Who would you buy?

[richieh10]

Anybody heard of that Mbappe from PSG. Looks decent

 

[Speckydodge]

Anybody heard of that Mbappe from PSG. Looks decent

Pffft farmers league mate, he'd never cut it in the prem

 

[Flobs]

Pffft farmers league mate, he'd never cut it in the prem

He never played in the French 3rd tier so not worth a penny.

 

[gasband]

Lloyd Christmas. And I am saying there’s a chance.

Lloyd christmas....is that the song from Wham?

 

[gasband]

Anybody heard of that Mbappe from PSG. Looks decent

Just because he has an MBA in his name?

 

[The Elusive 19th]

Anybody heard of that Mbappe from PSG. Looks decent

Yeah he is a alright - he did it on a tuesday night at Anfield. On the other hand - this bloke Messi is not that much - he couldn't do that.

 

[StevenAlonso]

If Asensio is made available i would definitely think we would buy him..He would cost around 70-80 million pound - a Coutinho kind of a player, is young, decent pace, tight game and has the flair..Think Klopp also rates him highly and will suit our style of play..

 

[Sweeting]

Anybody heard of that Mbappe from PSG. Looks decent

Never heard of him, think you just made him up.

 

[Kenny Dalglish LFC Legend]

Anybody heard of that Mbappe from PSG. Looks decent

Rubbish name he'll never make it!

 

[Flobs]

Rubbish name he'll never make it!

Certainly is worst than Henderson for making songs about. He wouldn't last long here.

 

[bazza66]

This guy - very versatile.

He's had a chequered career so far, shifting from centre right/ centre left, and gained reputation as a bit of a mercenary, but could be a good moneyball signing. Be great to see what Kloppo could do with him.

 

[Kopstar]

This guy - very versatile.

He's had a chequered career so far, shifting from centre right/ centre left, and gained reputation as a bit of a mercenary, but could be a good moneyball signing. Be great to see what Kloppo could do with him.

Far too inconsistent.

 

[Dave-D]

Bournemouth are only after 30 million for Fraser that’s only 5 million more than Solanke cost them. I’d be happy if Liverpool signed him for that as I don’t think he’d have a problem settling in on the LW as he’d have his international teammate behind him.

 

[Chrenyan]

As in any purchasing decision, there's what's on the market, and there's what we actually need - so far Liverpool have done an excellent job matching our needs to what's available on the market.

At present, we don't really need a central defender. Unless we sell Lovren, we should keep what we have, and even if we do sell him, I'm not sure we should go for de Ligt simply because he's available. If his wages will be destructive to the team ethic Klopp has so painstakingly built, we should find someone else. Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez are 3 excellent options for 2 positions - if they can stay injury-free. The fourth option can be someone other than de Ligt. And who knows? Klopp might well see Nathaniel Phillips or Conor Masterson as able to make the step up, in time.

So where does the squad need strengthening? We already have a left-footed winger who can cover for Salah - Shaqiri. We also have cover for a striker - Origi - and from what Klopp has been saying Brewster is next in line. Our midfield, between Keita, Henderson, Fabinho, Ox, Wijnaldum, Milner and Lallana seems quite well-stocked - maybe even overstocked. The only issue might be cover for Fabinho.

It seems to me, therefore, that our pressing needs are cover for Sadio Mane, and cover at fullback following the departures of Moreno and Clyne - in that order, since the aforementioned Milner is well able to cover the fullback position(s) if push comes to shove, as we saw in the most memorable match of 2018/19.

Looking at a list of possibly available forward-right attackers, I think the best option would be Leroy Sane. City, of course, will never sell him to us. But rumour has it that they could sell him to Bayern Munich. If they do, I think we should put in a bid for Kingsley Coman. He is the right age (turned 23 a couple of days ago), he is used to playing at the top level, he is averaging 0.95 goals and/or assists every 90 minutes, and, after what we did to them last season and what we went on to do, he might just be willing to swap Bayern's bench for ours. A possible alternative to Coman might be Steven Bergwijn, but I wonder about the competitiveness of the Eredivisie and whether players can make a successful move into the Premier League (and I really puzzle over how Liverpool's physicists address this issue in their models, because they called it right on Salah and he was from a much slower and perhaps less physical league).

As for cover for left back - I really can't see further than Sessegnon. He's coming from a relegated club, and Liverpool has bought one player from a relegated club the last three summers. But maybe we need someone who can cover both fullback positions in a bind? Or maybe Joe Gomez (or Fabinho) can cover right-back.

The long and short is, we might not do much business. But - for the first time in a long time - we really don't need to.

PS

Whisper it, but it is quite possible that City will need to replace a number of good players either this summer or next. Fernandinho is 34. Kompany has left, and he was 33 anyway. Silva is also 33. Aguero is 31. On top of that, there's buying a player, and then there's gelling them with the rest of the team. Our oldest players are Milner, 33, who is still as fit as anybody, Lallana, who's 31 and Lovren, who will be 30 soon, and might be on his way. The core of the squad is quite young. Just goes to show what a really phenomenal job the Liverpool hierarchy have done in building a squad - this lot could well be together for half a decade.

 

[Chewbazza]

As in any purchasing decision, there's what's on the market, and there's what we actually need - so far Liverpool have done an excellent job matching our needs to what's available on the market.

At present, we don't really need a central defender. Unless we sell Lovren, we should keep what we have, and even if we do sell him, I'm not sure we should go for de Ligt simply because he's available. If his wages will be destructive to the team ethic Klopp has so painstakingly built, we should find someone else. Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez are 3 excellent options for 2 positions - if they can stay injury-free. The fourth option can be someone other than de Ligt. And who knows? Klopp might well see Nathaniel Phillips or Conor Masterson as able to make the step up, in time.

So where does the squad need strengthening? We already have a left-footed winger who can cover for Salah - Shaqiri. We also have cover for a striker - Origi - and from what Klopp has been saying Brewster is next in line. Our midfield, between Keita, Henderson, Fabinho, Ox, Wijnaldum, Milner and Lallana seems quite well-stocked - maybe even overstocked. The only issue might be cover for Fabinho.

It seems to me, therefore, that our pressing needs are cover for Sadio Mane, and cover at fullback following the departures of Moreno and Clyne - in that order, since the aforementioned Milner is well able to cover the fullback position(s) if push comes to shove, as we saw in the most memorable match of 2018/19.

Looking at a list of possibly available forward-right attackers, I think the best option would be Leroy Sane. City, of course, will never sell him to us. But rumour has it that they could sell him to Bayern Munich. If they do, I think we should put in a bid for Kingsley Coman. He is the right age (turned 23 a couple of days ago), he is used to playing at the top level, he is averaging 0.95 goals and/or assists every 90 minutes, and, after what we did to them last season and what we went on to do, he might just be willing to swap Bayern's bench for ours. A possible alternative to Coman might be Steven Bergwijn, but I wonder about the competitiveness of the Eredivisie and whether players can make a successful move into the Premier League (and I really puzzle over how Liverpool's physicists address this issue in their models, because they called it right on Salah and he was from a much slower and perhaps less physical league).

As for cover for left back - I really can't see further than Sessegnon. He's coming from a relegated club, and Liverpool has bought one player from a relegated club the last three summers. But maybe we need someone who can cover both fullback positions in a bind? Or maybe Joe Gomez (or Fabinho) can cover right-back.

The long and short is, we might not do much business. But - for the first time in a long time - we really don't need to.

PS

Whisper it, but it is quite possible that City will need to replace a number of good players either this summer or next. Fernandinho is 34. Kompany has left, and he was 33 anyway. Silva is also 33. Aguero is 31. On top of that, there's buying a player, and then there's gelling them with the rest of the team. Our oldest players are Milner, 33, who is still as fit as anybody, Lallana, who's 31 and Lovren, who will be 30 soon, and might be on his way. The core of the squad is quite young. Just goes to show what a really phenomenal job the Liverpool hierarchy have done in building a squad - this lot could well be together for half a decade.

Not wanting to detract from an otherwise solid post, but Masterson has just been released from the club.

 

[lfc.8]

Improving the midfield is a must as well as another top forward. We need more strength to change a game as well as for rotation and injury cover.

As for players, Ndombele plus one of Coutinho, Aouar, Havertz or Fernandes plus one of Sancho or Pepe. Sign three of the aforementioned players and we should be looking good to compete once more for the top trophies with more quality in depth.

Coutinho while not having his best season remains a top player. The rest are all young and will only improve. Looking further ideally another fullback and centre back. The club needs to invest though and look to more round out this squad.

 

[GermanRed]

I see people are going full FIFA Manager mode in here again.

Real Madrid won the CL three years in a row with more or less the same starting11. Most of their transfers during that time were flops.

In that context I also have to mention Spurs. Reached the CL final + the Top4 again without spending.

We have a very good squad but more importantly we have room for improvement from within. Many players who still did not reached their full potential (TAA, Gomez, Fabinho, Ox, Keita, Origi) and the Academy Players of course.

So please stop the ridiculous dreams about Mbappe, Coutinho, Sancho...

 

[Iluvatar]

I see people are going full FIFA Manager mode in here again.

Real Madrid won the CL three years in a row with more or less the same starting11. Most of their transfers during that time were flops.

In that context I also have to mention Spurs. Reached the CL final + the Top4 again without spending.

We have a very good squad but more importantly we have room for improvement from within. Many players who still did not reached their full potential (TAA, Gomez, Fabinho, Ox, Keita, Origi) and the Academy Players of course.

So please stop the ridiculous dreams about Mbappe, Coutinho, Sancho...

Sorry remind me who you are again? Maybe cut out the weird attitude?

 

[lfc.8]

I see people are going full FIFA Manager mode in here again.

Real Madrid won the CL three years in a row with more or less the same starting11. Most of their transfers during that time were flops.

In that context I also have to mention Spurs. Reached the CL final + the Top4 again without spending.

We have a very good squad but more importantly we have room for improvement from within. Many players who still did not reached their full potential (TAA, Gomez, Fabinho, Ox, Keita, Origi) and the Academy Players of course.

So please stop the ridiculous dreams about Mbappe, Coutinho, Sancho...

Real went off the boil this past season but have always had one of the best two or three squads the last number of years. They've never needed to do too much.

Spurs did well making the final plus top four but won nothing. Not spending is not the recipe to success. They didn't invest purely out of principle either.

We have room for improvement but so do other clubs. We also have weak points which need improving. It cannot all be done by coaching and player development.

Coutinho and Sancho might well be possibilities they might not. Coutinho hasn't had the best of seasons and Barcelona might just look to sell him with de Jong and Griezmann quite possibly joining. As for Sancho it will be a question of when not if Dortmund sell if he keeps progressing. Other players were mentioned as well.

 

[Scott Jones]

I see people are going full FIFA Manager mode in here again.

Real Madrid won the CL three years in a row with more or less the same starting11. Most of their transfers during that time were flops.

In that context I also have to mention Spurs. Reached the CL final + the Top4 again without spending.

We have a very good squad but more importantly we have room for improvement from within. Many players who still did not reached their full potential (TAA, Gomez, Fabinho, Ox, Keita, Origi) and the Academy Players of course.

So please stop the ridiculous dreams about Mbappe, Coutinho, Sancho...

Yep agree,fuck all that shite,just Mbappe will do.

 

[Anfield rd Dreamer]

Improving the midfield is a must as well as another top forward. We need more strength to change a game as well as for rotation and injury cover.

As for players, Ndombele plus one of Coutinho, Aouar, Havertz or Fernandes plus one of Sancho or Pepe. Sign three of the aforementioned players and we should be looking good to compete once more for the top trophies with more quality in depth.

Coutinho while not having his best season remains a top player. The rest are all young and will only improve. Looking further ideally another fullback and centre back. The club needs to invest though and look to more round out this squad.

Can't disagree more on the midfield. We play 3 and have Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita and Ox all now fit and settled and playing well. Add to that we also currently have Grujic, Milner, Lallana, Jones, Shaqiri and Wilson who could all argue for playing time there although its unsure who out of them will be with us next season. Think everyone who wants adding to CM is failing to see the work Klopps CM does and wanting to see a CM impacting on the final 3rd such as a David Silva, Coutinho or Aouar would. Klopp has those "playmaking" tasks performed by his full backs, Firmino and the act of winning the ball back high up the pitch when the opposition isn't set up to defend. Even if Klopp was to add a player with more attacking creativity to CM I think those calling for that player would be disappointed as he'd spend most of his time playing like our current CMs doing the boring, unglamorous work.

 

[Flobs]

Can't disagree more on the midfield. We play 3 and have Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita and Ox all now fit and settled and playing well. Add to that we also currently have Grujic, Milner, Lallana, Jones, Shaqiri and Wilson who could all argue for playing time there although its unsure who out of them will be with us next season. Think everyone who wants adding to CM is failing to see the work Klopps CM does and wanting to see a CM impacting on the final 3rd such as a David Silva, Coutinho or Aouar would. Klopp has those "playmaking" tasks performed by his full backs, Firmino and the act of winning the ball back high up the pitch when the opposition isn't set up to defend. Even if Klopp was to add a player with more attacking creativity to CM I think those calling for that player would be disappointed as he'd spend most of his time playing like our current CMs doing the boring, unglamorous work.

No way do our full backs perform 'playmaking' tasks! No way do we want them to either, what they do is just fine.
We do lack a player between the opposition midfield and defense. Often Firmino drops too deep or pushes too high for this the we have Shaquiri and, when playing a more advanced role Henderson who play this role consistently. One could argue other players that we have could do this more often Firmino being the obvious one and it appears Keita can do a job there however both Keita and AOC like coming from deep.
Advanced playmaker role appears to me to be our major problem to advancing yet it could only be a matter of coaching. We definitely have players capable of this in Shaquiri, Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum, Firmino, Keita?, AOC? it's just getting them to do it consistently or bringing in someone who focuses on doing it.

 

[RedSeven]

Can't disagree more on the midfield. We play 3 and have Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita and Ox all now fit and settled and playing well. Add to that we also currently have Grujic, Milner, Lallana, Jones, Shaqiri and Wilson who could all argue for playing time there although its unsure who out of them will be with us next season. Think everyone who wants adding to CM is failing to see the work Klopps CM does and wanting to see a CM impacting on the final 3rd such as a David Silva, Coutinho or Aouar would. Klopp has those "playmaking" tasks performed by his full backs, Firmino and the act of winning the ball back high up the pitch when the opposition isn't set up to defend. Even if Klopp was to add a player with more attacking creativity to CM I think those calling for that player would be disappointed as he'd spend most of his time playing like our current CMs doing the boring, unglamorous work.

No way do our full backs perform 'playmaking' tasks! No way do we want them to either, what they do is just fine.
We do lack a player between the opposition midfield and defense. Often Firmino drops too deep or pushes too high for this the we have Shaquiri and, when playing a more advanced role Henderson who play this role consistently. One could argue other players that we have could do this more often Firmino being the obvious one and it appears Keita can do a job there however both Keita and AOC like coming from deep.
Advanced playmaker role appears to me to be our major problem to advancing yet it could only be a matter of coaching. We definitely have players capable of this in Shaquiri, Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum, Firmino, Keita?, AOC? it's just getting them to do it consistently or bringing in someone who focuses on doing it.

Last summer Fekir was supposed to come in as that playmaker but due to his injury he didn't come in. Did we buy Shaqiri as his replacement or are we still interested in bringing someone in to fill that role.

 

[Flobs]

Last summer Fekir was supposed to come in as that playmaker but due to his injury he didn't come in. Did we buy Shaqiri as his replacement or are we still interested in bringing someone in to fill that role.

No idea, ask Klopp!
If we look at the lack of playing time given to Shaquiri it could be asked if Klopp was/is satisfied.

 

[Anfield rd Dreamer]

Last summer Fekir was supposed to come in as that playmaker but due to his injury he didn't come in. Did we buy Shaqiri as his replacement or are we still interested in bringing someone in to fill that role.

We recruited for, and started the season in, 4231. Fekir would have been perfect to challenge for starts in 3 positions in that formation. In 433 he is a "maybe" as the most attacking 8 and a back up to Firmino in the false 9 (something Mane has/can do fine). I think Fekir/similar is no longer happening unless we revert back to 4231.

 

[Anfield rd Dreamer]

No way do our full backs perform 'playmaking' tasks! No way do we want them to either, what they do is just fine.
We do lack a player between the opposition midfield and defense. Often Firmino drops too deep or pushes too high for this the we have Shaquiri and, when playing a more advanced role Henderson who play this role consistently. One could argue other players that we have could do this more often Firmino being the obvious one and it appears Keita can do a job there however both Keita and AOC like coming from deep.
Advanced playmaker role appears to me to be our major problem to advancing yet it could only be a matter of coaching. We definitely have players capable of this in Shaquiri, Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum, Firmino, Keita?, AOC? it's just getting them to do it consistently or bringing in someone who focuses on doing it.

We don't play with a playmaker is my point. Not in 433. The creativity that people are craving/missing from CM is coming from Robertson, Alexander-Arnold (who didn't match/surpass assist records from defenders by accident), Firmino and our style of play.

 

[JustHitMyHead]

Can't disagree more on the midfield. We play 3 and have Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita and Ox all now fit and settled and playing well. Add to that we also currently have Grujic, Milner, Lallana, Jones, Shaqiri and Wilson who could all argue for playing time there although its unsure who out of them will be with us next season. Think everyone who wants adding to CM is failing to see the work Klopps CM does and wanting to see a CM impacting on the final 3rd such as a David Silva, Coutinho or Aouar would. Klopp has those "playmaking" tasks performed by his full backs, Firmino and the act of winning the ball back high up the pitch when the opposition isn't set up to defend. Even if Klopp was to add a player with more attacking creativity to CM I think those calling for that player would be disappointed as he'd spend most of his time playing like our current CMs doing the boring, unglamorous work.

I don't know...

Is it the playing style that is matched to the players available, or is it the playing style that is determining the players we buy?

For example, the failure to conclude the Fekir transfer... did it drive the change in formation? All in all, flexibility is generally going to be advantageous.

 

[Anfield rd Dreamer]

I don't know...

Is it the playing style that is matched to the players available, or is it the playing style that is determining the players we buy?

For example, the failure to conclude the Fekir transfer... did it drive the change in formation? All in all, flexibility is generally going to be advantageous.

We didn't need to drop 4231. It's not like we were struggling. We were getting results, keeping solid and still scoring a fair number of goals. But we were visibly more comfortable and fluid in 433 so when we reverted back we kicked on. Just my opinion but I think Klopp wanted to change us to 4231 for last season so last summer targeted two players (Fekir and Shaqiri) that would have helped that transition. It just seems, to me, that we are more natural in 433 so Klopp has gone back to it. Whether that's permanent or not only Klopp will know. But whilst in it I don't see us signing a pure attacking centre mid, playmaker type. Maybe someone who can play as a Klopp style CM but still has playmaking ability on top of that? But we have the numbers and I don't see anyone coming in unless some serious departures happen. Not just Lallana and/or Milner but someone like Wijnaldum.

 

[Chrenyan]

Not wanting to detract from an otherwise solid post, but Masterson has just been released from the club.

Thanks for the heads-up, mate. That otherwise solid post also managed to say that we need cover for Mane as a forward-right attacker...

 

[Flobs]

We don't play with a playmaker is my point. Not in 433. The creativity that people are craving/missing from CM is coming from Robertson, Alexander-Arnold (who didn't match/surpass assist records from defenders by accident), Firmino and our style of play.

Oh! I get you and your correct. It means we evolve very much on counter attack and so have problems scoring against the bus parkers.
Really shouldn't Firmino be doing more here?