With our first game of pre-season due next week – the main talk amongst LFC fans is the potential departure of fan’s favourite Raul Meireles .
Websites have been buzzing with rumours that Raul has been left behind whilst the rest of the squad go on tour to the Far East
Meireles arrived from Porto for a fee in the region of £11m and went onto make 33 league appearances for the club, pitching in with 5 goals and 7 assists in the process – a fine debut season return by anyone’s standards.
When King Kenny made his dramatic return to LFC we saw an upturn in both LFC’s and Meireles’s fortunes with him thriving on being played in a more natural position and enjoying the new management’s passing style of play.
Meireles capped off the season by receiving the PFA Fans Player of the Year award which surprised many LFC fans me included but he showed us all in glimpses that he is an excellent classy intelligent player.
Whilst his debut season in England could be said to be successful, I can understand why selling him for a profit is a viable option.
If we put together an analysis of his performances last season we can see major peaks and troughs in his form – he started off the season under Roy Hodgson in poor form like the rest of the side – this I believe was mainly through being played in an unfamiliar role on the right by Mr Hodgson.
The Hodgson era was not working for either players or management so John W Henry decided to take the calculated gamble and give King Kenny the manager’s role until the end of the season.
That gamble quickly turned into a major upturn in our play and also resulted in a resurrection in Meireles form
Under Dalglish, Meireles performances included a run of 5 goals in 6 games including a winner against Chelsea and a fantastic dipping volley against Wolves, the problem after that fantastic run of form is that once we purchased Suarez it coincided with another dip in form towards the tail end of the campaign where Meireles didn’t score another goal.
The player’s quality is not in question – the problem we have is finding a positive role in the starting eleven which can maintain the player’s happiness – without the extra games of Europe this season we are going to have to have a core number of players who will play in the majority of the games and others who will not play hardly at all.
With Meireles now reportedly being made available for transfer this summer – the reason behind this rumour has now come to light. When Meireles signed for us, he was so willing and determined to prove himself in England that he signed a supposedly low deal with a promise from us to review the contract at the end of the season and offer him better terms if he was to succeed – To be fair to Meireles he has kept to his promise but FSG now seem to reneged on their end of the promised deal.
The reason for FSG changing their thoughts on the deal has been because the emphasis has now been changed and the focus is now on youth and young, hungry British players which now leaves Meireles at a crossroads.
At 28 years of age, the position Meireles finds himself in is at odds with the new wage structure brought by John W Henry, thus his future now looks uncertain and Liverpool are open to offers – they’ll surely make a profit on Hodgson’s only sound purchase and he won’t be short of takers.
Meireles may also feel that the challenge of competing in the Champions League is hard to ignore. Also with John W Henry now trying to reduce the average age of players in the squad by stating “We are not going to be successful by merely filling short term needs at LFC," Meireles could feel his position at Liverpool is untenable.
Raul Meireles has a lot to contemplate before we know whether he will commit to the LFC cause or whether we want to keep him at all.
Websites have been buzzing with rumours that Raul has been left behind whilst the rest of the squad go on tour to the Far East
Meireles arrived from Porto for a fee in the region of £11m and went onto make 33 league appearances for the club, pitching in with 5 goals and 7 assists in the process – a fine debut season return by anyone’s standards.
When King Kenny made his dramatic return to LFC we saw an upturn in both LFC’s and Meireles’s fortunes with him thriving on being played in a more natural position and enjoying the new management’s passing style of play.
Meireles capped off the season by receiving the PFA Fans Player of the Year award which surprised many LFC fans me included but he showed us all in glimpses that he is an excellent classy intelligent player.
Whilst his debut season in England could be said to be successful, I can understand why selling him for a profit is a viable option.
If we put together an analysis of his performances last season we can see major peaks and troughs in his form – he started off the season under Roy Hodgson in poor form like the rest of the side – this I believe was mainly through being played in an unfamiliar role on the right by Mr Hodgson.
The Hodgson era was not working for either players or management so John W Henry decided to take the calculated gamble and give King Kenny the manager’s role until the end of the season.
That gamble quickly turned into a major upturn in our play and also resulted in a resurrection in Meireles form
Under Dalglish, Meireles performances included a run of 5 goals in 6 games including a winner against Chelsea and a fantastic dipping volley against Wolves, the problem after that fantastic run of form is that once we purchased Suarez it coincided with another dip in form towards the tail end of the campaign where Meireles didn’t score another goal.
The player’s quality is not in question – the problem we have is finding a positive role in the starting eleven which can maintain the player’s happiness – without the extra games of Europe this season we are going to have to have a core number of players who will play in the majority of the games and others who will not play hardly at all.
With Meireles now reportedly being made available for transfer this summer – the reason behind this rumour has now come to light. When Meireles signed for us, he was so willing and determined to prove himself in England that he signed a supposedly low deal with a promise from us to review the contract at the end of the season and offer him better terms if he was to succeed – To be fair to Meireles he has kept to his promise but FSG now seem to reneged on their end of the promised deal.
The reason for FSG changing their thoughts on the deal has been because the emphasis has now been changed and the focus is now on youth and young, hungry British players which now leaves Meireles at a crossroads.
At 28 years of age, the position Meireles finds himself in is at odds with the new wage structure brought by John W Henry, thus his future now looks uncertain and Liverpool are open to offers – they’ll surely make a profit on Hodgson’s only sound purchase and he won’t be short of takers.
Meireles may also feel that the challenge of competing in the Champions League is hard to ignore. Also with John W Henry now trying to reduce the average age of players in the squad by stating “We are not going to be successful by merely filling short term needs at LFC," Meireles could feel his position at Liverpool is untenable.
Raul Meireles has a lot to contemplate before we know whether he will commit to the LFC cause or whether we want to keep him at all.
We need quality footballers at the club so there's no doubt that he fits into that category. But I don't know where he will fit in. We've just bought 2 central midfielders and with I'm sure Suaraz will take that 2nd striker role.
ReplyDeleteWill we play a 4-4-2? If so, where would he play? I can't sanction Meireles leaving when we have so many players who are still at the club that don't deserve to be.
Livi
No doubt, he has great ability and fits in well with our style of play. A regular and key player on the pitch last season. Like the blog says FSG hungry, young British players, and have another vision.
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, is there a role for him with in the new re-shaping. I think theirs always a role for player of his ability, but at 28 he will not settle for park bench, in which case its quite clear Liverpool are open for offers, and profit we will make.
Meireles is not just a quality footballer, but an intelligent one to boot. The fact that he came on so strong in the second-half of the season after being played out of position says a lot about his strength of character.
ReplyDeleteWe should also take in to account unlike most Latin players who have taken a season or two to settle in,for instance, his countryman Nani who has only started fulfilling his potential in his fourth season at Man U, whereas in comparison, he has hit the ground running. Like Gerrard, he also provides leadership by example and during the second-half of the season without our inspirational skipper he came to the fore. His pedigree in tandem with his age suggests that he would not want to warm the bench and one could understand a willingness to leave should he not be certain of regular first team football.
I agree with Livi's summary, in that, the central midfield area looks very crowded, but I would be loath to lose someone who I believe is and would continue to be an intrigrual member of the team, especially when when can only see his form continuing on the upward curve.
Two words to not forget next season Raheem Sterling - he is 16/17 years old with blistering pace was outstanding for LFC youth team last season and also had a very exciting Under 17 World Cup for England.
ReplyDeleteHe is ready to be an impact sub next season - you will all not be disappointed when you see this livewire youngster play - I keep going on about him - I know Vic, Karl & Livingstone must be fed up with me going on about him but once you see him in the first team you will all see how talented this youngster is.
He is a left winger who is so talented we are gonna have trouble holding onto him if we hold him back to long.
That forget the name !!! RAHEEM STERLING
dedlfc
As you say his potential is patently obvious, but I am glad that you say impact sub initially as we have to remember he has yet to make his debut at first team level and while this may come sooner rather later, I would prefer to see allied to the Downing transfer, another wideman coming in which will give us a chance to bring on Sterling gradually.
ReplyDeleteThat young guy is a serious prospect. How I wish he does not get burn out before his potential shine through. He is so comfortable on the ball and he is terror on the opposition defenders. South End can testify to that in the Youth Cup in which he scored 5 goals.
ReplyDeleteHe scored two wonder goals at the under 17 world cup. I agree with dedlfc, the boy is due for the bench and serious work out on Carling Cup.
Edet
Thats right a player who can come on when we are winning 2-0 or 3-0 to get some PL experience or to try and influence a game being drawn 0-0 or 1-1.
ReplyDeleteThose who havent seen him will be surprised at his balance, quickness and movement and coolness in front of goal.
dedlfc
I would really like to see LFC purchase a top quality right sided player to increase the options should they we want to play a 4-4-2 or even on the right of a 4-3-3 up top.
ReplyDeleteHaving the option of playing two quality wide men on occasions just gives us that inponderable, that so called X-Factor within the squad, which I believe we maybe short of right, especially when Carroll is playing as the main striker.