 mill. on the table for Zuares is alot of money for alot of trouble. I realy want him out of my team and I think the one that will replace him is probably alredy in my team. All the bulls….t thats been around this guy is something LFC DOS NOT NEED. So sell him and let´s start talking about next season like we LFC supporters deserve.
i share ya view mate.. I’ll prfar jackson martinez or yimaz for that amount..or i’ll beta waste £20m on morata dan payin £30m for soldado… A dodged bullet indee!!
Only one name..Luis Muriel!! Mark my words if we don’t buy him..we will probably rue the missed chance cuz in a year or two this guy will be a world beater..provided he stays fit and keeps his head down n work hard..
I agree . This is the last season for bullsh it brenda
We can only hope . One thing is for sure : WE WILL NEVERGET TOP 4 UNDER RODGERS
I think liverpool is too big for brendan rogers,this is his last season.
Yes I think its far too much money to spend on a player who will be 29 in December.Maybe get a year or two at the most out of him.What about Alvaro Morata plus 30 million for Suarez .More doshh to buy Erickson,Alderwerield and a left back.
Result = a better balanced much better side.
I’m with the swap merota deal aswell, with a 30mil for Suarez, he’s not passionate about lfc so let him go, then get erikson, a quality left back. Sturridge will score goals with merota backing him up. I watched the Thailand game we looking good, without Suarez I see I top 4. A spas looks like he could be ok, donno about Alberto haven seen him play doesn’t look the part. Mignolet looks good. I think we just need one more good player if we sell Suarez with erikson tho. Just sell Henderson please and borini. With that money get this yilmaz everybody talking about, I’ve never seen him play but I trust the rest of ye scouse
donno about Alberto haven seen him play doesn’t look the part?
erm aint seen him play and doesn’t look the part contradiction or what.
Not being in Europe at all is a real struggle to attract quality players and it is showing now. Big club, yes we are but we are finding it tough to sign real quality marque signings, Mkhitaryn etc. he was obviously the one “star” they wanted in the summer and must have thought they could get him hence now there seems to be no plan B to sign another quality player as it doesn’t seem Eriksen fits the bill as too similar to Coutinho and not as good in my opinion.
Rubbish article, and VERY poor writing.
I’ve never for once been a fan of Soldado and the number of one on one miss he had in d confederations cup didn’t help at all…… I had prefer us going for someone else,someone better anyway. I really like dis article………Nice one.
If suarez life the the club so we have to sigh soldado he is a wanderfull player
What?
I am getting increasingly concerned with the way this window is going. I hear we will get Stella signings and we have been linked to everyone and their dog, but I fear we will be left on the final day o the window with Real making an offer for Suarez who will have used up several of his games on extended holiday before the Spanish season has got going.
Are we to be left with one half decent striker who regularly gets injured? I understand the buys so far, to make the squad better, but when are we going to make the team better? This is THE year, there is a new manager at Manure and they seem at their most fragile. If we invested this year we cold do something great. If we have been in for these players and they have said no, then be honest about it, don’t just leave us thinking that they have plan A (persuade Suarez to stay by witchcraft or some means), last year in matches we seem to only have one plan and when that wasn’t working we had more of the same. Well welcome to this window. We thought Pepe would go to Barca and we could make a profit, now we have spent £10M and got nothing back.
Someone needs to work out a plan A, B and C and make sure we are not last in a last minute scramble where we overpay for average. At the moment you get the feeling we either haven’t a clue or we haven’t got a pound to spare, perhaps they are holding out for Messi.
This rumor is not true. Liverpool were never in for soldado. He is out of Rodgers league and FSG wouldn’t pay money for a player of his age anyway
Jesus there’s some fair weather fickle fools posting comments on here tonite have any of ye clowns ever heard of getting behind the club and supporting it instead of trash talkin it. As far as I’m concerned after getting us Sturridge and Countino in January’s transfer window for the bargain prices the club paid I’ll support LFC 100 percent.
Maybe ye glory hunters should all f off and support City seems like a better fit for ye.
Blah blah blah . Be a real supporter and help get Rodgers out. Muppets like u probably wanted Hodgson to stay too
Can I ask who you would replace him with that is available mate ?
I think he’d fall into the ‘get rapha back’ category. Dismissing how raphas time at the club ended up.
Can’t wait to see the same tools go off the airwaves come seasons end when we are entrenched in the top 4, coutinho is rated in the top 5 players in the pl, sturridge has 25 goals against his name etc etc.
Be doing most things right and going about fixing the mistakes of previous regimes. Onward and upward
Deluded and clueless ozred is back talking bill@cks again. Ha ha. Get a clue.
The definition of a deluded fool = ozred
Eoin I never wanted that fool Hodgson next nor near me beloved Liverpool in the first place. However my head’s not up my arse like yourself so I can see the progress Brendan Rodgers is making. You sad deluded clown now go support man u you glory hunting tard.
Who are you calling a muppet you sad act I never wanted Hodgson near my beloved Liverpool in the first place. Now go support man u you glory hunting clown.
Think if we are going to loose Suaraz then maybe we should look closer to home, i see a striker that is really what we already playing in the PL – Dzeko from Man City, ok we can upgrade these postions once we are back in champions league (which by the way i see as a straight battle between us, Spurs and Arsenal, the difference is a second striker who will 15 goals