He played right wing back for Preston a few years back I think, but that was a long time ago at a very different level from what he’s at now. All the stats suggest it’s his on the ball stuff where he’s weakest and his aerial ability and ball winning where he’s strongest.
Interesting thing for me is Gomez we were open to but Quansah was a hard no. Maybe different reasons behind that but perhaps gives Joe a hint at where things stand beyond just this season.
I still really think we need someone who can put pressure on Konate, Quansah and Virgil. Quansah and Sepp feels a bit too inexperienced to have as options with the other two.
Still reckon Sepp goes and possibly Gomez and we look at getting a left footer/sided player in. If they can do some at left back too then all the better. Increasingly coming to the conclusion that Tsimikas is a waste of a squad spot.
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Do you think part of the Gomez equation has been his fitness record, which has been patchy?
He has been great for us when fit but I can’t see us building a season around him.
Personally, I wouldn’t want to see him leave unless there is a serious incoming replacement.
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Not sure its that surprising. One is at the start of their career and had an excellent year in a position we need to cover, and the other has been rumoured for a couple of years as possibly wanting a move for regular starting opportunities, having had more than there fair share of injuries.
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I’d be really sad to see Gomez go. I think he’s fantastic. Possibly not at the level he was a couple of years ago when he looked like he would be Virgil’s regular partner, but his versatility across five positions is incredibly useful, he’s homegrown, and still relatively young. He can really punch the ball through midfield as well.
If he wants to go to nail a starting CB position elsewhere, that’s fair enough. I don’t think that’s going to happen for him here. But I’d be looking for a big fee.
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This is my position to be honest.
I think, after a full season last season where he was playing regularly albeit not at centre back, if he were to have an injury free campaign this coming season there’s every chance he could get his levels back up close to where they were in the title winning season. Whether that’s here or somewhere else.
Having said that I can see how it makes sense for everyone if he were to leave.
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Ok, RB, CB (R), CB (L), LB and, er , what? GK?
Substitute :0)
CDM, where he played a game for us last season, tut do you know nuffink
He played DM admirably a few times last season, albeit helped from both his experience playing the inverted FB role and supported by whomever it was who was inverting from FB in those games.
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If it is in the neighborhood of 45M that’s a fair price, and I would let Gomez go. Obviously on proviso he wants to play more, rather than being a versatile option across a few positions here.
At that point I would go big on a central defender. Not a kid. (Did we sign that kid from Bordeaux? Left footed defender, forget the name now, but young. Happy if we did, but for our first team options we need someone to be ready now).
In a post Joe Gomez world, it would leave:
VVD
Quansah
Konate
VdB?
Question mark on Sepp, as I expect him to depart. If he stays, it is because Slot is sufficiently impressed, so fair enough. But I agree that the four listed here needs an upgrade on VdB, and if that is Bremer, or Pacho, or whoever it may be, bring it on.
With question marks over Konate’s fitness, VVD getting older and needing to start to be used more sparingly, and Quansah still young, going big on a central defender seems the way to go to me.
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If he wasn’t injured all the time he would have nailed down this spot. Big liability to any team.
Isn’t the Gomez news old old and re-hashed for rumour stories.
Lucky he was fully fit last season or do people forget where he had to cover when others! were injured
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If I am right in thinking, he played more for us last season than any other. In fact, he was one of our star performers throughout the year.
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Yes.
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JG playing more last season than previous seasons isn’t some kind of justification for a starting spot. For several seasons he was a spectator in the stands for large parts. Building a team around Joe would be a big call.
We are on the verge of a fairly substantial rebuild in the defense. Virgil and Trent are in the last year of their contracts with no guarantee that they return. Robbo is past his physical prime. If we sell Gomez, we’re left very thin at the back.
I assume if we’re comfortable selling Gomez, we’re prepared to invest heavily to rebuild our back four.
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I feel it’s time for Joe to move on. The price and time is right to replace him. LFC cannot continue to hold on to players who are past their prime.
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