The Owners - FSG

[Sithbare]

@rab

The drop off from Trent to Gomez is big but not nearly as big as the drop off from any of our four main CBs to Phillips and Williams. Matip and Konate will pick up injuries so CB is far more pressing than RB this summer especially if Gomez might be doing some time at RB.

RB isn’t an issue. We’ve got Bradley having a breakout season and I would get him ahead of Gomez.

Gomez is a third choice RB at best.

CBs are an issue. The season we won the league , VVD / Gomez were largely fit. This season , the load is going to fall on Konate big time as he’s got to cover for the opponent counterattack transition.

We should be looking for a CB replacement for Matip / Gomez soon (preferably homegrown).

Virgil after the prickford tackle is still not yet at his best and that’s a minor concern. Not dealbreaking but it is what it is… He’s still the top 5 in the league but before the tackle, he was comfortably the best CB in the world.

[Sithbare]

I feel for Koumetio , Van Den Berg. Our improvement under Klopp has been such that we’ve been unable to get them further game time and practice sessions with the first team.

Loans don’t help but it’s also a case to remember that Liverpool can’t have works in progresses anymore. (We did have that with TAA and Jones) but definitely not in the central defense roles.

[1972]

Koumetio and VVB have never shown the level Trent did when he came into the side. Only player I can think of who did was Rob Jones. Unfortunately, injuries did for him.

[RedOverTheWater]

I think we should hang fire on the current midfield! All indications tell us we are trying to renew the engine room.

We have an old guard - Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho. Definitely not able to carry it for a season any more, but capable of making a contribution in the context of other midfielders who start to take charge.

We have a young guard, Bajcetic, Elliott and Jones (I’m lumping Jones in here, but he is a bit older). Lots of reasons to be excited about this group, lots of talent, and they will make a growing contribution as we go. But fair to say also not ready to carry it for a season.

So most observers would say we need two others, maybe three.

So far MacAllister has joined. He is a very good signing and the price was nice to see as well. In addition we have had credible links with a number of midfielders, including Kone, Thuram, Gravenberch, Veiga, and I’m sure others too.

If we go for one more midfielder there might be an outside chance that they will be pricier than the group above, and possibly the likes of Tchouameni, Valverde or Caicedo might come into play. But even if not, we are clearly making moves, checking on what’s what, and it will be a major surprise if at least one more midfielder isn’t added this summer.

Not to mention Trent emerging on the ball in the middle of the park as our playmaker, from the inverted fullback role.

Which probably adds to our need for another defender, with Inacio and Van de Ven in our sights, maybe others too.

Long post, but essentially saying we are at work! Don’t jump the gun on what the midfield will be next season. It’s still coming together.

[Notasuperfan]

As mentioned by others, Thiago’s availabilty is as rare as winning a few digits on the Lotto, Elliott can’t deal with a physical opponent.

This leaves us with Bajectic and Jones. Bajectic is very young to a point if LFC pushes him too hard and too fast, he might end up being very injury-prone. As for Jones, his form only came at the late season( like the last 5 games of the system) and there is no telling if a slight tweak in system might end up making him invisible again

[rab]

@koptician

Okay so that’s not helpful.

Fine, let’s discount three of those four then. And we can’t play Henderson and Fabinho either because apparently they’re now shit.

So just how many midfielders do you think we need to buy this summer given we can be pretty confident no more are leaving this summer?

[Hope.in.your.heart]

@Notasuperfan

As for Jones, his form only came at the late season( the last 5… err no… 12 games of the season) and there is no telling if a slight tweak in system might end up making him invisible again

Fixed it for you. In that time, we went on an unbeaten run, and he was consistently one of the best players on the pitch.

[rab]

@Sithbare

We’ve got Bradley having a breakout season and I would get him ahead of Gomez.

We have no idea whether Bradley will have a breakout season. He had a good season in League One but to think he’d be ahead of Gomez right now is projecting way above what he’s shown.

@Sithbare

We should be looking for a CB replacement for Matip / Gomez

Yes, that is the point I was making.

[rab]

Probably why we’re trying to sign more midfielders than just Mac Allister then

[RedOverTheWater]

We still appear to be prosecuting the past, when clearly the club is moving on.

We have seen several midfielders depart, wages freed up, and the recruitment has begun.

If, when the window closes, we are in the same position as now, by all means start this up again!

[The-AllMightyReds]

@rab

given we can be pretty confident no more are leaving this summer?

Roy Keane ah jeez really ?

[Mascot]

@Walshy07

lesson learnt with Thiago!

Yeah, but not £50m tbf. I doubt we will see that kind of deal again.

[rab]

Well they’re all shit or injury prone apparently so who’s buying them?

[The-AllMightyReds]

Barca.

I think they look at Madrid signing Jude and think to themselves, “could do with a Fab in our team here lads”

[rab]

@The-AllMightyReds

Barca.

I think they look at Madrid signing Jude and think to themselves, “could do with a Fab in our team here lads”

“Hey Joan, congrats on the league win and sticking it to those chaps in Madrid. Listen, I know you lot are skint and have been undoing all the crap that the previous bloke did but we noticed you lost Busquets this summer and wondered if you needed another increasingly immobile defensive midfielder to fill his boots? You might need to pull another one of your economic levers though but he’ll be worth it I promise, just like that last Brazilian lad we sold you.”

[The-AllMightyReds]

Something like that yeah couldn’t have put it any better myself, I’m sure Joan won’t mind…he’s a smart guy, knows how to bleach off his dirty hands. They’ve already agreed 2 deals for teenagers for about 70m.

[koptician]

@rab

And we can’t play Henderson and Fabinho either because apparently they’re now shit.

No need for hyperbole. That is clearly not the case. They can’t be overused.

Ideally 3 but I think we can do with two. But two at a minimum. One is in the bag, need at least one more.

[rab]

@koptician

No need for hyperbole. That is clearly not the case. They can’t be overused.

Ideally 3 but I think we can do with two. But two at a minimum. One is in the bag, need at least one more.

I’m confused what your point is here because you’ve twice disagreed with me to then conclude with exactly what I said in the first place.

@rab

So Thiago, Jones, Elliott and Bajcetic just cease to exist do they? We’re literally shopping for one, maybe two more midfielders.

@koptician

Okay so that’s not helpful. We know Thiago is totally unreliable fitness-wise, Elliott is unreliable in terms of what we need to be an effective midfield both ways (he’s proven this repeatedly), Bajcetic is a kid

@rab

Fine, let’s discount three of those four then. So just how many midfielders do you think we need to buy this summer…

@koptician

Ideally 3 but I think we can do with two. But two at a minimum. One is in the bag, need at least one more.

[1972]

He used to be indecisive but now he’s just not sure.

[mattyhurst]

It’s going be a long summer