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Zephi's rumours posts with other poster's replies to Zephi's rumours posts
04 Jun 2022 19:42:15
Just thinking out loud regarding impact of Mane, and possibly Salah, departing due to their desire for higher wages etc (or whatever their reasons) . 🤔
While I love them both, for their different contributions over the past 5 seasons, I am coming to the conclusion it's time one or both move on.
Salah:
Yes, he bags a lot of goals for us. However, Klopp's system of play also creates an abundance of chances for Salah et al. and he is increasingly unable to convert those.
It is clear teams have figured him out. To add to this, ever since Ramos injured him, he always pulls out of any 50/ 50 situation (though I see that more like 70/ 30 for Salah) .
What is going to change in Salah's favour?
He won't/ can't change. only Klop's system.
But that is soo predictable now, with our current squad.
So I say cash in. Let Salah get the move to Spain he has been angling for. And fair play to him, he has done soo much for us.
Mane:
Well, I am pretty shocked if media reports are true. I always felt he was quite a sound bloke, with an admirable humanitarian outlook on life.
I'm inclined to feel his comments (if true), are his amateurish attempts of getting a big salary hike. thinking he has an alternative with another big club.
And I hope his apparent personality does not change.
If he leaves, fair play to him. Like Salah, he has been awesome for the club. actually, if you watch Mane play, closely, he is ALWAYS putting 110% into every 50/ 50 ball.
He always stretches to gain that half yard in 50/ 50 balls, drawing the fowl, or passing on for others to score.
He has been phenominal in this respect, and I sometimes despair at criticism sent his way.
That said, I feel now is the time to sell Mane. While he will never be as predictable as Salah, I feel his days of gaining that extra half yard are numbered.
My point:
Since teams have figured out our play, and know how to defend against us, we already need to mix things up.
We need more unpredictability in our final third. just like we had when Salah burst onto the scene. just like when Jota. and Diaz. arrived.
How will we improve next season with aging strikers (sorry Salah, wingers) . what is really going to change?
So I for one think now is the time to let both go. Get as much as poss for both and reinvest in young talent.
I don't believe we need some marquee signing. we need unpredictable strikers to blow teams away. and Klopp's system is geared to create many opportunities for young talented players.
I know it is not easy to cannibalise something that apoears to be working, after we were soo close last season. But I feel if we don't change, we risk slipping off the pace. Remember other teams will not stand still either. They will improve.
Finally:
And to drive the final nail into the coffin, I wonder how our midffield can be improved?
Of course, I love what Hendo, Thiago, and espec Fabinho, have been going. but feel we need more options there to.
Again I have a radical view about this:
Given TAA's abilities in passing. I hope he can increasingly move into midfield. To service through balls to ruuners on BOTH wibgs and central runs, just like Gerrard. even follow through some runs.
Or we bring in that ability (not convinced by suggestions here so far) .
That would mean getting another trusted right back. could Gomez. grow more into this. if TAA was was in right midfield? .
i believe so!
Well, like I said, just thinking out loud.
No doubt I will get shot to pieces but let's face the reality. Things need to change up front. to convert those draws into wins!
Be gental lads. 🤔.
1.) 04 Jun 2022 20:30:49
I agree with the Salah part - i just don't want next year to be all about his next move. Would hope Mane would stay but it is what it is. I would keep TAA where he is.
2.) 04 Jun 2022 20:56:55
Hi Zephi, A very succinct post, clearly expressed. Agree with you on every point bar Gomez, we need TAA replacement at the back to be a bit better going forward than Gomez is, nice read though well done.
3.) 04 Jun 2022 21:00:34
An interesting post Sephi. Thanks. Completely agree on Salah and Mane. I do feel their powers are waning and if they wish to leave so be it. They will go as legends and we can move on to hopefully better things.
I can’t agree with you on Trent moving to midfield though. A lot is being made about the final and VJ getting in behind him but it’s easy to forget that he defending very well in that game in multiple 1v1 situations which are supposedly his weakness and he covered well also. Everyone makes mistakes otherwise no goals would ever be scored!
This said I do think the midfield is the main issue to improve though. I hope our system is tweaked to allow for the two midfielders in front of the DM to attack more as I feel that would make us more unpredictable. At present all a team needs to do is sit deep and nullify the flanks then we struggle. I hope that Jones, Elliot and Carvalho can achieve this from the CM position.
4.) 04 Jun 2022 21:05:38
People wouldn't be agreeing about selling Mane and Salah if they were ready to sign contracts! No one would have figured us out then i imagine.
5.) 04 Jun 2022 21:42:57
Two attacking midfielders ahead of our centre midfielder leaves us far too open, it would place a ridiculous burden on Fabinho and consequently the defence.
Currently, our full backs push forward which helps create the chances. Creating chances hasn’t been an issue, it’s putting them away which was where we fell short.
We’re also short of a midfielder who can adequately cover Fabinho.
6.) 04 Jun 2022 21:46:07
Salah gets a lot of abuse. And nobody has ever questioned Mane before a few weeks ago.
Yet it’s come down to Salah seeing out his contract that he signed for Liverpool, and Mane is leaving with causing unwanted noise before a UCL final and now is making excuses to leave the club. I think we should be showing Salah more love tbh. He’s honoured his contract.
7.) 04 Jun 2022 22:34:09
It’s not abuse to say we should sell Salah. He doesn’t want to be here. I’m fine with that, so the club needs to get a grip and cut him loose.
For exactly the same reason we should also sell Mane.
Neither of them want to be here and therefore we should sell both.
We need the money to replace them, we work on a literal hand to mouth basis so we need every penny we can. Having both around next season does not benefit us one iota, not one.
Having them both around means that almost all of next season will be a distraction because of who they’re going to, then it both leave on a free, we’ll have no funds to replace them adequately, which is unacceptable if we waste this opportunity to get some money for them both.
8.) 05 Jun 2022 00:06:41
@VVVV someone called him a rat the other day on this very forum - it is abuse.
9.) 05 Jun 2022 01:32:30
Salah has been angling for a move for the last 2-3 years VVVV 😂 you wouldn’t have been to laissez faire about it any of those years.
But back to the OP, none of the Spanish teams actually want Salah, they’ve not wanted him for the last 2-3 years his agent has been hawking him around. IF they decide to try this summer I’d expect they’d probs only go as high as €50m max. It’s all great saying get rid of he wants to leave but it’s pretty obvious no-one’s chomping at the bit to get him. Even Chelsea said no when his agent offered him to them last year.
10.) 05 Jun 2022 05:45:25
Teams have figured out our style of play? We’ve just got 92 points in the league and reached 3 cup finals, what do people want perfection? This is absolute nonsense.
11.) 05 Jun 2022 08:50:32
How have teams “figured us out�
We played 63 games this season and lost what? 3/ 4?
Mané scored something like 14 of his 23 goals in the second half of the season. Considering he was away at AFCON (which he won) that’s phenomenal.
Salah has just had his 2nd best goal scoring season of his career and is now adding assists to his game. He getting better.
12.) 05 Jun 2022 09:09:57
Agree with most of that.
13.) 05 Jun 2022 10:40:35
Agree with Fuser. Never read so much nonsense in my life. How have we been found out? We were a result and a point away from the most successful season of ALL TIME. We've dropped like 4 points in 18 league games.
14.) 05 Jun 2022 11:26:19
We can't play with 2 number 8's and both fullbacks high up as some people want. There was a stat a year or two ago, goals conceded thru Trent's side were cut more than half when Milner played and covered for him bombing forward versus any other midfielder. Salah is usually the forward that stays up the furthest upfield too, so there is a ton of space on that side. With Milner barely playing, Henderson at the age when legs tend to go, we need an experienced right sided midfielder than can run, run and run some more while developing good defensive understanding with TAA.
12 Oct 2021 15:29:45
Hi Ed02,
Given Liverpool's USA connections, are you aware of any interest in Ricardo Pepi? (FC Dallas, just broke into USA nat team, scored 3 goals) . Admittedly, not seen him much except world cup games and youtube videos. but IMHO, seems like a lot of raw striker talent at 18. gets into good positions, has natural eye for goal, two feet and good with head. I'm just thinking of the potential with higher class coaching.
Feedback welcome!
{Ed002's Note - There is interest from other sides but not Liverpool.}
1.) 12 Oct 2021 17:01:08
Many thanks Ed002. Much appreciated.
Shame, he looks quite promising.
I guess another talented young American ending up playing in Bundesleague.
{Ed002's Note - Ricardo Pepi (S) FC Dallas youngster who has been scouted by Bayern Munich, Juventus, Wolfsberg, Werder Bremen and others. Had a trial with Bayern Munich and they may make an offer. Player wants to move to Chelsea. Do not be surprised by an offer from start up St Louis.}
2.) 13 Oct 2021 14:37:57
Many thanks Ed002.
As always, great insights across the game.
3.) 14 Oct 2021 00:47:27
If they went for an American, I would love for it to be Adams at RBL. Would make an excellent replacement for Gini.
There's a lot of really talented youngsters from the US right now. I wish we had a better national team coach.
4.) 16 Oct 2021 00:47:29
My pick for the young American would be Timothy Weah. He has pace in spades and can finish a little as well.
As a Yank I am excited about our National Team. Possibly our best ever.
5.) 19 Oct 2021 13:22:26
Yunus Musah for me, 420. But Weah is also good.
Zephi's banter posts with other poster's replies to Zephi's banter posts
12 Aug 2023 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - Zephi has posted a new article entitled, Why Dwell on The Liverpool FC Negatives?
1.) 12 Aug 2023 08:43:38
This is an article applicable to a bygone era when fans were closer to their club, players didn’t earn 400 times the average wage, and clubs felt as though they were representing their locality rather than a section of the globe. For a lot of fans not local to the area, the ties they have to the club are weaker, with most of the appeal of a club being its history, recent results, playing style or a particular player rather than every bond forged from being born and raised a kilometer from the home ground.
What I’m getting at is, clubs and players cannot feel so distant from fans, where players are now more famous than Hollywood while clubs try every trick in the book to improve PR and global appeal, yet expect each one of those same fans to pay through the nose and support the team no matter what. If fans pay £80 a ticket while the team captain earns 220k, fans’ expectations go up and tolerance levels go down.
2.) 12 Aug 2023 11:03:58
Nope.
I wrote that yesterday, in response to increasing negative views of some supporters of today.
Sadly, the club's successful history seems to give some fans a level of expectant entitlement, to bicker, whinge, and even abuse others fans and eds.
My point is, it is still only a game for fans to enjoy or get frustrated over.
My views are most definately located in the present, and not stuck in the past.
I once sat in a pub watching Utd get beat and frustrated fans starting a fight with own supporters.
. till one sensible bloke said - this is embarrassing, Liverpool fans never do that amongst one another. The pub went quiet.
Most knew I was LFC fan. but most knew I used to box in the army too. None ever threatened or disrespected me, not Cus I boxed but cus many were ex squaddies too. We have been through some similar rubbish in life.
I repeat my earlier message. There are more important things to worry about.
11 Aug 2023 19:12:26
{Ed's Note - Zephi has posted a new article entitled, Why Dwell on The Liverpool FC Negatives?
1.) 11 Aug 2023 19:45:45
Thank you Eds for posting this. I hope it does not upset anyone.
2.) 11 Aug 2023 20:10:12
Nice one Zephi, I agree wholeheartedly and I especially like your spin on one of my favourite poems!
You should post more ?.
3.) 11 Aug 2023 20:12:04
Thank you, Zephi. Great piece. YNWA.
4.) 11 Aug 2023 20:13:08
Brilliant.
5.) 11 Aug 2023 20:46:23
Great read Zephi, thank you for sharing and I couldn't agree more.
05 Jun 2022 00:13:17
Just want to admire Ed001's response regarding Abraham's ability to trap a ball. that's got to go into some type of "Hall of Fame" comments. as is soo fitting. legend
ðŸ‘ðŸ¼ðŸ‘ðŸ¼ðŸ‘ðŸ¼.
11 Jan 2022 14:19:22
Doesn't make sense he would be brought in as a centre back.
Kounde is only 1.78m tall.
However, apparently he is very capable and fast as a RB.
If he was being considered, might that mean pushing TAA into more of a midfield role (to provide better service to forwards) .?
Not saying I believe the romour, just thinking out loud how it could work with our system.
13 Oct 2021 14:37:57
Many thanks Ed002.
As always, great insights across the game.
12 Oct 2021 17:01:08
Many thanks Ed002. Much appreciated.
Shame, he looks quite promising.
I guess another talented young American ending up playing in Bundesleague.
{Ed002's Note - Ricardo Pepi (S) FC Dallas youngster who has been scouted by Bayern Munich, Juventus, Wolfsberg, Werder Bremen and others. Had a trial with Bayern Munich and they may make an offer. Player wants to move to Chelsea. Do not be surprised by an offer from start up St Louis.}
24 Nov 2023 21:15:24
To the OP. according to the referee stats (on whoscored. com) . Anthony Taylor gives us more favourable decisions. go compare his stats per game.
Per game, he gives more fouls, red cards and pens against Manchester City and Utd than he gives against Liverpool.
Actually, when you compare his decisions for Liverpool playing away and City playing at home. we come off better with Taylor.
Yes, he is from Wythenshawe in outer manchester, but I recall he is an Altrincham fan (i used to live there) .
Imho. he is a good tough ref, does not take nonsense. just what one needs for an important top game like City v LFC.
Please correct my reading of the stats. if i'm wrong.
I am happy he is refing the game.
I fear more who is actually controlling VAR.
12 Aug 2023 11:03:58
Nope.
I wrote that yesterday, in response to increasing negative views of some supporters of today.
Sadly, the club's successful history seems to give some fans a level of expectant entitlement, to bicker, whinge, and even abuse others fans and eds.
My point is, it is still only a game for fans to enjoy or get frustrated over.
My views are most definately located in the present, and not stuck in the past.
I once sat in a pub watching Utd get beat and frustrated fans starting a fight with own supporters.
. till one sensible bloke said - this is embarrassing, Liverpool fans never do that amongst one another. The pub went quiet.
Most knew I was LFC fan. but most knew I used to box in the army too. None ever threatened or disrespected me, not Cus I boxed but cus many were ex squaddies too. We have been through some similar rubbish in life.
I repeat my earlier message. There are more important things to worry about.
11 Aug 2023 19:45:45
Thank you Eds for posting this. I hope it does not upset anyone.