Bad influence
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I think that is wrong. With a new coaching staff in place there is obviously going to be a fresh look at what we have and what is needed. That can take time. Transfers are part of that process and simply buying or selling a player can have a significant impact on the squad as a whole - so itās best not to rush into decisions.
Our squad is probably better than the one Wenger left behind, itās already pretty big and weāre not tying up valuable capital panic buying like Arsenal did.
The issue around the Zubi deal not happening is that he was seen as a transformational player - allowing Arne to play the system he wanted. That falling through makes the job slightly harder for Arne, but not impossible - weāre not short of numbers or quality across the squad. For example, if he can get Nunez putting away a higher % of his chances that will make a big difference for us.
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I agree that weāre better, and I understand why our transfers have been slow. I also think weāll improve on last year. But Iām confused by our targets. It feels like weāre more focused on maximizing resources without taking any financial risks, rather than being driven by football results. But football careers are short, and sometimes we need to take risks. I doubt weāll see another signing like Van Dijk in the next 10 years.
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What targets have given you that impression mate?
I watched that interview and found it quite interesting. Achterberg suggested that had the Fekir deal been completed there was no money for Ali and he would been Chelsea bound. That comment seems at odds with the belief that the money is always available for the right player.
VVD is a generational talent.
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They all changes clubs with fatter wages and 2 joined Real. Who Real want they get. Zubi stayed.
Technically, Real* got their way with Zubimendi as well.
*Sociedad
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While we donāt know how our season will pan out, itās also worth noting Slot is not Klopp. He canāt be, he isnāt and he shouldnāt be. He needs to be Slot, stamp his name in history. Every Manager has a differing approach, differing style and differing training regimes. He should be Arne Slot first with the unfortunate duty of taking over a successful squad. I think he needs to move the club in his direction and see how it goes.
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I donāt believe he should ever be compared too Klopp, that is LFC history and he is now.
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I was thinking of recommending a new thread āFSG Apologists Post Hereā, but Iād imagine it would be deactivated pretty quickly due to lack of activity.
Irony, hey?
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By Alanis Morissetteās definition of ironic, maybe.
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Winter windows are really for course changes, corrections, stop-gaps, and the rare opportunity. The summer window is the opportunity to bring new talent in with a lower level of disruption and bring them into the side patiently. I donāt think there are any absolutely pressing issues, but there are lots of looming risks and players who will need replacing over the next two years.
Good recruitment is really about getting out of a reactive decision cycle and into a construction process. Probably the epitome of that kind of transfer is Robertson. Forums and pundits wrote him off as a useless transfer by the end of September, and he did not get a game from September to December. Turns out the brain trust had a fairly good idea of what they had all along, just didnāt rush him. It looks like our plans are not going to get us there this season.
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This season was a different kind of summer transfer window with the Euro and COPA, then olympics. Players at the elite level are only just coming back.
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I would hope that anyone we would have been looking at was at the level as a minimum. So it has been different.
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What? A player in the conversation around the best centre back to ever play the game?
Yeah. Iām not sure weāll see another one of those.
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I think the context is very different. Even though we sold Coutinho for big money earlier, we also bought Virgil, KeĆÆta, Ox, and Salah in preceding windows, and also bought Fabinho that window. That was a massive outlay no matter how you look at it, and there may simply not have had been any financial room to move two transfers at that size. I think pre-JĆ¼rgen, the income wasnāt as high as it was subsequently either.
Not to mention issues around cashflow and all that. Iām not sure if the stadium expansion also factored into that.
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Van Dijk, the captain of our club whoās been here almost 7 years is right. Of course heās going to know more about the squad, itās strengths, weaknesses and deficiencies than a guy whoās just walked through the door and thus not having the slightest clue where to start.
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Wonāt be surprised if the deal is back on!!
https://x.com/AnfieldSector/status/1823681942878888092?t=TVf5gIVSeBrLhK91CWQwXA&s=19
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Debatable. Gerrard quite clearly doesnāt have a clue about managing a team, something that could be seen when he and Carragher wanted Rafa sacked in favour of Hodgson. Nothing about being the club captain gives him some special insight that the coaching team wouldnāt get from the analysts.
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All thatās certain is that the AnfieldSector user on that cesspit is getting a lot of exposure.
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We seem to have been played by the player and his agent to get themselves a big payday.