Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 2019/2020

murpho999

Knex. wrote: »

Anyone have the total number of games played by our front three in the past two years?

I would say that we have been quite fortunate there, and it's unrealistic to expect them to continue to be fit for 40+ games every year.

Question is then, if Origi and whomever else are good enough backups to play 20+ times. For the most part, they likely are, but I wouldn't like to be relying on Origi for a major stretch that includes playing City, Spurs etc.

That's were City are still far ahead of us, squad wise. Their strength in depth is astonishing, and when you're aiming for 100 point seasons, the margin for error is tiny.

It's hard to see where or how we have gained on them this summer, and that's the concern. Our squad was stretched to its limits, and we've stayed static. They have actually gone and addressed their main 'weakness' by signing Rodri to play the Fernandinho position.

I would also be concerned about the fullback position. As others have mentioned, Robertson and TAA are such a massive component of our attack, that its hard to say that it would not greatly affect us if either saw prolonged injury time as well.

Yes Milner, Clyne and Gomez can do a job, but at the same level of City's replacements? I'm not so sure.

It's mad that we easily have our best squad in my lifetime, but to win the league you must benchmark against City, not ourselves, and they are quite simply an elite machine. To really put consistent pressure on them, I fear we need more.

About this strength in depth.

City's Website squad list has 4 forwards.
Aguero,Sterling, Mane & Jesus.

We have Mane, Salah & Bobby.
With Brewster, Origi and Awoniyi as back up.

Brewster is supposed to ready now and Origi we know about so I don't really by this squad depth argument that people go on about.

City are just as likely to have injury problems as we will.

citytillidie

Standing still is never good

Knex*

murpho999 wrote: »

About this strength in depth.

City's Website squad list has 4 forwards.
Aguero,Sterling, Mane & Jesus.

We have Mane, Salah & Bobby.
With Brewster, Origi and Awoniyi as back up.

Brewster is supposed to ready now and Origi we know about so I don't really by this squad depth argument that people go on about.

City are just as likely to have injury problems as we will.

Mahrez, Bernardo, and even Silva and KDB all play the attacking spots too, though. Certainly Mahrez should be down as an attacker for them.

Obviously we're not in a bad spot. We've an amazing squad. But to not supplement it with at least one first team player seems daft.

murpho999

Knex. wrote: »

Mahrez, Bernardo, and even Silva and KDB all play the attacking spots too, though. Certainly Mahrez should be down as an attacker for them.

Obviously we're not in a bad spot. We've an amazing squad. But to not supplement it with at least one first team player seems daft.

I'm not in full disagreement with you. I'd like to see us strengthen.

Especially now as we should be a very attractive option to top players being European champions.

I'm also surprised we haven't replaced Moreno and Sturridge yet.

I just hope these are Klopp's calls as I trust his judgement and not FSG and budgets.

rob316

We'll finish top 2 I've no doubt about that but to run city so close last season and not push on will be disappointing. CL could be a big ask next season - Juve, Barca, Real will all significantly strengthen.

I'm hoping City don't have the hunger for 3 in a row to be honest.

MD1990

Klopp obviously has huge faith in Brewster & Origi.

Really feel we do need another forward though.

Mane probably wont be able to start the first few games either.

rossie1977

He obviously has faith in Brewster, Wilson, van den Berg, Hoever and a couple of the youth cup winning team to step up next season like Duncan and Larouci.

All in all its a massive gamble by Klopp or by FSG (who maybe are profit taking). Liverpool as European champions should have strengthened in three key areas in new starting centre back, new starting midfielder who can score and top class forward.

.G.

I think they'd be more interested in getting the loan for the main stand paid back than profit taking if it really was them preventing purchases but it isn't imo.

Maybe, just maybe, Klopp is happy with what he's got and knows what he's doing. When you become as good as Liverpool are right now, the pool of talent that improves you gets smaller and smaller, smaller still when you're looking for that talent to be available for purchase too.

rossie1977

Well last year there was alot from talk about FSG wanting club to hit £500m annually and putting on non football events at Anfield to achieve that.

Then in accounts released a few months ago there was a major emphasis on how much they have already spent on players in season 18/19 which would be recorded following year suggesting profit would be down etc.

Liverpool weren't good enough last year to win Premier League with this squad. Everyone can see their squad isn't close to as strong as Man City's and there are a number of key positions that could be improved on.

Irishmale0399

Lads Klopp has a history of taking in young players and developing them. Goezte, Hummels, Schmelzer to name a few.....all came from youth football into the BVB first team under Klopp. At the time people where also asking questions.......

Let the man do his job and hope he continues to work his magic.

Luckycharms_74

I would be very disappointed if we dont strengthen in this window. As others have said we cant afford to stand still, all the other teams including city will strengthen.

We are the European champions and should really be improving the team year on year. the top players should have no issue coming to us.

When you see that Fekir is possibly going to Betis for cicra €25m I thnk we should be all over that. Unless there is a huge problem with his knee as no other top clubs have shown any interest in him.

I still think at that money its worth a gamble.

murpho999

Luckycharms_74 wrote: »

I would be very disappointed if we dont strengthen in this window. As others have said we cant afford to stand still, all the other teams including city will strengthen.

We are the European champions and should really be improving the team year on year. the top players should have no issue coming to us.

When you see that Fekir is possibly going to Betis for cicra €25m I thnk we should be all over that. Unless there is a huge problem with his knee as no other top clubs have shown any interest in him.

I still think at that money its worth a gamble.

Do you not wonder why it's Betis going for Fekir and not other bigger clubs?

I think City and Liverpool are way ahead of any Premier League rivals and will not be overhauled by Utd, Spurs, Chelsea or Arsenal next season.

Looks like we'll have to wait and see if Klopp's conviction that Lallana, Ox and Gomez will be like new signings.

Keita should also got a proper run out this season and be better than last season.

Curious to see how youngsters like Brewster and any other like van den Berg get on.
As pointed out earlier Klopp has a good track record of developing talent.

But you win nothing with kids do you?

Owl.

6 week ban for Sturridge...4 suspended. FA are appealing the 4 suspended.

Vicxas

Owl. wrote: »

6 week ban for Sturridge...4 suspended. FA are appealing the 4 suspended.

For......?

martyos121

That's for the gambling charges I assume?

Got away pretty lightly compared to others. Don't know the full extent of it but I'll guess it was nowhere close to the level of Barton's offences.

Owl.

Vicxas wrote: »

For......?

Breaching FA betting rules...have you been living under a rock? :P

Fitz*

Vicxas wrote: »

For......?

Telling his family/friends that he was moving to WBA on loan and they all put money on him in transfer specials.

Basically betting on football. And footballers are not allowed to bet on any football whatsoever or give any information on any football of any level either. (Which is a bit of a stupid rule anyways. As long as you're not betting on games your club is involved in, it should be allowed IMO)

Owl.

https://twitter.com/AHunterGuardian/status/1151809791087566849
https://twitter.com/AHunterGuardian/status/1151816694115033089

garra

It's a brave move to not sign an attacker who could slot in around the front 3 to allow for rest/rotation/injuries. If there was only 1 signing this summer, I would have wanted this type of player.

It seems that is not going to happen. After getting over my disappointment of not having a shiny new bauble to marvel at, I find it a compelling prospect that Klopp sees fit to use the same squad + youth this season.

Fortunately for us, he has his own mind and doesn't let noise influence his strategy, as proved by VDV signing.

LuckyLloyd

Daniel Sturridge is no longer a Liverpool player, right?

BullBlackNova

I'm not going to lose any sleep over not signing anyone new once no first team players leave but it does seem like there's two very obvious areas that could be improved - cover across the front 3 and at full back.

But, I'm excited to see what Lewis, Larouci, Brewster, etc can do if Klopp wants them in the team.

The huge sums of money being thrown about for average players shows how difficult it is to get value in the market. Adding a back-up full back and another attacker would likely cost the club €100 million so they just have to weigh up whether they would get enough benefit from that. It appears that they don't think that they would so it might just be a quiet summer.

BorneTobyWilde

Sturridge not responsible for others placing bets. What footballer does not discuss with his family his next move, if they placed a bet using inside info so what, he never did. Are they really saying that a footballer should keep moving to a new place, a new country from their wife, their kids, their dad, their mom, their friends? What bull.
Sturridge never placed any bets. Every footballer would discuss his next move with his family ffs, and if they placed a bet on it then it's inside info, no more than that.

Owl.

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Daniel Sturridge is no longer a Liverpool player, right?

He's not.

ERG89

garra wrote: »

It's a brave move to not sign an attacker who could slot in around the front 3 to allow for rest/rotation/injuries. If there was only 1 signing this summer, I would have wanted this type of player.

We are ok for a centre forward. We can play Firmino, Salah, Origi or Brewster in that position. Out wide after Salah & Mane we have Origi, Shaqiri, Wilson & Lallana. None of them play like the players they replace at all or have the quality of them either. If either of those were out for 6 weeks it would be a blow to the clubs season. Plus they'll have to play 50 games each after 2 consecutive summers they've had international football commitments its asking a lot imo.

BorneTobyWilde

https://twitter.com/nickstephen29/status/1151825610924265479

dogbert27

murpho999 wrote: »

I don't see it as similar at all. That window we sold Suarez and bought Rickie Lambert.

No player being sold and no top player looking to move.

Squad was excellent last season and no reason it can't be the same next season.

I'm surprised we're not looking to strengthen the squad.

I just hope this is Klopp's call and not FSGs.

Time will tell if he has been right.

Maybe it's all being held for Mbappe 2020.

This is more my point.

I would like to see a real back up to Robertson and TAA.

I don't like Milner or Gomez being made utility full backs.

If Mig stays be be back up keeper then I'm happy with that.

Dickerty

This may seem like a rogue statement but - I trust Klopp. He was right to wait for Virgil, was right to pursue Salah and Mane, was right to convert Trent to a FB from a CM, and was right to take time bedding in Fab for example.

Seriously though, he knows he could attract all sorts of players, and he has suggested they may bring in one, but with the addition of Wilson and Brewster to the attacking options gives us 6 for 3 spots (with Origi amd Shaq), which is fine. The only real argument is FB, where we have Clyne, Gomez and Milner who can cover. I'd rather trust the players that we have and they are embedded with the squad than risk upsetting that balance with a filler.

But again - I trust Klopp.

.G.

I've said it before I think we'll probably play a different formation maybe alot more of 4-2-3-1 this season in which case we'll be fine for players, we've at least two for each position in that formation.

If we carry on with all three attackers up front every match then we I'd agree are and attacker light which is why I think we'll change and you'll see much more rotation with Mane, Salah and Firmino this season.

rossie1977

Dickerty wrote: »

This may seem like a rogue statement but - I trust Klopp. He was right to wait for Virgil, was right to pursue Salah and Mane, was right to convert Trent to a FB from a CM, and was right to take time bedding in Fab for example.

Seriously though, he knows he could attract all sorts of players, and he has suggested they may bring in one, but with the addition of Wilson and Brewster to the attacking options gives us 6 for 3 spots (with Origi amd Shaq), which is fine. The only real argument is FB, where we have Clyne, Gomez and Milner who can cover. I'd rather trust the players that we have and they are embedded with the squad than risk upsetting that balance with a filler.

But again - I trust Klopp.

Multiple journalists in May said Liverpool had next to no summer budget to work with so I doubt it's a case of Klopp waiting for the right person because right now it seems the money simply hasn't been made available to him.

.G.

rossie1977 wrote:

Liverpool weren't good enough last year to win Premier League with this squad. Everyone can see their squad isn't close to as strong as Man City's and there are a number of key positions that could be improved on.

I think that's harsh, we didn't miss it by much, yeah we had some luck but they had plenty too. If we got a draw at the Eitihad everything changes. We'll be up there with them again and I think Klopp will have learned from this season, we need to beat them at home and not lose away and in games like United and Everton away its probably no longer good enough to say a point is a good point. Last season we should have taken the game to united second half when they lost so many players but we settled for a point, they'll have learned from that.

City have two derbies a year, Liverpool have 4, we need to win most of them.

Vicxas

Owl. wrote: »

Breaching FA betting rules...have you been living under a rock? :P

Oh yeah, completely forgot about that!

billymitchell

rossie1977 wrote: »

Multiple journalists in May said Liverpool had next to no summer budget to work with so I doubt it's a case of Klopp waiting for the right person because right now it seems the money simply hasn't been made available to him.

After finishing 2nd in the league and winning the champions league, I find that very difficult to believe that we have no money for players.
And with Moreno and Sturridge leaving, how much money are we saving on their wages.

I think our patience is the only issue here

Dickerty

rossie1977 wrote: »

Multiple journalists in May said Liverpool had next to no summer budget to work with so I doubt it's a case of Klopp waiting for the right person because right now it seems the money simply hasn't been made available to him.

I don't believe that for a second. Do you really think after winning the CL, and with the huge increase in prize money and corporate income, that the owners would then tell Klopp they are not willing to invest?

The club, and Klopp, have always said there is money there when they need it. If he wanted to sign another €80M player, they would have no hesititation in doing it. But he doesn't see the need for one now.

I think there will be some big deals in January this year, cause the PL window closes in 2 weeks and there is no way all the deals can be done before that...

.G.

John Henry said we would invest straight after the CL final, Klopp says he's happy with the squad bu may do something if the right player becomes available, maybe just take them at face value?

This place will be fun if we don't start the season with 5 straight wins!

Dickerty

.G. wrote: »

John Henry said we would invest straight after the CL final, Klopp says he's happy with the squad bu may do something if the right player becomes available, maybe just take them at face value?

This place will be fun if we don't start the season with 5 straight wins!

"Take the armband off Hendo!"
"Firmino doesn't score enough!"
"Salah is sulking again!"
"How can we blame Lovren if he's not playing?"

Fitz*

Dickerty wrote: »

"Salah is sulking again!"

:D:D I had forgotten that one!! got a good laugh out of remembering that one!

Pepp1989

Klopp waits for the right player.

You'd be confident the money is there.

Klopp and FSG are more than deserving of a little trust and faith.

BorneTobyWilde

I can't think of any available player that can strengthen our first team. With Ox, Keita, Lallana and Origi playing literally minutes between them last season, but available now, we're stronger. Plus we have some young players coming through, they deserve a chance.

BorneTobyWilde

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

I can't think of any available player...

I'd say pretty much all players are available given the right price/approach.

Agent Coulson

Harvey Elliot

Liverpool won't be publicising his signing because a) he's out of contract and b) they will have to agree some kind of compensation with Fulham.

https://twitter.com/neiljonesgoal/status/1151870670479024128

Understand we won't be seeing Sepp van den Berg in tomorrow's game. The young Dutchman is still awaiting FIFA clearance before he can play games for #LFC - could feature in Boston/NYC but is training with his team-mates as normal, and by all accounts has looked impressive too.

https://twitter.com/neiljonesgoal/status/1151868623989948419

MD1990

https://twitter.com/AHunterGuardian/status/1151884216189227008

Must have before we beat City 4-3 in 17/18.

Quite poor from Sturridge.

rossie1977

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

I can't think of any available player that can strengthen our first team. With Ox, Keita, Lallana and Origi playing literally minutes between them last season, but available now, we're stronger. Plus we have some young players coming through, they deserve a chance.

de Ligt was available and he is a much better player than Matip and not made of glass like Gomez. You would also have a guaranteed starter for next decade too in key position. Liverpool would be watertight at the back.

You can't think of anyone better than Henderson who is 30 by end of season?

Chamberlain's injury prone his entire career so can't rely on him
Lallana is over 30 and has started 6 games in 2 years. Outside a short spell when Klopp arrived he has never impressed at Liverpool.
Keitas not settled. Maybe he will but injuries and loss of form is worrying
Can't praise Origi enough for last season but he isn't the guy you want to be bringing in to start every week if Salah or Firmino go down for 6 months. He is the person you bring off bench with 20 minutes to go if plan A didn't work.

Liverpool had massive chance to take themselves to next level. They were only 2-3 top signings away from becoming a really super team. They haven't done that and instead stood still while the big teams in Europe strengthened as did City, Spurs and Man Utd.

Liverpool did finish second but look how quickly Liverpool dropped after finishing second in 2009 and 14. Chelsea recently went from 1st and runaway winners to out of champions league places over the course of one season..twice recently.

You have added problems with the likelihood that Mane and Salah are both gone next summer if Liverpool don't win either Premier League or Champions league.

Pepp1989

It's not even player availability or their ability as much as it's their attitude and agent etc.

Not as simple as 'he is a good player. Lets buy him'.

RollieFingers

The season hasn't even started and already there's a few doom and gloom merchants around. I've faith in Klopp and what he's doing anyways.

gimli2112

This year I'm putting anyone who says something negative on ignore. I'll log on just to review my own positive comments, see what Toby has to say etc.

martyos121

gimli2112 wrote: »

This year I'm putting anyone who says something negative on ignore. I'll log on just to review my own positive comments, see what Toby has to say etc.

We’re not signing Mbappé next summer.

OwaynOTT

I trust no one! You can't predict the future on the past. It's a missed opportunity if we don't strengthen this season.

5starpool

RollieFingers wrote: »

The season hasn't even started and already there's a few doom and gloom merchants around. I've faith in Klopp and what he's doing anyways.

It's ridiculous. If Klopp had been saying that he wanted to sign players to improve our team and we didn't, then there could be cause for annoyance. I'd be fairly sure that he just doesn't see the need to do it. I don't necessarily agree personally, but I trust Klopp. We may well not win the league, we will almost certainly get less points, but if anyone is repeatedly whinging and pointing to lack of transfer business, blame Klopp, not FSG. Ideally tgoughy, say it other places, not on here.

Iused2likebusts

Apart from milner the majority of our players are still to reach their peak. I'd back Klopp on this one. It will be very hard to finish ahead of City no matter what we do.

Sofa Spud

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=085kvOobuVE

Klopp's presser just started