Gilmour seems to me someone like a Mount. They play in different positions but they are people who thrive because of the players around them. For that reason alone, I would not have Gilmour in even if the chance did come to sign them.
If you are looking at Chelsea youth, I’d be looking at Livramento and Conor Gallagher right now. Not sure if Livramento was sold or whether it’s a loan arrangement. But Livramento for me can be a very useful backup to Trent. Gallagher on the other hand seems to improve the players around him (when compared to Gilmour) and he would be someone who’s useful to have for Liverpool. He’s quick and doesn’t shirk away from responsibilities.
I really like Bellingham, I think he’s a great talent. My problem is where does he play? He is a right sided no.8 and we have Elliot there, I’ve not yet see him play that left sided “controller” type no.8 and we have Jones there. So I’m not sure where he fits.
When I watched him he was definitly right side, he burst into the box and scored from there but just looked and his heatmap is about 50/50. So stand corrected.
I’ve always thought of him as a box to box midfielder in the mould of Gerrard i.e. aggressive bursts into the box, rather than the controlled metronome style of someone like Thiago.
But yes many things can happen but signing Bellingham would mean Jones (in my opinion) would leave and I’m not sure about that yet.
Yeah, I also see him in that box-to-box role, surely for the largest or best part of his career. Southgate confirmed the same a few days ago.
I think we just have to focus on having the best player possible, be it from inside or outside. It’s too early to get too stuck with the idea of needing to have Elliott/Jones for who knows how many years. They are promising, we all hope those are nice and long stories with us (like with everyone), but they have to merit it and prove it.
I also don’t think it necessarily means he’d totally block someone’s path or that we couldn’t have all of them.
Competition for his signature, fee and timing will be the more interesting part. You can imagine a lot of clubs being interested either this summer or more likely the summer of 2023.
Regarding Bellingham, it really depends on the price but if scouting team is certain, then why not?
My only concern is progression, development and our track record. Have we bought a player with this profile recently who has been a success? Salah, Mane, VVD, Diaz were all relatively mature products, while Elliot and VDB were much younger, and the others (Jones and TAA), academy products. Bellingham, like Sancho and Werner (possibly) are/were much less developed and would be coming in with a much higher profile.
Again, if the scouting team is certain then fine but it would have to be a very strong case to go for his sort of a profile.
I think it’s cost, most fee’s I’ve read for him are around the £80mil mark so he’d have to come in and expect to contribute pretty quickly. That’s a colossal ask for an 18 year old whose never played in the Premiership (the quickest, fastest, physical league on the world).
Just doesn’t seem to fit our typical mo of signings at all as tesh says.
Also, Harvey spent a lot of his time at Blackburn last season and in the youth teams on the side of the front 3 or as a winger, so no reason he can’t play further forward
Dortmund are alreadu consigned to losing Haarland this summer, so I don’t see them selling Bellingham willingly until 2023 at the earliest. The only reason I can see them selling both Haarland and Jude would be if an offer came in for Bellingham that made it impossible for them to turn down - what that price would be though, I have no idea.
Bellingham like most kids around his age is young enough that he can play or adapt himself to play in various positions.
Its just the salary package that im afraid at. Plus i seem to have read somewhere that Klopp doesnt take players from Dortmund due to some gentlemans agreement
A lot of people get really caught up in the idea that these guys must have real pace for that role, but that’s a case of looking at the current guys and wanting replicas of them. Klopp has put together Liverpool sides with great attacking potency without speed merchants in that role and did so previously at Dortmund as well. What is key from those roles though is goals. He obviously has time to add things to his game, but from what I’ve seen of him, he doesnt play in a way that looks like he’ll turn into top goal scorer and I think that rather than just pace will be what sees Klopp limit his use of him further forward.
Not sure I agree on the pace thing, Klopp’s attack principles seem to have pace right at the heart of the guys he has out wide. Diaz another player whose come in and is frightningly fast, Diaz is basically Mane 2 years ago! So as close to a like for like replacement as you could find. It’s that burst over 5 yards (with or without the ball) which seems key.
But as you say with regards to Elliot though I’m sure he is a fantastic wide forward, I just think he will become a world class midfielder who plays in between the lines. So his lack of pace isn’t the deciding factor more the fact he has other traits which mean he is a bit “wasted” playing there. His vision for example is top top tier.
His teams at Mainz and Dortmund weren’t based on wide players with huge pace. This is really only become something since he has had the chance to build around Mane and Salah. So like Limie says, it is not something intrensically important, as he builds around what he has to work with.
The team he’s built here has won everything and our CL/League winners one is considered one of the greatest ever in world football. For me what he has built here is the next evolution of what he did at Dortmund.
It’s a moot point granted as you can never confirm either way but since adding genuine pace out wide in addition to the ability of the likes of Reus, Goetze etc. His team turned into the one I mention before.
I reckon if you ask Jurgen he loves the speed at which we counter attack or transition
Given our primary chance creation comes during the transition phrase from defense to offense pace most certainly helps. In fact it’s almost paramount to success though we’ve been learning to attack other ways as well now
Thiago in a league of his own, but the interesting name is Tchouameni again, he’d be my target in the summer… a long term midfield of Jones -Tchouameni - Elliot looks tasty… Even gives room to replace Jones with Bellingham if he doesn’t kick on next season in two summers (when Jude is apparently available from).
You are welcome Julian. Just find your Bobby replacement and we are laughing…
