Liverpool FC Forum

by **LFCFan4Life** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:24 am

Realisticly I don't see Rafa even considering getting Fowler.

by **LFC #1** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:27 am

true AB, I honestly don't think Rafa is looking at getting a striker on his last legs, it's just press speculation.

by **Dalglish** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:27 am

Its a real dilemna I agree but I'd rather stick with the current set up than risk bringing Fowler in and him failing to produce the goods.

My gut feeling is that it would be a step back and whats at stake when you really analyse it ?

EVEN playing with no established striker at times we have manged to make the CL last 16 , almost certinaly the final of the carling Cup and are playing entertaining attacking football in the prem. Remember this is the FIRST season of a new era and does it really matter if we don't qualify of the CL ? I'm obviously not saying that it's OK not to finish in the top 4 but under Houllier we failed pnce in 5 years to do so and the following season won the treble

Do you seriously believe we will NOT challenge for honours NEXT season ? Of course we wil cos we have an excellent manager in Benitez and he builds teams that win and compete at every level.....

by **LFC #1** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:30 am

I have been very impressed with the from of Mellor and paritcularly Pongolle this season, the lad has a great future ahead of him with us I think - he is still young and thi is one of the ransfers Houllier got right.

I think we are one world class strker away from an impressive strikeforce.

by **ivor_the_injun** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:30 am

Yeah, but Carling Cup semis, last 16 of the CL and 4th in the prem really isn't what we're looking for. I know it's a transitional year, but that represents the very bare minimum for me, and I still think that the right signings in January can make our season a hell of a lot better.

My proposal isn't and never has been to buy Fowler to go straight into the first team. You bring him in as third choice striker, but obviously think in terms of bringing him on as sub for his first game back at the club to see how he responds.

Signing Morientes (still not a certainty) would still leave us with only Baros, Mellor and Pongolle to see us through the Champions League matches. Kewell and Garcia aren't good enough as fill-in strikers for me, and Baros has been injured enough this season to make me wonder if his next niggle will coincide with the next round match.

Oh, and while I apologise for reeling off the stats, Fowler actually scored 10 last season despite almost half of his appearances being as sub, and being injured for something like 2 months throughout the term. And he's in far better nick this year than last anyway.

by **Dalglish** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:36 am

I have indicated it's a real dilemna Ivor and I am not saying we shouldn't do it outright BUT for the reasons I have stated in replies to the is thread , its not the be all and end all of Liverpool FC this season to achieve more than they already have and are likely to do so this season.

Sometimes we post like we won the prem last season and need to defend it at all costs,. We have never won the prem nor the league for 15 years.

We are so close to getting it right at the moment (And I speak as someone who has watched LFC for those last long 15 seasons) that every decision the club makes is absolutly critical and I don't think bringing Fowler in to give the Kop a lift (I ask the question , does the Kop need a lift ? I sit on it every fortnight and it's a damn site better quality on the pitch than it has been) is a priority.

by **JBG** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:51 am

Anyone that has followed Fowler's career closely after he left Liverpool will know that injury is always just around the corner with him.

OK, he's doing well at the moment, but his body is shattered and I doubt very much whether he'll continue in the same vein for the next month, let alone for the rest of the season.

by **Dalglish** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:53 am

Nice follow on there JBG

You do like to just pop in and drop the occasional one liner don't you

by **stmichael** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 2:17 am

The_Rock wrote:i would like fowler to come back only for the blue sh1t game.... . Just imagine if he did the smack head celebration again against the sh1t fans..... priceless

haha. don't think the everton players would be too happy if he did that, especially big dunc. that's if he's got day release and he's managed to escape his psychiatrist.

by **andy_g** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:56 am

if cisse hadn't got injured do you think we'd still be hunting another top striker? if cisse and baros we're both present all season with pongolle continuing to develop as he is and mellor providing decent back up i'm not sure there'd be all this talk. sure i'd love to see a player like morientez coming into the club but maybe that money should go to where we need it more, i.e. defence. maybe the solution for now would be to get someone in loan, or on a free.

i just woke up and i'm thinking out loud here - so no biting my head off, ok?

by **yckatbjywtbiastkamb** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 4:48 pm

i dont think the defence is as bad as people are making out, yes sami has lost a yard of pace but he is still decent in the air. a few years ago any ball lobbed in to our box was panic stations. i remember the days of piechnick, matteo, tanner, babb, staunton and even harkness all playing centre half and struggling in the air.
the early spate of conceding headers seems to have been addressed (fingers crossed ) and was probably down to players getting used to rafa`s marking system. these things take time for players to understand.
maybe with natural progression whitbread will step into sami`s place in a year or so.
i must admit i like that lad from chelsea who cant get a game is it hoth or huth? in fact a few good bargains are at chelsea for teams who can promise first team football.
the likes of joe cole, glenn johnson, wayne bridge and cudicini all struggle to get a run in the side.

by **andy_g** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 5:00 pm

i have no complaints about how hyppia and JG are playing right now. i think our central defence looks reasonably solid, mainly thanks to JG i have to say - but if one of 'em gets injured? like i was saying we need strength in depth in all areas and until these promising youngsters come thru - and its gonna be a while - we need some quality cover at the back.

by **The_Rock** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 7:38 pm

Carra needs a pacy mobile CB to complement him. I am quite worried he might just get burnt out if he single-handedly saves our defence again & again.

by **yckatbjywtbiastkamb** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 3:58 pm

sami saved our defence when carra decided to try and lay on horsfield with a diving header.

by **Dom1** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 3:59 pm

how do u remember ure log in name>?

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