Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2024/25

The problem is we haven't added any young player to the winners. Before this summer who was the last midfielder we bought? Thiago in 2020, its simply not enough spent on rejuvenating Klopps engine room. As I stated already the experienced winners in midfield were the issue last season, burnt out. Is it ideal they all go in one summer? No its not but there is enough experience in the rest of the squad to cope and we will never get offered more for Fabinho and Henderson. Reality is we aren't an oil club, we need money to reinvest.

I've heard this important in the dressing room nonsense for weeks now. We need a dynamic, athletic and intelligent team of footballers, particularly in midfield. It's klopps job to be vocal in the dressing room, not Fabinho's. Jordan might have said a bit more, as club captain, but there's plenty of other senior players there to fill that gap. These players are on over 100k per week, they should be able to play to the managers vision and we shouldn't be paying anyone for the sake of having a leader in the dressing room. Defences and Goals win games, not the lads gossiping in the dressing room.

Ah in fairness, a good captain is fairly huge to creating a winning mentality and atmosphere, and Hendo is clearly better than most at this. Gerrard was an amazing player, but Henderson's the best captain we've had in decades.

And of course players shouldn't need these extra sources of motivation, but the reality is that they do. Hendo's athleticism on the pitch isn't quite what it was - still grand as long as he's rested where possible - but when he's on the field his influence constantly talking and dictating to the other players during the game is clearly very valuable. He's constantly reinforcing Klopp's plan and mentality in-game in a way Klopp can't do from the sideline. It's notable the England team brought him back into the starting 11 during the World Cup, and how that totally changed the cohesion in the middle as he drove everyone to do the right things in the right moments, and kept the pressure up.

He should be getting phased out bit by bit for sure, but losing him overnight would be a real blow.

Ok let's cut through it so.

We have Sobo, Mac, Thiago as first choice if Hendo and Fab leave.

We need three other decent midfielders and realistically at least one of those I'd say has to be a starter. That's assuming you consider Jones a genuine option which I didn't until April/May. So we need to sign at least two new midfielders and time is running out.

That's just the buying/selling process.

Integration/ loss of the others is the next problem.

We're repeating the same old point now I know but one thing that strikes me is alot of people who were anti FSG for their spending are now Uber confident that there is no downside to losing Fab or Hendo because they will be replaced. I doubt well replace them for the 50m reported 40m plus 10m).

I’d argue that’s untrue.

Adrian had an uncanny ability to affect the performances of the defenders in front of him, just not for the better.

Lads we are going to win the fooking lot....

Maybe not next season

Barella would be a great Henderson replacement but no good as a Fabhino swap.

Barella is not a No.6...he is a box to box style midfielder who is at his best at the attacking end of the pitch. He would have been the ideal Henderson replacement, but since we signed Sobo, I highly doubt we're going to spend another 70m on a player to compete for the same spot.

I presume u are talking about the first leg because he was substituted after 13 mins in the second leg for Fabinho

Very obvious during the Covid games with no crowd, jaysus you'd be jumping up from the couch yourself listening to him!

Can't help but think though his best is in the past, he has to move on pretty soon. Whether that's now or not though I'm not sure if it's best for the club, but if his heads turned......

Yeah, I think that latter point is a big reason for it. I wouldn't necessarily begrudge him keeping an eye on potential moves, particularly if it helped extend his top level career - whereas a saudi move does the opposite and, as you say, goes against everything he's publicly stood for, for years.

Robbo would definitely be a good one to take on some of that role, but Virg has an awful habit of dropping the head when things aren't going well, and just starts pissing and moaning about stuff.

Virgil is not good captaincy material in my opinion. Obviously Rolls Royce level defender when he’s on it and just exudes confidence, but when things are going against us and he’s not having a good day, he can be very pi**y and moany in his attitude and more often than not will almost just throw his arms up and look to point blame when he gets caught out. I think Allison is by far the best candidate to take over from Henderson as far as attitude goes, but I’m not sure what people think about having a goal keeper as captain. 

I'd throw Robertson into the hat too, he's the scottish captain.

I don't get where they are coming from hoping to nab him on the free?? Like why would Liverpool or any team let their captain go on a free? A player who has 2 years left on his current contract! It just makes no sense to me...

Sounds like Fofana has got a very bad injury again at Chelsea, which will be a blow to him, and out for a long period of time. Possibly the season. It will mean that Colwill will be needed now to step up and play more. That would scupper any potential transfer now.

Twenty million in wages to spend alot of time on the bench is an incentive to sell, salary enough for two if not three younger players, it's alot of money if he isn't producing it on the pitch, hopefully he will have a good season, just pointing out reasons why he is not a high priced player on the transfer market, his statistics for last season tell the story without the nostalgia.

Never mind

Diaz off to Saudi, come on, that can't happen

I see the latest midfielder we are linked with is Doucoure from Palace

Gini,Robertson and Mane didn't work out too bad to mention a few

75M? For a player who has a huge ceiling and a decent amount of time left on his contract? At least 175M before it should even be given a cursory glance.