Stewart Downing last week joined a not particularly illustrious list of failed British and Irish signings from fellow Premier League clubs for fees which appear exorbitant and over the top. They include, in no particular order, Emile Heskey, Glen Johnson and Robbie Keane.
With all the changes at Anfield in the last decade; three owners, four managers and countless players, someone somewhere presumably is guilty of persistently overvaluing and paying ridiculous sums of money for rather average players.
Or maybe it’s just a huge coincidence.
Either way, this is not a topic that needs treading over with the care that one may take when trying to traverse a bridge made of eggshells – Stewart Downing is a decent, but hardly spectacular, player, who is maybe worth in comparison with other players – £7 million. £20 million is a ridiculous over valuation of someone who has a decent left foot, can cross the ball and produce the occasional spectacular goal, but does not possess the talent to play for a team at the very top of world football, which is what Liverpool clearly aspire to be.
Jordan Henderson could be another falling into this category, though in his defence he may prove to be worth the £20 million fee, but Downing would not be worth £20 million in a month of Sundays.
This will continue to hamper Liverpool. Their rivals consistently outdo them in the transfer market. Manchester City and Chelsea do so through stealth; their sheer funds mean they can sign whomever they want for as much as they want. Arsenal and Manchester United through craft and careful scouting, which is ironic as Liverpool have one of the better scouts in the business, Damien Comolli. Liverpool will continually fail when pitched against the millions of Chelsea or City for established players like Luka Modric or Edin Dzeko, but they don’t show the guile of United or Arsenal, who can sign players like Javier Hernandez or Samir Nasri for far less than £20 million, and turn them into players three times as good as Downing.
Their other signings are promising. Henderson, we’ve already touched upon, and Charlie Adam showed a rare quality in an English player. Craft and technical ability, with the thought to pick out a perceptive pass at Blackpool last year. With the pace, skill and power of the frontline of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, Liverpool have potentially a very good first team, but buying English is not the way to go for teams looking to win the Premier League, or any other major competition. The English style has been shown up internationally as a failed, drawn out attempt to win by stealth. Press and chase, but without control, it all falls to bits.
Roma last week signed Eric Lamela for £12 million from River Plate. Players of his quality are worth their weight in gold, and he has a future far better than Downing. The talented Argentine demonstrates what Liverpool miss. The ability to pick out a bargain in a room full of overpriced English players. It’s time to look for bargains, or that elusive 19th title will continue to prove beyond them.
