OK so we are doing ok...maybe a bit better than ok. However, we are about to enter crazy season with a game every 3 days and the potential injury risks that comes with that type of schedule. What if we get injuries? Who can we ‘affford’ to lose.....and who is irreplaceable given our squad? Alisson? Nope, he was replaced with success already this season. TAA? Tough to replace over a period of time to the same effect. Milner and Gomez could stand in but we saw the impact of this last season - would be a massive miss and irreplaceable imo. VvD? Clearly irreplaceable Matip? No, has already been replaced with Gomez and Lovren Robertson? Fewer options here. Milner can stand in but over a longer period? For me, he is currently irreplaceable. Fabinho? Tough one this. He’s been immense....a great buy but don’t forget that we had a pretty good record last season when he wasn’t playing. Close, but I think we’d just about cope without him. Hendo? I truly believe that his physical presence in midfield is massively underrated by a lot of fans. But he could be replaced with probably slightly less effective midfielders. Wijnaldum? He’s really come into his own recently. His control and ability to beat a man and begin an attack is becoming more and more appreciated. He can be replaced if injured though, just. Mane? just no Firminho? For a couple of games, maybe. For an extended period? No. Salah? No So in summary; we need to wrap the following players in cotton wool: TAA Robbo VvD Mane Firminho Salah Keep these players fit and manage their minutes and we win the league
Strangely I was just discussing this with my son. The usual names about who we should miss most, but he reckoned Fabinho would be the biggest miss for a prolonged period. Weve got players that can cover every position and do a job, but nobody like fab that can do what he does. Compare last year, constant moans and groans about the team not being able to move forward because the ball constantly bounced off Henderson back to the centre backs. One of our biggest gripes solved and so easily that you dont even notice how good he is.
Don’t get me wrong...he’s very good and would be a miss. But we won nearly all of the games when Hendo played there. Fab didn’t even get a look in until after Christmas really. So for me, a miss? Yes. irreplaceable? No.
Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Mané #confirmed #irreplaceable Firmino - irreplaceable in his role, would change the system if missing
If you had to narrow it down to just one then it's definitely VVD, no contest. Extend that one to two and it's Trent. Three, Firmino. Four, Salah......
I think the irreplacables list will be pretty uniform from most of us, but to rank it will see lots of different interpretations. For me; 1 VvD 2 Mane 3 Firm 4 Salah 5 TAA 6 Robbo 7 Fab
Prioritising? Ffs. Why didn’t I think about that 1 VvD 2 Firmino hohoho 3 TAA/Robbo (can’t split them) 4 Mane 5 Salah Please forgive me
It’s going to be the same players, different places for most of us (except VvD who is clearly god like)
I also look at the games where we haven't had certain players and we've done alright. Barcelona at home springs to mind. Having Alisson out for a few has probably altered people's perspectives on how irreplaceable he is. Although that said, I wouldn't like to chance him going out again. We've changed massively since his arrival and his presence gives the defence a lot more confidence.
Agree that Allison and Fabinho should be on the list. Whilst we won games without them, they add more steel, more composure and just world class quality. We bought both after the Kiev and they have taken us to the next level.
He wasn't that good a player when he was younger, can't see him doing much at this level at his age...
The reality is that we are the best side in the premiership. And although we don't want it to happen we can afford to lose one or two players for a few matches. Even dare I say it VVD. I am more worried about fatigue which can affect the whole team. And this is where Klopp's player management, team selection and substitution during matches will be crucial. He's been excellent at this so far so fingers crossed this will not be an issue. We are definitely winning the title this season. Even hard nosed pundits are coming round to accepting that unless something really unforeseen and dramatic happens its ours to lose.