31 Mar 2018 21:56:16
ed2, just wanting to pick your brain about building a squad. you've made it clear your thoughts about top names like werner coming in and potentially unsettling firmino or werner getting unsettled, cos they both want to start etc.

so the question is what should the strategy be to build squad depth for a club competing at the very top? we have our clear top 3 first choice forwards, who are the kinds of players we should be targeting to support that group? is it simply the likes of Ings and Dom? that is, not first choice starters but are young and hungry players who will compete and push the guys ahead of them? is that more healthy than playing rotation with 2 first choice players in the same position? interested in what you would do and who would you target.

{Ed002's Note - The squad supports the first pick players but you cannot add a hugely expensive player and simply say you might get your chance soon, it is never going to work. Kids doing well are kicking on the door - do you give them a chance or not? Ings and Solanke will want chances and Solanke moved because of promises that have not yet come true. You add someone ahead of them and people are miffed. It is tough. I don't think Liverpool need an out and out forward this summer - but an AM is a different matter.}

1.) 01 Apr 2018
31 Mar 2018 23:55:11
Like ed has said if we add an attacking midfielder it is less likely to upset a player. Ideally klopp will find a player capable of playing as part of the midfield and wider or further forward. Just like salah and firmino, they have there strongest position but if say firmino was unavailable, salah is more than capable of leading the line.

2.) 01 Apr 2018
01 Apr 2018 00:28:45
With basically 3 games every two weeks throughout the season, I don't see how we can be expected to compete on all fronts with three shoe ins and no real competition. Said it before but look at sterling Aguero Jesus and sane, all quality players but really, only three ever start. Yeah you can say one of solanke or Ings but who wide? I don't see the harm in say buying an adaptable player like Werner, and saying you four, prove yourselves. Who says firmino has to get dropped? It gives us a real threat of the bench and a chance to rest mane firmino or Salah without losing much. At the moment, if we rest mane say, it's either Ox wide or someone through the middle and firmino wide, which doesn't work as well. 4 players could still get thirty starts a season each.

3.) 01 Apr 2018
01 Apr 2018 03:00:41
Cant't believe there is still a discussion over whether we need another option upfront for Firmino, Salah and Mane. What happens if one of those breaks down? Or God forbid all 3? Ings/ Solanke can play backup for Firmino but neither can fill in for Salah or Mane. The ideal option would be to sign a versatile forward who can play either side of Firmino and even drop into midfield to accommodate the front 3 when trying to break down packed defences.
Now, a player like that is hard to find but I remember one of the Eds (probably Ed002) saying Draxler is someone that Klopp may look to. A player who has featured as a LW and LCM for PSG and not done too bad tbh. 50 million euros would be a good price to pick him up and kill two birds with one stone (DRaxler can play LW, CAM, LCM) .
And our midfield needs sorting out big time. Kieta, Hendo, Milner, OX I would keep. The rest need to go. Lallana is past it and injury prone. Gini might as well go back to Holland and nobody would notice. Can's a goner so we need a DLP (Jorginho who can do a better job than Hendo at starting attacks from deep and maybe a bruiser along side him to give more protection to the defense. Keita, Jorginho and a CDM makes perfect sense in terms of balance and we will still have Ox, Milner and Hendo to call upon from the bench.

{Ed0333's Note - I would get rid of Milner, Hendo, Can and Gini. As you so elaqontly put it Buzzer, If any of these left no one would notice. We need a complete overhaul in midfield as it’s impotent and dysfunctional.

4.) 01 Apr 2018
01 Apr 2018 03:28:27
I'd keep Milner over Lallana ed0333. A player injured most times is no use to us, Milner at least is a fit footballer. Hendo should be a squad player once Klopp gets his hands on a proper DLP like Jorginho.
I'd be happy with a midfield of Keita, Jorginho and a bruiser as first choice with Milner, Hendo and OX providing cover.
Draxler, Jorginho and maybe Ndidi or Nzonzi would be an ideal summer for our midfield and forward line.

{Ed0333's Note - I would rather give Milners $150,000 a week wages to a player who positively and regularly affects a football match Buzzer, with that salary you can get a starting eleven player rather than an ageing squad player. Hendo is not the footballer he was and should be moved on while we can get a fee. Reading between the lines I’m not sure Jorginho is Anfield bound.

5.) 01 Apr 2018
01 Apr 2018 07:27:45
I think Ox can cover attacking midfield and the wings, and a very useful player in the squad but I think we need a starting attacking mid that can open up the game and score goals regularly. We need the equivalent of a KDB.

Milner should be no more than squad cover as doesn’t score enough goals and unfortunately Lallana isn’t the long term answer either.

That leaves us with
Mane, Firmino, Salah and Ings, Solanke, Ox as cover
Midfield of Lemar, Keita, Hendo with Milner, Ox and 1 deeper player to cover (assuming Can leaves)

We also need to replace Matip IMO and use Gomez more at CB.

6.) 01 Apr 2018
01 Apr 2018 07:34:53
I won’t miss Can or Gini, I’m so disappointed in Gini especially, he hides during games I think and just doesn’t contribute. Milner I would like to stay but I don’t think he’ll want to. Hendo and Lallana I would like to stay. Hendo should be the first name in midfield every game and I’m still so surprised people want Lallana gone after how good he was last year. If he can leave the injuries behind and get consistent game time he is a great option either starting or off the bench. I know people are saying he may look to leave but I honestly don’t see where he would go that better than us at his age and likely cost.

7.) 01 Apr 2018
01 Apr 2018 00:48:34
cheers ed2, ye I was thinking it's a fine balance between bringing in top talent and balancing the chemistry of the squad. highly unlikely we're going to find 22 "world-class" and modest enough players to happily play every other week right!?

Hungry lads like Ings and Solanke are gold for us, but they need opportunities too.

8.) 01 Apr 2018
01 Apr 2018 02:19:48
Ed2 agrre completely with u apart from the Solanke part : he was given opportunities (even though Sturridge was fit at that time) at the beginning of the season but he didn't take them unfortunately. Now he has to wait for the next one and prove. I guess it wasn't more than a promise of "giving opportunities by merit"? I'm sure Klopp didn't promise him a certain number of minutes even if he doesn't derserve it.

{Ed002's Note - Right, so that is not what Klopp told Solanke. Liverpool have avoided the tribunal to complete his transfer and that has not gone unnoticed; and there is a reason beyond the transfer fee.}

9.) 01 Apr 2018
01 Apr 2018 10:41:29
No matter what Klopp promises a player, if he is not up to standard, there is no way he can put his job or the team’s success on the line if he is not good enough.

I am referring to Solanke and Grujic specifically. Both may improve sufficiently to be in the managers selection thoughts but I think time is running out for both of them. When you get to the level Liverpool are aspiring to be there is no room for taking a chance with a player who is not ready, barring major injury problems to other players.

That is probably their best chance to be honest and Ings, quite deservedly has moved ahead of Solanke. Even Ings May have to move on unless he is prepared to at as cover. If Llopp brings in another forward player that will make it even more difficult for him too.

10.) 01 Apr 2018
01 Apr 2018 11:13:19
This has clearly gone over sone people's head. the question isn't whether we need cover, its about the strategy to developing that depth. Thinking chemistry, players wants etc etc.

11.) 02 Apr 2018
01 Apr 2018 06:12:41
yeah I agree ed are midfield makes our defence look bad, and the difference between our midfield and city is huge when they get the ball they can keep it all day long. don't know why Ox is not starting these games ahead of Milner and Henderson but just seem to give the ball away all the time when just playing the simple ball.

{Ed0333's Note - it’s just a case of biding time, we have to play with the cards we’ve been dealt with. We tried bring forward Nabil Keitas arrival in January but weren’t successful, clearly Klopp knew his midfield wasn’t up to scratch. Buying for buying sakes is not Klopps way so he’ll wait for the right player to come available and whose interested in coming to Liverpool. Hopefully we can get some stellar performances from the midfield personnel from now till the end of the season? You never know? Maybe Ox is being saved for the City games and certain league games which would make sense to me as without him the mobility is non existent. If he and Gini stepped up a notch or two it would give us a new dimension and we’d be fierce.

12.) 02 Apr 2018
01 Apr 2018 07:14:13
I think providing an assist, as Milner did yesterday or had done more than anyone in Champions League this season, affects a football match.

I’m not saying he should be first choice every game but his versatility, fitness and experience are useful to have when needed.