Looked pants at the WC. Poor first touch, poor passing. Cant judge him on that alone, but that's the only matches I've actually seen him play. Or maybe Porto want silly money £30m+ for him.
He's won that prestigious comp by the way I remember hearing similar re Sturridge when you were linked with him. Trust your manager FFS.
To all those saying the price is too high for Tom, Dick and Harry. Welcome to Living in the Past, guys. I've been here for years.
So has Djimi Traore. Doesn't mean he was any good! Funny as both Bertrand and Traore are on ESPN's list of worst players to ever win the Champions League...
Me too mate, I price things like it was 2 decades ago, my Mrs just gives me the look as if to say "what planet?" She took me into John Lewis last week, I was truly shocked, she was truly embarrassed. #gettingoldsucks
in the end i have to say rodgers had Bertrand I THINK at under age level and if anyone has to judge and make a call surely you'd back rodgers rather than your own opinion. I dunno, i really don't base on villa loan compared to breif chelsea stint in team.
maybe he has a silly release clause. there is one player i heard something about that on, but cant remember who player was, it was along the lines of what we looking at getting for luis.
The magic ratio in football for strikers is: they should get at least a goal every two game ratio (unless there are mitigating circumstances). If they get at least a goal every other game- chances are they're doing something right. If they're getting assists, passes, defending, etc... that's all gravy- but they should get that goal every two games at least. Bony achieved that last season... and his last season in Holland he got over a goal a game average (just like Suarez). We need someone who can hit that magic ratio. Sturridge can, but we need someone to replace Suarez's goals. Unlike Suarez, he was getting these goals in "smaller clubs". I admit to not watching much of Bony- and not really know how good he is... apart from Liverpool's games- I don't watch Swansea as a habit. I understand he doesn't retrieve the ball like Suarez, or set people up, like Suarez... but we do need at least one person who can put the ball in the net... and maybe Rodgers can work him on helping out others.
You lost Cole and required someone to step in for LB, no to Bertrand and you sign someone instead. Although young English talent doesn't stand a chance at your club, its stupid if we then sign him.
You can have 11 players who get a goal every other game, doesn't mean you'll win. Bony will get goals, I have no doubt about that, but that's not what we'll miss the most if/when Suarez leaves. It's everything else he brings; creativity, assists, something out of nothing, unending running and fighting for the ball, set pieces, flexibility in position, vision for passing, being an inspiration to the team just knowing there's someone of that quality playing with them. Now finding someone to offer all of that as a replacement is boarding the impossible, but Bony doesn't even come close. Goals aren't a problem for this team and they won't be next season either. Lambert and Sturridge can both score and even Borini can get a few if he plays. Sturridge will likely get more now that he'll be the main man up top who players look to give the ball to. We need the other part of Suarez replacing - mostly the creativity.
If we finish the summer window having bought Lambert, Can, Lallana, Bertrand and Bony at the loss of Suarez, Lucas and (probably) Agger, I'll be worried about even getting the top 4 again next season. Before the usual comments come about "have faith" or"don't write off players before they've kicked a ball" arrive, I'll still support the team, urge them on and hope - but it doesn't exactly give me confidence. Lambert is a squad player who I'm happy about, but doesn't improve the XI. Lallana is an upgrade on Allen and will be a good player for us, but isn't even close to that top bracket player that CL clubs have in their midfield (think Schweinsteiger, Iniesta, Ozil, Alonso, Modric, Kroos, Vidal, Pogba...the list of players out there who are far superior to our midfield is endless). Can is one for the future and won't help us too much this season. Bertrand, I think is average, but at best he'll be decent. Again, nothing special and not a scratch on what other European teams can offer in that position. Enricky is better if he can stay fit. Any of our LB targets are better. Bony is good but pretty much offers us what Sturridge does. I don't think he fills any gap in our squad and don't think he'll improve our current XI for that matter. Markovic is an unknown quantity right now. Talented, but unproven and has alot of settling to do as a youngster which won't help. He might be a revelation, but equally, he might take a season or two. All alright, solid buys. All decent for the squad, but they really don't give us that added quality that we need to be adding now that we're finally back in the CL and looking to stay there.
I've asked on another thread, and at the risk of making me look a div again I'll ask here: does anyone know if we've given up on Shaquri?
Does anyone know for sure we were really interested in him? I know a lot of rumour and conjecture... smoke, fire, etc... but I don't think any official channel said we had made a bid for him.
I didn't say we're not... just saying- I don't think there was anything concrete that we were after him was there- just a lot of speculation. I'd love to have Shaqiri too!
And Bony would have too if he didn't have the sense not to call someone Blancito! Suarez missed games through his own attributes (occasional stupidity on the field)... it wasn't missing games through injury, or circumstance... it was his own doing!
