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

[Fabio]

Just play shelvey and we'll be fine

 

[Ryan]

If we lose out on him it'll be the biggest hard-on reducer since the time I woke up in bed next to Rosco in FFF's spare room.

 

[Fabio]

If we lose out on him it'll be the biggest hard-on reducer since the time I woke up in bed next to Rosco in FFF's spare room.

Bet it took 5 minutes of fondling to realise his tits weren't female

 

[Glen C]

Joe Allen is a good player, but wouldn't Sahin represent better value. I hear he's going out on loan to a premier league club. The guy is quality.

 

[Hansern]

He'll sign for us

 

[King Binny]

LEON Britton has not forgotten the shy, quiet 16-year-old who did not make a sound as he warmed the bench at Sheffield United.

Six years down the line, Joe Allen is on the brink of becoming a £15 million footballer.

"It just shows you how well Joe has progressed," Britton says of his midfield colleague.

"I remember him sitting on the bench that day when he was only 16. He is still only 22 now, but the progress he has made has been remarkable.

"He is such a good player — he was outstanding for us last season."

Britton is one of many people associated with Swansea right now who are keeping fingers crossed over Allen's future.

Liverpool are pushing hard to lure the 22-year-old to Anfield, Swansea are refusing to let him go without a fight. Realistically, the writing appears to be on the wall.

The key figure in this kind of scenario is the player, and the suggestion is that Allen is interested in joining Liverpool.

And when a player wants to move, they normally end up moving.

Swansea are well aware of that, and there has been an acceptance within the camp for some time that the most likely outcome of Liverpool's pursuit of Allen is the midfielder ending up on Merseyside.

In such a situation, the challenge for Huw Jenkins and company is to secure the best possible deal for Swansea.

The club's decision-makers have done fairly well when placed in this position, squeezing pennies out of rival sides when they have come calling for their employees.

Rodgers, who was snaffled by Liverpool for £5 million-plus earlier this summer, is the most recent example of that.

Now they will endeavour to do the same again, hence Liverpool's initial approach for Allen has been rejected and prompted an angry Swansea statement.

If Allen does end up moving to Anfield, Swansea will sign the paperwork with gritted teeth.

They do not want to lose perhaps their brightest young talent, a player who has really started to thrive in the first team over the last couple of seasons having been nurtured by the club for well over a decade.

And on top of that, Swansea have been irked by Liverpool's approach given the clause in the compensation package agreed when Rodgers departed which was supposed to ensure there would be no raid from the Reds inside 12 months.

Sadly for Swansea, it appears that agreement was not worth the paper it was written on.

Hence, it seems, they now face the challenge of striking the best deal possible in return for Allen's services.

The player's Liberty contract complicates matters a little, for there are separate clauses within the four-year deal he agreed last year.

If one of the big five comes in for him — Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea or either Manchester club — an offer of £15 million would mean Swansea have to sell, unless of course Jenkins attempts to use the Rodgers clause to block any bid from the Kop club.

But the goalposts will be shifted dramatically should any other side come calling.

Allen's contract states that any club outside the big five can trigger a release clause by offering only £10 million.

It is conceivable, therefore, that Spurs — who are said to be interested — could land Allen with a bid which is lower than the one Swansea have already rejected from Liverpool.

Complicated is the word.

Swansea wish things had never got this far, that Allen was totally focused on building his reputation further in SA1 next season.

Given that he appears likely to leave, their task is to secure as much cash as possible in return for the shy 16-year-old who matured into a shining star.

 

[moron]

I know the contract mentions we are one of the top 5 - but perhaps there is a case for us in telling Swansea:-

"Look we are LFC, none of our fans think we are condenders for the title anymore or ever will be, just read some of the forums on the web, they all want us to come fifth to improve on our position from last year of 8th. Really honest we are a crap club these days - the past is the past, and if Spurs have put in a bid well they are now really part of that top 5 not us. We are shit coz we are LFC - come on - you know its true - hand the boy over for £10M"

 

[Holle]

You just know he's gonna be a Utd player come September.

 

[the count]

You just know he's gonna be a Utd player come September.

Probably, unless they get someone better and cheaper.

 

[Hansern]

He wont. He'll sign for us. Where is the optimism?

 

[barrymac20]

He's a massive united fan so you'd have to imagine if they come calling he'll jump at the chance. That's why we need to get it done now. But the Olympics Will probably delay it

 

[barrymac20]

Fergie the smug fucker Will probably wait til we've nearly a deal done and then come in with an offer at the last minute, knowing he'd probably choose them over us

 

[Le Chacal]

On his way to Spurs...

 

[Hansern]

Highly doubt it. That story is from the Daily Star

 

[Halmeister]

What's holding this up? Wouldn't be surprised if he went to Spurs.

 

[Judge Jules]

Wonder if the player himself is stalling in the hope that the Mancs do come in for him.

 

[Rafiagra]

Might as well wait until he finishes the Olympics. What if he gets injured?

 

[Hansern]

I think its more our bidding thats holding it up.

 

[mark1975]

I think its more our bidding thats holding it up.

It could be that he's not allowed to speak to anyone during the Olympics, that happens with some International sides in tournaments, so that they are focused on the games.

 

[Hansern]

It could be that he's not allowed to speak to anyone during the Olympics, that happens with some International sides in tournaments, so that they are focused on the games.

Could be mate, good point.

Have you mentioned that Macca fella from that Liverpool rumourssite? Seems to think Allen and Dempsey are close, and that we might sign a "major" star on loan... Reliable?

 

[mark1975]

Not heard of him mate, we need to start getting our act together though, I know there's a while yet and things inevitably take time, as they do for most clubs - not just us, but I really hope we see some activity this week.

 

[Hansern]

Ah, soz. Thought it was you who mentioned him.

Yeah I agree. You can see from the 3 games we've played so far compared to how Brendan wants us to play that we need a couple of first team signings.
I'd very much like a winger/forward with some creativity and pace.

 

[Gary25]

Not heard of him mate, we need to start getting our act together though, I know there's a while yet and things inevitably take time, as they do for most clubs - not just us, but I really hope we see some activity this week.

If someone else posts that you accuse them of being impatient and out of touch with reality #just saying#

 

[Mamma Mia]

If someone else posts that you accuse them of being impatient and out of touch with reality #just saying#

Yeah, 'cos the posters that Mark challenges say it in a similarly sensible way.

 

[mark1975]

Ah, soz. Thought it was you who mentioned him.

Yeah I agree. You can see from the 3 games we've played so far compared to how Brendan wants us to play that we need a couple of first team signings.
I'd very much like a winger/forward with some creativity and pace.

Definitely, the shape and the style is evident, you can see us keeping the ball down and consciously looking for the pass, but we seriously lack quality in a couple of positions, for me, notably left back, attacking mid and on the flanks. We're still a bit flat footed upfront but we're lacking Suarez so..

 

[Gary25]

Could be mate, good point.

Have you mentioned that Macca fella from that Liverpool rumourssite? Seems to think Allen and Dempsey are close, and that we might sign a "major" star on loan... Reliable?

In all seriouness mate, you posted the Dempsey deal is 'close' literally weeks ago and still we're no nearer to signing for him.

If we haven't agreed a fee then we're still miles away from signing either or both players.

 

[mark1975]

If someone else posts that you accuse them of being impatient and out of touch with reality #just saying#

Yeah I do, I thought I made it clear from the post that I'm just getting impatient. Besides, there's a difference between doing it when the start of August is upon us, and doing it during the first week of June like some idiots did. BIG difference.

 

[Gary25]

Yeah, 'cos the posters that Mark challenges say it in a similarly sensible way.

There's not a great deal of difference between the wording of the posts and basically the same point is being made.

 

[mark1975]

In all seriouness mate, you posted the Dempsey deal is 'close' literally weeks ago and still we're no nearer to signing for him.

If we haven't agreed a fee then we're still miles away from signing either or both players.

Why? That's insane, so because we haven't signed them yet that means we're either not going to or we're still no nearer? That's guess work at best. As I said in my post that you just picked holes with, it's not just us that it takes time with. A few teams (notably Chelsea) have had a flurry of activity, the rest of the Premiership have barely dipped their toes in - yet.

 

[mark1975]

There's not a great deal of difference between the wording of the posts and basically the same point is being made.

As said, there's a difference between saying I'm getting hungry for some activity when it's August in a couple of days, and moaning through June that we're dragging our heals, like some posters did. It's not the same thing worded differently at all.