TORRES - We should have bought him !!!!!!

[Star]

What a class act. A player linked with us year on year, mentioned on this site year on year, now Liverpool's main man and a finisher (unlike Kalou, Pizarro and Sheva) of THE highest order.

I don't know much about our scouting in Jose's days but it sure beats me up thinking about how we had Arsenal, Manure and Liverpool, even the rest of Europe quaking in their boots about our spending power and ability to attract the top players - yet the likes of Tevez and clearly Torres have gone to our rivals and proved miles better than our recent signings.

We need a striker desperately with Drogba out. But who ??

January isn't far away ... discuss !!

[The Moos]

I actually think that one of the reasons why we didn't get Torres or Tevez wasn't because José didn't think that they were good but because he didn't think they suited his system.

Now with a more attacking style having Tevez and Torres on either side of Drogba up front would be amazing.

[g3.7]

he's a fine player (or an average one if you're name is loz), but he's no natural finisher.

[MURDOCH_(8)]

he's a fine player (or an average one if you're name is loz), but he's no natural finisher.

He came with a reputation for being a poor finisher but from his time in England he has looked good in front of goal and hasn't really back up his poor reputation. Don't think hes too much of an all round player though

[loz]

Still not prepared to get my knickers in a twist about him. We are the only decent side he has scored against so far and so I am reading very little into the start of his career with Liverpool.

If he shows consistency and shows up in the big matches on a reaosnably regular basis then I will accept I was wrong about him but whilst his goal tally is inflated against the likes of Derby, Reading and atrocious performances by Porto and Marseille (French football is currently so poor even Steve McLaren may get a job there) but his fails to impress against above average opposition then I stand by my initial opinion that his hype is better than his output.

My guess is he will be another Berbatov, he will be hyped disproportionately in comparosn to his performances and then his second season will see him fade as the spotlight aims elsewhere.

[mad_mac]

I remember when Roman came along, we were all like kids in the sweetie shop salivating at the options that we felt were "available" to us. The strikers that I thought we should have gone for at the time (and NO Drogba was not one of them.) were Eto'o and or Torres.... both scored well in La Liga, which is reputedly one of the toughest leagues to score in. However, a few people on here felt that Torres was the darlin of his club and wouldn't leave. Others also felt that Torres was too lightweight.

Would I like him at Chelsea? Yes I would, certainly more so than Pizarro and Sheva.

As for Eto'o...I would take a fit Eto'o any day

Scott

[MannyJello]

we never had a shot at him.

remember in April, when this picture revealed that Torres had "You'll Never Walk Alone" inscribed on this inside of his captain's armband at Atletico?

Liverpool's website followed up on that story after they signed him in July, and Torres said:

Tell me about the captain's armband you displayed during a game against Real Sociedad last season, with You'll Never Walk Alone written on the inside?

There is a group of my mates, about five or six of us, and we've all grown up supporting Liverpool. Because they are all so committed to Liverpool, they've had We'll Never Walk Alone tattooed on their arms. It's changed slightly because it's a symbol of our friendship as well as our support for the club. Obviously I couldn't have that tattooed on my arm playing for Atletico, but they gave me this armband as a present for my last birthday.

(here's the link)

[JT26CFC]

idk, watching him play today really made me wish we signed him. Who knows if he'll lose everything next season, that's what I keep hoping will happen to Ronaldo, but no luck in that yet. Torres is young, has good pace, and good skill. He's doing much better than Morientes when he was at Liverpool(i think scouser). Left atletico to come to a champions league team, kind of like what I'm hoping David Villa will see and sign for us

[BLUENUT]

What a class act. A player linked with us year on year, mentioned on this site year on year, now Liverpool's main man and a finisher (unlike Kalou, Pizarro and Sheva) of THE highest order.

I don't know much about our scouting in Jose's days but it sure beats me up thinking about how we had Arsenal, Manure and Liverpool, even the rest of Europe quaking in their boots about our spending power and ability to attract the top players - yet the likes of Tevez and clearly Torres have gone to our rivals and proved miles better than our recent signings.

We need a striker desperately with Drogba out. But who ??

January isn't far away ... discuss !!

It all comes back to 'who really signed Shevchenko?'...... I suppose. Was it Jose? I'm not so sure. He did fly out to south America to watch Tevez, but was then told we'd signed Sheva. Very strange.

£30m straight down the drain on a player who's well past his best, and we're still paying him £120 odd grand per week!

[Barn]

Moos, please take off your "press goggles" and start watching the games for what they are. We are not playing differently now to how we did under Jose, despite Grant keep telling us that we are, our strikers still missed shed-loads of chances and our deffence was still one of the best around. Things really haven't changed.

[The Moos]

Moos, please take off your "press goggles" and start watching the games for what they are. We are not playing differently now to how we did under Jose, despite Grant keep telling us that we are, our strikers still missed shed-loads of chances and our deffence was still one of the best around. Things really haven't changed.

I think it has. We play a more attacking football now. Perhaps not better, but still more attacking.

José was okay with scoring one goal and then settle down and defend. Grant don't do that. Personaly I liked Josés style more.

[Dorset]

What a class act. A player linked with us year on year, mentioned on this site year on year, now Liverpool's main man and a finisher (unlike Kalou, Pizarro and Sheva) of THE highest order.

I don't know much about our scouting in Jose's days but it sure beats me up thinking about how we had Arsenal, Manure and Liverpool, even the rest of Europe quaking in their boots about our spending power and ability to attract the top players - yet the likes of Tevez and clearly Torres have gone to our rivals and proved miles better than our recent signings.

We need a striker desperately with Drogba out. But who ??

January isn't far away ... discuss !!

Ah, those distant days when, with the notable exception of Loz, we all wanted Fernando. Sadly, we didn’t realise at the time that his intention was to hideaway until his real truelove club found a couple of sugar daddies from across the Pond to finance a deal that would bring him to Liverpool. No doubt he is destined to become another foreign signing to be burgled whilst playing for them, probably as early as next week after failing to convert a series of chances against the Mancs on Sunday. However, enough of the Loftyesque banter, it’s nearly time to see who the lucky striker is that gets to play for us down south - and keep his furniture…

The wish listing of Torres predated even my bleating about Tevez and as such must always be compared with the guy we eventually ended up with, the one - and very much the only - Didier Drogba. With hindsight that includes six trophies, I certainly have no regrets about the choice made then and now it’s imperative we ’strike lucky’ once again. For the purposes of this exercise Didier’s absence should be considered under the headings of a) Short (knee injury and ANC only), B) Longer (he’s not getting any younger, still sticks with us, but is used less and not as a sole focal point anymore) and c) Permanent (he goes at the end of the season).

a) This is an easy call for me because the choice need not be THAT expensive, by which I mean the usual extortionate sum associated with us would not be demanded, or given, due to the criteria being that the player be young, already learning his trade in the Premiership and ideally suited to follow in Drogba’s footsteps at a later date. Kenwyn Jones ticks virtually every box and there is the added advantage of Roy Keane, anxious to steer clear of relegation, needing the cash to improve his squad in January transfer window. The pursuit of any big name player could then be deferred until the summer when Sheva and Pizarro’s situations are resolved.

B) This is really an option based on the beginnings of a change of focus or formation and subject to the very best being available in the January window, which is doubtful. Klass-Jan Huntelaar’s name would be in the frame, but, if a Didier-type replacement to lead the line is not a necessity, David Villa also comes into the reckoning. Age and temperament rules out Anelka as far as I’m concerned, although this view might have something to do with being unduly influenced by a son-in-law, who hasn’t had a good word to say about him for many a long year.

c) I’m guessing that the club now know if this last scenario is a probability rather than a possibility and therefore the Summer transfer market will be where the major deals are struck, involving as they will vast sums of money and players we’ve yet to give a first, let alone a second, thought to. For instance, the prospect of Didier going opens up the perennial debate on Eto’o arriving and, although this might be regarded as a gamble too far for Avram (and most of us for that matter), who’s to say what Ten Cate might do with a striker of his quality - hang on a minute, he’s done it once already!

Too bizarre? Well, the catalyst for all such transfers is more than likely going to be Jose’s move to a new club and, if that happens to be a certain Spanish one…let’s just say that stranger things have happened in football.

[Liam]

Kenwyn Jones ticks virtually every box and there is the added advantage of Roy Keane, anxious to steer clear of relegation, needing the cash to improve his squad in January transfer window.

I agree he ticks every box but I disagree that Sunderland would sell him, and certainly not cheaply. He has been their only positive this season. Keane will get the money he needs in January regardless.

[BLUENUT]

Kenwyn Jones ticks virtually every box and there is the added advantage of Roy Keane, anxious to steer clear of relegation, needing the cash to improve his squad in January transfer window.

I agree he ticks every box but I disagree that Sunderland would sell him, and certainly not cheaply. He has been their only positive this season. Keane will get the money he needs in January regardless.

To buy a Didier replacement we need to go further than someone who just looks a bit like him

[Y_dizzie]

Still not prepared to get my knickers in a twist about him. We are the only decent side he has scored against so far and so I am reading very little into the start of his career with Liverpool.

If he shows consistency and shows up in the big matches on a reaosnably regular basis then I will accept I was wrong about him but whilst his goal tally is inflated against the likes of Derby, Reading and atrocious performances by Porto and Marseille (French football is currently so poor even Steve McLaren may get a job there) but his fails to impress against above average opposition then I stand by my initial opinion that his hype is better than his output.

My guess is he will be another Berbatov, he will be hyped disproportionately in comparosn to his performances and then his second season will see him fade as the spotlight aims elsewhere.

Yeah i think hes a bit overrated but you never know how he will develop, and remember when he scored against us it was Ben Haim that he went by in order to score.

Im guessing he wouldnt have scored with RC or JT in that situation.

[Dorset]

Kenwyn Jones ticks virtually every box and there is the added advantage of Roy Keane, anxious to steer clear of relegation, needing the cash to improve his squad in January transfer window.

I agree he ticks every box but I disagree that Sunderland would sell him, and certainly not cheaply. He has been their only positive this season. Keane will get the money he needs in January regardless.

To buy a Didier replacement we need to go further than someone who just looks a bit like him

And there was I thinking that that was all there was to it, Bluenut, Just goes to show there's a lot more to this transfer business than meets the eye!

[g3.7]

To buy a Didier replacement we need to go further than someone who just looks a bit like him

And there was I thinking that that was all there was to it, Bluenut, Just goes to show there's a lot more to this transfer business than meets the eye!

it's a bit simplistic, but generally I agree with bluenut- the guy has popped up with a few goals and seems to have the same sort of physique, but that's nowhere near enough. scoring 5 or 6 goals for sunderland and being a physical player isn't enough for us to seriously consider him a replacement for a player like drogba, or even a player with the quality to be part of the squad. we should aim a lot higher.

p.s. he didn't do anything against us either. if you think lulinha is a flavour of the month dorset (not that I necessarily disagree with that), what does that make jones? flavour of the fortnight?

[abramovich]

Speaking of flavor of the month, how about that Benzema lad from Lyon?

[JT26CFC]

Speaking of flavor of the month, how about that Benzema lad from Lyon?

just watched him play against Rangers in the champions league game tonight. He had terrific dribbling ability. I can only get the first goal highlight, but in a way you could sat he "set it up" and then he scored the other two goals.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vbgnGfOkWu8

[PeteAshton]

not sure why there is the request to replace drogba with a drogba. Drogba is very much a unique striker, and is pretty much a symbol of Jose's reign. He fitted the system perfectly, whether that was the intention or whether the system was amde to fit him i am not sure, however there is far more than one way to skin a cat. With Crespo chelsea had one of the best strikers in the world, he didnt fit into the system or the plans and so looked to be a flop, but had Drogba not arrived, and ranieri moved on, I am sure he would have been a success in the right system with the right players around him. Similarly another top striker could do the same. If it is only the short term that you are talking about, it may be short sighted to buy a Drog-a-like as he options are limited, but buying a truly individual striker will mean changes to a system that suits the man perfectly.

On a long term basis though, the player to be brought in should be brought in based on their talents as a striker, not on their comparison to a player they may well replace.

I think January will be a huge sign of how much Avram is willing to move away from the 'dark ages' of Mourinho and into his new light years of beautiful football entertaining the masses.

[MURDOCH_(8)]

Speaking of flavor of the month, how about that Benzema lad from Lyon?

just watched him play against Rangers in the champions league game tonight. He had terrific dribbling ability. I can only get the first goal highlight, but in a way you could sat he "set it up" and then he scored the other two goals.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vbgnGfOkWu8

Was at the match, he ran Rangers ragged the whole match. His second goal was real class, dribbling between the two centre halfs and blasting it past McGregor, on that showing the boy is going to be a star. I say sign him up Obviously he is ineligible for the Champions league but in the long run it would be a great signing.

[clubhappy]

Drogs will be difficult to replace as he's perfect for our side and he has all round ability .

I'd like to see Van Nistleroy or Eto , both quality and are natural goalscorers.

[mad_mac]

can't say I think van horseface has ever crossed my mind. He is a natural goalscorer, that can not be denied, but I doubt he would come to us after playing for Man Utd (which is the reason I never thought about him playing for us). However, I really think Eto'o could be a great shout.

I know there are a lot of people who dislike him as a person, but if he started banging the goals in for us, I think we would soon get over his personality traits...hell, we are even talking about ignoring Anelka's personality traits and he's only a rummoured link with us!!

Scott

[Dorset]

To buy a Didier replacement we need to go further than someone who just looks a bit like him

And there was I thinking that that was all there was to it, Bluenut, Just goes to show there's a lot more to this transfer business than meets the eye!

it's a bit simplistic, but generally I agree with bluenut- the guy has popped up with a few goals and seems to have the same sort of physique, but that's nowhere near enough. scoring 5 or 6 goals for sunderland and being a physical player isn't enough for us to seriously consider him a replacement for a player like drogba, or even a player with the quality to be part of the squad. we should aim a lot higher.

p.s. he didn't do anything against us either. if you think lulinha is a flavour of the month dorset (not that I necessarily disagree with that), what does that make jones? flavour of the fortnight?

In my defence, G4, I’d ask those who dismiss Jones purely on the grounds that he is not in Drogba’s class to read my initial post again. Didier is irreplaceable and once that is admitted by everybody (except Pauly, of course) the question still has to be asked… do we go for a similar player (yes, yes, I know Jones is nowhere near as good ) to be groomed for the role whilst Didier is around to help the process, or do we say it is mission impossible and go down a different route entirely?

Replacement is a misleading word in the context of dealing with Drogba’s absence, but if we are going to address it in January (and we all want someone, don’t we?) it’s reasonable to assume that the short term solution will be based on similarity, otherwise we might just as well wait for his return and make use of Sheva and Pizarro in the interim. The club have already stated that we need a striker, he will clearly be cover for Drogba, so why not try to maintain what has become a winning formula?

Okay, some will say it can’t be done, he’s unique and everybody comes up short in comparison, but, if a short term fix with potential long term benefits is what is needed, Kenwyn Jones could be as good a fit to the system as we are likely to get. Other objectives there may be aplenty, but, faced with the current circumstances and the possibility of massive spending and squad changes next summer, it’s not the worst or costliest thing that could happen.

[g3.7]

unfortunately, we are at a stage where the amount of top strikers is low- if this was 10 or so years ago there would be 15 choices... but for now I can't see a direct like for like replacement for drogba. (benzema may be one to follow though)