I actually think this summer, if we win the PL, is an ideal time to really remake the squad. Looking at how we’ve played recently, the balance in our team and the age of our players, I don’t see this side being able to retain the title (assuming they can win it). A season of renewal will take the pressure off and - as we saw with the midfield in 2023 - things can come together quite quickly.
I’d like to see:
IN: 7 players
a CB for JoGo; another CB if Konate is leaving
A RB backup/challenger for Bradley assuming Trent goes
A LB who can fill in and ultimately replace Robbo
A Defensive midfielder that Slot trusts to share Gravs load
2 forward players to replace Darwin and Mo (even if he stays)
Mamardashvili
OUT: 7 players
Ali or Kelleher.
Trent, JoGo
Tsmikas
One of Endo or Elliot based on who Slot feels he can use
Darwin, Mo (or if he stays then one of Diaz, Jota or Chiesa)
Don’t want to see Mo or Trent leave but think the latter at least looks v likely and you’ll note I would sign a second forward even if Mo stays. Signing Mamardashvili means one of Kelleher or Allison will be moving in - that’s the reality.
Regardless of whether Liverpool win PL, this summer is key when it comes to rebuilding the squad. Anything less would be detrimental to team’s trophy winning prospects.
Slot will have had a full year to assess who’s in and who’s out of his plans.
A lot players will have two years or less left on their contracts.
The Contract Three’s futures will be clear one way or the other.
For what it’s worth, I think that Kelleher, Diaz and Nunez are gone. I think Trent is gone, too. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Elliott leave as well since he’s not getting any meaningful minutes and I don’t think he’s had any positive impact on Liverpool’s results since December.
I think that Feyenoord fans from some fan sites spoke a few months ago about how Slot was no stranger to a significant turnover of players, how he was pretty ruthless with his demands. Even if Liverpool do win Premier League, it should not mask the deficiencies of this side.
The perfect team has never existed and never will.
Of course, you are right: even if we win the league and/or Champions League, we still need to improve. It’s better to do so from a position than one of weakness.
Insert Wolverine caressing the photo of Liverpool’s 2019 team… But joking aside, this team fails to convince me, though I hope they will make amends for the damp squib that they served up towards the end of the last season.
Thing is, I’m getting the impression that mileage and injuries are catching up with some of them, while players like Diaz and Nunez just failed to convince me, especially in comparison with their predecessors (though I’d be singing happy songs if Nunez was as “bad” as Diaz).
This is the only team that I care about, I hardly miss a minute, let alone a game, so that familiarity breeds worries. I admire your optimism but you can’t tell me that you don’t find significant flaws in this team.
Unfortunately, I can’t find those interviews now but my impression was that Slot demanded certain positions be upgraded regardless of players leaving for pastures greener. I imagine that he’s looking at this Liverpool side thinking he needs a new left back, a new centre forward, possibly another midfielder and a left winger… And that’s without taking Van Dijk, Salah and Trent into consideration.
To steer it back to buying, looks like a new CF is well and truly on the shopping list. I know a lot of people’s dream would be Isak but I really don’t see us paying Newcastle what they’d want.
But then looking about options are a bit limited. Interested to hear people’s thoughts on who might be an option out there for us. In the past we’ve been linked to varying degrees with the likes of…
Jonathan David
Viktor Gyokeres
Lois Openda
Benjamin Sesko
João Pedro
Matheus Cunha
Hugo Ekitike
Karim Adeyemi
Quite a few different types of strikers in there but all the right kind of age. Wouldn’t say there’s an absolute standout if Isak isn’t doable though.
The only part of the team that got (properly) rebuilt was the midfield. Look at the drop off in form from team’s fullbacks - or the drop off from Mane and Firmino to Diaz and Nunez.
By Liverpool’s current standards, bringing in four or five new players during one summer window probably constitutes a rebuild, so that’s what I’m calling it…
I genuinely think there’s so much red-tinted nostalgia going on here. I’ll give you the Firmino comparison, but I think you’re really forgetting how anonymous Mané was for so much of the time.
Firmino is also remembered with red-tinted specs. He was of course an excellent player but it was very quickly forgotten that he literally went an entire calendar year without scoring at Anfield.
But joking aside, this team fails to convince me, though I hope they will make amends for the damp squib that they served up towards the end of the last season.