It's definitely the home grown element as we're potentially losing two in the same position in Gomez and Quansah. For the record, Ballotelli was probably the one player I tried question wtf the club were thinking. Stands against everything I believe a player should be, truly hated that signing (and I hate to use the word hate too)
Unless we're signing an existing PL player or one who's played previously in the PL, I rarely know any of the names we're linked with anyway. With Balotelli I hadn't paid any attention to him at city and was just open to see how he would get on here. Two things about him stand out more for me than how he played or fitted into the team. 1. he's the only player that I can remember who got a song at his first game and 2. I remember feeling a bit sad seeing a picture of him and his brother as small children who were given up for adoption. I'm soppy like that and I sometimes find it hard to put a player's poor start in life aside. Suarez was another one. Although he wasn't in the same bracket as Balotelli in any way, reading about him playing barefoot as a child, got to me and when he did the biting thing, I thought, that's the child still in him doing what he did with 5 brothers (?) out of frustration.
I can't stand lazy buggers. Ballotelli had the talent but couldn't be arsed to move, he just stood about waiting for his chance to score or take the penalties. Berbatov is another; fantastic player when on the ball, but lazy as **** off it. I've no time for passengers
Very fair comments. You can see how I would be a terrible football manager. "Right lads, tell me about your poor childhoods and then I will pick the team"
Hm I don’t think it’s lazy. Sometimes just their style. I don’t think berbatov was lazy, just a strength of his wasn’t in his speed and movement so played to other strengths. Balotelli was a funny one as if you’re looking to build a number 9 you look at physicality / height / speed and he had all that. I remember before we signed him when he was playing for Italy at the euros or World Cup he absolutely destroyed England as a central 9 and he seemed like if he got settled he could lift off. But clearly he had attitude issues which held him back. Was a gamble that didn’t pay off on that one.
Wirtz medical done and will be officially announced shortly. Huge fee obviously but with Quansah going the other way wonder if that was worked on at same time as been quick turnaround and both clubs bumping the values slightly to help with psr calculations. Nice getting the business done super early and teams getting nice rest while 2 rivals are sweating it out over in America and arsenal still bickering over Sesko or gyokeres internally Mamadashvilli Frimpong Wirtz Kerkez Guehi? And a new CF to come before pre season?
Ornstein - Liverpool reach agreement with Bournemouth to sign Milos Kerkez - around £40m ..... to undergo medical next week
Press saying Kerkez signing will bring Liverpool summer spend to a whopping £185 million. Like the amount Pep spent in 10 days in December LOL
