Manager Poll

[Eric Swindler]

I think this biggest problem within the club is psychological. We're so mentally damaged from recent years that the team doesn't believe in itself enough to succeed consistently. Quite remarkably, the loss of Lucas has had a huge effect mentally speaking on the team, because the one thing that boy has in spades is strength of mind. He brought a calm and purpose to the side this season, something that our other midfielders sorely lack. Speo can be decent, but he's not quite the presence that Lucas is, in fact nowhere near in truth.

[frank the tank]

Wasn't it all so much easier when we all agreed that Wwoy Hodgson was a knob and we all hated him........


At the end of the day, we know that LFC went for Ashley Young and Phil Jones last summer as well - so was that good target identification by Kenny and bad transfer execution by Commoli......or vice-versa?!?!?!? We could all debate this until Slur Alex gives up whiskey for breakfast but we simply don't know all the facts.....

I think what last summer does show us though, is that we need to identify the likes of Jones as a target and go for him a year or so before the likes of United do.....because we are unlikely to win a straight bidding war against teams like United, City, Chelsea........to be honest Arsenal are probably in the same position as us (although for different reasons, they just wont pay the transfer fees so that is why they need to spot earlier)......

We want to build something sustainable.....so we should be going for the likes of Oxlade Chamberlain, Bale, Walcott etc before our rivals snap them up. If we give them a chance in the first team, then we will be able to attract more and more top young players because LFC will be seen as a club that brings through youth.

Any i think we need to remember that Henderson and Carroll are still young players. They still have time. Had they gone to, say United, then there wouldn't have been as much expected of them straight away and they would have been able to develop naturally. The media have group wack-off sessions about the likes of Smalling and Jones.....but neither actually played last night at home to fulham - and Vidic is also injured so they are being eased in at a proper pace..... LFC don't have that luxury so much with Henderson.....

[baitman]

I think what last summer does show us though, is that we need to identify the likes of Jones as a target and go for him a year or so before the likes of United do.....because we are unlikely to win a straight bidding war against teams like United, City, Chelsea........to be honest Arsenal are probably in the same position as us (although for different reasons, they just wont pay the transfer fees so that is why they need to spot earlier)......

We want to build something sustainable.....so we should be going for the likes of Oxlade Chamberlain, Bale, Walcott etc before our rivals snap them up. If we give them a chance in the first team, then we will be able to attract more and more top young players because LFC will be seen as a club that brings through youth.

how good is our scouting team. does anyone know if there are guys actually "out there" doing it.

[Daniel 7]

Its only just been put together after Rafa's was disassembled.

[Lecter]

Its only just been put together after Rafa's was disassembled.

How good was Rafa's scouting team though

I'm not sure it was that great frankly

[RichC]

bit harsh that.

We did try to purchase some pretty decent players under Rafa Alves, Simao, Jovetic, Silva and Villa to name but a few, gives me the impression the scouting was pretty decent and with a purpose for what he wanted for the side.

[Mostar]

How good was Rafa's scouting team though

I'm not sure it was that great frankly

Picking up Alonso, Masch, Lucas, Torres, Reina, Arbeloa etc. would be considered great by many.

[Tee]

Picking up Alonso, Masch, Lucas, Torres, Reina, Arbeloa etc. would be considered great by many.

[Icon]

Picking up Alonso, Masch, Lucas, Torres, Reina, Arbeloa etc. would be considered great by many.

How anyone forgets baffles me...

[Chris]

Picking up Alonso, Masch, Lucas, Torres, Reina, Arbeloa etc. would be considered great by many.

Defo. His latter business was dire though and wouldnt be considered great.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

How anyone forgets baffles me...

Seriously.. As I've said.. People who can say Rafa never bought good players.. Listens to the media and believes what they read in the papers.

If Hodgson was still in charge AND was buying the players Kenny has been.. I can almost say there would be talks of a march

[Darkon]

The thing is though, that a scouting team should not be judged by it's ability to spot all the obvious talents we all heard about before ie. Mascherano, Alonso, Torres but rather on the unknown talents they find where I think Reina, Agger and arguably Arbeloa.

I don't think the clubs scouting team have been particularly impressive over the last 10-15 years tbh. Very few real gems we have gotten in to the club from an unkown position.

[Shaggy]

The thing is though, that a scouting team should not be judged by it's ability to spot all the obvious talents we all heard about before ie. Mascherano, Alonso, Torres

If they were so blatant and obvious, why did we sign all three of those players unchallenged? We signed Alonso unchallenged relatively cheaply, we took Mascherano on loan, unchallenged, and also had a completely free run at Torres, a player who'd gone stale at Atleti and had no other suitors.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

The thing is though, that a scouting team should not be judged by it's ability to spot all the obvious talents we all heard about before ie. Mascherano, Alonso, Torres but rather on the unknown talents they find where I think Reina, Agger and arguably Arbeloa.

I don't think the clubs scouting team have been particularly impressive over the last 10-15 years tbh. Very few real gems we have gotten in to the club from an unkown position.

It was talked about plenty by Rafa himself, he said our scouting network was basically 0 outside of the UK and France when he took over from Houlier.

[Chris]

The thing is though, that a scouting team should not be judged by it's ability to spot all the obvious talents we all heard about before ie. Mascherano, Alonso, Torres but rather on the unknown talents they find where I think Reina, Agger and arguably Arbeloa.

I don't think the clubs scouting team have been particularly impressive over the last 10-15 years tbh. Very few real gems we have gotten in to the club from an unkown position.

Agreed, dont think we've used our resources well enough in over a decade now, whether thats overpaying for players, signing blatantly **** players or giving ridiculously long/expensive contracts to free transfer players who should be begging to play here not the other way around.