22 Apr 2021 08:03:24
With rumours building that Konate is looking more and more likely, what 4 CB’s would you all like to see in the squad next year? For me it’s VVD, Gomez, Konate and Phillips. Kabak looks ok but won’t start ahead of those other 3 I don’t think so not worth the money. I do think that Matip is the better defender and more suited to our style than Phillips, but Phillips would accept being a squad player which is important and does do a job I feel. Plus keeping him allows for the sale of Matip to raise funds and is one for the HG quota. Ben Davies can go, sell him cheap to Bournemouth or Celtic, Poor lad, Rhys Williams isn’t up to it I don’t think. Fabs can cover in an emergency. Any thoughts?

22 Apr 2021 08:23:41
Westwood666, I think Matip will be sold. As for Gomez, it will depend on how he comes back from the injury he had cos if it s a damaged knee tendon (I had mine ripped and needed it to be reconstructed) then, it could take longer. To this end, we ay need to keep Kabak or Phillips.

22 Apr 2021 08:28:31
yeah I'd go for Gomez, Konate, VVD, Phillips. For the same reasons about money and HG, I'd let Kabak go back and keep Phillips.

22 Apr 2021 08:37:43
Yep agree with this. Save the money on Kabak and put it forward for improving the squad elsewhere. Philips if he is ok with being back up can stay, if not he has earned himself a move.

22 Apr 2021 08:51:13
Yes, kabak isn't good enough imo but klopp seems to like him. Never seen konate play knowingly so can't comment. Is he decent eds1?

{Ed001's Note - Konate when I watched him was excellent. Absolutely outstanding as the best of the French trio at the back for RBL. I have been wanting us to sign him ever since. I know everyone has a stonk on for Upamecano, but I think Konate was much better when I watched them.} Become a Patron!

22 Apr 2021 09:20:58
A stonk Ed001 a stonk you say😂.

{Ed001's Note - trust you to spot that Connor!} Become a Patron!

22 Apr 2021 09:23:28
I agree Ed, I never really understood the love in everyone seemed to have for upamencano. He’s ponder spurs on the ball and dives in. Konate is quicker, stronger a front foot defender. No doubt he will make mistakes due to the front foot approach he takes but a really great prospect. Unfortunately great players cannot do it from the treatment table which may be his only downfall.

22 Apr 2021 09:32:43
Thanks Ed. I just watched a few clips of him and he looks like a good tackler and seems positionally sound. I hope we sign him, him and VVD as our CB partnership would be very solid.

{Ed001's Note - I think he could work with Gomez and Phillips well too (if those do end up our other options). Most of all, he also provides cover at right-back, which gives us a bit more flexibility. Not just in terms of covering injuries, but also on bench options, as you won't have to have a specialist right-back and centre-back on the bench, necessarily.} Become a Patron!

22 Apr 2021 09:48:19
Matip good on his day but way to unreliable!
We need rid of these types of players.

22 Apr 2021 09:54:10
we need to keep Phillips, buy Kabak and Konate. sell Matip. Gomez and VVd will take time to get back to form and fitness.

22 Apr 2021 10:10:51
What a shame about Matip tho lads, absolutely world class when fit if you ask me, be mint if he had some sort of injury free 2 years but can't see it.

{Ed077's Note - World Class? He isnt even guaranteed a first team place ahead of Joe Gomez and VVD, how is he world class? And you cant be world clas if you are never fit to show how good you are, IMO?}

22 Apr 2021 10:28:53
I agree with Decelticon here. Virgil and Gomez might need time to settle. There are doubts about Konate's fitness too. Kabak and Phillips should both be kept.

Rhys Williams out on loan, Sepp out on loan, Matip sold. The new paper straws at McDonalds have a better chance of lasting 90 minutes than Matip.

22 Apr 2021 10:29:32
If we sign Konate then this is what I would have our defence looking like:

VVD and Konate as the starting pair.
Gomez and Phillips as the back ups.
However, I would not be surprised to see klopp keep another senior defender as further back up after what happened this year, especially considering VVD, Gomez and Konate have all had long spells out in recent times and might take a while to get up to full fitness.
So who to keep? Kabak? Not for me, I think the lad is talented and you can see improvements in his game but at his age he needs minutes to improve and fulfil that potential, minutes he’s not going to get on our bench, so I don’t think it’s fair on him to rot on our bench. Plus he will cost money that we don’t actually have. Plus I know I say he’s got talent but I also don’t think he’s good enough either for us.
Davies? No idea. Only Klopp knows if he’s good enough.
Williams? Nope, I’m not convinced he’s even a defender, or even a footballer capable of playing higher than a team like tranmere to be honest.
Matip? To be honest he would be right at the top of my list for players to ship out, considering wages and injuries. However would he be top of anyone’s list to buy from us? I just can’t see anyone in world football willing to buy him with actual money. But on the flip side he’s the player that is the best fit for our system and a very capable player (when fit) so I can actually see him staying to be a back up, more out of a fact we won’t be able to sell him more than anything though, but if he stays on as the 5th defender then he’s unlikely to play in more than a half a dozen games anyway, surely he can manage that? Lol

So, VVD, Konate, Gomez, Phillips and Matip would be my pick. Further backed up by the kids.

22 Apr 2021 10:36:35
I think a lot depends on VVD and Gomez. If both can be back fully fit in the next 4 months then Konate and Phillips will be enough.
I’d be hesitant about going in with 4 though. Perhaps Davies stays as a 5th choice and can be an option at LB?
I don’t mind Fabinho playing CB as a last resort but I’d have him as a 6th choice. But could be influenced by signing midfielders.
If we were to sign 2 midfielders, eg. Bissouma, Kalvin Phillips, Renata Sanches, De Paul, Neuhaus. 2 of them probably allows for Fabinho to be 5th choice CB allowing Davies to move in.
I’d personally look to add Bissouma and Sanches/ Neuhaus. That would allow for Fabinho to be 5th choice CB without damaging the midfield too much (like it has this season) .

22 Apr 2021 10:37:10
Lol Matip has never been world class, he's shown some glimpses of quality in the past but that's about as far as it goes for me - I'm trying to be reasonable here! He needs to go.

22 Apr 2021 10:56:13
World class. that made me lol. He is very good on his day but the injuries are to regular for him to be reliable these days. Is Gomez going to be happy as a back up though? I highly doubt it tbh.

22 Apr 2021 10:56:54
Decelticon, I agree with you.

22 Apr 2021 11:44:27
All are very sure Phillips would be happy with the odd game here or there. Why would he? Most games he's played he has played well, a good solid defender. You can bet your life there is premier league managers keeping an eye on the CB situation at Liverpool.

22 Apr 2021 11:55:02
I keep forgetting Davies exists. Clearly he's not good enough in Klopp's mind. He can't even get on for a cameo when Kabak comes off around 80 minutes. Klopp always drops Fabinho back. I just don't see a future for him at Liverpool if he's not good enough to play when we have 3 senior centre backs injured. Reminds me of when we panic signed Caulker in January and he couldn't get near the pitch unless it was an almost comical cameo up front.

22 Apr 2021 09:54:52
In answer to the OPs question, my view is that we buy Kabak (and Konate) AND keep Phillips.

We have 2 CBs coming back back from long term, serious injuries, and another who will have just joined (Konate) . It may take several weeks or months to get up to speed (for different reasons) .

I would keep Phillips and offer him the opportunity to leave (if he's not finding enough first team opportunities) next summer, but I would definitely buy Kabak.

At the age of 20, and based on the games I have watched, he looks like an excellent prospect, and at £18m for someone that young and with (seemingly) that high a bar, I think he would be worth it.

Ed001, I know you are a student of the game, what do you think of what you have seen of Kabak so far, given his age and his natural acclimatisation to a new league/ culture?

{Ed001's Note - he is ok, but he is lacking awareness for me. I wouldn't pay money for him.}

22 Apr 2021 12:10:16
For those of you who think nothing of Matip look at the stats when fit he starts over Gomez. Kabak will be kept on Without a doubt. If konate signs Gomez will be given time to prove fitness then sold make no mistake about that. so for me probable back for will be vvd, konate kabak matip. Gomez for sale Philips too.

22 Apr 2021 12:17:05
Phillips has said that he’s not daft enough to think he’s an automatic starter and he knows his limitations as a footballer, but he also wants to stay and fight for a place in the squad and if that’s 3rd or 4th choice with the chances of reasonable amount games and medals then he’s happy with that. Players like Phillips are useful against the more agricultural teams.

{Ed0666's Note - Hell be 5th choice if konate comes in and Matip stays.

22 Apr 2021 13:26:27
Isn't konate made of glass as well? I'm sure he's barely played.

{Ed077's Note - he has missed quite a few games through injuries this past couple of seasons, particularly last season.}

22 Apr 2021 13:27:31
He’s said he’s happy to play back up ed0666 and prove his worth and given the chronic injury issues of Konate and Gomez and Matip there’s actually decent probability he’ll get some games. If I was in that position I’d take the chance to get some medals and play for a top side rather than go and play for Burnley or whatever in a year in year out relegation battle. Just look at United, for every Stam, Vidic or Ferdinand, there was an O’Shea or Wes Brown, basic functional defenders who could step in, do a competent job and were happy to do so. That’s probably how Phillips sees it.

{Ed0666's Note - I don’t understand players get criticized for sitting on the bench and not seeking first team football when they’re not playing and now they are getting praised for being bench warmers. My heads in a tizz. As a footballer who just wants to play the game playing regularly for Burnley is better than playing 10 games for Liverpool surely?

22 Apr 2021 14:57:56
6Times, Konate and Gomez do not have chronic injuries so your whole point is inaccurate from the get go.

22 Apr 2021 15:05:39
Ed0666 I guess it could be one of these reasons:

1) Do you back yourself? In which case stay at Liverpool and take one of the two regular starter slots

2) Its your dream club, you have supported them forever and it would bring you more pleasure playing fewer games for them than more games for someone else

3) You're after the most money and a Liverpool bench warmer gets paid more than a starter at another team.

I would think Phillips is (1) or (2)

{Ed0666's Note - if he actually is a Liverpool fan then (2) would be the appropriate choice maybe. I like the guy but let’s face it apart from being aerially dominant he’s fallible. I’m not skating the guy as he’s stepped up and been decent but no more than that.

22 Apr 2021 16:29:17
Yeah, I'd agree he's no VVD, 066, but I think he could have his place in games when we're up against a bullying CF, albeit they are thinner on the ground than a few years back when you had big Dunc, Shearer, even Carroll more recently.

And against teams that are going to just hoof the ball up or play for set pieces maybe?

{Ed0666's Note - I would play him in league & FA cup games and minimal league games. I don’t see the glamour mate sorry.

22 Apr 2021 18:37:15
Oli, both Gomez and Konate have very well documented history of injury issues. It’s easily found. So it’s fair comment to say they have chronic injury issues.

Gomez
15/ 16 - 234 days knee injury
16/ 17 - 128 days Achilles’ tendon
17/ 18 - 28 days ankle knock
17/ 18 - 54 days ankle surgery
18/ 19 - 6 days “knock”
18/ 19 - 128 days ankle surgery
19/ 20 - 1 day “knock”
20/ 21 - 231 days - knee injury

Konate
17/ 18 - 7 days thigh injury
17/ 18 - 5 days minor knock
19/ 20 - 239 days torn muscle fibre
20/ 21 - 96 days torn muscle fibre
20/ 21 - 49 days ankle injury

And Ed0666, I’d far rather play 10 games a year for Liverpool at the top end of the table, than 38 a season in a relegation battle at Burnley. Any sane person would. It’s not often in a professional’s career that they might get the opportunity to experience playing for a top club, so I imagine Phillips is taking the chance while it’s there and fair f*cks to him!

{Ed0666's Note - if he’s has confidence in his ability he would play a full season or two somewhere else and get a big move on merit and design rather than an afterthought at Liverpool.

22 Apr 2021 23:00:49
I'd sooner back myself and earn my money by playing. From seeing Nat being interviewed he strikes me as the same. Considering he went to the German 2nd division to play regularly I'd imagine playing for the "likes of Burnley" for 40 games a season beats 5 or 6 appearances for Liverpool. Maybe take the fan of the club glasses off.

{Ed0666's Note - post of the year!!!