Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2024/25

That Szoboszlai goal had me thinking of Paddy Berger but I think Domo at just 22 has just a little bit more to offer than the Czech.

Ten minutes, on sky

Enjoyed that. It's nice our midfield don't pass sideways anymore

Must have been an interesting last few minutes when we were still attacking and almost scored to make it 4-1.

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Sky trying to get another 5 ad breaks in before the draw?

Bournemouth v Liverpool

Bournemouth v Liverpool

Decent draw all round - Newcastle facing Man Utd, and Arsenal away to West Ham, so certainly one of the faves will go out, and a half decent chance of another.

Game will be between Forest and Luton during hallowe'en week

And just after Bournemouth have a big game against Burnley before a trip to Man City. They'll want to win that Burnley game.

They do have a small squad to be fair.

It's just an extremely strong squad, so he'll rightly get zero sympathy.

All 4 of our new midfield signings have scored or assisted in their most recent appearance for us.

It's amazing how much better the team actually looks now that our midfield are mobile again.

It's also great that we aren't as reliant on Robertson and TAA for assists now the midfield is chipping in.

Same, this proves they are committed to the club again too, getting it in better financial health. Good business this, money goes straight back into the club.

Less debt means more funds to spend on the squad, that will be lost on the FSGOUT mob though.

Yeah, Rhys brief emergence really was pure desperation - he never looked good enough, even aside from his lack of pace. That season, Quansah already looked a better footballer leading the FA Youth Cup team to a final, but didn't have the size to match his ability yet. Since he's grown and bulked up he looks head and shoulders above Williams in all aspects.

Think even Carra was a lot quicker than Rhys though, and of course a much much better all round footballer too. Rhys has real height, but not a lot else about his game stands out. He'll be a grand mid-championship level player I'd say.

He's on loan at Aberdeen, but not playing for them. Doesn't seem to be making the squad for their SPL games, though has been on the bench for their Europa games

Can't wait to see what Thiago can add to this new midfield, is he anywhere near fit, seems he's forgotten.

Quansah and Billy Koumetio have both looked like great prospects that would be ready to step into the squad in the next few seasons.

Koumetio went on loan to Austria Vienna last season with the plan being that a season of first team football would prepare him for a place in the first team squad at Liverpool. Unfortunately for him the club replaced the manager which resulted in a switch in formation to a flat back four and Koumetio was the defender that lost out, there was also an issue with the Austrian clubs receiving financial incentives to have no more than 6 foreign players in the squad for league matches so his appearances on the bench were further limited.

In contrast, Quansah went on loan to Bristol Rovers in January and had the challenge of dealing with the physicality of League One football. The experience of playing regular first team football has stood to him and was reported to be the deciding factor on which of the young defenders would remain with the Liverpool first team squad for this season. Quansah has seized the opportunity that has been presented to him and it bodes well for his future.

In contrast, Koumetio went on loan to Dunkerque in Ligue 2 for this season and he hasn't settled in yet. He got sent off on his debut a couple of weeks ago which is a great learning opportunity for him. Hopefully he'll get his place back in the line-up following his suspension because he definitely needs to play regular football at this stage of his career.

They both have some way to go in terms of their development before we could expect them to be regulars in the line-up but their continued development will reduce the pressure on the overhaul of the defensive line next summer.

I've never really warmed to Koumetio... he's massive, but he just doesn't look a great footballer. When they played beside each other for the youth teams, Quansah always looked far more spatially aware with a much better passing range and defensive nous, while Koumetio was getting by more on physical prowess than technique or acumen. That's grand underage, but when you're up against men it's a different kettle of fish as the physicality only gets you so far.

I had read it as investment that would pay off some of the clubs debts (with the stand rebuilds, training grounds etc). But aren't those club debts actually money owed to FSG and not to the banks in the form of interest free loans?

So technically FSG are receiving money for it, but only through the club becoming healthier for it, not FSG becoming healthier in a way. That debt would always have to had been paid back.

Even though the investment is not for transfer spend, the club will benefit from it as that previous commitment to paying back debt is not as large as it was anymore so in a roundabout way, the money coming into the club can actually be reinvested back into the club be used to pay transfer fees/wages, rather than servicing dent. Which is good.

You're right, Koumetio has definitely been guilty of relying on his physical attributes as a defender. Before the first massive growth spurt he played as a left winger at under age level, afterwards he was moved to the left back position and subsequently to centre back. He reminds me of Skrtel in the way that he is so physically strong and imposing but he needs a player along side him to instruct him on how to defend.

Sending him on loan to a League One club as was done with Quansah would have benefited him greatly, the physicality of the league and playing for a team that is often under the kosh defensively would force him to develop himself as a defender.