Lets have a vote on a subject I feel is very relevant. Would you guys prefer an average PL standard players who suits our style perfectly, with all the right attributes, with out any top player level sparks... (for example a quick pass and move player but not a pass and move magician) or A top payer with top quality technique and experience, but who doesnt not fit our style of play (for example a static target man)? Average player who fits our style would: Suit our style of play Would promote our style and not disrupt our flow Cost less Be easier to sign Could thrive in our system when they havnt at previous clubs But Will not be so refined technically Will not have top level experience Will not be of a profile that will inspire his team mates Could struggle with big club pressure His weakness may get exposed easier in big games (Ok I could be describing Joe Allen here...) A top player who does not suit our system so well would: Be better technically Have top level experience Have an inspiring profile Would sell more shirts But Would cost more Could disrupt our flow as they dont fit our system Could struggle to hit form as we dont play to their strengths Could force us to change tactics (though this may still make success...) Could rebel if things dont go his way Looking at who is and isnt available this summer, and thinking about who we can and cant afford, some signings this summer may come down to this. A Bertrand or a Davies for example. So lets vote!
well neither for me, what's the point in an average player when we have enough of them already, and what's the point in a quality player but doesn't suit our style, and may even be disruptive ie ego. if its an option between these 2 i would rather wait until the right player comes along personally, that to me is a better gamble to take than either of those 2 options. save the money for jan if need be.
Ah the old "lesser of 2 evils" question. I propose another question: Would you prefer to be boiled to death or burnt to death? Would opt for the 'top' player however, because a top player in theory should be able to adapt or as you said - system should adapt to them.
I don't think we do have enough "average players". I am happy for the Lallana signing. The high price isn't worth over and he gives us options. Last season our bench was worthless and our only option to change a game was subbing Sterling for Coutinho. Now with Lallana, Lazar and maybe Borini we have more options in the forward positions.
would it be though, we sent a lot of youth on loan last season, well they wouldn't be that much a bad option compared to those 2 options and cost us nothing, and can use for cup games as well. i would rather use youth and wait util the right player came along personally.
I'm with Lucas Talking. A top quality player, if they are truly top-quality should be adaptable. Also, as far as "suited to our playing style"- how do we know a specific top-quality player isn't suited to our style? If they've always played in a Park the bus team- or a slow build up team, doesn't mean they aren't suited to us, it just means they haven't had the opportunity to play in a free-wielding, forward passing team. If we want to be a top team we shouldn't sign average players... even if it means we're thin for a few years... build slowly with quality... don't rush in lots of average players.
A lot of extra games? 6 group games. We can't be too presumptuous that we will progress from the group. We will, at best, be third seeds having been out for so long. We're going to have a very difficult group and have little experience in Europe with our current squad. OK... we progress from group- how far are we going to progress? A couple rounds? Same if we drop to Europa- a couple rounds or so with current squad. It's not THAT many extra games. We're looking at 6 extra games before Xmas... so a little over one extra game a month. And perhaps 4 extra games after Xmas... a little less than one a month. How many extra players do you need to play one extra game every month?
I know what you're getting at, but I think the word "average" has too many negative connotations. In the context of football it tends to mean mediocre, and I think it's unfair to label anyone who isn't a top player that way. It's all semantics, but if we think of them as, say second level players (or maybe third, if you're of the opinion that Messi and Ronnie are out there on their own at the top) , then I'd rather we had two or three of that standard than throw the same amount of money after a big name. In the end, I'm a firm believer in building a good team rather than buying a big-name to appease demanding fans. Of course, a big-name player might be right for that team (Suarez, sans dents is a perfect illustration of that) and then you're laughing- but putting a large amount of your money on one big risk is not very wise, imo. The money-bags clubs can do it because they have the resources, but the "windfall" clubs, like Spurs and us, really need to be more careful with a large amount of money that only rarely comes our way. Spurs screwed up with theirs, I don't want us to do the same.
look hang on... average players = average perofrmance. BUT... a team can carry an average say full back or a couple of positions like that... but to BUY deliberately and avergae player is precisely what rodgers did with aspas. in effect those voting for average are voting for aspas... There is like i've said about a 1000 times last season NOTHING WRONG with being average but do not expect an average player playing in a system that suits to be any more than average. don't look to them to turn a game for you. simple as that allen is average, borini is average. they can do a job... but never try to sign average... try to sign an unappreciated diamond and polish them. there's a HUGE difference also IMO between a big name and a top player. QPR are abotu to get in ferdinand and he's as far as i am form being a top player now.
Top response that I 100% agree with. You can also throw in "top quality player that suits the style but is injury prone" too. Keep the cash and wait for the right guy
No sorry you adapt. If lfc bought oh I dunno messi for example, well he ain't going to press now is he? So you adapt Style or tactics? Style is being positive, possession, etcetc. All I can say is that name a top player who'd not suit our style then? A lewandowski, RvP who? Give me an example if a player Rodgers simply couldn't adapt tactics to fit into the type if style he keeps talking about?
Yaya Youre. Brilliant player when played to his strengths, but we'd have to re model our whole midfield around him if he was in our team. Might make him perform better but to the detriment to the team. In that aspect is might be better to have someone like Lallana who isn't as good individually, but compliments 2 or 3 other players who as a collective at their best are better than 1 player at their very best and the others being compromised. Hard to say which would be better as you'd never know unless you had both. I'd probably say a player that isn't as good but suits the style (not an average payer though) would be more benefit to us than a superstar
Top players are top players because they can adapt and play a variety of different roles and styles. Which means the question isn't really valid.
Not really. Kaka was a top player, but when he went to Madrid he found a team that wasn't set up to get the best out of him. Veron is another. Plenty of top players have moved to new teams or a different league and haven't had the same impact. Doesn't mean they stop being great players, just mean they either don't suit those managers tactics, or the players thye lay with aren't on the same wave length etc.
Kaka's legs were pretty much gone whe he joined Madrid (like Torres to Chelsea). And Veron was just too slow on the ball for the PL. That was a league issue rather than a tactical one.
You have to laugh really when you see posts like this. It was only last year that people were saying that it would take us 2-3 seasons to make it back to the CL and 5 to be challenging for the PL. After admittedly an amazing season suddenly everyone thinks we should be signing Messi and Neymar and everyone is calling all BR's signings tosh!!! Well lets have a dose of reality here!!!! We have been out of the CL for 4 seasons, we have only the 5th highest wages in the PL and the owners who have clearly stated their transfer policy will target promising youth players. This means we are only going to sign promising young players that represent a good future investment just as we did with Suarez, hendo, Sturridge etc. People seem to think that because of last season we are suddenly back at the top of europe as one of the best teams, well we are not and we are still rebuilding and will be for several more seasons yet. We caught a glimpse last season of what BR can do with young hungry players both in terms of team play and individual development and now we have the chance to bring in some of the best young talent in europe and for me we are doing that. There has been a definite step up in quality in our transfers this year and I expect Can and Markovic will be great signings for the future. The whining about Lambert has been endless but he could be a great 3rd striker, with a proven PL track record and something we missed last season. Lallana is also a player we need as Gerrard has to play less games especially with the added CL games and we need to control the midfield more than we did last season. Its important now to stabilize the squad, ensure that we maintain CL football in what is now a tough PL and for me risking all on 1 or 2 major signing would be a massive risk to our future. At the end of the day, I believe BR has a good eye for promising players and now we have some pull again he should get some leeway to show us what he can do.
I don't think anyone is upset about the Lambert signing. Makes perfect sense. Again, Can & Markovic, young bright players with big potential, makes perfect sense. I think it just being linked with the likes of Lallana, Bony, Rodriguez, Davies, Bertrand.. thee are all players who without CL football still probably wouldn't be top of the shopping list. I know we are regulars in the CL, but I don't think you need to be to attract big players as they know they can easily move on again 1 year down the line. I'm not slagging off any of the signings until they play but can appreciate the frustration when you see layers like Sanchez/Khediera being linked with Arsenal who came 4th and Vidal, Di Maria with United who are out of Europe all together. One or two seasons in the CL in a row and things will be different as we can take less of a gamble on higher wages and clubs will be less concerned about us maybe missing out and last year not being a flash in the pan.
