Liverpool 2010/11 Season Thread

[Nu-Eclipse]

Still need another experienced LB though. As good as this news is, it wouldn't be entirely surprising if he pulled a hamstring in the friendly tomorrow.

Meh...Fabio's a great player but he just cannot stay fit...should've stayed binned off, IMHO. Barely 70 appearances in 4 years is crap.

A 2-year deal for him is ridiculous. It should've been STRICTLY pay-as-you-play, as Rafa tried to do.

[Street Turk]

They would have gıven hım a rıgorous medıcal though....

I am gettıng strangely optımıstıc about thıs season.

A couple more solıd sıgnıngs and we should be up there....

[Adrock]

I'm very happy with that signing. He has shown his quality during his time at Liverpool, its just a shame he couldn't stay fit.

Lets hope the new medical team can get to grips with his needs to prevent him from injury. Theres no doubting a player of his quality would have cost the kind of money the club simply doesn't have.

Now even if they do sign someone like Konchesky at least I'll be safe in the knowledge he would only be as backup to Aurelio.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Let me be clear...I don't doubt Fabio's quality as a player. I just doubt his ability to stay fit in a massive season where we will need ALL of our playing resources to be fit and available for the large majority of it.

True, we can't afford to just go out and buy a high-quality left-back at this moment, but can we afford to pay 2 years of wages to a guy who averaged 17 appearances a season during his first spell with us? That record is simply rubbish value for money, injuries or not. IMO, it's very telling that nobody else appeared to be in for him when he left the first time around.

With all respect to Fabio, the return seems money-motivated...I mean, if he really loved the club and wanted to prove himself, surely he would've taken a PAYP deal?

[Adrock]

No professional player wants to take a pay as you play deal regardless of whether or not he loves the club.

If you fall out of favour you dont get paid, regardless of availability. Its a rubbish deal for anybody and I'm not surprised he didn't take it. I'd like to know the details of the deal, but regardless of that wages are the least of the clubs worries.

Paying a player 20-30k a week is nothing compared with buying and then paying the same or more wages, obviously.

Right now, with the budget the club has can you suggest a player who would do the job? Especially at the level the fans expect.

I'd much rather have Aurelio for 17 games of a season than Paul Konchesky or Luke Young for an entire season.

[SharkSkin-Man]

He hasn't missed quite as many games as I'd thought.
He's averaged 27.xx appearences a season in all competitions, which is pretty much the same as Agger. If he has taken a pay-cut as rumoured, then I think we've done OK out of it.

Given the choice between this and signing some clogger for ?3m, I'll take this.


That said, Brukner has got a lot of work to do if he is to keep players like Aurelio, Agger, Torres, Aquilani, Cole etc out of the treatment room.

[Supergoal]

I think it's a good deal. As some of you have said he's good on his day when he's fit. Much better than Insua, and as someone else said, the club must have given him a good fitness test and medical.

[Scythe]

Very pleased with Aurelio re-signing, injury worries aside.

[paul]

There have been rumblings about today's reported bid from Kenneth Huang for a couple of weeks. This story has leaked now because Gillet has served up this cock and bull story about this alternative dubious bid fronted by this Syrian fella to Royal Bank of Scotland, just to buy him and his partner in crime more time to get a bid closer to their own over inflated valuation.

[Jebus]

BBC are saying that Gerrard has told them he only stayed because they signed Joe Cole.

Really?

[abigsmurf]

Kinda makes you wonder what will happen if Joe Cole gets another injury or continues to struggle with fitness...

[SharkSkin-Man]

With the current goings on, I don't think anybody cares why Gerrard stayed.

[Adrock]

I would have rather we sold him for the reported 25-30mil on offer. I'm worried the guy interested in taking over the club is just another business man who is obviously looking to make money, he runs a sports investment company.

Anything will be better than the Americans though, surely. Big game this Thursday, I hope Hodgson sticks with the same team he put out last week. No need to risk the other lot, the 2-0 victory shows that.

[paul]

I would have rather we sold him for the reported 25-30mil on offer. I'm worried the guy interested in taking over the club is just another business man who is obviously looking to make money, he runs a sports investment company.

Anything will be better than the Americans though, surely. Big game this Thursday, I hope Hodgson sticks with the same team he put out last week. No need to risk the other lot, the 2-0 victory shows that.

Sometimes it's a case of better the devil you know, but it all remains to be seen. Even H&G talked a good game before they came in.

As for Thursday, I don't think risking the players coming from the world cup is really a consideration. It's about fitness now, and so I would expect quite a few of our bigger players to play on Thrusday if only to get them some game time under their belts in preparation for Arsenal.

[SharkSkin-Man]

Some of the 'first team' players aren't registered for the game on Thursday.

Kuyt, Torres, Babel, Reina and Aurelio aren't able to play any part. Pretty certain Gerrard and Cole both are though.