18 May 2018 09:51:02
Hi All,

with Macca breaking the internet, thought i might as well start another debate!

Strikers currently on the books are Firmino, Ings, Solanke, Sturridge, Origi, Brewster.

Now obviously these all can't be vying for one place. so just wanted to here your thoughts on what we should do?

My opinion is: Firmino, Origi, Brewster.

Sell Ings, whilst he works hard and is very impressive how he has got back from such bad injuries he needs to move to get regular game time, Maybe a love story back to burnley?

Sturridge again has so much talent at his feet but age and injuries have caught up with him, he needs to move on as well. possibly Newcastle or abroad maybe Sevilla if we aren't too ambitious with price.

Solanke, for me this is a tough one, i know a number of people think he isn't very good. but i disagree his movement off the ball, work rate, first touch, hold up play are already decent for a man who is only 20. yes he hasn't scored that many goals but the majority of the time he has been given 3 minutes at the end of the game. i think a loan to either a top championship side or premier league team would be beneficial to get that experience.

Origi, god i just have an emotional attachment to this guy, i don't know why he seems to have so much potential that he just isn't using as well anymore. I think we should keep him as he seems to be a decent option off the bench that could offer something different. i also think he is someone who would offer good link up to our current front 3.

brewster, as sad and a little suprising it seems as though he is going to move on to get first team football. i hope he stays and i don't understand why he is so worried about regular game time at an age where most boys are dribbling over girls.

i don't think we need to bring in anyone directly in a strikers role. as we have enough options to cope (including a new wide player who along with salah and mane and possibly fekir, or equivalent, we have enough options up top) .

inviting all opinions and suggestions!

1.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 10:00:55
I think Ings is proving to be something different to Firmino when that isn’t working.
I’d keep him over Origi. If anyone is going to get the best out of him I think it’s Klopp.
That can be said about the others of course but I think Danny has proven he’s chance at the club above others.

2.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 10:25:57
For me it would be bobby, rotating with Fekir and mane. Brewster getting some cup games

Sell ings, studge, origi.
Loan out solanke.

3.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 10:41:52
Sturridge will struggle to find a move anywhere with his injury record, look how many games he was available for West Brom, a fit Sturridge could easily have been the difference in them staying up but couldn't stay fit. Clubs will think twice about paying the 20 mil or so we'll want and he still has a year on his deal I believe? Maybe West Ham will come in with a bid when they start to panic late in the window as always.

4.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 10:48:03
Solanke needs to stay, after his performance the other day he showed he's capable and I have been a doubter of his for a while but I saw something I thought I'd never see from him the other day and it was class, the lad needs time and minutes, he can be really beneficial to us if he puts in more performances like that.

{Ed002's Note - So you want him gone, then he has a good game and he must stay. Another bad game and you will be joining those Liverpool who have given him significant abuse on Twitter according to his stepfather. Fickle.}

5.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 11:03:39
Whilst i love Ings work rate and determination, I don't think he fits in fluidly with the way we play at the front. he runs a lot but strategic pressing less so.

He is 25 now and i think even though he has got over his injuries he is not someone who i feel confident about if we need someone to come off the bench.

Origi before he left showed flashes of potential 10 goals in consecutive seasons isn't a bad return.

lets not forget it was his choice to leave as he wanted regular first team football rather than being second fiddle to firmino.

6.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 11:05:29
I never once said I wanted him gone? I've been a doubter of his in the past and said how he's shown no signs of improvement but I've never said I wanted him gone.

{Ed002's Note - You are a Liverpool fan - so you are fickle.}

7.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 11:25:35
Firmino is the only one who is 100% safe on that list in my opinion.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of the others sold or sent on loan if a suitable backup striker can be found.
Solanke needs time on loan I think, can’t help but feel we are stifling his development right now.

8.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 11:58:34
Striker is a tricky one - do we buy a strong no.2 to Firmino to change games if required or or a generalist forward? I am certain we need an impact player off the bench as the gap from Mane, Firmino, Salah to Ings is just too great as it stands but I’m not 100% convinced it has to be a striker. We are so fluid upfront, we score goals from any one of our front three, and Mane/ Salah can easily play striker too.

I’d therefore personally go for Mane, Firmino, Salah as starting and then spend big on the best possible player that can play anywhere upfront. We have just as many problems if we lose Mane/ Salah as Firmino so a player that can play wide too is critical. After that, I’d be fine with Solanke being our no. 5 in the pecking order and then use Wilson and Woodburn as 6 and 7 in the pecking order to cover the front three roles in case of an injury crisis.

9.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 12:33:23
sorry Salah I'm going to have to call you out on this.

I remember a few posts from you saying he wasn't going to make it at liverpool in your eyes and just didn't think he was good enough.

whether you directly said you want him out or not is irrelevant, you had written him off and then after 1 good performance have completely flipped your opinion. that is definition of fickle.

sorry mate, I like you as a poster but had to call you on that.

10.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 12:06:18
Come now, Ed. If you had said, 'you are a football fan - so you are fickle', I could see you weren't just trying to be antagonistic.

{Ed002's Note - Try not to be a complete cretin.}

11.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 12:52:02
No need to apologise 87 mate, you are right, I was against him and his future at Liverpool, I honestly never saw a future for him at Liverpool. I thought it'd end up been another one of them, he'd be sent out on loan and forgotten.

I hold my hands up to that but yes after one performance I have changed my opinion because I think it matters, the formation was different and he was made for it, if that is going to happen more often he will do well. End of the day I was wrong for writing the lad off so early and I'm willing to give him more of a chance because I now believe there's quality there.

12.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 12:58:47
That’s fair mate.

13.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 14:13:33
Just to add my thoughts;
Sturridge - unfortunately I think his time has passed. Injury’s look to have got the better of him so should probably move on and hope that a regular start and game management may help help back to his best. He’s on high wages I think so should go.
Origi - let’s be fair it’s not really worked for the lad so for the good of his career should also go.
Solanke - should stay, he’s a young kid and has shown some promise. If he wants more regular game time than we can provide him right now then we shouldn’t stand in his way either. For me though he stays.
Brewster - same as Solanke.
Ings - I so desperately want to see him stay and succeed. He can work the press when fit and I think is a decent option off the bench. He’s a player that deserves to be a first team player somewhere though so only keep him if he wants to stay and I hope he does.

14.) 18 May 2018
18 May 2018 15:06:08
I’d say sell or loan ings, I think he could still come good but not to a capacity where he would displace firmino. He could become an integral part of the squad but needs regular game time for next season, so either one would make sense for both parties.

I’d loan Solanke, he is a more natural striker, I rate ings and origi over him but I think with his age he could improve given regular game time at a decently high level. As you said, a loan to a top championship side or a premier league side would do him some good. Not sure what the future holds for him at Liverpool though, that is down to him.

I’d keep origi for next season, if that’s even an option as it was said he was definitely on his way this summer. If there’s a way back for him then I think he would be a good option off the bench, a better one than ings and Solanke have been. His natural attributes fit our system more than the others do. If he could just work on his movement and finishing a bit more then he has the future potential of being our number 1 striker, like Solanke.

With sturridge, my heart says keep, my brain says move on. I think his football career is all but done, a resurgence at any club would be a miracle for me, his body just can’t cope at this level. I’m not sure if the highest level of sports science somewhere in the world would even help him, but maybe they have something at some other club that would help him get on the pitch more often. I would love to keep him if he could actually play half the season, as he’s a better option than any others on the list. It’s a shame, but we’ve seen this in football many times.

I know nothing about Brewster but I know he’s highly rated so like you, if he’s willing to stay, might as well keep him as third choice in the first team.