We’ve Taken Manchester City’s Scouts ...

[Arn]

Rodgers himself hinted at that after we missed out on Willian. He said that a left sided player would improve Coutinho because he would then be able to play him in the number 10 position.

Football is a team game. You can't only look at one player and say that he is a great player. You must also look at how much we need him and how much other players need him.

In our case a left sided high quality attacking player would improve our starting XI and other players a lot IMO. That means that paying a bit OTT is worth it for a player playing in that position.

[Arn]

Like we did with Carroll? We spent over the odds to secure the player and then made a massive loss on him. Don't think FSG are stupid enough to make the same mistake twice.

I will never call trusting the manager a mistake. That is something they must do even if the manager make mistake after mistake because he is the one that know the strenghts and weaknesses in the team.

If they don't trust the manager then sack him and get in someone they trust.

In short. I want the manager being the one that build the squad and not FSG.

[Fredo]

What if we don't have the money Arn?

[Arn]

What if we don't have the money Arn?

I said that we should give the manager a net transfer budget. If we then sign a player we can afford him.

[Alex]

I will never call trusting the manager a mistake. That is something they must do even if the manager make mistake after mistake because he is the one that know the strenghts and weaknesses in the team.

If they don't trust the manager then sack him and get in someone they trust.

In short. I want the manager being the one that build the squad and not FSG.

A manager will know the strengths and weaknesses. You're dead right. But to trust a Manager with spending all that money is another matter all together.

In my mind, a Manager tells his bosses what he needs. Then they go out and try to secure the deal. If it doesnt work out for them (It is their money after all and anything they spend will need to be wisely) then its time to move to the next target. As we have done this preseason.

I would hazard a guess its like this at mosts clubs, and has been like it for many years now.

[Neil Young]

Rodgers himself hinted at that after we missed out on Willian. He said that a left sided player would improve Coutinho because he would then be able to play him in the number 10 position.

Football is a team game. You can't only look at one player and say that he is a great player. You must also look at how much we need him and how much other players need him.

In our case a left sided high quality attacking player would improve our starting XI and other players a lot IMO. That means that paying a bit OTT is worth it for a player playing in that position.

No, it doesn't.

Paying OTT means paying too much. Too much is what over the top means.

As for the idea a player's value is calculated according to how much they improve the team, then I imagine that's exactly how our transfer valuations are worked out. And you have no evidence to the contrary.

[Arn]

No, it doesn't.

Paying OTT means paying too much. Too much is what over the top means.

As for the idea a player's value is calculated according to how much they improve the team, then I imagine that's exactly how our transfer valuations are worked out. And you have no evidence to the contrary.

So we again ask who is doing the calculations and valuations?

If a £30m+ player improve other players value then it worth paying a bit extra for that player IMO of course.

You can't only look at how much that player cost. You would also need to look at how much value he would add to the value of the whole squad. Would that value go up with for example £15m then it is worth paying a few millions extra for him.

[Neil Young]

So we again ask who is doing the calculations and valuations?

Do we? I could have sworn you weren't asking but leaping to yet another ludicrous conclusion.

If a £30m+ player improve other players value then it worth paying a bit extra for that player IMO of course.

That's a logical contradiction. It's nonsense.

Saying IMO merely means you're comfortable holding an opinion that is internally flawed.

Are you a fan of Escher?

You can't only look at how much that player cost. You would also need to look at how much value he would add to the value of the whole squad. Would that value go up with for example £15m then it is worth paying a few millions extra for him.

You've said that before and frankly it's a statement of the obvious.

[Frenchie]

Do we? I could have sworn you weren't asking but leaping to yet another ludicrous conclusion.


That's a logical contradiction. It's nonsense.

Saying IMO merely means you're comfortable holding an opinion that is internally flawed.

Are you a fan of Escher?


You've said that before and frankly it's a statement of the obvious.

[el matador]

Rodgers himself hinted at that after we missed out on Willian. He said that a left sided player would improve Coutinho because he would then be able to play him in the number 10 position.

Football is a team game. You can't only look at one player and say that he is a great player. You must also look at how much we need him and how much other players need him.

In our case a left sided high quality attacking player would improve our starting XI and other players a lot IMO. That means that paying a bit OTT is worth it for a player playing in that position.

this isnt a criticism of coutinho as a no.10, because when he has the ball he's on a level of his own. he makes decisions beyond his age, his threat is unbelievable and him and sturridge have struck up a brilliant partnership.

But when we dont have the ball, the middle two are exposed badly and when thats lucas and gerrard it can create an imbalance to the team. If you contrast this to when gerrard played as a 10 in front of alonso and mascherano that was a very creative yet extremely solid base. We were never exposed down the middle of the team yet we still see midfield men run past right through the middle of our spine time and time again.

Thats why for me BR wanted mkhitrayan to play there because he has the creativity and the work rate to make it like a gerrard MK II.

If coutinho plays there we know that our midfield is vulnerable so starting him wide and drifting in seems a better option with henderson in the 10 role - albeit with a brief to fill the gaps that coutihno leaves out wide and especially when we lose the ball to give lucas and gerrard some protection down the centre.

I dont think there's another player in our squad who can make the sacrifices that henderson can.

[Arn]

this isnt a criticism of coutinho as a no.10, because when he has the ball he's on a level of his own. he makes decisions beyond his age, his threat is unbelievable and him and sturridge have struck up a brilliant partnership.

But when we dont have the ball, the middle two are exposed badly and when thats lucas and gerrard it can create an imbalance to the team. If you contrast this to when gerrard played as a 10 in front of alonso and mascherano that was a very creative yet extremely solid base. We were never exposed down the middle of the team yet we still see midfield men run past right through the middle of our spine time and time again.

Thats why for me BR wanted mkhitrayan to play there because he has the creativity and the work rate to make it like a gerrard MK II.

If coutinho plays there we know that our midfield is vulnerable so starting him wide and drifting in seems a better option with henderson in the 10 role - albeit with a brief to fill the gaps that coutihno leaves out wide and especially when we lose the ball to give lucas and gerrard some protection down the centre.

I dont think there's another player in our squad who can make the sacrifices that henderson can.

I think that Rodgers have already showed that we will play 4-2-3-1 in most games. We have one weak link in the attacking left position and we don't have a great combination in our central midfield. To easy to bully Gerrard and Lucas. Been mentioned a lot of times that we need a powerhouse in midfield but who should he replace, Gerrard or Lucas?

What we miss big time is a Xabi type of midfielder, someone that is great both in attack and defense and that player would replace Gerrard. Lucas is so excellent in defense that he must play. If Gerrard played and not Lucas together with the Xabi type player then that player would have to take to much defensive responsibility.

I would play Gerrard as our number 10 at the moment and Coutinho on the left attacking position. Henderson and Lucas in midfield. Much more difficult to bully us then.

[Neil Young]

I thought of this one:



Circular logic/perpetual motion.

[el matador]

I think that Rodgers have already showed that we will play 4-2-3-1 in most games. We have one weak link in the attacking left position and we don't have a great combination in our central midfield. To easy to bully Gerrard and Lucas. Been mentioned a lot of times that we need a powerhouse in midfield but who should he replace, Gerrard or Lucas?

What we miss big time is a Xabi type of midfielder, someone that is great both in attack and defense and that player would replace Gerrard. Lucas is so excellent in defense that he must play. If Gerrard played and not Lucas together with the Xabi type player then that player would have to take to much defensive responsibility.

I would play Gerrard as our number 10 at the moment and Coutinho on the left attacking position. Henderson and Lucas in midfield. Much more difficult to bully us then.

the simple answer would be to put gerrard at 10 because he;s played there before etc... but for me gerrard's legs have gone. that searing pace that he used to have has disappeared and im not sure he could handle the intensity of playing 90mins there week in week out. whereas furthest back he has oceans of space and little pressure on him so he can still be one of our top contributors.

i think whats happened is that lucas is the mascherano type (although not as good), Gerrard has taken on alonso's role pretty well but we're looking for a younger gerrard to play 10 the way gerrard used to.

Rafa said that although gerrard wasnt a typical 10 like a silva or a coutinho he could play that role because of his vision, range of passing and the goals he created and scored. But what gerrard gave you in that role that other typical 10's cant is that they can double up as a third central midfield player when we're under pressure and gerrard could pick up second balls and knockdowns which coutinho isnt great at.

for me gerrard was at his best when he played off torres. what a combination that was.

[Frenchie]

I thought of this one:



Circular logic/perpetual motion.

wasted though, whoosh....

[dom9]

this isnt a criticism of coutinho as a no.10, because when he has the ball he's on a level of his own. he makes decisions beyond his age, his threat is unbelievable and him and sturridge have struck up a brilliant partnership.

But when we dont have the ball, the middle two are exposed badly and when thats lucas and gerrard it can create an imbalance to the team. If you contrast this to when gerrard played as a 10 in front of alonso and mascherano that was a very creative yet extremely solid base. We were never exposed down the middle of the team yet we still see midfield men run past right through the middle of our spine time and time again.

Thats why for me BR wanted mkhitrayan to play there because he has the creativity and the work rate to make it like a gerrard MK II.

If coutinho plays there we know that our midfield is vulnerable so starting him wide and drifting in seems a better option with henderson in the 10 role - albeit with a brief to fill the gaps that coutihno leaves out wide and especially when we lose the ball to give lucas and gerrard some protection down the centre.

I dont think there's another player in our squad who can make the sacrifices that henderson can.

Rafa was often criticised for a lack of width in his teams, the point of which appeared to be completely lost on most people. The reason for it was in fact the bit in bold there. Rafa's teams were built to completely stifle the middle of the pitch, suffocate the play, and hopefully with better players, have enough quality to win out in a that confined space more often than not.

Rodgers clearly sets his teams up differently, with more width, and therefore space in the middle. Last season it often looked like the team were chasing the ball when not in posession - a high risk game as when the ball was lost, the team were often over exposed and cut right open. This season so far it has happened less (we've played 3 crap teams), so we'll see how it pans out against quality, incisive opposition.

Each manager has their own preference and way of playing, and I'm not sure it's completely down to the personnel in this case,.

Wow, I just talked football stuff.