• You may have to login or register before you can post and view our exclusive members only forums.
    To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

nesv

Status
Not open for further replies.

HC

Very Well-Known
Member
Well still a few hours left but I think we've handled a tricky window very well.

Essentially torres for suarez and carroll.

Ill take that,gladly
 
We're showing ambition if nothing else. If we land some players today I'll be made up.
 
I've never seen this before.

Its refreshing to see quality replacing quality.

Also it proves to the rest of the league/world that we want the best (and have got lube for when they wanna bend us over, re price)
 
It's Babel and Torres out £54 odd million...
Suarez and Carrol in for 57 odd million.

We have done not too bad considering
 
[quote author=Atlas link=topic=43934.msg1271813#msg1271813 date=1296491561]
It's Babel and Torres out £54 odd million...
Suarez and Carrol in for 57 odd million.

We have done not too bad considering
[/quote]

Then its time to start spending. Still some hours left 8)
 
Tomkins Take on 'Transfer Chaos'

For the first couple of seasons at Liverpool, Fernando Torres was the most complete striker I’d ever seen at the club; Ian Rush’s pace and finishing prowess, but with the ability to also beat defenders with skill and hit a wider variety of strikes. He seemed humble, hard-working and devoted to the club. He was perfect.

While his goalscoring remained impressive last season, in spite of injuries and the team’s struggles, his attitude had changed from that of someone grateful to be at the club to that of someone who often looked moody and disinterested, and far too concerned with getting into verbal spats with opposition players. He’d explode into life, but also descend into sulks, as was noted many times. Being managed by Roy Hodgson only deepened his visible depression.

Maybe I’m getting a bit longer in the tooth, but I can’t get too upset about this news. My stomach will turn when I see him in a Chelsea shirt, but I’ve seen similar departures before.

Kevin Keegan left before my time (I was just six), but Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler were similarly idolised. In the case of Keegan and Rush, the team actually improved after their exit. In the case of Keegan, Bob Paisley bought a better player in Dalglish; in the case of Rush, Dalglish reinvested the money to completely revamp the entire attacking quartet.

Fowler joined Leeds in 2001 when they, along with Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool, were seen as title challengers. But Leeds weren’t viewed as cynically by Reds as Chelsea are these days. Keegan and Rush, like Owen, Alonso and McManaman, went abroad, where you could wish them well from a safe distance. Fowler was the only one to go to a rival, but there was a sense that he was past his best; at the very least, he was no longer first choice at Liverpool. And in his case, he was forced out of the club, so fans retained their respect.

In today’s money (see Transfer Price Index), Torres cost only marginally more than the £20m paid in 2007 (£22.5m), given that both inflation and deflation have taken place in the market in the past three years. In today’s money, Emile Heskey and Djibril Cissé (both £25m) cost more.

(In Pay As You Play, our experts estimated that the combined values for Mascherano, Babel and Torres were £76m, which is precisely what they will have been sold for. Benayoun’s fee of £6m was more than the £5.3m Liverpool paid for him in 2010 money. All of Benítez’s 2007 signings – bar Lucas – have now left the club, for a profit of more than £21m at 2010 prices. Note: 2011 prices will only be calculated after all of this season’s deals are concluded.)

As noted in my previous piece, Torres will be 27 soon. His contract expires in 2013, so unless he signs a new deal, this summer is the final time he will be at full value. Ideally, this would have all taken place in July, when there would be ample time to find suitable replacements. But he wasn’t prepared to wait.

With their first transfer window, FSG have found themselves in the middle of an absolute clusterfuck of activity. They could be forgiven for thinking what the hell they bought into, with the inheritance of a manager out of his depth, and soon after, the club’s most bankable asset looking to join a rival. To use the parlance of their beloved baseball, they’ve already been thrown a few curveballs.

Despite a return to goals since the departure of the morale-sapping Hodgson, Torres has not been running at full pelt; a bit like Owen after one too many hamstring injuries, where 5th gear is avoided for fear of muscle failure. His worth is at its optimum now, but you cannot deny doubts about his fitness and how many games you will get for your money.

While players tend to peak in their late 20s as a rule, attackers who rely on explosive pace – strikers, wingers – often see their best days behind them well before then. There’s no hard and fast rule, but injury niggles can seem to accumulate. Yes, good players can compensate in other ways, but it’s tough if you lose one of your main strengths.

I think Chelsea are getting a striker who is almost certainly past his best, given the sheer number of injury problems and the fact that he’s already spent a full decade as a first team player (by comparison, Didier Drogba was a late bloomer). But all the same, while superstardom may have seen his attitude go awry, Torres remains a top-class striker. There’s no denying that.

I recently mentioned the rebuilt 1987/88 team after the departure of Rush, but more recently, Inter Milan sold Ibrahimovich and reshaped their attack. Within twelve months they’d won everything in sight.

Now, that won’t happen because Liverpool are not at Inter’s level before they lost their star striker, but it does show what can be achieved when someone pays over the odds for your main asset. And again, as mentioned in my Suarez piece, Spurs have risen in the league by selling their best players, and buying new best players before anyone realised they could be their new best players. Or something.



While I’m disappointed in Torres’ actions, it’s all part of football; it’s how we acquire players, and how players are lost. I don’t think he’s a ‘Judas’. But he will lose the devotion of a set of supporters who idolised him.

As Kenny Dalglish so succinctly put it, “The most important people at Liverpool Football Club are the people who want to be here.†A Torres whose heart is no longer at the club is not worth £50m to Liverpool, so in that sense, it’s a chance to move on, into an era where everyone’s heart is in the job.

Whatever we may think, Chelsea are clearly better equipped at this moment in time to challenge for trophies than Liverpool, but are an aging side, with all but one or two of their best players in their 30s. (Drogba, Lampard, Cole, Anelka, Terry, Malouda, Alex and Benayoun are all in their 30s, as is Ferreira; Cech and Essien are 28.) You can win things with an aging team, but from the outside they feel like a side at the end of its cycle; the core of the side were part of the youngest Premier League-winning XI (to date) in 2005, and the oldest in 2010.

Enter Andy Carroll

So to Liverpool’s search for reinforcements, with Newcastle’s Andy Carroll set to join for an eye-popping £35m.



He’s one of those paradoxically ‘unfashionable’ and yet simultaneously ‘overhyped’ players. But at just 22 (earlier this month) he is blossoming very nicely; if he can get his act together off the pitch, he’ll only improve on it. If Darren Bent seemed overpriced, that’s the English premium in play, but Bent is 27, and likely to be worth only a third of his fee (if that) in three years’ time.

Carroll represents value for money in the sense that he’s at the right age; if he’s a success, then in five years’ time he could still fetch a high fee for buyers unconcerned about their own sell-on options further down the line. At 22, he’s the same age at which Torres, Mascherano, Reina and Alonso were signed.

With home-grown players required to meet the rulings (Carragher is now 33 and Joe Cole could be joining Konchesky is on his way out this summer), at least some of the extra fee makes sense.

The fee is a lot, but some comparisons are wayward. In today’s prices, Shevchenko cost £53m, but was 30 years old and left for nothing. With inflation, Rooney cost United £49m (a good buy) and Ferdinand was £48m. At £43m, Drogba looks a bargain, but was in relative obscurity at Carroll’s age.

Carroll is at least used to playing for a ‘goldfish bowl’ club, so that will help; although Liverpool is a step up in terms of pressure and expectation, and now he has a big fee to justify. So it’s not without concerns. He won’t have to adapt to English football (a bonus) but he will have to adapt to Liverpool.

As often happens with young strikers who have to adjust to first-team defences, he scored just four goals in his first 41 games, but beefed up and wised up, he then notched 30 in his next 50 (admittedly he got into the swing of things in the Championship, but he’s carried that on at the top level).

He’s big, and absolutely outstanding in the air – Kevin Keegan describes him as one of the three best headers of a ball he’s ever seen – but also technically gifted. Ian Holloway said he was the best striker he’d seen this season. And when all is said and done, he’s played better than Torres in 2010/11, so at least he has that on his side. There’s no comparison with Torres circa 2008, but then that Torres, to Liverpool at least, is a mere memory.

Perhaps more importantly, Liverpool could be better served with the balance as a pairing that Carroll and Suarez would provide as opposed to a sulking Torres; two young up-and-coming players for the price of one in his mid-to-late-20s, hampered by a succession of injuries in the past 24 months. Had the Uruguayan not signed, then Carroll on his own would prove more of a worry, but Liverpool have purchased an exciting young strike-force.

Suarez was purchased to play off or alongside Torres. Once Torres asked to leave, then that plan went up in smoke. And yet potentially, Suarez could prove a bargain at £22m, for a player with such an excellent goalscoring record and incredible desire to win; he could easily be valued at £40m in a year’s time. But Suarez isn’t a spearhead striker, and therefore his own impact will be lessened without one alongside him.

If Carroll could provide a focal link to the attack and bring Suarez, Gerrard and others into the game, then he’d be worth the money; after all, it’s about what he adds to the team, not what he’s worth in abstract isolation. Carroll could play up front with Suarez just behind, or he could be the focal point of a three-man attack, with Suarez one side and Gerrard, Kuyt or Maxi the other.

Then there’s the possible addition of Charlie Adam, a gifted left-footed attacking midfielder, who could easily play as the left option in a front three. Whereas Carroll can only play as a centre-forward, Adam and Suarez are versatile talents. At 25 (last month), Adam is the oldest of the three, and has incredible set-piece delivery – which in itself can be worth several points a season (even more with a powerful header of the ball!).

If all three are signed, adapt and settle, then the team will be in better shape than it was with Torres and Babel, whose departures effectively mean that FSG have spent less than £10m. They will be keen to invest a lot more money in the summer – new centre-back, pacy winger – so in that sense, it bodes well for the future.
 
I love NESV.

Carroll + Suarez + Adam = Torres + Babel

Well strengthened squad and first team.. with young players with great resale values should it not work out.. And breaking our transfer record twice in a matter of hours!

We're gonna win the league! [size=3pt]one day[/size]
 
[quote author=JimmyK link=topic=43934.msg1272272#msg1272272 date=1296498116]

Carroll + Suarez + Adam = Torres + Babel

[/quote]

And consider the amount of games those 3 will start in a season vs Babel in his yrs of stay over here. 😛
 
Best january window in my living memory.

Suarez,Carroll and Adam.

Improve our first team infinitely. Shame it's at the cost of Torres mind.
 
The most pleasing this is that the three of them are fighters who play with passion for their clubs. We've had too many passengers in recent years (though I don't particularly believe Torres was one, he was just a sulk).

I'm gutted Torres has gone. He's World Class and his goalscoring record is phenomenal. I guess the point is that Kenny rightfully wants everyone pulling in the same direction and the sum or our parts may now be better. It's difficult to gloss over the loss of such a talent though.

And regards everyone saying NESV have done a great job, well Suarez aside, they've dragged their feet until the final day. Whether that's been a deliberate ploy regarding prices I don't know, and to be fair they were left in the shit by Torres, but it hasn't all been great. I hope they've at least learned alot during this window about players, loyalties within the game, and how important it is to be shrewd and not get left behind.

Today, on evidence so far in terms of 'comings' has been good work all round though - provided we pull off at least Carroll and Adam. It's a start, it's exciting, but I won't pretend to be over the moon just yet, it could go either way.
 
[quote author=Sunny link=topic=43934.msg1272302#msg1272302 date=1296498747]
Why can't Tomkins write a SHORT fucking article ? One I can be arsed reading.
[/quote]

Aw, it's easy enough,Sean.

These are gambles, but its nice to see Liverpool go for top young talent, Rafs is god and we should have never sacked him
 
Yeah yeah we got Carroll, Suarez and Adam. Now I demand icing on that cake. Give me a winger!!
Any winger!!
 
[quote author=Modo link=topic=43934.msg1272359#msg1272359 date=1296499574]
Yeah yeah we got Carroll, Suarez and Adam. Now I demand icing on that cake. Give me a winger!!
Any winger!!
[/quote]

Kenny will get Cole playing AMAZINGLY = new winger!
 
[quote author=JimmyK link=topic=43934.msg1272363#msg1272363 date=1296499655]
[quote author=Modo link=topic=43934.msg1272359#msg1272359 date=1296499574]
Yeah yeah we got Carroll, Suarez and Adam. Now I demand icing on that cake. Give me a winger!!
Any winger!!
[/quote]

Kenny will get Cole playing AMAZINGLY = new winger!
[/quote]
Well I hope so, but Cole hasn't even played since Kenny took over.
 
[quote author=Sunny link=topic=43934.msg1272302#msg1272302 date=1296498747]
Why can't Tomkins write a SHORT fucking article ? One I can be arsed reading.
[/quote]

Just do what I do and wait for Binny to highlight the important bits.
 
Now im worried.

We've gone from absolute given.

To two 2 relatively unknown quanitites.

It's two parts fear to 1 part excitement at the moment.

It's a recipe for raping stoke.

. . or drawing. I haven't decided yet.
 
Nobody not even Oncy can question NESV/FSG ambition.

They pulled a whip under difficult circumstances. Well done!
 
[quote author=Sunny link=topic=43934.msg1272302#msg1272302 date=1296498747]
Why can't Tomkins write a SHORT fucking article ? One I can be arsed reading.
[/quote]

This is how i feel.
 
[quote author=kingjulian link=topic=43934.msg1272578#msg1272578 date=1296502749]
[quote author=Sunny link=topic=43934.msg1272302#msg1272302 date=1296498747]
Why can't Tomkins write a SHORT fucking article ? One I can be arsed reading.
[/quote]

This is how i feel.

[/quote]

Yep, not enough time to waste an hour reading his spiel.
 
Nesv are getting great pr from this as they have not really spent much money. So i guess we'll still be playng things down ther middle
 
There's still no pleasing some people.

We already had plans for Suarez and £23m is no small change
Then our star striker drops us in the shit at the very last minute in a window that's notoriously difficult to do business in.
In the space of 8 hours today we signed Andy Carroll and, yeh, we've probably paid over nhe odds - the same as Chelsea probably have.
We're still working are tits off to try and sort the Adam deal but Blackpool are apparently behaving like idiots thinking we should pay them more than we agreed with them because we've got the "Torres money" to spend.
That's besides other bids we may, or may not, have tried today that we're not aware of.

Seriously, the board and manager seemed to have worked their arses off today to try and improve our team.

Yet still there's all kinds of negative shite about our new signings, how much we paid for them, we haven't spend all the Torres money etc..

And all this after 3 years of abject misery under Tom and George.

I seriously think there's no pleasing some people and they need a word with themselves.
 
Indeed. It's got so I genuinely can't tell how much of the knocking copy on here is serious and how much is intended as humour.
 
[quote author=Sunny link=topic=43934.msg1272861#msg1272861 date=1296508023]
There's still no pleasing some people.

We already had plans for Suarez and £23m is no small change
Then our star striker drops us in the shit at the very last minute in a window that's notoriously difficult to do business in.
In the space of 8 hours today we signed Andy Carroll and, yeh, we've probably paid over nhe odds - the same as Chelsea probably have.
We're still working are tits off to try and sort the Adam deal but Blackpool are apparently behaving like idiots thinking we should pay them more than we agreed with them because we've got the "Torres money" to spend.
That's besides other bids we may, or may not, have tried today that we're not aware of.

Seriously, the board and manager seemed to have worked their arses off today to try and improve our team.

Yet still there's all kinds of negative shite about our new signings, how much we paid for them, we haven't spend all the Torres money etc..

And all this after 3 years of abject misery under Tom and George.

I seriously think there's no pleasing some people and they need a word with themselves.


[/quote]

Boooooo

I demand satisfaction. Give me a winger! My pes team after the February update needs a winger.
 
[quote author=Sunny link=topic=43934.msg1272861#msg1272861 date=1296508023]
There's still no pleasing some people.

We already had plans for Suarez and £23m is no small change
Then our star striker drops us in the shit at the very last minute in a window that's notoriously difficult to do business in.
In the space of 8 hours today we signed Andy Carroll and, yeh, we've probably paid over nhe odds - the same as Chelsea probably have.
We're still working are tits off to try and sort the Adam deal but Blackpool are apparently behaving like idiots thinking we should pay them more than we agreed with them because we've got the "Torres money" to spend.
That's besides other bids we may, or may not, have tried today that we're not aware of.

Seriously, the board and manager seemed to have worked their arses off today to try and improve our team.

Yet still there's all kinds of negative shite about our new signings, how much we paid for them, we haven't spend all the Torres money etc..

And all this after 3 years of abject misery under Tom and George.

I seriously think there's no pleasing some people and they need a word with themselves.


[/quote]

Chill,big guy.

I hink everyone's happy we're buying good players; in my case I'm just afraid that if we get it wrong we wont be able to easily rectify it next season because we've spent so much.

Every big money signing is a gamble, and Carroll is probably the biggest gamble we've ever made.

Fingers crossed.
 
Exackerly this is a massive day for the club

Life after torres kick started by signing Carroll and Suarez.

We've also had a bid of £20m for Richards rebuffed, i'd imagine an offer was tabled for Young.

These are the sort of player we need. Furthermore if £20m for Richards had been accepted we'd have spent what, circa £70m in a january window, during our worst season in an age. If this isn't a signal of intent I don't know what is, should get a few players heads turning this summer too.When we can really set about rebuilding this squad and club.

Massive props to the Americans. Didn't settle for second best, got their men and to be fair in this current climate we were never going to get Carroll for £15m. Last day of the season fever no doubt added on to the fee too.

Very happy with today, hopefully we can snaffle Adam to seal the deal
 
If we bid £20M for Michah fucking Richards I think its safe to say we can discard the 'value for money' schtick NESV have fed us.
 
[quote author=Avvy link=topic=43934.msg1272874#msg1272874 date=1296508361]
[quote author=Sunny link=topic=43934.msg1272861#msg1272861 date=1296508023]
There's still no pleasing some people.

We already had plans for Suarez and £23m is no small change
Then our star striker drops us in the shit at the very last minute in a window that's notoriously difficult to do business in.
In the space of 8 hours today we signed Andy Carroll and, yeh, we've probably paid over nhe odds - the same as Chelsea probably have.
We're still working are tits off to try and sort the Adam deal but Blackpool are apparently behaving like idiots thinking we should pay them more than we agreed with them because we've got the "Torres money" to spend.
That's besides other bids we may, or may not, have tried today that we're not aware of.

Seriously, the board and manager seemed to have worked their arses off today to try and improve our team.

Yet still there's all kinds of negative shite about our new signings, how much we paid for them, we haven't spend all the Torres money etc..

And all this after 3 years of abject misery under Tom and George.

I seriously think there's no pleasing some people and they need a word with themselves.


[/quote]

Chill,big guy.

I hink everyone's happy we're buying good players; in my case I'm just afraid that if we get it wrong we wont be able to easily rectify it next season because we've spent so much.

Every big money signing is a gamble, and Carroll is probably the biggest gamble we've ever made.

Fingers crossed.
[/quote]

Torres was a gamble. I'm chilled as well just fed up of the whiney cunts who, after 3 years of those two twats, still feel they have something to moan about. Sickens me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom