Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2020/2021

.G.

Which centre back are we buying lads, seems easy?And what money we using since we seemed to be potless last summer too. At best we might get a free agent in but if we were doing that I'd have hoped they'd have been training with us for the last twobmonths to get ready.

I hope we sign someone too but getting someone that will be good enough and cheap enough doesn't leave me with a realistic hope of it.

giveitholly

.G. wrote: »

Which centre back are we buying lads, seems easy?And what money we using since we seemed to be potless last summer too. At best we might get a free agent in but if we were doing that I'd have hoped they'd have been training with us for the last twobmonths to get ready.

I hope we sign someone too but getting someone that will be good enough and cheap enough doesn't leave me with a realistic hope of it.

Maybe it depends on selling someone like Origi first

.G.

giveitholly wrote: »

Maybe it depends on selling someone like Origi first

I would have thought so yeah. Seems to be plenty of rumour regarding his sale lately. Even still, we aren't getting 50m for him so a stopgap CB is most likely and we haven't done one of them since Stephen Caulker!

~Rebel~

rob316 wrote: »

Chelsea, Leicester's, spurs and United aren't league challengers. Don't see much in these results except we aren't extending a gap we should be running away with.

City are still the one I'm worried about... absolutely terrible form, and yet if they win their game in hand they're only 3 points behind us. Form changes, and if they can find any at all, they'll be hard to shake loose. Neither of us is gonna pull off 18/19 or 19/20 numbers - a solid 2+ppg from them and it'll be a contest.

rob316 wrote: »

Buy a centre back, get thiago on the pitch, get Jota back, win 10 in a row and put this to bed. We are capable of so much better than this, throwing away points to vastly inferior teams. It's a mentality thing because our performances against the top sides have been excellent.

It's also a games on games on games thing - it must be exhausting, which is why we only see them being able to pull out something extra every once in a while in a big game. You see it with every team, and across all the stats. 30+% more muscle injuries, and a total collapse right across the league in every stat that measures energy. The worst pressing team 2 years ago has better pressing stats than than 19 of the 20 teams this year. It's why we're seeing the temporary resurgence of the infamous '**** on a stick' football from before the pressing game arrived.

.G. wrote: »

Which centre back are we buying lads, seems easy?And what money we using since we seemed to be potless last summer too. At best we might get a free agent in but if we were doing that I'd have hoped they'd have been training with us for the last twobmonths to get ready.

I hope we sign someone too but getting someone that will be good enough and cheap enough doesn't leave me with a realistic hope of it.

Upamecano is the obvious one, with his buyout coming up in the summer - could offer a bit above to get him early. The difficulty is that we've drawn them in the CL though. Schuurs is another that's been mentioned, but I don't actually think it'll happen. I think it might end up being Kabak - who I know fuck all about, but was linked over the summer - and interestingly was last year managed by Klopp's best friend David Wagner, which I'm guessing is where the heads up about him came from.

dmigsy

.G. wrote: »

Which centre back are we buying lads, seems easy?And what money we using since we seemed to be potless last summer too. At best we might get a free agent in but if we were doing that I'd have hoped they'd have been training with us for the last twobmonths to get ready.

I hope we sign someone too but getting someone that will be good enough and cheap enough doesn't leave me with a realistic hope of it.

Seemed to be potless? Where are you getting that? Last summer Liverpool spent 40+ million on a backup attacker and 20m for Thiago, adding to an already stacked midfield. Plus 12m on a backup LB. All this amongst the uncertainty of the pandemic.

I don't understand why a cheap/stopgap CB is the only option. The club seems determined in their recent dealings to get the right deal for the right profile of player rather than approaching transfers from the first filter being "we have X to spend".

BorneTobyWilde

rob316 wrote: »

Chelsea, Leicester's, spurs and United aren't league challengers. Don't see much in these results except we aren't extending a gap we should be running away with.

Ah but league could be won with high 60s low 70s, and these teams are getting that season in season out.

~Rebel~

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Ah but league could be won with high 60s low 70s, and these teams are getting that season in season out.

I'd say it'll be a wee bit higher than that... could see 2nd place being high 70's at least still, which is just the bare 2 ppg.

BorneTobyWilde

Will be interesting to see who has most points after 19 games, and what points total that is . The most we can now get at 19 games played is 44, that's with 4 wins in next 4. And considering the results for everyone his season, that will be a tall order. I'm guessing it will be 2 wins a draw and a loss, for a total of 39 at halfway point, repeat that again for 78pts.

Muahahaha

Muahahaha wrote: »

...... Ultimately what they'll be trying to do is bring in VVDs long term replacement a year or more earlier than planned and thats not an easy undertaking in January.......

They won't be spending a fortune on someone they reckon is signing their last big contract but I don't think they'll be trying to sign VVDs replacement TBH.

The club must have a couple of Tyrone Mings type players bring scouted.... Joined Villa on loan Jan window 2019, made England debut the following August. Gomez was also a great signing that stepped up more than the CV would have suggested.

KevRossi

We can still get 101 points this season.

Think positive.

Can't see the club spending anything in Jan tbh.

Maybe a loan deal or two.

Osmosis Jones

The broadcast lads are still mad about being called out for fixture congestion leading to injuries, apparently all the data, all the sports science in the world, and even the massive uptick in injuries this season are all a load of nonsense

https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1343642748994383873?s=20

...also :rolleyes:

fyfe79

Will be interesting by the end of January when Villa are down to a squad of 13/14 players to see what Smith makes of fatigue etc.

KevRossi

Liverpool's fixtures from Jan 1st. Probably be dumped out of the FA Cup by Villa, so the yellows can go. Doesn't look too bad, only two possible conflicts if we go all the way in the FA Cup. 35 games max, 29 if we lose to Villa.

Of course bad weather and COVID might shake this up a bit.

CSF

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

The broadcast lads are still mad about being called out for fixture congestion leading to injuries, apparently all the data, all the sports science in the world, and even the massive uptick in injuries this season are all a load of nonsense

https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1343642748994383873?s=20

...also :rolleyes:

I don't think those 2 Smith quotes were hypocrisy though. The lads were clearly really tired towards the end today.



However, they're still more useful than the backup players when those guys are fully rested, which is why Smith is justifying playing the starters into the ground without so much as coming out and saying that he won't bring Hourihane, Taylor and the lads on because they're sh*te.

BorneTobyWilde

Man City playing the Covid card is tactical . They didn't want to play so soon again. We've had many cases in squad, and didn't push for a game to be postponed. We could have, and it would have been granted to postpone, NO ONE is going to say no in a Pandemic when the health of players are at stake. City could have played, they had enough players to play. They pushed for it not to be played knowing it would be postponed.

Glico Man

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Man City playing the Covid card is tactical . They didn't want to play so soon again. We've had many cases in squad, and didn't push for a game to be postponed. We could have, and it would have been granted to postpone, NO ONE is going to say no in a Pandemic when the health of players are at stake. City could have played, they had enough players to play. They pushed for it not to be played knowing it would be postponed.

Not one to defend City and their actions, but it was the Premier League who called off the game on public health grounds.

The postponement also benefits Everton who were missing key players also.

Need to ensure we get 3 points off Newcastle to up the ante on the chasing pack and start building a cushion before the CL resumes.

It's not a season I'd like to have a lot of games in hand. These forced stoppages could happen a few times to teams, and could be a nightmare to fit in games. Remember the euros are next summer so the season can't be extended.

robwen

Why do we have 2 games on successive Thursdays in January?

.G.

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Upamecano is the obvious one, with his buyout coming up in the summer - could offer a bit above to get him early. The difficulty is that we've drawn them in the CL though. Schuurs is another that's been mentioned, but I don't actually think it'll happen. I think it might end up being Kabak - who I know fuck all about, but was linked over the summer - and interestingly was last year managed by Klopp's best friend David Wagner, which I'm guessing is where the heads up about him came from.

Yeah Upemacano is the one but he'll cost a fortune and as you say unlikely to be sold in January. Bayern appear to be favourites too from what I've read.

Kabak has a temperament question mark, got done for spitting this season and not sure of his ability either or Schurrs.

Buying a centre back of the required quality is not as easy a job as some seem to think it is. Chelsea had to get a geriatric free agent, Pep is on about his 6th effort to replace Kompany, United have Tried Lindelof, Bailly, Maguire etc and all have their issues.

I've got the utmost faith in our transfer lads but I'm not hopeful of us getting anyone in this January, bar VVD himself we just rarely do it and he only happened then cos we messed up in the summer.

Agent Coulson

A new Doctor hired to look after Naby Lad & Matip

https://twitter.com/LFC/status/1343844281103093760?s=20

Girly Gal

Could we not get a CB in on loan til the end of season and then get who we want in the summer, other clubs do it and if the loan works out they could be the backup CB next year, we'll probably need two new CBs in the next year anyways for cover as we don't know how VVD or Gomez will be when they come back and Matip just can't stay fit.

Agent Coulson

Just reading that we might be looking at Skriniar and that Inter are interested in Origi.

Need an emergency CB that we'd only need hopefully for a short time. £10m bid for Maguire?

Too much?

ArmaniJeanss

robwen wrote: »

Why do we have 2 games on successive Thursdays in January?

Basically because they are both midweek rounds (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) and the TV companies (Sky for Burney, BT for Spurs) have selected us for those days.
It's kind of OK - though Jurgen will probably complain about it in the runup to/ aftermath of the Sunday game after the second Thursday game.
But in general we've a reasonably decent set of times through Christmas, NY and January.

ArmaniJeanss

Girly Gal wrote: »

Could we not get a CB in on loan til the end of season and then get who we want in the summer, other clubs do it and if the loan works out they could be the backup CB next year, we'll probably need two new CBs in the next year anyways for cover as we don't know how VVD or Gomez will be when they come back and Matip just can't stay fit.

The loan market tends to be quite limited - there's a) the up and coming youngster who hasn't quite nailed down a place at a top team yet, and b) the out of favour established player who is on the downgrade, wanted off the wage bill by his club and has serious question marks against him.
It's tough to find a suitable player within those parameters.

ERG89

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1343642748994383873?s=20

I wonder do these pundits actually watch the games they are working on as most football matches this season have been a chore to watch across the board.

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Just reading that we might be looking at Skriniar and that Inter are interested in Origi.

Inter do love their Premier League rejects but I can't see that happening.

atilladehun

robwen wrote: »

Why do we have 2 games on successive Thursdays in January?

Not a massive problem if we make the FA cup none of our business.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Man City playing the Covid card is tactical . They didn't want to play so soon again. We've had many cases in squad, and didn't push for a game to be postponed. We could have, and it would have been granted to postpone, NO ONE is going to say no in a Pandemic when the health of players are at stake. City could have played, they had enough players to play. They pushed for it not to be played knowing it would be postponed.

I would have thought this a bad move in that case because if they miss any more games (and this situation isn't likely to change in the next few days) they'll face fixture congestion later on in the season (unless they get knocked out of the fa cup early).

Girly Gal

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

The loan market tends to be quite limited - there's a) the up and coming youngster who hasn't quite nailed down a place at a top team yet, and b) the out of favour established player who is on the downgrade, wanted off the wage bill by his club and has serious question marks against him.
It's tough to find a suitable player within those parameters.

I take your point, but, surely there is a better short term option available somewhere throughout Europe than relying on Williams and Philips who don't have any real experience at this level between them. I'm not expecting them to get someone like VVD on a short term loan, but, someone decent like Rudiger at Chelsea for example who seems to be surplus to requirements at Chelsea, but, is a decent CB ( only using him as an example, probably plenty more him like throughout Europe). The club have had since summer to look at CBs and really should have stepped it up once VVD and especially Gomez were out long term.
For what it's worth between Philips and Williams I think Philip's is the better option right now as he's more mature and is a pure defender. Williams probably will go on to have a better career, but, don't think he's ready yet. Also if they weren't already at the club, does anyone really think we'd be looking to sign them right now as potential cover for our CBs?

1o059k7ewrqj3n

When was the last time we did a loan deal under Klopp, Caulkner?

Agent Coulson

Steyr 556 wrote: »

When was the last time we did a loan deal under Klopp, Caulkner?

Yes that's the one and only loan under Klopp.

He played an FA Cup game as CB then his 4 minutes of appearances in the Premier League he played up front.

~Rebel~

Steyr 556 wrote: »

When was the last time we did a loan deal under Klopp, Caulkner?

Yeah... it’s an exceptional circumstances situation. It was when that happened, and it is again now.

There’s a very dangerous short term hole that needs to be filled.

We also need a long term fix there - so whichever solution presents itself should be availed of. Short term fix for every senior CB being injured at the same time, or long term fix for 2 of our 3 CB’s being quite injury prone.


The Caulker thing was a bit different in practice, in that he was needed more than he played, as the club took him in without realising he had cripplingly severe depression and addiction issues at the time. As an aside, he seems in a much better place now - there’s a few great articles out there in his road back, particularly the Guardian and Athletic ones.

Girly Gal

Steyr 556 wrote: »

When was the last time we did a loan deal under Klopp, Caulkner?

Even at the time that was a crazy loan deal which came out of nowhere; a real panic deal. They've had at least 2/3 months at this stage knowing VVD and Gomez are out long term so any potential loan deal should be well examined at this stage

yourdeadwright

Fingers crossed bone of our Brazilian lads went to that party in London rumour has it Ederson, Jesus, Cancelo, Luiz, Gabriel, Willian, Lucas Moura, Vincius all out with Covid

BorneTobyWilde

Glico Man wrote: »

Not one to defend City and their actions, but it was the Premier League who called off the game on public health grounds.

The postponement also benefits Everton who were missing key players also.

Need to ensure we get 3 points off Newcastle to up the ante on the chasing pack and start building a cushion before the CL resumes.

Naa it was City who pushed for the game to be called off, a sob story. Premier League would get SLAUGHTERED not to agree considering the '' health risks'' that every other club has anyway. We never pushed to take two weeks off because Shaq, Mane, Thiago, Salah ect had covid. We played on, had we requested isolation time, we'd have got it .

BorneTobyWilde

yourdeadwright wrote: »

Fingers crossed bone of our Brazilian lads went to that party in London rumour has it Ederson, Jesus, Cancelo, Luiz, Gabriel, Willian, Lucas Moura, Vincius all out with Covid

Typical Man City players, arranging parties in the middle of a pandemic, then crying about fact they picked up virus.
The same City players who hired 15 Models to party with them this time last year. All that money, but still having to buy love, sad.

BorneTobyWilde

Klopp would never allow our squad to act like randy teenagers.

1o059k7ewrqj3n

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Klopp would never allow our squad to act like randy teenagers.

I think our Brazilian bunch are too god fearing to go on the lash with high priced escorts :pac:

gimli2112

I imagine they do but are just better at hiding it. Ferguson allegedly used to drive around Manchester and Aberdeen to ensure his players were in. Nowadays he'd just have to log on to instagram.

Girly Gal

gimli2112 wrote: »

I imagine they do but are just better at hiding it. Ferguson allegedly used to drive around Manchester and Aberdeen to ensure his players were in. Nowadays he'd just have to log on to instagram.

Think you're right, all our lads aren't angels either, just as all the City lads aren't as bad as some here want to paint them

simongurnick

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Typical Man City players, arranging parties in the middle of a pandemic, then crying about fact they picked up virus.
The same City players who hired 15 Models to party with them this time last year. All that money, but still having to buy love, sad.

Probably not the kind of party to bring the wife to, in fairness.

Riesen_Meal

Sure remember our Bobby was caught drink driving one Stephen's Day?

All that money and he couldn't have just got a taxi home...

SlickRic

Just a friendly reminder that we could see Thiago on the pitch for us tomorrow.

simongurnick

SlickRic wrote: »

Just a friendly reminder that we could see Thiago on the pitch for us tomorrow.

oh baby

Grayditch

Poor Naby gets injured between injuries. He really needs to go somewhere that suits his legs.

Fitz*

I wonder if this proposed two week break will actually only be a two week break.

Might actually suit Liverpool to get a break into some players like Gini, Fabinho, Hendo & Robbo who have to play every game.

Will also mean Thiago can get more fitness into him, albeit without any match fitness. Also Shaqiri & Milner. Would move Jota's return date closer in a way also.

Charlie19

Fantastic goal by Ings ruled out for offside via VAR.

Grayditch

Grayditch wrote: »

Poor Naby gets injured between injuries. He really needs to go somewhere that suits his legs.

Outer space for Zero G FC?

SlickRic

SlickRic wrote: »

Just a friendly reminder that we could see Thiago on the pitch for us tomorrow.

Nope.

Klopp ruled him out today unfortunately.