So it's Johnson to Pool for a sum of 17.5 million quid or thereabouts... well arguably not a bad buy , for Johnson is indeed a quality player and one of the best in his position in the league. Yet I can't help but feel that the amount is a tad over the top even for Johnson. He's a right-back afterall! A right-back! Sure, Bosingwa and Dani Alves might well cost at least that amount too, but Johnson hasn't quite proven himself to be of their quality yet. He's only had one smashing season in 08/09, and some might say he's finally coming of age at 24 - which may be true, but only time will tell if he has what it takes to do well at a big club (granted that his experience at Chelsea earlier might have been a baptism of fire for a teenager). Age is obviously on his side and he will definitely get better... but whether he will eventually be good enough to justify the 17 million pounds remains to be seen obviously.
Well here's hoping that he would cement his place ahead of Arbeloa (if he stays) and Degen and become a mainstay in the first XI for years to come.
But did Rafa really need to strengthen the right-back slots? Obviously strengthening any position is desirable, but there are also the obvious factors like the transfer kitty and current strength of depth of the positions to consider. Arbeloa has had perhaps his best season in a Liverpool shirt and has made the position his own ahead of... the injury-stricken Degen. But I did think he was decent enough for Liverpool since Steven Finnan's departure. Come on, Real Madrid are speculated to be after him! Then there's the matter of the strength in depth. Sure, Degen was out the entire 08/09 season, but he'll be there as a back-up next season. Haven't seen him play at all, but I'm sure he'd be adequate cover for the position. Not forgetting Carragher who can shift out right with Skrtel/Agger playing in the middle. I can't wait to hear from Rafa commenting on Johnson's signing - both parties have been all quiet in the reports so far! Besides the hefty price though, I think that Johnson is a top, top acquisition.
Well I think if there were any areas that required reinforcements more than the right-back position, it'd be the attacking departments. Sure, Riera has had a number of matches where he'd looked the part on the left, but he's not been very consistent. Perhaps he'd be better equipped in his second season having been accustomed to the rough and tumble of the PL. There's Babel and Benayoun who may seem more than qualified to fill in for Riera - but Babel cannot play on the left wing, or on the wings for that matter (for he is really not all that skilled and tricky, nor fast!), and Benayoun is best saved as a match-winner/game-changer on the bench. David Silva would have been and remains to be a welcome addition - a fair bit of flair and magic has been missed since Luis Garcia exited the Shankly Gates a couple of seasons ago. Thought that Rafa would have gone all out to achieve his target of a striker this transfer season since Keane's unfortunate stint at Anfield. But Johnson seems to be the only big-name signing this window and it looks to remain at that unless funds are garnered through the sale of Alonso/Mascherano (which I am staunchly against, by the way!).
We are remarkably short of quality strikers at the moment. There's Nando and Ngog along with a host of players who have not really played extensively in the striker's role last season - Kuyt, Babel and the returning (?) Voronin. With Gerrard revelling in the free role behind the striker last season, we really just need two top-class strikers in the squad. We have Torres, and we need one more striker. That could be Babel, but he hasn't been given the nod ahead of Ngog to prove himself. It's his preferred position afterall, and he is the next Henry, no? Ngog is arguably still young, but he is nowhere near being Torres' standard yet (and perhaps never will be), or even near being an able substitute. Kuyt will almost definitely reprise his role on the right next season. What we require is not another striker on par with Torres - I'm thinking Rafa will be sticking to the 4-2-3-1 for some time, having found the spine of the team (like his Valencia team of old) in Reina, Alonso, Masch, Gerrard and Torres. Because such a striker (like Eto'o or Villa) would not be content with a place on the bench. An able substitute would be adequate. Crouch would have been a suitable choice, but even he was not content not playing.
Which is why I am for the idea of bringing in David Silva, because he brings in more than just creativity. Here are the reasons why Silva should don the Liverpool number 7:
1) There's the obvious solution to the left-wing, a long-standing problem department for the team not completely addressed yet by Riera.
2) Silva plays on either wing, so where Kuyt is injured (the one time he is in a decade or two!) he can slot in there with Riera on the left. That would really give Liverpool genuine width on both sides of the pitch! And with the midfield anchored superbly by Alonso and Masch it wouldn't compromise on the "hard" nature of the midfield. This is where Johnson's athleticism comes in too - he is able to cover adequately for Silva's (presumably) lack of defensive qualities and the absence of the hard-running that Kuyt provides.
3) By having two natural left wingers, it really gives Rafa the opportunity to free Babel from the burden of playing back-up on the left to... play back-up striker. Despite his weaknesses, I believe that Babel has sufficient strength and pace and skills and a good enough shot to be an able back-up for Torres. A striker does not necessarily have to beat or wriggle past his man (which Babel cannot do) as much as a winger has to. Babel is decent in the air as well, and I'm positive he could hold up the attacking line well enough to at least get Gerrard in.
4) Silva is an Aimar-like player. While Rafa has the undoubted pleasure of playing Gerrard in the free role behind the striker, Silva could play the same free role/supporting striker just as well in the event where Gerrard is out. Again, the anchor of Alonso/Mascherano is pivotal to Silva's inclusion in the line-up as he may appear to be a bit of a lightweight in the league.
