Liverpool FC Forum

[stmichael]

I think the proposed purchase of Babel shows the faith Rafa has in a 'fit' Kewell. I don't think Babel will walk straight into the first team, but I think after another year at Ajax his value might well have doubled. So, we get him early and Harry does the business this season.

[Redman in wales]

I think the proposed purchase of Babel shows the faith Rafa has in a 'fit' Kewell. I don't think Babel will walk straight into the first team, but I think after another year at Ajax his value might well have doubled. So, we get him early and Harry does the business this season.

well there's 2 issues.

1. if we're buying him now as a back up for kewell, how much is he going to improve his skills and abilities, considering noone - especially ajax fans - consider is he's good enough for our first 11 at the moment. If he's not good enough now, and gets a handful of games (providing kewell and aurelio stay fit) over the season, is he really going to be good enough next season? - i suppose noone can really answer that question, but i think if we were to buy him now, he should really be loaned back to ajax to get a full season and a lot more playing time behind him

2. his position. he prefers to play as a striker. An ajax supporter said earlier "In the Ajax youth he was a striker and also made his debut in the first team as a striker. Last season he played at the left wing, but he has a poor cross and is right footed"

then babels agent said: "'Of course Liverpool is a great club. But it must not be that he needs to fight with eight strikers for two positions. We must also look at the development of Ryan.'

so it seems as though babel wants to emulate henry, but he will not get that chance here with 4 strikers and only 2 wingers on our books

[tubby]

I disagree. If Rafa is willing to spend 6 Mil on Levia who he claims is ready to challange for the 1ast team then im sure Babel is capable of the same in his eyes.

[tubby]

PS Just read on news now that hes due in today for his medical.

[stmichael]

I think the proposed purchase of Babel shows the faith Rafa has in a 'fit' Kewell. I don't think Babel will walk straight into the first team, but I think after another year at Ajax his value might well have doubled. So, we get him early and Harry does the business this season.

well there's 2 issues.

1. if we're buying him now as a back up for kewell, how much is he going to improve his skills and abilities, considering noone - especially ajax fans - consider is he's good enough for our first 11 at the moment. If he's not good enough now, and gets a handful of games (providing kewell and aurelio stay fit) over the season, is he really going to be good enough next season? - i suppose noone can really answer that question, but i think if we were to buy him now, he should really be loaned back to ajax to get a full season and a lot more playing time behind him

2. his position. he prefers to play as a striker. An ajax supporter said earlier "In the Ajax youth he was a striker and also made his debut in the first team as a striker. Last season he played at the left wing, but he has a poor cross and is right footed"

then babels agent said: "'Of course Liverpool is a great club. But it must not be that he needs to fight with eight strikers for two positions. We must also look at the development of Ryan.'

so it seems as though babel wants to emulate henry, but he will not get that chance here with 4 strikers and only 2 wingers on our books

I saw an interview with Alex Ferguson yesterday and he said that Nani and Anderson (who have both cost more than Babel will) won't be regulars this season. He said they will play in games but not all of them, but in time they will be regulars. That's pretty much how I see the situation with babel, I don't think he will be first choice immediately but he will play in lots of games, especially at home. Eventually, be it in 1 season or 2 or 3 he could become a first choice player.

Why does everybody get all worked up over who should start... Being wide players they are injury prone and their form and confidence will change over the course of a season, and that is why it is so important to have several options in these positions... I would love to see Harry dance all over Chelsea (like in the FA semi at Old Toilet) one week, and see Babel run riot over Neville the next week.

[whylongball?]

if you see him not playing regularly then i think we definitely need a good LW...no way you can depend on Kewell (even when he's fit)

[Dutchsky]

20 milion euro for a player like Babel is way too much. His stats haven't been great with Ajax.
He's no way near a player like Henry.
Last season: played 2006/07 Ajax 27 matches 5 goals

Ok, he's still young. But he ain't worh 20 mil euro; that would make him the most expensive ajax-player ever. Sneider is much better, and he is worth around 10 mil euro (and Valencia even wouldn't pay that for him).

click here for a overview of ajax players and their worth (not 100% accurate bot close)


Babel has been hyped due to the u21 Euro's (same for Drenthe; although Drenthe did perform better then Babel).


Babel has been appointed to the left wing by Ten Cate (and Koeman b4 him). In his youth teams he played central forward.
He aint doing great as a leftwinger (although Van Basten selects him for that role, and the national dutch side has better options for lw: Robben and Van Persie).

Babel's trademarks are: his speed, and his shot.
But it's always the same trick he plays.

[puroresu]

Looks like Drenthe is going to Madrid.  I bet its a lot cheaper than what we are paying for Babel as well.

[craigaldinho]

[quote]
20 milion euro for a player like Babel is way too much. His stats haven't been great with Ajax.
He's no way near a player like Henry.

  ********************************

i really hope he aint like kewell either. that way he may do more for the team than kewell.

[grayghost]

The guy is only a kid  lets give him some time first. The prem may just fit him to a tea he is big fast and strong everything you need to be a suscess plus he has great ball abilty i  think he will do well given a chance.
But signing him in my opinon does not complete the squad. No we don't have that attacking flair that  the mancs have in there squad. if we can hijack the Tevez deal or buy Quraesma then we should not hesatate.

[Elchris]

Remember cristiano ronaldo guyz... the mancs took the risk to spend 12mp(*which we hestitated) on a unknown but a talented kid and we know what happen to that...!! I belive that babel has the talents no doubt about that ,and this will test rafa ability to develop him into a more good better player which the likes of ferguson(ronaldo) and wenger(fabregaes) has successfully done.

[puroresu]

Remember cristiano ronaldo guyz... the mancs took the risk to spend 12mp(*which we hestitated) on a unknown but a talented kid and we know what happen to that...!! I belive that babel has the talents no doubt about that ,and this will test rafa ability to develop him into a more good better player which the likes of ferguson(ronaldo) and wenger(fabregaes) has successfully done.

Thats not really true.  Ronaldo was playing for sporting since 1999 before Man Utd bought him. People knew about ronaldo just Utd were prepared to pay a big fee for him.

[aCe']

20 mill euros... SERIOUSLY !
good prospect or not... we cant afford buying players who might or might not make itin a year or two...
manutd already have pretty much al their postions figured out... quality players in al positions and loads of money to spend on players who wont necessarily make the starting 11.
us on the other had still need to figure out our starting 11... we only have 2 out and out wingers - one is almost never fit and the other is still improvin and hasnt proven hes up for the challnge as yet.
we needed atleast one class winger who would mke the starting 11 and maybe a backup... we had the funds to do so but instead we go for BABEL...BABEL....for crying out loud...
not even Ajax and Holland fans think hes any good... we are paying way over the odds for a player who is a big big risk imo !
He is young and has potential but atm what we need is an established winger who would improve our starting 11 and would offer soimething we dont have...Mancini or Alves or Quaresma or even Simao would have been safer bets and would have improved our squad from day1...
poor business ... although i havnt seen much of him i still feel that we would have been better off paying the reported fee on anyof our other targets....
to be honest.... not very sure i trust rafas transfers anymore

[Dutchsky]

Looks like Drenthe is going to Madrid.  I bet its a lot cheaper than what we are paying for Babel as well.

Real Madrid and Chelsea are in the market for Drenthe.
Offering round 10 mil euro's; a lot of money for a young player.

Drenthe has more potential then Babel. But still I think 10 mil for Drenthe is also too much for Drenthe. He hasnt proven himself in the dutch league yet (neither has Babel).
Give this guys 2 more yrs to prove themselfs. Then those figures of 10-20mil would be more understandable.

[redmikey]

20 mill euros... SERIOUSLY !
good prospect or not... we cant afford buying players who might or might not make itin a year or two...
manutd already have pretty much al their postions figured out... quality players in al positions and loads of money to spend on players who wont necessarily make the starting 11.
us on the other had still need to figure out our starting 11... we only have 2 out and out wingers - one is almost never fit and the other is still improvin and hasnt proven hes up for the challnge as yet.
we needed atleast one class winger who would mke the starting 11 and maybe a backup... we had the funds to do so but instead we go for BABEL...BABEL....for crying out loud...
not even Ajax and Holland fans think hes any good... we are paying way over the odds for a player who is a big big risk imo !
He is young and has potential but atm what we need is an established winger who would improve our starting 11 and would offer soimething we dont have...Mancini or Alves or Quaresma or even Simao would have been safer bets and would have improved our squad from day1...
poor business ... although i havnt seen much of him i still feel that we would have been better off paying the reported fee on anyof our other targets....
to be honest.... not very sure i trust rafas transfers anymore

all the players you quoted would need time to settle in, there is no assurance that any players will settle here so why not buy a player that has the ingredient to be quality and not pay the price that he would cost when at his prime

rafa is buying for the future imho he knows that some of these players aren't going to be ready this season but he can develope them the way manure have brought bambi on ,loads of potential but not ready when he signed

we have some of the best youth in the world at lfc at the moment and that can only be a good thing

and we haven't seen babel play much so how can you judge him yet ?