Because in last years, the onus was to try and get more players closer to the goal, more facing the goal, create overloads between the lines, more attacking players providing numbers and also start the press in a more compact way (closing the central area).
In structures with 1 up top (since 00’s, because now we have structures that allow 2 up top), wingers became more like wide forwards. Full backs got to provide more what ex-wingers used to do, going forward at least.
You do have someone like Pep (or Arteta) who still likes his wingers to be wide and have his #8’s getting into the half spaces and full backs more inside for counter attack security. It’s not strict of course, you can flip sometimes, have assymetrical structures, etc.
What Sane (though never seemed to kick on at Bayern) did there was one of the best examples of a left footed attacker wide left who had the ability to attack both on the outside and inside. Which is not easy in today’s game. Mbappe played on the right a lot at the start of his PSG career, but it was clear that wouldn’t be his position long term. Oyarzabal I think still does it on the left at Sociedad. There are examples.
Unless Trent is off, Ramsey is at best third choice right back, maybe even fourth behind Gomez. He’ll be 21 in the summer and has pretty much missed a huge period of what was prime development time.
Sepp has apparently been doing well but well enough to step in for Matip? I think we’d be better off with someone higher level and more established. VvD, Konate, Gomez and Quansah has a good balance but if you were adding to that I’d want someone to push Gomez and Konate rather than to push Quansah for a place.
Carvalho might have a chance with a new manager but I don’t see where he gets much game time. Sell him now whilst his value is on the up after his loan at Hull rather than risk another loan or a bit part season here.
Nothing against any of them. Just not sure they’re of the standard or will get enough game time here to prove they are.
If it’s Amorim and he wants three at the back, a left footed central defender seems more of a priority. Inacio would be the one I would look at. Hughes might have a view on Lloyd Kelly, who will be on a free this summer. A few years ago we were interested. Not sure if Kelly is good enough for us now, but he may possibly be a canny signing.
Just think that’s what we’d be looking for. If you swapped Mo for a righty then we’ve got a lot of the same. Think a left footer at least gives you some variation.
Carvalho is back exactly where he was when we bought him. Actually, a bit lower than that. We might bring in a coach that likes #10’s, but unless something odd happens, I see him at another loan next season.
As I see it, Ramsey has the least chance of making it here. He has been injured a lot, and therefore missed some crucial development time, and is third choice at best. Probably lower.
VdB is an interesting one. He has done everything asked of him on a good loan. He has been one of the better central defenders in the Bundesliga. If he doesn’t come back we should get a good fee. If he does come back, he can be part of the group, as VVD gets older and Konate misses his fair share of games.
Carvalho is a good player who didn’t quite click here, went out on loan, didn’t play, got another loan, and is now making his way back. He’s still a young player, but I can’t help but feel his chance at Liverpool may be gone. I could see us sell.
Thing is, we already have a number of players who could do that role, depending also on what structure it would be. But we’ll see what happens. He first needs to show a general level that merits being part of a Liverpool squad for the season, then we can talk about positions and what not. There’s not enough room for all of them, c’est la vie at such a club. He might get a new chance in pre-season.
That’s confirmation bias though. Even Jürgen has said before that he views 24 as young for any player. It’s easier for a superstar forward or midfielder to make a name for themselves when they’re younger, but it doesn’t mean the bulk of them do.
A little off the wall perhaps but Arsenal have announced that Kamarni Ryan is being released this summer. He’s an 18 year old winger/attacking midfielder that has mainly been used as an impact substitute.
From what I’ve seen he’s got very good technical skills, he’s rapid and always impacts a game when coming on. I’m surprised to see him being let go.
He’s had trials at Watford and Norwich recently but I’d definitely be tempted to give him a look here.
I see Ugarte at PSG has fallen a bit of out of favour after a decent start.
I’d love to see him in our midfielder. I wanted him badly last summer. He could be so transformative for us in a defensive sense. Played under Amorim too.
We’ll prioritise other positions, but I can hope it will happen one day.
Wouldn’t surprise me if by the summer of 2025 at the latest, we come to a conclusion that we need 3 new important players down the central spine: a new CB, a new holding midfielder and a new central striker.
Some of it might happen already this summer of course, but those 3 positions in the next year or so.
I really can’t see us buying a midfielder. If it is Slot, and he wants to play the 4231 he has used so far, I really think it’s Trent and Mac Allister for those two deeper positions.
I think Trent is a player you build a team around, and he needs to be in midfield now.
The recent years were actually alright in that sense.
We haven’t lost any players we didn’t want to lose. There was no Suarez or Coutinho drama either.
Perhaps it’s just perspective when we look at other clubs and our club. It’s natural that you can’t change 11 players at once. We had more active and more calmer summer transfer windows.
But we have kept a team together for a nice time. Adding bits and pieces, some more important pieces also. Keeping players also costs more money, fans sometimes forget that. We’ve done well with that.
A couple of decisions here and there (like: midfield last season), well… nothing is ever perfect in terms of timing and combined with other factors.
To have (important) 3 players with a year left on their contracts is also no big drama.
To be honest, Endo is one of the players who made me eat humble pie this season but I fully agree, this is a position that needs strengthening, internally or externally. Fitness permitting, Bajčetić and Trent might be in the midfield conversation from this summer on. That said, we don’t have a natural holding midfielder, all of them seem better further forward, so there might be issues with balance.