20 Dec 2017 08:53:10
It is interesting to read about our interest in right back, Sime Vrsaljko. He sounds very similar to Joe Gomez in that he can comfortably play at both centre back, and right back. Gomez is more of a centre back though.

With the way Klopp has our back 4 morphing into a back 3 at times (by utilising this trait from Gomez) he has made us much more solid at the back. I wonder if that is the logic behind the interest in Vrsaljko? As he is a right back who can play centre back, unlike Gomez who is a centre back who can play right back, Vrsaljko could be an ideal foil to allow Gomez to move more centrally. Vrsaljko would (on paper) be capable of playing a right/ centre back hybrid role.

I will be honest, I've never seen Vrsaljko play. I've read some reviews and watched highlights, but never seen a full 90 minutes. According to reviews though he is a very good defender, and i can't imagine a more difficult job than trying to break into the Atletico Madrid team! Juanfran, Giminez, Godin are all world class defenders who have built up a real strong unit over the last 5 years. Breaking that apart would take someone truly special!

It might be a more realistic option to sign a right back and move Gomez into the centre to be honest. Top centre backs are at a Premium right now and January is a very tough time to buy. Vrsaljko is not first choice at his current side though so could be a very realistic option for January. If we could get Vrsaljko AND De Vrij, that would be fantastic in my opinion, but that's a big ask for January window though.

1.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 09:04:23
I agree with that MK good post mate.

2.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 09:09:44
why De Vrij? is he not injury prone? . i would like us to go for Koubaly.

3.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 08:59:47
Vrsaljko - I also have never seen him play but it does sound like a wise move going for him with your reasons MK, if he is highly rated I'm happy with it. This rumour, I'm guessing is legit and that we are looking at bringing him in or? Does any of the Eds see this as a realistic move?

{Ed002's Note - Try the search engine please - it has been addressed.}

4.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 09:18:10
Koubaly would also be my preferred preference over De Vrij.

5.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 09:22:45
I think you make a good point about signing De Vrij and Vrsaljko, since playing Gomez alongside De Vrij would balance our his lack of pace, but De Vrij has top level experience and is widely accepted as a decent centre back. Certainly if those two can be brought in for less than the price quoted for van Dijk then that’s a result of sorts. Still leaves the problem of our weak centre midfield and what to do about Can.

6.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 09:43:21
Ok apologies Ed2, will do mate.

7.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 09:48:36
De Vrij hasn't been injury prone for a couple of years now. Plus he is a calm head, and a leader.

Koulibaly is a loose cannon, in that he will make rash decisions that don't always come off. He is a monster defensively on a good day; the sort of player strikers fear. He is also useless on the ball though. His style of play reminds me very much of Sakho. Sakho was better on the ball, and Koulibaly has more pace to make up for getting caught on the wrong side of play when a rash decision doesn't pay off. I paid close attention to him against Manchester City and i wasn't that impressed to be honest.

De Vrij suits our needs better in my opinion. As does Howedes, even. Our recruitment team has clearly identified that we need a steady leader at the back, who is good in the air and can organise us at set pieces. Koulibaly, VVD etc are not that. They're individuals, rather than players who knit the defence together as a unit. Honestly, i think if Lovren was playing next to Raul Albiol he'd probably look as good a Koulibaly!

It's just my opinion though mate. I just think that if you are going to have a player like Lovren who will always try to nip in ahead of the striker, the other defender needs to be intelligent enough to drop just in case it goes wrong. VVD and Koulibaly won't do that. They'll probably be doing the exact same thing as Lovren!

Klavan (whilst doing a commendable job alongside Lovren right now) is 32 years old and will still struggle against serious pace. Matip is just a passenger at times who offers nothing defensively and is purely a ball playing centre back. He deliberately avoids defensive work and is our worst defender in my views. He doesn't even care enough to track back or help out an 19 year old right back.

Gomez and De Vrij would be a good partnership. Gomez at 20 years old won't play every game, and i have faith that De Vrij has the leadership qualities to seamlessly partner either of Klavan or Lovren when Joe is rested or rotated.

VVD just got dropped for Southampton because he's so poor, and Koulibaly is profiting from playing in a very good team who don't have to defend a lot. Against Man City when he had to defend, he was exposed. I'd steer well clear to be honest. On paper he looks like the ideal man. Quick, strong, tall, solid tackler etc. He just lacks composure.

8.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 10:03:20
That's a great point Dennis. If Gomez was at centre back with Vrsaljko and De Vrij, he'd have two very organised and experienced players alongside him. In various places i researched Vrsaljko, a lot of them highlighted he rarely makes errors and that in terms of positioning, concentration and tracking runners he is on point. The only worry is most places also highlighted he is a no nonsense player who just looks to get rid. Maybe that's what we need at times? A player who isn't afraid to just put their foot through the ball rather than try and play it out in silly situations.

As well as Gomez being quick, so is Vrsaljko from the highlights i found. Between them, I'm sure they could cover De Vrij's lack of pace. Though that is over exaggerated a lot. He's not exactly slow. I'd say he's as quick as Lovren is and definitely quicker than Klavan.

9.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 10:36:52
De Vrij has missed 63 games injured from 15/ 16 season good defender but maybe risky in a more physical league.

Howedes was Matips partner at Schalke and whilst I haven't checked I believe it was a reasonable partnership. A full German international traditionally solid at the back would be my shout.

10.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 11:25:30
NWred, those numbers are skewed buddy. De Vrij missed the entire 15/ 16 season with a knee ligament injury. Since returning to fitness he's only had one muscle/ joint related injury. He tore his abductor muscle and missed 2 games about a month ago. Last season he did miss 7 games with a broken metatarsal, but that is not really a concern. A broken foot can happen to anyone, and impact injuries are more luck related, than they are down to general strength of the body. As far as i can find, that is the only major bone break in his career. So there is no real concerns over his bone strength either.

In contrast, Howedes has missed 16 games this season already, with a re-occurring thigh muscle injury. His body is deteriorating. Whilst he would be a great option if he is fully fit, i am concerned that it could be another year before he gets over his current troubles. Even then, how long before another muscle goes? He's into his 30's now and recovery time is much longer. Whilst resting one muscle, the others weaken. It's a vicious circle.

Just be careful with injury stats. If you take a sample of the last 3 seasons, Howedes is statistically less injury prone than De Vrij. However in more recent times Howedes has seen his body fail him, and De Vrij is getting fitter and missing less games every season.

11.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 11:56:42
I'll give you that MK, your knowledge is impressive mate :)

12.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 13:03:33
I wish my fiancée was that appreciative, Salah. I quote, "All you ever do is watch football, go on that bloody Liverpool site, or try and talk to me about football".

If it gets any worse, I'll have to start cutting down on the time i spend with her.

13.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 13:26:55
Adam - just explain hiw good she has got it, and you have decided not to start playing golf after all. That’s at least 2 full days a week when you aren’t out on the course. I used that one and it worked a treat.

14.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 14:01:43
Cheers Nick 😂 I'll I've it a shot!

15.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 14:12:59
I get what you say but it is 2 abductor muscle injuries for De Vrij.

Quality centre backs are rare unless they are injury prone if you want a suggestion for an organizer I would go for Ben Mee to be honest. He has made Keane look like a worldie, he is currently doing the same with Tarkowski, he is English rarely injured and I know he plays in a defensive setup, he has played left back in the season went 23 matches unbeaten to win promotion as champions. Sold my City with Trippier to Burnley he is a very good defender.

16.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 14:24:30
I will agree with you there. Mee is so under rated it's criminal!

17.) 20 Dec 2017
20 Dec 2017 18:49:04
I would take Ben Mee over De Vrij, any day. De Vrij is experienced BUT he lacks pace and has only come back from injury, a very devastating one at that. Before that, he was still injury prone and lacked pace so none of that will change post injury. I would take Mee or Koulibaly BUT definitely Mee as he is PL proven.