On the forwards, Nkunku has been the player I’ve been hoping we had earmarked as the next signing for the front line. This was before I knew much about Luis Diaz though, who already looks like a fantastic signing. Thank you, Spurs.
One big plus with Nkunku is his versatility, I think he could play all three positions in our attack at a high level. He has the speed and movement to play wide, and can also do the linking/playmaking bit in central and deeper areas. Really nice allround attacker. Good finisher, seems to be having a breakout season in that regard. Could just be his role has changed a little, playing closer to goal. Not sure. Either way, definitely someone I hope we can get if we lose Firmino or Mane this summer.
That last “Attacking Midfield” part is mostly very much up top for Leipzig in their 3 at the back formation, going beyond the main striker (Silva or Poulsen) with his movements/runs.
Julient Luaren is mad in love with him, to the point that he criticizes Deschamp every international break for not including him. there is a lot of competition for places in that france team in the roles he plays so that is a big position to stake out. With Diaz and Jota arriving in the last 18 months there doesn’t look to be room for him anymore unless someone moves on. He’s definitely one I’d get behind were that to happen.
I’m not wanting to talk Nkunku down, because I haven’t watched Leipzig much for a couple of years, but we’ve been here before with attacking players from German football. The standard of defending in those two clips is abysmal.
Got to be careful but in fairness he did score a hatrick against City in the 2 CL games and scored a goal and got an assist against PSG in those games. Not quite doing it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke but think he’d do well enough in England. Especially under a talent developer like Klopp.
Hmmm difficult one (start with stating I’m not even an expert on English football let alone German).
First I’d say Werners struggles at Chelsea aren’t just down to him or his ability. Spoke few times when we were linked how I wasn’t sure he’d fit us and how it could be perfect for him at Chelsea as ideally Werner should be the off the shoulder or just off to the left, tucked in wide forward style, with a target man. From my limited knowledge that opinion was based on Werner really ahining in Germany working with Poulsen and I thought playing Werner off Abraham would work treat for Chelsea. They then sold Abraham and don’t seem to have implemented that front two with Werner and Lukaku which could work.
But I also never thought Werners goal scoring rate was 100% representative of his ability. As @ILLOK says there is an issue with Germany based attackers being overrated with their attacking being more successful than elsewhere. Werner also seemed a bit of a specialist at hitting top speed, burning past defenders and scoring. Might have just been what I saw but I never believed he’d get as much freedom here to be as regularly successful here.
With Nkunku he links play, presses, scores all kinds of different goals, he regularly excells the closer defenders stick to him with his footwork. He isn’t slow but isn’t relying on his speed to run with or run onto the ball as Werner.
Long term it might well turn out this is a flash in the pan period for Nkunku that doesn’t transition elsewhere and/or Werner might become a great player at Chelsea or elsewhere. But at the moment I want Nkunku but I didn’t want Werner when he was being linked. But I can be an idiot. I once wanted Tom Ince and Ricky Van Wolfswinkel here!
I slightly disagree with our esteemed manager on this one (ridiculous as it is for me to say that!)
Bowen, great player… for the money. Finding him on the way up, and watching him burst to life at West Ham, yes, very good… for them.
Good player for Liverpool? Now? Or in the near future? Well, he wouldn’t look out of place here, as an option up front, BUT at what price?
That’s the issue.
Now that he is doing well and is known, and is protected by years on his contract, I just don’t see any value there whatsoever. So yes, fine to agree that he’s a good player, but a good proposition for Liverpool? That’s the part I can’t get to, because at the likely price West Ham would do business, there would surely be other players coming into consideration for us.
Still, Origi and 20M or something like that? Game on, let’s do it.
Bowen is a good player, as you say, but would only be a rotation option here. For those who say “we don’t have a first eleven”, do you honestly see Bowen starting ahead of Salah, Mané, Jota, Diaz or Bobby in the Champions League final?
Given that Div appears to be perfectly happy in his backup role, I’d rather keep him and the twenty mil, thanks.
Probably nothing more than just thinking he is a good player. I doubt very much that Klopp would go down the route of trying to tap up players via the media.
In fact I’d suggest if Klopp specifically names a player, then chances are we probably don’t have any intention of signing them in the near future.
We look like we’re trying to get the young british players before they rocket in price, while looking at other leagues for better value.
So yes, Bowen, good player, but there’s probably a Diaz style equivalent that we’ve identified somewhere for half the price that Bowen would cost us this year if we wanted to bring in that kind of player.
This is of course just my opinion, and for all I know we will go big for Bowen in the summer.
