Liverpool's Loan Players Mean Money In The Bank

Andre Wisdom (Left): Cash cow or Loss leader?

According to reports, the country is now on the road to financial recovery. Despite this we all still need to keep an eye on the purse strings and Liverpool Football Club are no different. Let's be honest, never mind blaming the Mrs., we're all guilty of a retail excess now and again. A little shirt here, £50. A nice jacket there, £200 and, in the case of Liverpool, a centre back or two, £20m. It all adds up. I've been doing some digging and Liverpool have no fewer than 13 players out on loan this season. That's virtually another team, barring a few subs. 

It's common knowledge that Brendan Rodgers needs to strengthen the defence, not only in preparation for potential Champions League football, but also to spare the blushes from some more than ropey defending we've seen in recent months. Well, he need look no further than the loan list where the team almost has an embarrassment of riches available and ready to save the club more than just a few quid on new players. 

To avoid boring everyone to tears, here's my pick of the bunch that will help Chief Financial Officer Andy Hughes sleep that little bit sounder with the prospect of signing off some rather hefty cheques over the summer months to come. After all, as they say, look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves. 

Of the five defenders, Andre Wisdom must be in with a shout of pushing for a first team place next season. And the updates from Derby County are very encouraging indeed. The lad is good. Strong, fast and, judging from what we've seen of Glen Johnson's ageing legged performances this term, Wisdom would be worth a run in the side. We have Jon Flanagan at right back now, but he's also been used effectively on the left. Wisdom has been impressive whenever he's played and you could argue that the first team exposure will bring him on leaps and bounds as it has done for Flanagan. That's surely a saving of six or seven million at today's rates. 

In midfield, I'd like to see Oussama Assaidi come back. From what I've seen he's had a decent spell at Stoke City. He scored an absolute screamer against Chelsea in December to give the Potters a deserved victory. He would make a decent replacement in the event of injury, and alternative to any of Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho or Iago Aspas.  Where Aspas is concerned, I think his massive league goal tally this season of, er... two, should make him a contender to be sent out on loan himself if Rodgers still rates him. Or out to graze if I were to rate him. There's also Jordan Ibe who most definitely has something to offer. Not as a starter, but again, bums on seats. Even if those seats take the form of the bench, he should get more playing time in the cup games and cover for the inevitable injuries. That's another five or six million quid there. More if you add the two bob they'd get for Aspas if he was sold on. 

The loan market has already helped Liverpool to save a fair packet.  I'm sure Mr. Hughes is glad they've taken some players on to the books with only the wage liability and not a burdensome multi-million pound transfer fee to add to the balance sheet as well. Enter Aly Cissokho. He was mooted as a £12m must have purchase a year or two ago. The 26 year-old on loan from Valencia has been a tad disappointing in my eyes and I'm grateful that the club didn't part with a large fee for him. Thank The Lord! They've only just turned the corner of financial recovery like the rest of us and he'd have been the footballing equivalent of a pair of loafers too far. The ones that looked nice in the shop, but now they always squeak and hurt your feet when you wear them. 

Liverpool have a good thing right now. Not only are they second in the league and improving mentally, tactically and technically physically with each game, but the future prospects for the team look very bright in terms of the younger players at hand. It's vitally important that the likes of Ibe, Conor Coady, Jack Robinson and the rest are developed into the players that they have the undoubted potential to be. My only concern with them playing at clubs like Derby County and Sheffield United is that they do not get the kind of challenge in the lower divisions that they'll get in the Premiership and the club should strive to find top quality clubs for these players whenever possible. 

In summary, let's try to have a win win situation here. The home-grown players mean the team can grow from within and build a stronger base. LFC must not rely on the transfer market where prices and quality are both overinflated. Money makes a good servant, but an awful master. 

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Liverpool v Arsenal preview

Got some thinking to do...

In a few minutes from now Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool side host Premiership leaders Arsenal at Anfield, and like with every fixture between now and the 11th May, is a must win for the Reds.

It goes without saying that Liverpool have not done well against the teams above them in the league this season having taken a big fat zero points from the possible nine available from Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea. Cries of bad luck, poor refereeing aside, the final scoreline speaks for itself, and this is what matters. The biggest issue for Liverpool this season, in my opinion has been their defence. Shocking would not have been an understatement for many an occasion this season and this is something Rodgers must remedy.

I don't believe the inability to capture an obscure Ukrainian attacking midfielder in January to be the failure of Liverpool, but rather the lack of focussing on bringing in a competent defender to shore up the leaky back line. This is absolutely clear and I don't know what team observers are watching if they see missing out on signing Yehven Konoplyanka as the death knell for Liverpool's season. Only Man City have scored more goals than Liverpool so far this term thus the attacking element in the side does not appear to be the burning issue. The fact that they've shipped more goals than the rest of the top five sides is.

The one saving grace for Liverpool is that all the losses against the top teams have come away from home and the chance to play the top three sides in front of their own fans is definitely an advantage. I for one am expecting much more from the Reds at Anfield and let's hope the side give the fans - and themselves for that matter - something to be proud of. I'm not particularly bothered about the performance if I'm honest. The primary aim against the top sides must be to get the result. Point. These are the kind of games that will shape Rodgers fate and determine whether this season is a mere flash in the pan or a genuine 'Phoenix from the ashes' scenario.

Personally, I'd like to see Jon Flanagan and Martin Kelly starting as the full backs to give the team a bit more 'bite'. I don't think Aly Cissokho has been all that from what I've seen of him. There is certainly no room for the kind of mistake that Kolo Touré made to gift West Bromwich Albion an equaliser in the last fixture. For the midfield and attack, business as usual.

A win for Liverpool would give them 50 points and a five point cushion over Everton who have a difficult away trip to a resurgent Tottenham tomorrow - Not to mention three points behind Chelsea and Man City who occupy third and second respectively. Let's hope in a couple of hours we're talking about three points gained instead of two thrown away, or worse still, three given away.

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So far so good...?



Yes - He loves himself!

 Again, it's been a while since I've written on here. Sad but true. Not that I haven't wanted to. There's one particular reason... I've been shit scared at the strength with which Liverpool have started the season! Call me superstitious but I've been careful not to write too positively for fear of jinxing the whole thing. I mean let's face it, even my arch nemesis Luis Suarez is passing the ball more in the final third. Now this is something I never thought I'd see. Not while he wears the red of Liverpool anyway.

Witchcraft aside, I think most Liverpool fans with the exception of the foolhardy would admit surprise at the start to the season Liverpool have made. The new additions over the summer have not disappointed when they've played and this speaks volumes for Brendan Rodgers' eye for a player. His only utter failing in the transfer market has been Fabio Borini and he's been banished on loan Somewhere or Sunderland (either name will do), which kind of absolves him of the crime he committed in signing Borini in the first place. "It's a fair kop guv'nor!"

Liverpool have adopted a distinct strategy in the transfer market which seems to be paying off. The acquisition of Victor Moses, Mamadou Sakho, Aly Cissokho and Luis Alberto all indicate that the club are looking not just for youth, ability, potential blah blah blah... But hunger. Obviously not in the same sense as in Jan Molby or Neil Ruddock, but as in the desire to succeed where others had written them off. This is true in the case of Daniel Sturridge. Living proof that one man's muck is another man's brass! After Manchester City and Chelsea, he's taken the opportunity at Liverpool with both hands and this is paying dividends for both him and the club. Moses is another example. Although one has to wonder why he ever went to Chelsea from Wigan in the first place. Anyone that's even heard of football could have told the lad he'd struggle to get a run of games there. I hope the move becomes permanent next year. 

Of all the summer signings, I've been most impressed with Kolo Touré.  I'd even say Rodgers has replaced Jamie Carragher with a better player. The guy can do it all. Tackle, positions himself well,  and brings the ball forward out of defence without just "hoofing" it upfield. Touré didn't have anything to prove other than what mugs Man City were for letting him go for free. Liverpool missed him in the Man United game for sure and he's already proving to be a vital part of the first eleven. In fact, the entire current back three of Touré, Sakho and Martin Skrtel or Daniel Agger looks to be the strongest central defence the team has had since the days of Sami Hyypia and Stéphane Henchoz. Yes, the formation is different but in terms of confidence. Confidence that they won't leak a goal or two each match.

The midfield is looking good and although we've not seen much of them, Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto both look to be good buys. I think the latter isn't quite ready yet, and he'll need this season to get used to things but he his technical ability is as good as I've seen. It's fair to say that Aspas too, still has some work to do but the boy does bring some more invention to the side. I won't call him the next Bruno Cheyrou just yet! But with the Jordan Henderson as the next Ray Kennedy and Philippe Coutinho being the next, well... Philippe Coutinho, it's looking like back to the future. The team is playing well, and thus far, my impression of Rodgers has been spot on. He hasn't delivered totally but he's heading in the right direction.

Rodgers is a man who really knows what Liverpool Football Club is about, and the owners have made the right choice in his appointment. His tactical knowledge is solid, he knows how to motivate the players and most importantly, he learns from his mistakes (enter Borini and Oussama Assaidi). That said the team is still not quite where it should be. I thought there were lapses in defence on Saturday which, against a better side would have been surely punished and the team also needs to improve their concentration and consistency in the second half of games when leading. 

Having said that, a top four finish should be achievable given the start they've made to this campaign. I still believe Liverpool need to seek out a replacement for Luis Suarez in the event that he gets itchy feet again. Am I glad he stayed? I can't say I am really. I am glad that he's playing more for the team now and not being guilty of breaking down the attacking phase of play. But I still don't have much time for the guy.

He's like Marmite. You either love it or you don't. Personally I can't stand the stuff!

Follow me on Twitter @Mrbengreen