Fabio "FABINHO" TAVARES: 2022/23

Thiago 2024
Henderson 2025
Fabinho 2026

I think we will consider moving Fabinho next summer.

He struggled to do that when he was more mobile, now it would be a disaster.

Yeah no one wants to see him back in the backline.

I remember Gini, Hendo, Milner, Lallana, Can were all heavily involved in goals and assists while Fab was doing the dirty work all by himself - not!!!

I am at a loss you slag Thiago and then big up Fab when he has been far worse than Thiago, you must be watching a different game to me

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My point is what does Fabinho offer the team? Heā€™s slowed down way too much to effectively press, his concentration is poor, reactions are poor. Heā€™s a decent passer but nothing extravagent.

Heā€™s always been a front-foot defender - he seeks the ball, instead of holding shape - and thatā€™s fine but heā€™s lost a couple of yards of pace which is both limiting him physically and highlighting the mental sode of his game which already had cracks (midfield runners have always had success against him as he doesnā€™t sense the danger).

My question is what does he offer that means we should continue to build a system that serves him? A younger, faster and hopefully more naturally aware defender in that role wouldnā€™t need as much of the dirty work to be done for him.

All players need help but literally constructing a midfield to cover the limitations of one player is too much.

For what its worth I think Klopp agrees with you, not me.

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Not sure how the Liverpool recruitment office are dealing with the volume of CVā€™s they mustā€™ve had from this thread alone.

How much of Jonesā€™ impressive performances this season is do you think is due to the changes with Trent, and how do you think he would cope with us switching back to our previous shape?

I think (you didnā€™t ask me) that heā€™ll be fine. For me his problem has been fitness not ability. Tactics come as you get older and play more.

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Heā€™d be even better in my opinion, he can be creative, can dribble if he goes out wide and has an excellent shot.

The next step for Jones alongside staying fit is being more dominant in duels, heā€™s great at keeping the ball using his body, he needs to be better at stopping the opponent getting past him without.

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https://twitter.com/David_Ornstein/status/1679424968856150016?s=20

Leaving aside the discussion about doing business with the Saudis, which is going on in multiple threads, I would be fine with this.

Obviously we need a replacement defensive midfielder, and assuming that would be the case, I would do it. Fabinho has nous, positioning, experienceā€¦ but there are legitimate concerns there, and even if we keep him and sign, say, Lavia, itā€™s only a matter of time before the younger man usurps the older.

The Saudi injection of cash into the game just seems to accelerate some outcomes that were on the cards anyway.

Leaving everything else aside, which is tough for me to do, Iā€™d be delighted to see him leave.

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You mean, you donā€™t rate Fabinho? Why have you never told us this before? :flushed:

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All I want to see is a CM that can compete I think both deals would leave us short so I hope we solve that particular issue quickly.

For all the talk of Fabinho having ā€œlost his legsā€ or in bad form, he looked the same player to me last season just without his normal level of support.

Heā€™s one of those players that is elite at a few things (heading, front foot interceptions, and tackling someone that tries to take him on directly in tight areas) good at a few things (his passing range and shooting is pretty underrated) and an absolute liability at other parts of his game (pace, lateral movement, man marking)

Klopp built an elite midfield with him in it (and an important part) but it requires a prime Gini and Hendo working their socks off around him and funneling players and passes toward him. If you leave him one on one without support defenders and space for players to run into it, he gets embarrassed. He never had recovery speed.

I wouldnā€™t call him a limited player because heā€™s very very good at what he is good at, heā€™s just not a flexible player. You have to play a certain way with him in the side.

Iā€™d prefer keeping Thiago or Hendo over him.

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