Despite the 12-hour flight time, the humidity and the sometimes draining adulation, Liverpool's tour of Asia was the easy part. Now Kenny Dalglish has the rather more unpleasant task of pruning a bloated midfield. The Liverpool manager has invested £47m this summer in three midfielders â Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam. However, with the club's owner, John W Henry, tweeting that he expects Alberto Aquilani, who spent last season on loan at Juventus, to stay on Merseyside, Dalglish's room for manoeuvre may be narrowing. Milan Jovanovic, his most obvious misfit and the last and worst signing made by Rafael BenÃtez, is close to the exit door. The Serb has had offers from both Anderlecht and Lille, although he said his wife would prefer Brussels to northern France. Like Maxi RodrÃguez and Joe Cole, he was a free transfer on high wages. The three of them, all touted for moves away from Merseyside, are each reportedly on around £100,000 a week. RodrÃguez confirmed last month that he had been approached by his former club, Newell's Old Boys, and said that he was keen to return, despite a fine end to the season in which he scored two hat-tricks. Cole, the club's marquee signing last year, had been widely expected to leave the club, linked with moves to Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and even Hamburg. However, Dalglish's assistant, Steve Clarke, who coached Cole at Chelsea when he briefly appeared the most exciting English midfielder of his generation, insists there is still a future for him on Merseyside. ----------------------- With this in mind who is due for the chop? surely 2 of the current midfield have to go not only to create a competitive nature for places but also to trim a lrage wage bill on players who will have to share 38 league games between as it stands 8 or 9 players for the same position.
Poulsen and Jovanovic are definites to get the boot in my opinion. Assuming starters are Adam, Lucas, Gerrard, Downing and Suarez as part of a 4-2-3-1 formation, we'd have Aqua, Henderson, Maxi and Cole as back up (am I missing anyone?). Good for competition but wouldn't mind at least one more of these leaving and it obviously isn't going to be Hendo, so I'd make it a toss up between Maxi and Joe, slightly leaning towards giving Joe the boot though as well primarily due to his wages
I agree in that Cole, Jovanovic and Maxi should go. Save a lot of money on the wages and reduce the average squad age.
I still cant see us keeping meireles and aquilani. I wonder if kenny etc thought aquaman was not going to return so got in henderson\adam as cover.
I expect the following to play regularly except for injuries: Gerard,Adam, Henderson/or Meirelsee, Lucas/or Aquilani .I think Gerard and Adam Dalglish would like them to be first on team sheet.Some players have to moan without question.
Poulsen and Jovanovic will go in my opinion. Both are on stupid wages and didn't do much last season. J.Cole is an interesting one. Steve Clarke's words hint that he has a future at Liverpool but his wages are immense. Will the club want to keep him when he is on £90,000 a week? Personally, if a decent offer comes in for him (£4-5M) then I feel that the club will let him go. That leaves us with Gerrard, Lucas, Meireles, Maxi, Henderson, Spearing, Adam, Shelvey, Aquilani and Downing. I would say that is a good, strong midfield. NOTE: I don't think i've missed anybody out of our midfield but if I have, please tell me and i'll put their name into the midfield.
Would like to see Poulsen, and Jovanovic to go. Maxi wants to go, he is good but not essential so probably will go. Agree with Luvgonzo, would like to see Cole do well, but not the end of the world if Spurs snap him up.
was never really that happy with maxi and I cant help but think his little goal splurge was just a blip
I think cole should not be sold to spurs, anyone BUT. pouslen and jovanociv are sure to go or hang round like unwanted bogeys IMO. Maxi could go as well depending on cole. I agree with crhiswood, that midfield of 9/10 players is more than enough to compete.
I would love Cole to go to Spurs, especially if Modric leaves. He would seriously weaken their midfield.
