by Daisy Cutter
The Cutter understands from a reputable source that new Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has wasted no time in implementing his Anfield revolution by already instructing the club’s hierarchy he wishes to overhaul the midfield and informing them of his two prime targets.
The identity of the first will come as little surprise to most. Icelandic star Gylfi Sigurdsson proved to be a Premier League revelation during his six month loan spell at Swansea and whilst the Welsh outfit were convinced their £6.8m deal to make the move permanent was all-but-completed his parent club Hoffenheim have angrily pointed out that no contracts have yet been signed.
The Germans are expected to use Swansea’s unsuccessful bid as leverage to bump up the fee but an approach in the region of seven million should still be enough to comfortably see the talented 22 year old head to Merseyside to continue his football under Rodgers.
The hijacking of Sigurdsson is the closest the Reds will get to bringing in any of Swansea’s bright passing side that so illuminated the top flight last term after an agreement was put in place by chairman Huw Jenkins that prevents Rodgers from poaching any of his former players for a period of twelve months.
This news firmly puts to bed the mounting speculation on an imminent approach for the ‘Welsh Iniesta’ Joe Allen that the Cutter has been informed was never in the pipeline to begin with. Instead Rodgers is determined to secure the services of the ‘Dutch Xavi’, 20 year old Jordy Clasie from Feyenoord, who has been interesting him for some time. Doing so will not be easy – the youngster recently evaded the clutches of Arsenal and Chelsea by committing himself to the Rotterdammers until 2015 and his form has been so resplendent of late he was considered extremely unfortunate to miss out on the Dutch Euro2012 squad. Rodgers however views the Under-21 international as the ideal figure to bolster a midfield that he intends to mould to fit his pure footballing philosophy. A bid topping £8m will test the resolve of his employers whilst the challenge of English football might well tempt the starlet despite his recent wish to continue his education on home soil.
Appropriately Clasie shares several attributes with Swans schemer Leon Brittan a player who, lest we forget, was statistically the superior of Xavi for the first half of last season. The boy from Haarlem in northern Holland was considered too slight of build to make it at the highest level but has proven his doubters wrong by becoming the passing architect surpreme, rarely losing possession and always content to keep things moving with tick-tock simplicity. Like Brittan he is also surprisingly tenacious in the tackle and was never seen to be outmuscled in a campaign for Feyenoord that saw them over-achieve with a second placed finish in the Eredivisie.
Whilst teenage scoring sensation John Guidetti grabbed most of the headlines it was Clasie who had the scouts flocking to De Kuip and most pertinently of all Rodgers is amongst his most ardent fans, long coveting a player who epitomises everything he holds true yet viewed frustratingly beyond his reach at Swansea. Now that he’s bossing a club with much more pulling power a move – or so the Cutter has exclusively been told – is being tentatively prepared as we speak.
So where does this leave the current Liverpool midfield that was expensively assembled by Kenny Dalglish last summer and yet have all undeniably underperformed to varying degrees? Admittedly this is purely speculation but to our mind Jordan Henderson – a player who often comes unstuck when ambition sets in but who’s an otherwise neat and tidy player with much promise – will presumably remain and no doubt improve under the tutorage of his new coach as too will Downing though the ex-Boro winger will struggle to hold down a regular starting place. The future looks most ominous for Charlie Adam who generally disappointed last term following his switch from Blackpool and least fits in with Rodgers’ vision of a tiki-taka engine room. Swansea passed the ball on 2000 more occasions than Liverpool last year – an incredible stat – whilst Adam’s passing average fell woefully short of 80% throughout 2011/12. The statistics don’t lie and the Scot might soon find himself frozen out of Brendan Rodger’s Anfield revolution.
2000 passes more than LFC last season? LFC played more 1000 passes in the opposition’s half last season than Swansea and had one of the best defensive records. Credit never went where credit was due.
We are talking a small town budget players , out played Liverpool both times last season , I was there on both occasions , was nice of Liverpool fans to clap us off the park , of Swansea had a van persi , or a pappa cisse , we would be top 6 way better than Liverpool
This is completely true, if you look at Swansea’s records, the majority of these extra passes are in their own half, while I think Swansea had a much closer number to LFC (but still more than LFC) in the opposition half.
he looks the class act,can’t be worse than hendo, adam or downing can he? and for around £8m, get him Prince Rodgers!
First and Foremost… Welcome Brendon…. Whatever choice the board have made the Liverpool supports will walk with you…..
As for the plebs that let the King, This Great Club and their Team Mates down so obviously its time you were shown the door and KICKED out of our beloved club…. Step forward Pleb Downing – £20m of shite, no goals, no assists and little to no effort, Step forward Pleb Henderson… Rare goal or two, rate assist or two, no ability, effort or desire, Step forward Pleb Adam… No abiity to hold the ball, you can’t and never will pass the ball as well as Alonsa, can’t tackle and little effort…. Sorry to say but Spearing (100% effort) nominal ability and Carragher (100% effort but now too old) its time for you to step aside….
I would like us to sign Hoillet (Bosman) or Adam Johnson for pace, It would also be nice to get Kagawa for the left berth or play Sterling, bit of pace and guile down the flanks and a great finisher….
A back up to to our central defence is needed unless Coates is ready….
Too true! Although the King should have held his hands up and admitted his midfield signings were poor, as were the decisions to let Mireless and Aquillani go, whilst benching Kuyt and Maxi for Hendo and Downing. Tbh, Cole was probably better than Adam too!
As for Coates, at £8m he should have been near ready! I can’t believe he got about 3 league games whilst Carra got game time. He should definitely step aside, taking his wages off the bill free up enough capital to bring in another player.
Lucas took two seasons to become the player he is. Henderson is playing with the weight of a huge transfer fee and the history of the great liverbird on his shoulders at the young age of 21. It’s easy to criticise but with more support I think he can become a Liverpool great, and under Rogers hopefully he’ll succeed.
‘Tutorage’? Your vocabulary needs some tutelage!
average player ufff..
looks a class player!
I am very impressed with Rodger’s style of football and I’m sure he knows which players are best suited to his style and will improve on Kenny’s diabolical midfield.
I know Swansea did amazingly well with very little expense, but I think we might be missing out on Champions League football for many year to come.
If chelsea have just bought Hazard and are buying Hulk next, Man City will no doubt strengthen to fend off Man U. Man U will spend big to catch Man City etc. I can’t see us catching up anytime soon.
It’s a shame, as if all that money we wasted last season on awful signing had been spent on players ‘worth’ those actual values, then strengthening with a few £8m players would have gone a long way!
Comment i want liverpool to buy sharp striker and centre defence and give doni firts shirt.ynwa
Big names in futball dosent mean anything.. Weda we get small name, the most important thing is that the play well. The we make big names in lfc
it is pity we cant buy a player wit exprience wit all our money get away reina and make use of doni and buy quality players if we can compete for champions league next season
If Rodgers is planning to overhaul the midfield, then it looks like the end is nigh for Charlie Adam.
Well this rodgers seems to have his feet on d ground… Let’s hope it will be worth the wait the things he is promising… He has my 100% backing..
We should sell adams, enrique and spearing in order to gain more money..
Arsenal never spent big money on players yet they were always up there with the top 4..
We should start thinking of another central defender so carra won’t play anymore.. Also reina hasn’t been that sharp lately.. I think we need another GK so that he can have some competition… Let’s be realistic.. We need a better GK than reina for sure lol
you all seem to be blaming kenny for the bad midfield players we signed!! weren’t all the signings we made were done heavily influenced by comolli the director of football?? which we no longer have as rogers said theres no way he would work with one, so i’m expecting some decent signings from now on, i totally agree with you lot downing and adam we’re shite but lets not forget lucas got injured and thats why henderson had to play a lot of games, dont forget the lad is only 20 no where near his peak unlike the other 2!! i think we’d be stupid to get rid of henderson he’s still learning and in a few years i reckon he’d be a very good player!! as for new signings i’m not expecting any big names but still that doesn’t mean we cant get quality new players! cant wait for the new season to start rogers has got my full support YNWA!!! top 4 and europa trophy and i will be very happy!!
Reina should step down for doni and adam should also be out and get a good and experience midfielder and W̶̲̥̅ﻉ need striker to support suarez…. Then we can challenge for CL next season.
If rodgers know what he is about to do, all he needed is to psych up the guys and change their mentality, with respect to new signings, i think we need natural and pacey wingers, Pepe should either sit or leave the club for the other keeper (doni) to show his stuff.