Maybe just me, but bar an excellent finish I thought he was completly invisible and part of why we got under the kosh… He gave Trent and Hendo zero help / availability for a pass on the right especially 2nd half.
Oh yeah, he didn’t play well or have much of an influence. But he did score a crucial goal.
For me, the less he’s involved in the play the better, just get him on the end of those chances.
This is what Klopp is probably hoping for when it comes to him. I think he’ll be sold in the summer, so the more he scores and assists, the better for possible interest from other clubs and his price tag as well. It’s a shame that a player with such a nice combination of explosive pace, power and technical ability isn’t able to exert any influence on games. I wonder if he’s kicking himself for not joining Chelsea and being converted to a wing back. In hindsight, that’s probably the role that suits his qualities the best at this moment.
We’re just using him where we need him and where he can bring us certain elements. I didn’t think he would only play midfield, nor do I think he will/should only play up top now. As long as he’s here and fit/ready, we can use him in about 4-5 positions.
I’d say the same about Minamino, and I think if the two of them were playing for our direct rivals, many fans would probably value them a lot higher than now.
Chelsea? The only thing he’ll regret about his Liverpool career is the tackle he made against Roma. He’s playing for the team he supported as a kid. Won a CL and PL medal with possibly more to come.
He’s having a good season. Stayed fit and available. Showing flexibility by playing in multiple positions. Doing eye-catching stuff. He will go in the summer but he is at least enhancing his value. I can see there being plenty of interest from other PL clubs.
He needs to polish up his reputation before he goes… people tend to forget just how bad that injury he suffered actually was, not only physically difficult to recover fully from, but also mentally which to me has been the bigger hurdle… the last two games are helping him to rediscover the AOC we recognise pre Roma
Why are people so sure he’s going? I feel like I must have missed something…
Sure I am not, but it’s probably what will happen or what the club would like to happen for a while now, if there was a better situation on the market. But there’s always a % he might stay. If we judge he’s good as backup for the short term for one more season or who knows. Interesting summer ahead for sure.
Doesn’t it go back to the problem that many fans think that our players must be a starter or sold? Just because he’s not a guaranteed starter at the moment, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his role here.
Sure, doesn’t mean so. But it’s probably come to a point now from both sides when they’re willing to look at the market. He’s in the final year of his contract, so it’s decision time.
He’s paid as a starter and coming into his final 2 years.
Option 1; Sell him when we can for as decent as possible fee. Replace him with either a kid from the academy or a bought player who has potential to exceed past the cover role and put pressure on the starters/become a starter (see Tsimikas and Jota for an example of each)
Option 2; Keep him till his contract runs down and lose a multi million pound asset for free.
Option 3; Extend his deal keeping him long term. Problems with this are that he isn’t likely to ever be a starting regular anymore, he’s quite injury prone so no way of knowing how long he’ll be effective and it would probably mean a pay increase. If he already doesn’t earn what he’s being paid a pay increase could be bad. Much worse for the payment structure than the talk of Salah (our star player) being put on more than others. Starters would want increases to more than Ox and any new signing would want at least what squad player Ox is paid, driving the wages of everybody up across the board.
For some yes, but I think even a more nuanced look at the situation could suggest a move may be best for both parties as there are a number of variables in play at the moment.
I get a feeling that the trend with footballers of today, is that they are angling to run down their contracts to become available for a free transfer… better pay for them, but surely football in general begins to suffer at some future point because there are less transfer funds being generated between the clubs… knock-on domino effect so to speak
That’s not my thinking. You could argue he is a starter. He’s played more minutes this season than any other MF except Hendo and Fab.
I just think it’s unlikely he’ll get a new contract and that the club may want to cash in. He may choose to stay of course but it’s likely there’ll be a lot of PL interest and it might be better for him to have a clearly defined role in another team rather than carry on being the utility player here.
I think the more appropriate line of thought wold be, is it more value for money for the club to be trying to sign someone to replace what he brings to the squad, or is it better for us to offer him a new contract at financial terms favourable to us? I’m quite surprised at the midfield stat, which does seem interesting since many had him pegged for being too injury-prone to be a mainstay.
I think what’s likely is that we’ll offer him a contract extension, but it may not be on terms that he would have preferred. Then he’ll look around at his options, and realise that he might be more limited in what he has available, unless he turns it up for the rest of the season.
Mind you, as a childhood fan, he might feel like he would prefer to stay if he can.
I think that’s something that the market will adapt to. more money for the players (and agents), less income for the clubs but should mean less expenditures as well. it will affect the clubs at the top end who are cashing in on established talents, but less so for those clubs who are developing talents. the clubs buying players like Haaland or Bellingham won’t want to necessarily wait for them to run their contracts down.
Pinch of salt but could be an eye witness account;
Chin up Chambo. You’ll get another chance against Norwich in the FA Cup.
After the whistle, everybody at the Liverpool’s bench were up and celebrating. Ox stayed on his seat, and his expression told it all on how he did not make the most of his outing. Rarely I get so frustrated at a player during the match, but today I was like an old man shouting at the sky, screaming at the inept Ox and pleading the Boss sub him off at half time.
Let’s hope that he picks himself up, boss the centre of the pitch in his next appearance(s).