Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2024/25

awec

I suspect that Chiesa does train with the senior squad as normal, but the guys involved in matches do more recovery and low-intensity sessions that presumably Chiesa doesn't do.

Like the team who played on a Sunday might spend Monday afternoon getting massages etc while Chiesa is out on the training field doing ball work or in the gym.

Dr Robert

Whatever works. All manager have different ways of doing things.

If they deliver silverware I don't actually care how the deals with the players day to day. These are guys making big money so they'll be fine.

Regarding Chiesa. He was a risk I guess, a small one considering the transfer money paid. He has been disappointing bar a few moments.

LuckyLloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123263830#Comment_123263830

Partially by dint of chance, Salah hasn't had a singular European season over the years:

18 - great run but injured early in the final

19 - missed the most famous Liverpool game in European history, wore a great t-shirt, though

20 - missed a few chances against Athletico

21 - scored in the first leg against Real, missed a few chances in the second

22 - great run, but Courtois MOTM in the final, chances to make history presented themselves to Salah throughout…

23 - ineffectual against Atalanta as part of an abysmal run of form

24 - ineffectual against PSG across two legs

It is what it is. Salah isn't the best player in the world right now, and I don't think he should win the Ballon D'OR.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123263869#Comment_123263869

Yeah that sounds like a nonsensical answer. As you say, it's putting yourself in a stupid position completely unnecessarily. Sure, you want your lads who haven't played to do a heavier training workload, but they could still have the session with the 'starters', and then have extra sessions themselves. Even if it's not quite as physically effective it would be far more tactically effective. Whatever about his merits, I think it's very hard to argue that he would've offered less off the bench than a clearly physically struggling Gakpo.

Robert2014

If Trent or Ibou didn't get injured, we may have seen Chiesa as a penalty option. I think he would have offered more than an injured Gakpo.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264110#Comment_123264110

It sort of sounds like he himself is saying that it doesn't work though… like, if you're putting yourself in a situation where parts of your squad that could be very useful are having their potentially valuable impacts limited by your own methods, then that's not really 'working'.

Maybe he just feels its an acceptable loss, that the extra bit of time the first teamers get working together outweighs the benefits of deeper squad members being able to fit right in when called upon. But in practice I think we can probably all agree that an unfit Gakpo who knows the system wasn't much use, and made the team worse rather than affecting positive change.

Anyway, with the CL gone now, maybe the extra bit of time will let some of these lads get a bit more involved and put in a position where they can contribute.

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123260379#Comment_123260379

Why would he be stupid enough, at any age, to sign a sufficiently long term deal where it would take a mega transfer fee to get him out of that contract? If he did that he'd be seriously diminishing his own future earnings as the buying club will assess his worth as a total cost of ownership i.e. initial transfer fee + wages over the duration of his new contract so if, for example, Madrisd think he's worth €150m over 5 years and have to pay €100m to get him out of his LFC contract that only leaves TAA with €50 in wages over the period of his contract with them whereasd if he only has a year left on his contract at the time they want to bring him in LFC won't be able to squeeze much more than a €30m transfer fee for him (leaving €120m in wages for TAA) or, even better for TAA, if he is running down his contract with LFC, as is his right and what he is actually doing, then the entire €150m is available to him in wages. It makes no difference to Madrid but makes a huge difference to TAA (or any other player in a similar position) hence the reluctance to sign big long term deals as the benefit accrues to the club you are leaving and not to you personally?

antimatterx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264874#Comment_123264874

Kane was stupid enough. He signed a 6 year deal in 2018 at 24. They wouldn't it him go to city in 2021. He would have won plenty of trophies.

If I was Trent I'd want all the cards. High salary on a 3 year deal.

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123265017#Comment_123265017

100%. You'll always get players who are poorly advised by agents to take a long term deal when it's not in their interest and conversely you'll get clubs agreeing to long term deals for players who will be well past their best when the deal comes to an end (Casimero?) so it's swings and roundabouts but as a young up and coming player the last thing you want to do, unless you're concerned about injury or a drop in ability etc, is sign a long term deal.

IrishOwl...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123265090#Comment_123265090

This contract merry go round that's going on a Liverpool currently is going to become the norm at most clubs. Unless you're a financially doped club, no top quality player are going to be signing long term deals. It will be 3 year deals with options and the likes, the free market is just worth too much to them these days.

brevity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123265214#Comment_123265214

I heard on some podcast today that Bayern are having similar contract battles with Kimmich and Davies but they expect them to sign.

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123265214#Comment_123265214

100% That's fair to the contracted player (they aren't indentured slaves) but it's also an opportunity for clubs who correctly play the game to recruit players from other clubs without having to them savage transfer fees.

Transfer fees are an antiquated concept. I get that compensating smaller clubs who have spent years developing a young player is completely justified (otherwise why should they do it) but apart from that why should an employer be able to prevent an employee moving to work for a competing employer in the same market (league) unless the new employer pays the old employer a major transfer fee?

In what other walk of life so such arrangements exist? Can you imagine a plumbing business who have a star plumber as an employee being able to prevent that employee going to work for a competitor unless the competitor agrees to pay the exisiting employer a huge transfer fee? 🤔

brevity

Interesting rumour on Julian Alvarez

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/football/exclusive-liverpool-line-up-club-record-bid-for-julian-alvarez/ar-AA1AWMLj

Sami23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264110#Comment_123264110

How can you say Chiesa been disappointing when we've hardly seen him all season.

I think any time he did play he did ok

8-10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123265308#Comment_123265308

Darwin Núñez would be a perfect fit at Atletico you'd think

antimatterx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123265308#Comment_123265308

Would love him. He also has a mate in McAllister

theoneeyedman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123263587#Comment_123263587

So says you..... I'm telling you though, doing it in the league and not in the later, knockout stages of the Champions League means he's not going to win it. That's where it's at, not the week to week grind that people like us exposed to constant EPL coverage don't see.

These awards are won in big knockout games in big tournaments like champions league and world cups etc. For instance, who is the better goalie, Alison or Martinez?? It's Alison all day long, but who wins the Yashin award - Martinez! Why - because he catches the eye on finals and big knockout games, that's why.

brevity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123265325#Comment_123265325

is the world ready for Nunez managed by Simeone

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123265325#Comment_123265325

Had been thinking the same for a while, in 'football manager' terms… just looks like one of those rare deals that could suit everyone. Nunez plus 50 odd million or something for Alvarez. Alvarez would be absolutely perfect for us, and Nunez just seems like an Atleti shithouser through and through - could be another Costa for them.

theoneeyedman

Alvarez won't come back to England. You can be sure there is some backdoor deal done off the books as part of his last transfer that he won't play against City or play in the EPL (Maybe when city get relegated he might come back 🤔😁)