Match Day Thread Vs Southampton (H)

Although I agree that Phillips could have a really good career with a "lesser" PL team, I'd rather we kept him for now. The injuries to our CBs have been ridiculous and there's no guarantee that we won't need him again next season. He's not the quality we want, but he's a solid "backs to the wall" defender.
This season has surely taught us that we need more than the current 3 serious candidates for these 2 positions, and I don't see us bringing in more than one or two of a level good enough to replace our first choices.
Whether we like it or not, if we have to fall back on the reserves, Phillips isn't a bad option to have.

 

We need to have at least 4 experienced centre backs - VVD, Gomez, Konate and hopefully Kabak. Would be good to keep Matip as well .

After this season, we should never have to be using Phillips or Williams again. Maybe in cup competitions but nothing more than that. Reason for selling Phillips is that his stock will be at its highest this summer and we need money.

 

....?

 

And therein lies the problem. Our second 11 do not have the quality or experience required. Whereas City’s 2nd is ridiculous.

 

They're not exactly experienced

 

You're confusing Experience with Age.

Gomez has literally won the CL and PL with us and formed one of the best centre back partnerships we have seen at the club.

Konate has played around 8000 minutes of top flight football in the Bundesliga (only 21)

Kabak has around 6000 minutes in both Turkey and Bundesliga (only 21)

They may not be the finished article but they are talented defenders who have played at a high level already, and are much better suited to our style of play - and that's the crucial part.

 

I agree about Gomez. However, he may never be the same player.

regarding Kabak and Konate....6000 minutes is 66 games in a league that is nowhere near as competitive as the PL. I’d say that (and 8000 minutes) is very inexperienced.

 

Nope. They have good experience for their age but they're not experienced.

 

True about Gomez, that's why I think Matip could be kept.

Konate and Kabak have played a lot of minutes for their age - most youngsters and even older players haven't played that many. The quality of the league is questionable but still at a high level. Compared to Nat Phillips who is 24-25 but only had 1000 minutes of top flight experience (basically this is all of his games this season lol).

I doubt we sign an older defender to partner VVD when it looks like Konate is close. I think we will see VVD + Konate, with Gomez and Kabak rotating.

And also, dont' forget about our most experienced defender - VVD ...

 

Milner is very experienced. But that doesn't mean he's good and should be starting every match lol.

Of course, they need more time to develop but they have a solid base. For their age, they have played significant games at a very good level. We've seen Trent and Gomez develop to exceptional levels.

And it helps to have someone like VVD next to them though.

 

Never said otherwise

 

Konaté is an unknown quantity - many a promising player has come unstuck in our league. Even Kabak is still on probation and we don't yet know how well he'll turn out. Getting rid of players before their replacements are secure is bad management, imo.
I'm assuming Matip will go because everyone keeps saying so. Gomez and Virgil might not recover fully, or might go down again. A couple of injuries later, we'll be thin on the ground and you'll be complaining about it and saying we should have seen it coming.

 

Of course selling before we buy is daft. But we have to sell. It's our clubs ethos under FSG - sell to buy. Konate may flop but we can't persist with the likes of Phillips and Williams because we're too scared that a potential target will flop.

 

At the end of the day - our main centre backs next should be VVD, Gomez, Konate + Kabak / Matip. 4 or 5 talented centre backs, who are good in the air, confident on the ball and defend large spaces.

Phillips and Williams should never be used unless we want to play them in meaningless cup games.

 

I wasn't disputing that, just pointing out that injuries could mean we have to.

 

Why is why we need to sign at least 2 centre backs this summer lol

 

Even with K&K, it might not be enough.
I think we're going round the houses a bit on this one. Let's just accept you want Phillips gone, and I think we keep him for now.
Makes no odds what we think anyway.

 

I wouldn't mind keeping Phillips just as a last resort back up but I am thinking more about raising funds. If we can get away with not having to sell, then fair enough,

 

Imo we need to keep in mind two things.

First fsg will always make do.

Second the club have already let be known none of the first choice forwards are going but one is coming in.

Can debate what we like about cbs but Matip has a contract out to 2024 so forget him going.

Shaqiri, origi, minamino, ox are all more likely to be available to clubs to pick up cheap. Same for grujic and Wilson and the like.

Gomez can cover trent as well so irrespective of fitness he will be useful to klopp.

I expect 2 or 3 players max in with several going and some youthful look to things as well.


Alisson, kelleher (if klopp forgives)
Trent Williams.
Konate matip gomez
Vvd (this is going to be an issue)
Robertson tsimikas
Fabinho (another issue here)
Henderson jones
Thiago Milner
Salah Elliott
Firmino . Someone in
Mane jota.

Not sure about keita as he will be hard to shift. Ox is open to offers

The konate rumour is specific enough and without the scatter gun approach so I think he will