The Unreliable Rumours Discussion Thread (Part 2)

Well that’s a matter of opinion but to me, when you play week in and week out at clubs like that you play in the European top.

This is the first season in the 4(?) since they’ve left that that is true.

A patch? Try the whole season

De Ligt played 29, 27, 31 competition matches for Juve and 18 so far for Bayern.

De Jong played 29, 37, 32 and 13 Primera Division matches for Barcelona.

In my book these two are Stammspieler. Look I have enough bad things to say about Ajax and many of their players but I would take these two to play for Liverpool any day of the week and twice on Sundays. :innocent:

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Fab has always lacked pace and getting that bit older he has ‘lost his legs’

By this I mean his sharpness, he is late and slow in reacting and he is now missing the tackles he used to make.

He has never been the best in possession, which is now exacerbated by teams pressing us and he isn’t comfortable receiving a ball under pressure and dictating play from the 6 role, which is paramount if we still want to play out from the back

He’s been a great servant but we need new blood.

I think Frenkie’s been much better than Ligt since both left Ajax, for both club(s) and country. But yeah, the rest have almost all struggled. From that Ajax side that went deep in the CL in 18/19.

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Barca and Juventus have hardly been at the top of European football in those years.

For 70 odd million outlay and over 300k per week, they’ve both been extremely expensive for what they are.

Indy Kalia has ruined a friendship today :joy:

But as I pointed out, Rashford’s was off for a season, maybe longer and he’s turned it around. If we’re basing players ability on performances this season alone then they’re all pretty much shit and need binning off.

We could sell him or, we could let those who are out of contract go, add some new blood around him, not run him into the ground month after month and see if he can recover that form.

I’m for the latter and I think Klopp will be too. I accept others may disagree but we’d be selling him at his lowest point and hoping to bring in a top calibre replacement alongside two other midfielders this summer. Both the level of turnover in one area of the pitch and the cost to do that makes me think it’s unlikely.

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Rashford’s finishing was wayward and his mind didn’t look in it, but never did he look physically spent. And why should he? He’s still young.
Also, in his position he doesn’t have to perform the climbs of running and lateral movement that Fabinho is expected to do.
And Fab is older.

So you think at 29 he’s physically shot beyond repair or redemption?

It’s nothing to do with being over played, over exposed and playing in a team that’s struggling all over the park. He just woke up one day over the summer and his legs had gone?

Half the team looks a step too slow, sluggish and a shadow of themselves. I’m far more inclined to believe it’s a general conditioning issue, a shit pre-season and a lack of form than just his legs have given up. If a silly offer came in for him then I’d not be against letting him go but that isn’t happening.

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In the hypothetical scenario it is Bellingham and Gravenberch as the left and right 8s. Athleticism. Pace. Strength. Basically, everything the midfield this season has lacked.

And now the question: it still doesn’t fix the #6 spot.

It doesn’t fix it with a new signing. But there will be a new lease of life for Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago, if any of them were to play behind the two 8s mentioned.

We might be surprised at what they can still give us, in such a set up.

And then let’s not rule out Bajcetic. He’s only starting, but he already looks the part, and I would bet he could perform very well indeed with Bellingham and Gravenberch.

I think the whole dynamic changes with two top additions.

If a new 6 is added as well, Ugarte or whoever, bring it on. But if not, we do have several players who will fit in and I think we will be fine.

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With 2 athletic ball playing number 8’s I would play Thiago as the 6 to control games and link the team when in possession

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Hook it to my veins.

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Nice, but it’s hard to see Thiago playing more than half a season.

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Yup. Every time he’s played himself into a bit of form he gets injured, and it’s not for just a game or two. And then you have to start all over again.

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Less running to do in the 6 position

Thats why the 6 position is better for him, less running

BREAKING: Mason Mount has appointed a new agent, Neil Fewings from Wasserman Media Group, to manage a potential transfer from Chelsea — the strongest indication yet that he is set to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, same agent as Henderson and Virgil. Daily fail.

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