Molby: Liverpool need a striker

By Olivavu, Fri 04/05/12 at 11:16

Former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby says the Reds need to buy another striker this summer, despite spending £57.7m on Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez.

The pair were signed in January 2011, with Fernando Torres sold for £50m.

But Liverpool have struggled to convert chances this season and are eighth in the Premier League.

"They spent a lot of money last season," Molby said. "But with all the chances they have wasted, they have to find somebody to score more goals."

Liverpool's profligacy
Liverpool top the league for hitting the woodwork. Their 31 attempts are nine more than next-placed team Fulham
The Reds have the league's most shots off target - 292
They have the third worst shooting accuracy, behind Stoke and QPR

Liverpool announced an annual loss of £49.4m on Thursday. but Molby told BBC Sport the team need better delivery from wide areas, even though they signed winger Stewart Downing for a reported £20m last summer.

Molby, who made 292 appearances in a 12-year spell at Anfield, said: "Liverpool are still looking at similar areas as they did last season.

"They need wide men who can bring us real quality, a real playmaker in midfield and of course, importantly, and depending on how much money is available, a goalscorer."

Kenny Dalglish's side have already won the Carling Cup this season and could add to that in Saturday's FA Cup final against Chelsea.

Yet, with two league games left, they could finish out of the top eight for the first time since 1954.

Suarez is Liverpool's top scorer this season with 17 goals, but he is the only player to reach double figures.

Liverpool have won only five of 18 home league games this term and have hit the woodwork on more occasions than any other Premier League team.

Molby backed Dalglish's argument that winning two trophies would make it a "successful" season.

Liverpool's top scorers
Luis Suarez: 17
Craig Bellamy: 9
Steven Gerrard: 9
Andy Carroll: 8
Maxi Rodriguez: 6
Dirk Kuyt: 5

But he said missing out on the Champions League would affect the calibre of players the club could sign.

"There have been some really disappointing performances in the Premier League and you can't overlook that," Molby said.

"If you become a cup team and you finish seventh, eighth or ninth in the Premier League, the group of players you are going to attract, as great as your history is, is limited.

"Every player worth his salt wants to play in the Champions League. As much as they say the cups are great, Liverpool have to get back there."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17937234

Ok, it is pretty obvious that we need to sign a striker - but I am glad he has pointed out that most of Kenny's signings have not solved the problems they were meant to.

And despite Kuyt and Maxi being in our top six goalscorers this season, they still aren't regulars for us - which is getting to be beyond a joke.

We cannot afford to waste more money on deadwood like Carroll and Downing. We need to spend wisely this Summer and buy quality - not overpriced British toilet.

WestAussie-Red
Fri 04/05/12 at 14:24

The problem though and something i been thinking about for a few days is that KK is really only going to sign British , and also is only worried about the local cups , have a look at previous history .

And to Jan Molby " no s**t Sherlock" we been saying this on this forum for 6 months .

Sniffer
Fri 04/05/12 at 22:37

Quote from: Olivavu on Fri 04/05/12 at 11:16

Former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby says the Reds need to buy another striker this summer

Understatement Jan

Kazekou
Fri 04/05/12 at 23:08

I think he's probably trying to use his status to pressure the club into signing one. seeing as we've needed a second striker since 2006.

It may be obvious but the club has ignored it for over half a decade. I still find it baffling that we didn't sign one in January when we people were screaming for one

LFC SUB
Sat 05/05/12 at 01:16

Jelavic. Mare.

Nicho
Sat 05/05/12 at 01:58

Quote from: Kazekou on Fri 04/05/12 at 23:08

I think he's probably trying to use his status to pressure the club into signing one. seeing as we've needed a second striker since 2006.

It may be obvious but the club has ignored it for over half a decade. I still find it baffling that we didn't sign one in January when we people were screaming for one

What influence does jan Molby have? He's been offered a few bob for his opinion. So What.

Sniffer
Sat 05/05/12 at 10:34

Agree Kaz why we didn't get 1 in jan is beyond everyone

Olivavu
Sat 05/05/12 at 11:24

We should have signed Jelavic. That much is obvious.

Kazekou
Sat 05/05/12 at 12:12

We should have signed anyone or given a youth player a chance. How can we call ourselves a top club if players perform abysmally and we still select them for the next match.

We lost £57m this year and £47m of that was in write-offs, i refuse to believe we couldn't afford tossing £5m-£7m at a reasonable striking prospect. We literally have just thrown almost £50m away!

kevkev
Tue 08/05/12 at 09:31

Quote from: Kazekou on Sat 05/05/12 at 12:12

We should have signed anyone or given a youth player a chance. How can we call ourselves a top club if players perform abysmally and we still select them for the next match.

We lost £57m this year and £47m of that was in write-offs, i refuse to believe we couldn't afford tossing £5m-£7m at a reasonable striking prospect. We literally have just thrown almost £50m away!

Downing, Henderson and Adam have been dismal. Carroll is hungry and has found his shooting boots. Henderson should stop running around aimlessly and learn a particular role e.g. CM. Wasted 50m... That's a bit harsh.

Olivavu
Tue 08/05/12 at 09:32

Adam has been better than Henderson.

Kazekou
Tue 08/05/12 at 12:41

disagree. Adam has wasted an awful lot more ball than Henderson. And whether or not Henderson has been good he does have a significantly more dynamic game

Olivavu
Tue 08/05/12 at 13:58

One look at the assists and goals stats for the two of them shows that Adam has been the better player for us.

He was forming a decent partnership with Lucas until the Brazilian got injured.

Since then he hasn't been so good.

Kazekou
Tue 08/05/12 at 15:19

statistics are deceptive. If you pass to Suarez and he makes a goal from nothing then you have an assist. If you pick the ball up from defence, run it into midfield and play a sensible pass out to the wing, then you have nothing. But the latter is better for the team

Secondly Kevkev, I did not call the players a waste of money. The club literally wrote off approximately £50m. Meaning that they literally threw away that money. That is what i'm talking about. not signings

Olivavu
Tue 08/05/12 at 15:34

Quote from: Kazekou on Tue 08/05/12 at 15:19

statistics are deceptive. If you pass to Suarez and he makes a goal from nothing then you have an assist. If you pick the ball up from defence, run it into midfield and play a sensible pass out to the wing, then you have nothing. But the latter is better for the team

I'm not simply passing to a player who then creates a chance for themselves counts as an assist.

Anyway, Charlie Adam has put in some clear assists this season - Henderson has about two.

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