18 Aug 2021 10:37:15
Shaq and Origi out Sarr in?
Can anyone tell me much about Sarr?
My concern is CM, strengthening there is vital, more so than attacker as Minamino could stay and play.
Have we given up on a cm?


1.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 11:33:40
I have reservations over signing Sarr because of his involvement in the AFCON coming up.

If we were to move on Shaqiri, Origi and Minamino that is all well and good on paper. Elliott can replace Shaq, and Ox can play further forward which covers the minimal gametime Minamino gets. And Sarr would therefore replace Origi.

The problem is that when Mane, Salah and Sarr go to the AFCON we'll be hit very hard up top. Ox and Elliott can possibly cover, but keep in mind we'll lose Keita in midfield so they might be required to support there too. So we could end up with only Jota and Firmino up front for a few games.

Maybe Kaide Gordon could come in and bolster the numbers during the AFCON as it is only a handful of games. It just concerns me a little bit. Imagine one of Jota or Firmino got injured during that period (injuries are more common in the Winter) . Titles can't be won in a handful of games, but they can be lost. It'd definitely jeopardise our chances in the domestic cups. Bowen is the best option on the table all things considered but even Traore at least gives us more of a fighting chance of navigating the winter fixture congestion without resorting to creative formations or tactics.

I have no issues with Sarr as an individual player. He's not far behind Bowen, if at all. He's definitely better than Traore. I'm just not sure it makes much sense in terms of improving squad depth short term. Maybe i'm underestimating the faith in Kaide Gordon, and the club see the AFCON as his chance to get minutes in the early cup rounds or off the bench in the league.

I'll trust Edwards and Klopp whatever they decide.


2.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 11:41:49
Mk good post that mate. Only thing I’d say is if the club had that much faith in Gordon or another youngster to be able to step in, in Jan then what would be the need to buy any of the 3 mentioned in the first place. I know it’s only a handful of games but I’m really concerned about losing Salah and Mane for the AFCON. It’s not that I don’t think Bobby and Jota can’t step up it’s just Mane and Salah are both massive components of our side and have been match winners so many times in the past.


3.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 12:24:36
Me too JK23. The AFCON runs from 9th January to 6th February. Now we may only have 2 League games in that time frame (Brentford at home on the 15th and Palace away on the 22nd) . However there will end up being cup games thrown into the mix. On top of that we play Chelsea on January the 1st. So when are Senegal and Egypt planning on meeting up at a training camp for the tournament? Hopefully no more than 8 days but consider that there could be C.V. isolation rules that mean they need to go earlier than usual.

Additionally there is a game for us on the 9th of February at home to Leicester and the 12th of February away to Burnley. So now say Senegal and Egypt meet in the final on the 6th, and they have to isolate for 1 week after getting back into the UK? That's worst case, 5 league games including huge games against Chelsea and Leicester.

Nobody can tell us what state the world will be in after next winter. Will a new C.V. Variant come out of nowhere which throws travelling in and out of the UK up in the air? Nobody can say with conviction that it will absolutely only be 2 league games we lose them for. Even if it is only 2, that still doesn't help with the domestic cups and that's still 6 points we have to fight fir without our 2 best goal scorers. It's always a banana skin month for us under Klopp anyway, but this year has a lot of cause for concern and signing Sarr doesn't really help us in the worst case scenario.

However, it'd arguably be silly to sign a lesser player like Traore just because of one January which might be impacted (AFCON might go back to the summer after this year) . It's not exactly good long term planning. Then of course on the flip side, C.V. might be long gone by Christmas, or Senegal and Egypt could both get knocked out in the first round so we have Salah and Mane back by the Palace game!

I'm glad it's Klopp's headache and not mine.


4.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 13:20:54
I’d say Sarr was ahead of Bowen because he’s got physicality as well as skill and end product. Mane thinks he’s something special so I’m happy to take that as a recommendation.


5.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 13:35:40
VVV, i think Sarr is better at creating goals for team mates and definitely quicker. But Bowen is a better finisher and probably presses slightly better. There's not much to split them overall. Both would be good signings but Bowen is seemingly not likely as per Ed002. If it's between Sarr and Traore, i'm leaning towards Sarr even with the AFCON coming up. Because i have very little faith in Traore's ability to improve. He's at his physical peak right now and if i'm brutally honest, i think his physique is all he has to his game. So where is the scope for improvement?


6.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 13:48:27
Only thing I would say MK while all of what you say is valid I doubt just the AFCON factor would influence the clubs decision. If they want Sarr over traore or Bowen they will go for them irrespective of the handful of games in January. Even though I agree it will leave the squad thin.

Also am I right in saying this is the last AFCON that will have an effect on the season right?

{Ed002's Note - It moves to the summer from 2023 but it could mean players not available for the first game of the season.}


7.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 13:54:43
Sarr? We can’t afford Deeney.


8.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 17:28:15
I’ve never understood the worry that some people have about players going to the AFCON, it’s for a handful of games and every team with African players are in the same boat.


9.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 16:42:21
MK, I’m definitely of the opinion that Sarr could reach the level of Mane, he’s a bright lad by all accounts too and tactically switched on, looks like a “Klopp player” plus the last winger we bought from Watford didn’t do too badly, can’t recall his name….


10.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 18:20:56
Sarr isn't coming, you can bet your house on it. Watford have said it would take a silly money offer to get him. They don't need to sell either. We are skint. Why can't people just believe that's our business done this season. Maybe January if things go to rubbish again but other than that FSG aren't putting any money into transfers as far as I can see. Plus i think our squad is good enough to compete on all fronts IF we stay relatively injury free.


11.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 20:03:31
Don’t know why people are wobbling over AFCON.

I personally am looking forward to Jota, Firmino, Minamino playing together.


12.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 20:16:04
I think Sarr has the potential to be a lot better than Bowen. I'd rather keep Shaq than spend £30-35M on Bowen, sign someone better then instead next summer when we have more money (we can't have less surely! ) .


13.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 20:16:21
With Traore out of my thinking for all the reasons Adam just mentioned (i’d be genuinely fuming if we signed him) it’s Bowen over Sarr all day long for me. I’ve never really seen any end product from Sarr that impressed me during his two seasons in english football. For example, did you know that more than half his assists last season were just penalties he won for other people? A lot of his goals were half scabby/ unimpressive too and that was in the championship.

Contrastingly, Bowen scored a lot more goals in the championship. He also played as a wide forward and was roughly the same age, but managed to do it in a struggling Hull side, compared to Sarr who had worse numbers in a Watford side that achieved automatic promotion. He is two footed, can play a number of positions across the front line and can allegedly play central midfield as well, so his flexibility will appeal to Klopp. He has Milner/ Kuyt levels of graft, which is one of the key reasons Klopp can’t put his trust in Shaqiri and Origi. He’s a reliable goal threat and loves a poachers finish, is consistently well placed for tap ins and rebounds and always keeps his shots hard and low. His creativity is far better than he has been given credit for, i’ve seen him put in some wicked deliveries with either foot and he can pick a pass just fine. On top of all that, he goes a long way to solving our homegrown/ AFCON headache, and is definitely a player you could trust to come off the bench to nick a goal in a big game, or be used to give one of the front three a rest against a team lower down the table. As previously mentioned, you can’t win the league in a few games, but you can lose it. I’d happily entrust Jarrod Bowen with leading the line in the absence of Salah and Mane, whereas Sarr would be joining them at AFCON. Obviously we shouldn’t be buying Jarrod Bowen just because of that, but it does help complete a clear picture of why Klopp might be keen to add him to our squad.


14.) 18 Aug 2021
18 Aug 2021 20:46:11
@AW, good post, I don't agree with your opinion on Bowen but you've paid out what you've seen in him and if we sign him then I hope you are spot on!

Personally, I think his right foot is a lot weaker as in I don't think he is clearly two footed. I also think he burned out very bad last season with his fitness and form falling off a cliff - I'd hope the face he would be a rotation player if he signed would mean this wouldn't happen with us though. Otherwise I just think he's a level below, like a year ago when I heard of us going for Jota I was a lot more excited about that as I thought he had more potential than what Bowen has now.

Couldn't see him in centre mid either unless it was the last 10mins and we had injuries or were incredibly stuck. I also don't think he's any good centre forward but I don't think we would need him to be - primarily he plays from the right and Salah could play central if both were to play together.