I can imagine LFC not buying anyone in January… In a way, I think AS will relish the added challenge of working with what he has got… Be a measure of him gauging his own tactical skill set against the bigger odds… Beside, he seems the type that would invite Jurgen onto the top deck of the bus, when parading the PL title…
Hey.! No harm getting ahead of oneself now and again :0)
Is Matip still free ?
I’m sure @Sweeting will correct me but I think the kids who are closer to the first team are usually sent out on loan, especially so this season where even the kids who were closest last season in Clark, McConnell, Koumas and Danns have all been either loaned out, injured, or sold, with those who were injured likely to have been sent out on loan otherwise. Bajčetić is out on loan too.
It’s only those who are in-between the academy and the loan stages that tend to feature with us unless they happen to be that good. Even Quansah and Bradley are post-loans. Williams, Phillips, etc. Doak and Gordon were at the in-between stages when they got their injuries, if I’m not wrong.
I think it’s central defence where the youth teams have been lacking relatively speaking, because in the full-back pipelines we still have Ramsay, Beck, Chambers, Scanlon who are out on loan/injured, and even then are of differing quality levels. Most of them may well not make it with us at all.
I’m not sure we’re in any special danger, and I’d expect that if we had kids who are ready to take that next step we’d be seeing them in training soon, similar to how Ngumoha has been featuring too.
Mind you, I wonder if Morton can play right-back?
And this tends to be the natural state of things because we can’t always unearth a Jones or an Alexander-Arnold.
Surely the bigger question would be whether he’s fit?
But no, he’s retired so technically available if fit.
1 Like
As he was rarely fit during his career, it seems unlikely that he’d be fit after retirement.
Mabaya too, I think
Interestingly he’s still classified as a midfielder on the club website. I’m not sure what @Sweeting thinks of him, but he’s 20 already having missed quite a bit due to injury?
Many fullbacks started their careers as midfielders, same as Trent.
1 Like
Klopp really did work some sort of Jedi mind trick miracle to get a half season above prem average defensive partnership out of Nat and Rhys that season.
Good lads but neither have show they are even reliable championship level players since.
6 Likes
I have a few theories – firstly (and rather unlikely), it may well be the case that they complemented each other really well. Secondly, we had a better support infrastructure around them than most clubs do. Thirdly, there may well be something different qualitatively about lower leagues that makes them harder to shine at that level.
I think even Quansah didn’t look that good at Bristol Rovers?
I’d say there isn’t that much of a technical quality difference between the Football League and Premier League. It’s mostly natural physical gifts, professionalism, consistency and mentality that seperate them - so it’s still a very high level they’re playing at which can make it tough especially if the set up isn’t perfect for the player (as it wasn’t for Quansah at Bristol Rovers under Joey Barton).
2 Likes
2 Likes
I think he’ll be a RB for most of his career but its tough to see how he makes it with us now having missed so much time and seeing himself so far down the pecking order.
2 Likes
He’s retired.
But he will always have that Cruyff turn in his own box against Zlatan 
Should have retired right then!
4 Likes
Name too similar to Mbappe to be any good
Kerkez has been mentioned a few times. From what I’ve seen of him I think his technical skill is fantastic, he’s really aggressive at getting into goalscoring areas. Definitely the clay of a perfect modern full back. Compared to Ait-Nouri of Wolves I would say that Kerkez stylistically feels like a better fit for us, whereas I could see Ait-Nouri at Manchester City if they go ahead and start the re-build.
I do think Kerkez wouldn’t be able to come in and immediately be the starter though. Just form how he is used at Bournemouth he’s so incredibly aggressive down the flanks that he doesn’t defend a lot and I don’t see him busting a gut to get back and help his team a lot. There’s some work to do on the training ground with him if he were to sign but I would not be against letting Robbo wind down his contract while Kerkez beds in for the 25/26 season.
8 Likes
Swap Darwin for Semenyo of Bournemouth.
If finishing is the issue, I’m not sure he’s your man…
Apart from that first season with Bournemouth which skews the numbers because he literally took just 3 shots that season, his shots are more wayward than Núñez.
He just happens to have taken more shots than the latter this season. Also, if we think Núñez has not much upside to realise, then why would we think a player barely half a year younger has that much more?
That’s with Bournemouth. With us he’d get more clear cut and quality chances?
He is also a lot more slick in 1v1 and even 1v2 situations. And he is two footed.