Important to know that if Slot has the same defending/pressing principles as Klopp, and if it’s a structure with a single #10, that player needs to be able to press to a high level.
Klopp called the single #10 the most demanding in his system, when we still played that structure in his first season.
Hence why Coutinho never played that position under Klopp, and I bet that’s something a lot of fans and media were predicting at the time.
The first move he did immediately in the first Spurs game was Coutinho on the left/in the inside left channel.
Some things are very clear very quickly and Slot’s first interviews and friendlies will give us some first clues.
So would that be a case of Gomez returning to CB and Sepp replacing Gomez as the virsitle defender that operates in all positions across the back 4, or do you rate Sepp higher than Gomez as the final CB option?
It’s been several years out on loan for Sepp. He is 22, and has been on the books for nearly five years. He’s never given any real indication that he can cut it at this level. Why is there always posters who want to bring him back?
If Sepp was just a lad playing for Mainz and he wasn’t already on our books, wouldn’t there be any serious interest in bringing him in?
Exactly. He’s 22. Nothing else you’ve said matters a great deal, he was signed as an academy player and has since gone and gained valuable experience whilst stepping up in levels. Last season he had a big injury which kept him out most of the season, besides that he’s played every game he’s been available for.
Fact remains he is on our books which means we access him first with the view of giving him a chance to impress before doing anything unless the new guy is unwilling and wants to shake things up drastically. But being the grand age he is at 22 and being labelled as one of the best CB’s in the Bundesliga isn’t really something to sniff your nose at.
Do you share the same belief of other guys in the same boat as him, like Beck and Morton?
What I do know about Sepp is that he hasn’t ever had much of a sniff of first team action. Has he got an appearance outside pre-season?
Would love him to come back and save us a fortune slotting in as a centre back alongside the four we have, but I’m just curious where the confidence is coming from.
I’ve not seen any of him while he’s been on loan so can’t comment on whether he’d be good enough for us, but some of the confidence/enthusiasm might come from this sort of thing which I’ve seen a lot of this week.
This is where you contradict yourself, on one hand you say “he’s never given any indication he can cut it” then you ask “has he had an appearance outside of pre-season”…Well how on earth can you come to the former then?
You then ask “Why is there always posters who want to bring him back”, where have you seen the calls here to cut his loan short and bring him back? Because naturally he’ll be coming back at the of his loan spell anyway since he has a contract so again unless the manager decides he wants to cut ties before trying him out I don’t see why he wouldn’t be coming back.
Whether he’ll be part of the squad for the next 4-5 or whatever years is anyone’s guess but what’s with all the gloomy questions?
I’m just pointing out that he’s been on the books for nearly five years, he’s 22, and I’m not sure he’s made a single appearance. It’s been an odd Liverpool career so far. It’s more like what Chelsea used to do - parking lads on loan for years.
I don’t think it’s a contradiction to say he hasn’t got any first team time. Klopp has never expressed any desire to keep him around and use him.
SVDB has done well on loan at Mainz. He has done everything asked of him, and been one of the best young cb’s out there. Whether that translates to coming back to Liverpool remains to be seen. We have seen Quansah come through and play a lot. He is ahead of Sepp. On the other hand, Matip will leave, VVD is getting older, and Konate has injury issues and seems to be available about 30 games a season.
So there is a spot for a central defender, arguably two, especially if Gomez is seen as full back cover.
Quansah has already kind of replaced Matip this season. As a young centre back he’s decent but I think he’s got a way to go before you’d call him a top defender.
But, I can’t see a place for both him and VdB here at the same time. They both need game time and even with all the other factors I don’t see enough opportunity for both of them.
I’d be looking for van Dijks long term successor this summer and that may mean sacrificing VdB. I’d also love to stop playing Gomez at left back. If Kostas isn’t good enough to beat him out to back up Robbo, let alone push Robbo for his place then I think it’s time to move him on.
Wouldn’t be shocked to see Gomez be looking for an opportunity elsewhere to play more in his preferred position on a more regular basis.
I think with Matip going, there is. Move Gomez back into his preferred CB role, which would allow VdB to cover Gomez’s utility role. WWould give us a defensive selection of
CB:
Virgil, Konate, Gomez and Quansah
RB:
TAA and Bradley
LB:
Robbo and Kosta
VdB can cover any of the back 4 roles as he has played all of them at various times (not sure to what level he has played LB)
It’s nice trying to see at all the options we have under contract and check if we have enough quality not to spend a penny in defence, but I don’t think it’s the case.
I will be very surprised if we don’t add a defender, probably a central defender, left footed if we are being picky.
Beyond that, there are lots of questions. We have lots of midfielders. Do we have a dominant defensive midfielder?
As for the strikers, we know that Slot likes his wingers, so we will probably add another winger, young, fast, can beat a man easily to open it up.
There are questions up front, too. Where will Mo play? Will he sign an extension? Will he move on? What about the question marks over Darwin Nunez? Probably click bait, but a few whispers he might move.
Then there’s Trent. Will he stay at fullback? Or will he move to midfield?
And Trent, Salah and VVD all have one year left. They probably won’t all sign new deals, and they probably won’t all wind their deals down either, so what combo will it be between sell, extend, and leave it be?
