Joe Allen, LFC midfielders and midfield combinations and now the Jordan Henderson thread

[mark1975]

I imagine Laudrup would sooner have Shelvey than Spearing on loan?

I know, but it's worth offering. People are saying the likes of Suso should be getting a go, how old is Shelvey now? He played the back end of last season and didn't look out of place, and he looked good in the first preseason game, I think this could be a big season for him and I'd rather see him fulfill it here than out on loan, again.

 

[RolandG]

Adam + Spearing for Allen!

 

[Bradley]

Spadam for Allen.

 

[keniget]

Shelvey has been at the club for a couple seasons now and if they really rated him we wouldn't keep spending a fortune on young midfielders.

A loan move would be great for him regardless of this deal as he would benefit greatly from playing week in, week out.

 

[Wilko7]

Shelvey has been at the club for a couple seasons now and if they really rated him we wouldn't keep spending a fortune on young midfielders.

A loan move would be great for him regardless of this deal as he would benefit greatly from playing week in, week out.

Or perhaps he has been earmarked as Gerrard's successor only they're not ready for him as yet.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Perfect solution really.

We get a very impressive CM for 10m and give one of our promising players a chance to play a full season in a team that play attractive football.

 

[Squiggles]

Perfect solution really.

We get a very impressive CM for 10m and give one of our promising players a chance to play a full season in a team that play attractive football.

Definitely.

That would be a great deal.

 

[StevieM]

Why can't we give them Henderson on loan instead.

 

[irishred]

Why can't we give them Henderson on loan instead.

 

[gene hughes]

Because the manager thinks he's a better player than Shelvey.

 

[Frogfish]

Agreed, I'd sooner give them Spearing on loan, if we bring Allen in, I can't see Spearing getting that much game time as Lucas and Allen will provide a bit of steel in the middle, with Henderson competing. If Gerrard get's injured, we've got no one as cover.

Disagree. We have no natural cover for Lucas .. bar Spearing. However for Allen we have plenty of players that can play in that position.

 

[Y1]

Why do we always go for the second best when it is so obvious that Leon Briton is the better player, stats wise, that is, apparently.

 

[Jürgen4PM]

Shelvey has been at the club for a couple seasons now and if they really rated him we wouldn't keep spending a fortune on young midfielders.

A loan move would be great for him regardless of this deal as he would benefit greatly from playing week in, week out.

Wouldn't we have simply sold him off rather than give him a new contract if that was the case mate?

 

[keniget]

Well, Shelvey obviously does have potential so it makes sense to try and maximize our gains out of it be that through a transfer fee or performances as a Liverpool player. He's worth nothing now but after a season or two performing in the Premiership he could be worth quite a bit depending on how it goes.

I'm not necessarily saying that he doesn't have a future with us but the fact that we spent 16M on Henderson and are potentially looking to spend an equivalent amount on Allen suggests that managers aren't being told "listen, don't you've got a future 20M player in Shelvey already at the club". Don't you think?

 

[FoxForceFive]

Because the manager thinks he's a better player than Shelvey.

We're not allowed to say that gene, the general opinion of all Liverpool must be that he's shite, it's been decreed.

I actually think the thought of lucas with Henderson in the middle, then Stevie up behind the front three is mouth watering.

If Joe Allen does come in it'd make sense cos we have a potential 19, yes, 19 games in the UEFA cup to contend with this season so we'll need two competent players for each position bar in the nets.

 

[Mystic]

We're not allowed to say that gene, the general opinion of all Liverpool must be that he's shite, it's been decreed.

I actually think the thought of lucas with Henderson in the middle, then Stevie up behind the front three is mouth watering.

If Joe Allen does come in it'd make sense cos we have a potential 19, yes, 19 games in the UEFA cup to contend with this season so we'll need two competent players for each position bar in the nets.

Exactly, Henderson will be great this year, I really think he'll thrive under Rodgers and there is more than enough games to go around between he and Allen, if he comes.

 

[Delinquent]

Henderson will never be "great". He is destined to be... tidy. I bet his fucking bedroom is spotless.

 

[mark1975]

I don't think that's fair Jon. Kenny bought Henderson and played him for months on the wing, where he was poor. It was only later on in the season through necessity (through injury to Gerrard and Lucas) that he moved to the middle, and Shelvey started getting games. It wasn't exactly an 'either/or'.

People are forgetting here that essentially, if we buy Allen, then we have a 'squad':

First team - Cover
Lucas - Spearing
Gerrard - Shelvey
Allen - Henderson

Adam will go and probably Aquilani too.

 

[Mystic]

We'll have Suso knocking about too, hopefully he'll be on the subs bench for most games.

 

[mark1975]

We'll have Suso knocking about too, hopefully he'll be on the subs bench for most games.

I think we could get away without Spearing, Allen plays deep and Shelvey has been played there too, then you have Henderson who's been tried there a few times for us and now England (despite being a wet lettuce).

 

[Jürgen4PM]

Well, Shelvey obviously does have potential so it makes sense to try and maximize our gains out of it be that through a transfer fee or performances as a Liverpool player. He's worth nothing now but after a season or two performing in the Premiership he could be worth quite a bit depending on how it goes.

I'm not necessarily saying that he doesn't have a future with us but the fact that we spent 16M on Henderson and are potentially looking to spend an equivalent amount on Allen suggests that managers aren't being told "listen, don't you've got a future 20M player in Shelvey already at the club". Don't you think?

I like to think that we're planning for the future Keni. Signings like Allen to add to the likes of Henderson, Shelvey and Lucas leaves us looking potentailly strong in midfield. Personally i expect Aquilani and Adam to be moved on, leaving us with:

Lucas, Spearing, Henderson, Allen, Stevie, Shelvey and possibly Suso. Considering that Stevie is unlikely to play week in week out and Lucas is just returning from a serious injury, i don't think thats too many midfielders to carry in a squad.

Basically what i'm trying to say is that i don't think the signing of Allen would mean that Shelvey isn't rated by the powers that be at Anfield.

 

[FoxForceFive]

I don't think that's fair Jon. Kenny bought Henderson and played him for months on the wing, where he was poor. It was only later on in the season through necessity (through injury to Gerrard and Lucas) that he moved to the middle, and Shelvey started getting games. It wasn't exactly an 'either/or'.

People are forgetting here that essentially, if we buy Allen, then we have a 'squad':

First team - Cover
Lucas - Spearing
Gerrard - Shelvey
Allen - Henderson

Adam will go and probably Aquilani too.

Did you mean to address that to me? I'm backing Henderson, I like the lad!

 

[peterhague]

I've gotta admit, I'm starting to have misgivings about this signing. The Anfield Wrap people were going on about the Carroll situation and how surely as a coach BR should be able to make use of him. Well, I'm a bit doubtful about that, because Carroll is a bit of a specialist. But Henderson? As part of a technical, quick-passing midfield? Surely he can work with him and mould him into a useful player for his system. It's not like they're poles apart in their styles.

£15m on Allen just doesn't look anything like a priority when we've got much bigger problems on the wings and up front, and still don't have a single decent alternative to Lucas. Normally I'd be all for this type of young player but it does look a bit of luxury at the moment.

 

[mark1975]

Did you mean to address that to me? I'm backing Henderson, I like the lad!

I meant it in response to your reply to Gene regarding Henderson being the better player, Henderson is 2yrs senior and had a season or so behind him playing in the Premiership for Sunderland, he's more experienced and cost £16m. There was alot of politics going on last season regarding who was picked and who wasn't, and like I said, it was only because Kenny's hand was forced that he did what most fans had been suggesting, putting Henderson in the middle, where he was alot better. I don't think you can surmise from that that anyone thinks he's a better player than Shelvey, one cost more than 8 times the amount of the other and had already played in the Premiership and the pressure was arguably on for him to be picked.

Personally I do think Henderson has the ability to do well, but if there's one thing Shelvey has over him, it's confidence and the ability to play the more adventurous pass. Both hopefully have a big future for us.

 

[Mystic]

Confidence is the big thing, if he likes him though, which i'm sure he will, Rodgers will bring out more confidence in Henderson.

 

[StevieM]

If Henderson can't tackle then what's he offering - he's certainly not creative enough and he's about as useful as a traffic cone out wide. He also not a Mascherano-type destroyer.

I'm not saying he's shit... but.... Hendersons main ability seems to be based around short passing, not giving the ball away and being young.

Which makes him Lucas' understudy, in my book - at best.

I think Mark is right - "tidy" is about as high as I go for Henderson - whether he'll get better, I don't know, but there's no "wow" factor there.

 

[OLD_Lewy]

If Henderson can't tackle then what's he offering - he's certainly not creative enough and he's about as useful as a traffic cone out wide. He also not a Mascherano-type destroyer.

I'm not saying he's shit... but.... Hendersons main ability seems to be based around short passing, not giving the ball away and being young.

Which makes him Lucas' understudy, in my book - at best.

I think Mark is right - "tidy" is about as high as I go for Henderson - whether he'll get better, I don't know, but there's no "wow" factor there.

'tidy' is all he has to be in his position in rodgers style though

 

[gene hughes]

I think he showed a few times last season that he has an eye for an incisive forward pass. With confidence he'll be doing a bit more of that.

 

[Oncy]

If Henderson can't tackle then what's he offering - he's certainly not creative enough and he's about as useful as a traffic cone out wide. He also not a Mascherano-type destroyer.

I'm not saying he's shit... but.... Hendersons main ability seems to be based around short passing, not giving the ball away and being young.

Which makes him Lucas' understudy, in my book - at best.

I think Mark is right - "tidy" is about as high as I go for Henderson - whether he'll get better, I don't know, but there's no "wow" factor there.

Hes 22 years old ffs.
Hes a child.
Who has already played 2 full seasons in the premier league and done a decent job of growing up in public.

To me he is more of a Scholes or Lampard than a Gerrard or Alonso. He gets into GREAT positions but he hasnt the confidence to push on once he gets there. Given some confidence and coaching he could be a great player. He isnt going to be a pass master I dont think, but he could well be the midfielder on the end of them.

Lets not abandon the lad just yet ay. He was ok last season. In one of the worst Liverpool teams ever.

I know I called him Henderwank, but that was more in teasing than anything else.
And if he didnt get into those positions I would worry, but quite often last year he was in great areas but then bottled it. I think he will get a lot better.

 

[gene hughes]

You're a good person Oncy.