Comolli smokescreen or your fears realized?

[JohnDoe]

Think it will be Cissokho and that is it. To be fair, that's not bad business. I don't expect us to revamp our defence, even though it's something we're going to need to do eventually.

We'll be alright with what we'll have, but we definitely need to make it a priority to offload some players. Especially in central midfield, we have about 10.

[kemm1]

To a considerable extent, but to neglect the fact that, say, Downing is ideally suited to supplying Carroll does an injustice to both. There is also an implication that we don't have a decent side already - I think in a lot of ways the results under Dalglish go a long way to showing what a well set up team working for each other can achieve.

I also tend to think that Downing is a lot better than people give him credit for. He was certainly one of the better players in the PL last year.

Well your opinion of Downing versus mine means we are approaching this from completely different angles and it will be impossible for us to reach any sort of common ground. I don't think Downing has the skills our ability to fit into the pass and move ethos that we all want to see or know what is required to compete at the very top of football or maybe even the top 4. I think he's a decent English player suited to a classic non-Champions League 4-4-2 club.

£20m for him is a joke IMO.

[RichC]

Indeed our current signing are far better than Poulsen, PFK etc but that is also not very difficult to do. In terms of our current financial position we have an opportunity to work and scout a bit harder and pick up better quality players...............that's just my opinion mate.

but there is nothing to say that we're not doing that, a few sound bites from Commolli saying not much other than we want to move players on, get some out on loan and we'll see about other signings - which is exactly what he should be saying, I mean if he said "we will be bringing more players in, no doubt" you give the game away in terms of what we have in terms of finance and it'll become harder and more expensive to sign players.

Saying "we need to scout harder" is a daft comment, you've no idea who, where or why we're scouting players and to give the impression thats not happening is wrong.

My suggestion to most on here is let's see how we've done in the market come the 1st Sept - I'd guess we'd have shed some dross and picked up a couple more players as well.

[Charly]

When Houllier came in he signed Hyypia, and Rafa signed Alonso, for example. Two players who were not well known who became world class

We have not really gone out and signed an unknown player, based on our scouting system. There must be some untapped talent out there, but is our knowledge lacking, or are we conciously avoiding them (I am not counting Suarez as he was already an international and we paid a lot of money, even though it may seem cheap now).

It looks to me as if we dont want to take any risks at all. But I think that leaves us short up front where we could take a risk... where we have not got any real flair or dribbling ability if we lose Suarez.

[kemm1]

but there is nothing to say that we're not doing that, a few sound bites from Commolli saying not much other than we want to move players on, get some out on loan and we'll see about other signings - which is exactly what he should be saying, I mean if he said "we will be bringing more players in, no doubt" you give the game away in terms of what we have in terms of finance and it'll become harder and more expensive to sign players.

Saying "we need to scout harder" is a daft comment, you've no idea who, where or why we're scouting players and to give the impression thats not happening is wrong.

My suggestion to most on here is let's see how we've done in the market come the 1st Sept - I'd guess we'd have shed some dross and picked up a couple more players as well.

I can't be bothered to get into some of your poor interpretations of my previous posts, but the wait until Sept 1st comments isn't necessary because this thread is obviously making opinions of the signings as of today. If and when other signings do arrive then the supporters will then convey their opinions, otherwise what's the point of Internet forums such as this.

[RichC]

I can't be bothered to get into some of your poor interpretations of my previous posts, but the wait until Sept 1st comments isn't necessary because this thread is obviously making opinions of the signings as of today. If and when other signings do arrive then the supporters will then convey their opinions, otherwise what's the point of Internet forums such as this.

Well I'll help you out - Downing isn't a pass and move footballer? that's exactly the type of footballer he is, your opinion is clearly different to mine there fair enough.

It clearly is actually, as if you read my comment I suggest to most on here - not you in particular to wait until sept 1st - people are too up and down on signings and expect the dross we've had for the past 2 seasons to suddenly turn around all at once.

You also suggest our scouts need to work harder - how on earth you know how hard they're working or not I have no idea so again a point you've made based on emotion rather than fact!

So there you go a couple of points picked out for you

[Muddled]

[SNIP]Just read the interview with Comolli on the offal.[/SNIP]

I think it's just your standard PR line fed to the media in my opinion. I think we've known all along that our wage bill is astronomical and it was just an opportunity to *hint* at a need to sell, before we can buy. Maybe a move to try and force the hand and move enquiries to bids. I also think it might be a move to try and help with our own negotiations; people thinking we have money to burn might have hiked up the prices of Henderson, Adam and Downing, but if teams think we are short on pennies, then it could help us when haggling a fee. This ties in with my thoughts, that if the right player comes available, then we will be in for them. Our previous interest in Jones and Wickham makes me think that we are still in the market for players in those positions and our obvious need for a left back is still apparent.

In all honesty, when I glanced at your thread title, I thought the post would be more about our transfer strategy - or to be more specific, the way we approach purchasing a player; this is more an area of concern for me.

I wonder if maybe Commoli and Dalglish no longer see the full-back positions as big priorities anymore now that Flanagan and Robinson have impressed. We now have Johnson, Aurelio, Kelly, Flanagan and Robinson all capable of playing those two positions. Not to mention the fact that Agger and Carra can also fill them. I do think we need another versatile experienced defender but I wouldn't be surprised if the guys in charge are no longer too interested

In my opinion, I don't understand how people can be happy with our full back situation. Yes, we are incredibly top heavy for right backs at the moment - even if we consider Kelly as a centre-back - but on the left side, we are extremely thin on the ground and it needs to be addressed.

Yes, Carragher and Agger have played there, but if they're out on the left, who's in the centre? And that's even before we consider Agger fit for the majority of the season.

Add Cissokho to what we already have signed up then I will be very happy with the business done. We may need more strengthening if we are doing well hopefully in January.

Absolutely.

Add Cissokho and I'd be happy with our summer transfer dealings. If Agger is injured and Zorba the Greek has upgraded his turning circle from an artic lorry to a ferry, then perhaps it can be addressed in January. With Carroll, Suarez, Kuyt and Wash as options up front, then perhaps we can get away with it. If we sell Wash, then I hope we sign a replacement.

Think it will be Cissokho and that is it. To be fair, that's not bad business. I don't expect us to revamp our defence, even though it's something we're going to need to do eventually.

We'll be alright with what we'll have, but we definitely need to make it a priority to offload some players. Especially in central midfield, we have about 10.

Two things I picked up on your post John: 1/ your point about revamping our defence; I think this would need to be done gradually and over time and it highlights another interesting point; With Agger perma-crocked, Carragher aging and looking to buy a new left-back we don't want to be re-jigging our defence in one-go - I know this a hyperbolic statement, but we could do with creating our new line of defence over time, not in one summer. (i.e. a centre back this summer, one in January would be good business).

As for the midfield situation, going by a previous post of mine, I think they need to be clumped in to the role they will be playing for the team. Stating we have ten midfielders makes it sound like we have ten players going in to two positions which is not entirely true, even more so when we are actively trying to sell a couple.

I don't think offloading midfielders is key at the moment, it's more the dross that have just come back in off of loan.

Well your opinion of Downing versus mine means we are approaching this from completely different angles and it will be impossible for us to reach any sort of common ground. I don't think Downing has the skills our ability to fit into the pass and move ethos that we all want to see or know what is required to compete at the very top of football or maybe even the top 4. I think he's a decent English player suited to a classic non-Champions League 4-4-2 club.

£20m for him is a joke IMO.

Man Utd won the league last season playing a 4-4-2.

[kemm1]

Well I'll help you out - Downing isn't a pass and move footballer? that's exactly the type of footballer he is, your opinion is clearly different to mine there fair enough.

It clearly is actually, as if you read my comment I suggest to most on here - not you in particular to wait until sept 1st - people are too up and down on signings and expect the dross we've had for the past 2 seasons to suddenly turn around all at once.

You also suggest our scouts need to work harder - how on earth you know how hard they're working or not I have no idea so again a point you've made based on emotion rather than fact!

So there you go a couple of points picked out for you

'Work harder' was a flippant comment by me to make a point that we 'seem' to be falling back on signing English players who are available and relatively well known for over-inflated prices. Of course I don't know if our scouts are lazy or not that wasn't the point, I was just trying to make a point.

I also agree that there is too much knee-jerk reaction to signings at times, but my comments are purely based on my opinion of our signings thus far and what we can or can't acheive with them.

[kemm1]

Man Utd won the league last season playing a 4-4-2.

And?

The point you're trying to make doesn't relate to the point i was trying to make.

[Exiled_red]

I think we need to sign a left back, and ideally a centre back (but I can see that waitin until next year) , and I think that will probably be us done for first team signings.

[Fredo]

I think we need to sign a left back, and ideally a centre back (but I can see that waitin until next year) , and I think that will probably be us done for first team signings.

Don't think we need one. Wilson & Kyriagkos are good cover for Skrtel, Carra and Agger. Left back, if we can get someone of the quality of Cissohko would be nice.

[Exiled_red]

Don't think we need one. Wilson & Kyriagkos are good cover for Skrtel, Carra and Agger. Left back, if we can get someone of the quality of Cissohko would be nice.

Kyriakos is good in the air but poor on the ground, he's ok for games against the likes of Stoke, but against teams with good movement he is a liability. Wilson is unproven at this level. Given the number of injuries Agger a medium to long term injury to Carragher or Skrtel would put us in trouble. IMO we will need at least another centre back in the next couple of years to replace Kyriakos and Carragher, who are both getting on.

[G]

Its been a reasonable summers work so far,compared to the last few years.The names we've bought,bar Adam,wouldnt have featured on my must haves list at any time during last season so I'm somewhat underwhelmed by their signings.That said they can't judged properly until we have seen how they play for the club.

I would be disappointed if that was it though,we defo need a left back and a centre back.Wilson is poor every time I see him,albeit usually on the left,the greek is ok for cover,Agger is class but injury prone,Jamie ain't getting any younger and skittles is inconsistent.It would be Carra and one other for me at centre back and if Agger can stay fit then great,not likely though.

[Cormack74]

Looking at how bloated our first team squad is on this tour (which doesn't include SG, Pepe, Suarez, LL, Henderson and Aurelio) I really don't think it's unreasonable that Commoli might wish to move a few players on at the present time.

[Exiled_red]

Looking at how bloated our first team squad is on this tour (which doesn't include SG, Pepe, Suarez, LL, Henderson and Aurelio) I really don't think it's unreasonable that Commoli might wish to move a few players on at the present time.

We will be looking to get rid of some players (Poulsen & Cole etc), the squad has also included a few youngsters who won't feature much in the Premiership yet at least (Coady, Wisdom etc). And a couple of young reserve keepers who will probably be loaned out, plus the likes of Shelvey and Wilson who could be involved or could also be loaned out for regular football. Taking this into account (and the fact a few of our players are quite injury prone) I'd say that the squad on tour at the moment is about the right size.