Yeah but maybe we have different understandings what Klopp wants from a player in his position.
Heās been dog shite this season, his turns make Harry McGuire look fast. Needs speedy players either side to cover for him so I agree we need a new DM.
Itās tough to single any individual out, as to one degree or another, they all need other players around them in order to shine. With that said, the midfield needs a reset, and in addition to the players who will be out of contract, we should be looking long and hard at the others, too, including Fabinho.
For me, Kone could be the Fabinho replacement. Then buy another, with Bellingham being the obvious and expensive choice, but if not him, someone else from a list like this: Caceido, Joao Gomes, Fernandez.
In addition, there are also some decent looking Bosmans, and my pick would be MacAllister, but there will also be Tielemans, Luiz, Laimer and one or two others coming into play in the Bosman group.
Anyway, Fabinho is not untouchable, and I would get Kone as his replacement. But the midfield needs more than that.
For me, he does. That said, the problem with the likes of Kante and Alcantara is that they are one of a kind players at any point of their respective careers - if youāre going to rely on them, you better make sure that they wonāt ever get injured. I think that Chelsea fans look at Kante now the way we look at Alcantara.
Iāve never thought Iād say this but I miss the days of the āboringā midfield trio of Fabinho, Henderson and Wijnaldum (not as āboringā as Milner, Henderson and Wijnaldum, though) - you knew exactly what you were going to get with them and you would get it 95% of the time. Barring a couple of injuries to Fabinho, whole side knew they would be available to play and that they would have the backs of fullbacks and wingers.
Looks like heās running through treacle. Heās never been quick but heās been horrific this season. If thereās a stat for most dribbled past then heās right at the top of that one. My gran could shimmy past him with ease and she died 30 years ago!
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He used to use his go go gadget legs to snaffle the ball but he just seems to have lost all coordination and timing
Heās has a few slow displays this season but I was tearing my hair out about ten minutes after he had been subbed on. He never was quick but he had a good sense of positioning and his passing was always spot on. Last night, the West Ham players seemed to go past him at will. If he keeps this up until the end of the season, I canāt see the club not signing another defensive midfielder.
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Thereās no getting away from it, he is slowā¦like struggle to keep up the pace in a 5 a-side including Carra and Neville slow.
Slow in the mind as well as in his legs.
@Sweeting do we have anyone in the youth team or out on loan who could slide into this position instead?
Bajcetic is the one, but heās only 17. Morton is doing well at Blackburn but heās not the quickest either.
Iām 99% sure we will try and sign a DM in Jan.
As ILLOK said Bajcetic is the cream of the crop and Morton is a good player but is more of an 8 than a 6 naturally (Iād compare him to Henderson out of our current midfielders).
Not sure Bajcetic is ready to push Fabinho out the team but he will likely play some of the cup games.
I actually meant more in terms of complicating the thought process over buying one in versus holding on and looking at the development of someone we already have.
I noticed that JĆ¼rgen talks about the age mix quite a fair bit whenever discussing the squad so I wouldnāt be surprised if we wouldnāt consider bringing someone in too close in age to Bajcetic.
Iām a bit surprised that he hasnāt got more minutes till now. He has been in the matchday squad on regular basis but only managed 21 mins against Bournemouth. I thought he would get more mins here and there as late substitute.
Weāre in a tough situation for each point and itās a very important position on the pitch. Heāll possibly get a start against Derby in the LC.
I give a little more grace for being beaten in defensive situations because clearly there is a lot more going on defensively than just him resulting in him being more exposed. What has really concerned me the last two games notably is he number of times heās been caught in possession. A 6 should be your pressure release valve when in possession, someone who is always for a ball to be dropped back to them you know will always retain possession. Sure there was a foul in the main incident in the city game, but he was still weak to get knocked off the ball like that. And one of West Hamās best chances yesterday came from him getting robbed, and again knocked to the floor, by Rice 10 yards outside our box.
Itās such an important position, and one that is being exposed due to other failings throughout the side. Asking him to come into that situation would be throwing him to the wolves.
Hasnāt he always been prone to that though?
I have seen it multiple times this season; happened once yesterday, against Arsenal as well I suppose.
Yes, he has and that is why I have had concerns about him as our no. 6 when the opposition presses us, as he isnāt in the same league as Rodri, Jorginho or own Thiago in controlling possession.