Going out on loan seems to be the kiss of death for our youth players Liverpool careers.
Elliott aside I can’t think of another young player who has gone out on loan and then actually made themselves a fixture in the first team squad.
Origi had that odd year away but Trent, Gomez, Jones and even Kelleher have never been on loan. But there’s a list as long as your arm of lads we had high hopes for that went out and that was the beginning of the end.
It seems to be a case of good enough to stick around or a loan is the first foot out the door. If Morton was seriously being thought of as long term first team potential then I think he’d still be here.
That’s how I felt, I think he was rated by us but not as highly as others, and he over performed when the opportunity arose. There are two youth players that were very highly rated but haven’t push on for a number of reasons.
Any youth including Bajcetic, Morton, Gordon etc who has gotten minutes in a proper first team competitive game (bar situations few seasons ago like the Villa game where we had to put out an all youth team) have to be rated by Klopp enough to get minutes in. While there might be varying degrees of capabilities or skillsets, they all can be lumped into the ‘can be very good but its up to them’ category. Best examples are players like Woodburn vs Elliot. They were considered good enough to get games in the first team but eventually they did take very different paths as of now.
Regarding loans, while it might be true alot of time, it might not be all the time. Klopp is a manager that respects the feelings and time of players. Like what you all already have mentioned, if Elliot was never sent out on loan, we might not have seen the Elliot today. Because if he stayed on with the squad 2 seasons ago, he might never had gain the confidence of playing 41 first team games and being one of the best performers in Blackburn and come back realizing he can be more, he can have more and he can win more. So regardless of how many players had gone out on loan and not make it, one Elliot is enough to show the rest that its really up to you to live up to the high standards that the club demands.
And we didnt buy a striker several years back because we had to leave room for Brewster. I think a lot of people misremember the story of the class of 94 and so have takent he wrong lesson. These were not kids in the academy a maverick manager decided to show faith in instead of buying players. They were players who had already graduated from the academy and played meaningful roles the season before. Scholes, Butt, Becks and Gary Nev all had 10-20 appearances that season prior to show Fergie what they had at that level.
As for our CM, I think the reality there are still way too many stories yet to be written before we can judge what next summer will look like.
One scenario
Elliott, Fab and Jones all prove themselves and Melo impresses enough we keep him. That leaves us with 7 CMs before we even look at someone like Jude.
Another scenario
Fab looks better as an attacker. Jones struggles with injury throughout the season and we’re then at a player who will be 23 by the time the following season ends, someone we can not longer viewing as a kid or a bonus but someone who has to justify his place in the squad and is struggling to do so. Melo is only lukewarm and so we dont make his move permanent. Hendo and Thiago both do what we know they can do but remind us throughout the season they are in their 30s with over a decade of top flight work already put through their ageing legs. This scenario leaves us a midfield of 4 players, 2 of whom have to be used sparingly moving forward.
What I propose is that if we don’t buy Jude, then the alternative would be to buy Arthur and if we don’t buy Arthur then the alternative is to buy Jude.
There’s a guy at Lens, Sekou Fofana, who’s been instrumental for them the last 2 and a bit seasons.
Watched him again the other tonight against Lyon, utter dominance…big reason why Lens are 1 of few sides who still unbeaten.
Since getting promoted 2 years ago they’ve had 2 back to back 7th league finishes, & he’s been 1 of the main factors…can break up play, can drive team forward, he’s even 1 of those that can do stepovers, cut inside and whip 1 in the bottom corner.
If we can’t get your Bellingham’s or Barella’s of this world, I’d love for us to get someone like him.
