Magic8Ball

re Tevez - was he playing striker in his first season? as this season he seems to be a bit part player

This is what I keep saying, and few seem to get it. Playing for us, a lot of games are like derby games, you get less time on the ball, so you have to instinctively know where to play the ball what to do with it, and you have to be mostly right or you'll get dropped. When the games are not derby games they're against park the bus teams and now you're being double teamed and have to break down 2 rows of 5 and beat the keeper. Players who come to us have to go up a gear, then make that their idling gear and find another gear to go up. It ain't easy playing for us

That is just not true, no one has any idea if/how form in one team will translate to form in another - it's just a big gamble - besides mid table teams rarely have to play against teams parking the bus. I reckon you'd be better buying from top foreign team as they have to face similar conditions, title challenge, playing against park the bus teams - the problem here is these players cost a little more. But they have demonstrated they can operate in similar pressurized teams

Not quite as good as Van Nistelrooy is he ?

he's the one they're sacrificing for Berbatov. Clearly they feel they lack direct punch up front and they want Berbatov and/or Benzema up front with others as extras. In many ways they're copying our 4231

it's clear that Tevez was always cover for Rooney etc and not a main choice at Utd. He was there while they were waiting for their real choices - Benzema is one of them

We don't need tevez, he should sign for Man City

10m too low

if he can do that in our team in this league - he'd the an upgrade. Wonder if that means Reira is up for sale as well as Babel ?

Liverpool On Brink Of Signing Danijel Pranjic – Report Rafa Benitez could be about to get his chequebook out for Heerenveen's Pranjic... 10 May 2009 11:26:50 Photo Gallery Zoom Danijel Pranjic, sc Heerenveen Liverpool are reportedly closing in on Heerenveen winger Danijel Pranjic, in a deal believed to be worth around €9 million. The Croatian international has long been linked with a move away from the Dutch side and he admitted recently that he would welcome a move to Anfield. That move is now looking a little more likely with the Sunday Mirror reporting that he is set to become Rafael Benitez’s first summer signing. The 26-year-old has been in excellent form for the Dutch side this season and has attracted interest from the likes of Sevilla and Real Betis. It is Liverpool, however, who are clear favourites to claim his signature. The British tabloid reports that Pranjic’s agent has been back and forth between the two clubs this week in a bid to discuss terms and seal the deal. Heerenveen director Yme Kuiper has also admitted that the Reds are Pranjic’s preferred destination, saying, “We understand Liverpool is the club where Pranjic wants to go.” Pranjic has scored 16 goals this term and helped the Dutch side to ensure they will play in Europe next season. However, Pranjic now appears set to leave the Eredivisie and should he complete his move to Anfield, this may even signal the end of Albert Riera’s Liverpool career. http://goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/05/...-pranjic-report So how good is this Pranjic ???

I'm actually against our going for him! for left I would prefer (Suarez, Lavezzi or Silva) for Striker we need someone who can play main striker till Christmas as Torres will need a rest when he returns - If he came Negrido would get his chance !

Have to agree, we need specialists this time round ,Tevez is a generalist and while good is not great in any position

Belatedly, the league will not allow loan deals of that type anymore. They will allow club to club loan deals though. Unless Tevez can play as an out and out striker (seen him try but not been impressed) He should not be coming here

I think it's too late for him and us TBH. Suarez, Lavezzi and Silva are all better than he is. Plus he'd cost 20m.

29 year olds often find it hard to adapt to the premier league ... eg the first Fernando

It's still funny though . Truth be told, my heart isn't into transfer talk this year because it's too busy being excited that we're challenging for the league. Long may this continue.

So, rumours. Having been told that he must sell players before daily columns whose stock-in-trade is football transfer speculation with little basis in fact can start sidling up to strangers in pubs or at bus-stops and whisper "Gareth Barry to Liverpool, it's definitely on this time" in their ears before disappearing in a puff of smoke, Rafael Benitez will round up Ryan Babbel and Andrea Dossena and herd them out the exit door in a bid to top up the £20m war-chest he's been provided with for the summer. Whether the extra £15.73 his fire sale raises will help him lure any of his main targets – Valencia's David Silva and Portsmouth's Glen Johnson are the others – to Anfield remains to be seen. Indeed, if today's Star is to be believed (and what newspaper boasting the headline "Chantelle: G-Force Will Make My Boobs Explode is not?) Manchester United have also been sniffing around Valencia, so much so that they've already agreed a £16m deal for Wigan's Ecuadorian winger Antonio. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/ap...nchester-united

Re Valencia - the mancs have first option. that's been over the press for a while now

1 - we're definitely after trequartestas (sp the 3 behind Torres) - we've been lined to (in order of pref) Lavezzi, Suares, Silva and Tevez 2 - do we really need a RB if we can promote Darby and have Carra there as 3rd choice 3 Keirrson/Negredo ok fair enough but we could sign 2 trequartistas and use Kuyt as a striker from time to time 4 Barry would allow us to sell Doss

Yikes that may not be enough to get 2, "3/4-istas", and a RB. Thank heaven we don't have to get a CH too

we're being linked with Ezequiel Lavezzi

He doesn't want to sit on the bench though, else even at 20m I would agree as it would be more like 10m for each position. Silva and Tevez would cost over 40m then there's Barry and a RB needed - where would we get that money from ?

Re Tevez, I wanted him before Gerrard was moved into the position behind Torres, now he's there I don't want Tevez. Where would he play ? He's not better than Torres, he's not better than Gerrard and they're his best positions. I would sooner take a gamble on Silva who may turn out better than Benayoun ( who's been great this season). fair call Mike, good examples, I stand corrected

maybe, but I would argue it's harder to score here unless you're very direct. Other than Torres give me an example of someone coming from europe and scoring regularly against packed defenses

Have you not read this ? Javier Mascherano will stay at Liverpool insists Rafael Benítez • Liverpool manager dismisses doubts raised by comments • Benítez remains intent on signing Gareth Barry Andy Hunter The Guardian, Friday 8 May 2009 Javier Mascherano will remain at Liverpool next season, maintains his manager Rafael Benítez. Rafael Benítez has left Javier Mascherano in no doubt he will remain a Liverpool player next season and insisted he will not repeat last summer's attempt to sell Xabi Alonso. Mascherano caught the Liverpool manager by surprise last week with an admission that, while content with life at Anfield, there is doubt over his future at the club. The Liverpool manager has since invited the Argentina captain to explain his comments, which he believes were poorly timed given the delicate balance of the title race, and is adamant the midfielder will remain for the long-term. Benítez admitted, however, that several leading clubs are keen on the tenacious midfielder. "I didn't know about his comments so I talked to him about them and he was clear that he is happy here," said the Liverpool manager. "You can't stop clubs talking with his agent because he is a good player, and there aren't too many holding midfielders of his calibre. When you have four or five top clubs asking about you, you don't want to say no because you know in football that everything can change. So from a player's point of view, and especially from the agent's, they try to keep the doors open for everyone. "But does he want to leave? I don't think so. He knows the best option for him at this moment is this club. In three years' time you never know, but now he knows this is the best option." Real Madrid are believed to be among those interested in Mascherano, as well as his Liverpool midfield colleague Alonso, whom Benítez tried to sell last summer to fund the ill-fated move for Gareth Barry. The Liverpool manager remains intent on signing Barry from Aston Villa and has admitted he will have to sell to satisfy all his transfer needs this summer. However, Alonso, who remains an ambitious target for Juventus and whose place will be threatened by Barry's arrival, is not on Benítez's disposable list at present. "We want to keep all our key players here, so it is the same story with Xabi," he added. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/ma...scherano-alonso