I don't think anyone thinks its a necessity or preference to have a scouse heart in the side, it would just be a nice bonus.
Rodgers is right about one thing anyway and that is the need to have heart in the team. I think enough of us have already identified that the birth place of a player is not the vital element. The commitment to the team, the club and the fans is what really matters. The true Kop Heroes all had this and were loved for it in return.
Absolutely. It's good to have some local lads in from a fans perspective I suppose but it makes no odds really in terms of ability and desire. Players either have that or they don't wherever they come from.
In either this thread or another Souness took a panning as a manager. But as a player he had all the heart that you could ever want for the club. Need a role model - well there he is!
I could go all the way back to Billy Liddell - funny that they are all Scots! Different characters but sharing the same passion. BTW Kenny was only walking in the footsteps of Liddell as the team were often referred to as Liddellpool
I like the way we've done our business. There have been a few misses (Assaidi, Sahin, Allen to a degree) but on the whole I'm been impressed. When Rafa came in he sorted out the defence with the basis of if you don't concede you have a better chance of winning. He then went on to improve the attack. Th is sort of summed Rafa up, as much as I and we loved him, we can't deny it was too many draws that lost us the title that year despite us scoring plenty of goals. Rodgers on the other hand seems to have tried to improve the attack and then work backwards. We've seen possibly our best forward line in many years with SAS and Coutinho and then he moved on to strengthen the back. I'm fully expecting us to improve the midfield in Jan/Summer which is perfect. We don't have the cash to take risk like City/Chelsea and to an extent this year, Spurs have done by buying lots of quality players for large money in the hope they come good. I've also been impressed by his ability to spend big money. I know we haven't really spent any so that comment may seem weird, but we put bids or were serious for Henri Ryan (now doing very well at Dortmund) and Diego Costa (in form player in La Liga at the moment). Think this shows that he (and the back team) obviously have talent in not only spotting potential but also players that will cost a lot and carry on performing. Put it this way, I'd trust Rodgers with £30m more than I would Kenny based on players signed/gone after.
So if we are to strengthen midfield next, who do we need, everyone keeps mentioning Mata but he is more attacking,and where would he fit in without replacing someone who is already considered a top four first team player. We need a younger style Stevie G, a box to box midfielder,sounds like Mickyryan may have been this man I hope we don't spend on someone who could develop into this but someone who is already proven, we seem to spend money on these types to develop but as yet never seem to get the chances to prove themselves These players we buy at about 20/21 like Alberta/Borini etc etc i would have thought if they were really that good they would be good by that age Stevie G was playing regularly at this age, if they are good enough then it doesn't matter how old they are,but if they arn't good enough at 21 then not suddenly going to become top quality by 23 Countinho is younger than some bought who need to develop, in my eyes if you think they need to develop they should be 15/16 and should be good enough by 20 I can't think of any top players that weren't already definite quality by 21, but if they don't get given the chance how will you ever know They need loaning out, Alberto is the prime example, your not going to find out if he will make the grade playing in the U21, hes not going to get any first team time or at least a run of games to prove himself, he needs to go to a mid table premiership team who will promise game time
I'm not sure. What did we play at Fulham? Was Coutinho on the left? I'd like to see. Sturridge Mata type....Coutinho....Suarez Gerrard....Lucas/Hendo Where the 3 behind Sturridge interchange constantly.
We need two midfielders: 1) Defensive midfielder - a real destroyer with energy and strength, and who can also pass around a bit. M'Vila would be a great shout. 2) Box to box midfielder - more energy in the middler, battler but one who can support the attack and defence. Link between DM and Coutinho. Banega would be a good shout for me. Anything more will be a bonus - Mata is ambitious but we should be looking at Konoplyanka. 24 years old and already a star of his club team and country.
Gustavo has just moved to Wolfsburg, but if we get CL and they don't then that could/would be a great opportunity. The Bender twin that plays for Sammi (Lars I think). Matic is very good, probably go elsewhere. Cabaye, more for box to box. Still think we need one for midfield and one attacking.
Good shouts - there are a lot of good quality midfielders out there in the market. The optimistic shouts are Matic and Matuidi. Fernando (Porto) will be available on a free in the summer so we should put in a low offer in January and see if we get lucky. My ideal January would be buying two central midfielders - Banega/Pastore and M'Vila.
