So.....another successful window for FSG Great to see them back Klopp with some serious investment in the team, I think the signing of Caulker was a massive swoop and really showed the direction the owners want to take us: please log in to view this image
What we need here, is someone who is an expert on Continental football, a man who spends every waking hour watching streams of European matches I'm sure there must be a forum member who regularly watches Russian or Turkish football @Jimmy Squarefoot
I think stoke have done something interesting..... they lacks midfield quality and have bought someone now to help there. Stoke i feel are getting closer to being a very good team. I think they are going to win something in the next year or so.
Real varying opinions on here. Some happy we didn't go silly and overspend on tex and saved our money.... Others disappointed we didn't strengthen.
Thought he'd played 20 games since signing for them in the summer? Strange they were happy to get rid after only 6 months though? Guessing made a big profit but Porto never struggle to buy low and sell big.
Made 11 starts in all competitions according to his stats. A defensive mid player who obviously struggled to impress in Portugal. Inspired from Hughes or ****ing mental? Time will tell.....
To be fair to Hughes and Stoke, they've not done an awful lot wrong when it comes to recruitment in recent years... Bojan, Shaqiri, Arnautovic, even Johnson has looked decent since they got him in!
Not sure I'd agree re: Shaqiri, I think he's been bang average - barring his party piece at Goodison obviously
I think you need to look at it this way. hughes saw the guy play himself and likes him. they clearly needs CMS cos whelan and cameron are dirt poor. I think ok... fair enough inspired or mental... we will see... but i think he's gone for an area they needed a player in there. If they can get a guy who can link play up and improve the supply of ball to the front 4 they have they can improve greatly.... cos right now they are close but they are not getting the results. Kind of like everton..... I'd put stoke and everton together... these two should reall be doing better with the players they have.
Agree at the start of the season but last month or two think he's been very good and linked up well with the others.
I think Hughes has more of an excuse, he's trying to change their entire DNA as a football club, the turn them into a footballing side from a kick and rush outfit. They're still a work in progress. Martinez has under performed this season, he's got little excuse for that. We should be a top 6 side with that squad. A big few months for Bobby brown shoes......
probably fair. If he can retain them for one more season they could win something. Yes you should be where west ham are and looking greedily at spurs place.... but there you go. its not happened so you've got to keep developing.
He's improved, no question. But overall I expected more from him. I was disappointed we never landed him when Stoke signed him, but I'm far from gutted now, as his contribution this season has - 2 goals and 3 assists, is a poor return imo.
The problem we have, is that this season was pivotal for us. Without either being in next seasons CL - or within touching distance of it. There's little chance of us retaining Stones and Lukaku, and also possibly Barkley. Ok if we sold all 3 in the summer, we'd have a transfer pot of circa £160m, but 20 goal a season strikers and talents like Barkley are virtually impossible to replace - unless you're a CL club........therein lies the conundrum.
shaqiri has looked good but not delivered. I think he's a guy who needs fair weather and everything his way. There's a reason inter dumped him after 6 months... there has to be.
It can still be pivotable.. chasing the CL is one thing but throw and FA cup in there and its not too bad. Those 3 yes can go but the reality today is you finihs 4th and they will still want to go cos like it or no you will never pay them 200k per week I think you are right about not being easy at all to replace.. I've said many times football is not about names its about the rate of change and thats what you are saying. If you lost one you can still improve, lose all 3 and you go back to start. Southampton are the same. they started 6th sold and sold and have replaced and ended up bottom half potentially. IF you can improve faster than you lose players you do well, standing still and missing out on things means you go backwards in this league. ...................... At lfc everyone will expect a complete clear out... again... this summer cos we did nothing in january.... we are like a duck swimming up stream... not going anywhere but flailing about under the surface...
