Liverpool are set to complete the signing of young Welshman, Joe Allen, from Swansea City for a fee reported close to £15million. But will the 22 year old fit into new boss Brendan Rodgers plans?
Well, first, let’s look at how he did last season in his first full Premier League season under Rodgers.
In 36 appearances for the Welsh club, he scored 4, and set up 2, which is an excellent first season in the Premier League, considering he plays a deeper role, feeding the attacking forces in the team, a Welsh Xavi you could say, I might be just overstating his efforts though.
Nonetheless, he is a great signing for Liverpool, but my problem is this; where will he fit in the Liverpool midfield, considering the amount of bodies that occupy that position?
Rodgers currently has captain Steven Gerrard, Lucas Leiva, Charlie Adam, Jay Spearing, Jonjo Shelvey and Alberto Aquilani, to choose from, so where will he fit in?
Unless Rodgers ships off a few, whether it be loans or selling, it will be unclear who Rodgers will prefer at the start of the season, but I imagine it will be a midfield trio of Gerrard, Lucas Leiva and Allen.
If that happens, then Liverpool’s midfield force will be a force to be reckoned with, Gerrard being the attacking pin of the trio, whilst Allen and Lucas Leiva being the balltracking midfielders, trying to break up the opponents play and counter attack with pin point passes and width.
Joe Allen is a hot talent in the Premier League, but to put his fee into perspective, whether it be the £13.5m or £15m that Liverpool eventually pay for the Welshman, Scott Parker and Rafael van der Vaart cost Tottenham Hotspur just £13m. One good season in the Premier League and expectations are increased tenfold, aswell as his price tag, not many can say they knew Joe Allen’s talent before the start of last season, and if they did, I’m sure they wouldn’t rate him near £7.5million, let alone double that figure.
Although it can be argued that Allen is a lot younger than the two experienced Spurs players, and will hopefully remain at Anfield for the majority of his career, depending on his performances, and most importantly, results, which will decide Rodgers’ future for the next few seasons.
Brendan Rodgers will try to implement the relatively successful football that he managed Swansea to play, and Joe Allen was instrumental in keeping the ball for the Welsh club, so you can see Rodgers thinking behind signing Joe Allen, but the ethic that Allen has, must be throughout the whole squad, if that fails to live up to Swansea’s playing style, and Rodgers expectations, then Allen may find the adjustment to Liverpool a difficult one, which could mean a difficult first season at Anfield.
There have been many good players who have failed to live up to the Kop’s expectations, a shining example is Joe Cole under Roy Hodgson, Fernando Morientes under Rafa Benitez, Jordan Henderson (not exactly good but a large fee was spent on him) under Kenny Dalglish.
If Joe Allen is to succeed at Anfield, then Liverpool need to adapt to the way Allen played under Rodgers’ Swansea last season, if that happens, then Allen will be written into Kop folklore as the Welsh/Liverpudlian Xavi Herndandez.
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A big NO thank you,with that kinda huge transfer fee i would rather go for skillful and resales value player like gazton ramirez instead of most british flop,can’t trust the english media for promoting how good he is.
Red 33. What you going on about how can you say he is not good enough? Bossed your midfield last season!
trust me on this red hes a very talented player with bags of skill and aggresion by the bucketful I really hope he stays at Swansea and he never asked to be worth 15 million thats the markets problem not the players
Next Charlie Adam, who was a big fish in Blackpool pond; even more risky, as he is costing double. Alonso’s now days are born in Spain, not in British isles; if he is purchased at double/triple premium,for his previous affiliation with the Manager or for his passport, the manager might face the same fate of his last 2 predecessors.
No more over hyped, over priced & over paid average Britsh garbage please; we already are struggling to clear lot of trash; thanks to racist KD