03 Jun 2017 13:25:44
Despite not being players I would chose, I am going to try and make sense of the Salah and VVD interest seeing as they are looking likely to happen.
Salah is a player who get's very easily smothered when the tempo is high and he is put under pressure. His first touch is inconsistent due to the fact he doesn't look around him before he receives the ball. It is okay in Italy where teams sit off you, but in England teams get in your face. However, the best team in England for pressing is Liverpool. So if he is training against that kind of pressure every day, going into a game against teams not as good at it should be easier for him. It is the only important side of his game he is particularly weak in. He is electric, great eye for goal, clever movement etc. His crossing could be better but that is more the full backs job nowadays. I think Klopp could improve him in pre-season and have him playing better by August.
On Van Dijk, people accuse him of being poor positionally which is right and wrong. His position sense is actually quite good, but he is like a young Luiz in that he just has these mad runs occasionally from his own box into the opposition half. This is purely because he wants to get involved in the play. At Southampton where they sit deep that is difficult for him, but at Liverpool were we press high he can get involved without leaving his defence 30 yards behind him. As for his awareness, that really is no worse than any of our current players, but he at least has the pace to recover.
Both players need a bit of work, but so did Gini and Mane and Klopp got them firing. Onwards and upwards lads.
03 Jun 2017 14:30:38
Salah was plan B and I am convinced why Klopp wanted Brandt instead. Two different players completely. One relies heavily on pace and the other more intelligent and tricky in getting past players.
KDB vs Leroy Sane. Both plays on the flanks but possess different attributes.