21 Jan 2022 18:31:53
Ed0666, i've seen a few times you've advocated tearing up the current squad but don't you think for the first time in years we've genuinely invested in buying or developing top young talent and the next few seasons is the time to push them through?

Elliott can replace Keita in my opinion. He's a better player already. In fact I think he'll displace Henderson on the right of the midfield 3 by the end of next season at the latest.

Jones in my controversial opinion is already as good as Wijnaldum was. He's just as good at retaining the ball under pressure but he's also braver in possession. I know he his his doubters but for me, that left side of midfield is his to lose right now. Thiago has no right to walk back in.

Rhys Williams can surely be 5th choice at centre back when Phillips goes.

Gomez might leave given his lack of game time but can we not give Van den Berg a chance in pre-season following his strong performances in the Championship? No senior player will be happy at the amount of game time Gomez has had this season.

Bradley can replace Neco Williams if he pushes to leave for game time. I'd not be looking to waste money on a right back to play 10 cup games a year.

Gordon could replace Origi tomorrow. He will go from strength to strength in the next 12-18 months IF given opportunities. Why push him out by signing a replacement 7th choice forward?

Morton can easily replace Milner. He's shown this season that he can be trusted even in massive games and he's got that similar versatility in that he can play anywhere in the midfield 3. Maybe he's not got star quality like Elliott or Jones but i like the lad. Milner is what, 8th choice midfielder when everyone is fit?

If Mane or Bobby leave then fair enough. We'd absolutely need to sign a forward because they are not fringe players, they are key players in that core 13/ 14 who start or are subbed on whenever they are fit. Hopefully it would be Bowen or Diaz and not a mistake like Dembele or Traore mind you. I'd personally rather Mane left because we'd get more money for him on reputation alone despite there being minimal between the two of them in the last 6 months. Also i feel like Mane would cause trouble if he wasn't playing every week but Bobby just seems to love life at Liverpool too much to be a problem child. Reminds me of Kuyt in that respect.

I do also believe this season has highlighted we are a body short in midfield so i won't argue with you there. Hopefully we can get a player like Bissouma or Bellingham rather than 'cheaping' out on Sanches or Kessie.

For me Diaz and Bissouma would be enough in the summer to bolster an already strong squad with several young players banging on the door right now. A couple damn near kicking it down. Diaz and Bissouma won't be cheap either. That's probably over £100m on two players! I'd prefer Bowen and Bellingham but the English premium will probably have them both priced beyond our means. Be more like £200m for those two.

I know exactly what you mean that we are carrying a lot of fringe players who are no longer contributing enough to justify their wages or a place in the limited squad size. I just don't agree we need to replace fringe players when we have some great young lads at the club already. If we go get 5 players i think we'll either end up borrowing loads of money, dealing in the bargain basement, or worst case selling Mo Salah to fund it!

At some point we need to push some club developed players through or we're going to end up with a reduced squad anyway. All the efforts made by our scouting team in the last few years hoovering up talent, now is the time to see the fruits of their labour as we gradually start to evolve the first team to the next phase. Pitaluga, Van den Berg, Bajcetic, Frauendorf, Elliott, Clark, Gordon, Musialowski etc. We went up against the best teams in Europe to poach that talent so it's probably right we try and make the £20m we spent on them worth it. Not to mention the guys like Kelleher, Bradley, Beck, Morton, Jones, Dixon-Bonner and Woltman who we have spent 10-15 years developing from school children.

I want to see why we just spent all that money on the best young players around Europe. I want to see why we just merged the training grounds. Klopp, Edwards and Hunter need to show us it wasn't just lip service. If our academy is still not going to produce players to (at the bare minimum) pad out the bench, why are we bothering?

Feel free to disagree. My sons got C. V. so i can't have him this weekend. A. K. A. i'm very bored!

{Ed0666's Note - why you taking your boredom out on me mate??!! 😂 Ok first things hope your boy feels better soon. I’m at a doctors appt with my wife so my reply won’t be as extensive as I would like it. But here goes I’m not advocating replacing the 5 outgoing with top class expensive players. Dennis, Bissouma, Diaz would do me with the rest squad players. I’m of the opinion Morton and Morton won’t make it at Liverpool so I’m discounting them. (I really hope they do tho as the last thing I want to do is trash kids). When you say all that money was spent on the best young players in Europe are you exaggerating the narrative somewhat mate? We bought a couple of Poles and a Brazilian that’s hardly going over Europe and cherry picking talent. You can buy all the talent and potential in the world mate and that doesent guarantee success. I’m all for the academy bearing fruit but I want us to win trophies more.


1.) 21 Jan 2022
21 Jan 2022 19:53:16
If 2 of those players (excluding Elliott) made it to play regularly for LFC then that would be a major success.


2.) 21 Jan 2022
21 Jan 2022 20:02:52
Fsg will love this post pal!
Hope the lad gets well too!
Only youngster I see getting into the team
Is Elliot!
Im not going to bash the young lads but I don’t see many having a future!


3.) 21 Jan 2022
21 Jan 2022 20:40:42
Nice read that MK

I’m not sure if Mane would cause trouble. We are talking about a player who has contributed so much to LFC in his time whilst being something like the 12th best paid player in the squad and has there ever been any reports of him demanding more money or being a problem on or off the pitch for us.


4.) 21 Jan 2022
21 Jan 2022 21:05:46
Great post MK. My thoughts exactly. The future is bright. And unlike some posters above are suggesting, this plan does not preclude spending money. I would like to see all our budget (whatever it may be) spent on one or two absolute world class superstars, rather than spreading it too thinly across 5 or six squad players. That would be exciting.


5.) 22 Jan 2022
21 Jan 2022 23:36:13
Thanks to all who asked about my lad. He's over the worst now but still isolating. He's 5 though so he bounced back quickly!

Yeah that's fair enough then Ed0666. Not actually too dissimilar. Maybe I'd misinterpreted what you actually wanted to some extent. I would say though that particularly Gordon and Clark were highly coveted and it was a huge coup to land them both. Frauendorf and Musialowski likewise. I don't expect all of them to make it into the starting 11. The reality is it will be huge if even 2 or 3 of them did. But i do at least expect them all to get a fair shot and maybe 4 or 5 of them to have a future in some capacity at Liverpool. Otherwise what was the point of all that resource poured into the academy! I mean James, Cristensen, Chalobah, Tomori, Hudson-Odoi, Loftus-Cheek, Mount and Abraham all got chances at Chelsea. Now 2 of them are in the starting 11 with the others good squad players or sold for massive profits. Gallagher is next off the the conveyor! I think that's the model we're striving towards. We'll see in time but i think we've put the structure in place now to replicate something similar in the coming years.

To clarify JK23, i don't think Mane would be disruptive in general. Seems a great guy. But he did kick up a fuss at Southampton to get a move when it suited his career and if we signed Diaz for example and Mane was then on the bench, i could see him being a bit more agitated than Bobby who is just a bundle of joy no matter what scenario is thrown his way.

I'm with you by the way stoneage. 1 or 2 top class players is always my preference over 4 or 5 good players. Like you say, i'm still asking for us to spend money, i just want quality over quantity.

{Ed0666's Note - mate you don’t have to blood youngsters in the first team to know their not gonna make it. The chelsea lads you name are an unusually abundant amount of kids coming through at the same time, how many times do you see that at premiership clubs? I’m all for kids coming through the ranks/academy but it can’t be just for the sake of it it has to be because they are as good as someone you can buy.


6.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 00:38:47
This post reminds of the “Jordan Ibe is ten times better than Sterling” days 😀😀😀. Other than Elliot who will need come and settle down I don’t think anyone would cut it at LFC.
Just asking what exactly is the point of keeping RhysWillians at the club? 5th choice?


7.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 00:45:24
Still just don't see the sense in a major overhaul in summer. Take the time to refresh over a couple summers. The strength of the team is its identity and you can't just go and cut a bunch of squad players for others and expect that their FIFA stats will just gel straight away.


8.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 01:11:29
MK

Chelsea have an excellent loan system which helps their kids with plenty of first team minutes with in the division. If they don’t make it they gets sold for big money (Tomori, The lad to Palace) .
We did a mistake by not sending Jones for a loan like Gallagher.


9.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 06:41:35
I don't think morton is going to make it at Liverpool. Hope he does obviously but seriously doubt it.


10.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 09:40:29
I can't see how we made a mistake with Jones at all. He is playing for the team and has been in and around the squad for circa 2 seasons. Are you suggesting some other team benefit instead. Maybe TAA should have went out on loan also?


11.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 10:19:49
Whilst I do agree with the wider point that a overhaul is not required as such, I do feel this is vastly exaggerated. I think as Irish rover suggested, if one or two make it then we’ve had success.

Gordon is nowhere near the level of origi for me right now. Of course he has potential but origi has shown time again he can step up off the bench and add value. Asking that of a 17 year old with 3/ 4 games under his belt is too much.

Similarly I don’t think morton could replace Milner yet. Morton looks a tidy player and I truly hope he can become a regular member of the squad but I don’t think he’s ready for this level yet.

I do agree with Elliott and Jones replacing Keita and wij, although I don’t think Curtis is better than wij at this point. But he’s getting the crucial game time needed

Ultimately I do agree that we only need a couple signings. I’ve not seen enough of Diaz to know if he's the right answer but a forward is definitely required. And bissouma or Tchouameni would be great. I still think we should be keeping firmino and mane (if we can) - they both still have roles to play at this club

Sorry to hear about your son. Hope he recovers soon!


12.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 11:17:25
General consensus amongst the replies has missed my point, i feel. I've not said all of those players are good enough to start regularly or forge out long careers at Liverpool as part of the best 11. The only 2 i've said i think will do that is Jones and Elliott.

Aside from that all i've really said is they are good enough to be given a chance as 2nd choice keeper, 5th choice centre back, 8th choice midfielder, 4th choice full back, and 7th choice forward.

I don't think that is an unrealistic expectation. It's more or less what Man City, Arsenal, Man United, Spurs and Chelsea do.


13.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 11:49:18
I think we have to trust the coaching staff when it comes to the youngsters. They are watching them day in day out.
Wishing and hoping for the next Gerrard or Fowler is pointless even if we can't afford to buy the next Gerrard or Fowler.
I trust Klopp and his staff to do the right thing and just try to support the teams they put out.
I have little idea about what is going on behind the scenes with the players and money so I concentrate on the personnel that is available.
I try not to worry about Mbappe or what Newcastle are doing.


14.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 11:53:46
Does Klopp plan for 7th choice forward or a 4th choice full back tho? Does any club? Surely what matters is if a young player has an impact on the FIRST team squad, either as a starter or a backup. Sure Gordon must already be the 7th choice forward (without counting)? I don't see the relevance! In short, if the can't have an impact for the first team squad, then eventually they should be moved on, for their good and also for some other young buck coming thru.


15.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 12:20:32
You missed the point there @Irish. TAA was a necessity as we did not had one. Very much like Sterling. Jones is what 7th choice behind all other players? He won’t play regularly which is why he needed a loan.
Chelsea simply could have kept Gallagher and place him on the bench. Instead the guy is bossing at palace with regular minutes.


16.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 12:42:20
Its all about opinions TT. You have him as a 7th choice midfielder. I see him higher up the rankings than that and on an upwards trajectory. For me Fabinho and Elliott when fit are above him. The rest is up for grabs imo.

{Ed077's Note - 7th for 3 spots even that bad for a young player when 5 others have a tendency to pick up injuries on a regular basis and the 6th one is close to retirement age.

Jones would surely be above Keita, AOC and Millie if not for his injuries and frankly bad luck at times this season.


17.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 12:44:45
Harry, here we go again with your tedious “why aren’t we doing what Chelsea do? ” It’s 2022 and your still stuck on crap from 2017. If your MO is always that we made a mistake cos we didn’t copy your REAL club of choice in terms of decision making then sorry, come back when you have actual arguments to make.

Why would we send Jones on loan whereas he was ready to contribute immediately which je did admirably under brutal circumstances last season? Daft thinking, IMO.

Did you watch him the last three games? Why would I want him doing that for a loan club whereas he can b doing that here. Same with Elliott? Nah, bro let it go it’s 2022. We will never do what Chelsea do just to please you so get back to us with real points instead of rehashing crap from 2017.


18.) 22 Jan 2022
22 Jan 2022 12:58:33
Agreed Irish… the original post seemed to suggest that these youth could replace established members of the squad (Keita Milner origi etc. ) . Being 5th/ 7th choice etc is an irrelevant point. The question is can they come in and make a difference to the squad? At this stage, I don’t see the likes of Gordon, Morton, Bradley etc making a difference in the next 3 seasons let alone this one.

Also @Transition, Jones has been playing fairly regularly for a youngster since last season. Before his injury he was starting. I understand your points on loans and think it would favour a few players (as it did Elliott) but I think in Jones case, he’s maturing well with us and learning/ training with the first team is probably the best place for him.


19.) 23 Jan 2022
23 Jan 2022 09:38:50
Will Jones be seventh choice next season though?
Even this season I'd have him in before Keita, Ox and Miller.
That's no slight on Milner but I don't like him and Henderson in together; we lack legs in midfield then.
Milner is with legs around him or coming on as sub in games that we need to see out. And picking up his obligatory card, of course.