Which CF do you want?

Rumour Mill
21

I think Matheus Cunha fits the bill if we’re looking for that heir to Firmino rather than an out and out nine. Has that flair and creativity that we’ve not really had since Coutinho left and he’s flexible enough to play out on the left if we need him to.

Fits the age profile and price bracket we like to shop in but you wouldn’t call him an out and out goal scorer. There’s even a possibility Hertha get relegated this year and we know how we like picking up players from clubs that have gone down. Even with Hertha not having a great season he’s been going at a goal every three games. Plus he came to Hertha via RB Leipzig and we don’t half love a player that’s been through their system.

2 Likes
22

Yep thats my point, if Salah is going you have to replace his goals. This is Salah’s stats as per Dec 2020;

Games: 131
Goals: 84
Assists: 31

Minutes per goal: 124.6
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 143.4
Minutes per goal or assist: 91

Simply obsence levels which have to be replaced… So if Salah is going you must go for Haaland in my opinion. The blacklist has to be obtainable, you must replace world class with world class.

If we are talking about replacing Origi (the Athletic has said this a few times), i.e. a youngish player who isn’t the finished article but can contribute something from day 1 then a few things influence my decision.

  1. I think Jota will replace Firmino as the starting forward by next summer. He looks a monster and has that goal scoring instinct I think Bobby lacks.
  2. We don’t have a huge budget (so no Sancho etc.)
  3. What’s Klopps view for the team, is it still the false no.9 Bobby hybrid you mention, or will we shift to a 4231.

My view is we need another out and out goal scorer, this means Jota can rotate with Mane/Salah or lead the line. It means Bobby can play the no.10 role, and we can shift from 4231 to 433 or even 3521 etc. More formations we can play will help I think as we can get more attacking players on the pitch especially at home v’s the low block defend all game teams which is becoming the default set up against us (and we struggle with).

Primarily I think Jota is going to be key going forward, he’s exploded and looks to be stepping into world class level with urgency… What our scouting set up saw in him is just brilliant.

I like ILLOKs suggestion of Isak, we tried for him before he went to Dortmund, he’s had to take a small backwards step but is only 21 and start to put together the raw talent he has.

En-Nesyri is also an outside shout also. Depends if he can build on this season and add consistency.

4 Likes
23

En-Nesyri is a good shout, he’s been prolific this year. Odsonne Edouard from Celtic looks like he could be a star. Dusan Vlahovic from Fiorentina is also a decent striker.

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24

As things stand, I don’t see any of our key players leaving this summer. It can change of course, but I think the few top clubs will aim for the more younger guys like Mbappe and Haaland.

So yeah, next season I’m looking at Firmino, Salah, Mane, Jota, * new player * and probably one of Shaqiri/Minamino (one to stay and one to leave along with Origi).

We still have to see what we achieve this season, this does not get mentioned enough I think. We have to realize that there’s possibly no European football at all for us next season.

So my realistic expectation is a new player who can help us like Jota has done so far, has room for improvement and will be part of our main 4-5 forwards next season (hopefully in a European season of whatever sort).

2 Likes
25

With the 3 European competitions we’d have to finish as low as tenth or lower. I think we will still finish top 4 to be honest and find it shocking the idea we could finish lower than we currently are.

26

I agree in principle. I think Shaqiri has been most effective when he played as an attacking midfielder rather than an attacker, so I would count him as a midfielder even if he stays.

Regarding the type of the new attacker, there’s a growing demand for someone in the mold of a #9. However, I can see Klopp going for someone in the mold of a winger to reduce our dependence on wing-backs to provide width.

I think we will sign someone still somewhat under the radar, a young player with the potential to replace the likes of Mane or Salah.

27

My selection.

Lautaro Martinez - Inter Milan (23)

Mikel Oyarzabel - Real San Sebastián (23)

Jack Grealish - Aston Villa (25)

Harvey Barnes - Leicester (23)

Emiliano Buendia- Norwich (23)

All can play across the front 3.

28

Not sure any of them would be able to play roles in out front 3 the way we set up, maybe if we drop one of the wide forwards back a bit as more an attacking mid role? Or in the Firmino false 9 role at a very far stretch? They’d be like Shaqiri, Ox and Wilson.

29

I think the way teams are setting up against us. Low blocks, not much movement from their back lines, the Salah and Mane types of players are not working. I think we need ‘better footballers’, more lads like Shaqiri and Oxlade but twice as good. I think said players would be useful for us in such situations.

30

Such players would be milling around in front of their defence. We need players who can get in behind and receive a ball or attack at extreme pace. Or possibly a traditional number 9 type we can knock balls into. There’s a reason our midfield and Firmino are largely being ineffective bouncing off their structured defensive walls passing the ball back and forth and Salah and Jota are pretty much accounting for the vast majority of our open play goals.

31

We have the False 9 Firmino.

Salah, Mane, Jota can play right and do a job as CF.

Mane and Jota can play left.

Think what we need now should be a player who is a real #9 in the first place.

1 Like
32

I don’t want another wide attacker. I want a proper #9. I don’t want to look for another Firmino. Just try and get a good ol fashioned center forward who can win some wrestling contests, hold ball up, has a bit of pace, and scores lots of goals.

Have Edwards put that in his magic machine and spit out some name from the provinces nobody had ever heard of and get that guy.

Obviously not sure who to target but want proper CF, not another tricky winger, even if tricky wingers are great

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33

What? How do you figure this?

34

Harry Kane the refs are blind to his fouls he would win us every trophy.

35

It was my understanding with this;

Maybe I’m wrong. Looks more like top 7 still for Europe.

Still don’t see us finishing lower than that though.

36

Fuck me. This bloke is supposed to be a professional writer.

5 Likes
37

Yeah if Man City win the league cup and one of the top 6 win the FA Cup then it will be 5/6 for Europa and 7 for this new one.

Oddly enough all that will take place it seems on Thursday night.

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38

I would be interested in Andre Silva. Nobody would say no to Haaland or Mbappe but I just do not see that as our kind of signing. And they are not the only potential world-class players out there. We be damned if that is true.

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39

It’s not about any new/prospective forwards. It’s about our present trio of forwards. There’s already too many thread and didn’t want to open another.

Roberto Firmino: 283 games (20,977 mins), 84 goals, 67 assists

2015/16: 49 games (3326 mins), 11 goals, 11 assists
2016/17: 41 games (3463 mins), 12 goals, 11 assists
2017/18: 54 games (4188 mins), 27 goals, 17 assists
2018/19: 48 games (3406 mins), 16 goals, 08 assists
2019/20: 52 games (3921 mins), 12 goals, 13 assists
2020/21: 39 games (2673 mins), 06 goals, 07 assists

Sadio Mané: 209 games (17,021 mins), 93 goals, 41 assists

2016/17: 29 games (2427 mins), 13 goals, 08 assists
2017/18: 44 games (3480 mins), 20 goals, 09 assists
2018/19: 50 games (4309 mins), 26 goals, 05 assists
2019/20: 47 games (3720 mins), 22 goals, 12 assists
2020/21: 39 games (3085 mins), 12 goals, 07 assists

Mohamed Salah: 194 games (15,964 mins), 121 goals, 45 assists

2017/18: 52 games (4119 mins), 44 goals, 16 assists
2018/19: 52 games (4342 mins), 27 goals, 12 assists
2019/20: 48 games (4091 mins), 23 goals, 13 assists
2020/21: 42 games (3442 mins), 27 goals, 04 assists

How do you perceive their (and our) future? I don’t expect any of them staying with us till their twilight years, but how long are they going to stick around? How do we transition from what has been a fabled triumvirate?

40

Aguero? I’d say we’d be able to afford the wages. He has had his injuries but he’s someone who can slot straight in but with…Aguero, Mane, Salah, Firmino, Jota…the bench looks better than Shaqiri & Origi

1 Like