Great win vs. Wigan that was out of sight before 35 minutes where gone.
Very comfortable win and in the end I was happy because one thing we have been better at this season and that is going to the weaker clubs (below 10th place) at the majority of the time and picked up points.
Yes there has been the odd exception but for the most part we have done that well.
Everyone performed on the night and although we allowed some big chances we were by far the dominant team and deserved the win.
Suarez was brilliant but Coutinho was even better on the day. Downing scored a nice goal. The way he moves to get free from his marker on his header was quite clever and he deserves credit.
Coutinho still has a lot of work to do and defensively he can get a lot better but he looks like a stellar signing right now. Let's just hope he keeps developing.
For the summer I think we should only sign 1 or 2 players but ones that markedly improves the team. World class players is what would move us up to that upper echelon of the PL.
Tevez should be one of them because I think he is world class and we could do with a 3rd out and out striker that can win a game alone. Right now we have Suarez and Sturridge but imagine if we got Tevez as well.
I think that alone would shoot us up to 4th in the table based on the extra goals he would give us.
I also think Suarez can play both through the middle, as a second striker or on any side meaning that we could potentially fit all three into the squad if we wanted to. I would argue that both Suarez and Tevez are hard enough workers defensively to play any of the three positions right behind the main striker (in a 4231 formation) so I think that would be a stellar signing.
He would not be cheap mind you but it would be worth it. Probably around 25M quid I suspect if city would be willing to let him go. The time to go in for him was when he had fallen out with city.
Alonso may not be as happy at Real anymore as he once was and he would potentially be willing to move across the English channel again... but at 15M he may not be good value for money at this point if you look at the players we have signed lately they have all been young and talented and with potential to be redeveloped and sold for higher value.
In any case, areas I would look to strengthen beyond one more top class striker is centre back, left back and defensive mid when Carragher retires in the summer.
Behind Agger and Skertel there it is really only Coates and he has not proven himself in the PL yet. I think he would benefit from going out on loan a season to the championship but with so few centrebacks in our ranks they were never going to let that happen this year. To me we should have with a clause that he could have been called back at any time if need be. I am sure there are lots of teams in the championship or lower region of the PL that would have taken him (QPR, Reading or maybe even Villa). He needs playing time and experience in the PL if he is going to develop and I hope he gets it because he has the talent. I know that from Uruguay winning copa sud americana.
At centre back because of the 3 we have (excluding carra) I would be happy to sign another unproven young guy that can develop. Skertel and Danny Agger are very good when they are at their best and eventually one would think they would learn how to organize themselves although this has proven not to be true this season and hence led to Carra forcing his way into the team.
Skertel having a dip in form also contributed but I wonder if it is the right choice at times because I believe Carra eventually will be found out. He has been a great servant and few can argue that he knows how to organise the defence and I have been impressed how well he has played since coming back into the team but I think against strikers with pace he will be found out.
So who could we sign? Who are talented defenders, defensive midfielders that are coming of age and are starting to prove themselves?
Granero would be a decent one if QPR goes down. Not sure what type of wages he would command though?
Behind Enrique there is only Jack Robinson as back up and I am not 100% sure about him. It is right to let him go on loan to Wolves and see if he can develop into a decent/top left back.
Considering Glen Johnson and Downing can both play there it is not the most urgent position to strengthen in.
Centre back remains the most pressing area to strengthen. I think if we would have given Wilson more chances at centre back he could have proven himself, mind you I am saying that not knowing he has done at Hearts since he went there.
Defensive mid we have Lucas who is great but slightly injury prone and Allen or Gerrard can both play there as well. I also think henderson is showing signs of developing and I would lean towards keeping hold of him at this moment in time.
Players I would get rid of potentially in the summer would be:
- Jon Flanagan - (we have kelly and wisdom at right back so there is no need for more cover and we may get a million or two for him)
- Andy Carroll - take a loss on him whether it would be 10 or 15M that we can get and move on. We are never going to recover the 20M that I hoped last year unfortunately. Unless he goes on a massive scoring spree towards the end of the season here .... which btw is highly unlikely.
Potentially depending on offers:
- Henderson - may never get the playing time he deserves and needs to get better. He is not a player that scores enough goals or provides so many assists that he stands out on a top 4 team which is what we should aim to be. As a result he is useful, a hard worker and could be a decent squad player but also is not integral to success and may become tired of sitting on the bench too much with Rodgers preferring Allen, Gerrard, Lucas and Shelvey ahead of him (I think Shelvey should be played ahead of him anyway).
- I was about to say Downing as well but we do not currently have enough good offensive players and wingers in the team to get rid of him. Considering his position he has not scored enough goals. He has threatened to several times but has never quite delivered. This year he has two goals I believe. To me it comes down to 2 things.... 1) ability to dribble and easily go past people (he lacks a little bit of technique or pace to do that with ease) 2) no stand out skill --- decent shot, decent crosser, decent pace, decent dribbling ability, decent work rate defensively, decent ability to pick a through ball but nothing outstanding. Therefore I think we could afford to let him go if we bring in someone better and more prone to scoring. I would do a straight swap for Scott sinclair with Man City. A bit risky and value wise they may not be a straight swap but because of his potential that may be a good move.
We also have Sterling, Coutinho, Enrique, Suarez or Glen Johnson all able to play in wing positions and although neither Suarez or Johnson would likely be used there very often I think they could be with success.
YNWA,
Stian
Very comfortable win and in the end I was happy because one thing we have been better at this season and that is going to the weaker clubs (below 10th place) at the majority of the time and picked up points.
Yes there has been the odd exception but for the most part we have done that well.
Everyone performed on the night and although we allowed some big chances we were by far the dominant team and deserved the win.
Suarez was brilliant but Coutinho was even better on the day. Downing scored a nice goal. The way he moves to get free from his marker on his header was quite clever and he deserves credit.
Coutinho still has a lot of work to do and defensively he can get a lot better but he looks like a stellar signing right now. Let's just hope he keeps developing.
For the summer I think we should only sign 1 or 2 players but ones that markedly improves the team. World class players is what would move us up to that upper echelon of the PL.
Tevez should be one of them because I think he is world class and we could do with a 3rd out and out striker that can win a game alone. Right now we have Suarez and Sturridge but imagine if we got Tevez as well.
I think that alone would shoot us up to 4th in the table based on the extra goals he would give us.
I also think Suarez can play both through the middle, as a second striker or on any side meaning that we could potentially fit all three into the squad if we wanted to. I would argue that both Suarez and Tevez are hard enough workers defensively to play any of the three positions right behind the main striker (in a 4231 formation) so I think that would be a stellar signing.
He would not be cheap mind you but it would be worth it. Probably around 25M quid I suspect if city would be willing to let him go. The time to go in for him was when he had fallen out with city.
Alonso may not be as happy at Real anymore as he once was and he would potentially be willing to move across the English channel again... but at 15M he may not be good value for money at this point if you look at the players we have signed lately they have all been young and talented and with potential to be redeveloped and sold for higher value.
In any case, areas I would look to strengthen beyond one more top class striker is centre back, left back and defensive mid when Carragher retires in the summer.
Behind Agger and Skertel there it is really only Coates and he has not proven himself in the PL yet. I think he would benefit from going out on loan a season to the championship but with so few centrebacks in our ranks they were never going to let that happen this year. To me we should have with a clause that he could have been called back at any time if need be. I am sure there are lots of teams in the championship or lower region of the PL that would have taken him (QPR, Reading or maybe even Villa). He needs playing time and experience in the PL if he is going to develop and I hope he gets it because he has the talent. I know that from Uruguay winning copa sud americana.
At centre back because of the 3 we have (excluding carra) I would be happy to sign another unproven young guy that can develop. Skertel and Danny Agger are very good when they are at their best and eventually one would think they would learn how to organize themselves although this has proven not to be true this season and hence led to Carra forcing his way into the team.
Skertel having a dip in form also contributed but I wonder if it is the right choice at times because I believe Carra eventually will be found out. He has been a great servant and few can argue that he knows how to organise the defence and I have been impressed how well he has played since coming back into the team but I think against strikers with pace he will be found out.
So who could we sign? Who are talented defenders, defensive midfielders that are coming of age and are starting to prove themselves?
Granero would be a decent one if QPR goes down. Not sure what type of wages he would command though?
Behind Enrique there is only Jack Robinson as back up and I am not 100% sure about him. It is right to let him go on loan to Wolves and see if he can develop into a decent/top left back.
Considering Glen Johnson and Downing can both play there it is not the most urgent position to strengthen in.
Centre back remains the most pressing area to strengthen. I think if we would have given Wilson more chances at centre back he could have proven himself, mind you I am saying that not knowing he has done at Hearts since he went there.
Defensive mid we have Lucas who is great but slightly injury prone and Allen or Gerrard can both play there as well. I also think henderson is showing signs of developing and I would lean towards keeping hold of him at this moment in time.
Players I would get rid of potentially in the summer would be:
- Jon Flanagan - (we have kelly and wisdom at right back so there is no need for more cover and we may get a million or two for him)
- Andy Carroll - take a loss on him whether it would be 10 or 15M that we can get and move on. We are never going to recover the 20M that I hoped last year unfortunately. Unless he goes on a massive scoring spree towards the end of the season here .... which btw is highly unlikely.
Potentially depending on offers:
- Henderson - may never get the playing time he deserves and needs to get better. He is not a player that scores enough goals or provides so many assists that he stands out on a top 4 team which is what we should aim to be. As a result he is useful, a hard worker and could be a decent squad player but also is not integral to success and may become tired of sitting on the bench too much with Rodgers preferring Allen, Gerrard, Lucas and Shelvey ahead of him (I think Shelvey should be played ahead of him anyway).
- I was about to say Downing as well but we do not currently have enough good offensive players and wingers in the team to get rid of him. Considering his position he has not scored enough goals. He has threatened to several times but has never quite delivered. This year he has two goals I believe. To me it comes down to 2 things.... 1) ability to dribble and easily go past people (he lacks a little bit of technique or pace to do that with ease) 2) no stand out skill --- decent shot, decent crosser, decent pace, decent dribbling ability, decent work rate defensively, decent ability to pick a through ball but nothing outstanding. Therefore I think we could afford to let him go if we bring in someone better and more prone to scoring. I would do a straight swap for Scott sinclair with Man City. A bit risky and value wise they may not be a straight swap but because of his potential that may be a good move.
We also have Sterling, Coutinho, Enrique, Suarez or Glen Johnson all able to play in wing positions and although neither Suarez or Johnson would likely be used there very often I think they could be with success.
YNWA,
Stian
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