Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2024/25

mosstin

It's funny how a shiny new toy distracts from the biggest issue in the side: the need for a mobile and aggressive DM. Hoping that Fabinho rediscovers his best form of relying on Bajcetic would be foolish in the extreme. I know little about Thuram but if the links are to be believed, the club have earmarked him for this role. We need that signing more than anything else this window and a decent option at CB would be great (if unrealistic this window).

I was definitely critical of Fabinho last season, but I thought he finished the season strong, so it confirmed to me there's still a top player in there.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120790489#Comment_120790489

And both of the former were injured most of the time!

hawaii501

I think at least with the new signings, they seem to be box-to-box therefore it won't be just 3 cms being bypassed at every attack. There will be some cover now so it won't seem as bad for Fabinho.

Although I'd like the Thuram signing as he may turn out to be the perfect replacement for next season After as I can see Klopp starting Fabinho unless he plays really badly. If he plays towards end of last season he'll keep his place. With Europa and cups should be plenty of game for everyone.

machiavellianme

What's all this Fabinho finished the season strongly revisionism? Is everyone just believing what his missus tells them on twitter? Just because we put a string of OK results together doesn't mean that he was even remotely back to being a world beater. We looked incredibly porous at times for the last 10 games but for Alisson. Southampton put 4 past us. Fabinho still walked around the pitch and just about managed to burst into a jog on a handful of occasions. Sure, he looked better than earlier in the season but that wouldn't have been hard. He even got an assist or two but that's just gloss on a bunch of mediocre to average performances. We need his replacement now because his best and most consistent days are behind him.

Fitz*

One thing about Fabinho this season will be that he will have a few energetic mobile players ahead of him. The pressing will return. He didn't have that last year, where he was exposed a lot.

Damien360

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120790748#Comment_120790748

I dont get this love of Fab. He was shocking poor last season with no redeeming games. He is a spent force and we need to move on.

Widdensushi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120790761#Comment_120790761

He was walking around,no energy, no urgency/ pressing, maybe there was an injury, virus etc that they could do little about but give time, they track players movements, his data from a year earlier must have been very different.

fyfe79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120790714#Comment_120790714

Yeah I don't get this either. His improvement, in my eyes, was that he went from looking like a relegation-level player (being very generous) to looking like a midtable-level player (again, being very generous). Neither of those level of performances will get us anywhere close to winning the league next season. Klopp needs to be ruthless, unless he sees something still burning inside Fabinho that makes him think he can/will get back to his previous best.

hawaii501

Yeah I still don't think he was at a top level, he just wasn't as usueless as first 7 months but I can't see klopp dropping him straight away as the new DM will need a few weeks/months to get up to speed(like Fabinho when he signed).

But if he was to start the season as bad as last he'll have to be dropped straight away imo. I'm hoping having 2 runners beside him won't make it as glaringly obvious.

rob316

I'd like another midfielder a defensive minded one but I think that's it, centre back will be priority next. Fabinho will be given another go and there is the emergence of bajcetic

McFly85

While having more energy around should help him, a lot of Fabinhos issues last year were his own. Lazy passes, slow reaction times, poor tracking.

If he’s still the same this season we will give away big chances regardless of everyone else. Hopefully we can get someone in to cover/replace.

A real shame too, at his best he was unreal.

Talisman

Fabinho has another 3 years on his contract so it's unlikely that he will just disappear from sight this coming season.

When Szoboszlai's transfer is completed we will have just one non home grown player spot remaining in the squad and need to bring in another midfielder and at least one defender. If we have to offload players in order to complete further signings I could see the likes of Matip and Tsimikas being moved on before Fabinho. We've lost a lot of experience in midfield and I don't think Klopp will want to lose another old head that knows his system before the next generation are bedded in.

There should be some mileage left in Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho if they have young energetic players in front of them that will do the running, but I think the days of that trio being the first choice midfield line up are over. Bajcetic and Morton are capable deputies for the defensive midfield role.

Damien360

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120791128#Comment_120791128

Henderson is at the end of his career. He doesn't have any mileage left and should have nothing more than a cameo role for the season. A last hurrah. Great captain should not give him a pass from the clearance list. Maybe not immediately but soon.

Thiago is injury prone and I don't believe it is going to change. He won't be playing much. Pity because when he was good, he was brilliant. Time to thank him and move him on also.

Fab as far as I'm concerned is finished. Last seasons on field walking simulator antics were enough for me. Clearance tomorrow would be the best.

I agree their days of first choice midfield are over but I think if any remain, they should only have a role if we are stuck for injury again with a view to their replacement within 6/12 months.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120791157#Comment_120791157

This the same Henderson who still starts for England yes? It a different lad. Strange a player would be starting for his country but just getting a cameo role at his club.

Damien360

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120791341#Comment_120791341

The same England team with Pickford in goals. I wouldn't use England as a benchmark for performance.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120791351#Comment_120791351

Only one England as far as I'm aware yes.

Fitz*

Both Fabinho & Henderson started last season with injuries and tried to manage their games. It didn't work, and with the increased schedule, it became alarmingly bad. That was made worse by the injury to Thiago as both Fabinho & Henderson had to play every game, rather than be given time off to recover from the niggling injuries.

With the 2 new guys, and the emergence of Jones, it should allow for more rotation. Having Fabinho or Henderson only having to start once a week each, as opposed to 2/3 times each and together, means that they should be able to put in better quality performances, and less frequently. Rather than multiple poor ones frequently. It should also help Thiago with his fitness injuries.

The pressure won't be in those 3 to be fit for every game anymore. If they start one game each a week, I'm confident that they can put in good strong performances, backed up by the new guys alongside them.

theoneeyedman

It's almost as if playing against Malta, North Macedonia and San Marino is not the pinnacle of the sport..... Certainly a lot tougher than the run of the mill EPL and Champions League schedule Henderson has to endure at club level.

martyos121

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120791406#Comment_120791406

Knowing our luck, Thiago will be fit for the entire season now that we have actual cover for him.

Wait, that’d be a good thing…

machiavellianme

Keeping Adrian makes so little sense given we've only one non homegrown slot left unless Caoimhin is off? I'd cut him, Thiago and Fabinho before considering Matip or Tsimikas who are generally a bit more involved.

Widdensushi

Domnic has landed in the UK for his medical , not exactly babel copter but he seems an exceptional signing.

Talisman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120791439#Comment_120791439

Matip's not extending his contract so he'll be leaving on a free transfer in 2024. Tsimikas played less than 800 minutes in the league last season, Thiago and Fabinho both played considerably more.

We'll need to sign a replacement for Matip next summer and Tsimikas will find his minutes further reduced if Klopp proceeds with phasing out the conventional left back role. This makes them the most likely candidates to be moved on if additional spots are required to facilitate more signings.

BorneTobyWilde

Are we just buying up players with release clauses , or are the players we really really really want, just happen to have release clauses ...shrewd business, or penny pinching.

So shady seeing so many Chelsea players going to Saudi Arabia, Todd Boehly was out there lately too, we all know the Saudi's own Chelsea, and Todd is just a puppet owner. Man U next... sad

Charlie19

What's happening in Saudi is bonkers, I see Jota is linked with a move to the same team Benzema joined.

He's been offered a deal that's nearly 10 times the salary he's on at Celtic. The lad is only 24 and I genuinely thought a PL team would've took a punt on him as he's a tidy little player.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120791406#Comment_120791406

Think this is definitely true of Henderson, when he's rested he can still put in a serious shift. Not as sure about Fab though, even rested he still just can't run like he used to. I don't think it's an energy thing as much as he's simply lost a lot of mobility for whatever reason.

Given what we have, and what we need - I'd like to see Fab used in that extra CB slot we have to fill. His mobility isn't anywhere near as much of a problem there, and he showed during the pandemic season that he was naturally excellent in the position. So he can become backup for both CB and DM and lets us bring in a starting DM with that final foreign player spot.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120791861#Comment_120791861

Whatever about Mac Allister, 60 million pounds up front for Szoboslai doesn't feel much like penny pinching.

On Chelsea, they've only sold 2 players to Saudi, and both at huge losses, so if something is going on, its not been particularly favourable to Chelsea anyway. (The Saudi's also only own a grand total of 3% of Chelsea too...).

The Moist Buddha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120791497#Comment_120791497

Solanke?

BorneTobyWilde

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120792895#Comment_120792895

Naa, he's really not that tall at all

ratracer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120792537#Comment_120792537

You’d be sick of hearing about this bullsh1t sports washing league alright. All of a front to get a World Cup in the near future. However, it won’t be long before Sky Sports are proclaiming it as the next great thing and giving it 24/7 coverage and its own channel! It can fvck right off as far as I’m concerned ( doubt they’ll be worried though 😂) and keep all the mercenary players who have gone there to retire!

Rant /

Widdensushi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120792877#Comment_120792877

Not sure what our biggest spend in a window was but it's going to be smashed, window only started and up to ninety million, presumably our record spend was after the coutinho sale but we will beat that without any major sales, wait and see,it will be a window ricero would struggle to find fault with ( he would find fault).

Charlie19

In all fairness to FSG it must be so disheartening to put up the funds to buy players that lets be honest, are just not worth it.

Ive been watching the U21 tournament and the lack of quality is frightening. I don't know if it was COVID or just young lads not putting the time into practice but thinking back, Ryan Babbel be probably a 100 million player in this day and age;)

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120793109#Comment_120793109

Looking like a big net spend alright. That early FSG one was pretty big too - in the context of the time - the Downing, Adam, Henderson, Enrique, Coates, Bellamy, Doni one. Though tiny numbers by todays standards though. Mad how massively the figures have changed in ~10 years.

antimatterx

https://twitter.com/fabrizioromano/status/1675255995889582081?s=46&t=zdElaPjHqcB2gzssa9R_hw

Done!

jones

A Thuram/Lavia signing in this window aswell and we're seriously looking like title challengers again

antimatterx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120793573#Comment_120793573

One CB and I don't see why we can't challenge again. A much needed refresh.

noodler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120793109#Comment_120793109

Hard not to think of Nunez and Gakpo in that. Definitely our highest net spend over the course of a year for a while

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120793586#Comment_120793586

I don't see a challenge without a DM... even with Mac Allister potentially adding a little something extra to the defensive LCM side, we're just so porous through the middle out of possession. It's the one starting position in the team that's lacking... the starting CB's are still great, so it's just depth we need there. Would really be inclined to make Fabinho the CB depth and bring a proper hyper-mobile beast at DM.

BorneTobyWilde

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/arsene-wenger-new-offside-289702

I dunno what to make of this, I dunno what Mane's armpit will make of this either.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120793799#Comment_120793799

Would love it. Of course wherever you put the line, there will be an equal number of tight controversial calls - but making it the whole body would at least bend the rule back towards its initial intent, which is stopping an advantage gained from being offside. A fundamental aspect of the rule's existence was that you had to be able to physically see the offside with the naked eye for it to be called.

Where we are now, half a toe offside ends a play. It's not an advantage, and is literally invisible. The attacker generally still has a tonne of work to do to score from many of these positions, so it makes sense to me that we shouldn't kill attacks quite so easily with so little/no tangible advantage gained. This rule change would bring back the concept of 'level', where the players bodies overlap.

BorneTobyWilde

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120793820#Comment_120793820

Yes, the more I think about it you're right. The description in article caught me out, me I'd call an offside using the feet only, not armpits, and noses, feet only, I mean one can't send their head off to score a goal and leave their feet behind, so calling an offside with feet is the answer... and this new rule is just that, calling it '' the whole body'' is confusing, just call it feet. It brings back the art of the lean, the bent run, the flex, and the advantage of getting it right.

Luxembourgo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120793799#Comment_120793799

The entire offside rule is broken with phases, players clearly gaining an advantage but not offside etc.

dmigsy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120793799#Comment_120793799

This would be a massive change. Not sure it will promote more attacking play either. It would make it far too risky for teams to play offside so won't every team just sit deeper?

tinpib

Just looking at the confirmed PL moves here, we should be happy with business so far. I think we can take it that Szob, Mount, and Rice are sure things transfer wise so it's ourselves and Arsenal that are doing best so far with 2 major signings, Spurs also holding onto Kulesevski and getting Madison. I think we can also ignore Chelsea as they are operating in their own reality, god knows how many ins and outs they will have.

Brentford seem to be doing good business too. Also didn't realise that Mina, Davies and Townsend were released by Everton.

Plenty of clubs have done very little so far.

Vicxas

Can’t help but feel this Saudi push is just another China from early 2010s.

Electric Nitwit

Expect the official announcement today...

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1675398907092672512?t=dB3xHfgPqatcRPzcHmAGjA&s=19

Electric Nitwit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120794111#Comment_120794111

The only thing is the Saudi one is state backed, so they have much deeper pockets to keep trying. They'll need a lot more players to actually make it a decent league though

hawaii501

Liverpool should release Adrian and take Butland to make room for extra non-homegrown or dies Adrian count as HG?

I think difference with saudi is the gov won't step in this time therefore they'll be free to keep throwing money around.

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120792858#Comment_120792858

Henderson should be in the milner role now, he'd be a great player to bring on at 60 mins. He's only got that energy for 30 mins then he's out of the game. He's 33, alot of miles on the clock and he always played an an intense physical game.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120794111#Comment_120794111

In a way it's more like Qatar with PSG I think - an effort to spend a fortune to bring more attention to the country's push for a World Cup. So I think it'll be more sustained, serious, and target driven than the China one.