** ALL NEW (WITH RULES) Summer Transfer Window 2012/2013 Season Rumours/Signings **

[drunkenmaster]

Didn't Villa have an offer for Dempsey accepted that was higher than what Spurs ended up paying for him?

Maybe it was all because he wanted to remain in London which made him opt for Spurs.

AFAIK its 5mil + 2 addon's from Villa, and 6mil from Spurs, could be upfront, but it sounds like Liverpool offered 4mil upfront which frankly after all the trouble they caused with the player, a complete joke and even if they would accept that from someone else just to have the whole thing over with, I wouldn't take that from the club that caused the problem. But I suspect the 6mil from Spurs is upfront and basically 2mil more than Liverpool(they may have had addon's also but were basically just taking the pee with that offer after they unsettled the player to start with).

 

[Alpherah]

There is saving money and there is, insane attempts to win at all costs, and a middle ground. You've saved a crapload in wages, but I think overall hurt the teams potential quite badly as you say, I think lack of numbers will hurt over a season more than the goals but they are both serious issues. You could do a Pompie and ignore debt and just spend to maintain position... Liverpool aren't even remotely close to that position. In the middle is sensibly spending 5-10mil on some goals to bolster the team and stop them being in serious danger of slipping down the table.

Pompie spent 10's of mils while in massive debt with a small income to maintain a pipe dream, Liverpool have a huge income, were only overspending a moderate amount, have brought that in hugely wage wise and 5-10mil and one more player wasn't going to hurt you at all. Saving 2mil on Dempsey in this situation is closer to suicidal than sensible.

Ignoring the argument "LFC should have just spent a bit more", what we did spend was completely in the wrong areas. Goals win you games - as a team I don't see any goals, at all. Not from Suarez and Gerrard on recent form and for sure not from anyone else.

LFC have no Nr9, never thought I would see the day

 

[BaZ87]

My point was more an argument as to where the funds went, rather then assuming we had more to spend.

Well that's something that Rodgers needs to answer, not the board as some (not you specifically) have been arguing.

Rodgers clearly prioritised improving our midfield over our attack. We could have kept Adam and not signed Allen, giving us the cash to sign Dempsey or another striker.

 

[drunkenmaster]

yes but he had no interest in villa he would have been mad to of gone to villa they are relegation candidates this season for sure.

baffles me that no ones snapped up bent, he would be cheap and hes prolific in the prem

He'll be vastly cheaper next season

Essien will be backup for Khedira and Alonso in case one of them gets injured. Mourinho knows Essien from his time at Chelsea, so I can see why he's signed him. Plus it's a bit mental to criticise one of the world's best managers with a proven record of winning.

Main thing is that Modric will likely be playing ahead of those in several games, and as said, if one of those gets injured Coentrao is better in midfield than left back, Marcelo can definitely play a more defensive role in midfield, Pepe loves playing as a DM, they have cover from players who play multiple positions anyway and they've spent 35mil on a player for central midfield while shipping one midfielder off. They have 3-4 people who have played "DM" multiple times, and another 2-3 that are comfortable there, bringing in more cover from a player who has spent more time with career threatening injuries than playing in the past few years and has looked awful when he's played IS mental.

To suggest Mourinho has never made a mistake in the transfer market, nor that all top managers don't make poor buys is ridiculous. Being a winning manager doesn't mean anything in terms of always making good decisions.

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Come on Pigeon - you know full well that's incredibly misleading. How big a part did Ecclestone, Darby, Amoo, Aquilani and Aurelio play last season?

They barely played but given 6 of the players I listed play in attacking positions and we're now desperately short in attack it doesn't make sense at all.

 

[The_One]

He'll be vastly cheaper next season

bent should have been someone liverpool/spurs/arsenal should have signed they all need proven goalscorers

 

[BaZ87]

"Do you think you know better than Fergie"

...and although you haven't improved up front (albeit scoring goals was the problem last season) Carroll wouldn't of got many games had he stayed anyway so as long as nothing happens to Suarez you shouldn't be any worse off. The only real weakening you may have done is Borini in for Bellamy but that's me purely speculating after seeing Borini once.

As I've said, the concern for me isn't so much the difference in quality of our attacking options it's the balance of them. With Bellamy and Kuyt, we had 2 players that could play both wide or through the middle to act as cover for Suarez & Carroll. We now only have Borini and Suarez that can play through the middle. A serious injury to one of those plus a niggle or suspension and we've not got a striker.

Lets hope this Yesil kid is as good as some people have made out on twitter.

 

[Alpherah]

"Do you think you know better than Fergie"



As I've said, the concern for me isn't so much the difference in quality of our attacking options it's the balance of them. With Bellamy and Kuyt, we had 2 players that could play both wide or through the middle to act as cover for Suarez & Carroll. We now only have Borini and Suarez that can play through the middle. A serious injury to one of those plus a niggle or suspension and we've not got a striker.

Lets hope this Yesil kid is as good as some people have made out on twitter.

And, despite it being early days, Borini's not shown an awful lot of ability imo with suspect control/first touch and poor decision making.

 

[Azza]

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

The squad we've now got suits 4-4-2 rather than a 4-3-3.

 

[cm1179]

so as long as nothing happens to Suarez you shouldn't be any worse off.

this is why i can't get my head around how they handled the dempsey thing. they were obviously interested in him, he snubs villa and essntially commits himself to liverpool, they clock this and try and be smart with a £4m bid, at this time in the transfer window? there's smart and there's insulting.

if suarez is injured or continues to be poor on hitting the back of the net, it really could be a purchase of andy carroll proportions comes in, in january.

all over £2m? pffft.

 

[cm1179]

i did NOT see that happening. here's hoping he gets double figures for us.

 

[Azza]

Manchester City sign Javi Garcia from Benfica for £16m.

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Falcao in January would suffice.

 

[drunkenmaster]

I agree that Liverpool aren't that bad off though, defence is the same as it was last season, midfield has improved massively and although you haven't improved up front (albeit scoring goals was the problem last season) Carroll wouldn't of got many games had he stayed anyway so as long as nothing happens to Suarez you shouldn't be any worse off. The only real weakening you may have done is Borini in for Bellamy but that's me purely speculating after seeing Borini once

Liverpool werent going to finish top 4 this season anyway so surely all Rodgers has really got to do is match Dalglish's league position and push on next summer, there's always January for Liverpool to do another Carroll style signing as well

If Liverpool cut the wage bill by circa 25mil a year, weren't making a significant loss, and tv money goes up next year or the year after probably by around 20mil a year per club then saving now means in 2-3 years contracts on certain unsellable lumps of poo will be up, they could bank 50-60mil in saved wages in the next couple seasons, blood a couple youngsters, try and pick up a couple Newcastle/Swansea style bargains and have a bit of a platform and warchest to build on in a couple years.

Its not a bad plan, I'm all for sensible squads, sensible wages, making a profit and being secure, its better business which long term means successful football. Utd are where they are because they are the best business and built from that. But as said, 2mil more on Dempsey wouldn't destroy that plan at all and could mean more cup/euro football with the extra goals and more money coming in.

Outside of fans being upset there isn't a massive difference between 5th and 15th, 5mil in league position winnings, Europa football which can do more to hurt than help the squad and generally requires a more expensive squad to compete in it properly. Financially Liverpool can't mount an attack on the top 4 this year, or next year, save a bunch of money and remove the bloat, in 3-4 years they might be in that position.

 

[Tom84]

"Do you think you know better than Fergie" .

nah you've still lost me

In terms of United we've improved up front - an area I don't really think needed prioritising, defence has stayed the same - which is fine as long as the injuries clear up and midfield we'll only know whether or not has stayed the same, improved or got worse in the months to come (and it literally could be any one of the three)

 

[syke]

Out:
Dempsey (AML)
Dembele (MC)
Etuhu (MC)
Murphy (MC)
Andy Johnson (ST)
Gecov (MC)
BH Riise (MC)
Orlando Sa (ST)
Grygera (DR)
Pogrebnyak (ST)
Salcido (DL)

In:
Richardson (AML)
Rodallega (ST)
Petric (ST)
Berbatov (ST)
Riether (DR)
Dejagah (AMR)

A lot of midfielders not replaced there

Add to that Halliche (DC) has been released.

 

[Biz.Kid09]

Manchester City sign Javi Garcia from Benfica for £16m.

Wooo!!!

Really happy with this transfer window.

Got rid of everyone we needed to and brought in 2 talented youngsters to bolster the squad, a class midfielder in Garcia to upgrade on NDJ and to top it off Maicon who I believe will be great competition for places in defence and on the wing. Good for Micah to learn off as well.

Kept hold of everyone necessary as well.

 

[Tom84]

this is why i can't get my head around how they handled the dempsey thing. they were obviously interested in him, he snubs villa and essntially commits himself to liverpool, they clock this and try and be smart with a £4m bid, at this time in the transfer window? there's smart and there's insulting.

if suarez is injured or continues to be poor on hitting the back of the net, it really could be a purchase of andy carroll proportions comes in, in january.

all over £2m? pffft.

I honestly think Dempsey would have flopped at Liverpool (he's actually probably got the potential to flop at Spurs as well) so I don't think he's a huge loss to them tbh

 

[syke]

Fulham's squad now;

GK: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Somogyi, Etheridge

DL: Riise, Briggs
DC: Hangeland, Senderos
DC: Hughes, Baird
DR: Riehter, Kelly

AML: Richardson, Frei, Kacaniklic
MC: Diarra
MC: Sidwell
AMR: Ruiz, Duff, Kasami, Davies, Dejagah

ST: Petric, Rodallega
ST: Berbatov

Quite weak in midfield so can see us moving to a more 4-3-3, although again only three options up front (4 if you include Ruiz). Be interesting to see what happens in terms of formation and loans/january window.