After looking at David Ornstein’s news about Bellingham today, does the scenario I painted yesterday seems just a bit likelier now?
See Bellingham thread. Calm down. Appreciate the game being played.
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You mean just because we might get priced out of spending £100+ on Bellingham we’ll end up signing a couple bosman’s and add Morton to the squad?
No, I don’t think todays “news” makes that scenario any more likely. Quite clearly there’s a whopping great big gap between those two outcomes and we’ll likely end up somewhere between those two extremes.
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Aye. People are understandably traumatized, but I think a lot of people underestimate just how transformational having 2 reliable CMs would be. Having Bajcetic, Fab, Hendo, Thiago, Elliott, and Milner is a LOT where you could get by even with one player fewer. Obviously that puts a TON of pressure on the transfer team to bring in those players, but I think it means the shouts for bringing in 3, or even 4, in this area are an over reaction to the disappointment of this season.
Thing is we don’t know what happens to the likes of Fabinho, Thiago, Henderson and Bajectic when they are not overplayed.
They are being overplayed at this moment and so the rotation aspect is required, if we end up in the Europa tournaments then there is a worth sticking with Morton (Carvalho and others are already further forward on the pitch).
Also what set up is Klopp going for. Is he going for 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-1-3
That will ultimately factor in what he does.
I think the players available and performances will decide that.
Formation isn’t key, getting back to our pressing/defensive principles is. I’d say we’ll keep the 4-3-3, but it we’re struggling again next season, then in periods when we don’t press/defend well, we might flip the structure to the double pivot.
I don’t see Klopp going “for some reason I’m going 4-4-2 next season, align all transfer activities towards that”.
But yeah, what might have an effect on our budget and certain “lure” this summer could be also what we qualify for. Still 4 possible scenarios.
I don’t think we’ll be such a turn off if we’re not in the CL, for some players it won’t make a difference, but in some cases it might a little. Also money available and how much can we generate from sales.
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I’m undecided on Milner. If he stays on a reduced contract to help set the tone and keep standards up at the club, while also giving his all on the pitch when called upon, sparingly, then fine. Bring it on.
If we end up doing uninspiring business in the summer, then signing Milner on for another season might become a bit of a lightning rod for argument.
I haven’t seen the Ornstein comments so I will go and check that out.
But even if we don’t sign Bellingham, but do sign 2-3 from a group like Kone, Caicedo, Gravenberch, Thuram, Ugarte, bring it on. We will be fine.
Mind you, I will be sick if Bellingham goes elsewhere in the Prem.
The thing with James Milner… like any of us really…
Would any of us carry on doing the same job if our money was drastically cut…!
Even if his money is “drastically cut”, he’s hardly going to be on minimum wage.
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That’s exactly it. A largely fully fit Bellingham and Kone this season instead of Ox and Keita would have made a massive difference and we’d be alright with Milner staying on as 8th choice into next season. I can’t see how keeping Milner would change any of the summer plans at all. Maybe it allows Morton to go on loan for another season to see if he’s capable of replacing Jones next summer but it’s not going to stop us bringing anyone in or thinking we can get by with just one new addition.
I’m also in favour of staggering this overhaul. I know some people would like to see three midfielders this summer but I just don’t see how that’d be financially viable given the quality we need. The next summer we’ve got Thiago out of contract and probably one of Fabinho or Henderson to be replaced. Milner goes too and our numbers for that area can come down a little providing we haven’t bought injury magnets this summer.
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No that is true… but asking a guy to take less money for the same job may knock his pride more than it needs to and that may reflect in downgrading his attitude or commitment on the field of play…
I am not bothered either way if he stays or if he goes… My inkling is that he will follow the money trail for as long as his legs have football still in them
I certainly don’t see Milner getting another +1 deciding if our main midfield signing this season is the megastar Jude Bellingham or a different name of lower reputation(?).
What happens next season, whoever our 2 CM signings are, how they settle initially, won’t be so much down to Milner. What he does when called upon is still solid.
He didn’t block a positive story like Bajcetic happening this season, he wouldn’t have blocked Ramsay if the kid was fit and showed he can be Trent’s clear direct backup.
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Milner staying or not will have very little effect on next season.
Struggling to care enough to make an argument either way.
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Even on a reduced contract,he’s probably going to be earning as much with us as with any other club.
“extensively” God I love that word.
NEW: Josko Gvardiol and Kim Min-Jae are both on Liverpool’s list of targets for this summer, with the former having been tracked extensively in recent months. #lfc [@JacobsBen]
He won’t have 8 players for 3 positions though is he and that’s what some seem to be suggesting.
It’s a fair argument, but in this instance I don’t think it will be the same job. It will be in a diminished capacity as a first team player.
Obviously when we compare the world of football to the real world, it starts to break down as the money is ridiculous, and what counts as full time for a footballer might be half time for a normal full time worker, in terms of hours on the job.
So with that said, let’s imagine I’m an experienced professional in a given field, and I am about to retire, but I still had something good to offer. My employer knows I’m not the future, and I know that too. But I could still offer something now, if we could work out a suitable arrangement.
Maybe my employer asks me to come in two days a week. I like the sound of that. I start to make a transition toward retirement, while also maintaining some relevance in my place of work.
On reduced wages. Not a problem, as I prefer that for a year than retirement right away.
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Not all would compete in midfield all the time.
Milner is used also at full back and Elliott can be the additional, lower in the pecking order, offensive option (with Bobby leaving). He doesn’t have to be only a midfielder or only a forward right now. We can use him in two positions. Whether on a certain day it’s Elliott who plays in Salah’s position, Ben Doak or someone else, is less important.
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Plus Thiago, Fabinho, Henderson, Bajectic and Jones
Elliott depending on formation also comes into that equation.
If you are thinking of selling one then perhaps but I’m not sure they command a massive fee any of them and the replacement will be likely young and not a genuine starter from the off.
I’d rather we put the bulk of limited funds into getting two starters and a challenger for the CB positions than shopping around for another CM just in case. Especially if it’s Europa football, give Morton game time in that and see what he is like if he isn’t the level then we know and can move him on.
We have no idea if it’s gonna be 2 or 3. Right now, there’s talk about 2. The 3rd might depend if we can find a buyer/solution for Fabinho, that is unclear. Jones’ situation will also be interesting to see what happens there.
What I’m saying is that it’s not problematic if we have 7-8 players who are midfielders on paper. Not all are a case like Thiago, who is only a midfielder and nothing else. You’d have Millie still backing up at RB, Elliott being used between two zones (on paper being both a midfielder and the “6th” forward) and that leaves us with healthy numbers.
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