06 Jan 2023 23:20:56
Ed's do you know if we have made any kind of offer to Skriniar of Inter? Contract is due to expire this summer and he is free to talk to overseas clubs about a free. Given we have been linked with him for sometime I wondered if any contact had been made.

If we do have genuine interest in him signing on a free would we already have made his agents aware?

{Ed002's Note - I am not aware of an offer from Liverpool.}

1.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 06:43:53
If he’s out of contract in summer then he’d be an ideal replacement for Matip. Him and Konate rotating to partner Virgil with Gomez and 4th choice and cover at RB.

2.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 08:06:33
Given VVDs performances this season Moreton I’d have Skriniar and Konate as first choice….

3.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 08:28:40
Agreed Johnny - I think VVD’s game has dropped off considerably since his injury.

4.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 08:37:16
Some never fully recover psychologically.

5.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 08:54:24
Whatever it is, he’s lost his aura of invincibility on the pitch.

6.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 09:15:10
Even with the drop off though he's still at the higher end of centrehalfs around in his peak years! Still don't know if there's anyone i'd prefer on that left side of defence.

7.) 07 Jan 2023
06 Jan 2023 23:49:38
Ok cheers.

8.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 10:05:26
LFC fan too.

9.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 10:19:59
Gvardiol would be the natural successor to Virgil for me but at 20 very much worth it, and also a Liverpool fan.

10.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 10:38:41
Every time I see this name, I can hear Brian Potter shouting "Stranraer, Stranraer? " In Phoenix Nights.

11.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 11:44:33
Skriniar would be a superb signing an a pre-contract for the summer. He's a big Liverpool fan and i believe Skrtel was his idol growing up. In fact he wears number 37 for Inter for that reason.

We'd be getting one of the top 10 centre backs in Europe for free at only 28 years old. It's the biggest no-brainer for us in years.

{Ed002's Note - Milan Skriniar (CB) Inter will fend off an approach from PSG by offering the player a new contract to avoid him leaving as a Free Agent. PSG will look to a January offer to tempt the player as a replacement for Sergio Ramos. Spurs have also been interested but both sides have been told a new contract will be agreed, but that remains to be seen. Inter have already made an approach regarding a replacement.}

12.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 13:33:50
Milan Skriniar turns 28 next month.
Maybe a tad on the older side for us.
Gvardiol be my choice but not sure how likely that is.

13.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 14:07:42
Liverpool should be actively looking for a partner for konate, VVD best days are behind him. sadly never the same player after his injury.

14.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 14:40:42
van Dijk was fine last season. So it's not just a matter of the injury.

15.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 16:29:46
Bloody hell you lot writing VVD off make me laugh. He was absolutely fine when we were running for 4 trophies last season now all of a sudden because we are having an off season he’s finished, give your heads a shake man and grow up.

16.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 17:00:30
Well said Whitewalker.

The defense isn’t the issue. The level of cover, it’s a team game after all, is.

Where we once had Fabinho at his best, Hendo at his best and Gini doing such unheralded work we now have…Thiago, who is sumptuous, Fabinho’s sickly conjoined twin and Harvey who is 19 and not a natural defender, at all.

We transitioned from a workman like defense that allowed our fullbacks to be wingers into a most crafty midfield and it hasn’t worked.

Henderson now plays one good game in three and Naby and Ox are always injured or trying to get some form back.

So don’t write off Virgil yet.

17.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 18:44:15
VVD has been poor since we’ve emptied the midfield and allowed the opposition to have as many players as they like running at or in behind him whilst putting no pressure on the ball.
We need to sign a sniper because that’s the only way we will stop the opposition with how open we are in midfield.

18.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 18:44:59
Yet more knee-jerk, reactionary comments from people who think one period of low form means a player is finished. Give him a chance. Also, it's not your decision and you also don't know football as well as professional managers, trainers, coaches, physios, psychologists etc.

19.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 18:46:44
Unbelievable how quickly some are writing off big Virg!

20.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 19:16:09
Jones red in my opinion Gvardiol was the best center half at the world cup he is a big LFC fan would love to play for us but we will wait until his price is 100 mil then won't be able afford him .

21.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 22:36:29
@Whyowhy - surely if it’s not the defences fault and the midfield should be helping them why is it not the case that the defence should be helping the midfield too? Serious question.

By the way, nobody said VVD is finished and even though his form has dipped he is still a player to be re Konrad with. Just because someone isn’t as good as they were doesn’t automatically mean they are bad - the world isn’t binary.

22.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 22:52:45
I think his price already is in the 100 million mark.

23.) 07 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 23:06:37
WDW

Er, have you ever read what people say here.

According to this very thread we should go with a Skririnar / Konate defense.
Is that not writing Virg off?

And as to the midfield v defense and relative amounts of support. It’s a team game, we should all help each other.

24.) 08 Jan 2023
07 Jan 2023 23:25:09
It’s not writing Virg off it’s ensuring we have the players to progress the team.

25.) 08 Jan 2023
08 Jan 2023 09:26:54
@Whyowhy, firstly can I just say it’s like a breath of fresh air debating / arguing something other than our midfield.

Secondly, I do actually read what people post and I also make a genuine effort to try and understand what people are saying.

Finally, just because, in my opinion, VVD won’t be an automatic starter doesn’t mean we get rid. I’d be happy with Konate and Gomez covering the right side and Gvardiol and Van Dijk for the left side. They’d all be needed as we saw with the CB injuries a couple of seasons ago. The squad strength would be improved too.

26.) 08 Jan 2023
08 Jan 2023 09:43:47
Personally I think Skriniar would be a good option on a free - depending on salary and fees etc (which I know little about) . We need experience and quality and at 28 has plenty left - we rely on Virg too much.
Our defence is not defending, but a not putting the onus on Virg for that by any means.
I agree with most the midfield needs serious investment, but also our tactics need a full overhaul - we are not playing the same way we are used to seeing.
I have no idea how it changed, but needs changing back!

27.) 08 Jan 2023
08 Jan 2023 09:44:11
VVD turns 32 in the summer
Matip turns 32 in the summer and his contracts up next year, nevermind his injury issues.
Gomez is looking increasingly not up to it.
Konate looks like a great player but also has his injury issues.

We are slowly sleepwalking into similar situation where we find ourselves with the midfield.
A new centreback is needed very soon.
Midfield is priority though.

28.) 08 Jan 2023
08 Jan 2023 09:50:29
Skriniar isn’t going to sign for us if we’re not competitive and not in the champions league, just plain reality. He’s on his last big contract and he’s going to want to go somewhere that he can win trophies regularly and be in a team which can compete. At this moment that isn’t us. Whereas Gvardiol might consider us, the costs are far beyond us financially.

As for VVD, hamstring injuries are associated as a long term potential consequence of the type of knee injury he suffered, so he’s likely to be at risk of it again. He’s not getting any younger and maybe the unthinkable has to be considered. Like Bob Paisley used to say, I’d rather a player lose their legs on someone else’s pitch.

29.) 08 Jan 2023
08 Jan 2023 11:07:40
@Victor funnily enough, as of this moment in time we LITERALLY are in the Champions League. We are also still in the FA Cup and are in the race for the top 4 in the PL, so I could put a case that we are still competitive. Once again I ask are you a Liverpool fan and, if you are what sort of enjoyment you get from it all. All I can see is unremitting negativity and I honestly don’t understand why you bother.

30.) 08 Jan 2023
08 Jan 2023 17:11:57
Mad how people assume no CL football will mean we can’t attract players. It won’t.
United had a very effective transfer window.

As to Virgo bing written off…. people stating he is no longer the player he was and we need to play another player alongside Konate as our first choice centre backs pretty much writes Virgil off…. or at least massively changes his current role.


As to midfield. We couldn’t get a boot on Nunes when he came on last night, maybe that one’s not so unrealistic after all.

31.) 08 Jan 2023
08 Jan 2023 19:33:42
We won’t be in the CL for much longer WDW. Madrid will put us to the sword and on current form (which shows no sign of abatement) the best we can expect is the uefa conference, which is hardly worth the effort. Notwithstanding the detriment that Thursday cup football has on the weekend games. I’m a realist WDW not a head in the clouds dreamer. Can you honestly say there’s any reasonable prospect of getting top four as things stand? If you are saying that then you’re being delusional or disingenuous.

Why0Why, United were able to attract them for two reasons, one they habitually spend £200m almost every window and secondly, they pay huge wages that we wouldn’t in order to trade off lack of champions league. Two things we’re not capable of and our owners won’t do.

The only answer is change it owners to free us from the debt burden and hand to mouth existence. FSG out.

32.) 09 Jan 2023
09 Jan 2023 08:57:31
VVVV The point IS that you stated categorically that we were out of the CL and not challenging. As usual your statements were facsrually inaccurate.

33.) 09 Jan 2023
09 Jan 2023 10:12:55
I was wondering how long it would be before the first "FSG out" appeared!
Like a child not being bought the big expensive toys he wants, big titty lip on and tantrum to follow.