31 Aug 2021 19:38:20
Oops hit send to soon…part 2… I don’t think the others are strong enough for various reasons.
Then onto front 3 - Salah - the man is simply a football god! I go for firmino instead of Jota. I think jota has more goals in him, but I think with jota the cumulative front 3 goals would probably be less than firmino. I don’t know what the comparison is for the 2 sets of front 3’s if anyone has access to it, I’d love to see that and cumulative XG (and cumulative assists too) it’s just the guy feel I have . Then that leave mane. I think mane is class. Obviously he has tapered off recently, I’d live if we could get some competition for him, jota is the obvious one but maybe a make shift one from tsimikas or a test with naby or Ox or one of the young lads . So there we have it:
Ali, Trent, Joe, virg, robbo, Elliot, Fabs, hendo, salah, firmino, Mane. Feels familiar but I think it’s our best starting team.

{Ed014's Note - I looked through the pages JB but couldn’t see where part 1 was mate, sorry.

1.) 31 Aug 2021
31 Aug 2021 19:46:24
Mane is one of my favourites but he will have to bring his 2019/ 20 form if we are to be successful.

2.) 31 Aug 2021
31 Aug 2021 19:53:30
Nothing wrong with the first 11 mate. We have some truelly world class players. I'm seriously hoping mane gets back to where he was. he himself knows last season was bad for him. 3 games in,2 wins and a draw. Got to be happy.

3.) 31 Aug 2021
31 Aug 2021 19:56:53
Thanks 14., let me rewrite part 1 . getting away from transfers for a bit… what’s our strongest 11, assuming full fitness, the usual formation and ignoring opposition. We will all agree Ali, Trent. The first position with a true battle: Joe, matip, Konate - I’ve not seen enough of Konate. As much as I love Matips passing and striding out I just think joe with the high line is more trustworthy. I appreciate the matip start win percentage is bonkers, but I still go with Joe. Honourable mention to Nat, but he knows he is 4th choice here. Then virg. Then I go with Robbo, although with Tsimikas getting more game time that could be a battle - tsimikas is a fighter has a good cross and can get into that box . This could be interesting down the road.
Midfield : starting in the middle I go with fans for the the central deepest lying of the 3 flanked right and left by 2 more advanced. On the right, although I think this is hendos best position and he is our best midfielder, I go with Elliot, the Trent, Elliot, salah combination is just so exciting. That leave one position on the left for : hendo, Thiago, Jones, Naby, Millie, Ox . I don’t actually think any are perfect, but hendo has proven time And time again he can learn a role. I go with hendo. …now onto part 2 (which actually posted first)

4.) 31 Aug 2021
31 Aug 2021 20:12:16
Magico - that’s what I’m trying to get people to think about, our first 11 is awesome and in some positions we have real depth and real competition. People are banging on about another midfielder and another upfront and while
I’d love them we just don’t have infinite funds. we have been on the cusp of disaster before, we don't want to be there again. we have a great team who can and will be extremely competitive on all fronts.

{Ed025's Note - i think that sums it up perfectly JB..

5.) 31 Aug 2021
31 Aug 2021 21:11:36
Magico and JB10, I didn’t even think Elliott would make the jump to be a potential starter as quickly as he has so that is a positive as well and the fact that he is excelling as an 8, a position nobody knew he could play is a huge plus. For me, the midfield is stacked with enuff players to rotate over the course of the season (knock on wood) and those saying what if this or that guy get injured, my retort to that is, “And what if they don’t? ” or is that a scenario not worth considering?

6.) 31 Aug 2021
31 Aug 2021 21:12:10
Thanks 25, I really don’t know how you guys put up with the: why can't we buy x and y etc? (Please don’t post this this publicly- I don't want to start another unnecessary very repetitive argument ) .

7.) 31 Aug 2021
31 Aug 2021 21:47:47
Oli - I think you’re right. We have plenty and all going well we will have a standard starting 11 and rotate when kloop sees fit for the opposition, for cups or when we have a comfortable lead. I think we’d all like more but we have enough to be very competitive with one of the most exciting young talents just getting going. I’ll probably get a pasting but I would genuinely prefer Elliot to sancho (I’ve not seen much of him to be honest- but from what I have seen)