30 Jan 2024 21:14:49
Would love Alonso as a replacement, but honestly only watched a bit of Leverkusan in Europa league last season and is mainly off of the fact I loved him as a player.

Found this sporting news article that explains his tactics a bit, which seems promising.

Hopefully, people who understand tactics can clarify accuracy of article or provide more insight - does mention RB frimpong plays very attacking with CB covering space he leaves behind. Which for me would work well with Trent and Gomez covering - but again just speculation.

1.) 30 Jan 2024
30 Jan 2024 22:15:41
MightyMO, Alonso arrived at Leverkusen in the middle of last season when they were close to relegation spots and they finished 6th and qualified for the EL.

Now we can all think that is just a managerial bump and that could be true. Now this season, they are undefeated in the German league and I think undefeated in the EL as well and still in the German Cup, if Im not mistaken.

Now I admit, I have only seen highlights of Leverkusen this season however with all the above and never really watching them this season (I will moving forward), Xabi is cooking some good stuff down there and for me, he is the guy.

2.) 31 Jan 2024
31 Jan 2024 07:35:22
They got to the semi final last season and lost to Roma, had to double check to make wasn’t losing my marbles. But turning them around in league sounds promising.

Be interesting if play them Europa this season just to see how they fair against each other!

3.) 31 Jan 2024
31 Jan 2024 09:06:30
With a new manager coming in next season as fans are we expecting it to be another season in transition or are we expecting the new manager with this squad to be challenging for titles?

Chelsea during the Roman years chopped and changed managers regularly and the new manger with their squad seemed to continue challenging for titles.

Surely if we make the right appointment we should continue to challenge.

Also with the 3 players due out of contract next season. Salah and Vvd are in the twilight years of their careers and Trent in the peak. Will they be happy to have those years under a transition period.

Basically this next appointment is huge.

4.) 31 Jan 2024
31 Jan 2024 09:22:35
JK I’m not sure Chelsea under Roman is a good example. Their new manager would just come in and spend a fortune on day one to buy the league and I think we all know that’s not going to happen.

5.) 31 Jan 2024
31 Jan 2024 09:34:02
I’m not expecting nothing. I think we’ve done amazing this season, but I think the wheel will come off at some point and we won’t win the one we really want. I hope I’m wrong. The injuries have left us too depleted and I still question the overall quality to win a league title, I hope I’m wrong like I say. I don’t think there is another manager currently who has the chops for that. Top four is what I’ll predict depending what F$G invest.

6.) 31 Jan 2024
31 Jan 2024 10:03:07
BP you do have a point about their new managers coming in and spending but I also think that they had a core group of players there that stayed with more or less every manager.

That’s kind of the point I’m making. Basically this squad we have for quality and depth is the best we’ve ever had. That will be the same under a new manager so should we or shouldn’t we be challenging next season?

7.) 31 Jan 2024
31 Jan 2024 12:14:23
I’d also say the attitude of our players all seem really good and that is a massive positive in our favour. Man U’s issue always seem to stem from the attitude our egos of their squad. Being honest quite surprised by Rashford this season - seems to have strayed from path from what we’ve seen in media. Which is a shame as always liked the lad.

8.) 31 Jan 2024
31 Jan 2024 14:37:25
Was going to say the same thing, BP. The core players Chelsea had (apart from Terry and Lampard) were signed on huge fees that nobody else could compete with at the time in the market. Any new manager could come in and do the job cos Roman would just financially dope the new manager again and away they went even tho sometimes it didn't work, IMO.

That is not the situation we are in right now. We have a very good platform to build from right now so it will definitely depend on what direction we want to go to based on the structure and culture we have built at the club on and off the pitch.

9.) 31 Jan 2024
31 Jan 2024 16:03:54
Oli Chelsea did buy lots of players. But last time I checked about 95% of our current premier league squad were all bought also.

The question still stands do we believe the new manager should be challenging next season with this squad or is it a transition season?

I’m not comparing us financially to Chelsea because that’s fairly obvious both have done things differently. I used them as an example where new managers went in and continued to challenge. You could even throw real and Barcelona and Bayern into that.

For me I believe that whoever the new manager is should be challenging next season with this squad. Notice I say challenging and not should be winning titles.

{Ed002's Note - It is a good question and I think, with appropriate backing for departures being replaced - and the defence being refreshed, there is no reason to think that Liverpool may not be able to challenge. I would expect significant change at Manchester United in the summer and Manchester City to need a bit of a refresh as well. Arsenal have done most of their work and Chelsea have a little planned for the summer with a key departure or to.}

10.) 31 Jan 2024
31 Jan 2024 16:32:03
Cheers Ed002 thanks for the reply mate. Interesting to hear there will be lots of changes at Man Utd. I won’t ask you who are departures will be as I don’t think I can take anymore bad news this week.

The only thing I will ask is if we can have a comment delete button as no doubts now you’ve said it was a good question Oli will be backtracking on his comment because he loves to agree with you Eds and if you think it’s a good question odds are so will now.

11.) 31 Jan 2024
31 Jan 2024 18:27:38
Hahaha JK23 brilliant.

12.) 31 Jan 2024
31 Jan 2024 19:35:04
Cheer up @Frode, only a few more seasons to endure before we all kick the bucket eh?

If you’re ‘not expecting nothing’ what are you actually expecting?

13.) 01 Feb 2024
31 Jan 2024 23:43:59
JK23, I will ignore your old, tired, and weak attempt at comedy/ trolling and actually focus on the great debate on this thread cos frankly and in 2024, it's no longer worth my time and I refuse to address the same weak, tired schtick I was addressing before we all went into lockdown in 2020.

Now back to the actual debate, if you read my post you would see I said that your analogy is flawed by using Chelsea under Roman about 20 years ago when they were being financially doped with players and managers should not be used to as an analogy to our current situation and I stand by that cos we will NOT be financially doping the new manager when Klopp leaves. It is that simple.

Also, it is not about the amount of players that were bought either. It is about the cost of the players (the core players you yourself mentioned) that were bought at big money and with the managers they had, there would never be a real drop off cos they could attract such managers knowing Roman could afford near any player the manager wanted in addition to the core, boss players they already had. Again, something that won't be happening here when Klopp leaves and a new manager will be hired.

Now will we challenge and compete next season under a new manager immediately? IMO, Nobody can answer thatdefinitively until we know who the manager is and what the squad will be likeeven then, I don't think we will immediately even tho, I am open to being surprised.

14.) 01 Feb 2024
01 Feb 2024 00:38:52
I think it’s a good question JK but I just think your examples are a bit off.

We can’t compare Liverpool with Chelsea, City, Bayern, Barcelona because we just do things differently in an ultra competitive league where others will match and exceed our spending.

I agree we have a great squad and it would be great to see someone come in and take them forward but I wouldn’t say I expect it. Klopp is that good there’s not many out there who can do what he does.

15.) 01 Feb 2024
01 Feb 2024 01:44:43
Cheers for the reply BP.

Perhaps you think my Chelsea and other club and examples are off so we’ll have to agree to disagree there.

The main point of my post was the question should we expect another manager to be challenging with this squad next season or not.

For me if it’s a no then we would have appointed the wrong manager.

I was in Anfield tonight and that’s one of our most complete team performances I’ve ever seen and the bench was full of quality also.

This squad looks like it’s on the brink of greatness and I still can’t quite get my head around Klopp going.

16.) 01 Feb 2024
01 Feb 2024 07:20:19
With the squad Klopp will be leaving there is no transition period for the new manager JK. This will be the best squad of players for a new Liverpool manager in 30 odd years mate. There can be no excuses for any new manager.

17.) 01 Feb 2024
01 Feb 2024 10:31:22
Cheers Irish. I agree mate.

For someone who lacks energy Klopp looked like a man with the bit between his teeth last night and what a performance from the squad for the big man.