Source: Team_Talk
Hodgson happy with summer business
Roy Hodgson admits bringing in a new striker would be "the icing on the cake" but he is happy with Liverpool's transfer business this summer.[LNB] Left-back Paul Konchesky is set to become the seventh new arrival at Anfield when he completes his move from Fulham.[LNB]Although Hodgson has lost quality in midfielder Javier Mascherano - who has departed for Barcelona - and sent Alberto Aquilani out on loan to Juventus, he believes his squad is still strong enough.[LNB]Porto's Portugal international Raul Meireles was brought in within a day of a fee being agreed for Mascherano on Friday and he could eventually form a new-look midfield with recent arrival Christian Poulsen.[LNB]Hodgson, who has been linked with West Ham's Carlton Cole, would ideally like to find a striker to provide back-up to Fernando Torres.[LNB]However, he will not spend what little money he has available to him just for the sake of it.[LNB]"The additions to the squad of Meireles, hopefully Paul Konchesky and possibly another player won't do us any harm at all," said the 62-year-old.[LNB]"With Meireles coming in and Poulsen I think we have solved the problems that Mascherano and Aquilani leaving have given us because we've lost some quality midfield players in Yossi Benayoun, Albert Riera, Aquilani and Mascherano.[LNB]"Meireles and Poulsen are two quality players who will boost our squad and who are much-needed otherwise we would have been short in that area.[LNB]"If we could get us a striker who could really take the pressure off Fernando Torres from time to time that would be very useful.[LNB]"I think it could be the icing on the cake but I'm anxious not to bring in people who I don't think are good enough.[LNB]"Just spending money to bring someone in to say we have another player could be a mistake."[LNB]Hodgson has other options up front in David Ngog, who is still a bit raw, and Ryan Babel, who has not played centrally for Liverpool, but would like to have another proven goalscorer on the books.[LNB]"Babel has never been given a real chance up front to show what he can do and Ngog is a player who is making progress," added the former Fulham boss, who has dismissed reports linking him with PSV Eindhoven's Sweden striker Ola Toivonen.[LNB]"I would have to be sure anyone we bring in is clearly better than those two players so they could take a step back.[LNB]"You are not going to bring people to Liverpool who are not playing at the right level."
