Who would you buy?

[The Elusive 19th]

One more top class attacker in Jan if poss but not end of the world to wait till summer. We are strong enough to cope but can always improve. At the moment I'm not sure exactly what type of attacker we should get. Use Shaqiri more as a wide option and bring a Fekir style player who is more of a central option. Or use Shaqiri more central and bring in an option that's more fitted to our wide roles like maybe Dembele.

Dembele is in Sakholand. Don't think Klopp will go for him.

 

[Anfield rd Dreamer]

Dembele is in Sakholand. Don't think Klopp will go for him.

Or it'll be like people said about Lovren, VvD, Keita, Shaqiri and Mane amongst others before coming here to work under Klopp anx being fine.

 

[The Elusive 19th]

Assuming DS signs, Milner stays, Shaq plays both 10/RW, Ox recovers fully and Wilson gets integrated into the squad, we need 5 players.
1. Mignolet replacement
2. Moreno replacement
3. Clyne replacement
4. Lallana replacement
5. Backup winger for Mane, Salah.

But the cost to bring 5 players can be huge. So I think we should keep Clyne.

Bobby, Mo, Mane, DS, Shaq and new winger. Supported by Solanke, Brewster and Wilson.

Fab, Gini, Shaq, Keita, Ox, Hendo, Milner and new midfielder.

Robo, new LB with TAA and Clyne.

VVD, Gomez, Lovren, Matip.

Alison and new GK.

 

[lfc.eddie]

Assuming DS signs, Milner stays, Shaq plays both 10/RW, Ox recovers fully and Wilson gets integrated into the squad, we need 5 players.
1. Mignolet replacement
2. Moreno replacement
3. Clyne replacement
4. Lallana replacement
5. Backup winger for Mane, Salah.

But the cost to bring 5 players can be huge. So I think we should keep Clyne.

Bobby, Mo, Mane, DS, Shaq and new winger. Supported by Solanke, Brewster and Wilson.

Fab, Gini, Shaq, Keita, Ox, Hendo, Milner and new midfielder.

Robo, new LB with TAA and Clyne.

VVD, Gomez, Lovren, Matip.

Alison and new GK.

Way too many signings, we will promote from within for sure, especially since all are backups.

 

[lillypad_33]

Dembele is in Sakholand. Don't think Klopp will go for him.

It's risk/reward..... Klopp will weigh the costs of squad disruption, price, and potential benefits....

 

[Mascot88]

Klopp will see what he has at the club first.

Would Lewis come in rather than buy a left back?

Can Camacho back up Trent, or would it be better to use Lovren and release Gomez to play there?

Can Lallana be played back into form?

Is Curtis Jones ready to contribute? Harry Wilson, Ben Woodburn? Rhian Brewster?

I suspect Klopp will fancy having a look at a Fekir type player, but I honestly don’t see us doing much, providing we can keep the squad together.

 

[The Elusive 19th]

Way too many signings, we will promote from within for sure, especially since all are backups.

Yes if possible we should promote from within. But I don't see where a LB, GK and midfielder are going to come from our young ones. Winger - we need to get a player who can give some rest to Mo, Salah and Shaq. For that backup we have Wilson. 4 players is not too much though - I will go for Handanovic/Reina, Chilwell, Rabiot and Julian Brandt/Jadon Sancho.

 

[Zoran]

Can Camacho back up Trent, or would it be better to use Lovren and release Gomez to play there?

Trent is still only 20, that would be too young of a combination at RB if we're a club aspiring to compete and win. Camacho looks like an all-rounder, but midfielder first and foremost at the moment. He's playing in one of the attacking positions (in the left half space behind the striker with Adekanye off the right) in a 3 at the back too. We'll see how his development continues.

 

[RedForever2014]

We currently have 21 senior outfield players and two keepers. This includes Solanke, who played enough last season to be considered as such, even if his quality is debatable. Origi too for similar reasons.

You wouldn't want your senior squad to go much shallower than this, ideally you'd have a 25 man squad including two keepers, but 20 senior outfield players plus three young outfield players, who wouldn't let you down if they found themselves on the bench and came on, is probably enough.

In Jan and next summer, there could be a need for some like for like replacements to the back ups in goal and defence. Two or three of Mignolet, Clyne, Matip, Lovren and Moreno could leave and will need replacing. You can't have a defensive squad of less than eight, or an unproven kid as backup keeper.

In terms of planning central midfield personnel, for me the players you consider as central midfielders need to be able to play in a two man department. Hendo, Gini, Milner and Fabinho are the four players we have who you see us using as a two. I see Keita more as an attacking midfielder who can play as a third central midfielder, but maybe not in a two.

So that leaves eight squad positions for attacking midfield and attack. Currently we have Keita, Lallana, Shaqiri, Bobby, Salah, Mane, Sturridge, plus Origi and Solanke.

Presuming all our best players stay, and Mane's contract situation is starting to be a concern, whilst Bobby and Salah have been rumoured to be targets for the Spanish giants, and assuming Oxlade returns next season, I see a few issues to consider in respect of attacking midfield and attack.

Firstly, we need more genuine rotation options in attacking midfield/attack, as we clearly suffered in the intense run recently from limited rotation. City's depth in this area of the pitch is the difference between them and us.

Secondly, we are clearly better as a 4231 with two central midfielders and a more attack minded one. The system worked against lesser sides, the question is whether we have the attacking midfielder to make it work against the better sides.

Shaqiri has shown promise as an attacking midfielder, we have yet to see his ceiling in that position. He does offer a similar style forward alternative to Salah though. Lallana's not a first choice attacking midfielder at our new level and Oxlade probably won't be what he was, when actually we were expecting him to develop further before his injury, into a world class attacking midfielder. Keita may become that man.

Also, it's clear from recent matches that our performances suffer when Mane is out or tired. We have no similar style player to him. I have high hopes for Wilson, but expect he'll need another season on loan, or will come back as a usable young player beyond the 20 senior outfield players, at least at first.

Finally, we don't have a similar style alternative to Bobby. Maybe Solanke could be that player, but he'll not get the game time to prove it. Sturridge is quality, if he stays fit, but not like for like.

So, in terms of taking the nine attacking midfielders/forwards we have this season, plus Oxlade, and turning it into the right mix of eight players next season, a radical plan would be to sell Lallana and Origi, let Sturridge go, loan out Solanke and sign two players.

This could include a player who can deputise for Bobby and hopefully do another job too, plus a winger of Mane's type.

Next season's squad - Bobby, Mane and Salah as the first choice forwards, Fekir type/Shaqiri/Keita/Oxlade as the attacking midfield options, plus a Mane style winger.

The Fekir type would be able to cover Bobby at 9 like for like and Shaqiri able to cover Salah. Oxlade would replace Lallana in the squad as a minimum (hopefully more).

So I see a need to sign two quality forwards, a back up keeper if Migs goes, however many defenders are required to replace departures, and then to let three or four squad forwards go.

We've a chance this season, but those changes would increase our chances on all fronts.

 

[Anfield rd Dreamer]

We currently have 21 senior outfield players and two keepers. This includes Solanke, who played enough last season to be considered as such, even if his quality is debatable. Origi too for similar reasons.

You wouldn't want your senior squad to go much shallower than this, ideally you'd have a 25 man squad including two keepers, but 20 senior outfield players plus three young outfield players, who wouldn't let you down if they found themselves on the bench and came on, is probably enough.

In Jan and next summer, there could be a need for some like for like replacements to the back ups in goal and defence. Two or three of Mignolet, Clyne, Matip, Lovren and Moreno could leave and will need replacing. You can't have a defensive squad of less than eight, or an unproven kid as backup keeper.

In terms of planning central midfield personnel, for me the players you consider as central midfielders need to be able to play in a two man department. Hendo, Gini, Milner and Fabinho are the four players we have who you see us using as a two. I see Keita more as an attacking midfielder who can play as a third central midfielder, but maybe not in a two.

So that leaves eight squad positions for attacking midfield and attack. Currently we have Keita, Lallana, Shaqiri, Bobby, Salah, Mane, Sturridge, plus Origi and Solanke.

Presuming all our best players stay, and Mane's contract situation is starting to be a concern, whilst Bobby and Salah have been rumoured to be targets for the Spanish giants, and assuming Oxlade returns next season, I see a few issues to consider in respect of attacking midfield and attack.

Firstly, we need more genuine rotation options in attacking midfield/attack, as we clearly suffered in the intense run recently from limited rotation. City's depth in this area of the pitch is the difference between them and us.

Secondly, we are clearly better as a 4231 with two central midfielders and a more attack minded one. The system worked against lesser sides, the question is whether we have the attacking midfielder to make it work against the better sides.

Shaqiri has shown promise as an attacking midfielder, we have yet to see his ceiling in that position. He does offer a similar style forward alternative to Salah though. Lallana's not a first choice attacking midfielder at our new level and Oxlade probably won't be what he was, when actually we were expecting him to develop further before his injury, into a world class attacking midfielder. Keita may become that man.

Also, it's clear from recent matches that our performances suffer when Mane is out or tired. We have no similar style player to him. I have high hopes for Wilson, but expect he'll need another season on loan, or will come back as a usable young player beyond the 20 senior outfield players, at least at first.

Finally, we don't have a similar style alternative to Bobby. Maybe Solanke could be that player, but he'll not get the game time to prove it. Sturridge is quality, if he stays fit, but not like for like.

So, in terms of taking the nine attacking midfielders/forwards we have this season, plus Oxlade, and turning it into the right mix of eight players next season, a radical plan would be to sell Lallana and Origi, let Sturridge go, loan out Solanke and sign two players.

This could include a player who can deputise for Bobby and hopefully do another job too, plus a winger of Mane's type.

Next season's squad - Bobby, Mane and Salah as the first choice forwards, Fekir type/Shaqiri/Keita/Oxlade as the attacking midfield options, plus a Mane style winger.

The Fekir type would be able to cover Bobby at 9 like for like and Shaqiri able to cover Salah. Oxlade would replace Lallana in the squad as a minimum (hopefully more).

So I see a need to sign two quality forwards, a back up keeper if Migs goes, however many defenders are required to replace departures, and then to let three or four squad forwards go.

We've a chance this season, but those changes would increase our chances on all fronts.

Mostly agree but id delay the Sturridge departure and signing a Firmino back up for another 6/12 months if possible and concentrate on getting the other attacker for now. Get the best possible player for that role. That gives 18 months to 2 years for Brewster or one of our other lads to set themselves up as our back up to Firmino. Wouldn't make Sturridge leave at this time.

 

[Anfield rd Dreamer]

Assuming DS signs, Milner stays, Shaq plays both 10/RW, Ox recovers fully and Wilson gets integrated into the squad, we need 5 players.
1. Mignolet replacement
2. Moreno replacement
3. Clyne replacement
4. Lallana replacement
5. Backup winger for Mane, Salah.

But the cost to bring 5 players can be huge. So I think we should keep Clyne.

Bobby, Mo, Mane, DS, Shaq and new winger. Supported by Solanke, Brewster and Wilson.

Fab, Gini, Shaq, Keita, Ox, Hendo, Milner and new midfielder.

Robo, new LB with TAA and Clyne.

VVD, Gomez, Lovren, Matip.

Alison and new GK.

I'd only be getting one player instead of two when looking on replacing Lallana and back up on the wings. And hold off on the Clyne situation for now if possible.

 

[The Elusive 19th]

I'd only be getting one player instead of two when looking on replacing Lallana and back up on the wings. And hold off on the Clyne situation for now if possible.

Having same thoughts on Clyne. And thought for a while about getting 1 player for midfield who can play on wings - but as Rabiot is coming available, decided to go for 2 players anyway. Rabiot and Brandt/Sancho.

 

[Dave-D]

Assuming DS signs, Milner stays, Shaq plays both 10/RW, Ox recovers fully and Wilson gets integrated into the squad, we need 5 players.
1. Mignolet replacement
2. Moreno replacement
3. Clyne replacement
4. Lallana replacement
5. Backup winger for Mane, Salah.

If and it’s a big if the rumours that Barcelona have told Dembele to find a new club there’s the rotation for Mane and Salah. I ain’t followed his carter closely but could he also be used in the position Lallana plays which would be a bonus. Then he could be purchased in January so would be integrated in to the team come the summer.

 

[JustHitMyHead]

I've got absolutely no interest in Dembele or Rabiot. Why ruin a good thing, where we seem to have pretty good team spirit and a club-first ethos?

We've seen first-hand how Klopp handles undisciplined players (e.g., Sakho, Balotelli) so why would people be interested in seeing Dembele here? Rabiot's ego and his mom is also a handful...

 

[Scott Jones]

I do like Rabiot,Shaq apparently has a shit attitude but Klopp still went for him so i'm not sure the shit attitude rumour is that big a problem,added into that is Klopp's vigorous pre offer interview with the player,PSG's team is full of big heads and probably lacking strict rules of behaviour so pretty easy to be a dick and get away with it, i think Klopp's first words are 'they'll be no fucking around if you come here'.

 

[SirBillShankly]

Do we really need Rabiot when we have recently signed Fabinho and Keita? He's not that special is he?

Do we need a character like Dembele around the place? I have my doubts. And if he is so special, why do Barca want to get shot of him? I would hope we would look at signing someone like Brandt instead.

 

[vjcpatriot]

Brandt is a quality player, however he recently extended his contract with Bayer Leverkusen until 2021, signaling a strong intent to stay there.

Interestingly enough we were in pursuit of both Brandt and Salah, and would have picked one of them. I'm glad that we ended up with Salah as he has shown to be a top 5 player in the World, where Brandt is right now only in the very good but up and coming category.

I'm thinking that Pulisic is really the guy I'm watching right now if we are going for the winger/amc/#10 type of player.

As for the winter window, we might sit tight and I'd be satisfied. But I wouldn't mind if we bought Pulisic from Dortmund with a loanback for the rest of the season.

 

[SirBillShankly]

Would you prefer Pulisic to Havertz?

 

[Prolix]

Klopp will see what he has at the club first.

Would Lewis come in rather than buy a left back?

Can Camacho back up Trent, or would it be better to use Lovren and release Gomez to play there?

Can Lallana be played back into form?

Is Curtis Jones ready to contribute? Harry Wilson, Ben Woodburn? Rhian Brewster?

I suspect Klopp will fancy having a look at a Fekir type player, but I honestly don’t see us doing much, providing we can keep the squad together.

No.

Maybe, absolutely not.

No.

No. Yes, no, no.

 

[GermanRed]

Would you prefer Pulisic to Havertz?

IMO Havertz has much more potential and he is developing much faster. I would even say that Havertz is already a better player since the start of the year.

Many posters here wrote in the past that Pulisic can play different positions (#10, #8) but his last 5 managers at Dortmund played him as a right winger (remember we have Salah and Shaqiri).

Havertz is definitely a versatile player and his main position is CAM/#8. Klopp wanted to add a CAM last summer - not sure if he still wants to now that we have Shaqiri.

 

[ILLOK]

IMO Havertz has much more potential and he is developing much faster. I would even say that Havertz is already a better player since the start of the year.

Many posters here wrote in the past that Pulisic can play different positions (#10, #8) but his last 5 managers at Dortmund played him as a right winger (remember we have Salah and Shaqiri).

Havertz is definitely a versatile player and his main position is CAM/#8. Klopp wanted to add a CAM last summer - not sure if he still wants to now that we have Shaqiri.

I was really impressed with Havertz when I went to watch Leverkusen last season. He didn't actually do an awful lot but you could tell he was technically sound and very intelligent. There's a very good chance he'll be a top player one day.

Rabiot keeps getting mentioned here but there seems to be more noise about Demirbay. Any of the German lads have an opinion on him?

To throw a name into the ring who I haven't seen suggested before, wee Ryan Fraser would be a solid backup for our forward positions. He's having a cracking season, tricky little player who can make an impact off the bench (as we know!) and most importantly he's Scottish.

 

[Caradoc]

Pulisic is one of those that seems more about obsession than likelihood.

Personally I don’t think that there will be too many more signings and those that we do make will be very targetted and well-researched just like the last half a dozen were.

I don’t think we’ll waste too much time or money on a GK. If Klopp believes that we have a left back equivalent of TAA I think we’ll go down that route and try to bring back-up through the system. We seem to be looking at cover for the left wing as well but again I think it will be a highly promising youngster with first team experience in a league like the Dutch or Portuguese leagues. Of course Sessegnon would solve the whole left flank requirement in one move. I’m sure we’ll look at any high quality Bosman options for all 3 positions.

I’m starting to get the feeling that both Lallana and Henderson could move on in the Summer. It probably depends on how Fabinho and Keita develop over the next few months. I can see another CM coming in plus another attempt at a Fekir type. This is where I would expect any serious money to be spent - midfield/Firmino cover.

 

[Mascot88]

No.

Maybe, absolutely not.

No.

No. Yes, no, no.

You actually work at the academy then?

 

[SithBaare]

- I will go for Handanovic/Reina, Chilwell, Rabiot and Julian Brandt/Jadon Sancho.

Sancho isnt probably viable. Namely cause Man City have first rights if Dortmund do need to sell him.

 

[Prolix]

You actually work at the academy then?

Just having a bit of fun!

 

[Red over the water]

How contractually locked down is Phil Foden? He’s their big hope for the future, home grown, very good player already, but that’s such a hard team to break into when they can just go out and sign anyone they want, even for back up roles.

We are the team that looks most likely to take the fight to Man City in the Prem. It would be nice to extend that to player recruitment by taking Foden off their hands. He could be the attacking midfield sort of player we wanted Fekir to be.

They got Sterling from us. It might be nice to mark our emergence by taking a player from them that they very much do not want to lose.

 

[The Elusive 19th]

If we are letting go of Ings, Lallana and supposedly DS, Milner and Clyne (I prefer to keep these 3 with us), where do we stand on the home grown quota then for the league and also what happens to the CL homegrown quota. Wouldn't we be in trouble? Should we look at replacing these players with players who qualify as homegrown then? And pay English premium?

 

[Richard88]

If we are letting go of Ings, Lallana and supposedly DS, Milner and Clyne (I prefer to keep these 3 with us), where do we stand on the home grown quota then for the league and also what happens to the CL homegrown quota. Wouldn't we be in trouble? Should we look at replacing these players with players who qualify as homegrown then? And pay English premium?

First of all, it's not a question of "if" we let Ings go, given that it's a loan move with an "obligation" to buy at the end of the season. He's gone.

That said, the current squad situation regarding homegrown players is as outined below.

Firstly, the squad size as per Uefa rules is 21, plus 4 homegrown and 4 club-trained, as quoted in the Echo:

UEFA rules dictate two players must be goalkeepers, and at least eight places must go to locally trained players.​

Locally trained players are either club-trained players who have been on Liverpool's books for three years between the ages of 15 and 21, or association-trained players whose careers spanned the same period at another English club.​

No more than four association-trained players can be included in the eight local nominees on List A. And if a club can only field seven locally trained players, their squad size is reduced to 24 (or six down to 23, five to 22 and so on)."​

​

Essentially, that means that the squad can be broken down as:

• 17 non-homegrown players;
• 4 who are association-trained;
• 4 who are club-trained; and
• An unlimited number of u21 players who have been at the club for 2+ years

------------------

The current state of the squad is as follows (ages in brackets):

Not homegrown or club-trained (maximum 17 allowed)
1. Alisson (26)
2. Mignolet (30)
3. Van Dijk (27)
4. Lovren (29)
5. Moreno (26)
6. Robertson (24)
7. Matip (27)
8. Fabinho (25)
9. Wijnaldum (27)
10. Keita (23)
11. Shaqiri (27)
12. Firmino (27)
13. Mané (26)
14. Salah (26)
15. Origi (23)

Association-trained
16. Clyne (27)
17. Milner (32)
18. Henderson (28)
19. Lallana (30)
20. Sturridge (29)
21. Solanke (21)

(Note: Neither Oxlade-Chamberlain (25) or Markovic (24) are included in this years Uefa CL squad, though 3 changes are permitted in January before the start of the CL knockouts).

Locally-trained
22. N/A
23. N/A
24. N/A
25. N/A

List B (i.e. Locally-trained, and born after January 1, 1997)
Trent, Gomez, Kelleher, Grabara, Phillips, Jones, Brewster (plus Wilson, Woodburn, Kent, etc going forwards)

(Note: "List B" = players born after January 1 1997 and have spent at least two uninterrupted years at Liverpool).
----------------

What to make of this?

First of all, it's hugely beneficial that Gomez and Trent are u21 and club-trained. Once they turn 21 they will both be on the "locally trained" list, which is a huge asset in terms of homegrown rules going forwards. Their status has already been hugely beneficial this year as it's allowed Klopp to include Origi and Solanke in the Uefa squad rather than leaving them out for European games entirely.

As a whole, the squad has only 15 (of a possible 17) foreign players, which leaves plenty of flexibility in terms of new signings. That is even more true given that Mignolet, Moreno, and Origi are all rumoured to be likely to move on soon, and their exits would mean that Liverpool would only have 12 foreign players on the list going forwards, thus leaving a possible 5 of 17 spaces open.

On the whole, the situation is clearly extremely good. That said, there are two important things to keep an eye on going forwards:

1. Firstly, most of the homegrown players are around 30 years old. Henderson (28) recently signed a 5 year extension until 2023, but the phasing out of the others appears to have been planned for, given that Clyne (27), Lallana (30) and Milner (32) have contracts that expire in June 2020, and Sturridge's (29) expires in 2019. The future of Solanke (21) in the squad isn't certain either, so long-term it appears as if only Henderson and Ox are certainties out of this group.

2. Secondly, most of the key players in the squad are around 25-27 years old, which is very healthy. However, only Robertson (24) and Keita (23) are under 25 years old (not including club-trained players or Origi who appears set to leave). There also isn't a single under-23 player on List A (i.e. homegrown/foreign). With that in mind, it is surely a priority going forwards to bring in young players to establish continuity long-term, and guard against a situation where the entire team declines at once.

Looking at the future...

The squad is clearly in a very healthy position, not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of both age profile and Uefa homegrown rules.

The makeup of the squad means that there is great flexibility in terms of new signings. That said, given the aging profile of the homegrown players (i.e. most of them are around 30), as well as the limited number of players under 25 (and no foreign players under 23), it must surely be a priority for the club to recruit one or two young players in the next couple of years - ideally homegrown.

So to answer the question in the quoted post above, if all the players mentioned were to leave (i.e. Clyne, Milner, Lallana, Sturridge, and Ings), and assuming that Gomez and Trent are 21 by the time the aforementioned players left, that would leave the makeup of homegrown/club-trained as what is listed below.

18. Henderson
19. Ox
20. Solanke
21. N/A
--
22. Gomez
23. Trent
24. n/a
25. n/a

The list above would be absolutely fine and wouldn't cause any problems whatsoever, even if there were 17 non-association trained players in the squad. It would however mean that once you have 17 players the next players to be added would have to be homegrown (to fill #21 in the list above) or replace one of the 17 foreign players like-for-like.

All-in-all, the squad is in great position, and there's a ton of flexibility going forwards so the club won't need to force any signings just to fulfil quotas, which will be useful in terms of avoiding that infamous "homegrown premium".

 

[Red_Jedi]

No.

Maybe, absolutely not.

No.

No. Yes, no, no.

My wife says this to me regularly.

 

[Zinedine Biscan]

Luis Suarez has come out and said Barca are setting about identifying his replacement.

He'll have been there five years come the end of the season, has ticked off that ambition and got it out of his system. He'll be 32 in January, but personally think he's still got it. He could play anywhere in our front line, but would be of particular value rotating with Bobby at the top of the attack.

Will have two years remaining on his contract in the summer.

Cheeky bid?