Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2024/25

Nobody's saying Endo is the future, but you lose 4 midfielders last summer all in their 30's now and a 5th who is 29 and have a 6th in his 30's and the most experienced midfielder at the club injured all season…..and that's a lot of experience to replace. Nobody has ever described him as a long term solution. There was a bid for Moises Caicedo in the summer that was likely to be that sort of player but the reality is that there were too many to replace at once and the money needed to be spread on new midfielders, 3 of which are under 25, so bringing in 1 older player, an international captain, wasn't some long term strategy to build the team around, it was mitigating the loss of experience in the most crucial part of the pitch.

Talk to any fan and they'll say he's been fine, worth the outlay we paid, and they won't say anything about him being the player to build the team around

Id rather lose Grav and Jones than Endo tbh.

We probably won't lose any of them bar Thiago though.

We need 1 or 2 goal scorers and a CB at an absolute minimum.

Thank god there'll be the CL allure/cash for the summer.

I think the future for Núñez and Díaz at the club is the most uncertain.

Díaz to be fair has shown great heart recently but I get the sense he is playing for a move. That might suit everyone - cash in while the value is high.

Núñez's form has dropped off a cliff. I think defenders and goalkeepers have figured him out. As much as I like the guy, he is incredibly wasteful.

Separately, I hope the club reviews how players are being brought back from injury, and players getting injured quickly after returning. Szoboszlai and Salah in particular have struggled with form after injuries.

We can talk about Nunez's terrible finishing.

We can talk about Salah hitting a wall.

We can talk about Szoboszlai looking 10% of the player that he was at the start of the season.

We can talk about Konaté being unable to stay fit, and his form suffering.

We can talk about the club's injury record.

We can even talk about Klopp looking like he's effectively checked out - his energy sapped, his manner subdued, and his general demeanour in press conferences getting increasingly more resigned.

But the bottom line is that every team has its cycle. And this team has reached the end of its own. The team hasn't been revitalised properly. Szoboszlai, MacAllister, Elliott are all a bit samey. Endo is a passable DM, rather than the Rice/Rodri and proper Fabinho replacement we needed. Gravenberch wasn't needed. You could argue Gakpo wasn't needed. Nunez isn't a normal Klopp profile of striker. the general profile of players recruited in the last couple of years has been unbalanced, and we've ended up trying to rely on the final fumes of greatness from VVD, Salah and Robbo, the continuing greatness of Alisson, and the budding greatness of Trent.

The club has been meandering behind the scenes for a while, and Klopp's greatness had the team in a position it shouldn't have had itself in April, when, unfortunately, the actual level of the squad has come through. We aren't as good as City and Arsenal. We all know it.

The club does need a reset. I think Klopp is actually correct to leave and let someone else do that, even though things will likely get worse before it gets better again. But we need to be at peace with the fact this is the end of a particular era - an era that has brought me immense joy and pride as a supporter. I've said a million times that nobody could've done the job he's done with this particular club at the particular time he did it.

I'm utterly grateful, and it's time now for a new cycle, whatever chaos that may bring.

Ah the illusive ceilings.

We'll have to check back on that one in a few years.

Ive at least seen a half season of output from Sobo.

https://www.reddit.com/r/LiverpoolFC/s/KpzTvW2ATg

Good read on Slot:

“It helped that we came to believe very much in his way of playing soccer. Everything he said, we accepted blindly,” Linssen says. A psychological trick Slot uses is to make the opponent small and his own team big. Olympique de Marseille had “better, bigger and stronger players” in the Conference League semifinals, says Linssen. “They were actually at an advantage in everything. He didn't give that feeling to us for a moment. We really believed in ourselves. He instilled that feeling in us throughout the season and leading up to that semifinal.”

His match discussions are “next level,” says Omar el Baad. “After a talk like that, you knew there was a very small chance of losing. He knew exactly where we could make our move.” In terms of perception in the discussion, Slot learns a lot from Henk de Jong in this at Cambuur as an assistant - that the team goes onto the field full of energy and conviction.

However, his instructions “can sometimes go to your head,” says Calvin Stengs, who played under Slot at AZ. Because of him, he has come to understand soccer better, has become tactically smarter, Stengs says. “Arne can convey it in a way that everyone gets it.” But: “Now and then you do have moments: so, shut up for a moment.”

The ball does not escape him for a moment, at a training session in late December. Slot has the Feyenoord squad playing six against six on a small pitch with four goals and four goalkeepers, under high pressure. “1.5 minutes full press!”, Slot shouts. Dressed in a red training jacket, whistle at the ready.

“Team with the possession has to be much better with the ball!”

“Check your shoulders!”

“Kill the counterpress!”

Enthusiastically, at a quick combination: “That's one touch!”

He is close, leading emphatically, his voice roaring across the training field.

A day later, on a rainy afternoon in a practice match against Go Ahead Eagles, at the training complex, his instructions sound loud again.

“Hey hey hey, do the extra work!”

“Read!”

“Stay active!”

He does the instructions to substitutes himself, where on many teams it is done by assistants. Sitting in the dugout, he leans forward, never backward. Never completely satisfied.

Norwegian coach Karl Marius Aksum, who has also analyzed many top coaches, becomes impressed with the level of coaching by Slot at a Feyenoord training session. “Intense, with a good flow. He was very precise in what he wanted from the team.”

He is very decisive as a trainer. Dennis van der Ree, who worked with Slot at Jong Cambuur and was an analyst at Feyenoord last season, also noticed this. In Friesland, he was officially the supervisor of Slot, who was trying to get his UEFA A-level education. “But Arne is a very dominant figure, I'm a bit introverted, so the relationship was soon that he was the head coach and I supported him. But when we were busy, it was really together.”

Slot now hands off training forms more often, but to a certain limit. “If he thinks something is not right, he is right on top of it to correct it,” Van der Ree said. “That can sometimes be difficult for people who are giving the practice form at that moment. But that's part of top performance.”

Like when training with the substitutes last season at Feyenoord, led by one of the assistants. “He does always want to be there, to see how the substitutes are doing. There were times when he took over part of the training, because he thinks it should be better or that it can be done differently.”

Van der Ree experienced something similar himself. During a meeting in which the opponent was being analyzed, he said something just in a different way than previously discussed. “Then he takes over right away. It wasn't annoying to me. The fact that he is so sharp makes me sharp, too.”

Slot sees it as a pitfall that he wants to “keep reasoning through almost everything,” he says in With Open Sight. Like why he arrives at a lineup. He tends to “want to explain everything,” to players and staff. “I think sometimes I get a little carried away with that.” For example, he can wait just as long with the lineup in the hope that he “gets another hunch” that turns out to be the best option.

One consequence of his dominant style of leadership is that he involves his players little in tactical plans. “It's not that I can think along in anything,” said captain Kökcü. Nor is that necessary, according to him, because they “trust the coach blindly.”

we had it in our hands and we bottled it both on the pitch and off it with team selections call a spade a spade they were good enough till st Patrick’s day .

Agreed. He needs regular gametime in a set position I reckon. One of those players who is more hurt than helped by being able to play multiple positions.

A Dutch manager coming in could be interesting for him if it happens

in reality, they weren't.

you cannot come back from deficits the amount of times we did this season and trust for it to continue until the end of the season. it's just too much.

the Newcastle and Fulham comebacks earlier in the season were lunacy, for instance.

and then the key moments late in the season were too big for a squad that nobody ever thought was title-winning quality until we happened to find ourselves at the top of the league. no shame in it. but it's the reality.

Salah, Van Dijk might leave but I don't see big changes with a new manager coming in.

Indeed

I wouldn't let Mo go unless it was mad money but I think it will be.

Diaz and Nunez have to go imo.

We will need another CB regardless of Konate whether or not Konate stays.

How is it possible that 13 players from the first 20 are all weak links in the squad?

A young CB was always going to have to come in to replace Matip. On top of that now, there are posters wanting to sell Konate because 'he's had a bad few season' which is a very wild hot take. Do people not remember how great he was in 21-22 run in and the CL final, or even again this season when he was consistently starting and a lynchpin of the team that was winning every week. Whatever happened Konate in March is clearly affecting him as he has had to have his minutes managed ever since and he can't get the rhythm up. Should he have been rotated more in January-March to protect him? Yeah maybe but the rotation options were limited with Gomez having to play LB.

Diaz has actually been a freak this year in terms of his minutes played. Diaz, Elliott & Quansah the only players to not miss a game through injury, although Diaz did miss games when his parents were kidnapped. Diaz the only senior player there so a lot was expected of him. There's posters trying to get digs in at him saying he wants to leave and playing for a move etc. He is the only forward consistently putting in a big effort the last few weeks and lads trying to knock that. Where is the effort from Salah or Nunez for 90 mins?! They were doing massive runs for 120 mins in Wembley and then playing the next weekend, or doing it again at Old Trafford and still making themselves available for every game. Diaz has put in the hard yards this season. Scored 13 goals as a winger. Decent amount, could it be more, yes. But he's not being asked to be this big goalscorer for the team. He's a pure winger. Just because Mane played LW and scored more goals from there doesn't mean that Diaz has to. Mane was a forward playing wide, and was moved away from the wing as Diaz came in, which people forget. People forget how much Mane stunk out that wing for a period before Diaz came in.

There's lads in here saying that Konate has been "rubbish for the last few seasons". He's only been at Liverpool 3 years. "Add in the fact he cannot pass the ball and has a terrible touch you have to wonder what hes good at?"

And that's happening to Trent, Diaz, Nunez etc etc in detail across the forum. You know well it is. There is a list in the previous page trying to sell 14 players, loaning out a further 5, while bringing in 3! But yes, my post is sensationalism.

That was my post. I don't see how it's sensationalist.

Here's the breakdown of players I mentioned selling:

• Tsimikas - this one was a mistake on my part I thought his contract was up in 2025 but he's signed a new one that I missed so I'd now remove this from my list - apologies
• Morton - 2 league appearances for us a few years ago - no longer u21 and I can't see us using a homegrown spot on him
• Carvalho - same as Morton, not of the level and no longer u21
• Scanlon - no league appearances, still u21 so no issues if he stays but nobody cries if he leaves
• Koumetio - few disasterous loans, no longer u21 and needs to take a squad spot, don't see how he's kicked on
• Jaros - no longer u21, was on loan in league of Ireland and now Austria. Can't see how he's good enough
• Nat Phillips - was once a good backup but hasn't kicked on, out on loan and 12months left on contract - would you keep him and give a squad spot?
• Rhys Williams - same as Nat Phillips - no longer u21 and needs a squad spot, hasn't kicked on, should he get a squad place?
• van den Berg - same, not u21, never played for us in years
• Musiałowski - not kicked on, another like Scanlon that is low risk to keep but nobody cries if he goes
• Beck - another who will no longer be u21 and needs to take a squad spot next season
• and one of Núñez/Díaz - just my feeling on this that a new manager would want to sell 1 of them and use to fund new players. I'm on the fence about it

I also mentioned selling Misciur, Ewing, Oscar Kelly and Onanuga but that was also a misreading of their contract status I think they're all staying so I edited them out of the original post - again all are academy and none have played first team for us.

You can see from the above that the majority of these players were not in our PL or European squads this season and a lot of them were u21 (so 'free' in squad terms) this season but need to take a spot in the squad next season.

So I don't see how this list is sensational in any way? If you want to keep the likes of Phillips, Williams, Koumetio, Beck, Jaros, Morton and Carvalho you need to get rid of others anyway to make space in the squad so what's the issue?

You want these all to stay next season?

You are making it sound like I'm trying to get rid of half the first team! I've also said I'd renew Trent, renew Virgil and keep Salah in the squad. These are the important players. The above list is not a sensational overhaul we barely used any of them this season!

For what it's worth I think our squad changes will look something like this. I can't see this mass sale taking place, unless some ridiculous offers come in and players have to be replaced.

Up to the Man Utd FA Cup game, I genuinely thought we win at least one more trophy.

For whatever reason, that game seems to have had a massive psychological impact and we have been very poor since.

It was only just over a month ago, shows how fickle the football world is.

In a few weeks, even though the ending of the season was extremely disappointing, overall a domestic cup and top 4 with a new midfield for me is a positive season.

Loads of positives with the likes of Bradley and Quansah who the more I see of him, I am starting to think he is better than Konate, definitely with distribution. MacAllister is top class. The likes of Szobo & Gravenberch are very young with loads of potential.

It will be a really hard task for whoever comes in but the club is in a great position on and off the pitch, personally I think we need a top DM as you can see the impact Rice has had, we need a new LB and in terms of CB we have 4 good CBs so if we get a new one it is likely to be at the expense of moving one on.

Salah is a tough one, he has been so poor in the last few games that it is hard to believe his twin brother is not playing but he is such a legend and I would love to see him set records with us….all will depend on what he wants with one year to go and what the Saudis' would offer, I doubt Edwards will be letting him run out his contract if possible.

If VVD and Salah want to try and hook on with a CL contender with Klopp leaving, happy to let them go btw. 33 and 32 respectively, and key slabs from an era that is now over and in the past. Equally, if they want to stay that's okay too.

There really isn't much time either way, so a clean break and clearing down the wage structure a bit as part of a rebuild could be no harm.

tbh most of them I would not even have included as they are perma-loan players or will be used as a moneyball type investment to generate funds down the line like Solanke was (Carvalho, van der Berg for example). When players start the perma-loan cycle like Morton, Philips, Rhys Williams etc, well the writing is on the wall. Morton will have a good career at a Championship club so there might be a decent fee recouped there.

Beck is somewhat of an outlier. Does he step up to the first team or will he get moved on? It's a big pre-season for him. I'd be interested to know what recommendation the coaching team will pass on to the new coaching team of what they thought of him from the time they had him in January this year. Tsimikas doesn't really come across as someone who tries to leave but as he is a reserve, and good enough to start for a lot of clubs, I wouldn't stand in his way if he wanted to leave. That then starts a cascade which affects Beck, and/or potentially a new LB. Tsimikas is a good reserve to have IMO, and seems content with that role while not on massive wages, so I'd keep him myself. Unless he asks to leave.

On the Diaz/Nunez stuff, look if people want to sell Nunez I understand it. But I don't like the idea of selling 1 of those in addition to worrying about Salah. You have to commit to retaining 1 if not 2 of those 3. Jota can't be relied on for fitness and that just leaves Gakpo. Similar to LB, I think Salah's situation dictates what else happens. If he is leaving, then you can't sell Diaz or Nunez IMO. If he stays, then you can decide what is happening with the other forwards but essentially you have to replace Salah in 2025 either way. So if you sell Diaz or Nunez this summer, you have to replace them with 2 players within 18 months. If you sell Salah, you have to replace him with 1 player. I'm leaning towards keeping Salah myself but it's hard say no to £100m after the last few weeks! A new young RW is needed on the horizon though. Ideal situation is he comes in this summer and then steps up as a main player eventually and can phase in/phase out.

Right but if you wouldn't have included most of them why are you suggesting I'm being sensationalist for suggesting we get rid?

Klopp has twice named the united cup result as a reason to our slump, must have been some fallout in the dressing room after it you’d imagine, he looks absolutely defeated too and I’d say he’d wish he could walk away now, wouldn’t be surprised to see him not return to management tbh.