Lucky will deffo be sold by Chelsea to make way for haaland. Pogba will walk on a free, and join messi at psg.
Hmm. I'm reminded of that 'Supercomputer' that the papers use to project league winners with x amount of games left. Pretty certain it has us winning the league last December, before we imploded. Maybe we should just let the computer calculate the winners and not bother playing football Just the same as any manager then, when a computer gets things wrong, like Keita, maybe, it's 'unlucky'. And the jury is still out on Thiago. I'm wondering - do Southampton and Leicester (and maybe Norwich) use supercomputers and algorithms?
We do not use computers to make decisions we use data to help humans make decisions. Keita was bought for his ability for our first team and at 55mil he was bought to do that farily instantly and not have 100mil resale. The human buying him was convinced by all the talents he has to play defensively, to dribble on the ball to pass and to make interceptions. They missed his injury prone nature. We take our time and weigh a guy up then move often watching and waiting to see how a guy goes in a bigger club. The doku links for example, they sound increasingly desperate for attention however, we were looking at him 3 years ago at anderlecht. He has a tour of melwood and decided he wasn't ready them moved to rennes which is barely a step up. It would make sense to me that he might be a target but he also smells of bad agent. Will we buy him, who knows. But I do know a human will decide not a computer.
kane rumours are deliberately timed to throw the spurs camp into chaos before the big game. spurs have held up city's ambitions here by not wanting to see kane in a city shirt at WHL, its payback time. 120mil sterling or may 90mil plus sterling
You need to separate what an entity outside the club does with a computer from what we do with our data lead approach to running the club. You also need to understand that we are run more like a software startup where you iterate and make improvements from the mistakes and errors that we make which fail but fail forward. You learn more in failure than you will ever learn in success as by eliminating the errors, you achieve close perfection. What I always find interesting is how people will pick Keita who is the exception rather than the rule in how even the best intentions can go wrong. His is one of a fitness issue and therefore we can now iterate and improve the models to validate parameters that were not included in his signature. The club even went ahead and hired Andreas Schlumberger who is a fitness and recovery expert to salvage not just Keita but assist players recover and avoid recurrent injuries. This is what we do i.e. continuous improvement. You mention Thiago another player who has been criticized using a population sample where he lacked a pre-season, got covid, had Richarlison almost end his season, and by the time he was coming back, he found a team in disarray. It is easy to criticize what happened last season if you do not apply context. All I am asking is that we allow the club to do what it does and success will not be far from the corner. Avoid making references to what was done in the past and accept we live a different one. If you have time have a look at these articles and videos on Liverpool and their data approach. They will give you a good insight into some of the happenings at the club. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/22/magazine/soccer-data-liverpool.html
They didn't miss his injury prone nature because at that point, he didn't have an injury record. It's such a shame because on paper, he is the perfect most Klopp player.
Our recruitment and talent spotting is arguably the best in the business. Our team of scouts, brainiacs, rocket scientists are incredible and we pretty much have a 90% hit rate which incredible because the average is usually around 50%. I'm at the point where if they identify a player, I will automatically be excited because I have faith that player fits our profile and has the potential to grow. You only have to look at Jota as a prime example.
but he had a few. you are right though on paper he suited klopp "like an arse on a bucket" especially the high up midfield pressing and interceptions. Imo he is very very very good at that.
the hit rate is good cos they wait a very long time to be sure but equally they seem myopic as they have missed some absolutely blindingly obvious opportunities and gone back after the price has trebled. Its time to be a bit more aggressive imo and exploit the loan system and MALAGA (if FSG buy them) put all the buys in there then move them up here after testing them out. the example is doku. Send him there for 3/4 mil 2 years ago not pay 40mil to get him today (if his agents stuff is to be beleived)
I get what you're saying but I think our staff feel more comfortable paying a premium on a player after they have 1-2 years playing at a higher level, rather than paying a cheaper price and getting him in sooner. I suppose if you buy Doku now - the pros are that we will be cheaper now but then he won't be playing regularly therefore could be halting his progress. Whereas if you buy him next year, the risk is that he will cost double but then you know he is performing at a high level (consistently). It's an interesting balance ... but one thing is for sure, we're at least targeting the right players. Whether we buy them now or next year, whether they are cheap or expensive, we are certain that they are the right profile for this club.
I think even now doku is too much of a risk, so he is effectively priced out. We are lacking a few grujics imo. We have 40mil in revenue normally to spend on players and people want 75mil players to be bought. the only way is the chelsea model but "legally", we just don't have any stock left. You are right about guys not playing regularly. hence the loan and profit game. If FSG do get malaga cheap and can stock it with some of the more players we look at then the spanish school is a very very good one indeed. for me i am looking at us thinking ox and elliott as subs for salah as salah is like suarez, he wants to play every minute no matter whats up. at least the two can now kick about in midfield to keep sharpish. Mane and jota and minamino and firmino are similar.
Transfers aside, you also have to look at the role of the Academy. Trent, Jones, Elliot, Kelleher and Neco Williams will have cost peanuts to develop but are helping keep our wage and transfer costs down. Just need to see what United paid for Wan Bisssaka. There is a batch of new lads specifically U18 who at least 2 will make it IMO. It is looks to be a hybrid of expensive signings, undervalued players in the market and academy graduates who will help keep the wage down during their progress
The other aspect is the oil dopers seem to be looking at the homegrown rule like its about to change and have been buying up over priced English ****e (ake and grealish for example) Having Elliott and Gordon and others who count as he is good but they have to actually be good enough. Sadly Clarkson for example who could pass for fun all day is just nowhere near the physical level required
Some very exciting youngsters coming through: Mateusz Musialowski, Balagazi, Keide Gordon are the 3 for me. Jones is already established, Elliot and Kelleher are with the first team as well. I can't see Neco making it though.
Brilliant post. It's so good to read balanced, well thought out comments. Speaking of which, where is Frank these days?
Theres fuss about magic musili but i don't think he is quite at the level klopp expects or he thinks he is. he needs a good season of development this year in u23s and then turned out on loan. Gordan is rapid and a good buy. Balagazi is bascially competing with elliott and gordan then so something will give there. just like when ince, sterling and ibe were all at once. You are right neco is the weak link of our squad. If you said to me tomorrow we are stuck playing elliott at RCM i'd say ok fine he wil do a job but if you said we are stuck with neco for 3 months I could see us getting reamed game after game as he hasn't quite got the basics imo, his defending is suspect.
