Match Day Thread 2025/26 preseason match thread

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My worry is that it's starting to look like Endo will primarily cover at CB.

He's not bad there but not what you'd want as the first backup, bearing in mind Gomez's injuries.
 
The IncREDibles said:
My worry is that it's starting to look like Endo will primarily cover at CB.

He's not bad there but not what you'd want as the first backup, bearing in mind Gomez's injuries.
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According to transfermarkt, Endo has played 242 games as a CB in his career, more than in any other position, including midfield.
 
moreinjuredthanowen said:
He's still a midget cb and you ALL KNOW FULL WELL MY THOUGHTS on midget cbs ;)
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I agree he's too short for a CB.
Nevertheless, I think you're a bit harsh on the guy generally, and it seems to me that you made up your mind on him in his first few months and haven't modified it since. In that first period he struggled with the pace and physicality of the PL, got caught in possession and dispossessed a bit too often - but he has adapted well enough imo.
I haven't any stats to hand, but just from my own observations he seems to win quite a few headers despite being a relative short-arse.
He's no world-beater, and if we can get better we should, but I think he's a solid enough back-up.
 
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saintanton said:
I agree he's too short for a CB.
Nevertheless, I think you're a bit harsh on the guy generally, and it seems to me that you made up your mind on him in his first few months and haven't modified it since. In that first period he struggled with the pace and physicality of the PL, got caught in possession and dispossessed a bit too often - but he has adapted well enough imo.
I haven't any stats to hand, but just from my own observations he seems to win quite a few headers despite being a relative short-arse.
He's no world-beater, and if we can get better we should, but I think he's a solid enough back-up.
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Agreed, he is positionally very solid and a pretty calming influence. I certainly don’t want him starting games at CB <laugh> but he’s a very useful squad player
 
According to FotMob, Endo has won 92% of his aerial duals in his career, 72% in the league least season.
 
One thing we can say is the team is/was greater than the sum of its parts. Each individual isn't perfect and doesn't need to be. We've accommodated short, slow players and players who are tackle averse and somehow managed to achieve the biggest prizes.

The heat is definitely on this coming season with a bunch of players who are purportedly closer to 'perfection'.
 
saintanton said:
I agree he's too short for a CB.
Nevertheless, I think you're a bit harsh on the guy generally, and it seems to me that you made up your mind on him in his first few months and haven't modified it since. In that first period he struggled with the pace and physicality of the PL, got caught in possession and dispossessed a bit too often - but he has adapted well enough imo.
I haven't any stats to hand, but just from my own observations he seems to win quite a few headers despite being a relative short-arse.
He's no world-beater, and if we can get better we should, but I think he's a solid enough back-up.
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He's just too slow.

You need pace in the prem and you need to hold.ypur own.

The lad has done OK as a 6 for klopp. He's been able to dig in and fight his corner mostly and that's to his credit.

Other light weights come to the prem and get blown away.

But here is the thing.

Facts are facts. They are not harsh.

He's too slow. Simple.
He's too short for cb. Simple.

But I've never criticised his ethic or attitude once.

He's a willing lad and his ability on tjr ball is adequate as well.

Now, not everyone is a rolls royce of a place gliding through a game like gravenberch.

Not everyone is as hard as macallister or has his vision or shooting

(BTW I've said many times macallister is slow as well)
 
johnsonsbaby said:
One thing we can say is the team is/was greater than the sum of its parts. Each individual isn't perfect and doesn't need to be. We've accommodated short, slow players and players who are tackle averse and somehow managed to achieve the biggest prizes.

The heat is definitely on this coming season with a bunch of players who are purportedly closer to 'perfection'.
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Ah but.

Accommodation or bringing the best out of the team as a whole?

If we play a 4231 with a genuine 2 then pace is less important.

However we dont.

We see us set up with a 2-3-5 with two ball playing cbs and then the full backs slightly narrow but that 6 is stood there in the middle

Now in transition, pace is absolutely critical.

That's my point.

We frankly carried Alexander Arnold at times because a forward ball was worth more to the team as a while than a player being willing to work back properly or make a tackle.

You've got to have something spectacular to be carried to that extent.

If we put macallister at 6 and gravenberch or szoboszlai at 8.

AND THEN put frimpong and kerkez as full backs going 100mph forward then I'd be just as worried about macallister as I would be about endo at 6.

Huge ground to cover.

At cb being 5 foot 8 is a major issue on every single set piece. He might be able to jockey and hold a guy up in general play but he would be massively targeted by every opponent.

Endo is smart enough to survive but he would literally just be surviving.
 
Gerrardsitchyear said:
Jota was the same height as Endo and won numerous headers against bigger taller defenders. Height is clearly not the only factor in heading ability.
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But it is still key.

Jota was brilliant in the air but he got in front and was dealing with crosses and attacking ball.

Clearing headers off long ball and corners is not the same thing. You want to get close and compete and stop the forward.
 
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