Monday, 23 November 2009

Troublemakers, crocks and has-beens: Who Liverpool FC will REALLY try to sign in January

IT'S just six weeks until the transfer window opens, so who will Liverpool buy?

Tottenham's Roman PavlyuchenkoRuud van Nistelrooy? Carlton Cole? A loan deal for Roman Pavlyuchenko? All have been linked with a January switch to Anfield by the media.

And what about Tottenham's five-goal hero in the 9-1 demolition of Wigan, Jermain Defoe?

Believe it or not, some Liverpool fans actually think that's realistic...time to smell the coffee.

First, there's the evidence of two high-profile interviews in recent weeks - the 5Live Q&A with Liverpool FC managing director Christian Purslow, and the Rafa Benitez interview in The Times.

Purslow told 5Live: "We haven't tended to use January as a significant period for player trading. There may be activity, but I wouldn't say it is a key part of our plan."

And Benitez said: "If we want to have money available, then we have to sell some players. We have to sell expensive and buy as cheaply as possible."

Perhaps most tellingly, writer Tony Evans, Football Editor of The Times, added in that interview: "Manager and chief executive may face a difficult transfer window, with the priority being to lower the wage bill. Three or four players may head out of the Anfield exit door, with none of the cash heading back to Benítez..."

Some fans are speculating that club co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett will recognise the need for a quality striker and dip into their personal fortunes to pay for one. Maybe.

LIVERPOOL V ATHLETICO MADRIDOr maybe they'll approach another manager behind Benitez's back - and we all know which they've got previous for...

Whatever happens, it's clear Liverpool are crying out for reinforcements up front with Andriy Voronin failing to recapture the form of either his early days at Anfield, or his loan spell with Hertha Berlin.

Then there's the problems with Fernando Torres' fitness and, while David Ngog has done well, it's too big an ask for a 20-year-old to lead the line on a regular basis.

So it's time for fans to lower their sights. What Liverpool need is a striker who can offer more than Voronin - that is the lowest common denominator.

And given the financial situation, the Reds are looking at a player that is not first choice at another club, maybe getting on in age, has injury problems or has a reputation for having a bad attitude.

Realistically, anyone else will be too expensive.

Whisper it, but we could do worse than look across Stanley Park for inspiration. Louis Saha was allowed to leave Manchester United on a free transfer due to his dire injury record. But Everton have nursed him into form and he has scored nine goals already this season.

Pavlyuchenko for me is a good shout - he's desperate to leave, he's a proven goalscorer and Harry Redknapp clearly doesn't fancy him. But will Spurs really want to loan him to a side they are battling with for a top-four finish?

Defoe, well that's clearly a pipe dream. As, I would suspect, is van Nistelrooy, whose wages alone are likely to be a stumbling block.

Of course, the picture may change if we manage to sell players. But that's a big if. Too many fans think it's simple, offering the 'sell him, him and him and we can buy him' logic.

Like much of the logic around football, it is fatally flawed.

Firstly, some of the Anfield deadwood is hardly likely to be top of the shopping list for other clubs. And teams that are interested will know Liverpool are desperate to sell, and will offer a low price.

Then there's the issue of whether Benitez will actually see the money generated by sales - the reason Voronin is still at the club when there was money on the table for the player from other clubs in the summer.

So, who could we sign?

Well Kevin Davies has been mentioned. Unfashionable, yes. But a proven Premier League performer, and one who can certainly hold the ball up.

And just because players are unfashionable, doesn't mean they can't do a job - remember David Speedie?

Aged 30, he signed for £675,000 in 1991. He was at Anfield for just six months but scored away to Manchester United on his debut, hit two against Everton and finished with stats of six goals in nine starts, with five substitute appearances.

A Speedie-type signing right now would suit Liverpool down to the ground.

My suggestion? What about a loan move for Amr Zaki?

Premier League: Liverpool Slip Up At WiganThe 26-year-old showed he could handle the English game and hit 10 goals while on loan to Wigan, including two against Liverpool.

But after then Latics boss Steve Bruce labelled him the most unprofessional player he had worked with, clubs have hardly been queuing up to tempt him away from the Egyptian Premier League.

But the player himself said: "Yes, I was wrong, but my mistakes were not intentional, they resulted from my trouble adapting to England. I want to get back to England to prove that I am a good player, and that I have learned from my mistakes.

"Maybe if I went back to England, I would finish my career there.''

Just a thought... 

Comments (30)

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We'd have to sell Yossi first. He doesn't play alongside players of Jewish or Algerian descent for some reason.
Wow, you talk about logic and then suggest an AFRICAN player?

You've not heard of the African Cup of Nations then?!

Miroslav Klose or Van Nistelrooy are most likely.
Richie - Saw those comments - expect a retraction, 'I was misquoted' etc etc within the next few days. A bit of positive spin will soon brush over that issue....
"Wow" Liencam, you read an article about us having no money then link us with players who would cost plenty - if not in fees, in wages...I'm trying to be realistic aboyut a player LFC could buy.
I don't have time to go into detail, but Zaki is a no go. He would be unavailable for over a month after January, and is an anti-semite. Not worth the hassle it would cause with Yossi - why risk upsetting him?

RVN would be available for free. He might earn big coin at Real, but it's a world cup year, and he needs game time. He might even be amenable to a pay-as-you-play deal.

Klose is also a real option - and he recently spoke openly about his admiration for LFC. Despite your opinion that we could be low-balled by clubs, Munich will be swimming in cash in January, as Ribery is almost certainly going to leave*. It's also worth remembering that Munich have been linked with Kuyt & Babel in the past, and that Voronin has Bundesliga Pedigree.

*If Ribery goes to Madrid, they will be extremely keen to get rid of RVN, and we could arrange a loan to potential permanent deal, with them helping pay his wages till the summer.

The bottom line is that there is wriggle room on both potential deals. Zaki is simply a no go.

My views are entirely realistic.
1 reply · active 798 weeks ago
Ah you mentioning David Speedie - remember thinking back then..seems an odd name to for Kenny to bring in (wasn't he the last King Kenny signing?)!

Voronin for me has been an enigma, thought he was going to be a useful squad member, playing in the 'Gerrard' role! When you saw him play for Ukraine he was normally the one doing the 'donkey work' so that other fella took the credit! Getting him on a free was a bonus! But whether its a case of him not starting regularly he has failed to show what I thought he was capable of in a Red shirt especially after impressing during his loan spell! During the Lyon home game all the pundits were screaming to bring on Babel but I could understand Rafa's thinking of bringing Voronin to just control the ball and for the boys to keep possession of the ball - as I was trying to get myself heard by Messrs Gray and the others, typically Voronin was given the ball and his 1st touch let him down! Don't know how much we'd get for him but I'd be looking to see how much I could sell him on for, in order to reduce our wage bill!

Like you, I don't expect a major name with a large price tag to be brought in or any major activity coming in during January! There needs to be a major decision on Torres' fitness to be made and whether an op is necessary! If they decide to operate, H&G&P need to back Rafa to the hilt and bring in a target man whether on loan or a permanent signing...Pav,RVN or Zaki! Thers no way we'd get Defoe & he's not a target man!

If money was no object them my personal choice would be Carlton Cole but like I said - money no object! But I'd like to see us test West Hams resolve whether it be January or in the summer! Not sure if he'd play 2nd fiddle to Torres so to speak! Am also a fan of Fernando Llorente as well!

But going back to choice between the 3 mentioned - I agree Zaki on loan with an option to sign in the summer would be my choice too for all the options you've stated in your piece!

Another couple of names to drop in there would be David Guiza as a short term option! Whether Fenerbache would agree I can't say! The other is Raul Tamudo, currently having issues at Espanyol apparently.
you bunch of stupid liverpool fans. i am so ashamed to be a fan of the same club as you bunch of the stupidest people on earth. how in this freaking world can people who are as stupid as you -- robbocrap et al -- exist is beyong me. then again, if there are no stupid people, then managers who suck as bad as rafa benitez would not have a job. it is only through your blind dumbnut allegiance for one cocked-up night in istanbul (which if not for the fact he cocked up so badly in selection in the first half, we would have certainly lost) that has seen us win -- what now? -- one in 10. one in 10 and you are still supporting this assinthehole crap of a manager?

you are stupid. i wish i were a man utd fan, and as revolting as that sounds, it sure sounds a lot better than being fans of the same club as you dumb bunch of morons. tell you what, why dont you swap and be united fans, since you sure as hell hate liverpool so much that you are willing to sabotage our future for you crapshit allegiance to the zone-moron benitez.

shit you very much.
4 replies · active 798 weeks ago
aha,thanx des..you're amusing..please go and support man u..you belong with the manc scums,you guys are so alike it tickles..anyway,zaki is interesting..whether or not he's attainable is rather smoky at the moment.as for klose,i cant really see a high-profiled as him coming this january.expect another morientes kinda of player..him being a flop nowithstanding,his procurement was made in good sense..was a classy player before,and not needed at madrid..how about tamudo,or zigic?
2 replies · active 798 weeks ago
One of Toni, Klose, Gómez or Olic might be a possibility, especially if they keep Ribéry. Can't say that I follow German football closely but I am under the impression that Van Gaal favors a 4-3-3 system with AR and FR on the flanks and one of the quartet up front.

Then there are players out of contract in the summer. One is Kevin Kurányi of Schalke 04. 27 y/o, 19 goals in 52 caps for Germany and 99 in 222 games for Schalke 04 and Stuttgart. A further bonus is that he will not get himself injured on international duty, as he fell out with Lowe last year.

Then there is the 26y/o Paolo Guerrero of Hamburg. Only seen him play a couple of games in the Europa Vase competition, but was quite impressed. Scoring record might not be the best, but still 9 in 24 internationals and 37 in 111 club games is quite respectable.
now that we are out of the champions league, will you fire this dumb spaniard now? wankers all of you.

stan collymore was right - liverpool are a two horse team. you lot made so much noise claiming we are not but the results show it. without torres or gerrard around, we win one in 10 (or 2 in 11 now). how is that not being a twin pony team?

wankers.
1 reply · active 798 weeks ago
nope,we're not gonna fire anybody,cause we're not a bloody arsehole like yourself des..resistance or whatever,please leave your views at manchuria etc,its not wanted here
the same thing all losers do is being an arsehole..much like yourself des...the reason why we're out of the champions league being such a shock is because that man rafa set the bar so high for the last 5 years..one bad season and he has to go!?like i said,what an arse you are
A striker who may be past his best but could still deliver short-term. What's that bloke Man U have just signed called again? Michael something. I think you must have been bevvied when you brought Kevin Davies up - may as well buy Richard Dunne and put him up front. Looking at cheapo but potentially good players, there is Benni McCarthy at Blackburn, Trezeguet is 32 now so maybe cheap, how much would Luis Garcia be to get back?
Isn't Dirk Kuyt a centre-forward? Stick Gerrard on the right, Aurelio left, Yossi in the hole and Aquilani in the place of our worst midfielder since Nicky Tanner had to play there under Souness.
surprise,surprise..looks like van nistelroy is being linked with us...quite interesting if you ask me..what do you think,for or against??
Proven goalscorer, so good in that respect, but pretty much a box player, so not sure how it would work system-wise, couldn't see us playing the same tactics we do now, particularly if VN and Torres lined up together in the same team.
i dont expect him to play with torres though..i think it will still be the same system with him up front (in the absence of torres of course)..cant really see rafa employing a new tactic to accomodate him..
i think zaki will be very good singing for the reds
zaki did look like a good striker...but how about the alleged lack of professionalisme?
zaki is the best choice
Zaki is great striker but he needs a good personal friend beside him to talk instead of him if he shuts up he will be the best striker in the league. I am ready to be this friend
Since we don't have the buying power, finding player with a loan deal is the best option. I'll go with RVN if we can get him on loan or for free.. But we still need to sell maybe to cover the wages.

And i say give the likes of Pacheco or Amoo more playing time

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