AFTER enthusing about his team’s 4-1 win on Saturday against West Bromwich Albion, Brendan Rodgers fed the press an interesting titbit. He said this:
“We want to get through to January with the team we have, the squad we have, and keep the confidence up,” he said.“Then we will assess it and reinforce it from there, like we did last January.
“We will be into a time when we can reinforce the team and hopefully the players will stay fit and we will reinforce from there.”
I am very pleased to hear that Rodgers is looking to improve the squad. Our first eleven (if you assume Coutinho is fit and selected) is good enough to challenge and beat anyone in the league, but take out one or two players and weaknesses suddenly develop. Undoubtedly, the squad needs work.
But for me, where we need to bring in some reinforcements is the centre of midfield.
Whilst the performance against West Brom was very good and nobody can have any complaints, there have been too many occasions this season where we have been overrun and vastly inferior teams have given us problems as a result.
I think that we need to bring in another defensive midfielder, someone who can compete with Lucas for a first team place. The Brazilian has had a chequered season, mixing some good performances with tired second half displays. Against West Brom, he was excellent for 90 minutes and it was pleasing to see.
But it would be nice to have someone else we can bring in if Lucas is jaded, or is not having a good game. It’s not a position we need to spend big bucks on but I think that both Allen and Henderson are wasted when they drop that deep. Sometimes when you’re under a lot of pressure it’s ideal to be able to bring a defensive minded player on to help you see the game out.
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Additionally, I think that we could do with another striker. If we aren’t going to see the likes of Samed Yesil make the first team this season, then we could be left short if Suarez or Sturridge picked up an injury for any length of time. This is where we could look for an experienced hand who is at the stage of their career where sitting on the bench is not a big issue.
We do of course have Victor Moses but there’s no guarantee that he will become a permanent signing and we would need to see evidence of his effectiveness as a striker – he has predominantly made his name as a wide player.
But I must emphasise that I am pleased to see Rodgers continually looking to strengthen. We have had a largely very good start to the season in terms of results if not always performances, but it’s good to see that it’s not being taken for granted and we are always looking to make improvements and tweaks.
Come May, such business could be essential in keeping us where we are.
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Lfc also need players I?????n????? wide areas lik right ?????????d????? left wingers ?????????d????? lik yu rightli mention ? defensiv minded midfielder.den we can start blowin teams apart.
This January will be the best time to pick up quality players not starting for their clubs because of the world cup. PSG have some interesting players that might want to do what Sakho did and get a place in their international teams by joining Liverpool. If Liverpool could get Pastore for midfield and Montoya for RB I’d be very happy. And in the summer buy a quality holding midfielder. Rodgers is gonna be the man to win the league for Liverpool I can sense it.
Liverpool have a good squad at the moment, the only worry is in the striking side when one (suarez or sturridge) gets an injury, it ‘ll be a little problem.
We are doing really great now,i think Pastore and Montoya will be a great addition in january,we could also do with an extra striker probably in the mould of El-sharaway as a cover for SAS,i agree Rodgers will win us the league soon.
Pls,pls,pls let me start 4rm here,pls dont drop Moses against Arsenal,instead drop Henderson ok,,dat by the way,,the erea we need players is defencive midfielder,,one more hot striker,one central midfielder,,& a right back,,Rogers could remember the mistake he made buying Aspas & Luiz Alberto with almost £14m,,while Ericson is £11m before going to Tottenham,,,Ericson,is he not better than Aspas & Alberto?pls take not.
iz it ericson or eriksen anyone he iz i tink hez more beta dat aspas bt nt alberto coz he(alberto)iz of the future nd i tink the formation against west brom i gud 2 go against arsenal cmo’n reds lets take all three point home…..YNWA
I think 4 players would do the trick.
1. DM- you already addressed this. Lucas is great on his day, but what if it isn’t? Allen is too small and Hendo would need to decide to convert permanently imo…it isn’t very effective learning to play both as an AM and DM.
2. RB- Like Lucas, Johnson is amazing on his day. However what about injury? Again, Hendo plays best centrally, so we would sacrifice a motor by sending him wide. However, it doesn’t need to be a young, up and coming player. We have McLaughlin in the reserves who is beast. Kelly could sub there if need be, but I would rather he continue developing as a CB.
3. CM- A young guy would be preferred here. Someone made to play the new Gerrard role. Suso and Texeira are both more attacking players, but it would be great if they could scoot back, making this a non-issue. I understand there are a bunch of academy guys, but tbh not many really impress me to the level of Sama, McLaughlin, Texeira, Ibe, etc.
4. Winger- Right or left, doesn’t matter. Just another defined true winger. Moses is only here for a season, and im not really impressed. More power to him if he steps it up, but I have a feeling it wont be permanent.
prior January, I have a view which is different from what you guys said,
first, peering suarez and sturrigde in frontline may cause problem because, sturrige will never want Suarez to lead him in goal scoring while Suarez is in his best scoring form will continue to score more goals. The level by which Suarez release pass for sturrige more than that of him (sturrige ).
Game against west bromwich, after Suarez brace, sturrige decided not to pass but looking for goal. in a big match, it will affect Liverpool performance that’s why am suggesting that one striker is good to be used and the other will be substituted second half..
. For transfer saga, we need RB like Montoya, pastore as CM and Traore as a boost to our striking force.
I need views about my comment, kops
up Liverpool,, YNWA
Rodgers should buy pastore,he’s a attacking minded midfielder,and world class prayer,to create more chances to the strikes.in terms of coutinho, he’s good,tactically he’s good and he links the strikes from back three. Steven Gerrard is getting old and can not get the ball box to box,he’s no longer creative.my opinion is that liverpool should consider attacking midfield as a priority.
I think we’ll go for will hughes in january. Would be good signing but we’ll probably loan him back for the rest of the season. I would sign tom ince too.
Stevie u are mad and clueless.Don’t blame u racist like Dalglish who went on to fill lfc with average british players.Only Gerrard and rooney are worldclass in the whole of British players in the epl now.
pino pino……….i don’t think wanting to sign will hughes makes me a racist. top prospect. and tom ince would be cheap and is a future international. i wouldn’t call myself mad either. signing someone from abroad for 25m who cares nothing for the club is madness. i like a mix of top english talent and a few others. you’re entitled to your point of view. so am i
No one mentions a left back? Cissokho has been absolutely hapless so far, I wonder whose scout report resulted in his signing. Anyone seen him go past one defender? Too slow on the turn, he will be murdered against quality wingers, offers just nothing going forward. We need a quality backup to Enrique, it is a must.
B Rodgers needs to ship out two players who are simply not good enough in January:
GK B Jones RB J Flanagan
And then in the summer the other 4 dead wood average players at club need to be shown the door:
CB Coates RW / RWF Assaidi FD: Borini FD: Aspas
But the owners need to give B Rodgers 60-70m to spend on 6 players, so the equivalent of 10-12m per player. On these 6 players that will change dimension of squad:
Defensive players:
1:A GK to compete and Cover Mignolet: A Mccarthy(23) Of Reading for 5-7M
2:A Mobile Strong ToughTackling DM to compete and Cover Lucas: M’Vila(23) Of Rubin Kazan, B Matuidi(26) Of PSG Or Fernando (26) Of Porto, One of these three Defensive Enforcers needs to be brought for 10-15M
Attacking Players:
3: CM: Koke(21) Of A Madrid to cover and compete with Henderson for the next 3-6 years for 15-20M ( Creative/Goalscoring Centre Midfielder)
4: CM: B Etxrebarria(26) Of A Bilbao to cover and compete with Allen for next 2- 3 years for 10-14M ( Creative /Dictates play/ Offensive Centre midfielder)
5: RW / RWF: M Salah(21) Of Basel to play on the right hand side as right winger or right wing forward, blessed with pace, skill, speed and would bring width and goals to side. Should be brought for 10-15M
6: LW / LWF: B Arfa(26) Of Newcastle to play on left hand side as Left winger or Left wing forward, has skill, speed, creates loads, scores goals and is a match winner. He should be brought to club for 12-15M
If our club is still in the mix in January, so in top 4 positions. These 6 players could help us make top 1-3 and also bring us the extra class, quality and depth to push us to a league title. But that is only if we are still in top 4 come January, then these 6 players would help club push on.
And bring more steel and cover at back in Mccarthy(23) GK and M’Vila(23) DM
And bring more class, creativity, mobility, pace, speed and goals to centre midfield and wing, something we do not have now in: Arfa(26) LW /LWF, Etxrebarria(26) CM, Koke(21) CM and Salah(21) RW /RWF.
How many people foresaw Sturridge and Coutinho arriving last January??
Yet some still don’t want to credit Rodgers and ‘ his ‘ backroom staff for keeping hold of Suarez. Arsenal sold Van Persie and look what happened.
It’s high time you whingers bit the bullet and smiled. Remember half time in Istanbul, singing You’ll Never Walk Alone? In the words of Delia Smith ‘ where are you?’
Aaron, we all know Coutinho and Sturridge have been great buys. But Rodgers has brought more average poor attackers than class, quality players.
Alberto, Allen, Assaidi, Aspas and Borini are players rodgers brought to club, who are average. The only one who will turn to be better in future i hope and pray is Allen.
As he showed in some games last season he was the part, he just needs to be more offensive, creative and score more goals. And stop playing Too Safe all the time.
Rodgers and Gerrard were key to keeping Suarez, but if we do not make top 4 this season, no matter what club do Suarez is off.
And if we are to make champions league the 6 players i named would bring steel and cover at back and more class, creativity, mobility, pace, speed and goals to centre midfield and out wide, where we are currently struggling with.
As they could come a time when Sturridge or Suarez, or both of them loose form and hit barren spell like all striikers. Where else is the goals coming from if we do not get penalty?
Exactly
These 6 players would cost club 60-70m but they would also bring club champions league football:
Defensive players:
1:A GK to compete and Cover Mignolet: A Mccarthy(23) Of Reading for 5-7M
2:A Mobile Strong ToughTackling DM to compete and Cover Lucas: M’Vila(23) Of Rubin Kazan, B Matuidi(26) Of PSG Or Fernando (26) Of Porto, One of these three Defensive Enforcers needs to be brought for 10-15M
Attacking Players: Class, Creative, Mobile players:
3: CM: Koke(21) Of A Madrid to cover and compete with Henderson for the next 3-6 years for 15-20M ( Creative/Goalscoring Centre Midfielder)
4: CM: B Etxrebarria(26) Of A Bilbao to cover and compete with Allen for next 2- 3 years for 10-14M ( Creative /Dictates play/ Offensive Centre midfielder)
5: RW / RWF: M Salah(21) Of Basel to play on the right hand side as right winger or right wing forward, blessed with pace, skill, speed and would bring width and goals to side. Should be brought for 10-15M
6: LW / LWF: B Arfa(26) Of Newcastle to play on left hand side as Left winger or Left wing forward, has skill, speed, creates loads, scores goals and is a match winner. He should be brought to club for 12-15M
The Defensive players would bring more steel, cover and depth at the back in : Mccarthy(23) GK and M’Vila(23) DM
The attacking players would bring more class, creativity, depth, mobility, pace, speed and goals to centre midfield and Out wide, something we do not have now in: But these 4 players would bring to club: Arfa(26) LW /LWF, Etxrebarria(26) CM, Koke(21) CM and Salah(21) RW /RWF.
Liverpool certainly do need reinforcements in the coming transfer window. The crucial positions to look at goalkeeper; rightwing, defensive midfielder , attacking midfielder and another striker. Hope that FSG will give BR more budget to buy good quality players.
agger want 2 go?just go!remember when ur injured 4 whole season n got support?if skatel in on form what do u expect .ilori,wisdom ;kelly r waiting!just go
Agger does not want to leave. Read his tweet
i dont care…
Liverpool must get 3 more player to complete the squad.
cautinho, gerrard , hendo and lucas <> get 1 more DM cover for lucas
in 10M rate from EPL or France and Fully skill, speed and good crosser ( 15 M)
Sturridge and Suarez <>
Cover by borini ( loan ) Aspas and Moses + Morgan ( he must play 6 game if we lead 3-0)
Johnson < must get new cover and i think from EPL are good. ( Kelly maybe or wisdom )
Traore ( 2 years only )