Thinking about it and whilst I really rate Bellingham, if we have £80mil to spend on a midfielder I’d be going all in for Rice. Think he’s brilliant and seems a really sound lad as well.
I think he’s bound to end up either at United or Chelsea.
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He’s been linked for a while with Chelsea but would they have capacity to bring him in when their defence plus maybe their forwards are a greater priority?
I do wonder if Utd are working on something given the lack of movement in the january window to address their midfield issues while starting to move some of their existing players on.
Yeah, we’ll see what happens and when it happens. He’s got a deal until 2024 and West Ham have a +1 option on it also. What they accomplish this season, what’s the interest like from the market, what’s the asking price, is it this summer or the following one after Qatar, when do maybe West Ham feel is the right moment to take big money if it’s there, etc. All that will be interesting to follow.
But I certainly see him more at places like United or Chelsea. City are probably good there with Rodri’s improvement this season, us also with Fabinho (not without his little issues and he’ll also be 29 at the start of next season, but I think we’ll eye more of a #8). I don’t see Tottenham or Arsenal being able to conclude a deal like that so it leaves the mentioned two as the most obvious choices. At least in England and that’s where he’ll probably remain (for now).
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Don’t disagree but I’d argue he’s the type that would jump at the chance to come here ahead of those two. He’d be a natural replacement for Hendo.
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In terms of maybe character, possibly. But in terms of position, even if Rice plays with a little bit more freedom this season, I think he’ll probably remain as a #6 (potentially go back to CB when he’s older). I think we’re fine with Fab.
And we’re also creative as a club not to bite at every most expensive player like Rice out there. Maybe it’s someone like Bellingham, maybe it’s someone cheaper and less known.
For now, I see us getting a #8, someone not too young, but with the best years in front of him also. What’s the alternative/secondary position of that new guy? Who knows, maybe he will also be able to cover the #6 (which Hendo can as well), maybe something else.
Then in one of the following summers, we might act more in the “#6 way”, see where is Fabinho at, what’s his level, consistency, health, do we have new needs (potentially with Klopp gone by then), etc. Then we can either slowly introduce a backup/competition player or maybe a direct replacement.
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I’ve always wondered if Klopp will go back to 4231, Rice and Fabinho as your holders with Elliot / Carvalho playing in between the lines. He’s had a play with it from time to time but it never really seems to actually create more despite the “on paper” extra attacker.
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Personally like the formation but not with those two holders.
I think Klopp’s been linked with flipping from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1 for a good while now, I read/hear that almost every few months. But it didn’t happen yet.
We played it in certain games, periods also, sometimes it was good, but I don’t see it changing it for now. Possibly until Klopp is here (for now it’s 2024, we’ll see if we have to replace him then or he maybe accepts a few more extra years).
I also don’t think a partnership of Fabinho (or Henderson) and Rice would be a match for a Klopp side that needs to compete and win at the top level, more the nature of it, we would need something more proactive.
We also have to remember what Klopp said about the #10 position, in his book it’s the most difficult/demanding position. Doesn’t have to be another Bobby clone, but still… speaks volumes. His first move in that Spurs away 0-0 in 2015 was to push Coutinho to the left and bring Lallana centrally.
What we’re trying to do with Elliott is what you also see at other places with left footers at RCM (and also of different types). So in terms of dynamics, it’s not too dissimilar. Elliott can be #10 on the ball, more of a right sided midfielder, a right winger, defensively a proper #8, etc. Playing as a single #10 you also play back to goal a lot, you need better defending from both wide forwards, etc.
For now I don’t see the need to flip our main formation, even if it’s a game of movement, dynamics and you see different “formations” in different phases.
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While we have two of the most gifted fullbacks in the world I think the 4-4-2 (as Klopp calls it, 4-2-3-1 as we on the forum call it) I think the 4-3-3 is here to stay. I believe this summer we will see 3 incomings.
Young and promising - Carvalho
Immediate contributor - #8 type - maybe Bellingham
A central defender - if Gomez doesn’t start getting time I think he will want out for a chance to play in the WC. We either make concessions and send matip on his way to plan for the future or I believe joe leaves.
But I firmly believe we are at the squad size of 1 in 1 out for senior players.
So this leaves 3-4 senior outgoing s
Origi, one of matip/Gomez, maybe Ox (for him to be closer to his partner and child in London though I have no idea if she moved up north?)
Big summer ahead for Ward.
Yeah, he even calls it 4-4-1-1!
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Oddly, him signing for Real (and doing little) probably makes him more obtainable than had he stayed at Rennes another season and was being fought for this summer.
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An interesting pick up I think we should make with no risk but potential high reward would be Xavi Simons.
He moved from Barca to PSG youth academy when his last contract ran out and he’s going to be free again.
He’s been thought of as a top talent at Barca and PSG. There was talk he was going to move back to Barca but Messi is supposed to have done him a bit of a dirty by telling Xavi not to bring him back as he hasn’t developed enough while at PSG. Rangers think they have a chance to bring him in with him being an instant senior player for them cheap and quality and if he kicks on he’ll probably be sold on for big bucks in couple of years.
Seems like a talent, getting a little look in at PSG which isn’t easy. Tenacious, fast and creative. Quite versatile. Seems very similar to our Harvey Elliott, used to be same height too but seems to have grown a bit more although Wiki etc. haven’t caught up.
Think he could be a real success story with Klopp. Come in quite quiet with little fanfare but if Klopp can get him to kick on he could become a real future star.
I guess obligatory YouTube video for what its worth for players who have mostly played youth games;
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That ‘pedigree’ is honestly exactly why I would swerve him.
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Not sure, feel like despite his talent things have gone a little wrong for him. Sliding doors moment, if goes the right way (somewhere like here under a manager like Klopp) be could become something special. Or he could go somewhere that doesn’t develop him and bring him through right and he could become the next Ravel Morrison.
It’s all about the transitions now. There’s no rigid formations anymore. Even what’s on paper a 4-3-3 at Liverpool transitions to different setups when the wingbacks get going further up with one of the midfielders staying back.
I don’t think for Klopp a formation change of a 4-2-3-1 is that different from a 4-3-3. Not when the game (as defined by the top managers like Pep/Klopp/Conte etc) has changed so much.
Pellegrino is a tiny man. Not in stature, obvs, but a petty, tiny manboy. And no coincidence his Southampton squad basically quit on him. I posted that exact thought back on TIA in the midst of his treatment of Virgil.
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After watching PSG play shit for 90mins and again this man bagging a stoppage time winner.
Mbappe.
Don’t mind selling Mo in summer, provided we give Mbappe more than Madrid would offer.
Madrid will be offering £0, as he’s out of contract. However they’ll likely end up paying him something like £500k pw, which we wouldn’t get close to (and rightly so)
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