ROB GUTMANN was joined by Paul Senior, Neil Atkinson and Ian Salmon for this weeks ‘Unwrapped’.
The lads talk strikers, goals, where are they coming from and who are they coming from?
UNWRAPPED
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19 December 2024
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Great listening to you fellas as always.
I’ll simply join in on the matter because isn’t that why we’re here?
Is there really a need for Danny Ings? A “free” transfer that thicks a lot of the boxes but in all fairness, he won’t become our 1st or 2nd striker, he’s not that good. And like you’ve guys pointed out he’s probably looking for more than to become a 3-4 choice striker. To me this is exactly why we signed Origi is it not? That young striker we can slowly bed in.
Benteke? Perhaps our most realistic option, but does that mean we start with him? I’m in Neil’s shop now and Benteke is nowhere to be found I’m afraid. Like you guys said, Benteke alone. Nay. Him alongside another £20-30million forward. Maybe. Or even yes. What do I know?
Is there a realistic target in that top shop? Maybe. Should we try it? Hell yes.
To me Edison Cavani ticks all the footballing boxes. He’s got pace, mobility, great work ethic, can play across the front three if needed and yes he scores goals. And a shitload of them. No not just in France.
In fact, being deployed mostly on the wing in PSG in favor of Ibrahimovich (whom by the way would be ideal for us) he’s only scored 30 odd goals in some 60 games. But in his favoured position he’s shown capable of scoring a lot more. Some 84 goals in 131 league games the past four seasons is top stuff. Adding 22 goals in 33 European cup games during the same period only proves his scoring ability.
He doesn’t come with a proven injury record that I know of either. Which in all fairness we’vegot enough of.
Not only does he hold up numbers and footballing wise but he would be a marguee signing. An established top class player with a goalscoring reputation that has proved himself in different leagues, in Europe and in the National team. A big dick player that our opposition would know can score at any given time.
So is he a realistic target? Maybe not. Is he an unrealistic target? Maybe not. I don’t know. But at least we should try. After a somewhat stormy season I don’t think PSG would hold anyone ransom for his signature, especially since they themselves most certainly would like to add to their squad and free up some economic space.
Could he be lured to us where he would be the number one striker playing in his favorite position. Could maybe a certain fellow countryman tell him what a fantastic football club we are? Most definitely.
Would he be cheap? Probably not. Some £35-45 millions. Maybe. Add a 200k/week wage and he’ll be expensive, but top footballers are expensive. And to be brutally honest, would a Benteke be that much cheaper. Maybe I don’t know.
Like most of you has mentioned over numerous pods, which way is our club going? The business we do this summer will probably define that for a longer period of time.
In the end it might not be Benteke or Cavani. But we can’t end up with yet another “hot prospect” with potential, because if we do we’re fast becoming Arsenal and I fucking hate Arsenal. They have also shown that you won’t win a single shitty trophy of any meaning, much less the league with a team full of potential. There’s a reason they’ve bought proven top quality as of late in Cazorla, Sanchez, Özil. That i do know.
Cheers!
This got me thinking – who the hell are we gonna sign. Admittedly, not having a knowledge of who’s good doesn’t help but I can’t think of anyone. I don’t know the European leagues but I do know that if any of the TAW listeners happen to catch a foreign highlights show and someone scores then they’ll be on here stating that’s who we should sign and I’ve seen nothing that catches my eye.
Something doesn’t feel right about to me about Benteke. Probably his injuries or it could even be that due to the Villa connection I wonder is he like Darren Bent i.e. doesn’t pass to his team mates. I’ve no idea either way but I feel like I want better. Ings would be good as 5th choice. I feel I want to look outside the Premiership. The Dutch have scored goals here (anyone of any Dutch lads who can score? Oh!) The East European market is opening up.
It’s probably even more meaningless than it was a waste of my time but while listening to this I decided to see where the PL goals have come from. I looked at the top 100 scorers. 43 goals currently gets you into the top 100. Obviously Britain and Ireland did best making up 64 (Eng 49, Wales 8, Scot 4, Ireland 5) or 66 if we include the 2 Caribbean lads who are British by birth. Then there’s a load of countries who’ve only offered 1 player in the top 100 (Bulgaria, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, USA). Bit deceptive this as Spanish players have only recently started coming here but I didn’t expect Aspas to make it. My feeling on Spain is if you’re not buying world class then it’s a tough market and has high risk of failure. Italy had 2 but we know Italians don’t work up front over here, hey Mario. Australia had 3. Genetically they’re just our convicts so could be option. The problem is, they’re notoriously bad at football. One a year at most plays at a decent level. Forget them. Then we have France, Holland and Africa on 5. When I looked at the African players they were all good and extremely powerful (Kanu, Drogba, Yakubu, Adebayor) but they all struck me as not the type of player we need (style wise). I still think Berahino has a lot of the attributes we should be looking for though. France and Holland are both similar in that they both offer the odd nugget and their players often fit in. Again though, the amount of shit we get from those markets makes it a huge gamble.
My overall point though is, South America is where we should be looking. They came second with 7 and I think there’s some merit in it. The likes of Suarez, Aguero, Sanchez and Tevez seem more suited to the Prem than the African players (as strikers). Others are doing well elsewhere in Europe including Messi, Cavani, Neymar, Higuain, James Rodriquez and Jackson Martinez (currently top scorer in Portugal). Falcao’s a good player. Obviously, we’re not signing any of them but that’s not the point. Currently, the worlds best goalscorers are South America and they have a high success rate in the Prem. There has to be more out there. The production line hasn’t ended. These little bastards give everything (hope the nuance of my local dialect doesn’t offend anyone there). That’s what Liverpool need, someone who’s gonna scrap, bite and offend. We’re too nice. Too tame. Go out and buy 6 or 7 South American strikers, they’re ten a penny over there. Nothing else works in the Prem, never has. There’s no English about so get on the plane to Buenos Aires. Another problem is, their leagues aren’t as popular over here as the European ones. I’d bet they’re not on FIFA 15 or the transfer committees software and so the club are completely oblivious to the talent over there.
I’m a geographer and that’s where I always look for my answers. In this case I think it’s obvious.
Hi Robin,
South Americans have certainly done well over here.
I think the challenge for English clubs trying to pick up bargains direct from South America is that unless the player is already an international they will struggle to get a work permit. That leaves English clubs picking the players up after they have already broken through in another European league. At that point everyone knows about them and they are no longer bargains.
Yeah, that’s a good point mate. I don’t know the in’s and out’s but that sounds correct. A few years ago we were linked to Jackson Martinez and I remember some talk of visa’s. I wasn’t particularly blown away by the links at the time but he’s gone on to do well. I just think there must be a way of getting them, somehow. Whatever market we’re looking in we’re behind in the race for the top players.
South American goal scorers also need the kind of ball skills we associate with Suarez, Ronaldhino and the like. Comes of playing in the favelas. We’ve actually done well with SA players – not so well with French or Italians. Should have been looking long since – it should be obvious to ‘experts’ if it stands out like a Beagle’s balls to you and me,
By the bye, we should tell Sterlinb he can go – give the mendacious little shite two games to boost his price.
Thing is mate, if we sell Sterling then we might as well play Lambert up front. He’s part of the trio (as pointed out by Neil) that our striker search needs to be based around. I’m extremely disappointed by how it’s looking on that front. We should keep him and suffer the consequences.
Buy goals, buy South Americans!!
Neil is absolutely spot on in everything he says! Basically exactly how i feel about the whole situation. Why do we have to buy from the Prem? Is Benteke really good enough to be our number 1 when he has injury issues of his own? I agree Sturridge should be at most our number 2 because he just can’t guarantee his fitness and if that is the case then Benteke and Ings are just not good enough! Danny Ings should not be our number 3 striker! Like Neil i’m hapoy with him to be number 4 but in my opinion if we can’t have a 10 then like Suarez with a 9 like Sturridge behind him, then we need another 2 9’s or a 9 and an 8. Getting Benteke and Ings is in my opinion getting you an 8 and a 6 at very best!
It’s like what Neil said the other week about going into the same shop as Chelsea and every other top side. Chelsea are going into that shop to make Benteke there number 2 at best! We cannot go into that shop to make him our number 1 because in my opinion a number 1 striker at Liverpool is in a completely different shop to Benteke and Ings!
And the Echo says Ibe’s offer is £30,000 per week. I happen to believe he is equally talented as Sterling. He may even prove to be more so.
This is consolidated the thoughts Ive been having recently in that we, as a 5th place team are looking to make a ‘best of the rest’ of the prem side. We buy the best players from mid and smaller teams (ings, Lallana, Downing, Adam, Carrol, Henderson etc) where as the ‘top 4’ can attract players from the mid teams in Europe. I think this leaves us with a mentality and ‘weight of the shirt’ problem shopping like this. Small club/big fish small pond mentality. I think Saido Berahino has the attributes we are after if not the attitude
Exactly. We are conducting ourselves like the sort of club that Roy Hodgson represented. Ecstatic at finishing in the top half of the table and seen as such. Clubs that find or develop talents and get plundered when season ends. Like So’ton. We say ‘We should buy so and so’ completely distrgarding the holding club. Well, now other clubs supporters are saying ‘We should buy Sterling, Coutino, Henderson, Ibe…’ just as 12 months ago we were ripping the heart out of So’ton. That will be our future under the current administration,
3-5-2 or 4-4-2 for me. Bob Paisley reverted from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 in the 70s. He knew what he was doing. 4-3-3 only works if you have wide players who can score. Sterling and Ibe are never going to get the goals that two proper strikers will get you. Strikers rock. Bob knew this, as did Clough and Ferguson. You’ve more chance or guaranteeing goals from a striker than a midfielder or a winger. It really is that simple.
As for signing suitable players, answer me this: how do we play? We were a great counter-attacking team last season, a dull possession-based team this season. We’ve played a diamond, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 3-4-2-1, a false 2 – you name it, we’ve played it. It’s hard to sign the right striker if we don’t know how we plan to play. The rumour about Fonte’s a bit of a worry too. Sounds like he’s looking to shore up Lovren’s position.
I strongly believe that Ayoze Perez should be our 3rd option striker..
He is imo better than Ings and Depay. Premier league ready and a standout performer in a side that just doesnt care…
He has held his head high and that for me is character..Character we need.