It could mean he knows a lot about Wales.
We need to talk about Joe Allen...
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It could mean he knows a lot about Wales.
So he brought Allen and Borini and lost out on Dempsey and Siggurdsson. It doesnt build any confidence on him and transfers does it?
Losing out on Sigurdsson wasn't his fault. Sigurdsson himself made the wrong choice. Besides, that's too small a sample on which to base a view.
Don't get me wrong. It is nothing wrong with him. But if Rodgers wanted to be leading a team of Allen, Sigurdsson, Borini and Dempsey he could just stay put in Swansea.... And how he goes on and on still about how Swansea have a settled style of playing and how that helps them is just tiring. Small club shit.
Not at all. But there is a difference doing it at a club like Swansea and a club with bigger ambitions. I'm not sure whether he was given a fair chance at Spurs but perhaps mid-table where he belongs.
As for Joe Allen, he's fairly harmless. I'm guessing the ire is a reaction to Ryan's promotion of him?
We've already overspent on him so now that he's here we may as well keep him as a squad player. His very good / great performances don't come often enough but at least, unlike certain other players, he's got a reasonable amount of talent and always comes with the right attitude.
The likes of Borini et al are more annoying because they simply have no place being here even as squaddies.
I'd count Allen as a tidy, hard working professional and all teams need those within the ranks. He is not part of the problem, the lack of goals is the reason for our faltering season.
He has 1 or 2 goals and 1 assist in his hundred plus games for the club. Of course he is part of the problem.
Mikel for Chelsea, Wilshire for Arse, Fernandinho for Citeh etc etc all low scorers. Even Milner for Citeh is just into double figures in well over a 100 games. All good, tidy pro's and integral to their teams.
They all do similar jobs to Allen and aren't considered a problem for their clubs. If you're looking for goals from these types of players I think you're looking in the wrong place.
For the record I didn't start this thread to highlight some peoples high opinion of him only for the rest of us to shoot them down. I genuinely don't see the point of him. @Spionkop69 says he works hard and has a good attitude. Great. Good attributes to have for a professional footballer. @gkmacca (I'm paraphrasing) thinks he keeps the midfield ticking over nicely. Is that it though? A midfield metronome and someone with a good work ethic. Is that the best LFC can come up with? In a key area of the park. That's it????
So he should not be branded the Welsh Xavi and used in an Advanced midfielder role then should he? And if he is a defensive midfielder or a Box to Box player his pressing is shit. Mikel and Wilshere actually keep their teams midfield in Balance, our lightweight Xavi does not. So he was bought for a job he don't master and is used in different roles which he clearly doesnt fit. Brilliant spending of Resources.
It's a fair enough inference, but I meant more of a brain for the team as a team. So it wasn't expressed well. He can just make the team joined up. That's probably even worse as an explanation! I'll try again. Rodgers' style doesn't really accommodate, ideally, a young Hansen bringing the ball out of defence, or a Souness or young Gerrard driving forward towards the box. His style needs someone to connect, to make the individual parts link fluidly and move as one whole. So Allen, potentially, won't just keep the midfield ticking over, he'll get the whole team - the defence, midfield and attack - ticking over. More than ticking over. He'll turn the parts into a whole. And that isn't flash, it doesn't usually get you MOM awards, but it's potentially an invaluable thing to have. He''s not a 'water carrier,' although that role came to better appreciated. He's the motor of the whole passing game.
A great reply - It makes sense as well what you mean. I think with his role being as you described - Is that how we should be progressing? Say for example the 5-6 teams above us. Who would be the equivalent? Utd and Carrick maybe? He seems to do a good job for them and regularly gets plaudits. I don't know. I'm honest in my lack of football tactical nous and am not afraid to admit it. I guess I covet something more than I feel Allen provides.
Ha - I just laughed reading my last line about coveting something more. In terms of LFC and the current squad I imagine we all do right?! Close thread!!! 😉
Is Rodgers supposed tiki taka still a thing though?
We went off track last season and this season has been a mish mash of styles it feels. I think one of the big issues with Allen is that this team isn't good enough, cohesive enough or whatever to do the whole death by football thing and be successful. And Allen isn't good enough to elevate the rest of those around him.
The question then becomes can he contribute in a side that doesn't necessarily play to his strengths. I think so but expectations have to be adjusted accordingly. The Welsh Xavi tag needs to be dropped permanently, he's likely not going to be our midfield maestro but he can be a good squaddie.
We went off track last season and this season has been a mish mash of styles it feels. I think one of the big issues with Allen is that this team isn't good enough, cohesive enough or whatever to do the whole death by football thing and be successful. And Allen isn't good enough to elevate the rest of those around him.
The question then becomes can he contribute in a side that doesn't necessarily play to his strengths. I think so but expectations have to be adjusted accordingly. The Welsh Xavi tag needs to be dropped permanently, he's likely not going to be our midfield maestro but he can be a good squaddie.
Which is why we need options in midfield.
Next season, Henderson, Lucas, Allen, Can and potentially Milner to occupy the 2 CM slots - that's ok for me - and I mean "ok"
Haha!
When we signed him i don't remember us having to fight off other clubs to get him. Maybe that's just my memory. But three seasons on and he never gets linked with other clubs at all and certainly not any teams that we're competing with. If he knits a team together so well why don't other managers seem interested in him.
I understand the importance of the link player in midfield who can pass, tackle and most importantly of all be available for a pass from a teammate being closed down but i don't think he's even the best at our club at doing that. Lucas has shown this season when he's been available that he has a much greater influence on the team than allen. That's not saying we can't do better than Lucas but in my opinion Allen's not that man. He can do a tidy job at times but the times are few and far between.
I understand the importance of the link player in midfield who can pass, tackle and most importantly of all be available for a pass from a teammate being closed down but i don't think he's even the best at our club at doing that. Lucas has shown this season when he's been available that he has a much greater influence on the team than allen. That's not saying we can't do better than Lucas but in my opinion Allen's not that man. He can do a tidy job at times but the times are few and far between.
Talking of Joe Allen, has there been a thread yet on this year's anticipated clearout?
I hope we don't have a clear out - apart from those that are out of contract (Gerrard, Johnson, Toure & Jones) and going anyway and our dysfunctional strikers (lambert, Borini & Balotelli). I'm not including those out on loan as they're irrelevant.
That's 7 out and 5 signings needed already - if you include Origi and one of the defenders out on loan, as coming in to replace Toure & a forward..
We start clearing out more then we have to buy more and all of a sudden we're back to trying to introduce too many new players at once.
I'd be keeping Allen, Lucas, Lovren, etc
As I've said on other threads - Millner would be a good replacement for Gerrard and free. We've been linked with Neto in a free for a keeper although surely Cech should be looked at if he's cheap. We should be able to pick up a decent RB at a good price.
That leaves us all of our cash to spend on one or two forwards. Depay if we can convince him and maybe Benteke if the price is right.
Cech won't be cheap, probably not to anyone and defo not to us, if Mourinho even allows him to leave.
Good post though. It will be absolutely crucial to get not only our selections but also our priorities right this summer.
Good post though. It will be absolutely crucial to get not only our selections but also our priorities right this summer.
Cech is leaving on a free and Mourinho can't stop him going anywhere. He is an upgrade on Mignolet and we should be looking at him. If someone becomes available that is better than what you have then you should be looking to get him.
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