It did read a bit autobiographical didn't it?
But I'd never use emojis or "lol" in any communication.
Transfer Deadline Day Summer 2016
- Thread starter Kay Age El
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It did read a bit autobiographical didn't it?
But I'd never use emojis or "lol" in any communication.
Its based on a true story then
Hmmm. I think some of the posts yesterday evening were maybe a bit fuelled by the disappointment of no deadline day signings, even though it was pretty fucking obvious there weren't going to be any.
But Oncey's dismay about the net spend is a valid point. Making money in a transfer window - regardless of circumstance - is no indication of ambition, or a statement of intent from the owners and manager. And that IS important. Just look at the deals done by Mourinho, Guardiola, Conte and even Ranieri
Of course, the Klopp Acolytes can always quack on that HE made the call, the HE decided there was no LB available that he wanted on planet Earth that could improve the side; that we didn't require a midfielder who could hold and tackle and boss the pitch; that Benteke didn't need replacing and Firmino was an adequate lone striking alternative; that Adam Lallana is a central midfielder and James Milner is a left-back.
And equally, the growing crowd of FSG doubters can say "new stand", "asset stripping" and "Klopp's hiding their lack of funds with his comments about transfer activity" or whatever.
I've never made a secret of my opinion that we'll never win the title under FSG, and they lack the genuine ambition and cash to get us back up there with United, Chelsea and City. Nothing they do or say changes my mind on that. We're an asset to them. That's all.
But I'm not sure yet which of the above is true. We may never know. It could be a bit of both.
So all we can do is analyse who came and went.
Major outgoings: overall, nobody can complain about the big players we shifted out. Some may have been loans, some for small fees, or free, but few (in some cases nobody) will miss the likes of Joe Allen, Markovic, Alberto, Balotelli, Benteke and Skrtel. We also got some good prices for fringe players like Ibe and Smith.
It's a real shame we didn't get fucking Lucas out too, and Sakho, but we certainly recouped plenty of cash and got a lot of dead wages off the bill.
Major incomings: we all had a wishlist in summer, and most of the more grounded and perspicacious Liverpool fans wanted a new goalkeeper, two new CBs, a left-back, a powerful, dominant holding midfielder, a pacy attacker and another striker. As a minimum. I also predicted that Klopp would sign a few players from the Bundesliga and spend £30m on at least one "major" new signing. So that happened. But was it enough?
I was delighted with Mane, as he is exactly what we needed and looks ace. Let's assume Karius will be great. Klavan looks mediocre, and Matip has only played once, but let's cross our fingers and hope he's great. Still short at CB, given Lovren isn't good enough. The lack of left-back is utterly mystifying and makes me fucking angry. What a fucking shambles that has been. One bid for fucking Chilwell - has he ever played in the Premiership? - and that's fucking it? There was NOBODY else? Fuck off.
Grujic? Dunno. He's young and may not feature much. The signing of Wijnaldum was interesting and I didn't have an issue with it - always liked his goal threat and ability - but he's hardly what we desperately needed and doesn't seem to suit where he is being played.. What we desperately needed was Kante. If not him, then someone like him. Our midfield still looks pedestrian and piss-weak to me.
In attack - Mane is great. But where the fuck is the new striker? You've sold Benteke for £32m. You HAVE to buy another one. We look so, so short of genuine match-winners and goals. Sturridge is top quality, but he doesn't appear to be a Klopp favourite, and there are questions over his pace and (obviously) fitness. So we're left with Firmino and Origi, neither of whom are good enough, and will never, EVER score enough goals to lead the attack of a team who want to win the title.
Baffling.
So, overall, I was pleased with (some) of the signings we did make, but utterly dismayed by those we didn't. I was glad to see the back of almost all the players we shipped out. But the seeming lack of concern from Klopp to address REALLY FUCKING OBVIOUS GAPS in the squad is making me angry. And whether that was really his call or FSGs doesn't change the fact that we have no chance at all of finishing in the Top 4, because too many teams are miles better than us.
Making money in a transfer window. Yeah, that's the usual mark of Champions alright.
I would imagine it's not that uncommon. Although fine, a while ago my brother was hoping to bang a fit barmaid 15 years his junior and she never turned up. Although he did claim she called at 4am, but he was "too tired" and told her not to bother coming to his hotel.
Inclined to believe him actually, the lazy cunt. But I bet he did bombard her with calls and texts beforehand.
Or, you could say 4 from 6 away against two of the best teams in the league.
It's not an English thing, it a realist thing. Our rivals have heavily strengthened while we have added some nice purchases in key areas. We have also failed to address some gaping holes in the squad while at the same time stripping the squad of depth (this is why net spend is significant this time around, it's not about the money - it's about the sheer number of outgoings not being balanced by the number of players coming in).
As for the players we've signed:
Matip £0m - Needs to hit form and fitness, but could prove to be a great bit of business.
Karius £4.7m - Not bad. Jury is still out with no competitive game time so far. Nice price though with a lot of upside.
Klavan £4.4m - About right. A lot of fans expected him to be 4th choice at best, has played well so far.
Wijnaldum £25m - Nothing of note so far.
Mané £30+ - Has hit the ground running and looks like he could prove to also be an excellent signing.
Not bad. No left back though. Short on right back cover. Light in midfield. We look shite without Mané and lack any kind of penetration.
We didn't look great against Arsenal. Going forward we did well, but - penalty aside - every shot on target was an Arsenal goal (same again at Burnley). The defensive issues are still there and the two positions that would have helped in that regard haven't been addressed. The attack looks a bit toothless without Mané - a long term injury to him and we could really struggle.
Now contrast that to our rivals and what they've spent. Chelsea, Utd and City all look well stocked. Tottenham look perhaps a CB light and might struggle a bit upfront without Kane early on. Arsenal are Arsenal, but have strengthened some key areas in midfield and defence. We'll be fighting it out for 6-8th injuries permitting.
Being English has nothing to do with it.
TLDR (for peter); it's good, but it's not great.
I always felt this summer was going to be about identifying the core and shifting out as many players as possible that won't be part of that core.
We've done a good job of that.
We don't need a big squad this year with no European football so it is arguably better in the long term to give some of the younger players games in the cups to see which ones are capable of making the jump.
This season was never going to be about pushing for the title in my mind - we've a decent shot at the top four as we are.
I'd prefer not to see a left back or DM signed if we were buying just to show we've addressed a concern. Getting the right ones is much more important.
I'm not overawed by any of the additions - Mane looks electric at times but he is flawed, Wijnaldum needs time to find a role. Karius will take over from Ming in time. Matip will become our leader at the back.
Klavan and Manninger are stopgaps.
You don't need to have your squad set on the 1st September. We've made additions that should improve us as the team gels and given ourselves the flexibilty to make moves in January when some other options might be available.
Transfer window grade: B-
We've done a good job of that.
We don't need a big squad this year with no European football so it is arguably better in the long term to give some of the younger players games in the cups to see which ones are capable of making the jump.
This season was never going to be about pushing for the title in my mind - we've a decent shot at the top four as we are.
I'd prefer not to see a left back or DM signed if we were buying just to show we've addressed a concern. Getting the right ones is much more important.
I'm not overawed by any of the additions - Mane looks electric at times but he is flawed, Wijnaldum needs time to find a role. Karius will take over from Ming in time. Matip will become our leader at the back.
Klavan and Manninger are stopgaps.
You don't need to have your squad set on the 1st September. We've made additions that should improve us as the team gels and given ourselves the flexibilty to make moves in January when some other options might be available.
Transfer window grade: B-
I'm of the opinion (like you) that we should sign the right players rather than just any players. We have seen enough stockpiling of poor/average players over the last few years and they have made up most of this window's cull. But I do worry that we may have trimmed the squad too far, maybe by 2 or so players, while still trying to shift Sakho out on deadline day! Surely there was a place here for Flannagan or Brad Smith until January at least?
Yeah if I think back to what was a necessity before the window then I would have said a goalkeeper, a left back and a defensive midfielder. We've bought one of those things and he's broken his bloody wrist. Wijnaldum I'm just not getting at the minute. We seem really top heavy and thin. I mean we probably have 5 first team defenders? And Klopp tried to get rid of one of those. We have 2 midfielders - Lucas and Milner - that will most likely be used as makeshift defenders this season. I really don't get it.
On the positive side, Karius will hopefully come into the side and be the latest quality keeper to come off the German conveyor belt. Mané looks quality so far. Grujic looked good in pre-season and may force his way into that vacant DM-sized hole in the squad. Matip has looked good in the two games he's played. Milner actually looked a capable left back against Spurs, bar the one lapse in concentration that led to their goal.
I'd say the transfer window was an average one all-in-all. We're left hoping on a lot of potential and square pegs in round holes. Our competitors have spent a lot of money improving their squads, while we've trimmed ours down. Sure we have added quality, but not in all the areas we desperately needed it. It's going to be a real struggle to get into the top 4 this year. I can't see it happening. For every Arsenal result, there's always the Burnley result the week after in us.
I predict we will finish 6th.
On the positive side, Karius will hopefully come into the side and be the latest quality keeper to come off the German conveyor belt. Mané looks quality so far. Grujic looked good in pre-season and may force his way into that vacant DM-sized hole in the squad. Matip has looked good in the two games he's played. Milner actually looked a capable left back against Spurs, bar the one lapse in concentration that led to their goal.
I'd say the transfer window was an average one all-in-all. We're left hoping on a lot of potential and square pegs in round holes. Our competitors have spent a lot of money improving their squads, while we've trimmed ours down. Sure we have added quality, but not in all the areas we desperately needed it. It's going to be a real struggle to get into the top 4 this year. I can't see it happening. For every Arsenal result, there's always the Burnley result the week after in us.
I predict we will finish 6th.
Or 0 from 3 against one of the weakest teams in the league.
If we had beaten Burnley, drew with Tottenham and got beat by Arsenal then that wouldn't have been too unexpected but after winning at Arsenal then the least we should have got against Burnley was a draw. Defeat there was dismal. There is plenty of time to get things right but I'm concerned that when we play against teams with 10 men behind the ball we'll struggle.
Besides doing fairly well in terms of moving on players (and inserting favourable clauses), a few other factors that help lessen the disappointment for me was that we did look into options for the areas that required strengthening (as least according to rumours) and it seemed like they're all '1st choices' - in the sense that we didn't settle for fall back options simply because we failed to get those at the top of our wanted list.
Piotr Zieliński, Mahmoud Dahoud
Ben Chilwell, Jonas Hector, Raphaël Guerreiro
etc.
Where majority of the players we were linked with finally moved to also seem to justify their calibre.
Piotr Zieliński, Mahmoud Dahoud
Ben Chilwell, Jonas Hector, Raphaël Guerreiro
etc.
Where majority of the players we were linked with finally moved to also seem to justify their calibre.
Yeah we're thin in defence but i think taking the Smith deal was a good idea.
Flannagan - i don't understand why we loaned him. He's a decent back up.
Sakho - it looks like we're so fed of him that it was more important to get rid of him than have cover. It seems to be par for the course with him - PSG thought he was unprofessional, Rodgers had issues with him and now Klopp does too. I'd love to hear more about the reasoning for it.
I would have loved an energetic DM in the Mascher mould, and, of course, a LB, but I'm really confident that Klopp can bring this all together and make us a force. We're better than the team that managed to get to two cup finals last season, we've got rid of a lot of dross, and we have some really excellent younger players on the fringes who I'm sure will get their moment to shine this season. With no Europe I have every confidence that Klopp will have us working like a well oiled destructive force. We're winning the league.
I would disagree with that....
95% of those players beat all the top teams last season. So they actually have got the ability, its just harnessing it week in week out over a league season. If Klopp can work out when to make good changes and bed people in without effecting results then I dont see why we cant challenge.
Who did we get rid of in the end?
You're confusing ability with consistency. If you beat Chelsea, it proves precisely fuck all when you lose to the team bottom of the league the next week.
Just shows the players aren't good enough.
Id rather ability than consistency, consistency can be trained.... it has to be drilled into them.... so it almost becomes second nature to be in a certain position within the team system.
At present we have a collection of talented players and some not so talented but hard working players, they need to work together to work as a cohesive unit. I think within a couple of months Klopps side will be seen as one to watch. His talent lies in bringing the best out of the collective, and I believe we have a good mix in order to do that. If he can get them all believing in his ideas and the team ethic then with maybe a signing or 2 in January we can challenge for top 4 or above.
You can't train consistently high ability. You either have the ability to perform at a high level consistently, or you don't.
It's what we used to call "good players"
Every player in the premier league has the ability, otherwise they wouldn't be in the premier league. It's the consistency that sets them apart as top, premier league players.
I don't know why so many people find this so very confusing.
In other - more hilarious, news - Everton majority shareholder Farhad (mosh dosh, as he is referred to by Blue friends of mine) Moshiri has released this statement:
"Sissoko is a great player. But when I bought into Everton, I made it clear I was proud to join a family. And we don't turn our backs on our own. Keeping James McCarthy was a priority and ultimately we could not proceed with a deal that would jeopardize his place at Everton. We wish Sissoko the best."
This comes after spending the day whoring James McCarthy out on loan to anyone in the league that would take him, as well as organising a private jet for Sissoko and a personal call from "Big Ron". They decided they didn't want Sissoko anymore because McCarthy was part of the Everton family and they pulled the plug. That is an actual statement. No joke. No trolling. Somehow they find greater ways to outdo themselves. What an embarrassment.
"Sissoko is a great player. But when I bought into Everton, I made it clear I was proud to join a family. And we don't turn our backs on our own. Keeping James McCarthy was a priority and ultimately we could not proceed with a deal that would jeopardize his place at Everton. We wish Sissoko the best."
This comes after spending the day whoring James McCarthy out on loan to anyone in the league that would take him, as well as organising a private jet for Sissoko and a personal call from "Big Ron". They decided they didn't want Sissoko anymore because McCarthy was part of the Everton family and they pulled the plug. That is an actual statement. No joke. No trolling. Somehow they find greater ways to outdo themselves. What an embarrassment.
Looks like Moshi Monster has immersed himself in the true ethos, the very essence, of Everton quicker than many expected.
That is simply wonderful stuff
A blue mate of mine has just text me losing his shit, claiming that there's no actual proof they were ever in for Sissoko. It's all a conspiracy to whip up views and money by Jim White and Sky apparently. He's not messing either.
The ultimate proof of how deluded they are is the assumption that anyone would care enough about them to make them the subject of a conspiracy.
Exactly.
Seems majority on here are disappointed there being no last minute buys by us. Two recent deadline day/week buys that come to mind, Andy Carroll and Mario Ballotelli turned out to be expensive flops in the end, for that reason alone, it'd be foolish to bring in someone at the end of the window. Now, apart from failing to get an LB, id say Klopp has done an overall good job this summer window. Promote one from the youth team or get Moreno defending well again as backup to Milner until the next window.
We haven't been able to strengthen a couple of positions which clearly need it and IMO the disappointment over that is fair enough. It's true that panic buys are not the answer, but I'd have hoped we wouldn't have got into that situation in the first place. I share most posters' confidence that Klopp will sort things out in due course, but it's still a pity that we haven't managed to do so in this window.
I'm not that bothered when we sign players as long as we get them for positions where we're weak. Both full back positions needed strengthening and a capable defensive midfielder or a midfielder capable of defending from deep whichever you prefer.
We have had all summer to get a new left back in and decent cover for right back but all we've done is weaken ourselves in them positions which is baffling. This window has been an exercise in cost cutting both with numbers of players on the books and in wages. I haven't got a problem with that as long as it doesn't affect the strength of the squad which I think it has defensively.
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