Everyone thinks Salah will be going this summer but can only see the Saudis being interested and we have no idea what the scale of the transfer activity will be this season .Plus even if they do come in for him I cannot see the fee being over £70m and much more likely £60m or under .
It's funny... I was just thinking after the Nunez discussion: "Really, despite having a great squad, and not really wanting to lose any players Alison is the only player that I absolutely wouldn't want us to sell..." And then what comes up on my news feed: https://www.football365.com/news/feature-five-liverpool-players-discard-sell-post-jurgen-klopp Headline, we need to sell Robertson and Alison. Lazy journalist equating short-term form with permanent ability.
It would be a big call to come in and inmediately sell a main player unless they want to leave. Matip and Thiago are both out of contract and have barely played this season, so will probably go. Salah depends on him a bit. Even if the Saudis come in for him, will he want to go? Diaz has been making noises so could be a candidate, but otherwise there aren't too many obvious choices. Kelleher may depend on whether he's happy as a number two. Maybe the likes of Gravenberch or Gakpo if they haven't convinced, but you would think a new manager would give them a shot.
Interesting stat - Mané's first two seasons scored 33 goals in all competitions. Nunez first two seasons scored 33 goals in all competitions (with 4 games to go)!
Admittedly Nunez is in a better team than mane was but it’s the point I’ve been making a while on Nunez. Pure goals/assist stats and the guy stacks up with most of the forwards in prem just under the top quality bracket. The problem is his chance conversion especially big chances. If he can just relax and calm down a bit then he’ll get another 5 goals a season easily and suddenly goes from a 10-12 goal striker up towards 20 in the league. Do feel he’s also just not getting some luck. Said it few times, Jota scuffs one and it goes through Leno v Fulham. Nunez connects beautifully at a volley v palace and keeper somehow gets a knee on it that pushes it over without knowing much. Ben white scored a mishit cross the other day, sometimes players get a bit lucky (although admittedly one of Nunez goals was keeper kicking the ball at him!)
I feel pretty much the same. I do think that he has to start converting more of the chances to be seen as a regular starter. Causing chaos is one thing (and it is helpful in that the opposition doesn't know how to handle him) but it's nigh on useless if he or the other forwards aren't scoring and taking advantage of it.
I presume that should say 'worse'. I agree, although who better in world football could he have had than Bobby and Salah to run with.
I remember many games during our down-periods where everyone was playing like they had given up, except for Mane. We have never been a one man team, but there were times Mane was the only man with any belief.
People are being quite harsh on the forwards given they all got over 10 goals and got lots of assists. But they get 10 or 15 chances and score 3 at their best whereas now there are getting maybe 3 or 4 and missing the lot. The reality is the whole 11 are slowed down and stodgy and thst is affecting what we are creating. I wouldn't go throw out the baby with the bath water here. Salah should go. But only if real pave replaces him if we don't do thst then don't let him go at all. I rather a fit salah who's slow then ending up with 4 forwards cos we don't have a clue who to get or worse take a Dutch league player cos slot knows him. My clear out would be Adrian - totally not needed waste of space. Tsimikas - not up to it. Replace with Chambers. Matip - obvious Jones or Elliott. Two of them is too much. Meets hg but too similar and really neither elite. Diaz- like most I think he's good but he is nowhere near the level of end product bit not if he's not replaced by better! Salah - legs are gone and this is it to get money for him. If its not right or you.arr not buying well then keep. I really couldn't say what slot might do with the players but all sources are talking 4231 with 2 bus parkers as a double pivot. That means nunez at 9 It means szobo could be the wide man or 20 It means gakpo at 10. It is why I just don't see this as a role for diaz. He cuts in and his corssign isn't marvellous. What this means is trent can play 6 or proper rb to cross and none of this ****e we have seen for 2 seasons. We've lots of options for him to look at but I think he will need to find a really good 6 to play with macca.
Personally don't think Trent should ever be played as a defender anymore as to be blunt he shows zero interest in actual defending .
Yeh, he had Bobby for both seasons and Salah for one. Still a heck of a forward line over the two seasons in question. Almost zero injuries amongst them as well, may even be zero, couldn't say without looking it up. Compare that to the injuries we've had in Nunez two years, other than his one recent injury, only Salah has remained a constant presence. That makes a massive difference.
