One of the last deals to go through on last summer’s deadline day was the sale of Liverpool star Raul Meireles to Chelsea for a reported fee of £12m. I think it’s fair to say that it took fans by surprise – Chelsea fans were happy with the new arrival and Liverpool fans weren’t exactly dismayed. The Reds had been spending big in the transfer market bringing in the likes of Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam, so it was necessary to clear the decks to some degree.
Since Meireles wasn’t getting much of a look in, it made sense to sell him whilst he still looked like an attractive prospect. What’s more £12m is nothing to turn your nose up at.
I wonder if opinions have changed now that Liverpool and Chelsea are both embroiled in the battle for fourth. With Liverpool in dire need of some midfield inspiration, could they have done with somebody of Meireles’ quality?
Whilst Kenny Dalglish could never have foreseen Lucas Leivas picking up such a crushing injury, I do think he lacked a little foresight. Isn’t Meireles better than the likes of Charlie Adam? Wouldn’t he provide more attacking endeavour than the likes of Jay Spearing? The answer to both these questions, I fear, is ‘yes’.
On the other hand, I’m not so sure he’s being utilised correctly at Chelsea. They tend to play him pretty deep, when I think he’d serve the club better further up the pitch. He’s not given the freedom to make runs forward and is forced to stick to the defensive side of his game – something he doesn’t exactly excel at. I’d rather see him spreading long passes and making box-to-box runs, but he just isn’t given this liberty at Chelsea.
Yet isn’t this also exactly what Liverpool are missing at the moment – a little forward endeavour? Back when he was a Red his use of the ball was fantastic, he was able to dictate the pace of games and even managed to chip in with goals. I think it’s fair to say that Liverpool have missed him.
When you look at the performance of Liverpool’s midfield against United it’s clear what they lack. In turn, when you look back at the Liverpool’s dealings in the transfer market in recent times, it’s equally clear that they have made mistakes. Surely getting rid of Meireles was a big blunder?
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Actually most Liverpool fans wanted Meireles to stay. He’s the one good player Hodgson managed to buy. Raul was scoring or creating chances on a regular basis.
Sadly, it was Meireles himself who wanted to leave because he felt that Liverpool management had failed to live up to certain promises (rumoured to be a wage increase after the first year.)
As you know, if a player feels disaffected, you’re always best to let him go and move on. And that’s what Liverpool were forced to do.
In hindsight, we expected the crop of midfielders we had bought in the summer of 2011 to be performing much better than they have proven thus far. If Meireles had stayed, I suspect he would have been a regular starter.
You might have expected them to perform much better but I said even as it was being touted that we were after Adam and Downing repeatedly that we did NOT need these mediocre talents. Unfortunately people better than me decided to bring them in. Look were that got us! Hindsight had nothing to do with it. They were bloody useless and will continue to be so…
Agree with Baldrick, he wanted out and we made a profit on a player who is past 28 and although had quality going forward; he was pretty lightweight in some other areas of the field. Also, Spearing and Henderson are only get better if you play them and let them grow. You can only do that if he’s gone.
Henderson is a joke now and will be in the future stop talking shit, we bought very average players and if a player is unhappy why do we have to let them go, hears a thought try to make them happy meet them part the way.
I think an even bigger mistake was not keep Aquilani! But also you have to admit, a player who is always amongst the goals should not be sold, especially after a first season like he had!
In comparison, Henderson, Downing and Carroll have not had the goals and assists Mereiles on his own had!
I personally as said earlier would have spent Torres money on getting Benzema or Higuain to the club! At that time it was a possibility!
Loic Remy also would have been s good but included! Benzema or Higuain, Remy and Suarez up front with Aquilani and Mereiles fighting for that role behind the strikers!!!
A simple pay rise would have ensured we kept Meireles. Also means we wouldn’t have had to spend a shitload of money on a shoddy replacement. How many goals would have Meireles have scored if he’d stayed – in relation to the meagre goal tallies of Downing, Henderson and Adam, that is?
I agree he would have made good use out of a stale Carroll we should have kept him and Alberto and not waisted money on the likes of Henderson or downing Carroll will come good but never worth that sort of money
Selling Mireles was just as big a mistake as selling Alonso in my opinion. He’s a quality player who took time to settle in given his extremely limited playing time. His class shone towards the end of his tenure with us, showing his true value. Hindsight’s a great thing, but if only we managed to keep some of these players (Alonso, Arbeloa, Masch, Torres, Mireles) and added the likes of Suarez and Adam we’d be in a totally different place right now…
I was more bothered about giving up on Aquilani than letting Meireles go.
As decent as he was, Kenny struggled to find a position for him. He often found himself shoehorned out on the left.
So £12m was good money for a peripheral player who wasn’t likely to feature that much.
Although he would have been useful to have around while Adam and Henderson adjusted.
what’s Lucas injury got to do with it? does Mr Cloke actually think that Meireles would of taken his place? Meireles can’t tackle to save his life. this has obviously come from someone who knows nothing about football apart from his football manager game. so my answer to his question is….write about something you know and understand (masturbation maybe)
KD made a lot of mistakes so far this season far ,he signed mediocre and average players , his team selection and tactics has been wrong in 9 games drawn and 6 losses,now with the Suarez debacle he also embarassed our club by being in denial. It pains to say this if we do not make 4th spot ,KD has to quit, even if we win the Carlung & F.A cups.
another fool who shouldn’t be let loose with a keyboard. Why should Kenny quit, we are a club in transition, we will get there. Downing, Henderson,Adam,Carrol & Downing are not there at the moment but look at Lucas two years ago I bet you were one of those “fans” slagging him off as well. KD got it a bit wrong with the Suarez affair but that is his passion for the club, If all those that continuely knocked the players and the staff had the same passion there wouldn’t be dumb posts like yours to answer. YNWA
Kev, first of all I am not dumb , neither am i a fool ,I share the same sentiments of millions of passionate Liverpool fans all over the globe and we can see our club are struggling because KD made mistakes and must be proud enough to admit it ,you must be living in a fools paradise to believe that our club is playing classy football , if we were ,we should be up there with Manchester clubs fighting.YNWA
I don’t believe that Liverpool would regret selling any player. The whole point is you move on and try your best with the players you have and have bought in.
We are in the Carling Cup final and the 5th round of the FA Cup.When last did that happen?
We are battling with Chelsea for fourth but the truth is we all believed that Chelsea would be battling for the title. So they havent exactly done very well with our player Meireles.
Although Meireles was a solid player for us I believe in our players and the momentum of this season can propel us on to achieve greater things.
YNWA.
Baldrick et al, I guess Tottenham would agree, if a player wants to go then let him. No wait they didn’t and they are flying. Footballers are like kids make them feel loved and they will happily stay.
Unfortunately liverpools transfer dealings are those of a man out of the game for too long. Big prices for known names doesn’t mean they’ll succeed whereas Meireles was providing the goods. Aquilani was a mistake from the start and Spearing needs to go on loan. What a good deal Bellamy was!
Fully agree with the author. KK got this one totally wrong. To snub a player like Meirelles, and bring in the likes of the trio of midfielders was a total failure.
OK we could have dealt with Adams and Downing coming in, but Henderson for that amount is madness.
Remember the Chelsea matches last season and his link up play with Suarez earlier this season against Arsenal when he came in. He could change a game almost immediately. LFC should have sit him down listen to his proposal about wages and come to a compromise from both sides. He would have definitely been a major asset to LFC this season. 4th place or even better would have been easily in the bag by now !!
Yes. Por judgemet and decision.
Yeah Meireles was old with 28 and Adam and Downing are young with 27. What about Spearing and Henderson? They are young and they will grow if they are given chance? Boring story about English talent.
In their age you have a lots of proven talents, and they had enough chances to prove them selves this year. Look for example the performance of Eden Hazard and Xerdan Shaqiri they are 21. The guys we could buy and built future on them.
Meireles and Aquilani are far better players than every one of our midfield signings.
The tactics of Dalglish …wrong for the most of the season.
Plus the problem with forwards. Wich club in the premier league have just 2 forwards in the squad???
Meireles + 8m for Downing? Does it make sense?
I was never convinced by Mereiles. He could be good, but awful in other respects (such as in a challenge when he would bottle it).
However, compared to what we have now, especially Adam!!! An awful player – slow, no stamina, where’s his so-called wonderful passing? If Adam was worth £8m then Mereiles was a steal at £12.
For me, Adam is the worst summer signing. Woeful. Much rather have Mereiles.
not one to call myself an expert,, but i was very dissapointed when Raul left,, and i have kept my opinion clear since,, that given what we bought instead,, selling Meireles was a big mistake,, i think that he is always better than, to me, an overrated Adam,, could easilly have covered for Lucas, more versatile than both Adam and Spearing. To me,, Meireles was the most constant player we had , his last season. My worst summer signing has though to be Downing,, i mean, ,Henderson has his age to become better,, but both Adam and Downing were to be proven talents, in their respective teams.. Only to not succeeed at Liverpool.