Liverpool FC Forum

[jonnymac1979]

From Sky Sports.com

According to reports emanating from the French press, Roma midfielder Olivier Dacourt has emerged as a close-season target for both Barcelona and Liverpool.
The former Leeds United favourite could be sacrificed to ease crippling debts at the capital club, with Barca reportedly now ready to step up their interest.

The Catalan giants had earmarked on-loan star Edgard Davids for a permanent move but it has now been suggested the Dutch ball-winner will be be returning to Italy after the European Championship.

Davids proved a popular figure figure at the Camp Nou and if he is to turn down the opportunity of joining Barca, the club will be looking to add steel to their ranks.

Probable new Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is also a known admirer of the France international and would see Dacourt as a potential partner for Steven Gerrard in the side's engine room.

Benitez's prime target is talented Spanish international David Albelda but with Valencia likely to resist any advances, a move for Dacourt is a more plausible option. 


             

[JBG]

Davids has apparently signed a three year deal with Barcelona (as has Guily of Monaco....Barca will be very strong next year).

Dacourt would be a very good partner alongside Gerrard, a more kinetic and energetic player than Hamman.

All the same, I'd prefer to have Abelda ahead of Dacourt: Abelda and Gerrard would eat midfields for lunch next season if we could pair them together!

[115-1073096938]

Baraja is by far the better of the two Vaencia players.

However Gerrard doesn't need another defensive midfielder in there. Dacourt is a class act but isn't going to give us anything Hamann aor Gerrard lready doesn't.

[woof woof !]

However Gerrard doesn't need another defensive midfielder in there. Dacourt is a class act but isn't going to give us anything Hamann aor Gerrard lready doesn't.

Stu, you keep making this reference. i:e Gerrard is an out and out "defensive" midfielder. I agree that he is probably our best in that role BUT Stevie himself says he likes going forward and I for one find him just as effective and far more exciting when he does start to push on, you can see the panic in the oppositions eyes. I wouldn't therefore dismiss the signing of a defensive midfielder as unnecessary I would lable it as an opportunity to let Stevie rampage forward.
               "Cry Havoc and unleash the dogs of war "

[JBG]

Baraja is by far the better of the two Vaencia players.

However Gerrard doesn't need another defensive midfielder in there. Dacourt is a class act but isn't going to give us anything Hamann aor Gerrard lready doesn't.

Thats true Stu but Baraja would cost 15million or so.

I was comparing Albelda to Dacourt, both of whom are similar players.

[115-1073096938]

Stu, you keep making this reference. i:e Gerrard is an out and out "defensive" midfielder. I agree that he is probably our best in that role BUT Stevie himself says he likes going forward and I for one find him just as effective and far more exciting when he does start to push on, you can see the panic in the oppositions eyes. I wouldn't therefore dismiss the signing of a defensive midfielder as unnecessary I would lable it as an opportunity to let Stevie rampage forward.
              "Cry Havoc and unleash the dogs of war "

That a s*1thouses attitude mate.

I don't ever say he's an out an out defensive midfielder. But the fact is he is. By trade he's a ball winner. The same as Roy Keane.

However, he's a world class midfielder with Exceptional alround ability. He should be practically given a free role. He shouldn't be the attacking midfielder, he shouldn't be the defensive midfielder. Roy Keane done if for united. He simply mixed the roles between him and Scholes. They weren't tied down to particular roles and thats what made them so effective. Keane used to get up and down all day long as Gerrard does now.

He has a natural game. He should be allowed to play it. Playing someone in there like Cole or Scholes will compliment what Stevie hasn't got. Gerrard has very good vision and technique and game intelligence but his main strengths are his drive and power and determination. Where as Scholes say... has good drive, power determination etc... but top class vision and technique and intelligence.

My point is we should be looking to replica Man Utds treble winning midfield shape.

Kewell is similar to Giggs, Gerrard is similar to Keane...

Cole imo is similar and could be as good as Scholes (sightly different but a similar mould of player)... its a case of picking the right system and mixing it properly. Lets face it, Gerrard is no Zidane going forward, he's no Scholes... in fact in all honesty i'd say Murphy has more game intelligence than Gerrard and better vision, however he lacks in other areas to make it show consistently.

[JBG]

Have to disagree with you about Joe Cole, Stu.

He has always been over rated and hyped ever since he was 16 years old and earning more than Tony Blair. He has great skills but unexceptional physical attributes and has very little end product to his game.

I'm not just basing that on what I have seen of Cole in a Chelsea shirt last season: he has simply failed to develop (or rather develop into a top midfielder) since his West Ham youth team days.

[jonnymac1979]

I'd love to sign Baraja.  Simply class.

[begintoend]

I'll take Baraja too. SG is a central midfield. His role is to add depth and strength to the attack or defence. SG is no out-an-out defensive midfield. Hamann is more of a DM.
Having Baraja over Albelda is more exciting as Baraja plays the ball to the attacking mids faster.
Joe Cole.... simply not a wise option at all.
If Dacourt is available for a small fee, TAKE HIM. He has 2 good legs. How many of these do we have....
But if Roma ask for >6mil, forget it.

[stevie_g]

before we go on talking who we should buy..we should be asking that bloody rick parry what he is doing...if he is not going to appoint a manager than we will definitely loose out on all the class players and end up buying third div class players from the french league

[stevie_g]

dont like dacourt though..that guy walked out of leeds...dont think he will have the commitment to play for liverpool

[whylongball?]

surely Joe Cole hasnt lived up to expectations but i have a feeling that if, given right training and a good run of games, he would be very very good. His best position would be in the centre. But... he's not liv player yet!!

[woof woof !]

he's a world class midfielder with Exceptional alround ability. He should be practically given a free role.

Stu,I completely agree with you on this point,which is why I asked why do you dismiss suggestions the we buy another midfielder who is labelled as defensive. Surely for Stevie to be given a free role he/we would need the security of a holding midfielder ?.
I think we might be reading the same book here Stu, we're just on different pages. 

[jack66]

Have to disagree with you about Joe Cole, Stu.

He has always been over rated and hyped ever since he was 16 years old and earning more than Tony Blair. He has great skills but unexceptional physical attributes and has very little end product to his game.

I'm not just basing that on what I have seen of Cole in a Chelsea shirt last season: he has simply failed to develop (or rather develop into a top midfielder) since his West Ham youth team days.

Agree with this jbg,there is no doubting this lads talent,but he will never be a team player,thats why sven wont have him in the first team.If he didnt show of as much with his fancy dan attitude he would be twice the player,because he could be.

[woof woof !]

Have to disagree with you about Joe Cole, Stu.

He has always been over rated and hyped ever since he was 16 years old and earning more than Tony Blair. He has great skills but unexceptional physical attributes and has very little end product to his game.

I'm not just basing that on what I have seen of Cole in a Chelsea shirt last season: he has simply failed to develop (or rather develop into a top midfielder) since his West Ham youth team days.

Agree with this jbg,there is no doubting this lads talent,but he will never be a team player,thats why sven wont have him in the first team.If he didnt show of as much with his fancy dan attitude he would be twice the player,because he could be.

Same feeling here, So often he runs himself into a cul de sac ,tries to beat one man too many.Bags of skill doesn't seem to know how to use it effectively.