so this past summers signings..

[floyd the barber]

so we are past the half way point of the season, how would we rate the summer signings....at least the 4 major ones

 

torres - huge expectation..of which he has not only filled..but surpassed...the price tag doesnt seem to have hindered him one bit...along with gerrard, he is a rare matchwinner in our squad..that not only can step up for the big games...but also the smaller games too.....can he improve? of course....his first touch is lacking on occassion though tends to make up for it with his pace..........definetly a plus point in a strange season

 

babel - well 11million is still alot of money and we have seen flashes of brilliance....though tends to go missing when he starts games...hes looked far better when coming off the bench and has scored a decent tally of goals so far......is he a striker? or a winger? or a linkman? hopefully we shall find this out soon.........next season will be the big test..i gotta be honest and say ive been dissapointed by him and expected a bit more

 

lucas - came with a big reputation and has certainly shown evidence on occassion as to why he is rated so highly....was excellent in the derby, and scored his first goal(superb goal it was) last weekend....certainly one for the future...could prove to be a major coup

 

benyoun - decent first season.....shows his quality when given space against the lesser sides....seems to struggle when against true top defenders...i honestly dont see that changing, a great squad player...maybe not the answer though if we want to challenge seriously

[Guest sniffer]

You missed out Voronin

[Tones]

torres - hit

 

benayoun - Hit

 

babel - Looks good to me, i would say a hit there too

 

Lucas - Very early days but shows promise - Id go with Hit there too

 

Voronin - Started well, but has since looked poor. Think he is going to be a flop unfortunately

[floyd the barber]

i suppose i could add voronin...although myself forgetting about him tells its own story..

 

voronin - showed signs of being a decent player....though not good enough for the level we need.....he`ll be gone in the summer

[Bo Benn]

Babel according to me is a forward. In all the games he has started he's been a wide midfielder which I don't think is his best position. Often when he has come on he has had a more advanced position and has done a lot better. It would be more beneficial to the team if we played him in his more favoured position. As opposed to having less talented players there like Crouch, Kuyt, Voronin.

 

(not sure this was entirely on-topic but I just felt had to say this, again)

[Earl Hafler]

Babel according to me is a forward. In all the games he has started he's been a wide midfielder which I don't think is his best position. Often when he has come on he has had a more advanced position and has done a lot better. It would be more beneficial to the team if we played him in his more favoured position. As opposed to having less talented players there like Crouch, Kuyt, Voronin.

 

(not sure this was entirely on-topic but I just felt had to say this, again)

 

When he starts he's often asked to play a role he's not comfortable with and defend more than he'd like to. When he comes on as a sub it's usually because we need a goal and he's given more license to attack, to surge forward.

 

The lad needs games. Almost guaranteed he doesn't start tomorrow.

[Rimbeux]

Torres - Top top player, top signing, looked weary in the past month, hopefully the rest will have done him good, we need him.

 

Babel - In and out. Not really a striker, not really a winger, a forward who has a very direct attitude but not very aware or sympathetic of the play around him or others needs. A lot to learn a lot to offer, massive future

 

Yossi - Smart player, team playing generally not to his strengths but has made a good fist of it. Needs a shorter game with more movement, could be the key man rest of the season

 

Lucas - Another smart player with good all round ability, strong enough, mobile enough, technical enough, just needs the 90 minute stamina and he'll be making life difficult for some of his competition.

 

Voronin - Doesn't fancy it. Doesn't like the physical contact, aerial battle, and doesn't have great stamina or pace. Ok touch, plays like he thinks he's a better player than is reality.

 

2 for Hit, 1 for Ok, 0 for miss. 7/10 overall.

[Spike]

I've been very impressed with all but Voronin. We're still a couple of Torres level signings from being really f***ing serious contenders.

[Magic8Ball]

I wonder if we were in for Babel and Malouda

[Rich Gobey]

Torres - Top top player, top signing, looked weary in the past month, hopefully the rest will have done him good, we need him.

 

Babel - In and out. Not really a striker, not really a winger, a forward who has a very direct attitude but not very aware or sympathetic of the play around him or others needs. A lot to learn a lot to offer, massive future

 

Yossi - Smart player, team playing generally not to his strengths but has made a good fist of it. Needs a shorter game with more movement, could be the key man rest of the season

 

Lucas - Another smart player with good all round ability, strong enough, mobile enough, technical enough, just needs the 90 minute stamina and he'll be making life difficult for some of his competition.

 

Voronin - Doesn't fancy it. Doesn't like the physical contact, aerial battle, and doesn't have great stamina or pace. Ok touch, plays like he thinks he's a better player than is reality.

 

2 for Hit, 1 for Ok, 0 for miss. 7/10 overall.

 

Would agree with all that.

 

Funny that you should say that about Voronin, as he looks to me like he doesnt fancy it either. Which, considering his comments before he signed about relishing the physicality of the premiership is very disapointing.

[Rimbeux]

Would agree with all that.

 

Funny that you should say that about Voronin, as he looks to me like he doesnt fancy it either. Which, considering his comments before he signed about relishing the physicality of the premiership is very disapointing.

 

I almost swear he doesn't like heading it, he seems to duck under it and shut his eyes, Cisse did the same. He just cant cope with a defender tight to him giving him a tough time.

[surf]

Torres - Top signing. Important he would do well considering the money spent. It's always a risk as you never know just how well players will adapt and take to a different league, but Torres has really proved what he's capable of, improving his goalscoring ratio as well.

 

Benny - Good signing for the money, playing well. Probably not the first name on the team sheet, but can do a job in different positions.

 

Babel - Decent impact performances from him so far. Too early to tell if it's 11m well spent but he looks a good talent.

 

Lucas - Quiet start to his LFC career (given his status as a Brazilian Superstar to be), hopeful we'll see more of him now Momo has gone.

 

Voronin - Poor.

[MFletcher]

Fernando Torres - Has not only met, but surpassed, expectation. We look blunt without him in attack and that's a testament to how much he has completely changed our style of play 17 goals already this season - including plenty of game winners/savers. He's been a human highlight reel with goals like Chelsea, Derby, Marseille and Middlesbrough. There are certain elements of his game he could improve on, but that will come with experience and he has been an absolutely top class signing. £18M? Bargain.

 

Ryan Babel - He has been eased into the team this year and rightly so. He has shown real glimpses of his ability this season, but this "softly softly" approach and extended periods on the wing are crucial to his long-term development. We'd all like him to play more, but he seems to struggle when he is thrown on from the start and he admits himself that he isn't quite up to the physical aspects of the league. He has everything in his locker to be a top player though - pace, power, height, strength, dribbling ability and a hell of a shot. He's going to be a superstar for us, but we have to accept that the next six to twelve months are a bedding in period for him. If we don't see his real talents next season, then we certainly will the season after. I'm very pleased with this signing.

 

Lucas Leiva - Again, rightly eased into the team this season. He has everything in his locker to be a top player, and he has been extremely tidy and efficient when he has come into the side. A great goal at the weekend and he was excellent when he came on in the derby. Again, I'm very pleased with this signing and I think he'll go on to be a key member of the squad for years to come.

 

Yossi Benayoun - Excellent goal return this year for Yossi. Yes, he may not be the required quality to be starting every week, but he is an excellent squad player to have and we picked him up for only £5M. Ten goals already this season is a superb return, and that's not considering that they have been important goals - winning Wigan away, breaking deadlocks against Portsmouth and Reading, putting games to bed against Besiktas and Havant. Again, I'm very pleased with this signing.

 

Andriy Voronin - He looked like a bargain in his first couple of months, but he has went from a hard working and capable link man to a player who doesn't even seem to run anymore. It's an inexplicable attitude change from the start of the season. His recent form has been awful. He won't last past the summer at this rate, but we'll probably convince con some mid-table German side into taking him for 3M-4M Euros.

 

 

Overall, I'm very pleased with our signings this season. The only disappointment has been Voronin. Torres and Yossi have been excellent and Lucas and Babel are going to be key players for us in the future. I think we'll look back on our Summer '07 transfer dealings and see it as being a key point in our future success.

Edited January 29, 2008 by MFletcher

[alias75]

Think the age of these signings is key too, with Reina, and Agger also being very young you add Lucas, Mascherano, Babel and Torres and thats 6 players in their early 20's that could be the foundation of the team for the next 5-6 years.

 

Its strange because you look at where we need to improve now and the spine of our team looks very strong except for a partner for Torres. All of a sudden we need at least 1 maybe 2 fullbacks and once again those top quality attacking midfielders / wingers.

 

But i think we've signed some very good young players in key positions that will have a role to play in the clubs future.

[windy city red]

Torres - Top top player, top signing, looked weary in the past month, hopefully the rest will have done him good, we need him.

 

Babel - In and out. Not really a striker, not really a winger, a forward who has a very direct attitude but not very aware or sympathetic of the play around him or others needs. A lot to learn a lot to offer, massive future

 

Yossi - Smart player, team playing generally not to his strengths but has made a good fist of it. Needs a shorter game with more movement, could be the key man rest of the season

 

Lucas - Another smart player with good all round ability, strong enough, mobile enough, technical enough, just needs the 90 minute stamina and he'll be making life difficult for some of his competition.

 

Voronin - Doesn't fancy it. Doesn't like the physical contact, aerial battle, and doesn't have great stamina or pace. Ok touch, plays like he thinks he's a better player than is reality.

 

2 for Hit, 1 for Ok, 0 for miss. 7/10 overall.

 

Pretty much the same for me, especially the bold bit. Be interesting to see how he would have coped if he went to Arsenal.

[Guest GrandpaSimpson]

Torres has been quality, Voronin rubbish, Lucas has forced Momo to leave so he must be doing something right, Benny has been good probably more consistent than Luis and doesnt give the ball away as much, and Babel has the ability to become very very good whether he does is up to him.

[abc]

Pretty much the same for me, especially the bold bit. Be interesting to see how he would have coped if he went to Arsenal.

 

I think he'd be a hit there. Close control, passing and movement looks to be of their standard. All that, and he's got a good goalscorer's instinct and ability.

[surfaris]

what we really need is a top class winger.

 

that s it.

 

and it aint babel. find em fast, rafa.

[Lanus]

Torres : exceeded the already massive expectations.

 

Babel : Bang on about him.. can go missing but certainly has shown huge potential.

 

Benayoun : I think he's been great. gets a lot of undeserved stick.. if it wasnt for his 2 hatricks then people would be slating him endlessly.

 

Lucas : I was more hopeful rather than awed by him since his move here but that goal he scored certainly shows a great deal of potential. I'm excited by the prospect of this guy learning from Gerrard and maybe mascherano and Alonso too. Wow, if anyone wanted to learn how to be a central midfielder... liverpool is the club to come to!

[Lanus]

I've been very impressed with all but Voronin. We're still a couple of Torres level signings from being really f***ing serious contenders.

 

it is amazing that people slate Rafa's ability to sign quality when he really has outdone himself in the last year. The players mentioned plus mascherano about to sign for us on a perminent basis. he is a player who like Torres , was wanted by other clubs with more buying power and general draw than ourselves (hate to say it but it's true.), however mascherano choose liverpool and will hopefully choose to stay in the next few days.

 

there is light at the end of the tunnel perhaps.

[fyds]

Don't forget Itandje! I like him too!

[Widnesian]

Torres -Nothing needs to be said

Benni-Cracking little player, would like to see him play upfront with Torres more.

Voronin- Personally I'd rather we kept Fowler

Babel- Not convinced at all. Flashes of brilliance but would rather the 11m had been spent on a proven winger.

Itandje-Fyds you were being sarcastic, no?

[Widnesian]

Torres -Nothing needs to be said

Benni-Cracking little player, would like to see him play upfront with Torres more.

Voronin- Personally I'd rather we kept Fowler

Babel- Not convinced at all. Flashes of brilliance but would rather the 11m had been spent on a proven winger.

Itandje-Fyds you were being sarcastic, no?