So Liverpool have signed Joe Cole eh? Great signing it seems, good work Roy Hodgson and what a shrewd piece of business by Mr Purslow... Actually, all sarcasm dropped, it’s refreshing to see Liverpool act swiftly in a transfer deal for once; Cole and Jovanovic on a free transfer isn’t bad business for the middle of July.
As usual though, you won’t be surprised to hear I have a concern. By winning the race to sign Cole, we will no doubt see his face and shirt everywhere. The press have been calling it a ‘Marquee’ signing, but I just hope that it’s not a distraction. The distraction being the real issue of squad depth.
Everybody agreed only a week ago that our squad was lacking. After the sales of Insua and Benayoun, not to mention Aurelio leaving too, our squad is still lacking. Now, I’m not complaining, because it’s still early days and I expect a bit more business. It does frustrate me however, that already some fans have started fantasizing about a dream-team frontline firing us to glory. The chances of that happening, remain low.
Cole is an incredibly gifted player, this much is true, but he’s not the messiah (nor is he a very silly boy), he is merely a cog in the machine. To win the league, every cog needs to turn like the others, and so Cole will need time as anyone would, to bed in and find his true role in the team.
Those expecting party tricks are sure to be delighted, but I expect results. I will admit that I’ve never been an avid follower of Cole, Match of the Day and televised games are my only real reference points, but it would be interesting to hear from some knowledgeable Chelsea fans how much they think they’ll miss him. After-all, he couldn’t get a game in their Championship winning team, which prompted his move.
I will of course give Cole my full backing, as will every Red fan, but at the moment, I still see this deal with some suspicion. I still want (but do not expect) significant investment this summer. I will feel underwhelmed if another £15 million is not spent on strengthening the squad. Danny Wilson, at £5m looks to be a risky piece of business, but if Rafa and Roy both saw fit to acquire him then I will go a long with that.
At the start of the summer most people expected about £15 million (net) to be spent, but with Insua and ‘Benanoon’ (with a nod to David Pleat) leaving to the tune of £10m, would I be wrong in assuming that would more than cover Cole’s signing on fee and the bulk of any future wage? The question should now be asked, now what? We find ourselves a senior player down (3 out 2 in), and the rest of the summer to right it. We need two proven left backs, as well as decent cover at right back.
I’m not trying to play Football Manager here, but I would expect the majority of our net transfer outlay to be put into the fullback areas. One high profile left back is essential, if Liverpool FC cannot fill this position adequately this summer I won’t be the only one asking questions of the board.
Whether it would be silly to think or not, I would assume the board are not foolish enough to think they can distract the fans with a shiny new centrepiece in Cole while the walls around it rot. I won’t speculate on what left backs we should get, I will leave that to you dear reader, because I only write this article as a reminder of the real health problems at Liverpool.
Getting back to the playing staff, I would desperately love some real experience to be brought in as cover or 1st choice. However, I know, as with all summers, Liverpool get linked with everyone and anyone so it’s impossible to see through the fog of rumour to what’s really going on.
I read yesterday that Alex Ferguson thinks his team don’t need strengthening, I disagree, but I think that the option to splash the cash may no longer be his. Chelsea don’t seem to be rejuvenating their aging squad and Arsenal may have to contend without Fabregas, or at the least with a sulking Spaniard. As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, I presume the title will be fought out between Chelsea and Man City, but if both teams were to go through a sluggish patch throughout the season, Liverpool (dare I say it) could pounce.
Any title challenge will require a bit of piece from the media, with Roy on board hopefully they won’t be as vicious and rabid as they were with Rafa. I don’t wish to put words in the mouth of the press, but i worry that there may be some on Fleet Street who feel aggrieved two of London’s finest, in the entertainer Cole and the gentleman Hodgson, have upped sticks and gone to LIverpool. With that in mind, I expect some vitriolic swipes at the men in Red this season.
This is all conjecture of course, and the chances of guessing anything right in football require the help of an octopus who put every single pundit in his place at the World Cup. It just goes to show how simple the game is, and how complicated it has become because of the idiots.
So while we all grab our surf boards and try and ride this wave of positivity as long as we can, the real issues bubble just under the surface. The takeover, the future, and the strength of the squad are all major areas of concern. While the Cole transfer is a shining light, as fans let us be careful not to get caught in the glare of it and let the board put their feet up thinking a day eating cake is worth more than a week eating bread.
By Chris Severs
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