In the end Liverpool’s defence was really feeble against Crystal Palace. With only 11 minutes to go Liverpool were sailing and, if anything looked like scoring again. But the defence has to carry the can for all three goals conceded.
A knackered looking Glen Johnson didn’t close down for the first but we thought that the third goal was the poorest fromLiverpool’s point of view as the distance between the two central defenders, when the ball was pumped into the box, was alarming. A chasm opened up for Dwight Gayle to stroke home. It really was schoolboy stuff.
The knee-jerk reaction would be that Liverpool need to make wholesale changes to their defence in the close season.
We still think there is quality in a defence that perhaps doesn’t get the plaudits it deserves. Letting in goals is going to be part and parcel of such an attacking system regardless of how good your defenders are. Still, Liverpool will surely add one or two to the squad this summer. To that end 3 have been linked in the latest news. The Guardian reports:
Marcos Rojo. Now the Mill follows the Portuguese league with about as much interest as it does the political wranglings of northern Bolivia, but by all accounts this young fella, who can play left-back and/or centre-back and who has a £25m buy-out clause, is dead good. So too are Southampton’s Luke Shaw and Cardiff’s Steven Caulker and they are in positions second and third, respectively, on that same list of Brendan’s.
Luke Shaw – Anyone who follows English football will know about the quality of this lad. Manchester United are said to be front runners for his signature but, with Liverpool now able to offer the Champions League football that United cannot, Shaw may consider Anfield. He would surely the best purchase of any of the defenders linked. He’s absolute mustard – even at 18.
Steven Caulker – Allowing him to leave Tottenham was one of AVB’s weirder decisions in a generally weird tenure. Caulker has done his reputation no harm at relegated Cardiff and, one way or another, he will surely be in The Premier League next season. We could easily imagine him at Liverpool.
Marcos Rojo – A highly hyped Argentinian who’s adaptable, dynamic and classy. The 24 year old Sporting Lisbon defender has played 20 times for his country and won’t come cheap. Will probably leave his club this sumer. Let’s have a look at him in action.
a
May 6, 2014 at 4:47 pm
liverpoool transfert
out
reina 6
agger 15
toure 4
enrique 8
allen 12
alberto 8
lucas leiva 15
aspas 8
assaidi 4
borini 10
cissokho
moses
fsg 60
total 150
in
ochoa 8
caulker 15
richards 7
siquiera 12
parejo 15
matuidi 20
l.moura 30
lallana 25
papadopoulos 18
————–mignolet——————
jonson—caulker—-skrtel—siquiera
—————-gerrard—————–
—-lallana——————matuidi—-
suarez——-sturridge——-l.moura
subs.
—————ochoa—————–
richards–papa–sakho–flanagan
—————parejo—————–
—–henderson———–suso—–
texeira——sterring——coutinho
Redeoin
May 8, 2014 at 3:12 pm
I think your valuations are more than a touch fanciful.
Enrique is crocked. We only paid £7M for him, and he hasn’t enhanced his reputation, other than for being a sick note. Toure isn’t worth 4M. He has been dreadful most times he played. Lucas isn’t worth more than 8M (average player, no pace, sick note). Agger isn’t worth more than 10M (massive sick note, lacks physical dominance). Alberto – £ 8M – YOU ARE JOKING? Aspas – Ditto? Allen is going nowhere. He has played well when called upon and is getting better. Regarding signings – Papadopoulos is a massive sick note. Great player, when fit, but he’s never fit. I wouldn’t take a chance on him. Lallana is not worth £25 M. He’s had one stand out season. He’s not 18, he’ll be 26 this week. Where has he been until now, and why has nobody spotted his over hyped talent before?