Actually getting the players fit, would be a good place to start. It was obvious to everyone last season, that fitness levels were not what they should be.
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That remains to be seen though. I think we would need 2 absolutely top class midfielders, a top class right back and a world class winger and then only loose maybe 1 RB (Frimpong for me) and 1 midfielder (Jones or Mac) for us to realistically be in a strong position to become champions.
Donāt forget, next season VVD will be 1 year older and if we donāt sign a world class keeper then weāll have Mama as number 1. 
If Jacquet and Leoni are seen as the future then hopefully they both get lotsof muntes this season and perform well rotating alongside Virg and Ronnie. Right full back is still a massive issue too.
Ngoni for Jones is sensible. We lose an average squad player with ideas above his station and noise of being disruptive. We gain a good prospect, close to flourishing and hungry.
It also shoes the like of Abe and others a clear pathway exists.
I was on the stadium tour on earlier this week, and got chatting about the squad with one of the guides. He said that Jones has a reputation at the club for being really unpleasant to people off the pitch.
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Except this is not the right season to bet on being champions. Itās not a win now or never scenario.
Based on age and experience:
Ekitike (24) - but out to January
Leoni (19) - returning from injury in September
Jacquet (21) - returning soon
Ndukwe (18) - will be out on loan
Bradley (23) - returning in a few months
Munoz (24) - new league
Rio (almost 18) - needs to grow into his role this season
Nyoni (19) - needs to grow into a dependable option this season
Up and coming potential: Abe, Ndiaye, Morrison, Koumas (1 or 2 out of this group might make it)
This team will not start to peak for a season or two yet. We will be ahead of schedule if we compete this season but with an addition or two it will be possible. We just shouldnāt do anything that isnāt for the medium to long-term or make any wild purchases.
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Which people and unpleasant in what way?
I said at the start of the window we should just resign Quansah, Neco Williams and Harry Wilson.
Squad would be better than it is now and weād actually get a little bit of soul and heart back into the team.
Instead we get to be bought by Bezos and spend the summer chasing a winger who would leave us the first chance he gets.
I hate where football is.
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I didnāt push him on it. He was a nice lad. I just got the impression that Jones isnāt really well liked around the club, has an attitude on him, and has a reputation for being unpleasant off the pitch. None of which is a surprise really.
Sometimes body language can say a lot in those situations. A few years back I was interviewing some of the personal player escorts at Wimbledon, and they spoke a bit about the players they really liked who were always nice with them.
One notable name was absent, so I asked them straight up what they thought of Andy Murray.
Collectively they all made the Michael Scott grimacing meme face lol
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I expect they are all still bitter about the way he went around LTA system on his way up and become a self-made player.
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Iāve heard the same actually, albeit not first hand. A fan was on a youtube podcast and told the story of how he saw Curtis Jones at the airport and he was a complete cunt to him. Got really aggressive and then eyeballed him all the way to wherever he was walking or something. Plus heās a pretty average footballer, he might be a local lad but I wouldnāt lose any sleep if he left.
I disagree, we were champions 12 months ago then struggled last season. This should absolutely be the season where we are aiming yo win it rather than accept being in the top 4 (or 5). Wirtz, Isak, Kerkez all bedded in and hopefully coming good this season. Ali still here, best keeper in the world - good luck when heās gone! VVD has dipped, but still one of the best around, wonāt be for much longer though, Dom starting to show he could become a main-stay, Hugo sadly injured for a while yet, but was pure class at times and will be back.
If we get recruitment right now while Ali and VVD are still around we could absutely win the league.
As the squad stands today, we have no chance at all, especially with our midfield. Hopefully a few more come in, but they have to be top class.
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There is nothing elite about Kerkez, Bradley and Frimpong.
Him leaving will require a (pricey) HG player to be bought. Iād love to see Adam Wharton coming, though, as he is definitely the best passer of the League.
In some ways, our midfield is facing the same problem as Real: full of runners but no passers/playmakers. Before summer 2025, the playmaking job was done by TAA. After TAA left, there is none.
the great thing with football though mate, is that its cyclicalā¦ Liverpool football club, or a version of it, will still be here long after Bezos loses interest, long after Infantino is gone, long after the oil states have had thier funā¦
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ItĀ“s a problem weĀ“ve had since Thiago and before him since Alonso even.
It worked for a while when we had an unbelievable front 3 (with a 9 who was creative, a bit like an attacking midfielder) and a right back that could do the midfieldĀ“s passing job but not sustainable. Teams who win things regularly all have a midfielder that can pass and run the game.
We also donĀ“t really have a great ball winner. We just added the creative midfielder last summer in Wirtz and havenĀ“t got the platform behind him to really help him do his bit.
Yeah, the last 3 seasons we were
- the best team in the league for half to two thirds of the season before falling away due to some combination of inexperience and the emotion of ādoing it for Jurgenā
- the best team by a country mile and on record setting pace for most of it only to fall back to a more normal championās total once there was nothing to play for
- an absolute monstrosity of a season in which we still finished 5th.
I get there is a tendency to assume we are closer to the side we were last season than the one we were in the years prior to that, but surely not.
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I get the point but the problem is, Van Dijk, Ali, Salah , Trent and Robbo (Diogo and Diaz) and even Matip (?) are not here from those sides or not as good as they were.
We are largely not the same team, especially the key players. Even if Van Dijk and Ali are here and we have the midfielders. I guess you could say those 5 are a solid base, if youre that way inclined.
Tell me more. This is an entirely new one to me
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