09 Jan 2018 21:09:07
Seen a bit about how this is the scenario we found ourselves in when selling suarez, but I have to disagree. When Suarez left we needed to rebuild a squad so spread the cash lightly to get number in whereas now we have a relatively strong squad and just need a sprinkling of top quality to push the club to the next level. I trust whoever the club and Klopp decide to replace couts and if it isn’t until the summer so be it. Couts didn’t want to stay so we had to bite the bullet and let him go but I believe we have enough quality left in the squad to get top four even if no one else does the Melwood lean this winter.

1.) 09 Jan 2018
09 Jan 2018 21:18:43
Spot on WYred.

2.) 09 Jan 2018
09 Jan 2018 21:30:57
I completely agree mate. Everyone thinks we're just trying to discredit Rodgers, but Suarez literally was a one man team (though if we're fair, Rodgers still got a group of otherwise average players around him to do an adequate support job for 6 months) . No other player in Premier league history has scored over 30 goals without taking penalties, as far as i am aware. He got 23 assists on top of his 31 goals. It was the best season from an individual that i have ever seen in English football, and if it's ever bettered I'll be amazed.

Coutinho was an unwelcome distraction and our win percentage without him has been 30% better than with him so far this season. I am excited for the rest of the season. Tough game up next to be fair, but we're on the edge of something special in my opinion. I personally think we're the closest to Man City out of all the English sides, and when Ed025 (a blue nose) is also saying we're the second best team, you know we're not just delusional this time 😂

I think we're just keeper away, once Keita has joined.

3.) 09 Jan 2018
09 Jan 2018 21:44:41
I think it's more like 3 players, a keeper a DM and a no 10 if firmino stays up top.

4.) 09 Jan 2018
09 Jan 2018 22:04:26
Honestly i don't see us bringing in a direct replacement for the little fella in this window. But i honestly believe we have enough quality to stay at the top of the table without him.

The key is to continue with the teamwork and battling spirit and keeping salah fit.

Vvd will also be key in helping us to be more solid at the back and not being as nervy in tight games. He brings a vocality that we have sorely missed and presence.

The future is bright whether we replace the wee tyke this window or not. Bring on city.

5.) 09 Jan 2018
09 Jan 2018 22:11:52
We need another keeper, another cb and a cm.
My opinion only.

{Ed025's Note - a striker with a 25+ goal tally would be nice as well phil..

6.) 09 Jan 2018
09 Jan 2018 22:13:05
Klopp won't play with a natural DM for some reason, but i take your point about a creative player. Not necessarily a number 10, but a player who can unlock a deep defence with intricate play. Ceballos may be that player one day to be fair, and in the short term Keita and Chamberlain are both creative players. I'd still like Lemar as well.

All i meant is that if we sign a top keeper, i think we will start challenging. There will always be room for further improvement though.

7.) 09 Jan 2018
09 Jan 2018 22:21:31
I'd say we're 5 signings away from a realistic challenge to Pep's Man City - and all need to be top notch 1st 11 quality.

Goalkeeper
Center-half to play with VvD
Coutinho replacement
Midfield pivot to compliment Keita
Striker.

8.) 09 Jan 2018
09 Jan 2018 22:30:03
I agree mostly Den. Who plays with Keita? Where do the midfield goals come from? We need to keep the ball a lot better.

Who plays in the front 3 when someone doesn't play?

Harsh but true
Lallana's last good game was Boro away over a year ago. Gini hasn't had a good game all season (our worst outfield player this year) .

Can going
Milner probably going

We need a lot more than a keeper and Keita.

9.) 09 Jan 2018
09 Jan 2018 22:44:21
Ed25 hasn't Firmino got 16 already this season? I'd say he's on for 25+.

10.) 09 Jan 2018
09 Jan 2018 22:48:33
We don’t need another striker, firmino is class and opens up the game for other players with his constant harrassing of defender. I would have Gomez at cb with VVD. So a couts replacement is all we need imo and reassess the keeper situation in the summer provide karius has the jersey until then.

We need to realise we are not city and cannot offer a Sanchez (just an example) 200 grand a week to rotate with four other players. In order to compete we need a very strong 11 with players capable of filling in with injuries then fill out the squad with youngsters who we are willing to trust if called upon.
We are far closer to challenging city (not this season) then some people think but the main change needs to be the mentality of the club that no matter who we play we believe we will win.

11.) 10 Jan 2018
10 Jan 2018 00:09:16
Walls, when people usually talk about 20+ striker they're just referring to league goals and, at current rate, Bobby won't hit that.

Having said that we do have Salah who's well on track to getting 25 or more. We need a top class goalscorer, we have one.

12.) 10 Jan 2018
10 Jan 2018 00:16:24
Spot on, we are no longer a 1 man team and losing Coutinho was never ever going to have the impact of losing Suarez.
He made everybody around him look quality because he could make magic out of any situation .
I will never ever ever forget his goal against Newcastle assisted by Enrique, iirc it came out that at half time he actually told Enrique to just launch it up to him if he got the chance. it’s like he could see the future and it was the same with many of his goals for us he just knew where a pass was going, or where a team mate was going to run xD


Anywaayy, Why the hell do people still think we need a striker? The front 3 we have is one of the most dangerous in football when it clicks for them 😂

We have lallana back and the Ox for this new t bit (and Keita coming in the summer)
But what we will miss from Couts, is his direct running at the opposition which makes defenders panic and distracts them from the front 3s movements.
That is what we need to replace.

Obviously we need a Goalkeeper, and i’m still uncertain about Moreno and Robertson to be honest. If they both merged it would be great, Moreno is better going forward and Robertson is better defensively but we need both in the one player 😂.

13.) 10 Jan 2018
10 Jan 2018 00:30:05
25 goal+ goal striker. you know something ed lol.
Honestly think are front 3 are fine. and like firmino up there, another striker with the goals already in team is a pathway blocker.
Of coarse when we buy one I'll be delighted lol.

14.) 10 Jan 2018
10 Jan 2018 06:23:36
I disagree WYred, 'spreading the cash lightly' amongst lots of new ordinary players never, ever works if you want to be competitive. It failed miserably for Liverpool, it failed miserably for Spurs the year before Liverpool did it, and it has failed miserably for Milan this season. I was in utter dismay at how much people were hyping up Milan during pre-season - apart from Bonucci, they essentially signed a whole bunch of nobodies.

What Liverpool, Spurs and Milan should have done is reinvested their sale proceeds into two to four top quality players in high priority positions. A squad with a sprinkling of top quality will always beat an average squad with lots of quantity.

15.) 10 Jan 2018
09 Jan 2018 23:12:17
It only works WYred if there are real quality players moving into the space. I think that has been proven time and time again. When Salah or Mane doesn't play it doesn't work.

Walls Ed25 is talking about league goals where Firminho will get his usual 15 goals. He needs to start doing it in the big games starting on Sunday and help turn the draws into wins. let's hope he can do it. It is no good just running around and waiting for other players to win the game. I am waiting and wanting Firminho to win us games, I have never seen it.

Let's see we will find out all we need to know about the squad in the next 5 months. Who has the quality and who has the spirit.

{Ed025's Note - to be fair mark firmino has scored his fair share, but i still think a prolific scorer would be the order of the day mate..

16.) 10 Jan 2018
10 Jan 2018 07:02:00
Where will that striker play?

{Ed025's Note - im guessing up front.... im thinking central with mane and salah wide and firmino just behind mate..

17.) 10 Jan 2018
10 Jan 2018 08:25:01
That would be my choice Ed. In some games the current system works great, but when you change players like swoop Salah for the Ox it is never going to work.

Fabregas played false 9 it worked because Messi scored the goals. It wouldn't work if say Rooney and his caravan where coming through. No offence Ed.

{Ed025's Note - none taken mate..