The Unreliable LFC Transfer Rumours Discussion Thread (Part 3)

He’s agreed and wants to join Bayern but has also agreed to join Liverpool?

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Makes sense, we dont buy or sell many players so he has plenty of time for a second job :rofl:

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You are right about the forwards. They are all seeing plenty of action. We have five senior options going into three forward positions. With the five subs rule, we seem to be using it to good effect, as we have game winning talent ready to come into the forward line no matter who starts. At the least, we have options to freshen it up.

Now to the midfield.

If we sign Andre, and he joins the group of Szoboszlai, MacAllister, Gravenberch, Jones, Elliott, Endo and Bajcetic, that is 8 players for three spots.

The numbers are different, hence my slight concern that there might not be enough action, in terms of minutes, to spread around a group that size.

It’s a minor concern. I will be happy if we think Andre is of the required quality and we sign him. Bring it on.

It’s a great point you’re making. Funny though that some people were raging that we ‘only’ got Endo to play 6 in the summer, when in reality we have an abundance of riches!

I guess Thiago’s gone and forgotten already…

In the conversation a few posts up, I said, “… and that’s even taking Thiago out of the equation.” Obviously he is still here, you are right.

So then let’s make it nine midfielders and three positions available, in the Andre being brought in scenario that is being discussed.

If Andre comes in it indicates that Thiago has been given up on, and probably that Bajcetic is not seen as viable in the near term.

Yes, I agree. I like the look of Andre and think we should sign him, but I think that will result in someone, in addition to Thiago, moving moving on next summer. I suppose Elliot or Jones would be the likeliest candidates.

Edit: I think we would keep Bajcetic as he has a very ceiling and can play in different positions.

Endo, clearly. Don’t see a realistic world where we move on Elliott or Jones - certainly not in the next couple of years.

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It can mean that Bajcetic’s starting position is still to be decided. He’s come in to Liverpool as a CB.

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The only way that Bajcetic won’t have a future here based on what we see, is injuries impeding his progress and the squad bonded and developed without him. Hope he will get over his injury problems, hopefully due to young age and still developing physically.

For Andre, it might seem unbalanced but the way we play, we don’t have real real forwards but we expect forwards who are capable of running and filling spaces intelligently. In that sense, I see players like Elliot and Szoboslai who might be played further up when necessary even if it does not look right on paper. Klopp has always insisted on balance in a team rather than individual brilliance, not that our players are short of it.

Curtis is going no where.

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I hope we do sign Andre, and I don’t think that means anything for any player, except for Thiago - who probably leaves anyway.

We end up with Andre and Bajcetic for the six, Gravenberch, Mac, Szob and Jones for the eights. Elliott gives a more attacking option, and Endo is a Milner style Utility lad.

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Mac Allister would still be ahead of Bajcetic.

Baj isn’t physically up to it and has barely even played the ‘6’ for us (better as the 8 so far). I don’t think Mac Allister is the perfect player for the role or it was Klopp’s intention to use him there but he’s the best option in the squad.

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Given our injuries record and how we have struggled with lack of CBs in one season and midfielders in another, we may never be in a state where we can say we are overstocked in a particular area.

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I’m thinking we won’t bring in Andre personally. I understand why we wanted him and even why we might have continued a dialogue about a potential January move.

As things currently stand though, I think Klopp will be more than happy with his options and how we are playing. I am not convinced he’ll see a need for an extra player.

We’re currently operating with six players for three spots and have Bajcetic to add to that pool. There’s loads of energy and enough versatility to work around the injuries we have had.

One game aside (which I don’t believe we’d have lost if Diaz’s goal had stood) we’ve won everything except a Chelsea side who we’d probably beat if we played them now and a very good Brighton team who we didn’t play well against. The need for a new 6 in Jan isn’t compelling.

I’m also not convinced by the occasional growing narrative that Elliott should/could leave. Putting aside that he’s still only 20 and clearly loves being here, just like Jones before him, even if he doesn’t reach the level of becoming one of the first names on the teamsheet, and remains as ‘just a squad player’ why is that a bad thing?? Why are squad players not allowed anymore and everyone has to either be elite or be sold.

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On surface, eight (Alexis, Bajcetic, Curtis, Dominik, Endo, Elliott, Gravenberch, and a new guy) midfielders for the three positions looks too many. But if we consider the fact that there the seasons have over 60 games and over 70 if we consider NT games, such a large pool makes sense. Besides, Bajcetic is injured for a while, Curtis had several lay-offs, Elliott was injured for a long period, and something similar can happen again.

I think Nunez is closest to a proper forward that Liverpool has.

The rest all are like you said , space finders.

I think we’ll need to have 9 midfielders for 3 positions considering the matches and the fact that the likes of Szoboszlai, Elliot often are used in the forward position as well.

Next year (options as of now)

LCM - Gravenberch, Jones , Mac
CDM - Andre , Endo , Bajcetic , Mac , Gravenberch
RCM - Szoboszlai , Elliot , Mac

It seems that Mac is the one who’s used across the starting line (the most versatile)

Szoboszlai is making the right sided midfield space his own with the ability to play further forward if needed. Elliot is a very capable deputy in that.

Gravenberch is similarly suiting the left sided midfield space with an ability to play further back as a holding midfielder in some transitional play as well. Jones provides him good competition.

Andre , Bajcetic I assume are purely for the games where we need a DM. And sometimes there will be the ones where we need to see off games as well (which Endo is filling as a stop gap)

We don’t have any real backup for Mac (someone who plays across the midfield line) , an understudy there will make a lot of sense. It might even be someone from the youth academy.

This season, if Thiago gets himself fit. That is a big IF. We have someone who can to a role similar to what Mac is doing (albeit in Thiago’s own different way) and still offer something different.

But , with that a doubt till the new year. It’s still a space where there’s cause for concern. Not really a problem as of now.