Liverpool FC Forum

by **stmichael** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 12:04 pm

We need someone who speaks Norwegian in here. :oops:

Anyway, the Norwegian net-based newspaper "Nettavisen" has reported that Guillem Balague said that Benitez is interested in the two players (I guess one or the other) when Juventus inevitably get relegated in the next few weeks.

I couldn't find a link where he said this, but as I said, they claim he's said it. If it's true that Balague has said this, it should be a reliable source, given that he is a very good friend of Rafa and has always been right with regards to LFC in the past.

I'll lay my cards on the table and say that I'm not an Ibrahimovic fan. He's never lived up to the hype and he's got a temperament that makes Craig Bellamy look like Michael Owen. As for Trezeguet, everytime I've seen him he looks as if he couldn't hit a barn door, although when I checked his goalscoring record, he's scored 95 goals in 151 Serie A games and 31 goals in 53 Champions League games.

I suppose the point is they'd be on the cheap. Would you take a gamble on either of them?

http://www.nettavisen.no/sport/fotball/article682768.ece

by **dawson99** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 12:37 pm

Trezeguet isnt good enough any more i think and the tall lad (cant spell him) would be too expensive.

If we could get the tall lad for less than 10 million then id like to see him here, he is strong, powerful and a little mad as well.

by **red37** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 12:51 pm

from koptalk

but at least its in english!

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is waiting to see what happens in the Italian match fixing scandal before wrapping up several other transfers.

Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio are all facing relegation and Rafa is snooping around Juve in particular.

The Italian champions could be relegated to the third division if found guilty of trying to influence the appointment of match officials for games during the 2004-05 season and an exodus of their players will take place if they are sent down.

Credible sources have been reporting to KOPTALK for some time that Rafa has been looking much further afield than the English and Spanish markets and that names not previously linked to us could pop out of nowhere while everyone's concentrating on the likes of Dirk Kuyt and Jermaine Pennant.

At the weekend Spanish football expert and close friend of Rafael Benitez, Guillem Balague stated that Rafa was looking at players at the clubs caught up in the mess.

Sadly we couldn't get his quotes on as earlier as we would have liked. Some of you emailed us asking us to cover them on the site but we needed to wait for the transcripts. This is what he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

He said: "We still need a striker for Liverpool.

"There's been some names linked from the Spanish first division but there is some other players from Juventus and that includes (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic and (David) Trezeguet.

"Rafa is thinking or waiting to see what happens to them before he tries to get them."

Because Balague said "we", he was jokingly pulled up by the presenter because it sounded as if the Spanish expert was working for the club...

by **JC_81** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:15 pm

Don't like Trezeguet to be honest, he's not looked the business for about 2 seasons now. Looks to be carrying too much weight to me these days.

I like Ibrahimovic though, has talent coming out his @rse but just doesn't do it consistently. If we could get him for around 10 million he'd be a risk worth taking imo.

by **stmichael** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:15 pm

I know some people want players with Premiership experience, but in my opinion there's as much gamble in buying a player with Premiership experience but without top-club experience (Bent), than there is with buying a player with top-club experience but without Premiership experience (Trezeguet).

You can hit and miss on both fronts (Morientes) but overall a player like Trezeguet is more likely to make it than Bent, simply because the level he's played at. Italian football is far more difficult to make it in as a striker than Spain or France.

As far as I'm concerned, if we buy a proven Serie A striker from a top club there's not much gamble in it as long as we don't pay silly money.

by **RUSHIE#9** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:43 pm

I can't really see there being too much truth in this rumour myself. I don't really like Ibrahimovic that much as he is very overated and he is too similar too Crouchie IMO. Trezeguet just hasn't delivered on what was expected of him in his early years. That is also another thing against him I think; if Rafa spends upwards of 6 or 7 million on a player i think he like them to be at an age were they can be moulded rather than the finished article and trezeguet is now in his late 20's I think.

by **red37** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 3:44 pm

RUSHIE#9 wrote:I don't really like Ibrahimovic that much as he is very overated and he is too similar too Crouchie IMO.

rushie i said the very same thing to myself when watching him in the world cup. decent player, adds good touch and ball holding skills to the swedes when they are in attack.. there is the big difference...PC will actually look for the ball AND defend. heads up to big pete there then.

only difference is, in the fee. for what, 10-15 million for ibrahimovic. well thank god we only, yes ONLY paid 7 for peter crouch. because basically and in most respects we got the better deal.

by **account deleted by request** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 3:58 pm

Trezeguet scored 29 goals for juventus last season which IMO is a decent return for a striker.

by **Alonso14** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 4:26 pm

They wont be cheap, it will just hit a bidding war with the likes of Real, Chelsea and Man Utd getting involved.

by **account deleted by request** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 11:25 am

Ibrahimavic and Trezegeut have been targeted by Inter and its rumoured that Ibrahimovic has already agreed terms with Inter skysports

Well that puts paid to that one then.

by **hawkmoon269** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 11:51 am

Where we not linked to Camoranesi as well?

by **stmichael** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 12:04 pm

Seems to me that the shift in power from the club to the player lead to the growth of the 'Enfant terrible'. That in turn, and the greater freedom of movement of players nowadays, has lead to some power going back to the clubs as they are now willing and able to say 'non' to some fantastic players whose attitude isnt right.

10 or even 5 seasons ago, had players of the ability of Bellamy, Zlatan, Mido and Anelka been available for such cut down prices, most managers would have snapped em up quick sharp (I did say most, Ged was the exception, with his complete iron rod rule). Even players like Edgar Davids are finding it hard to get a home, inspite of his undoubted talent. I thikn its also true that when it comes to stikers, the importance of the outright goal scorer has been reduced due to the tactical changes that demand the flooding of midfield these days. Strikers with the abilty to create space or hold up play once you've got past the midfield mire are valued much more. Thats not to say you dont need a goalscorer if you can find one and obviously a balanced side needs as many options as possible, but as we saw last summer, getting someone who can hold up play is far more valuable and integral to the way we play (Or Chelsea) than getting a supposed 20 goal a season striker.

So while its always worth a risk, it shows how the game has come on and how some of the power has shifted back to the clubs that some of these names seem to be being banded about.

by **woof woof !** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:16 pm

Dont want Ibramovich , he's got he tongue way to far up his own a'rse . I'm with Martin O'Neil on this one.

Martin O'Neill on the BBC, 23 June, 2006:

"He is possibly the most over-rated player in the world. The proverbial legend in his own mind"

:laugh:

As for Trezeguet , surely we've had our fill of FRENCH failures ? , Pongo aside we never had one that has come anywhere near their billing .

Forget the juventus squad , I'd prefer Rafa to keep an eye on the AC Milan squad , Kaka and Gilardino in particular .

by **kobashi** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:40 pm

juve have already said that they won't be selling there top players. even if they did they are not gonna be sold in cut price deals so you can rule liverpool out straight away.

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