Expectations for the season

[Limiescouse]

@redfanman

Iraola impressed at Bournemouth but I don’t know if that is enough to get him the job here - he hasnt won silverware there, and there have been periods in which he went on runs without winning a game that largely go unnoticed when at a club like Bournemouth but would be problematic if at a club like ours. That creates a lot of uncertainty which I think the board would avoid.

Sounds like something Rory Smith would say (I finally listened to that podcast)

[Sweeting]

@Limiescouse

@Sweeting

It won’t be a popular answer but for me Cody Gakpo should be our 2nd choice striker under Isak. I think he was doing a decent job there as a withdrawn 9 before Slot swapped him back to LW.

100%. We have far more room (and need) to improve the side with a new starting LW than striker, so bring in that player and let Cody compete for spot and buy us the fall back option of playing Cody alongside the new LW. He did fine there under Klopp in this first season and a half. Not well enough to lock it down, but its not like he’s satisfactorily locked down the LW role either.

For me this summer is about a plan to find a way to make the best use of the talent we already have and that aligns with this approach to Gakpo

Yeah definitely. Although everyone is talking about replacing Salah I personally feel like the answer there is just, on paper, move Wirtz to the right hand side but with freedom to float wherever he wants. Frimpong/Bradley play as aggressive overlapping wing-backs to provide the width. In that situation it is LW that requires more attention with Gakpo going back to a central role as a backup CF it would leave Ngumoha only so get a new LW in there. Can even be someone a bit older and more experienced, not every signing has to be early 20s, and that allows Rio some extra gametime and a symbolic promise that he’s the future.

But anyway yes I agree this squad has far more going for it than we have seen this season. It’s not perfectly balanced but the talent is definitely a minimum of top 3 in thje league and we should be focusing on maximising that talent.

[The_Hermit]

Sounds like we are seriously in for Diomande to replace Salah’s spot (not Salah himself). 80M is a steep price so not sure that happens.

[Nobluff]

If we beat CP we make the CL.

[GermanRed]

Hoping for 4 draws in the remaining games. Should be enough to finish fifth and won’t give anyone ideas to go into next season with Slot in charge.