On Andy Carroll and Charlie Adam

I've said it before. If a manager doesn't like a player, doesn't want a player, it's almost always better to cut bait immediately.

But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

There's little I can add to James Tyler's wonderful piece for ESPN FC on Andy Carroll.

The new Liverpool is one of Raheem Sterling and Joe Allen. Of Adam Morgan and Fabio Borini. If you loathe Rodgers for being so swift to dismiss the likes of Carroll, at least credit him with having an identifiable plan. Unlike with Dalglish, there appears to be a crystalline method to such madness, even if it does mean Carroll's depressing demise.

Aye, there's the rub. So be it.

As painful as it is to admit, still, Carroll was a misguided purchase to begin with. Rodgers clearly doesn't believe he fits with Liverpool's future – he did everything but drive Carroll to London himself, and he probably didn't do that only because Liverpool had a match yesterday. Liverpool want him off the wage bill, and Carroll wants and needs to play regularly. And Liverpool simply can't get a better offer at the moment.

Personally, I'd still prefer Liverpool kept Carroll.

We'll see who, if anyone, Liverpool purchase with the added money, but the club will save all of approximately £3.2m (40 weeks at £80k/week), plus a rumored £1m loan fee. That's not much added to the piggy bank, as Rodgers admittedly earlier today.

Even if Rodgers has determined he has no use for Carroll, it's depressing. Carroll's 23. Liverpool paid an enormous, club record amount to sign him. And Rodgers won't even give him the chance to prove himself? That's an indescribable condemnation of Carroll as a player and Liverpool's spending under Comolli and Dalglish. And I truly hope it doesn't bite Liverpool in the ass. Carroll has more than enough time left in his career to prove Liverpool wrong, and now that much more motivation to do so.

Maybe he'll thrive at West Ham, and return to Liverpool a conquering hero and better player, with a role to play next season. Admittedly, not bloody likely. But maybe he'll thrive at West Ham and Liverpool will actually be able to sell him for a reasonable fee. That's the hope, and a distinct possibility. Or maybe he'll fail, West Ham will be relegated, and it'll be that much harder to find someone to take him off Liverpool's hands. That's a frightening prospect, but not as frightening as the concern that Liverpool will actually miss his few-and-far-between goals. But we'll get to that.

Adam departs for similar reasons, on a smaller scale, and permanently, transferred to Stoke for an undisclosed fee, most likely somewhere around £4-5m. Another of last season's scapegoats – right or wrong, right and wrong – another who didn't fit with Rodgers' future. I'm less sorry to see him depart, mostly because Liverpool should have more than enough in midfield to cope thanks to the Allen and Şahin additions. I'm still sorry he got more criticism and less credit than he deserved, but mostly I'm just relieved I won't have to tortuously defend his flaws any more. Can't help but wish Charlie luck, no matter how much I detest Stoke, because he should fit very well in that squad. And will probably punish Liverpool when Liverpool face the Potters this season because that's what happens.

Adam (and Spearing) aside, I still can't help worrying about squad depth. Maybe there will be a late purchase to ease concerns, but eight players have departed – Carroll, Adam, Spearing, Bellamy, Kuyt, Maxi, and Aurelio (even if Aquilani barely merits mentioning) – and four have come in, one only on loan for a season: Allen, Assaidi, Borini, and Şahin. It seems Sterling has a large role to play this season, so maybe we should call it five. More specifically, Liverpool have gotten rid of four forwards – Carroll, Kuyt, Bellamy, and Maxi – who played 8593 minutes and made 149 appearances combined, and scored 29 of Liverpool's 79 goals last season. If you add Adam's stats to those four, they contributed 39% of Liverpool's goals last season (31 of 79) and 39% of Liverpool's assists (22 of 56).

Scoring goals have been an issue, the issue, since the beginning of last season. And now, Suarez, Borini, and Morgan are Liverpool's only central strikers. Eccleston does not count. Eccleston will never count. Adam Morgan made his senior debut yesterday. Liverpool signed 18-year-old prospect Samed Yesil yesterday as well, who's just a month younger than Morgan, but his first interview for the official site suggests that he's a ways away from first team action, making just one late substitute appearance for Leverkusen last season. He'll almost assuredly spend the season with the u-21s. It's no surprise that Liverpool are currently scrambling around like a last-minute Christmas Eve shopper trying to buy a forward. We'll find out if it comes to fruition within nine or so hours.

As much as I regret Carroll's loan, it's the manager's decision, and an identifiably new era. And the manager's clearly decided Carroll has no role to play in it. Carroll and Adam were two of Comolli and Dalglish's marquee signings. I doubt Liverpool are consciously ridding themselves of the last regime, but you can't help but wonder, especially with yesterday's mooted Henderson for Dempsey swap deal – a deal with makes less than zero sense and is hopefully massively incorrect. The new regime's regime's strategy is simply far, far different than the last one. Which is probably the point.

Do you trust Brendan Rodgers? FSG sure seems to.

On Nuri Şahin

Nuri Şahin's loan is finally officially announced, contingent upon a medical later today.

I can't help but ask, "Why?"

It's not as if Liverpool lack for central midfielders. Sure, Adam and Spearing did not look good on Thursday, and one or both may find their way out of Anfield. Shelvey also showed signs of youth and immaturity, signs we've seen before despite his obvious potential. But that still leaves Gerrard, Lucas, Allen, and Henderson.

It's a one-year loan with no option to buy at the end of the season. No matter how well he plays for Liverpool, how well he adapts, or how important he becomes, he goes back to Real Madrid in June. At best, it seems a short-term solution, a roll of the dice that Şahin will help Liverpool be better this year, be better immediately.

Rumor has it Liverpool were willing to pay more of Şahin's wages, 70% of his weekly €150,000, which would be around £84,000/week. That'd make him the highest-paid Rodgers acquisition, and one of the top earners at the club, behind Gerrard, Carragher, Cole, Suarez, and maybe Johnson, Carroll, Skrtel, and Reina. That's also fairly large chunk of the wage budget when Liverpool supposedly have to sell before making any more transfer purchases.

So let's assume that weekly wage is correct. Let's also assume the season-long loan means Liverpool will have him on loan until the end of May, 40 weeks from now. That's £3.36m Liverpool will pay for Şahin's one season, in addition to any potential loan fee; Arsenal fans wrote of a possible £2m fee, which would bump the total spent to £5.36m. You're telling me that £5.36m couldn't be better spent to improve Liverpool as a whole? To improve Liverpool for more than just one season?

Well, maybe not. The simple answer to "why" is probably just "it's Nuri Şahin." If you have a chance to add a player of that quality, even if only for a season, even if in a position where Liverpool are relatively set, you take that chance.

The midfield is the key to Rodgers' side, to Rodgers' style. We saw that demonstrated yesterday, painfully, as the Shelvey-Adam-Spearing trio fumbled and erred and was pretty much positionally inept until Joe Allen replaced Spearing. Nuri Şahin's statistics, discounting the last season with Real Madrid, show a player who could add something to almost any midfield in the world.

Last season's do little good; he only made eight appearances for Real Madrid: four starts in the Champions League, two starts and two substitute appearances in La Liga. An injury early in preseason prevented him from appearing until November. By then, Alonso, Khedira, Diarra, and Granero were ahead of him in the midfield order. Worryingly, he only lasted 45 minutes in both of his La Liga starts, hauled off at halftime against Gijon and Granada as Madrid struggled, only to see his team make the comeback once he was pulled off. He played well in the Champions League, but those matches were all romps over the likes of Dinamo Zagreb, Ajax, and APOEL. It's not surprising that Madrid want to loan him out, but that they'd only consider a loan demonstrates they haven't given up on Şahin quite yet.

Şahin's statistics from his last season at Borussia Dortmund certainly help explain why Liverpool are so willing to do this deal.

Six goals, eight assists in 30 starts. Only five players started more league matches: Schmelzer, Weidenfeller, Großkreutz, Hummels, and Subotic. Only four players scored more goals: Barrios, Großkreutz, Lewandoski, and Kagawa. Only Götze made more assists, with 11. Only Sven Bender made more tackles-per-match, with 4.8 to Şahin's 3.7. Only Bender and Hummels made more interceptions, 3.3 and 2.9 to Şahin's 2.3. He averaged 59.3 passes per match, 10 more than the next closest Dortmund player. He averaged 3.5 chances created per match; Götze was second with 2.5. He averaged the most accurate crosses-per-game, the fourth most shots per game, and drew the most fouls per game. Şahin completed the 4th-most accurate through balls per match in the Bundesliga in 2010-11, behind Diego, Podolski, and Holtby, with 0.3 per match (8 out of 22 for the season). Comparatively, Joe Allen completed 0.1 last season: eight attempted, three successful. Lucas completed 0.2 in 2010-11: 14 attempted, five successful. Only Charlie Adam completed more – 0.4 per match, 16 attempted, 11 successful – while only Suarez attempted more: 24 attempted, 10 successful.

Both kicker Magazine and the German Players' Union named Şahin the Bundesliga player of the season in 2010-11, as did the Guardian's Rafael Honigstein, who also raved about the player for Sports Illustrated prior to his move to Madrid. His statistics from 2009-10 were similarly impressive, with four goals and seven assists, but again top or near the top in tackles, interceptions, key passes, total passes, and appearances.

Şahin is still only 23, turning 24 next month, hardly older than Henderson or Allen, but with seven years of first-team football on his résumé. He is still the youngest player to appear and to score in the Bundesliga, feats achieved in the 2005-06 season, and the youngest player to start and score for Turkey, against Germany on his international debut in October 2005. He has already lifted league championships in Germany and Spain, as well as the Dutch Cup during his year-long loan at Feyenoord in 2006-07.

Şahin makes an already deep central midfield even deeper, able to play either one of the two holding positions, whether in place of Allen or Lucas; that's where he played almost every match for Borussia Dortmund under Jurgen Klopp, with Kagawa, Götze, or, going further back, Zidan or Hajnal in the attacking role. Given his versatile qualities, I wouldn't be surprised to see him as the most advanced midfielder under Rodgers. In his earliest seasons, he sometimes played on the left of midfield in a 4-1-3-2 before Klopp arrived, while Real Madrid threatened to use him at left back this season before deciding to loan him out, but those seem much less likely options under Rodgers.

Some have speculated that adding Şahin could see Gerrard pushed into the attacking three: a midfield of Lucas-Allen-Şahin and a front three of Borini-Suarez-Gerrard, more a 4-3-3 than the 4-2-3-1 we've seen in the four competitive fixtures so far. I fear it's one of those things that sounds great on paper and works great in FiFA 13 but we'll never see in practice. This is not 2005, not even 2008. I don't know if Gerrard has the stamina to play in a role that will require constant running and constant tracking back, and a role that takes him out of the middle of pitch. He may have been Liverpool's player of the season in 2005-06 when mostly playing on the right, but if memory serves, he wasn't incredibly happy about the role either. Of course, I didn't expect Gerrard to return to an attacking midfielder role after two seasons where he almost always played in a deeper position, so maybe I shouldn't be trusted to forecast these things.

Even though it's a one-year loan, at least one Liverpool player will probably leave, whether it's Adam or Spearing sold or Shelvey loaned or all of the above. I'd prefer the former, you'd prefer the former, but that all depends on whether Liverpool can find a buyer. That Şahin is left-footed also suggests he's more of a straight replacement for Adam. Shelvey is a different player, able to play as one of the deeper midfielders, an attacking midfielder, or even on the right of a front three if need be, as he did for Blackpool on loan last season. Regardless, there seems too many bodies in midfield and too few in other areas of the squad.

Admittedly, Liverpool will need a fairly large squad if they progress in the Europa League; despite the almost total lack of domestic cup matches in 2009-10 and 2010-11, Liverpool played 56 and 54 games those seasons, compared to 51 last season despite making the finals of both the FA and Carling Cups. Last season's 51 matches were the fewest in a campaign since 1999-2000, the last time Liverpool weren't in European competition; the side routinely averaged just under 60 per season during Benitez's time at the club. And right now, Liverpool simply does not have the squad to cope with that many fixtures.

Şahin assuredly won't start every match, or even close to it. The reason Real Madrid were so willing to loan him out is that he needs playing time, but he also needs to be eased into playing regularly after last season's injury problems and lack of first team action.

For all the caveats, the opportunity to add such a talented player to the squad, even if only for one year, seems simply too good to pass up.

On Oussama Assaidi

Usually when Liverpool signs a player, I've at least a passing familiarity with them. Sometimes, it's someone I've watched often – like Joe Allen, Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam, etc. You know, players bought from other Premiership sides. Less often, it's someone I've seen on a few occasions and can supplement with statistics and those damned YouTube videos, like Fabio Borini. And if I haven't seen them very often, the signing's been rumored for long enough that I can do a modicum of research; you know, like if the Gaston Ramirez rumors had any semblance of truth.

I had never heard of Oussama Assaidi until today. Not while he was playing with Heerenveen, as I rarely if every catch an Eredivisie match, and not linked with Liverpool, as none of the gossip sites, forums, or Twitter ITKs breathed a word of his name in the last couple of months. While it amuses me very, very much when that happens, it doesn't help my ability to analyze signings.

So I'm kind of at a loss as to how to approach this.

• Cursory biographical details: 24 years old (his birthday was yesterday), 22 caps for Morocco, 20 league goals in 68 appearances for Heerenveen, with 10 of those goals (and seven assists) coming last season.

• The YouTube videos are a good place to start. Of course, there's the much-needed caution that they don't make highlights of a player's bad decisions and bad matches, but it's a decent starting point. Here's the one linked on the official site when announcing the transfer. Here's another comprehensive compilation. Here's 11 minutes of highlights from Heerenveen 6-2 Twente, where Assaidi scored three and assisted three. Here's an audacious goal that didn't count, with Assaidi marginally offside, that's just fun to watch over and over and over.

• As usual, Twitter is a fairly big help. Most informed writers, such as Andy Brassell, Leander Schaerlaeckens, and Mohamed Moallim, among others, have described him as a speedy, versatile winger who's an excellent dribbler. Most say he's better on the left than right, more willing to take players on, run with the ball, and cut inside from that flank, more comfortable crossing from the right when he's on his stronger foot. Dutch analyst 11tegen11 linked to an 18-month-old match review of the aforementioned 6-2 demolition of defending league champions Twente where Assaidi scored three and created the other three. I especially liked this quote, linked by Andy Brassell, from Moroccan manager Eric Gerets to current QPR player Adel Taarabt: "Watch (Assaidi) & you'll figure why you're not in the team." Liverpool could certainly do with a better, harder-working version of the sometimes-gifted, often infuriatingly erratic Taarabt.

• Football-lineups.com is often one of my favorite resources; their line-ups show that Assaidi started on the left, in either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation, in all 25 of his league starts for Heerenveen last season. He also came on as a sub twice, was subbed off in 13 of those 25 starts, and was chosen as football-lineups.com man of the match on four occasions, all in the first two months of the season.

So what does the transfer suggest for Liverpool?

First, it's finally one of those vaunted MONEYBALL!!!! type transfers we've heard so much about. A 24-year-old player, unknown by the masses, in the last year of his contract for all of a reported £3m. If he's a success, fantastic. If not, little harm done.

That he's primarily an inverted winger who scores and assists when cutting inside fits with how both Borini and Downing have played in the last two matches, and suggests he'll primarily be Borini's back-up on the left. What this means for Raheem Sterling is less certain, but I highly doubt it'll involve a loan for Sideshow Raheem.

I also doubt this will be Liverpool's only wide forward signing. Liverpool lost three of these kind of players over the summer – Kuyt, Maxi, and Bellamy – and have now replaced two with Borini and Assaidi. That Assaidi plays for Morocco, and will most likely miss most of January and February at the Africa Cup of Nations reinforces this notion. Morocco have to beat Mozambique over two legs during the September and October international matches, but they should be heavily favored to do so. This strengthens Liverpool's depth but doesn't cure those issues.

Finally, no parallels with previous Eredivisie signings. For every Afonso Alves or Mateja Kezman, there's Ruud van Nistelrooy, Dirk Kuyt, or Cheick Tiote. Or Luis Suarez. The league they come from doesn't ensure success or failure. Just felt the need to get that out there. And no parallels with Nabil El Zhar because don't. Just don't.

Assaidi will need time to adapt to Liverpool and time to adapt to the Premiership. That he played in a similar formation, if not similar system, at Heerenveen is a benefit, but it will still take time. That he should be limited to spot starts and substitute appearances behind Borini, mostly used on the left but capable of playing on either side if need be – if all goes according to plan – will be of great benefit to the player and his development at Liverpool.

It's a promising signing in a need position, with low risk and high reward. That's good business, the type of business that Liverpool haven't done nearly enough, and that's cause for optimism in and of itself.

Welcome to Liverpool, Oussama.

On Joe Allen

Well, that took long enough. All that haggling, only to eventually, finally, reportedly meet Joe Allen's £15m release clause. Well done, Ian Ayre, you shrewd so and so.

Now then. I truly hate the "if he wasn't British…" or "if he were Brazilian/Spanish/nationality du jour…" aphorisms that frequently fly around whenever Liverpool – or some other club – buy a British player. It's facile, and it's often simply incorrect. Most British players (read: English) have very British (read: English) talents, tendencies, and faults. But not in this case.

Admittedly, it's hard to look past nationality after the utter flaming failures that were Liverpool's purchases last summer. However, forget last summer, as hard as that is. Joe Allen is not your typical British signing.

• EPL Index: Joe Allen – Statistically Compared to Rivals
• The Liverpool Word: Joe Allen – What would he bring to Liverpool FC?

For one, Allen was one of the best passers in the league last season: in volume, accuracy, and effectiveness.

The above articles comb through his stats effectively, but a look at his passing wheels (previous examples – for Lucas, Adam, Henderson, and Gerrard – here) helps clarify. Here are two of his best matches: against Arsenal, when he was ostensibly an attacking midfielder and tallied one of his two assists, and against Blackburn, when he was ostensibly a defensive midfielder and tallied the other.




Here are the StatsZone chalkboards for Arsenal and Blackburn.

An incredible volume and accuracy, especially when used as a deeper-lying midfielder, but predominantly short sideways and backwards knitting passes, with comparatively few forward passes. He is a link player, a player who keeps possession and keeps play moving. Which is the type of player and type of passer that Liverpool needs.

In these two matches, Allen was a defensive midfielder who joined in the attack against weaker opposition, and an attacking midfielder with a fairly extensive defensive brief against one of the best sides in the league. Allen made four tackles (six attempted) and two interceptions against Blackburn. He was five for five on tackles with one interception against Arsenal. Which was slightly ahead of his 3.1 tackles-per-game average (110 total), slightly behind his 2.1 interceptions-per-game (74 total).

While the tackles total is impressive, especially for a player not known as an out-and-out defensive shield, I'm more interested in the interceptions. This is a composite of all 36 of his matches, via Stats Zone.



That's a fairly effective defensive shield. Not to mention that 23 of Allen's 74 interceptions came in the opposition's half.

Allen may not be billed as an out-and-out defensive midfielder, but he was Swansea's more often than not. As much as Swansea used one in Rodgers' system. Only two players made more tackles over the course of the season: Cabaye and Dembele. Only nine midfielders made more interceptions: Mulumbu, Petrov, Gamst Pedersen, Parker, Cabaye, Modric, Reo-Coker, Cattermole and Jason Lowe. There's only two players on that list I'd rather have than Allen, and both are four years older and would cost even more. Had Lucas – a far more specialized defensive midfielder – completed the season, he'd have dwarfed those tallies, with 5.7 tackles-per-game and 2.8 interceptions when injured after 12 matches, but few others did. Spearing averaged 2.8 tackles and 1.1 interceptions, if you're curious. Enrique led Liverpool with 69 tackles, Agger with 59 interceptions.

Allen also completed 90 minutes in 29 of the 31 league matches he started, taken off after 75 minutes in his first start of the season against Arsenal and red carded in the 80th minute at Blackburn. Which is no small feat for a central midfielder, especially a 21 or 22-year-old. Comparatively, Adam completed 19 of his 27 league starts, Henderson 21 of his 31, and Lucas 10 of his 12.

Gerrard-Allen-Lucas would be an outstanding midfield, – my first choice, and arguably better than any except Manchester City and Chelsea's – but Gerrard-Henderson-Allen also appears outstanding, and would lose little steel were Lucas as unavailable this season as he was in the last (*knocks furiously on wood*). And then there's the future – Henderson-Lucas-Allen. Lucas is 25, Henderson and Allen 22. Not to mention that Jonjo Shelvey is just 20. Those five are Liverpool's top five central midfielders, the ones who'll see the most playing time. And their average age is 24.2, which includes a 32-year-old Steven Gerrard. The average age of Henderson-Allen-Lucas-Shelvey is just 22.25. Since the summer of 2010, Liverpool have spent around £58m on central midfielders (and recouped around £37m in sales). This purchase should mean that position is set for a good long while.

There's also something to be said for players who have worked with the manager before, who know his system, beliefs, personality, and desires. Sure, it's one thing if that manager is Roy Hodgson (wave to Christian Poulsen and Paul Konchesky, everyone), but it's another if that manager is Rafa Benitez (Luis Garcia, Momo Sissoko), and hopefully another if it's Brendan Rodgers. There has to be a reason Rodgers is willing to splurge for Allen, in fee if not in wages, where he wasn't for Sigurðsson.

Were he not British, not subject to parallels with Liverpool's previous purchases or England's (and Wales', and Scotland's…) repeated, hilarious failings, this would be far less controversial. There's also the similarity in fee, seemingly well over the odds, but that concerns me far less. It's a bargain if he succeeds, it's frightful if he fails. Same as it ever was. Rather than paying over the odds for nationality, Liverpool's paying over the odds because of Allen's age– especially for a central midfielder – and because Swansea really didn't want to sell.

So what worries me? After writing all of the above… the similarities with last summer's transfer business. Less Allen's nationality, more that Liverpool again are prioritizing central midfield while there are clear, glaring, gaping holes elsewhere in the squad.

Gerrard, Lucas, Henderson, Adam, Shelvey, and Spearing. That's six central midfielders already on Liverpool's books.

Suarez, Borini, Downing, Sterling, and Cole. Those are Liverpool's wide forwards, a problem position before losing Kuyt, Maxi, and Bellamy, as written about earlier today. And either Suarez or Borini will start as Liverpool's central striker in most matches.

Whatever their faults – and each player has at least one – of that central midfield group, I wouldn't have complained (much) had Liverpool gone into the season with that unit. Yes, Liverpool would have had no one who can truly replace Lucas, as the club learned, at great pains, last season, but Liverpool could cope, and probably would have coped even better in Rodgers' preferred 4-3-3 formation. However, I cannot say the same about the wide forwards. Especially considering Rodgers' preferred formation.

At the same time, it's seemingly another example of Liverpool getting on the train at one of the last stations rather than early in the trip. Yes, it's a completely different manager and a completely different system, but I can't help but wonder had Liverpool bought Allen instead of Henderson or Adam last season. They'd certainly have paid far less than £15m. Or, to compare to Newcastle, who have been very good at getting value for money, Yohan Cabaye – a very similar player, albeit four years older – cost around £9m. And would cost nearly twice as much today

Liverpool have picked up a nasty, costly habit of buying players at the peak of their price, and once again seem to be paying maximum value. As said above, I'm not incredibly worried about the fee, especially if Allen progresses as last season suggested he's capable of, but Liverpool certainly aren't maximizing value either, something which FSG supposedly wanted and promised to do.

Still, once again, Rodgers gets his man, one of his transfer priorities, despite the fee and despite Swansea's unwillingness to sell and supposed clause about Rodgers not poaching players. If we're buying the Rodgers system, it's nice to see all the chips pushed into the middle of the table. Despite Liverpool's logjam in the middle, Allen should improve the side. Imagine yesterday's side with Allen in place of Shelvey; no offense to the youngster, who played well, but Allen would have been an even better fit in that swirling, swarming Liverpool tidal wave.

Yes, there are still holes, and yes, it's a risk. But it seems a risk well worth taking. Welcome to Liverpool, Joe.

On Fabio Borini

Rather than pretend I have any great insight into Borini's abilities, I'll link to a few articles I've found enlightening and add a few thoughts.

• The official site is unsurprisingly all over this, with approximately 15 different articles, but the interview with Borini and Rodgers' take on the player are the only required reading. I especially liked Borini's answers for "what kind of player are you?" and about working with Rodgers.

• Liverpool Offside did the necessary, concise biography on Thursday.

• EPL Index – specifically @LiverpoolScout – examined his attacking statistics, focusing on Borini's conversation rate and minutes per goal. Which are promising, especially considering Liverpool's inconceivable profligacy.

• Roma blogger Blogistuta has some interesting insights from last March, when Borini was on a run of seven goals in eight games. The article focuses on Borini's well-rounded abilities, but what stood out at me was a paraphrased quote from then-manager Luis Enrique: "Borini gives 100% even when sleeping." Which coincides with what both Rodgers said about Borini and what Borini said about himself. And it's a necessary trait in Rodgers' system. Gabriele Marcotti hit a similar note on Friday, tweeting "[He's] not naturally uber-gifted, but very bright on the pitch. Coaches love him. Greater than sum of parts."

• Finally, here are highlights of all his goals for Swansea and Roma (Soccerclips has seven of his nine league goals if you'd prefer to avoid compilations). He scored six in 12 league appearances for Swansea (playing 908 minutes) and nine in 24 for Roma (1685 minutes), an average of 151 minutes per goal for Swansea and 187 minutes per goal for Roma. If you include his one Coppa Italia goal in two matches (both as a sub), it's an average of a goal every 174.5 minutes. Any of those numbers would beat Liverpool's best from last season: Maxi averaged a league goal every 200 minutes, Bellamy every 207, Suarez every 232, Gerrard every 242, Carroll every 516, and Kuyt every 1001 in the league. Factoring in the cups, Suarez's average drops to 192 minutes per goal; no one else breaks the 200 barrier.

Borini was mainly a goal poacher at Swansea, a typical, cliché fox in the box. Five of his six goals were scored with his right foot. Five of six came inside the penalty area – the lone exception a direct free kick against Norwich. Three were scored from rebounds, either inside the six-yard box or just outside.

His league goals for Roma were similar, although Borini usually started from wider positions: all nine from inside the box, seven of nine with his right foot, with the majority less than ten yards from goal, many from rebounds. A handful came from through balls or chips over the top where he hangs off the shoulder of the last defender and beats the offside trap. Interestingly, none of his goals for either Swansea or Roma were headers, but this against Germany, his first for the Italian U-21s, shows he's capable of doing so – a well-placed strike and well-timed leap.

His predilection for close-range strikes is even more apparent when you plot his goals.



Finally, over to WhoScored for a few more statistics than what's presented in the above EPL Index article.



In his 20 starts for Roma, seven came as a left-sided forward, seven as a right-sided forward, and six as a central striker. That versatility will come in handy, especially since Luis Suarez has similar qualities, able to play anywhere across the front line. However, Borini started as a central striker in 11 of his 12 appearances for Rodgers' Swansea. I expect that will be his main position at Liverpool, but his versatility can still be of great benefit.

Second, he fits snuggly into Rodgers' ideal of defending from the front. Borini's 1.8 tackles per game were third-most for a forward in Serie A last season; only Udinese's Albi (started as a forward just six times) and Catania's Barrientos averaged more. And that was in a Roma side which completed the fewest tackles in Serie A. Borini also averaged 0.9 interceptions (again one of the higher totals for a Serie A forward) and 1.4 fouls committed. His defending statistics dwarfed those from Roma's other forwards: Totti, Osvaldo, Bojan, and Lamela. While Borini remains primarily a goal poacher, he will put himself about, vital to the way Rodgers wants to play and again similar to Suarez. Who also averaged 1.4 fouls committed per match, as well as 1.1 tackles and 0.4 interceptions. And that was in a Liverpool side which rarely pressed in the opposition half.

This certainly isn't to say that Suarez and Borini are wholly similar. They aren't. Borini's a better finisher, Suarez a far better creator. Few players attempt more dribbles than Suarez, Borini rarely does so – completing just 21 last season (Suarez completed 76). But the similarities – versatility, defending from the front, and that never-say-die, never-even-think-die work ethic – make the potential partnership (well, more likely two-thirds of a three-man front line) incredibly promising, especially considering Rodgers' style of play.

As LiverpoolScout noted, Borini's passing leaves something to be desired, completing just 359 of 474 passes for Roma (75.7%) – a lower percentage than any other Roma player except the goalkeepers and a forward with just two substitute appearances. He completed just 16 key passes (0.7 per match) and tallied zero assists. Despite usually playing as a wide forward, Borini only attempted 36 crosses, completing just five – fewer than Roma's other four strikers.

Of course, he isn't being bought for his passing. He's being bought for his scoring, his defending from the front, his relatively young age, and Rodgers' experience with the player. All of which bode well for his Liverpool career. £10m is a pittance compared to some of the fees Liverpool has paid out in the last 18 months, especially for a top-tier prospect, already involved in the Italian national side (the youngest player for the Euro runners-up, in fact). And it's not as if Liverpool are lacking in homegrown players, but Borini also counts as one having spent four seasons with Chelsea.

Here's how Liverpool's squad currently looks in what I suspect will be Rodgers' preferred formation.



Obviously, some can play multiple positions even where not listed, especially the midfielders and wide forwards, but this gives you the gist of it. There's definitely some promise there, but there also seems a fair bit of business required. The addition of Fabio Borini is an intriguing start.

LFC Summer Signings Since '04-05

Liverpool haven't signed anyone yet! Sigurðsson chose Spurs over Liverpool! Everyone freak out!

Well, maybe.



Liverpool have signed 51 first-team players since 2004-05, not counting youngsters who never played a first team game such as Németh and San José. 14 of those 51 – 27% – were signed before July 4.

In fact, Liverpool have signed someone on or before July 4 every summer since 2004. Even in Benitez's first season, when Cisse was already wrapped up before Benitez was. Even in 2009, when Liverpool had less than zero money, and 2010, when Liverpool had less than zero money and before Hodgson officially became manager, thanks to Rafa's parting gift of Jonjo Shelvey.

Incidentally, July 4 has also been Liverpool's busiest business day over the last eight summers, with six players officially signed on that date: Barragán, Reina, and Zenden in 2005; Paletta in 2006; Torres in 2007; and Dossena in 2008. Two out of six ain't bad. Okay, maybe it is.

To be fair, Liverpool have excuses, some actually valid. It's understandable that the club are reticent to break their wage structure for Sigurðsson, if that's truly the reason he went to Spurs. The Euros, and the typical lack of business during a major tournament, have made it harder for the new manager to evaluate the current players, let alone make signings. Today was the first day Rodgers met with the squad, and that obviously doesn't include players who went to the Euros.

Still, it's less than reassuring when nearly all of Liverpool's rivals have started their summer business. Hell, even Everton's signed someone. At least the club are all geared up to release the third kit at midnight. Priorities…

All signing dates via the invaluable, irreplaceable LFCHistory.net.