01 Feb 2018 09:23:29
Thought I'd chip in with my two cents.

Both Ings and Solanke can be our 'new signings' for the remainder of the season.

Neither have really contributed much to the season so far and hopefully they take a bit of confidence from the fact that Klopp rates them highly enough to not bring in more attacking players and fingers crossed they can step up when given the chance.

If they can contribute just 10 goals between them before the end of the season then that could be huge for us.

Also feel like Henderson can be really important to us if he stays fit for the rest of the season.

I'm glad we didn't make signings for the sake of it and hopefully the players we have now step up to the plate.

3rd at the end of January, every Liverpool fan would have taken that at the beginning of the season and I believe we can have a good finish to the season!

1.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 09:32:35
Good post mate.

2.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 09:56:28
99% agree.

Only thing i disagree on is the 10 goals part. Solanke and Sturridge played a combined 1,070 minutes in the clubs first 36 games of the season so far, scoring 3 and assisting 5 between them. We'll do well to play half that amount of games between now and the end of the season.

Unless we have an injury crisis or Klopp drastically changes the system, Ings and Solanke will probably only get 10-20 minutes as a sub, here and there. With us only having 13 league games left, and a maximum of 20 games in all competitions if we go all the way to the Champions league final, odds are they will be lucky to get 300 minutes of football, each. Therefore if they got 5 goals each, we're expecting them to score at a rate of approximately a goal every 60 minutes.

A much more realistic target would be about 4 goals as that would work out at a goal every 150 minutes which is all Sturridge was managing and about right for a 5th and 6th choice forward.

If they got 5 each I'd be over the moon! It's not really a realistic target though considering we're out of both domestic cups and they're therefore unlikely to start any games. They need 2 players of the first choice quartet to suffer long term injuries to have any hope of getting a decent run.

This is what people weren't considering when they were pining for more attacking depth. It simply wasn't and isn't necessary. Mane, Firmino, Salah and Ox is about £160-200m of forwards. Ings and Solanke will barely get a kick how it is. If they can just come of the bench, get involved and make a difference to 3 or 4 games, then that is more than enough. Back up forwards don't score many goals though, unless they get a sustained run due to cup competitions or an injury crisis.

Ox on the other hand, should get a lot more game time in the front 3 and attacking midfield with Coutinho gone. So he should be targeting another 4 goals to double his current tally, in my opinion.

3.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 10:07:52
Didnt realise we had so few games left!

Any contribution by the two of them will be great, a few goals could add some very important points for us.

We have arguably our hardest remaining game this weekend so fingers crossed they can get started against the Spuds!

4.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 10:09:02
Top post George. Ings looks like a caged lion when he hits the field, he's clearly hungry for goals. Hendo back at just the right time too. We're looking healthy for the remainder of this season. Sunday's game is a big one, we should be up for it. I hope we play Karius and the same pair of CBs going forward in all comps.

5.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 10:20:26
I think you’ve e over thought that one mk, given Lallana is out again; couts gone and sturridge now out on loan that’s 3 attacking players we would have used before these 2 earlier in the season. I think they will be getting a lot more game time from here on in.

6.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 10:27:22
10 goals? No chance I’m afraid.

Hope I’m wrong.

7.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 10:33:28
If we play well. and have some sort of point cushion in terms of top 4 then might be the main guys start in the champions league and solanke might get a few 80 or 90 minutes for games just after those matches. Lots of ifs but in a positive mindset with a result on sunday why not.

8.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 11:46:47
Swishcleaner, Lallana is out for a few weeks and didn't play at all in the first half of the season. Plus he plays midfield now so I'd disregard him in this discussion, personally.

Before this window, we had Coutinho, Firmino and Salah as starters. Mane was 4th choice. Ox was 5th. Sturridge was 6th. Solanke was 7th.

After this window, we have Mane, Firmino and Salah as starters. Ox as 4th choice. Solanke is 5th. Ings is 6th. Woodburn is 7th.

There is no overthinking here. You just can't expect players who will barely kick a ball to score that many and George has admitted he didn't realise we had so few games. Solanke and Ings will be 5th and 6th in the pecking order for about 17 games. In the previous 36 games our 5th and 6th choice players (Ox and Sturridge) got 7 goals. With half the games, it is only realistic to target half the goals. That is not rocket science or overthinking. It is common sense mate.

Basically, Coutinho and Sturridge leaving just created space for Ings and Woodburn to come out of the u23's and into the first team. Plus the players who were already in the pecking order got a promotion (of sorts) up the list.

Obviously, the loss of Coutinho and Sturridge damages our quality in depth marginally on paper. Ings and Woodburn are not as good and that is a fact. This is the chance for the other players (Mane, Ox, Solanke, Ings) to show why we spent about £100m on them, though. Maybe they will step up. If not, expect changes to be made in the summer. With 13-20 games left though, i really don't think it matters that much. There is plenty of attacking quality in this team. Salah and Firmino look well on course to score 60 between them.

9.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 12:19:37
I think Mane will play a big part in how well we finish the season. If he can rediscover last seasons form anything is possible.

I think it went wrong for him in the City away game with the sending off. He became a bit timid after. Up until that game he had been good.

Come on Mane your the main man, now is the time to prove it.

10.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 12:23:40
Firmino is not going to start the next 18 games or so - guaranteed. One of those two will get a lot more game time as Sturridge was earlier in the season. They are both still learning our style of play etc so it would make sense they were used less in the first half. ( obviously Ings wasn’t fit)

I wasn’t arguing about goals cos I don’t know- 1 goal could work wonders for either of them. But what I am fairly sure of is that with high intensity game going into that last part of the season they will be called on a lot more. Up to them if they take it or I would expect another striker to come in and both Ings and studge to leave permanently.

11.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 12:36:49
The 300 minutes i predicted would be about 2 starts and roughly 10 sub appearances each. Do you think they'll get more than that? I thought i was being ambitious on their behalf.

Bearing in mind that we only have a maximum of 20 games in about 100 days, i can't see rotation being a key factor. If Ings and Solanke play more than 600 minutes between now and May, I'll be amazed. Bobby should be capable of starting every game if he avoids injury. Even i could play 20 games in 3 and a half months! It might not be 20 games either, as although I'm backing us to win the CL, that is not a realistic target! Realistically we will probably beat Porto and then lose to Juventus in the next round!

12.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 12:52:40
Fair enough MK, we’ll just have to see. He was resting Firmino earlier in the season so I’m expecting to see at least then same, possibly more if he picks up anybody niggles ( I sincerely hope not! ) I’m hoping at least one of our sub strikers can step up with some goals when they are called upon!

13.) 01 Feb 2018
01 Feb 2018 15:02:20
Bear in mind that resting Firmino doesn't guarentee using Ings or Solanke more though - depending when and why he is rested, Klopp could just as easily move Mane or Salah central and play Chamberlin or Lallana out wide.

14.) 02 Feb 2018
02 Feb 2018 00:41:34
Your looking desperately for a positive and that's OK but realistically the players you mentioned are not going to elevate us as a side, solanke is just a kid and hopefully down the line could be a very good player, but it's unfair to throw pressure on him, ings was a great signing but sadly the injuries he's had are seldom recovered from fully and I doubt he'll reach his potential. Henderson just doesn't look the same player and I think the heel injury is still niggling him. If we have any significant injuries or suspensions then we're not equipped to cope. Fingers crossed we stay injury free, but I won't go into what I think or who I blame.