Very good players available for free in Summer.

The better sports writers base their articles on information they've been fed - whether thats from agents, managers, players or club PR staff. That's not to say that it's true as they all have their own agendas, but most of the top end writers don't simply make **** up, they merely print other peoples ****

 

BBC Ben Smith

His usual pretence is that he is in direct contact with the concerned parties. Things like "i've been told" and ****.. by who, his auld fella like

come to think of it, he sounds like RHC

 

Flamini will need to be replaced, but with a top DM to compete with coquelin. Arteta I expect to stay as an experienced head in the squad for another season minimum. Other than flamini I don't imagine we will lose any midfielders from the squad (unless you count the ever injured diaby).

Wilshere is often injured but even when he is fit it is difficult to find space for him in the squad with the amount of quality we have in midfield.

Ramsey is definitely better than Milner, no chance Milner is going to replace Ramsey.

 

Fair point. It's odd, as the actual news part of the paper is OK, it's readable, but the sports gossip section is complete jarg

 

Sorry lads but I can't get on the Milner bandwagon.

Yes, he can play different positions but that doesn't mean he plays at a high level in all of them. O'Shea was the ultimate utility player for United but that doesn't mean he was top quality.

Yes, he brings experience but that's through age. Age is the biggest myth in football. Lallana, Downing, Morientes were all experienced players but added very little.

If you look at the better players in our team this season, they are the youngsters. Johnson, Lovren, Lallana, Gerrard etc have all been poor.

We simply need to add quality. Spunking over £100k a week in ages is similar to the Joe Cole deal.

Before we even contemplate bringing in sub standard utility players, we need to focus on getting 3-4 quality first teamers in the ilk of Depay, Carvalho, Schar ...

Speaking of free transfers - Schar's contract is expiring so he can be had on the cheap. Perfect partner for Sakho.

 

I can tell you categorically that when it's a slow news week, that's EXACTLY what they do. I've heard my mate on the phone actually doing it

 

If he is going to be a bench/squad player the ones you have now or are planning on buying must be amazing.

That Liverpool side lacks experience next season with Gerrard gone. He would be ideal and would play most games. He is a proven winner, been there and was a favourite of Manchini

 

I mentioned in a previous post that experience is a myth. All he has is experience of being a bench player surrounded by real quality.

Experience is not synonymous with age. I mentioned the likes of Lallana and Lambert who added 'experience' to the squad but offer little substance.

Give me a player with underlying quality over someone who has 'experience'.

Can, Sakho, Markovic, Moreno Coutinho had all played at a pretty high level before they joined Liverpool, all at a young age - I believe all played in Champions League, if not Europa League.

That's the experience I want.

 

You're under estimating it's value in the balance of a side imo.

Gerrard played on for a season too many this year, but once he actually leaves the club his experience on and off the pitch will leave a chasm in that dressing room.

If I was a kopite I'd be terrified that Rodgers appears to want to fill it with Henderson, who's to me has the leadership skills of Nick Clegg and the charisma to match.

You need the right mix of youth, energy and experience.

 

This experience thing.

Experience can be doing the same thing over and over for 20 years or it can mean doing something different every year of that 20 years.

In both cases it's 20 years experience, but the latter would be far more experienced than the former.

Keeping the above in mind, who has more expereince, Lambo or say Balo? Balo is far more experienced despite being many years younger.

I want intelligent players with some experience. At least then they can make use of the experience. Physical attribultes are a seperate matter altogether.

 

Agree with you on Henderson and Gerrard points.

I do not want Henderson as captain. And we do need to replace Gerrard.

But first and foremost, we need quality. And Sisu sums it up for me re. experience. What experience can Milner add? How to win a title from sitting on the bench and letting the quality players do most of the work? If we already had world class players in the team, then I'd welcome Milner as a solid squad player.

I never underestimate the need for a workhorse in the squad, but at this moment in time, we need much more than that.

 

Spot on. Lambert and Lallana have more playing time for mid table clubs in England. But Coutinho and Sterling have had more big game/big club exposure than the two older Soton lads.

It's about bringing in players who aren't intimidated by playing for a big club like LFC - expected to raise your game and deliver week in week out. The youngsters we've had are far more exposed to pressures of the highest level than the older lads.

 

You've not currently got one though have you?

Milner is the type of player who can set the tone in terms of work rate, a bit like Sanchez has done for Arsenal this season, and Pienaar did for us in his prime.

I really hope that afc's view is shared by Wenger and that Rodgers turns his nose up as well, as that'd leave us in with half a chance, and he'd be a perfect fit at Goodison.

 

I dont think they get it Tobes....

 

143 outings for City, 100 or so for Villa and Newcastle.....

CL, FA and league experience.

I would be made up if we could get him and

 

Henderson is the workhorse ...

 

Going to have to disagree Tobes. Everyteam needs a number of players to have workhorses. I think Milner is a solid workhorse but lacking in quality. The reason he seems to be a shining light in this City team (i say shining in the few appearances he does make) is because this City squad is old and unenergetic, filled with a number of luxury players who don't want to do the dirty work.

Liverpool are filled with these athletic players. Henderson (i rate higher than Milner), Allen (Milner is better than this joke), Moreno, Markovic, Can, Borini, Sterling, Ibe. Liverpools squad is filled with young energetic players. What they need is the quality up front and whilst Milner runs around a lot, scores the odd goal and puts in the odd decent cross, he won't beat his man, he's not got a killer pass and he doesn't have a shot like Lampard or Gerrard of old.

For me Milner is the rich mans Henderson lite. AFC his it on the head, in a squad of quality he'd be useful squad player (playing a higher quality team and needing to be solid, bit like Park at United) but to drive you into the top 4, i don't think so. Time is also not on his side.

 

I thought he was the cart horse mate

 

John O'Shea has over 200 appearances for Man United. But that does not make him a quality player.