09 Aug 2019 06:37:49
Our closest rivals last season was City (1st) and Chelsea (3rd) .
City lost 1 of their best defenders, a player who's goal arguably won them the title.
Chelsea lost their best player.
We didn't do any major signing, but we kept our squad almost intact. We may have not strengthened in terms of new signings, but we didn't weaken either.

1.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 06:58:24
No offence, Andy, but your post refers to our first eleven. If none of them get injured or lose form or get exhausted, we should expect to replicate our league standing from last year.
Most posters who have hoped for a signing or two point at our lack of squad depth as a potential problem. If two or three key players are out for a sustained period, do we have good enough players to deputise? We have cover for each position but do we have quality?
Id say our best eleven players could absolutely win the league this year but i would be a tad nervous if we lost either fullback or Mane/ Firmino for more than a few matches.

2.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 07:44:06
Well city have sane going for an ACL operation so they may be without him for a while to. As far as I'm concerned, it's a new season, I'm extremely excited. I trust all our players because i know and love them all and know what they will bring to the table. A flashy new toy would have been exciting too, but I just want to watch this first game because as I said, im excited and can't wait for the season to kick off. let's go boys!

3.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 07:52:10
The goal that arguably won them the league. What about the other 94 goals they scored and 95 points they gained without that goal. Kompany featured in less than half their premier league games last season. Hazard is a huge loss for Chelsea though.

4.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 08:09:17
I think we did just good enough with our backups in the cl and league last year.
And why does everybody keep assuming our entire team will get injured or loose form?
How does x player helps in anyway if he is not playing day in day out and is a backup only. People are assuming any x player we signed will replace any player we loose seamlessly?
We are talking about backups for golden boot winners for last season. There is no one that good to come from bench and replicate what we have.

{Ed025's Note - if you dont get injuries akshit then thats great, but if you do you are very short of adequate cover mate and your kidding yourself if you think otherwise..

5.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 08:22:08
I sat there yesterday trying to pick the 18 man squad for today's game and realized that no matter how you shape it there will be at least 2/ 3 very disappointed players who will be left out. (matchday squad including Origi starting and Brewster on the bench) . Our squad is big enough that keeping everybody happy is already a challenge and this is real life, not fantasy football. Our youth players are good enough to deputize for a few games should the need arise. Buying a senior player to sit on the bench isn't going to change our season. Klopp has repeatedly said we won't sign a player just to sign a player and the really good players that he would actually like (Pepe, Brandt etc. ) generally want game-time guarantees that we can't offer.
Singing players for the role of understudy just in case Trent, Robbo, Mane or whoever get injured isn't an ideal solution nor entirely necessary either. Gomez/ Hoever + Milner/ Larouchi and Brewster are there for that. With 6 defenders, 7 midfielders and 5 forwards we will be fine, it just shows that Klopp values quality over quantity. Having a compact elite-standard squad in which everyone has a role to play is what he wants and has. Remember Rodgers repeatedly signing below-par players and look at what his bloated squad won.
Just enjoy the game tonight everyone. Norwich are a good little team but I've a feeling we're going to give them a good rollicking welcome back to the Prem. This group of players have the anger and the greed to win every game.

6.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 09:23:28
How are we short ed? Enlighten me mate. We definitely have cover for evwry position on the pitch.
I think this is more of a case of under rating the players we have.

Players like shaq origi keita ox lovren can be first team players or subs for any team but city. And these are our subs.
I think we are in reasonable position. Yes not city level but but still enough to win the league.
Lets get this straight shall we won't be winning the league unless other teams stopa dropping dropping their pants when they face them.

{Ed025's Note - they dont drop their pants akshit they are just too good for most teams, you are short in attack if you get a bad injury to one of the front 3 mate, lets be honest origi can only be trusted to play for about 20 minutes and brewster is just a kid...not bringing in decent forward cover could end up biting you in the arse..

7.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 09:44:51
Akrubbish I’d like to think that Keita will be a starter this season mate otherwise he is an expensive sub. When Our midfield 3 consists of 3 from Hendo, Milner, Fab and Wiji it is great against better midfields where we go out and out work and disrupt them. But for me we lack an attacking edge from midfield when we play against the so called lesser teams. Would like to see Klopp be more adventurous with his midfield selection and I’m hoping Kieta and Ox give him that option this year and even a more advanced Wiji. Just my opinion though.

8.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 07:12:48
Why be nervous? Pretty sure we were still winning games with Gomez at full back despite him not being quite as good going forward but I still remember him whipping some decent balls in. We beat Barcelona without Firmino (and Salah) . And what’s wrong with a front 3 of bobby mo and Origi? People moan our back ups aren’t good enough but they forget we are spoilt by the quality of our first team. Some of them are some of the best in the world so yeah the back ups in comparision aren’t as good but they are still good players! Stop whinging and enjoy tonight, the footy is back on!

9.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 09:56:51
Keita is going to be huge this season. I can't wait to see what the little magician pulls out of his hat. He had a rocky introduction to the PL last season but now he's accustomed I think he'll be difference every other game. My mystic ball is tingling! (No puns)

10.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 09:57:52
Ed025 you seem to be forgetting we've still got the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year. If he's not a decent forward then I don't know who, uhm, yeah you might have a point actually.
But Sadi-Bobbio-Mo will be fine, and I think Brewster and Elliot could turn a few heads this season, while hopefully Shaqiri can find some form.

{Ed025's Note - i think elliot could certainly turn a few heads JM, if he walks down wavertree high street with that stupid bun on his head mate.. :)

11.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 10:05:37
We won the cl without Firmino. He didn't play in the semi finals and was carried in the final. Salah and Firmino lost form for large parts of last season.

When we play full power football no one can live with us. Klopp's plan is to keep the midfield fresher than last year. Keita and Fabs only played half a season, Shaq was settling in. Lallana and Ox were injured all season. Gini was knackered at the end as he was played too much.

With normal injuries our squad is plenty deep enough. It can be argued our 5th choice midfielder Milner, 6th choice Ox, 7th Lallana. That is better than what City have.

Brewster will surprise all, he will get goals.

12.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 10:16:45
So ed1 said that like of pepe weren't going to come and sit on our bench. If that is true, then the market is guys of similar caliber to origi, shaq etc we've not sold them so we're not going to waste millions on role players to sit in the stands right

Ed25 - it's not really about red tinted glasses, it's the reality of our squd currently and the moves we could make. You lot have made additions cos you needed to and had serious gaps to fill. I'm fine backing our squad especially when it didn't seem like there was much tinkering that could happen anyways.

{Ed025's Note - i get your point faith, but i think this season will be harder than the last one because most teams have strengthened, it will be won with less than 90 points imo and i dont know if liverpool will be strong enough with what they have mate, but time will tell i suppose and you could well add in january mate..

13.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 10:52:49
Thats a good point, we have more than enough to get to Christams and then we can re assess. If we need a fill a certain position we can sort it in Jan.

14.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 11:26:57
I actually agree with you Ed, however I suspect Shaqiri is probably going to be used more than we think (maybe even Ox too on the wing) and then Salah able to slot into CF. It may not come down to Origi and Brewster too often.

You’re right though and we should have bought a wide forward in. City can play Sterling, Aguero and Bernardo Silva for starters and still turn to Sane, Jesus and Mahrez if they get injuries or need an impact sub. We just don’t have the depth to compete with that unfortunately.

By comparison however our defence is much better than theirs. It just doesn’t get exposed all that often because they are so damn good at controlling games.

Let’s hope our front three stay fit and Shaqiri has a storming season. He’s the one backup forward with experience and also a bit of X factor (as much as I love Origi) .

15.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 11:00:38
Ed25 - definitely harder mate! For me my mentality is this is our squad and I'm backing them over anyone else win or lose!

{Ed025's Note - i applaud you faith, i will always back my team whatever other people say...its called being a true supporter mate..

16.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 13:22:14
Ed025
you keep saying other teams have strengthened but nobody knows how these players will settle or if they will settle.
Liverpool have a settled squad who know from day one how others play and that counts.
It will be between City and Liverpool and it will be over 90 points again.
If Everton play really well and bond early they might even help us capture the title.

{Ed025's Note - dont rule out spurs polecat, i really believe that its a 3 horse race now after that window mate..

17.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 13:52:00
haha, nice one Ed025. So are you concerned about Everton's CB options? I can imagine yourselves and Leicester scoring lots and conceding. Plenty of 4-3 wins. Should be fun! :)

{Ed025's Note - yeah that could be a problem for us JM, its time for mina to step up and show his worth but gbamin can play there as well so we do have options mate..

18.) 10 Aug 2019
10 Aug 2019 05:51:04
I don't really feel many of the top 6 rivals have strengthened much. City have lost delph, kompany, danilo in defence and cancelo and angelino bought in. Rodri offers midfield strength but loss of sane sees them weaker.

Arsenal have strengthened with Tierney but David luiz doesn't sort that defence with koscielny now gone. Ceballos isn't a huge upgrade on losing Ramsey while Pepe I don't rate highly. Iwobi, welbeck, cech gone also.

United have strengthened at RB and CB but with 2 players yet to prove top class status. Bailly out injured for months. They sold their most prolific striker and bought no one in to replace. Signed a young championship winger with little experience while losing herrera for free.

Chelsea have lost luiz and Cahill as CB options, Hudson adoi and loftus cheek injured. Lost hazard their star player and have no top quality striker. Pulisic yet to prove he's good enough yet.

I feel spurs are the only side who have strengthened considerably with ndombele, Sessegnon and lo celso. Key is they haven't lost any big players yet, trippier being the only.

Hazard, lukaku, sane, Ramsey all players who were able to offer their team double figures in goals or assists. None of them really replaced or upgraded. Kompany, koscielny, Luiz, trippier, all first choice experienced defenders either not replaced or not upgraded in quality.

Liverpool have not disrupted or weakened our squad but I don't feel there has been much strengthening from our rivals at all.