With all the talks about Bowen and homegrown quota it wouldn’t surprise me if we sign Harvey Barnes. Maybe not this summer but next year.
Exactly. If he was signing for Liverpool we would be salivating over the prospect, but when he signs for Utd we con ourselves into believing that he is shit…
Add this to:
Haaland to Chelsea
Kane to City
Grealish to City
Sancho to Utd
All crap players!
Ps
Mbappe to Madrid is not as bad, until we meet in the CL…
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Can you give evidence that Taki impressed at Southampton? I got the impression that he was underwhelming.
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Returning to topic.
Last season we were basically fucked at CB…
VVD, Gomez and Konate are three options we missed for most of the season…and Matip for a major chunk.
Thats four serious options to consider.
Add that to Fabinho and Hendo now counting as midfielders, which strengthens further. Elliot is another “new” signing that will break through.
Jones will play more, Keita is in the maybe category and Thiago will hopefully hit his end of season levels. And Milner…
Up front, we have four serious contenders for 3 places. Not sure of Ox being whats needed as a false 9 though, and am dead sure Origi isnt. Cult status makes him likable etc but he isnt a real option.
Jury out on Minamino.
Thus…
We wont be signing anyone, unless its a player that we are dealing for under the radar and that adds to the mix, ie Jota.
FSG out etc…
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He was. He found himself on the bench towards the end. A couple of excellent goals but his overall game was quite poor, which is little different to Ox since he’s returned from injury.
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He isn’t a serious option at Liverpool. Great idea at the time, didnt work so move on.
Maddening though as he was excellent against us.
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Hi James 
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Sorry
Genuinely lost?!
It’s that point in the window where journalists start saying things like “player X returning from injury will be like a new signing”. Or “Promising academy player Y will be like a new signing”. It’s like a demonstration that they know there isn’t anyone coming in so ‘man up’ about the situation. The following week we end up signing someone.
I’m assuming he’s talking about Pearce
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Ah! Ok, point taken!!
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I think you’d look at him as being a replacement for Shaq really but then Shaq isn’t a player that really needs replacing as he’s been involved so little and does nothing to threaten the options ahead of him. Elliott won’t either to begin with but we’ll be able to find him some minutes and he’s a lot less expensive than Shaq so I’d be pretty comfortable with that perception of him.
The outgoings will affect who we get in up top. Midfield wise, we’ve already lost our most reliable player who played more minutes than any other midfielder in the last three seasons. The need to add in there is already clear.
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Did we reject the Wolfsburg bid as it was far too much for Origi? 
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Fabinho and Henderson wont play at CB (hopefully) this season, which in effect is an extra player to last season. Jones has another year under his belt and will get more time…
Fabinho, Thiago and Hendo will probably be the “three”… add Keita, Jones, Elliot and Ox and the beed for another midfielder is reduced.
Also
The option of Konate, VVD, Matip and Gomez as a three with TAA and Robbo at wingbacks is surely a consideration for certain matches leaving two places rather than three in midfield.
That said, Saul would be an interesting addition.
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But even with Fabinho and Henderson here the two years before, Gini played more minutes in centre midfield than either of them.
I get that in terms of numbers, there should be more than enough bodies in there right now. But the availability of some of them is highly questionable and we do need the ability to rotate for fitness and form.
For me I’d look to carry an extra body in that area this season with a view to it being a pre-replacement for Milner whose contract runs out next summer. Then we’re not going to be short when the inevitable injuries come for Henderson, Ox and Keita.
Don’t think Klopp has ever played three at the back has he? Not sure we tear the system up now we’ve a squad built towards playing his preferred 4-3-3.
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The numbers in midfield are fine, we won’t struggle to put out 3 decent midfield options every week unless we have another ridiculous injury crisis.
The question I’d have is about the athleticism of the players available - Jones and Henderson are good athletes but the rest are lacking a little bit.
Adding a Saul or Bissouma in there, somebody who’ll work hard, get about the pitch, win it back etc gives that group of players a much better balance IMO.
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We sort of do play a three at the back system, if you count Virg as two players, which we should 
In seriousness, I think our full backs starting position is pretty much as high, if not higher, as a wingbacks system. Fabinho will often drop back to make a three, although when Virg and Gomez/Matip are at their best, they take care of it. I think it’s fair to say our formation (whatever that means) is arguably as much 253 as it is 433.
What I’m trying to say, badly, is that there is less onus on Klopp to go three at the back as 1) the fullbacks are already bombing on 2) our centre backs are strong enough to not need another body in the CB position and 3) We’re rarely under the kosh enough to need to slip into a back five.
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Was he even as good as underwhelming? I don’t think Southampton have offered to take him again, they obviously weren’t that impressed.
I think Fabs is ok as well and Thiago should be good for 60 to 70 minutes as he showed last season whilst coming back from injury (i was impressed in any case).
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Scored a couple early days but then dropped off.
I did read early in the windows that Saints where keen to have him back but I think they wanted loan and we want a sale.
Id take 6-7 whatever we paid and let him move on. He’s never going get enough mins with us to properly develop his game.
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