Mata

[Craig_H]

Seems obvious to me, that he's going to Arsenal.

[CJ]

The bottom line is this - 21 million Euros is less than what we paid for Downing & Mata is a superior player to Downing (in ANY position), furthermore Mata is younger than Downing. I can understand if Mata chooses not to join us but I can't understand us not bidding for him at all - in fact it would ****ing infuriate me!!

the bottom line is in fact tht the club has bought downing and are obviously happy with the deal.

whilst i like you think mata is better, neither of us are football managers or the manager of LFC so our views dont really mata that much.

[Craig_H]

Word.

Close the forums!

[Arn]

The bottom line is this - 21 million Euros is less than what we paid for Downing & Mata is a superior player to Downing (in ANY position), furthermore Mata is younger than Downing. I can understand if Mata chooses not to join us but I can't understand us not bidding for him at all - in fact it would ****ing infuriate me!!

The only reason I can think about to why we signed up Downing instead of Mata, if he would consider us, then it is that it may take a few months until Mata know the league but that usually don't happen when you have good game intelligence. Then you in most cases have no problem at all.

We will have to adapt our style of play to Downing and Carroll, will that take shorter time than it would take Mata adapting to the league?

[Tee]

So we have got Downing. Boo ****ing hoo. He is a good functional player who will probably do a decent job.

Mata would improve any of the top 4 teams and I see absolutely no reason why we could not acommodate both him and Downing in our side.

My biggest fear for next season is that if Downing starts off slowly his head will drop and I don't think he is the kind of character who will be able to turn it around. The crowd could easily start getting on his back and it could start going all Pete Tong on him.

[JohnDoe]

Mata is a better overall player than Downing, he's younger and has a higher potential ceiling and if I had to choose one to build the team around, there's no doubt I'd pick him.

However, I understand why Kenny would prefer Downing, as he might fit better into our team set up and could be a very good compliment for both Carroll and Suarez. He brings our midfield width, something that Mata doesn't provide, and he's proven and settled in the Premier League so he doesn't carry the risks involved with signing a foreign player and expecting him to contribute immediately.

[Arn]

Mata is a better overall player than Downing, he's younger and has a higher potential ceiling and if I had to choose one to build the team around, there's no doubt I'd pick him.

However, I understand why Kenny would prefer Downing, as he might fit better into our team set up and could be a very good compliment for both Carroll and Suarez. He brings our midfield width, something that Mata doesn't provide, and he's proven and settled in the Premier League so he doesn't carry the risks involved with signing a foreign player and expecting him to contribute immediately.

It will take time even for English players until they learn our system. They won't learn it in a month or two. That is what I never will understand. It seems like almost everyone think that only because you played in the PL several years and know the league then you will hit the ground running from day one and if you are a foreigner that don't know the league then it will take a few months.

It takes time before a player know and learn our system, foreigner or not. That is what it is more about than learning the league. Learning our system is what it is much more about.

[CJ]

It will take time even for English players until they learn our system. They won't learn it in a month or two. That is what I never will understand. It seems like almost everyone think that only because you played in the PL several years and know the league then you will hit the ground running from day one and if you are a foreigner that don't know the league then it will take a few months.

It takes time before a player know and learn our system, foreigner or not. That is what it is more about than learning the league. Learning our system is what it is much more about.

how the hell did you end up supporting an English team when you seem to hate the English?

[wavydavy]

There's not a lot of faith in our manager these days, is there?

[Baracus]

Did anyone say Bottom line is where not a champions league club and some players do give a ****e about waiting unlike Luis Saurez

[Arn]

how the hell did you end up supporting an English team when you seem to hate the English?

I don't hate the English. I want us to sign up the best possible players in each position. Mata is a better option than Downing for example.

If an English player is good enough and the best option then I want us to sign him.

You do know that Sterling is English and I want him on the bench in many PL games this season? I want Flanagan and Robinson in the match day squad very often. They are English.

[SimonNo7]

The only reason I can think about to why we signed up Downing instead of Mata, if he would consider us, then it is that it may take a few months until Mata know the league but that usually don't happen when you have good game intelligence. Then you in most cases have no problem at all.

We will have to adapt our style of play to Downing and Carroll, will that take shorter time than it would take Mata adapting to the league?

Ronaldo, Nani, Malouda and Overmars to name but one more than a few...

[Craig_H]

Did anyone say Bottom line is where not a champions league club and some players do give a ****e about waiting unlike Luis Saurez

Let's hope Spurs dont get Mata then.

[little dave hedgehog]

this thread really pisses me off. i'm out.

[Exiled_red]

I think Mata's game is to drift while Downing is much more likely to stay out wide.

I think that's why we've gone for Stewie over Juanie.

I think that we have a few players who would like to drift about - in Suarez and Gerrard, we need players with some kind of structure around them.