Liverpool fans have every right to be disappointed with the course that this season has taken.
The arrival of Brendan Rodgers triggered genuine optimism and the feeling that the club was heading in the right direction.
Unfortunately, this positive outlook was not backed up in the transfer market and Liverpool embarked on a new season without adequate strength in depth upfront.
A slow start was met by a small change in fortunes this January, but things have now more or less circled back round to where they begun.
Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez are this side’s brightest sparks, but if one of them is injured, or has an off-day, Liverpool tend to struggle.
The Reds must surely be tired of chasing fourth place. The fans must be tired of seeing them fail to achieve this aim. It’s clear now that something needs to happen to kick this club back into life and get them competing at the top once more.
It wouldn’t surprise me if it was some smart transfer dealing on the part of Rodgers, that acted as a catalyst for the club.
This brings me to a rumour currently being circulated by Spanish site fichajes.net, that Liverpool are chasing Newcastle’s French talent, Hatem Ben Arfa.
Injury problems aside, it’s clear that Ben Arfa is the real deal. His energy, drive and ability on the ball is practically unmatched in the Premier League. He carries the ball across the pitch with an effortless grace, weaving into congested areas and somehow using his feet to get out on the other side with the ball at his feet.
He’s the kind of talent that can change a game in an instant, with a moment of magic. His quick feet can unlock well organised defenses and he’s capable of scoring some absolutely fantastic goals.
Alan Pardew wont want to sell, but he’s realistic enough to realise that certain players will want to move on from Newcastle and that it’s not worth keeping them against their will.
According to this source, the Reds are weighing up a £20m bid for the winger and I’d say that sum represents a fair deal. Yes, he’s talented, but he’s also got a checkered injury history and can be inconsistent.
You get the feeling that a move to a big club like Liverpool would help Ben Arfa take his career to the next level. If he is available at this kind of price, Rodgers would be mad not to snap him up.
What’s your take? Should Brendan Rodgers look to wrap up a deal for Hatem Ben Arfa?
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I disagree, at £20m the price is too high. You mentioned stepping up might bring the best but it might not… for me, to risky @ £20m
I think Alessandrini from Rennes is a much better choice.
If he doesn’t extend his contract this June, he ‘ll be available for £12mn or lower, because his contract is till June ’15. Unless he signs the extension, he ‘ll be depreciating at an alarming rate – £12/£13mn in Aug, £9-10mn in Jan, £5-6 by next June, free after that.
Mike Asley is an astute businessman, instead of going for the risk, he ‘ll cash in & reinvest in outside UK. The main issue is, if HBA is willing to come at LFC or not.
Especially if it means him sitting on the bench
I reckon a swap deal with andy Carroll going to Newcastle maybe a good option but the main focus should be a central defender
youd ‘be mad’ to pay 20 mill..i’d say straight swap andy carroll everyones happy
Why are Liverpool fans disappointed? Real Liverpool fans know that under Rodgers we have made quite a bit of progress. Ok, our league position isn’t that much better than last season, but we are a lot closer to top 4 points wise, which is a huge improvement on last season. The amount of goals we have scored are a lot better than last season, in fact we have scored more goals so far this season than for the whole of last season, currently the third best attack in the league. And our defense isn’t actually as bad as some people make out. We are also playing some fantastic football, all we need is consistency, but that will come.
Harry Cloke the writer of this article is yet another arrogant deluded idiot. He constantly writes articles about NUFC players leaving. He now refers to a potential move to a BIG club as what is required for Ben Arfa. Are NUFC not a big club ? Ben Arfa is currently in a young vibrant side still playing in Europe., Liverpool are knocked out and have issues with an ageing team and the Manager. Maybe you should write an article about. Suarez and his undoubted summer exit ? Bafoon !
We should NEVER buy another player from Newcastle PERIOD !!! There not good enough,Ben Afra is a good player but he’s always injured ? £20 million pound is a joke,he isn’t worth £10 million pound due too his injury history ? And I’m not being funny,but If Rodgers buys Ashley Williams ;-( that will almost certainly be the nails in Rodgers coffin,after the way the PR*CK spoke about Suarez ?