Liverpool Thread - Premier League Champions* 2019/20 (Part 2)

Haha off-season transfer shenanigans, bring it! Would be sad to see Pepe go. If he does, will be interesting to see if we try to replace him or let Brad Jones have a crack. Fun Pepe fact: he was with the Spanish U17s that came here for the 1999 world cup, yesssss.

Nice fact, bonus point.

I have the programme so will search his name! I remember watching Ghana vs Uruguay in Napier. Ghana had a player called Essien but i'm not sure if it was Michael Essien. I'm sure if I searched I could find out.

yes it was

also Adriano (Brazil) 

A mate who's a bit of a spotter mentioned him as being there once too so could well be. Was fortunately living on the shore at the time so got to see a stack of games. NZ beating Poland was cool! Loved the Ghana supporters, very loud and even in the rain were having fun. Awesome tournament. 

I wonder what Rodgers plans are for the window. Start with a clearout I reckon. Try and sell Andy C (see a fee has been agreed with West Ham), Spearing, Pacheco. Skrtel maybe? Wonder if Downing is still on the chopping board? Pepe if rumours are to believed.

 I hope we are looking to improve Downing. Also, I'm not going to get into a debate about Rodgers with someone who believes Allen, Borini and Assaidi can be classed as 'buying well'.

Sounds like we are trying to change up most of our defence. Kolo Toure...

Ok Assaidi maybe wasn't the best bye. But Allen is descent and borini has been so unlucky.

Don't no about Toure didn't he get banned for 6 months for doping but he will be free. Rather have Williams from Swansea but will see.

Conflicting stories in The Guardian regarding Pepe. He says he's happy to stay but rumoured to be off to Barcelona and us getting Ron-Robert Zieler from Hannover. Don't know anything about him.

Looks like big Andy to West Ham is all but done too. Good luck to him (though not against us!)

Sounds like Big Andy is dragging his heels and saying he wants to stay and fight for his place. Possibly trying to force a move back to Newcastle? Not sure. Either way, I like Carroll (was never worth what we paid for him, of course) and will wish him all the best wherever he goes.

Not exactly made up about the Coates situation. Think he'll be a boss centre-back somewhere.

I want Pepe to stay, absolutely no doubt. Especially if we replace him with somebody like Vorm or Begovic.

Reina would be a good fit for Barca. Good with his feet, athletic, occasionally weak hands and prone to the odd near-post goal, pretty much a valdes clone!

I can't see Andy fitting in to the way we are playing. Agree with you El-P, I do feel a little sorry for him but to be honest we haven't really missed him. I would be sad to see Reina go although if he does go to Barca, we could get Tello in exchange. I wonder who our targets would be. Ter-Stegen maybe? Will probably end up being Vorm or Mignolet from Sunderland.

Forgot about Coates. Man we will probably lose three centre backs with Carra, Coates and Skrtel leaving. As long as we get some good money for them, I wouldn't moind too much. Skrtel hasn't playe dmuch this season huh?

Agree. I really rate Pepe though. And he's been through some sharke times with us. If he wanted to go home to Barca, I definitely wouldn't begrudge him. He's a massive leader in our dressing room though and, with Carra going as well, we can't afford to lose to many of them.

Yeah, definitely not. Just that I don't think it is his fault, and I'll hope he carves a good career for himself. Suspect it well be elsewhere. If we get anything around 15m, he's gone I reckon.

I would hope we would be looking at that Ter Stegen lad to replace Pepe if he goes. Would be the only one I'd be happy with. So many conflicting reports re: Reina. Yeah, really depends on who we replace those centre-backs with, I guess. I still think Skrtel is quality, but Rodgers doesn't seem to rate him. Not sure we can count on Agger to be fit all season again.

15m is allegedly what West Ham have accepted but yeah Andy isn't totally keen. Wants Newcastle still.

I hope we don't sell to Newcastle... How embarrassing would that be?! I don't know what would be worse, buying him for 35mil, or selling him back for 7mil!

Haha yep would be a bit sad! Straight swap for Cisse.......

Lots of talk that Begovic maybe signed if we lose Pepe.  

Mentioned earlier the Guardian was all about the Hannover keeper. Least of our worries though eh! Another striker, some wide players and a centre back or 2. Time to splash some cash!

You sure it wasn't Ghana v Mexico? I was there as well. The Napier group was Spain, Mexico, Ghana and Thailand.

Think it was the quarter final. 3-2 to.....can't remember

Shore group was NZ, USA, Poland and Uruguay so would have to be a play-off. Semis and final were all on the shore from very drunkenly vague memory. Saw so many games I can't remember all the specifics.

Nice that we've turned the 'Pool thread into a 1999 U17s world cup one haha. Anyone wanna start some transfer rumours I can spread?

I've got one....Stevie G to manage Everton! Reliable source

Haha we'll make it Carragher and away we go!

So most of the rumours do say a huge clear-out is on its way. It does a little exciting. Man FSG must be more than a little spewing about the money they spend on Carroll, Downing etc

Yeah not sure if Kenny is on their Christmas card list. Wasn't happy with it myself to be honest but at least it wasn't my money!

Wilson gone, who's the next cab off the rank?  Carroll?

Kolo Toure is not a very good acquisition. He lost it a few years ago. 

Pretty safe as a 3rd/4th CB option though no? Free transfer, lots of experience, not too old - just turned 32. The bench would look strong with him on it. 

If Skrtel leaves as well though, and this is the only CB signing, then I would probably say it's not a good one

Think it will be the first of two centre backs coming in, expecting Skrtel to leave. Pretty happy to be honest, experienced, no transfer fee and just a one year contract so shouldn't be too risky. Welcome aboard....Yaya next!!

I doubt the King is too arsed what a few Yank businessmen think of him.

Kolo Toure- meh. Decent enough option, if we bring in another CB or two. Hardly anything to get too excited or depressed about (unless we don't bring in any other defenders).

We definitely need some experience back there, especially seeing as Rodgers doesn't seem to rate Skrtel.

Fee agreed for Iago Aspas.

And who knows what is happening with Luis Suarez.

https://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1463458/luis-suarez-ready-quit-english-football?cc=3436&sasd

Some pretty worrying quotes in there, hope its just talk

He doesn't like to stay quiet huh? I think he will go if someone bids. he seems to genuinely love Liverpool but I think his time has come.

I wonder if we will sign a recognised striker if he does go or if the lad from Celta is the man.

I think if he goes, and Aspas is our replacement, then we are fudgeed.

Agreed in that I think he loves the club/ city, but he should be playing at a higher level. I certainly won't begrudge him any move. He deserves better than where we are at the moment.

Yep, sadly yep. I don't think Aspas is a replacement, just cover. Assume we won't shop for a top level striker unless Suarez goes. The trigger in his contract is £40m from what I've read so hopefully that will be spent on someone a bit better than Carroll. 

Read quite a few rumours about Luis alberto from Barca B team. A few people suggesting it was a done deal...11 goals for Barca B.

We play a different style without Suarez so in some respects it could be a good thing. I would think it would become harder to convince high profile world class players to come if he left though...Eriksen etc 

Not sure why I'm spending so much time reading this thread!

But I think Tyler's right in that you guys could potentially be better off without Suarez for the long term, even ignoring the needless off-field distractions he brings. He's so good that when he plays you get the feeling that if he doesn't make something happen, no one else will - rather than concentrating on the team performance and believing in Rodgers' system. Arsenal played in a similar manner in 06/07 with Henry, scraped 4th, then he left and all of a sudden we were knocking it round tika-taka style like a real team, we challenged for the title the first year without him (but faded to 3rd - Gallas debacle etc etc), when many thought we'd definitely slip out of the top four. 

Sturridge with Coutinho in behind seems to work really well, guess it's about the depth you guys get in behind them?

Paul M....you are always welcome. As people have said on here before, plenty of Liverpool fans will come crawling out of the woodwork once (if) we start playing well again. I think my fear is that if Suarez leaves, we cement ourselves as a team who can't attract or keep world class players and therefore a mid-table team.

We may then rely on good recruitment finds like Coutinho who might get added exposure then leave. Hopefully I am wrong but it is obviously a factor with Suarez.