Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 2016/2017

One_Of_Shanks

DuffleBag wrote: »

Looks like Sturridge wanted a deadline day move to Arsenal on loan. Will be tough for him to go back to the fans after that..

Ah come on, it's a flippin world exclusive by goal.com containing absolutely zero quotes from anyone and reckoning that Sturridge's agent went to Arsenal cap in hand begging to save poor Daniel by loaning him from Liverpool.
Sound plausible?

Sturridge might be injury prone, he might be a bit obsessed with pointing at the sky a bit too much but he'd have to be bloody stupid to go sending out a request to Arsenal on deadline day to loan him, knowing full well the club would never sign off on it.

If that happened then that's him left to rot in the reserves, no game time, no England games (due to no LFC games) etc....

It would be career suicide.

Just a daft article on a daft site.

Turtyturd

K-9 wrote: »

Was it yourself and me that had serious doubts about signing Mario?

I think we were in a small minority on this thread anyway, it seems way different to how some are remembering it. Called a deal on deadline day for him right as well. Thought it would be a loan but a free is getting him off the books so avoids reading about him next Summer at least.

Don't often get ones right so I'm crowing a bit on the Mario stuff!

Don't often often agree with Lloyd, and still wouldn't on marquee signings stuff, but this window was underwhelming. Even somebody like Cissokho would have done for cover, not set the world alight but dependable.

Think the majority were of the opinion that it was a mess from the start. Most tried to be optimistic about it though. I think it was the 'manball warrior/proven winner/remember that semi final' opinions that were the minority.

One_Of_Shanks

Dickerty wrote: »

That's 3 of the last 6. I think this is the bets summer window we've have overall, bringing in only a small number of carefully selected players, and getting rid of a LOT of dead wood. We only have max 50 game this season, don't need 3 players for every position...

Agree, I think it's one of the best windows we've had in a long time.
Perfect? No, but some of our best business in yonks imo.

corwill

Dickerty wrote: »

Yeh, it was on the Arsenal side. She is not far behind Echo levels of reliability now. And a lot cuter than Uncle Jimbo!

I stopped following her on Twitter because it seemed as though she was largely just parroting the Echo's feed. Hadn't noticed original content from her in, well, forever.

LuckyLloyd

Augeo wrote: »

If we finish 8th this season, with no EL to contend, and if it looked we were 8th ish for most of the season I reckon things would get grim quite quickly.

Past achievements and reputation wouldn't count for much then.

Can't see us not challenging for 4th or finishing below 6th tbh, all considered that's where we are and it might be another season or two before we actually get CL football again.

But 5th/6th and in or around 70 pts and you'd be seeing reasonable progress.

Things would be grim for Klopp, and there would be terrible recriminations in the stands and amongst the fanbase generally but the financial stability of the club would not be impinged by a pedestrian mid table season with no trophies. That's one way of viewing the FSG 'model' - they have successfully decoupled the foundations of the club from on the pitch success in the medium term.

As I said yesterday though, progress is a sacrifice at the altar of necessity.

Dickerty

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

Agree, I think it's one of the best windows we've had in a long time.
Perfect? No, but some of our best business in yonks imo.

No, perfect would probably have been including Dahoud and a LB, but not to be...

Dickerty

corwill wrote: »

I stopped following her on Twitter because it seemed as though she was largely just parroting the Echo's feed. Hadn't noticed original content from her in, well, forever.

There are 4/5 of them that must be on a Whatsapp with someone from the club, all break things at the same time (Joyce, Barrett and Ben Smith as well). And her coverage of the US tour was v good, great interview with Klopp...

LuckyLloyd

Dickerty wrote: »

Really? You have a short memory...

Season 14/15
Emre Can £10,000,000
Rickie Lambert £4,000,000
Adam Lallana £25,000,000
Lazar Marković £20,000,000
Dejan Lovren £20,000,000
Divock Origi £10,000,000
Alberto Moreno £12,000,000
Mario Balotelli £16,000,000

(Only Can and Orig really got people excited, a lot of negativity towards Balo and the Soton trio)

Season 13/14
Luis Alberto £6,800,000
Iago Aspas £7,000,000
Kolo Toure Free
Simon Mignolet £10,000,000
Tiago Ilori £7,000,000
Mamadou Sakho £18,000,000

(Only Sakho was really a positive sign)

Season 11/12
Jordan Henderson £16,000,000
Charlie Adam £7,000,000
Doni Free
Stewart Downing £20,000,000
Jose Enrique £6,300,000
Sebastian Coates £7,000,000
Craig Bellamy Free

(It was said we were overpaying for Hendo and Downing, the rest very meh...)


That's 3 of the last 6. I think this is the bets summer window we've have overall, bringing in only a small number of carefully selected players, and getting rid of a LOT of dead wood. We only have max 50 game this season, don't need 3 players for every position...

Ugh, getting in the weeds.

In 11 / 12 we signed British players who were identified as top performers the previous season. It turned out to be the wrong approach and I strongly criticized it at the time but - allied to the business of the previous January window - it signaled a backing of Dalglish.

Sakho was a huge signing at the end of the 13 / 14 window that we were all excited about - both dum dums like myself and the 'I follow all the up and coming players from 15 European leagues' crowd. And we told Arsenal to go **** themselves over Suarez.

Again 14 / 15 was a terrible window in my view at the time. Though it represented a backing of Rodgers and an intent to sign players of a perceived CL calibre ala Balotelli.

=============

Bottom line is that arguing that this window is 'great business' smacks of the hand waving on our summer 2014 business or last years. I will concede that decisions are being made related to preference of the manager and the reduced volume of games. But none of our signings are big pushes in terms of wages or fees. None of them would be signed by a CL contender.

Bandana boy

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

Agree, I think it's one of the best windows we've had in a long time.
Perfect? No, but some of our best business in yonks imo.

Must be a lot of would be accountants in here , as only somebody more concerned with the balance sheet than the team and the prospect of winning trophies can be truly happy with that window.

Any one of Utds four biggest signings is more ambitious and frightening than all ours combined , we are both out of Champions league , after their business they look certainties to get back in we look certainties to stay out .

Arsenal who are already ahead of us have pulled further ahead by adding significant strength

Ditto Spurs , Ditto Man City
And Chelsea who are behind look to have pulled ahead of us as well

How in any way of measurement is falling further behind a good thing ?

Bizarre

I am all for pulling for Klopp and trusting him ,but if you can keep your head when all around lose theirs , you probably don't understand the severity of the situation

LuckyLloyd

All of the player's sold in this window were bought/came through under the FSG regime. Some class them as failed signings but the reality is the FSG way is to buy a player with the view to being able to recoup money in 2/3 years if the player doesn't live up to expectations.

It won't work all the time (Balotelli) but it's not bad business financially speaking. With no European Football the squad had to be trimmed and it was, with no/minimal financial hit overall. Most of the lads who moved on weren't on huge wages so they would have been open to leaving more so than the Enriques and Johnsons of the past who were on hefty salaries so finishing their LFC contracts out was the sensible option for them.

We'd be able to offload Milner & Lallana over the next couple of windows without losing too much too and the likes of Ings & Origi we'd make money on.

FSG & Ayre have made us into a company was able to scale down the staff when it was prudent to do so and I think & hope they'll bring in whoever Klopp reckons will improve what we have at Christmas and next Summer. If we do get Top4 this season there should be decent wedge available without FSG batting an eyelid

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

............ they have successfully decoupled the foundations of the club from on the pitch success in the medium term..........

There's for and against that. If we are successful on the pitch it's win win

rob316

You can call it what you want but it just isn't good enough at all.

We have Klopp and I'm extremely grateful we do but glaring weaknesses in the squad have not been addressed.

That clown Moreno cost us dearly last season, it was top priority he was upgraded on but instead we have replaced him with our most creative right sided midfielder/winger. Great time for Milner, exceptional pro but its not fair for him to be thrown into a LB role and he has already cost us in the Spurs game due to his inexperience in that position.

How many times have we said when the pressure is on us and the game starts to turn that we need a midfielder who can control the tempo of the game? It's ridiculous that we still don't have one, we pissed about with paltry bids for Dahoud and Zielinski and in the end, ended up with Wijnaldum, another Henderson type player.

We trimmed the deadwood great, but you cant be happy we made a profit in this window while not addressing problems in the squad. Questions need to be asked, where is FSG taking us?

Does Klopp think this group can get to the CL and then he can buy in some real quality without bloating the squad again this summer?....maybe, but it is a bold risk.

I'm as positive a supporter as they come but this window has left a bad taste.

One_Of_Shanks

Bandana boy wrote: »

Must be a lot of would be accountants in here , as only somebody more concerned with the balance sheet than the team and the prospect of winning trophies can be truly happy with that window.

No, you don't have to be obsessed with balance sheets to realise that we have added some excellent players who the manager wanted, chose, and signed.
Players who suit his style of play and who he wants to work with.
Nor do you have to be obsessed with balance sheets to realise that we have got rid of several players who the manager didn't want, or didn't suit his style of play.
And when you do all of the above and manage to turn a wee profit in the process, leaving more money there for future signings (a left back for example), then that's just a bonus.

Sometimes i think people just want us to spend crazy amounts on players and have a big net loss just so they can say that we did, if FSG havent spent more than they've taken in then they must be screwing us, etc....

For example, Matip probably would have cost us 20-25 million, but we got him on a free transfer.
That's prudent, but maybe not flashy enough for some, would you have preferred if we had spent 20-25 mill on him, because that's the way it's coming across.

Our transfer window should be assessed by whether the manager got the players he wanted and got rid of the players he didn't.
Not by how much we spent versus how much we received.

And aside from the LB situation, I'd say he's pretty bloody happy with the squad now, as am I personally.
You have to give the man time to build the squad his way.

rob316

rob316 wrote: »

.................
I'm as positive a supporter as they come but this window has left a bad taste.

I was very keen on a controlling CM coming in (more than a DM) and keen on a LB. I'd have out the CM over the LB to be honest as I reckon that would effect more games.

As things have panned out there's no bad taste as such, none of the players sold I'm bothered about and what's come in look provisionally to be good at worst and very very very good in the case of Mane.

rob316

Augeo wrote: »

I was very keen on a controlling CM coming in (more than a DM) and keen on a LB. I'd have out the CM over the LB to be honest as I reckon that would effect more games.

As things have panned out there's no bad taste as such, none of the players sold I'm bothered about and what's come in look provisionally to be good at worst and very very very good in the case of Mane.

I don't have a problem with any of the players who have come in bar Wijnaldum who I don't see where he fits, but he get's plenty of time like I give any new signing.

I'm confident Matip, Karius and Mane will be big improvements to the starting XI.

I suppose if those 3 hit the ground running we can view it as a successful window but I expected so much more considering we have a WC manager who I thought would be bankrolled and the new TV money.

I don't expect £50m players or £30m for that matter, I just wanted all the holes in the squad filled and we haven't done that.

Francie Barrett

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

And aside from the LB situation, I'd say he's pretty bloody happy with the squad now, as am I personally.
You have to give the man time to build the squad his way.

Personally, I can't say I am thrilled about the new additions (as a whole), but like you said, Klopp is the boss and we have to give him a chance to put his stamp on the squad. I hope it works out.

Boom_Bap

I think we've done quite well this window given that we only have the League and domestic comps.
If we do well in those, get a rhythm, get our players playing the way Klopp wants them to for the season, get in Champo's League....we should have money in the bank for better players for the following season, and should in theory be signing starters rather than squad players.

Ben Gadot

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Of course we have Klopp. He's a world class manager. But it's really all on him now. I think that ultimately this summer could have sowed the seeds of his demise. Hopefully people are right and it really has been his own decision not to chase more.

Ah jaysus, he's not even in the job a year. :eek: Steady on.

It's the same as it was with Rodgers in that you give the manager enough rope to hang themselves. Rodgers seemed to call the shots in Summer 2015 and duly paid the price. Having said that though, Rodgers had 3+ years in the job.

So Klopp might have to go back to the drawing board next Summer if his choices this Summer don't pay off. But to suggest this Summer will have sowed the seeds of his demise is quite frankly ludicrous.

rob316

Boom_Bap wrote: »

I think we've done quite well this window given that we only have the League and domestic comps.
If we do well in those, get a rhythm, get our players playing the way Klopp wants them to for the season, get in Champo's League....we should have money in the bank for better players for the following season, and should in theory be signing starters rather than squad players.[/QUOTE]

That looks like to me to be the strategy, like I said its a bold risk which will be very tough to pull off considering I have United, City and Chelsea banker for the top 4.

Buford T. Justice XIX

rob316 wrote: »

I don't have a problem with any of the players who have come in bar Wijnaldum who I don't see where he fits, but he get's plenty of time like I give any new signing.

I'm confident Matip, Karius and Mane will be big improvements to the starting XI.

I suppose if those 3 hit the ground running we can view it as a successful window but I expected so much more considering we have a WC manager who I thought would be bankrolled and the new TV money.

I don't expect £50m players or £30m for that matter, I just wanted all the holes in the squad filled and we haven't done that.

All the holes filled is a big ask, rob.

Klopp has a particular type of player in mind for his squad and maybe that type of player wasn't available for transfer in this window. Maybe they will be available in the next window or maybe he feels that Moreno offers more going forward than he loses in defending.

I would rather wait for the correct type of player to become available that buy a squad filler who doesn't have the skill set to play the role that Klopp wants.

Personally, I would prefer to buy a starter to fill a position that buy a reserve player who we will have to move on next year (probably at a loss) just for the optics of 'filling a spot'.

Boom_Bap

rob316 wrote: »

Boom_Bap wrote: »

I think we've done quite well this window given that we only have the League and domestic comps.
If we do well in those, get a rhythm, get our players playing the way Klopp wants them to for the season, get in Champo's League....we should have money in the bank for better players for the following season, and should in theory be signing starters rather than squad players.

That looks like to me to be the strategy, like I said its a bold risk which will be very tough to pull off considering I have United, City and Chelsea banker for the top 4.

Not sure that it's bold rather than sensible or the most logical thing to do.
I've no idea who will be top 4, on the start so far I'd have the same 3 as yourself as bankers....but it's a long road to go where we have less distractions.

brevity

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

All the holes filled is a big ask, rob.

8-10

Bandana boy wrote: »

Arsenal who are already ahead of us have pulled further ahead by adding significant strength

Ditto Spurs , Ditto Man City

Would people really be happy if we had signed the players Spurs signed this summer?

Vincent Janssen (AZ Alkmaar, £18.6million), Victor Wanyama (Southampton, £11million), Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Marseille), Pau Lopez (Espanyol, loan), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle, £30million)

I don't think that's much better than our list and this is a team that have CL football and a London address to offer.

I don't see that list as adding "significant strength". You can look at the other CL contenders that finished above us last season - Southampton and West Ham and I wouldn't trade our signings for theirs either.

United, City and Chelsea have played a different ballgame when it comes to transfers for years but even Arsenal fans were bemoaning their signings and lack of quality.

J Mysterio

Fair clear out over the summer there. From LFC official website (looks like Balotelli is gone gone):

INS
Sadio Mane (Southampton)
Loris Karius (Mainz)
Joel Matip (Schalke)
Ragnar Klavan (Augsburg)
Alex Manninger (Free transfer)
Georginio Wijnaldum (Newcastle United)

OUTS
Jose Enrique (Free transfer)
Kolo Toure (Free transfer)
Samed Yesil (Free transfer)
Jordan Rossiter (Rangers)
Joao Carlos Teixeira (Porto)
Jerome Sinclair (Watford)
Sergi Canos (Norwich City)
Martin Skrtel (Fenerbahce)
Jordon Ibe (Bournemouth)
Joe Allen (Stoke City)
Brad Smith (Bournemouth)
Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace)
Luis Alberto (Lazio)
Mario Balotelli (Nice)
Jon Flanagan (Burnley, on loan)
Adam Bogdan (Wigan Athletic, on loan)
Danny Ward (Huddersfield Town, on loan)
Andre Wisdom (Red Bull Salzburg, on loan)
Lazar Markovic (Sporting Lisbon, on loan)

One_Of_Shanks

J Mysterio wrote: »

looks like Balotelli is gone gone

I feel bad now. I only wanted him sold, not dead!

Dont be at yourself

Left-back aside, it's as much the timings of the signings that paint things in a bad light as the signings themselves.

If we had signed Wijnaldum and Grujic in June, splashed the cash on Mane in July followed by deadline day swoops for Matip and Karius, people would be looking at the window in a much different complexion. A lot of football fans have the memory of a goldfish and as soon as a player is in the door, they're already demanding the next one be signed.

To be clear; left back is a problem and I wish we had signed someone to improve things. But if we couldn't find that player, there's no point in getting in somebody for the sake of it, only to offload them in a couple of years at a loss. In Klopp's team, work-rate, game intelligence and team cohesion are much more valuable than any individual traits, and Milner can certainly do a job based on those criteria.

Knex*

Wijnladum has shown flashes in every game that makes me thing, "That's why we signed him". I'm hoping once he gets used to the team, and his role, a bit more we'll start to see him show more consistency and really push on.

Having Can as the anchor instead of Henderson could really help as well.

On Milner. I actually really like Milner as a player. I'd have him starting in midfield more often than not, and I thought he was exactly what England were missing in that loss to Iceland. My biggest concern with him at left back is that surely we will miss out on what he offers further forward. He had 17 assists last year, and now he finds himself playing full back on a side where he has to use his weaker foot all game.

Left back is a lot more awkward to play for a right footer than LW is. Your primary attacking focus is the overlap where you hit that byline and have to whip the cross in with pace. Its just not really Milner's game.

Anyway, we'll see how it all develops. Hopefully Milner can be servicable and Wijnaldum can provide a better version of what he did from midfield last year. Rose tinted glasses, and all that.

Francie Barrett

Poor old Samed Yesil still hasn't even got a club.

dogbert27

rob316 wrote: »

You can call it what you want but it just isn't good enough at all.

We have Klopp and I'm extremely grateful we do but glaring weaknesses in the squad have not been addressed.

That clown Moreno cost us dearly last season, it was top priority he was upgraded on but instead we have replaced him with our most creative right sided midfielder/winger. Great time for Milner, exceptional pro but its not fair for him to be thrown into a LB role and he has already cost us in the Spurs game due to his inexperience in that position.

How many times have we said when the pressure is on us and the game starts to turn that we need a midfielder who can control the tempo of the game? It's ridiculous that we still don't have one, we pissed about with paltry bids for Dahoud and Zielinski and in the end, ended up with Wijnaldum, another Henderson type player.

We trimmed the deadwood great, but you cant be happy we made a profit in this window while not addressing problems in the squad. Questions need to be asked, where is FSG taking us?

Does Klopp think this group can get to the CL and then he can buy in some real quality without bloating the squad again this summer?....maybe, but it is a bold risk.

I'm as positive a supporter as they come but this window has left a bad taste.

Take it easy with the insults, what have clowns ever done to you??

rossie1977

Boom_Bap wrote: »

I think we've done quite well this window given that we only have the League and domestic comps.
If we do well in those, get a rhythm, get our players playing the way Klopp wants them to for the season, get in Champo's League....we should have money in the bank for better players for the following season, and should in theory be signing starters rather than squad players.

In theory sure but did that happen during the summer of 2014. Instead of strengthening they weakened massively despite making the champions league

Only one side have been more profitable than Liverpool last two seasons and that's Newcastle and look where they are

billymitchell

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Poor old Samed Yesil still hasn't even got a club.

Really had good hopes for that guy, thought he could have been a top player

Gbear

There'll probably have to be a large clearout every other year.

It's easy to get carried away with the numbers but about half those out were youngfellas from the academy.

The transfers out of substance, in terms of their contributions to the squad last season, were Kolo, Allen, Benteke, Smith, Ibe and Skrtel had any significant appearances, and even then only the first 3 had any real impact on the squad.

Nothing has been lost really.
Something that's skewed the net spend a bit is that a lot of those youngsters have had massively inflated values this summer. Ibe, Smith, Canos, etc.
A couple of years ago I'd have thought we'd be lucky to get tree fiddy for players like that.

Players like Alexander-Arnold, Ojo, Gomez and another half a dozen fairly young lads, along with the remains of the persistent loanees like Flanno and Wisdom will have similar exoduses over the next 2-3 years.

Gbear

Gbear wrote: »

...........

It's easy to get carried away with the numbers but about half those out were youngfellas from the academy..............

There's very few actually getting carried away with the OUT numbers though.
Only the one I've noticed.


........... Re Sakho, whatever happened might hopefully turn out to be water under the bridge in a few months if he impresses Klopp with his diligence at Melwood, hopefully Klopp won't be deemed to hold a grudge otherwise though.

5starpool

Actually seen this earlier. Probably contains a few more names than the above list as it contains those from the u-21/23's.

https://twitter.com/Anything_LFC/status/771267626068643840

K-9

Pyjamarama wrote: »

Sometimes I hate this thread.. people upset at something that was never happening. People unwilling to give a world class manager the benefit of the doubt that he might have a clue what he's doing, but they know better really. We'll never amount to anything with Moreno still in the squad. Forget that we got to two finals with him last year in Klopps first year in charge with zero players that he brought in.

But the premiership is different to the Bundesliga ofc, and thats correct. There's no team close to as good as the Bayern team that Klopp took on and beat doing it HIS way.

Whats the point of even hiring him if we're gonna be disgusted when he tries to do it his way..? At the end of the day it might not work but to sit here in crisis mode when we've played 3 away games to start the season with good results against two of the best sides in the league, two of our major competitors but and write off our chances is just mind boggling to me.

If Klopp thinks he can coach these guys up then I believe him. And if he can't well the journey will be a bit of craic anyway and he can go again next summer. He's going nowhere for a LONG time.

Grand so, why not extend this to posts during and after matched?

No criticism or questions of Klopp because he's a world class manager and knows much more about football than us.

corwill

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

If we had signed Wijnaldum and Grujic in June, splashed the cash on Mane in July followed by deadline day swoops for Matip and Karius, people would be looking at the window in a much different complexion. A lot of football fans have the memory of a goldfish and as soon as a player is in the door, they're already demanding the next one be signed.

Or maybe, you know, posters genuinely wanted very particular areas of ongoing weakness addressed, because they think it would be a good thing for the club.

"... goldfish..." - you patronising so and so.

Talisman

Knex. wrote: »

On Milner. I actually really like Milner as a player. I'd have him starting in midfield more often than not, and I thought he was exactly what England were missing in that loss to Iceland. My biggest concern with him at left back is that surely we will miss out on what he offers further forward. He had 17 assists last year, and now he finds himself playing full back on a side where he has to use his weaker foot all game.

Left back is a lot more awkward to play for a right footer than LW is. Your primary attacking focus is the overlap where you hit that byline and have to whip the cross in with pace. Its just not really Milner's game.

Milner offers something different from the left back position. In the cup game against Burton he made a diagonal run with the ball, played a one-two and then passed for Sturridge to score. It was an unconventional move for a left back. Having a wall of team mates pulling the opposition towards their own goal opened up the space for him. He doesn't possess the guile or the pace to really trouble the opposition as a conventional winger, but he has incredible energy and stamina.

He'll rarely be in the attacking vanguard because his starting position is deeper but he will still get forward and he has an eye for a pass - it's not always about getting to the byline and whipping in a cross.

54and56

5starpool wrote: »

Actually seen this earlier. Probably contains a few more names than the above list as it contains those from the u-21/23's.

https://twitter.com/Anything_LFC/status/771267626068643840

Skyrtel not worth including?

5starpool

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

Skyrtel not worth including?

There were so many names on it I didn't even notice they had missed anyone!

Lots of people gone anyhow. Hopefully once we win the title this season there will only be a need to bring in 3/4 players to help us win the quadruple next season.

Knex*

Talisman wrote: »

Milner offers something different from the left back position. In the cup game against Burton he made a diagonal run with the ball, played a one-two and then passed for Sturridge to score. It was an unconventional move for a left back. Having a wall of team mates pulling the opposition towards their own goal opened up the space for him. He doesn't possess the guile or the pace to really trouble the opposition as a conventional winger, but he has incredible energy and stamina.

He'll rarely be in the attacking vanguard because his starting position is deeper but he will still get forward and he has an eye for a pass - it's not always about getting to the byline and whipping in a cross.

I agree. But I also think it clashes a little with the way Coutinho plays. Having that overlap option is what allows him to cut in and shoot with such ease.

Anyway, I'm not panicking. It'll be interesting to watch how it all plays out.

~Rebel~

Knex. wrote: »

I agree. But I also think it clashes a little with the way Coutinho plays. Having that overlap option is what allows him to cut in and shoot with such ease.

Anyway, I'm not panicking. It'll be interesting to watch how it all plays out.

Indeed, it means everyone on our left side wants to come inside naturally, and none have a natural left foot to be able to make that first time cross into the box. Hopefully Milner is spending an hour or more a day just practicing this, but right at the moment, he has no finesse with his left, he just drives it through the ball and it lands where it lands. Usually overshooting everyone thus far though.

There's also the other aspect of Milner at left back - we saw how game changing he can be from the right with bloody lethal crosses and through balls, especially against Dortmund. That option is gone now.

That's the main reason i'd have liked to have at least just kept Smith - in a game we're chasing where we need to be getting crosses in behind, we have no crossers on the left, and our best crosser from the right is on the opposite corner of the field. With Smith on the bench we'd have had the option to throw him on left, and shuffle Milner over right, suddenly giving us two very good wide crossers. Moreno can still kind of give us this, but he's not the best crosser of the ball.

Options are good. The more options you have to break a team down, the better.

Harry Palmr

Friendly Watch

Origi v Spain 19.45
Wijnaldum v Greece 19.45

Both are "available" if you know where to look.

One_Of_Shanks

~Rebel~ wrote: »

That's the main reason i'd have liked to have at least just kept Smith - in a game we're chasing where we need to be getting crosses in behind, we have no crossers on the left, and our best crosser from the right is on the opposite corner of the field. With Smith on the bench we'd have had the option to throw him on left, and shuffle Milner over right, suddenly giving us two very good wide crossers. Moreno can still kind of give us this, but he's not the best crosser of the ball.

Options are good. The more options you have to break a team down, the better.

Nothing wrong with the gist of your post fella.

But options are only options if the manager picks these lads or uses them from the bench.
Benteke was "an option", something different, but it quickly became apparent that he wasn't going to get a look in no matter what he did.

So end result, you sell him because he's not an option if he's not going to be on the pitch.

As for Smith who you mentioned, likewise, he wouldn't have started games, probably wouldn't have made our subs bench much if at all, so he wouldn't really have been an option then either.
Actually he'd have gotten zero game time and screwed up his career.

Valid point about Milner cutting inside, valid point about him not being able to cross balls from the right like against Dortmund, but again it's not really Klopp's style to be whipping in crosses anyway.
When were the last three goals we got from crosses and headers in a competitive game?
Genuine question, because the Milner/Lovren cross/goal last season stands out but I don't remember too many (for a team who scores goals quite regularly).

And even if we were whipping in crosses to beat the band, who is going to get on the end of them at the mo?
Firminho?

Like, what you're saying makes sense if we're a team who can polish off crosses/headers, but generally speaking, we're not.
So Milner not whipping in occasional crosses wouldn't worry me much, personally.

He's still capable of drilling in low balls across the box with his left though, even if not pin-point aerial ones.

54and56

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Hopefully Milner is spending an hour or more a day just practicing this

I'd be shocked if he isn't.

corwill

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

I'd be shocked if he isn't.

Selfie? You know the drill.

Agent Coulson

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Friendly Watch

Origi v Spain 19.45
Wijnaldum v Greece 19.45

Both are "available" if you know where to look.

Wijnaldum puts Holland 1 up

Kerrigooney

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Wijnaldum puts Holland 1 up

What position is he playing?

Turtyturd

Kerrigooney wrote: »

What position is he playing?

Left back.

One_Of_Shanks

Turtyturd wrote: »

Left back.

We're fookin sorted!

marklazarcovic

origi isolated and doing sfa

Agent Coulson

Kerrigooney wrote: »

What position is he playing?

Right of a 3 man midfield.