What's the point of making a thread asking for people's opinions on something, then calling them names when their opinion doesn't coincide with your own?
No hypocrisy at all in my statement. Are you sure you know what that word means? Suarez was not bought to be a statement he was bought as a good player to add to the team. As I stated clearly...I don't care if the player is academy, lower league or expensive established player as long as he's bought to improve the team. That eventual improvement, if it leads overall to league climb or trophies is the only statement I'm interested in. Every summer were linked to a dozen or so players of which we buy 3 or 4. Those links and buys are met by: Some saying we bought wrong Some saying we bought right but overpaid Some saying we should run around spending big on named players...or complaining that others like Spurs do what's needed while we don't up our offers.... I'm saying I'll judge the purchases or lack of them at the end of the year... Take last summer..those that belonged in all three camps above would have been wrong based on our eventual league position this year.. Other than extra shirts sales a name bought for name is pointless....and as for Suarez...he wasn't a world class signing he was a bad boy leper....our club and manager allowed him to become world class... But you are not after a discussion you're after a pat on the head and to be told your are completely right.....I don't think you are...and I've expressed my point of view...It's not a personal attack Liv.
I called nobody names. It is frankly mindboggling that you, TGOA and Frank make your point whilst totally skipping over the fact that Suarez was a big name signing. In fact, bigger than most, if not all, of the ones I put on the poll list.
Was Suarez marquee? Many fans I spoke with at the time didn't know who he was and I only knew of him because he had a nice career progression on PES master league. I think it was a safe transfer: was a lot of money, but his goal record in Holland spoke for itself. I don't think many expected him to be as successful, goal-wise, in the PL because it is a tougher league.
Seeing how the definition of marquee/big/statement summer signing has created some confusion for you and some others, let us agree then that for LFC it means a player who: - is on the national team - plays for a club involved in european competitions - plays well and is rated by the media en large and fans - costs at least 15-20 mill pounds, but not more than 35m (realistic ceiling, given our current management). - will be front-runner for a spot in new club's starting 11 - brings an array of skills to the new club that it currently doesn't have So, now, indulge...
Didn't Comolli say something about him expecting Suarez to score a third of the goals he did in Holland as they'd looked at the general pattern of players moving from Holland to the Premier League and how it affected their scoring ratio.
The nature of the signings does make a statement, primarily to the current squad players, the management and the fans. It supplies a psychological boost, tethering vision to ambition, in addition to the real impact that the signings will make during matches. All the points in my description of a marquee/big/statement signing preceding the last one (which you conceded) offer in fact both psychological and real impact (or odds for the latter at the time of the signing). I still am curious to know why you, TGOA or saint want to stay away from a big signing as defined. Just don't tell me please that we've gotten to where we are on the back of growing inexpensive or academy players, since one of main factors to our success, Suarez, was a big signing himself by any definition, especially at the time for our club. While the other one was a bargain, depreciated in the aftermath of an Abramovich brain fever. And Henderson did not come cheap at 16 mill pounds either.
The problem is the definition of a marquee signing. To some, it's an expensive ready made player. To me, it's more about the player's ability who is highly regarded in Europe rather than price. For me, Torres and Suarez were marquee signings. We spent big money on them because they had bags of potential who can reach a world class level. It's not just about price - Carroll was £35m but I didn;t consider him a marquee signing. To me, Sakho was another marquee signing and I think Shaqiri will be one as well purely because they have the potential to become world class. For me, a marquee
For me, I don't want to stay away from a big signing, so to speak, I just don't feel we need to go and get one. Some of the cheap buys go on to be the best, some of the expensive ones turn out being cack. I just want good players and just because a player is rated highly and valued equally so doesn't mean they'll come in and improve us. We don't need a statement, we just need better players. I couldn't care less what other teams think of us, or how impressed/unimpressed fans might be about our signings, because at the end of the day, we play fantastic attacking football and will continue to do so - even with Lambert. I bet you he'll score more goals for us and play better than many strikers in the league who'll cost a hell of a lot more! That, for me, partly validates my lack of care for marquee signings. It's about the performances rather than the name/fee.
I think that the very act of buying a 32 year old for 4 million says that there is no way in hell lfc are buying another forward and SAS in Rodgers mind is now well covered Expect signings in cm and defence, maybe the winger type but strikers Rodgers thinks he's got!!!! Which is fine of course as if you lose one there's 433 with on striker two wide men... Etc etc. I think the marquee signing, if one comes, will come as cm playing box to box
Barkley - he's going to be brilliant for a long time. Shaw - looks set to be the next Ashley Cole. Would be worth the fee over time. Firmino - seriously impressive season. Would be a great option. Hummels - in a position we need and oozes class. Vidal - can do everything and again is in a position we need.
