Transfer Rumours Transfer Rumours thread

I think that is too simplistic
It’s the knock on effects

our entire team is geared up to play one way so when we lose two of the three we are always going to struggle while the players work out new ways and get used to ways of those playing in the team with them now.
However the strange thing to me is - AFCON was not unexpected and yet we don’t appear to have attempted anything to lessen the probable impact of losing players to that tournament
It’s strange
I don’t think we are seriously looking at league this season As a club
I think we are looking at top four and a cup as targets

 

Coutinho anyone?

 

And all our pace

 

all true.

There is only plan a. doesn't matter who is available or not when a team parts the bus we have no answer.

Yes you are right we all knew last june ACON was coming and who was going so we have minamino and origi taking up squad spaces still. both should have been flogged off and new players brought in.

Theres no way we buy for a 3/4 week period but its equally true we all know hand on heart minamino and origi are not up to it period.

again jota comes in and perofrms and gets games. if you use the excuse who would come and not be assured games then you'd never buy anyone. Players who have not the confidence to grab a starting slot simply are not up to it anyway

 

I don't remember the exact wordage, but didn't Shankly once make some comment about tactics being something for the weaker team to worry about.


/ No I'm Not suggesting we don't get a plan B.

 

Absolutely. Our owners are set up to qualify for top 4 and that's it. They are not arsed about trophies or anything like that. They want Klopp to keep delivering to top 4 on a budget.

We needed a CB last year when we got rid of Lovren. But decided to wait a year.

We needed a midfielder when we got rid of Gini. But probably will get one this summer.

We've needed another attacker for a while. And it won't be long before we need someone to cover / challenge Trent.

We're always playing catch up. Constantly waiting a year to address issues - at the same time, new issues will arise and players get older. We're wasting the prime years of several truly world class players;

As you say, everyone said before the season that midfield was a concern without Gini. Lo and behold, Thiago is out injured and we're now having to rely on unreliable players to fill the gap. We knew AFCON was coming. We knew injuries and covid would be around.

Prior to winning the CL, our club was being run brilliantly. Finding quality players, spending money (albeit on the back of Coutinho sale), being smarter than our rivals. Since then, we've just slipped so far and it sickens me because City aren't as good as two years ago. They're completely beatable yet we decided to fall off.

We were in prime position where we only needed to add 2-3 players each year to keep the squad fresh. Now, I fear that we do need a significant rebuild this summer.

To win 1 CL and 1 PL is not enough for this club - Klopp and these players deserved more.

 

Not looking too good on the cup front at the moment

 

Agree we shouldn't be buying purely to cover a 3/4 week period but we've needed long term replacements for a while now. You can argue Jota is the Bobby replacement but we needed someone to cover Mane and Salah Fingers crossed we get Raphinha.

 

I have no problems with our Plan A of style - it's bloody good. However, it's only good when we have ALL of our first teamers available. We're literally missing Thiago from midfield and it went to sh*t. We've not won a meaningful game since he got injured (1 win in last 6 I believe and that was vs Shrewsbury!).

 

…..if the seagulls follow the trawler…

 

We need PACE. All of it is currently in Africa

 

Plan A is fine if it's good enough and you have the players for it. We do. We don't have replacement players who are good enough.

The sad thing is, and Jimmy said the same somewhere above, is that we all know this and crave just one or two additions each season to build on the amazing team we have. However, the board clearly don't feel it's necessary. I know it's easy to quote one of the many occasions Klopp has said he's "happy with the squad he has" but a blind man can see that Origi and Minamino are just ****e. Anyone can see we need better depth. He's just giving the PR response all managers are trained to give.

Naturally any team in the world would miss Salah and Mane, but there was literally no alternative to them who we could play last night. No wide pace in the team. Jota up top with some pace on the flanks (and Trent doing his job by staying wide) and we could have won that game. Slow bodies and a slow, uninspiring midfield was predicted and is exactly what we get. If we see it, Klopp sees it. Owners don't give a damn.

 

I genuinely believe Klopp is happy not to buy two players each year too. Can you see him accepting it if he wasn't?

 

If we don't start buying players soon in a few years "senior players" is going to have a different meaning.

 

Won't be a problem for Klopp, he'll be back in Germany

 

I'm sure he likes to make a team, not just buy one.

 

Well then he's an idiot

The single thing he should have learned out of drotmund 7 years is teams go stale and age. Paisley watched shankley make the same mistake and never did himself. Dalglish made thr exact same error form 1989 to 1991. Too loyal to too many players.

Ferguson has been ruthless right through his utd tenure though as an extreme example.over time.

Klopps built a team at anfield but he is going to oversee its demise too as he is overloyal to squad and is going to be looking back at his side having flopped.

For where we are we are headed more towards 6th than 1st

 

It’s what separate the great to the very best. Great coaches build a team, the very best are able to build teams and then rebuilt them. Love or hate him. Ferguson knew when he needed to rebuild and move players on. He then knew when he needed to do it again and instead brought RVP for one last swansong before ****ing off and leaving United in the ****ter with a squad that needing some serious change.

 

What does that have to do with what I said?

 

Also depends on resources. Klopp would do fine, just got nothing to spend