29 Jun 2024 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - Thefields has posted a new article entitled, My Thoughts On Liverpool's Upcoming Season

1.) 29 Jun 2024
29 Jun 2024 09:23:25
Good article. Disagree on a couple of points but I still enjoyed the read.

Personally I think Quansah is better than Konate. Ibou is decent but he’s more rash with and without the ball. But there’s not a lot in it currently. Unsure on Gomez as a CB, but Pacho and Murillo are both being linked a lot. Would take either one of them. They’re decent young players who can grow into it and learn from Virgil.

Only other thing I didn’t 100% agree with was Trent in midfield which I don’t disagree with per se, I’m just undecided. He looks out of sorts there for England but so does the whole team. It’s arguably just the Southgate effect. I like Trent as an attacking RB and I think I’d prefer him to stay there and then have Bradley as a back up RB and also an option for RW where he plays for Ireland. He also play RM for Bolton in a 3-4-3 so he has that attacking output and instinct to be cover for Salah as well as cover Trent. Trent’s passing range, I feel it’s wasted if half the team is behind him. I like him on the ball in the RB area because he then has up to 8 players ahead of him when Robbo makes a run in behind on the far side. If you put Trent in DM then you reduce his forward passing options realistically down to about 6 players. It’s not a huge difference but I don’t know yet how I feel about it. I’d like to see it in action with a tactically astute manager at the helm. Southgate’s a clown.

Everything else, I think you nailed. I’d also like to see Beck given a chance. He’s very similar to Bradley but left sided so I’d like to see him replace Tsimikas as the Robbo back up and I wouldn’t be shocked if he takes his chances and phases Robbo out over the next couple of years as Robbo moves in to his mid 30’s.

I think you’re right about DM/ CM being priority as we only really have Endo, Jones, Macca and Bajcetic who suit a double pivot. Possibly Trent on paper. Endo is no spring chicken but is definitely still our best option here, Jones and Bajcetic have had injury issues and Macca is our best option further forward in the AM role. Ederson is heavily linked and I like him a lot.

I also agree about Salah getting a new deal and selling Diaz. Think you’re spot on there. Salah is still our most reliable goal scorer and creator. Diaz wants out and isn’t good enough to fight to keep hold of against his will.

Lastly, good point about Nunez being more suited to a 4-2-3-1. In a 4-3-3 the striker is often expected to drop deep to pull defenders around for the wide forwards to exploit the gaps. Also the lack of player in a central AM role (the number 10 role as they say) means the striker is often required to peel off the CB’s into that area to receive the ball back to the defenders and lay it off or turn on it. Bobby was a king at this. Gakpo and Jota just about cope with it too. But it just doesn’t suit Nunez. You want him on the shoulder of the last man. Having Macca or Elliott in that AM role forces Nunez higher and leaves them as the guys receiving the ball in the half spaces between the lines. And they are better at turning on the ball and picking a pass, of which Nunez will now be one of the receivers more often than not. Also Gakpo is a significantly better crosser of the ball than Diaz, and Nunez loves attacking crosses. Diaz always wanted to come inside and shoot because of his limitations with delivering into the box whereas Gakpo is great at cutting back and arching a cross in, or going around the RB and crossing with the outside of his right boot. I think we’ll see a different Nunez next season in Slots system.

So yeah, agree overall. 3 or 4 players is all we lack; GK to replace Kelleher, CB to replace Matip, DM/ CMto replace Thiago and a RW/ LW to replace Diaz. you for this article mate. Nice to read something positive for a change on here instead of people just trashing our whole squad. I’m voting you poster of the month for June.

2.) 29 Jun 2024
29 Jun 2024 09:57:19
Most posters going to dislike this view but it's just another way of looking at things.

Our biggest problem is VVD, we too often rely on him and to it's a becoming a bit of a lottery if he's up to it. He's nearly 33 and will ask for significant wages on any new contract. If someone offered us decent money for him, I'd sell. I'd then go and get 2 centre backs. One who is naturally left footed and the other able to play in a couple of positions. Next I'd have Robbo as back up left back and sell the Greek. Ait-Nouri would be perfect.

I'd also sell Salah or at least get his replacement in early. We can't be a club that pays 100k's a week to aging players.

Other players will naturally step up, I'm thinking of Trent, Szobo, Nunez, Gakpo, Quansah, Bradley, Macca, Elliot should be the core of our team.

{Ed025's Note - dont worry about the money Lee...they wont be knocking on your door to contribute mate..

3.) 29 Jun 2024
29 Jun 2024 10:23:43
I think Slots system will get the best out of Vvd next season.

Virg is far more suited to playing left centre back in a 4321 than he is left centre back in a 433.

4.) 29 Jun 2024
29 Jun 2024 10:26:00
Our biggest problem is VVD? ?
And sell our top scorer? ?
These are two of the reasons we shouldn't talk about finances, Leelad.

5.) 29 Jun 2024
29 Jun 2024 11:11:16
Rigsby. I know my suggestion is a bit wild but they'll be gone soon either way you look at it. Ed025 - I'm just not a fan of giving players, who are on the decline, significant wages. Neither Salah or VVD are going to get better. I just rather we cracked on without them. We'd be fine.

{Ed025's Note - still 2 quality players though Lee, the problem is replacing them with a similar standard player mate..

6.) 29 Jun 2024
29 Jun 2024 11:20:48
Mk if Nunez plays on the shoulder of the last man doesn’t that mean he is playing deeper.

Last season he was usually found by the linesman beyond the last man ?.

7.) 29 Jun 2024
29 Jun 2024 11:25:25
It's inevitable they'll be gone in 12 months (especially Salah) . Would you give VVD a new contract on 250k/ 300k a week or Salah £350k+ a week. No chance. Plenty of great players out there. We just have to find them again.

8.) 29 Jun 2024
29 Jun 2024 12:41:15
Lee I don’t think any fan has ever given any player their contract wage.

If the club are happy to pay them that then they can clearly afford it.

Players wages have zero bearing on fans however you watch games.

9.) 30 Jun 2024
29 Jun 2024 22:36:14
VVD and Salah are world class players. Both have truly been the best in the world in their positions at points in their careers.

The longer we can keep players like them in the squad the better. This idea of getting rid and going cold turkey is a bit short sighted.

Transitioning these players out whilst letting their replacements learn from them surely is a better option?

We all know spending £100m on a player can go horribly wrong. Why not get talented, hungry, young players in for a fraction of the price or even from the academy and let them learn from the best? Both on and off the pitch?

That’s how true legacies are made.

10.) 30 Jun 2024
29 Jun 2024 21:18:19
@MK, the draft of the speech that Lincoln actually used in the Gettysburg address only contained 272 words ??.

11.) 30 Jun 2024
30 Jun 2024 03:14:17
Nice one @MK ?.

I get what you mean with Trent. I just think he is a different player for us. Seems like an outcast under the waistcoat. I'm leaning towards let's see what he can do for us, with players that know where to be when he passes the ball. We shall see what Slot decides haha.

As for those going on about Van Dijk, wind ya necks in. If you can have players like Tiago Silva grace the league at 39 and some of the great Italian defenders playing into their late 30's. There is no reason why he can't play like he did last season for a few years more.