Liverpool FC Forum

[bigmick]

Masherano will be sold which will at least break "the axis" once and for all and might mean we don't play two holding midifelders when we play Blackpool at Home next season, and I guess Lucas will become our holder, which is fine by me. The conundrum remains Alberto Aquilani, and we'll see what Roy makes of that one.

yeah it'll be interesting to see whether hodgson uses gerrard in central midfield more regularly as aquilani and jovanovic can both play in the hole. the only question then is who plays wide left? i don't want to see riera in a red shirt again, benayoun has gone and babel isn't a winger.

also, if lucas has a really good season watch all the fans say that hodgson got the best out of him which rafa couldn't do.

I pretty much agree with nearly all of that mate. Lucas may well be alright as a lone holder, simply because the fact he contributes nothing offensively won't be an issue anymore. Gerrard's days as a second striker are probably nearing their end (am I the only person who thinks when he gets old and slow he'd make a brilliant centre half), and we've really got to try and find some use for Aquilani.

The one area I don't agree with you is Albert Riera. He's a good player who we'd get the best part of feck all for if we sold. Having got the best part of feck all for him, we'd get about 60% of the feck all to spend on a replacement, which means if we can we really ought to try and find a use for him. The same applies to Babel and one or two other "misfits".

[stmichael]

Masherano will be sold which will at least break "the axis" once and for all and might mean we don't play two holding midifelders when we play Blackpool at Home next season, and I guess Lucas will become our holder, which is fine by me. The conundrum remains Alberto Aquilani, and we'll see what Roy makes of that one.

yeah it'll be interesting to see whether hodgson uses gerrard in central midfield more regularly as aquilani and jovanovic can both play in the hole. the only question then is who plays wide left? i don't want to see riera in a red shirt again, benayoun has gone and babel isn't a winger.

also, if lucas has a really good season watch all the fans say that hodgson got the best out of him which rafa couldn't do.

I pretty much agree with nearly all of that mate. Lucas may well be alright as a lone holder, simply because the fact he contributes nothing offensively won't be an issue anymore. Gerrard's days as a second striker are probably nearing their end (am I the only person who thinks when he gets old and slow he'd make a brilliant centre half), and we've really got to try and find some use for Aquilani.

The one area I don't agree with you is Albert Riera. He's a good player who we'd get the best part of feck all for if we sold. Having got the best part of feck all for him, we'd get about 60% of the feck all to spend on a replacement, which means if we can we really ought to try and find a use for him. The same applies to Babel and one or two other "misfits".

To be honest, I think he should have looked at Schweinsteiger the other day again for Germany as I can see Gerrard playing that role for us, pulling strings from a deeper position.

He should only play in the hole if Torres is fit imo. I still think it's his best position when he's playing well (even though I think he'd be brilliant on the right aswell. Last season he struggled there due to lack of supply and the fact that certyain teams were able to man mark him out of the game (Essien in the CL first leg comes to mind).

On Riera, it'll be intersting to see how he's used considering it was 99.9% certain that he was going to be leaving a few months back. Same for Babel.

[Ciggy]

If you believe Tony Evans he said this afternoon the club are doing their best to sell Torres, Gerrard and Mascherano with as little fuss as possible to get the debt paid down. He also said nearly everyone of our players are begging their agents to find them a new club.

There will be riots if this happens.

[Thommo's perm]

If you believe Tony Evans he said this afternoon the club are doing their best to sell Torres, Gerrard and Mascherano with as little fuss as possible to get the debt paid down. He also said nearly everyone of our players are begging their agents to find them a new club.

There will be riots if this happens.

I predict a riot!

[dawson99]

scaremongering baloney

[bigmick]

Ultimately the owners are a pair of c...s, it's probably the one single issue that all Liverpool fans are in agreement on. I actually do think both Masherano and Gerrard will be sold before the new season starts, simply because for their own reasons they want away. Unfortunately, if and when this happens some people will lay the blame at the feet of the new manager. I won't, nor will I think it is because of the new manager if the players all stay.

I know I'd be in the minority, but in the case of Gerrard I'd listen to offers at the right money provided the new manager was given 20 mill or so of the proceeds to spend. For low 30's, I'd let him go, and I'd let Masherano go for mid 20's and up.

[laza]

Geez I just love  off season

[zarababe]

Lets see - the players themselves are not flogging to say they will stay and work with the new manager, now are they? With the exception of the 'going' donnwhill Carra.. Luv him, but him staying was nevva a worry ay?

[bigmick]

Yes I'm not in the least bit surprised that people are attempting to put the blame on Roy for players perhaps leaving. Masherano's wife doesn't like the UK, and Gerrard has a long time on/off love affair with Mourinho, but it's all going to be Roy's fault I should think. Never mind though, as long as he improves us from last season you can't ask much more than that.

[laza]

Stevie G leaving during off season for Real Madrid with a new manager just appointed

Doesnt anybody remember  Michael Owen

Though  if he really wants to go and we get some silly money for him at his age. While I rather not see it happen, I certainly wouldnt be gutted as when he nearly went to Chelsea

[Paul C]

I'd love all these players like Masch, Gerrard, Torres to fook off and Roy strengthen the team and us win the league with players who want to play for LFC and the new manager, oh it would be bitter sweet, lol.

On a more serious note I can understand Mascherano wanting to leave for personal reason and good luck to him if he goes to Barca for £25m+, same with Gerrard, he has been a long servant and only has a few top flight years left so if he went abroad and we got a good deal then so be it, it's Torres I would be angry at if he did move to another prem club, he was a good player at Athletico but LFC made him the world wide star he is in my opinion and he owes up one more season as he's only 26 so one more season would not kill him

[Benny The Noon]

The blame for players going will sit 100% with the owners but IMO our chances of keeping would of increased if our old manager was kept or his replacement was of a higher quality - hodgson is used to players of a lower standard than the world class and it will happen with us

[bigmick]

Well it's an interesting point. I don't though think that if a different manager had got the job that Masherano's wife would have been more likely to settle in England. I could be wrong of course and I guess we'll never know, but my hunch is that when you don't want to live in a country your view isn't going to be changed by such things.

Equally, if Steven Gerrard goes then it will almost certainly be to Real Madrid. Now I do agree with you in the sense that if Mourinho had become Liverpools manager he would have stayed, but once he was taking over in Spain I don't think it has any effect one way or another who was going to be our manager. I do think that as of now at least we have a chance of keeping Gerrard, whereas if we were under the same management I am certain he would be on his way. My guess is you wouldn't agree with that assessment, but that's OK.

[Greavesie]

welcome back Mick

[tonyeh]

Masherano will be sold which will at least break "the axis" once and for all and might mean we don't play two holding midifelders when we play Blackpool at Home next season, and I guess Lucas will become our holder, which is fine by me. The conundrum remains Alberto Aquilani, and we'll see what Roy makes of that one.

yeah it'll be interesting to see whether hodgson uses gerrard in central midfield more regularly as aquilani and jovanovic can both play in the hole. the only question then is who plays wide left? i don't want to see riera in a red shirt again, benayoun has gone and babel isn't a winger.

also, if lucas has a really good season watch all the fans say that hodgson got the best out of him which rafa couldn't do.

I pretty much agree with nearly all of that mate. Lucas may well be alright as a lone holder, simply because the fact he contributes nothing offensively won't be an issue anymore. Gerrard's days as a second striker are probably nearing their end (am I the only person who thinks when he gets old and slow he'd make a brilliant centre half), and we've really got to try and find some use for Aquilani.

The one area I don't agree with you is Albert Riera. He's a good player who we'd get the best part of feck all for if we sold. Having got the best part of feck all for him, we'd get about 60% of the feck all to spend on a replacement, which means if we can we really ought to try and find a use for him. The same applies to Babel and one or two other "misfits".

Yep, I think Riera should stay.

Personnally, I couldn't give a tinkers cuss about what he had to say about Benitez, he's still our best (only) option on the left.

Selling him will only make the squad deficit worse.