Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2020/2021

jebidiah

I understand the logic of selling when the time is right, but the front three especially are three of the best players in the world. Why sell?

Osmosis Jones

Put it this way, I don't think any Bayern fans are thinking "we should've sold Lewandowski before he turned 30" right now.

plibige

This sort of reminds me of "The Last Dance" where the question was "do we dismantle the team now and rebuild for the future, or do we try do something really special".

And to be honest I think a lot of the ground work for the future has or is being done.

Jota is exceptional, Harvey Elliott will be exceptional, Minamino might not be Firmino but he certainly is more in line with what we do then Origi.

I'd personally rather see Salah and Mane become our "Robben and Ribery" or "Scholes and Giggs".

And to be honest I just don't see anyone giving us the value we know they are worth

~Rebel~

jebidiah wrote: »

I understand the logic of selling when the time is right, but the front three especially are three of the best players in the world. Why sell?

The argument would be that selling him in a year or so allows a head start on assembling the next great team.

Difficult decision to make though. On the one hand, keeping him would likely mean almost doubling his wages, and potentially losing the massive windfall of his transfer fee, so it's a double blow financially. But on the other hand, he's incredible, and robust enough that he looks likely to be a high level player for another 5 years.

Selling an asset like Mo or Mane would plug the hole from match day revenue. That's assuming transfer prices will still be ridiculous which isn't guaranteed.

Hopefully we keep them both another while

atilladehun

I think Salah and Mane will be tops for longer than we expect. Like many modern forwards.

They're also very valuable to the rich middle Eastern clubs, they'll hold value longer than we're used to.

Real Madrid asked the players to take another party cut today. They're building onto the bernabau. They don't have the money of previous years.

Barca are broke and broken.

Competitively there's no better squad in the world right now.

Even with hundreds of millions and our scouting team getting new top class players may not work.

martyos121

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

Put it this way, I don't think any Bayern fans are thinking "we should've sold Lewandowski before he turned 30" right now.

And the way he plays, he could stay at a similar level well into his thirties, he’s not in any way overly reliant on physical attributes (apart maybe from contesting headers). A striker of that nature who keeps himself in good shape can have a long career at a high level, one only has to look as far as Zlatan who’s still absolutely tearing it up at 39 years old in a major league.

Salah plays in such a way that a loss of pace wouldn’t really hurt his natural game that much either. He’s still very quick by any standards, but the amount of goals he scores for us these days that are a result of him breaking his back to get in behind a defender are much rarer than his moments of quality in possession of the ball, first time finishes and like his first goal against Palace at the weekend, top class reflexes.

It’s been said plenty before, but Mane is the one you could really see declining in a few years as his natural fitness inevitably wanes a little. His game does rely on pace and physical qualities, at least significantly more than Salah or Firmino anyway. Bobby of course would tire a litter quicker as he goes through such a workload in his position, but even 60 minutes of that tenacity when he’s into his thirties would be a godsend for us.

I’d love all three of them to retire at the club, preferably in three separate years to phase in their replacements, but it’s not realistic and if I had to pick one to let go of first, it’d have to be Mane, but Salah would be the one I’d do anything to keep at the club for the rest of his career. He’s right up there with Gerrard and Suarez for me as the best to wear the red shirt in my lifetime.

Plasandrunt

First leg against Roma in 2019 just started on Virgin Media Sport.

We were incredible for 80mins that night

gimli2112

I'm such a f***ing idiot, I'm watching it thinking man the Roma keeper looks just like Alisson

Markitron

gimli2112 wrote: »

I'm such a f***ing idiot, I'm watching it thinking man the Roma keeper looks just like Alisson

I did the EXACT same thing when I was watching a replay of Liverpool v Barca from 2001-ish, thought to myself ‘that Barca keeper looks like a young Reina with hair’.

It was literally a younger Reina with hair.

Thidp

I watched Chelsea yesterday and saw other games where Thiago Silva played really well. I am Brazilian and watch him since his Fluminense days back in 2006-2008 and he delivered what everyone thought of him back in those years.

Do you guys think it was a missed opportunity for us? He was a free agent and I can see him choosing Liverpool over Chelsea because of the status of both teams now. I don't think money was a priority for him and with Matip's injury history and Gomez decline I think Liverpool missed a chance of having him.

BorneTobyWilde

yourdeadwright wrote: »

Lads Mo is 28 years old and as fit as a fiddle
He doesn't drink at all and keeps in unbelievable shape he has at Least 5 years left at the top
Its not the 90s anymore lads play well into there 30s now

Yea Ronaldo is 36 soon and he hasn't dropped off at all yet. Still one of the fastest players out there.

yourdeadwright

Thidp wrote: »

I watched Chelsea yesterday and saw other games where Thiago Silva played really well. I am Brazilian and watch him since his Fluminense days back in 2006-2008 and he delivered what everyone thought of him back in those years.

Do you guys think it was a missed opportunity for us? He was a free agent and I can see him choosing Liverpool over Chelsea because of the status of both teams now. I don't think money was a priority for him and with Matip's injury history and Gomez decline I think Liverpool missed a chance of having him.

No chance, we couldn't afford his wage and couldn't garuntee him his place

Taking into account that VVD and Gomez played CB against Villa when we let in 7 it means Fabhino and Matip have concede less than him and he's been in a full strength Chelse side

theoneeyedman

Thidp wrote: »

I watched Chelsea yesterday and saw other games where Thiago Silva played really well. I am Brazilian and watch him since his Fluminense days back in 2006-2008 and he delivered what everyone thought of him back in those years.

Do you guys think it was a missed opportunity for us? He was a free agent and I can see him choosing Liverpool over Chelsea because of the status of both teams now. I don't think money was a priority for him and with Matip's injury history and Gomez decline I think Liverpool missed a chance of having him.

Easy to say in hindsight, but the lads have down well (Fabinho and the kids, with Matip held together with duct tape and Holy water).

Maybe you're losing something in the language/translation, but I wouldn't call what happened Gomez a decline, a freak injury, but he'd been excellent before that.

KevRossi

City winning 4-1 against Arsenal, means they have another match (LC Semi Final) on January 5th/6th. Nice.

Agent Coulson

KevRossi wrote: »

City winning 4-1 against Arsenal, means they have another match (LC Semi Final) on January 5th/6th. Nice.

Hopefully they get Spurs or Man U.

However knowing the way City have been getting cup draws over the last /5 years they will get Brentford.

8-10

Markitron wrote: »

I did the EXACT same thing when I was watching a replay of Liverpool v Barca from 2001-ish, thought to myself ‘that Barca keeper looks like a young Reina with hair’.

It was literally a younger Reina with hair.

I was at that game, 2001 alright, semi final. A Pep Guardiola with hair was in centre mid for them.

Gary Mac the best baldie on the park that night

Agent Coulson

Awoniyi and Karius starting his first game for Union Berlin lost 2-3 in the German Cup.

BorneTobyWilde

You've have to wonder why City have such a huge interest in the Pepsi Cola Cup over the League and CL. It's weird.

1o059k7ewrqj3n

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Awoniyi and Karius starting his first game for Union Berlin lost 2-3 in the German Cup.

Is that Karius first game for them this season?

ERG89

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

Put it this way, I don't think any Bayern fans are thinking "we should've sold Lewandowski before he turned 30" right now.

You don't see Lewandowski talk about going to Real Madrid anymore do you? Its almost like the club he is at now are far better isn't it.

Salah giving interviews or talking to mouthy mates in Egypt just as we are showing some bit of form & heading to a busy period isn't a move Klopp will appreciate but Klopp won't admit it publicly. He already kept his mouth shut when Salah went to the wedding in Egypt and caught covid so maybe that's why he wasn't rushing to give him the armband.

Agent Coulson

Steyr 556 wrote: »

Is that Karius first game for them this season?

It is.

~Rebel~

Steyr 556 wrote: »

Is that Karius first game for them this season?

Yeah, though they've been overperforming in the league, so you're never gonna change keepers when that happens. They're fighting for a European spot at the moment.

atilladehun

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Hopefully they get Spurs or Man U.

However knowing the way City have been getting cup draws over the last /5 years they will get Brentford.

Glorious. Jose v pep for a proper fight in the final please. Utd to keep losing semis.

Girly Gal

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Awoniyi and Karius starting his first game for Union Berlin lost 2-3 in the German Cup.

No surprise they lost with Karius in goal, they obviously weren't too bothered about staying in the cup.

Talisman

ERG89 wrote: »

You don't see Lewandowski talk about going to Real Madrid anymore do you? Its almost like the club he is at now are far better isn't it.

Salah giving interviews or talking to mouthy mates in Egypt just as we are showing some bit of form & heading to a busy period isn't a move Klopp will appreciate but Klopp won't admit it publicly. He already kept his mouth shut when Salah went to the wedding in Egypt and caught covid so maybe that's why he wasn't rushing to give him the armband.

Salah didn't speak to Aboutrika. Here is the translation of what Aboutrika said on beIN Sport:

“In my personal opinion and I might be wrong, his happiness after the [Palace] game, I sense he didn’t feel much happiness, same with the Tottenham match.

“He did an interview after the Midtjylland match where he expressed he wanted to be made captain but he respects the manager's decision.

“It’s good to be captain and put on your CV you’ve been captain. It’s good that an Arab is captain of a club like Liverpool.

“He’s scored so many goals for Liverpool he is a star, the club should be framing him [on the wall]. Salah must channel his energy to Klopp and not hold it in.

“The evidence you can see suggests that he isn’t happy, but that doesn’t mean I want him to go, no.

"I want him to stay and be comfortable and be pampered because he is a star."

"He knows himself and his situation better than anyone. He knows what the club is like. He is also now playing at a huge club, that has a great project and a great coach.

"The other projects in Europe still haven't started yet. Barcelona is still rebuilding. Real Madrid has a lot of stars and still hasn't started a transition phase where they will buy more players, likely at the start of next season.

"We should not really jump the gun. He is a big player, and knows what suits him best. Changing clubs is not easy for Salah. He is an expensive player. He would cost upwards of 150m Euros, so who today can afford that - as well as convincing Liverpool to let him go?"

There's nothing there that hasn't previously been said on this forum. Of course that didn't stop some genius creating their own translation and making it a story.

"I called Salah about his situation in Liverpool and he is upset.

"Salah is not happy in Liverpool. One of the things that made Salah angry was that he was not the captain against Midtjylland.

"In my opinion, Liverpool are considering selling Salah for economic purposes."

If somebody came on here and started spouting this nonsense they'd be laughed at, but because it appeared in the media it is assumed to be true. Liverpool fans should know better than anyone that the media lie and spin stories for their own benefit.

gimli2112

While I accept the premise the media is full of crap, I reserve the right to be outraged by what it reports.
I don't think I can be upset more than when Fowler left. Torres, Mascherano and Suarez meant nothing to me. Salah would hurt though.

The White Wolf

I wouldn't put any more thought into to what that "friend of Salah's" said than what Mido would say about Salah. Both ****e talkers claiming to be in the know because they share nationality.

gimli2112 wrote: »

While I accept the premise the media is full of crap, I reserve the right to be outraged by what it reports.
I don't think I can be upset more than when Fowler left. Torres, Mascherano and Suarez meant nothing to me. Salah would hurt though.

Owen, Suarez and Torres were all a kick in the bollox to me. All left at points where we had come so close in the league but failed, so each one leaving was a sign of incoming decline for a period.

Alonso too. Rafa as well. Suppose I've seen a lot of bitter pills in my time. :pac:

Sterling and Coutinho didn't bother me one bit for some reason.

yourdeadwright

Come on boys surely we all see through this
Its contract extension time,

Salah said he wants to break records here but he is not stupid he will not come out in public and say I'm 100% staying that means he will get offered less cash and a worse deal
So his agent gives some Egyptian half way across the world the ok to write some questionable answer nothing to bad just to stoke up the fear that he "May go" as a result he gets a few more quid or sweetners in his new deal

Actually if you look at the interview every player in our squad bar two expectations have said its always possible they could move on, Trent & Robbo only two who have said publicly they want to stay for life
The rest are to cute when it comes to contract deals.

Markitron

The White Wolf wrote: »

Owen, Suarez and Torres were all a kick in the bollox to me. All left at points where we had come so close in the league but failed, so each one leaving was a sign of incoming decline for a period.

Alonso too. Rafa as well. Suppose I've seen a lot of bitter pills in my time. :pac:

Sterling and Coutinho didn't bother me one bit for some reason.

Most painful departure for me will always be Patrik Berger

machiavellianme

The White Wolf wrote: »

I wouldn't put any more thought into to what that "friend of Salah's" said than what Mido would say about Salah. Both ****e talkers claiming to be in the know because they share nationality.



Owen, Suarez and Torres were all a kick in the bollox to me. All left at points where we had come so close in the league but failed, so each one leaving was a sign of incoming decline for a period.

Alonso too. Rafa as well. Suppose I've seen a lot of bitter pills in my time. :pac:

Sterling and Coutinho didn't bother me one bit for some reason.

I agree with you on all bar sterling. After giving him his breakthrough and after a close run, I'd hoped he would have a great future ahead with us. Now, I just hope that we have such a great future that he looks back and thinks what might have been and "why didn't I stay, I'd have way more medals (and not just League cups buffing the numbers)".

Markitron

machiavellianme wrote: »

I agree with you on all bar sterling. After giving him his breakthrough and after a close run, I'd hoped he would have a great future ahead with us. Now, I just hope that we have such a great future that he looks back and thinks what might have been and "why didn't I stay, I'd have way more medals (and not just League cups buffing the numbers)".

As good as he (and City) have been, his departure will officially be a mistake unless City win the Champions League.

.G.

Dermot Corrigan, Irish journo based in Madrid said Real have no interest in Salah. They want the considerably younger Mbappe as first choice and Haaland if they can't get him. And Barca are broke.

Mo wants a new deal.

Agent Coulson

The Guardians Top 100 footballers list for 2020 is being released each day this week with the Top 10 released tomorrow here is where Liverpool players rank so far.

Gini 73
Jota 63
Fab 51
Bobby 43
Robbo 34
Hendo 33
Ali 26
TAA 18
Thiago 17



So Salah, Mane & VVD to get appear in the top 10 tomorrow I would imagine.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/dec/21/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2020


VVD 10
Salah 8
Mane 5

Bandana boy

imagine in no order 10 left are

Mane
Salah
VVD
Ronaldo
Messi
Neymar
Mbappe
Haaland
Debruyne
Lewandoski

Markitron

Seeing Luis Alberto in that list makes me irrationally annoyed. I'm not sure if Brendan actually is to blame for that, but since he did try and turn Bobby into a failed winger, I'm gonna blame him anyway.

Bandana boy wrote: »

imagine in no order 10 left are

Mane
Salah
VVD
Ronaldo
Messi
Neymar
Mbappe
Haaland
Debruyne
Lewandoski

If that isn't the final 10 then someone really ****ed up. I'd put Haaland first, he has had some year.

Fitz*

Luis Alberto has built a very strong career for himself. He's one of Lazio's main players, and is doing very well at the top end of Serie A & Europa League. His assist record over the last number of seasons is excellent.

Aspas is another. Absolute hero at Celta Vigo. Has kept them in La Liga nearly single handedly recently and has scored over 100 goals for them. Sid Lowe was recently saying that he's currently the best Spanish footballer. Will always be remembered for that corner though, outside of Spain. I doubt he cares.

https://twitter.com/sidlowe/status/1340668102636425217?s=19

Two players that didn't suit the Premier League. It happens.

RugbyLover123

Agent Coulson wrote: »

The Guardians Top 100 footballers list for 2020 is being released each day this week with the Top 10 released tomorrow here is where Liverpool players rank so far.

Gini 73
Jota 63
Fab 51
Bobby 43
Robbo 34
Hendo 33
Ali 26
TAA 18
Thiago 17



So Salah, Mane & VVD to get appear in the top 10 tomorrow I would imagine.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/dec/21/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2020

I feel like Henderson should be higher then 33 but when I look at the players above him it’s difficult to see where you could squeeze him in without showing Premier League bias. I’m sure Immobile is a fine player but I doubt he has had an 12/18 months as good as Henderson.

I also feel Gini is so underrated. The man literally is an 8/10 every game and plays every game plus he was probably Holland’s best player the last 12 months. I would say his ability to keep the ball in tight spaces is up there in the top 5 in the world. He definitely suffers from the fact we have so many world class players in their positions grabbing the headlines. I mean Jota has been unbelievable since he has joined but there’s no way he’s been 10 places higher then Gini in the last 12 months. Fab and Gini should also be above Bobby for the last 12 months.

Edit: only after I posted did I remember Immobile won the Golden Boot ha!

brevity

At its heart is Aspas, arguably the best Spanish footballer there is, playing with freedom, a man of whom Coudet says: “Everything he does makes something happen: not just goals and assists, but everything.” Everyone is benefitting, all of them are playing a part. Against Granada Nolito, Miguel Baeza and Fran Beltrán scored; against Athletic it was Mallo and Aspas; against Cádiz, Nolito, Aspas, Beltrán and Brais. This weekend, in a game that was far from easy, where the second half changes were defensive, seeking to protect a lead taken early and where the second didn’t arrive until 10 minutes from the end, Brais got both. It had taken him 59 games to get two goals; now he has three in two games, two in an hour.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2020/dec/21/chacho-man-makes-celta-the-most-fun-team-to-watch-in-spain-la-liga

Bandana boy

With our most likely 12 , we have 4 former players too
16% of the worlds best 100 been signed by Liverpool , really show how strong our recruitment has been last 10 years

MD1990

Salah has no where to go other than PSG if he leaves. Madrid & Barcelona probably dont have the money & need younger players.

They'll want him when Mbappe leaves

~Rebel~

Fitz* wrote: »

Luis Alberto has built a very strong career for himself. He's one of Lazio's main players, and is doing very well at the top end of Serie A & Europa League. His assist record over the last number of seasons is excellent.

Aspas is another. Absolute hero at Celta Vigo. Has kept them in La Liga nearly single handedly recently and has scored over 100 goals for them. Sid Lowe was recently saying that he's currently the best Spanish footballer. Will always be remembered for that corner though, outside of Spain. I doubt he cares.

https://twitter.com/sidlowe/status/1340668102636425217?s=19

Two players that didn't suit the Premier League. It happens.

This is the bit that bothered me most about it all - we've absolutely no idea how they'd do in the Premier League. Both were in it for 1 season. Aspas played a grand total of 378 league minutes. That's less than 4 and a half matches. Alberto played only 135 minutes - not even 2 games!

Those numbers are not terribly surprising, because the team was very strong and pushing for the league. What's surprising is not at all trusting the analytics and scouting, or seeing how they developed, and instead just sending them packing after that 1 season. As we all know, our team got much worse very quickly, and a wonderkid like Alberto developing at the club might have really helped things in the years after. Meanwhile, Aspas would've been first choice the next season with Suarez gone and Sturridge broken, and who knows how he might have done. Clearly - as he showed both before and after Liverpool - he was an absolutely top level forward, and I daresay might have contributed a lot more than fckin' Lambert and Balotelli.

Rodgers biggest failing at Liverpool was his stubborn refusal to use players recommended by the transfer committee who, as it turns out, are up there with the best in the world at their jobs. Those two players are probably the biggest clearest sign of that (along with the childish insistence of only agreeing to Bobby if he got Benteke as well).

fyfe79

~Rebel~ wrote: »

This is the bit that bothered me most about it all - we've absolutely no idea how they'd do in the Premier League. Both were in it for 1 season. Aspas played a grand total of 378 league minutes. That's less than 4 and a half matches. Alberto played only 135 minutes - not even 2 games!

Those numbers are not terribly surprising, because the team was very strong and pushing for the league. What's surprising is not at all trusting the analytics and scouting, or seeing how they developed, and instead just sending them packing after that 1 season. As we all know, our team got much worse very quickly, and a wonderkid like Alberto developing at the club might have really helped things in the years after. Meanwhile, Aspas would've been first choice the next season with Suarez gone and Sturridge broken, and who knows how he might have done. Clearly - as he showed both before and after Liverpool - he was an absolutely top level forward, and I daresay might have contributed a lot more than fckin' Lambert and Balotelli.

Rodgers biggest failing at Liverpool was his stubborn refusal to use players recommended by the transfer committee who, as it turns out, are up there with the best in the world at their jobs. Those two players are probably the biggest clearest sign of that (along with the childish insistence of only agreeing to Bobby if he got Benteke as well).

Sure if Salah hadn't signed for Liverpool, he'd be known as a PL flop due to his stint at Chelsea (If discussed while at Roma, I'm sure it would've been "he couldn't hack it in the PL but running riot in Serie A...joke league"). Comes back and is the most prolific PL striker ever. I'm sure Aspas would do the business for someone if he came back to the PL.

~Rebel~

fyfe79 wrote: »

Sure if Salah hadn't signed for Liverpool, he'd be known as a PL flop due to his stint at Chelsea (If discussed while at Roma, I'm sure it would've been "he couldn't hack it in the PL but running riot in Serie A...joke league"). Comes back and is the most prolific PL striker ever. I'm sure Aspas would do the business for someone if he came back to the PL.

Exactly - same story. Was only at Chelsea for a year (winter 14 to winter 15) and only played 530 league minutes - less than 6 games. But nope, flop.

With all of these lads it’s the clubs that failed the players, rather than the other way around.

Having said that, with these 3 I’m happy with the way it worked out, losing out on Aspas and Alberto, but gaining Salah - that’s a win!

Fitz*

It looks like Shaqiri, Milner & Thiago all trained with the team today.

https://twitter.com/LFCTS/status/1341755803729014784?s=19

Agent Coulson

So just Jota, Tsimikas, Gomez & VVD out now.

plibige

Allison at 26 seems a bit off to me. I know I'm biased but I think he is the best keeper in the world right now, so 26th doesn't seem right.

There is definitely a forwards bias for sure with these lists, always has been. And when the top 10 comes out and there's 1 defender, 1 midfielder and 8 forwards it'll be fairly self evident

eigrod

Mes que un club

https://twitter.com/paulychucks/status/1341718279711277057?s=21

#ynwa

8-10

Agent Coulson wrote: »

The Guardians Top 100 footballers list for 2020 is being released each day this week with the Top 10 released tomorrow here is where Liverpool players rank so far.

Gini 73
Jota 63
Fab 51
Bobby 43
Robbo 34
Hendo 33
Ali 26
TAA 18
Thiago 17

So Salah, Mane & VVD to get appear in the top 10 tomorrow I would imagine.

All looks good until you compare with their rankings from last year:

Down in ranking since 2019:

-32 Roberto Firmino (11 -> 43)
-30 Georginio Wijnaldum (43 -> 73)
-17 Alisson (9 -> 26)
-17 Fabinho (34 -> 51)
-11 Andrew Robertson (23 -> 34)
-1 Trent Alexander-Arnold (17 -> 18)

Up in ranking since 2019:

+41 Jordan Henderson (74 -> 33)

Also newly ranked for 2020:

Diogo Jota (makes sense)
Thiago Alcantara (huh? I had to go back through the list a few times but the Guardian genuinely didn't have him as a top 100 player in 2019)

Yet to see their rank, listed with their 2019 rank:

#2 Virgil van Dijk (can't see him being top 3 this year, my guess 8th)
#3 Sadio Mane (again think he'll be outside top 3, my guess 9th)
#5 Mohamed Salah (think he has a good chance of a top 3 ranking this year but my guess 4th)

retalivity

Andy Lonergan starting against Spurs!

Thought he retired after leaving liverpool