16 Dec 2023 20:31:27
Hello Ed001, compliments of the season. I would like your opinion on who if anybody we should go for this January, if we were (as i believe we should) go for everything (the Quad) .
Personally i believe the CM goes without saying but i am not sure we have agreed on what style we want to play at the back 2 or 3 at the back? Have you seen enough to harzard a guess on the plan A for this?
DM or should we stick to what we have seeing that Thaigo is back soon?
A backup seeing that CK is not living up to expectation.

{Ed001's Note - I really am not sure who we need to go for. There are always gaps in any squad, but it depends on the direction they wish to go as to what is needed. Myself I think Trent has to move into the centre in the long term, back to his natural midfield role, which removes the need for a midfielder. But it does mean there is a gap in the defence instead. However I think we need to leave a gap to allow Quansah and Bradley to develop, so I wouldn't buy for there either.

Up front we do have an issue if Gordon and Doak are our back ups. Neither have yet shown anything to suggest they have a future at Liverpool in my opinion. I think our priority should be to examine the future of the attack, with a decision on who replaces Salah in the long term needed. Is that Gakpo? Could be. But we still need to be looking for who comes in to push him. Though that is probably not a January issue.

I think really it comes down to opportunity - who is available at the right price - and then comparing those opportunities against what we already have. January is a limited time to do business, with most European clubs not looking to sell, so you are really looking at long term signings in the main. Players to develop for the future.

However, there is one thing we do need, which you alluded to as well. We need to sort out the back up goalkeeper situation. Neither Kelleher nor Pitaluga are going to benefit from the odd game in the cup, it is holding up their development. Kelleher should really have been moved on for his sake, with a buy back clause for the future. He needs to play regularly and he will never get games while Alisson is there. Pitaluga is going to be a similar long term problem, though while the loan market still exists, I would suggest loaning him out to someone in need of a keeper who can fill their first choice slot for a couple of seasons, maybe even three or four. Somewhere he can develop for his and our benefit, but the loaning team also has the benefit of knowing they have a keeper for a significant period and can plan around him. That would leave us in need of an experienced back up keeper.}

1.) 17 Dec 2023
17 Dec 2023 05:14:45
Liverpool are in a difficult situation regarding the second keeper. Alisson is the best goalkeeper of all time but he has an injury record that means the second keeper is not an afterthought. Though his actual injury record is overblown, it does exist. We are not surprised if Alisson picks up and injury. A poor second-choice keeper was a major factor in us not winning the Champions League in 19/ 20, and keeping Kelleher around might have been to prevent something like that happening again. I agree that a buy-back or two-year loan would be ideal for one and sell the other.

2.) 17 Dec 2023
17 Dec 2023 09:01:31
Agree with ed1 on doak, he really needs to improve his passing and final ball.

3.) 17 Dec 2023
17 Dec 2023 09:02:45
We need a DM. Trent ain’t solving that issue unless we are watching a different sport altogether. We also need a LCB. What is the fuss around Bradley?

4.) 17 Dec 2023
17 Dec 2023 10:09:09
Personally I see Arnold as a RB or CM. I don't see his future as a lone DM personally.

However we have capable options for DM so unless there's a long term wanted upgrade available I d hang tough. If there is a top target available then I'd go for it as nothing would improve us more imo.

5.) 17 Dec 2023
17 Dec 2023 11:09:29
@Davey

Have you taken into consideration on the need of an actual left center back instead of shoning Robbo / Tsmiskas in that role?

6.) 17 Dec 2023
17 Dec 2023 11:16:15
As Ed said, it depends on if an oppotunity arises in January and if there is a deal that can be done for a player in a position of need, like we had with Gakpo last season.

January as we all know, is tricky to get the actual players we need (and no, VVD is not included here cos that deal was being worked on since that summer on the down low, after we got done for tapping him up) so it's complicated.

As for the DM role again, nobody will sell you their starting DM in Jan esp. if they are not looking to sell hence, you pay over the odds. That's not good business and you can add whatever postion of need like CB, to that scenario. And frankly, I think Klopp has moved on from it this season. I agree we have to allow Quansah to grow and the GK issue needs attention in the long term but again, January ain't the time for such things, IMO.

7.) 17 Dec 2023
17 Dec 2023 13:47:39
Yes Harry. I would try to improve our CB positions. I would like Ignacio as he gives great options and I think would be an improvement at CB.

But in terms of improving our first 11, a top class DM would improve us a lot more in my opinion.

8.) 17 Dec 2023
17 Dec 2023 14:15:43
We need both @Davey. Everyone has their own views and imo. This team is not complete without a CB and DM.
I am not sold on to this “Klopp has moved on form DM” well it took him three years and countless double pivot nonsense (Emre Can / Hendo) before buying Fabinho.

9.) 18 Dec 2023
17 Dec 2023 16:08:04
Kelleher has regressed. Nearly every shot on target beats him. Doak is suffering from the same problem as all the other wide men in the squad. The build up is so painfully slow, they are usually double marked by the time we get the ball anywhere near them.