Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2019

8-10

Next 4 fixtures are massive. I'd argue that we have the better fixture for the first 3.

If City get 12pts from these 4 that would be massive pressure and a huge momentum for them.

We just need to keep winning games

Harry Palmr

Liverpool linked with Serie B wonderkid - the next Grujic Pirlo Andro Tonali, 18 year old regista for Brescia who are pushing for promotion.

There is a direct quote from club president Massimo Chillini "I’ve talked about him to club owner Baldissoni several times, but I want to keep the lad as long as possible. Is he ready? I don’t know, he’s 18. But Liverpool also contacted me a little while ago."

Assuming there is something in this, he could have been identified as a budget alternative to Wolves Ruben Neves.

LuckyLloyd

8-10 wrote: »

Next 4 fixtures are massive. I'd argue that we have the better fixture for the first 3.

If City get 12pts from these 4 that would be massive pressure and a huge momentum for them.

We just need to keep winning games

I'm honestly looking one game at a time at present. There is pressure to win every game, and reasonable expectation from here that every single game in of itself is winnable. As such, every game is like a mini cup final, and there's no point looking beyond it and what it means until it's in the bag. If that sounds a bit rough and stressful, well it is! But that's the nature of genuinely going for a title.

The CL is going to be a nice distraction lads, let me tell ya.

Nerdlingr

Fingers crossed Rafa does his old club a big favour - a draw would be a masssive result!!

Agent Coulson

Leicester City love to play against the top 6 and Vardy seems to only score against them as well this won't be an easy game at all.

yourdeadwright

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Leicester City love to play against the top 6 and Vardy seems to only score against them as well this won't be an easy game at all.

At to that Puel's record against us and it's a tuff game ,

Luckycharms_74

ballyargus wrote: »

We should be in for zaha. It looks like Dortmund will get him for a piddling 50m

~Rebel~ wrote: »

He's very good obviously, but at the same time, I don't think he's a patch on Mane.

He looks brilliant against teams that leave a lot of open space for him to attack - but I'm just not really sure how effective he'd be in one of the top teams, where there's simply no space to use his speed.

He'd just face very different challenges, and would need to show very different aspects of play, playing for us than he's really shown.

+1 Mane better than Zaha.
If you factor in his goals/games ratio it's pretty poor for an attacker.

Season Apps (Sub) Goals
2018/2019 20 (0) 3
2017/2018 29 (1) 9
2016/2017 35 (1) 7
2015/2016 34 (4) 2
2014/2015 31 (8) 4


If we were going to give Palace €50m+ I would much rather we spend it on Wan Bissaka & TAA most likely be moved into midfield in the next couple of years.

dogbert27

Harry Palmr wrote: »

In terms of bangs for the buck Zaha would be one of the worst buys out there. Palace wouldn't let him go for less than 60m maybe more, Sessegnon who is really a left winger would cost 30m tops as he is out of contract summer 2020 Is he as hard to stop right now? Probably not but there's little doubting his skill.

Sessegnon is a tough one. I'd like to get him but Robertson is only 24 years old and if he continues will be first choice for the next couple of seasons.

Sessegnon will be wanting first team football straight away.

dogbert27

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I'm honestly looking one game at a time at present. There is pressure to win every game, and reasonable expectation from here that every single game in of itself is winnable. As such, every game is like a mini cup final, and there's no point looking beyond it and what it means until it's in the bag. If that sounds a bit rough and stressful, well it is! But that's the nature of genuinely going for a title.

The CL is going to be a nice distraction lads, let me tell ya.

I agree, there's enough stress worrying about the next match without stressing about the 14 after it! :pac:

Agent Coulson

I would rather buy players that push the first team players now for their place than buy back ups who aren’t near as good.


We want players challenged for their starting place.

Harry Palmr

Sessegnononononon can play two positions which would swing it for me.

Kirkby training ground overhead video (this echo page will load without ****ting all over your browser)

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/first-pictures-liverpools-new-50m-15725892.amp

Gbear

dogbert27 wrote: »

Sessegnon is a tough one. I'd like to get him but Robertson is only 24 years old and if he continues will be first choice for the next couple of seasons.

Sessegnon will be wanting first team football straight away.

We don't really have proper cover on the wings/wide forward positions. Shaqiri is probably even more cut-insidey than Salah or Mane, dropping into midfield to create chances from deep.

We play enough games that he'd get plenty of appearances covering on the wings and full back and being a regular sub (assuming he's good enough and we would actually sign him).

It's unlikely we'll get anyone to outright displace any of the front 3, but players like Werner who can cover more than one spot would probably play about as much as the other 3, and it'd be the similar with LB/LW, although LB would be a bit less likely to be rotated, particularly given Robertson's resilience so far (touch wood).

MD1990

Sessegnon could not play as a wing forward in a 3. Maybe a bit deeper.

We don't really need a winger to provide width we have the best attacking full backs in the league.

I think a forward who can play across the front 3 would be what we need. Werner probably go to Bayern & Zaha would cost too much.

Someone like Keita Balde,Thorgan Hazard would be good signings.

GBX

According to the Twitter machine, Salah social media exit is to do with a DHL sponsorship deal.

Agent Coulson

It's a pity they don't all exit social media till the end of the season.

marklazarcovic

Young Brewster is earmarked for a wide attacking position,ox can do it too, Brewster could save us 50 mill we could invest elsewhere with any luck

yourdeadwright

marklazarcovic wrote: »

Young Brewster is earmarked for a wide attacking position,ox can do it too, Brewster could save us 50 mill we could invest elsewhere with any luck

He would have found it tuff to break in before his year long injury surely now things are heavily stacked against him making it at Liverpool

tony1980

Agent Coulson wrote: »

I would rather buy players that push the first team players now for their place than buy back ups who aren’t near as good.


We want players challenged for their starting place.

Exactly! If you want to be challenging for League titles and cups, you need good competition for places. Players have to accept this, they earn enough, work hard and earn your starting place for a team competing with the best.

yourdeadwright

tony1980 wrote: »

Exactly! If you want to be challenging for League titles and cups, you need good competition for places. Players have to accept this, they earn enough, work hard and earn your starting place for a team competing with the best.

Sometimes players we think aren't good enough and are back up end up being starter,
Robbo, Gini , some even thought Salah would be back up to Mane and Phil ,

dogbert27

yourdeadwright wrote: »

He would have found it tuff to break in before his year long injury surely now things are heavily stacked against him making it at Liverpool

Why? He was going to leave because he wanted first team football but was convinced to stay.

He's had a year long injury so he will know he has to prove himself again. He signed a new contract in the summer so will have the opportunity to get fitness back and will see if his sharpness is still there.

The kids know that Klopp will give them a chance and it's up to them to prove themselves.

Why do you keep rejecting the idea that youth can get promoted in this current management.

Forget about the past 20 years or so or who was a success after a loan signing.

Klopp is willing to give the kids a chance.

yourdeadwright

dogbert27 wrote: »

Why? He was going to leave because he wanted first team football but was convinced to stay.

He's had a year long injury so he will know he has to prove himself again. He signed a new contract in the summer so will have the opportunity to get fitness back and will see if his sharpness is still there.

The kids know that Klopp will give them a chance and it's up to them to prove themselves.

Why do you keep rejecting the idea that youth can get promoted in this current management.

Forget about the past 20 years or so or who was a success after a loan signing.

Klopp is willing to give the kids a chance.

I never said he won't get a chance but will he take that chance,
its very very hard to do ,

Look at this season at any stage of this season would you like to see an untried kid start ahead of Mane,Salah or Bobby ,??

They get a chance in the League cup but play with the second string which makes it more difficult ,

its a huge huge battle and to be coming off a very serious injury doesn't help ,

I'm just a realist no point putting him down as cover for the wings next season before he's even kicked a ball for the first team , Like the Naby situation some people on here don't like when we look at things in the cold light of day and look at things logically ,

I hope he makes it but i'm not convinced he will ,

shamrock55

I think there will be 2 pts between us at the end of the nxt 4 games

mosstin

EVERYONE, STOP LOOKING AHEAD TO PREDICT THE OUTCOME OF GAMES WE HAVEN'T PLAYED.













Much appreciated chaps.

BorneTobyWilde

Is the team back form Dubai ?

.G.

Agent Coulson wrote: »

I would rather buy players that push the first team players now for their place than buy back ups who aren’t near as good.


We want players challenged for their starting place.

Yup, its the fatal error a litany of reds managers have committed, probably because of lack of funds to be fair.

You don't build squad strength in depth by buying backup players. You buy players as good as, or better than, what you have already and they all then get to fight it out for the place in the team. You need to be able to keep hold of the ones that get pushed out though rather than sell them which is also what most Liverpool managers in the Prem era haven't been able to do either, again lack of funds.

marklazarcovic

Biggest test is if city overtake us,by any distance..

Fromvert

Brewster has a little bit of time on his side, only turning 19 in April, but all of the younger players who've made it at Liverpool have racked up anything from 25 league games, (Gomez even with his injuries), all the way up to around 100 (Owen and Fowler the freaks) by the time they turned 21! So he'll need to be showing he has it next season.

TAA, Gomez, Sterling, Gerrard, Carragher, Owen, Fowler are the ones I can think of over the last 25ish years that either came through the academy or were bought at a young age that had it to be player from the start. They also broke through when the team was more on a down than an up, this is an important bit of luck you need. This Liverpool team is very good and you'll need to exceptional to to break through.

We've probably had plenty of players who could have been squad level players eventually but needed the games to develop which they weren't going to get. Suso being a guy in this category who's now having a solid career at AC Milan. He could be the 'Shaq' type player in the squad now but he took until he was 23/24 and lots of games to get to that level.

Sofa Spud

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz5RxTq90z0

Brewster and the Ox showing off their bromance - class

Blanco100

superg wrote: »

Yup, its the fatal error a litany of reds managers have committed, probably because of lack of funds to be fair.

You don't build squad strength in depth by buying backup players. You buy players as good as, or better than, what you have already and they all then get to fight it out for the place in the team. You need to be able to keep hold of the ones that get pushed out though rather than sell them which is also what most Liverpool managers in the Prem era haven't been able to do either, again lack of funds.

post of the week this. Bang on the money.

You improve your squad buying players better than what you have.

Agent Coulson

Liverpool commit to paying up to £200m to their star players in shift from spending to buy to spending to keep, reports

https://twitter.com/TimesSport/status/1088482634467102720

Liverpool’s decision to extend the contracts of key players will result in an additional financial commitment of between £150 million and £200 million.

The outlay represents the combined incremental cost of wage rises alone on those improved contracts and emphasises the club’s desire to retain players who have taken Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table this season.

At least eight players — Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez, Andrew Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Rhian Brewster — have signed new contracts since last April as the nucleus of Jürgen Klopp’s title-chasing squad is kept intact for the long haul. Many of these eight had at least two years left on their deals, but have now extended them until 2023 or 2024.

The uplift on what Liverpool were already paying those players is a flat sum and does not take into account that many of the club’s contracts are now incentivised.

Before Firmino, the Brazil forward, signed his new deal, it was claimed by Football Leaks, the website, that his basic wage when joining from Hoffenheim in 2015 was £68,085 a week. That was then topped up by £25,000 for each of his first five goals, then £45,000 per goal up to ten, £65,000 up to 15, and then £85,000 for every goal after that. An assist also earned the 27-year-old £31,000. It is not clear whether those triggers remain in Firmino’s new contract with Liverpool unwilling to comment.

The volume of recent renewals is significant because it signals how Liverpool’s strategy has evolved under Fenway Sports Group, the Liverpool owner, compared with the club’s outlook when it first took over in October 2010.

Initially, the idea was to buy players at attractive fees and, when appropriate, sell at a profit that would then be redirected into squad strengthening.

The recruitment of Virgil van Dijk for £75 million last January showed how the policy has changed and, since April, there has been a further shift with the flurry of new contracts serving to reflect the determination of Klopp, FSG and Michael Edwards, the sporting director, to keep the squad together.

The focus is on putting Liverpool in the best position to try to win silverware, with continuity now viewed as a hallmark of all the successful Premier League teams.

Klopp has also spoken about the squad being complete, which raises the prospect Liverpool will not spend heavily this summer.

Alberto Moreno and Daniel Sturridge look certain to leave on free transfers, and Simon Mignolet has previously stated he wants first-team football, so there will be some back-up spots to fill.

The usual caveats apply as regards incoming transfers with the club ready to react to certain situations, but the prospect of hefty investment does not seem likely given the outlay last year and the faith in those already in place.

Liverpool spent about £250 million on incoming deals in 2018 with Van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri arriving.

That was offset by the departure of Philippe Coutinho, Danny Ward and Dominic Solanke, while Danny Ings’s loan move to Southampton will become a permanent £20 million deal at the end of the season

Riesen_Meal

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Is the team back form Dubai ?

Yeah I think they were back in the last day or two, I see Sturridge and his rapper mates posting a video on Facebook earlier of them walking through London plugging their new tune coming out on his record label tomorrow....

I would say our Danny has a career in rap/hip hop and grime when he eventually hangs up his boots...

ERG89

Agent Coulson wrote: »

https://twitter.com/TimesSport/status/1088482634467102720

As expected really. More will be demanded of certain players next year but i'd only expect 2 or 3 signings in the summer. Can see Milner and Lallana going too, could see Harry Wilson getting a chance too.

sweetie

Fieldog wrote:

I would say our Danny has a career in rap/hip hop and grime when he eventually hangs up his boots...

Christian rap maybe!

dogbert27

superg wrote: »

Yup, its the fatal error a litany of reds managers have committed, probably because of lack of funds to be fair.

You don't build squad strength in depth by buying backup players. You buy players as good as, or better than, what you have already and they all then get to fight it out for the place in the team. You need to be able to keep hold of the ones that get pushed out though rather than sell them which is also what most Liverpool managers in the Prem era haven't been able to do either, again lack of funds.

Problem though is having the back up players to accept their role.

Crouch regrets leaving Liverpool when he did and it was annoying he left. We could have done with him in the 09/10 season when Torres had his injuries and Crouch would have had the first team football he wanted and kept his place in the England squad.

Instead he left for Portsmouth and that was the end of him and we were left with David Ngog to fill in for Torres.

mosstin

Fieldog wrote: »

Yeah I think they were back in the last day or two, I see Sturridge and his rapper mates posting a video on Facebook earlier of them walking through London plugging their new tune coming out on his record label tomorrow....

I would say our Danny has a career in rap/hip hop and grime when he eventually hangs up his boots...

TOTP will be well pissed when he misses the live show through injury.

.G.

dogbert27 wrote: »

Problem though is having the back up players to accept their role.

Crouch regrets leaving Liverpool when he did and it was annoying he left. We could have done with him in the 09/10 season when Torres had his injuries and Crouch would have had the first team football he wanted and kept his place in the England squad.

Instead he left for Portsmouth and that was the end of him and we were left with David Ngog to fill in for Torres.

They won't be "backup players". They are all valuable parts of the squad who all get games. All successful clubs have really good players in reserve, look at Citys squad, Madrid's squad, United's under Ferguson etc! They hang onto them because the club is winning things and they want to be a part of it.

Thats the crucial next step for Liverpool but the two go hand in hand, need one to happen to allow the other to happen!

You get nowhere buying backup players for backup roles because the quality drop off is too much when the backup lads come in, especially en masse like in less favoured competitions as we still see today!

CSWS101

U23s win and Markovic gets on the scoresheet. Never doubted him.

Agent Coulson

When Markovic did play all those years ago 2015 I think was the last time he played in a first team he didn't stink the place out or anything from memory.


I wonder was it his off the field attitude in training that prevented him from getting chances.


He played in 34 games scored 3 goals and had a couple of assists in the one full season 14/15 he got games.


The club has had a lot bigger name players do a lot worse than those stats.

noodler

Agent Coulson wrote: »

When Markovic did play all those years ago 2015 I think was the last time he played in a first team he didn't stink the place out or anything from memory.


I wonder was it his off the field attitude in training that prevented him from getting chances.


He played in 34 games scored 3 goals and had a couple of assists in the one full season 14/15 he got games.


The club has had a lot bigger name players do a lot worse than those stats.

Can't get much worse.


The 34 games is the most damning though.

Agent Coulson

noodler wrote: »

Can't get much worse.


The 34 games is the most damning though.

Mario, Joe Cole, Aquiliani, Benteke, Borini, Big Andy, Jovanovic off the top of my head since Rafa was manager and you could even add Robbie Keane's 6 month stay at the club being worse as they were all experienced players compared to the kid he was when he was signed.


Souness, Houllier, Rafa & Roy before Rodgers signed him all signed some stinkers in there time as manager of Liverpool that were worse and cost the club just as money in transfers and wages taking inflation into account.

noodler

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Mario, Joe Cole, Aquiliani, Benteke, Borini, Big Andy, Jovanovic off the top of my head since Rafa was manager and you could even add Robbie Keane's 6 month stay at the club being worse as they were all experienced players compared to the kid he was when he was signed.


Souness, Houllier, Rafa & Roy before Rodgers signed him all signed some stinkers in there time as manager of Liverpool that were worse and cost the club just as money in transfers and wages.

Bull**** on Keane.

Sorry. Bull****.

He scored 7 and setup 5 in half the games Markovich played and was valuable enough to redeem nearly all the fee.

We got more our of JOE Cole and Benteke too. Even jovanovich was free

charolais0153

The lad has talent. He looled very sharp that night where he got sent off. And scored a cracking scissor kick aswell.
He played as rwb fpr a lot of them 34 games compared to Robbie keane as striker

Agent Coulson

noodler wrote: »

Bull**** on Keane.

Sorry. Bull****.

He scored 7 and setup 5 in half the games Markovich played and was valuable enough to redeem nearly all the fee.

We got more our of JOE Cole and Benteke too. Even jovanovich was free

They were on £100k & £120K week and got signing on fees as both were free totally worse business than signing Markovic.

Buying an injured Benteke was again worse business.


Keane's 6 month Liverpool career was disaster simple as that.

8-10

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Mario, Joe Cole, Aquiliani, Benteke, Borini, Big Andy, Jovanovic off the top of my head

Mario scored in 4 different competitions for us and in every game he scored we won by a single goal.

More goals than Markovic, more important contributions, cost less than Markovic, recouped a third of his fee (plus whatever loan fee we got from Milan) which I doubt markovic will, and we paid him years less in wages...

I could say similar about Benteke, scored more than Markovic, recouped a lot of his fee and we haven't had him on the books for years doing nothing.

Why was Markovic a better signing than these guys? Because for me he's our worst since Diouf and it's not even close

I saw him play live once, in a Champions League group game v Basel and he was terrible. On a night when we were woeful as a team and nobody did well he still stunk out the place. Since that night it's been clear to me he's way way below our level and that was a poor enough Liverpool side

~Rebel~

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Mario, Joe Cole, Aquiliani, Benteke, Borini, Big Andy, Jovanovic off the top of my head since Rafa was manager and you could even add Robbie Keane's 6 month stay at the club being worse as they were all experienced players compared to the kid he was when he was signed.


Souness, Houllier, Rafa & Roy before Rodgers signed him all signed some stinkers in there time as manager of Liverpool that were worse and cost the club just as money in transfers and wages taking inflation into account.

We definately got more for our money with Mario, Benteke, Borini, and Andy... and Jovanovic and Joe Cole contributed about as little, but cost a lot less overall. Marko's wage won't be inconsiderable either, and also have a 20+ million price tag. And he's been on our books for so ****ing long - Jova and Joe were out the door before too long.

All in all, I think he's the worst signing we've ever had in terms of value for money.

rob316

Downing was a horrible signing too. Downing, aquilani, markovic all bad business.

Harry Palmr

You make me sad

mada999

8-10 wrote: »

Next 4 fixtures are massive. I'd argue that we have the better fixture for the first 3.

If City get 12pts from these 4 that would be massive pressure and a huge momentum for them.

We just need to keep winning games

Huge games... lets make sure we win them all and hopefully the others take points off City... Leicester always play well against us !

~Rebel~

That whole Aquilani thing still bugs me. Cause he really did look brilliant at times! It just seemed like a mismatch for us.

shamrock55

mosstin wrote: »

EVERYONE, STOP LOOKING AHEAD TO PREDICT THE OUTCOME OF GAMES WE HAVEN'T PLAYED.












Much appreciated chaps.

Who pissed in your cornflakes