24 May 2022 08:07:17
This is how I'd try and compete with ManCity next season. Before I start I want to say that we have been absolutely amazing and I'm so proud of our team so this is just a suggestion that would help get us over the PL line next year.

Our style of play suits a tall fast centre forward. One that tracks back in to the 10 role where needed. We score lots but we actually miss a lot also which has been our problem with too many draws and ultimately the title this season albeit by only one point. But you either win it or you don't. Let me explain.

We constantly look for long passes over the top mainly to our wingers and both they and our wing backs put in outstanding cross after cross perfect for the tall fast CF.

So, IMO we buy Nunez and with a World Cup winter keep as many of our current forwards as possible but if Salah goes then Mane moves right where he started, if Mane goes then Diaz replaces on left or Nunez replaces in CF role. We still have 5 quality forwards with Jota and Bobby.

Another midfielder would be ideal but only due to Thiagos injuries and a back up right back but only if Joe goes (I don't think he will this year) .

I can then see us scoring more in those tighter games and giving us those precious few extra points that are making al the difference.

1.) 24 May 2022
24 May 2022 08:31:43
I kind of agree, would like to see Nunez in this team, he looks a cracking player and would probably add those extra few goals that we needed this season - I guess he wouldn’t be cheap but these league titles are being won on very fine margins and turning a couple of our draws into wins would have put us in front of City ultimately.

2.) 24 May 2022
24 May 2022 09:14:39
I think we'll only sign a forward if Salah, Firmino or Mane leave.

Diaz and Jota are going nowhere, and if Origi/ Minamino leave it can be covered by Elliott/ Carvalho getting more game time.

We will sign a right back with Williams leaving. And i think we should also look to a top class midfielder to replace Ox.

Only my gut. I'm far from ITK but i can't see huge changes. This squad is fantastic and minor tweaks are fine with me.

3.) 24 May 2022
24 May 2022 09:15:21
If Salah and Mane both go, then I’d go with Nunez and Bowen (he’s top quality imho), then it’s any three from Nunez, Diaz, Bowen, Jota, Carvalho, Firmino and (if he stays, Minamino) .

4.) 24 May 2022
24 May 2022 09:29:06
Salah, Bobby and Mane used to thrive on closing down defenders (Bobby midfielders as well) stripping the ball off them and starting attacks deep in the opposition half whilst the rest of the opposition players are on the front foot.

These days the majority of teams we play against have about 30% possession and avoid playing the ball around and try to play the ball long through our high line. So it’s hard to have forwards who just press and workhorse midfielders hence why Thiago has become so important for us.

Jota’s our weakest forward with regards to retaining possession and linking up play but at the same time he’s proven that a goal scorer fits perfectly into our team and Mane and Salah can score goals regardless of who they are up top with.

5.) 24 May 2022
24 May 2022 11:30:10
It all depends on Sadio and Mo deals I guess. I am pretty relaxed about it in all honesty. If any of them move on, we've already shown that we are good at finding the next superstars.

I do like Nunez as he brings something very different.

Whatever happens and whoever stays or goes, I'd like to see the coaches work on the link up play between the forwards this pre-season. The forwards are super talented in their own right but do not link as well as they should with their team mates. Diaz has an excuse as he's new to the club.

6.) 24 May 2022
24 May 2022 12:51:25
I don't see Salah and Mane leaving in the same window. Besides that and while we are all talking about improvements on City, I don't think signings are the biggest thing even tho, they are important to get right. IMO, We need to improve our record vs the members of the top 4 cos 6 points in 6 games whereas City got 8 points is the type of margins we are talking about btw who wins the title and who doesn't.

Most importantly, I saw a stat that said LFC had lost 10 points from winning positions. City? Just 2 points. That simply WON4T cut it, I'm sorry. These are the two areas we need to improve upon regardless of who we sign cos clearly whatever we are doing as immensely impressive as it it overall, is simply not enuff anymore. Just my take.

7.) 24 May 2022
24 May 2022 14:52:33
I've posted about this before. I think we need to increase our efficiency in front of goal. Lower the shots at goal in relation to goals scored. The number of draws and close games we end up having would automatically reduce and we'd have less of a problem in dealing with ManCity's numbers. It just makes you wonder what is going on when we have 17-18 shots on goal, the opposition has 1 or 2 because we control possession and the game, but the game ends up in a draw.

I'm not too worried about who the actual new players will be if there are departures. It's our system that is the champion, for me. And even if new forwards are brought in, the system will have to be tweaked somewhat to suit their strengths.

8.) 24 May 2022
24 May 2022 14:58:03
Agree fully Oli. Also those 2 stats you mention feed into eachother because of the 10 points dropped from winning positions, 6 of them were dropped in draws against Chelsea, Spurs and City; all games we led in.

For me this strengthens the argument to improve the midfield. In big games when you are winning, it's vital to take the sting out and control the tempo. It is mostly about game management and keeping the ball. That's where we can improve.

Get the midfield signing right and i think we can nail both those birds with one stone.

9.) 24 May 2022
24 May 2022 15:27:03
Oli and MK agree.

Amazingly as well in the last 6 games the opposition have scored first in 5 of them with the other being Chelsea where neither team scored. The beauty is we won 5 of those 6 games but my point is we don’t want to be giving Real a head start on Sat.

10.) 24 May 2022
24 May 2022 17:42:26
Spot on, boys. I like where your heads are at on this topic. If I wasn't arsed about who we signed last season then, I definitely am not arsed about who we sign this season for obvious reasons. As to what MK said about the draws, they are all linked in terms of opponents and the stats themselves.

Several times this season, I could not fathom why we were laying so open even when we had the lead. Sometimes, we have to know when to slow things down, keep the ball or just let the opponent have the ball and let them break us down. This is what did us in vs Brentford and Brighton specifically.

Moving forward, We have to know when and how to see out games cos the draws are killing us, not the losses. Regardless of who we sing or in what position, we have to get these two parts of our game right 99% of the time next season, IMO. As for RM on Sat., we have to be VERY efficient and take our chances like we did vs City at Wembley. If we do then, no. 7 is coming home, IMO.