09 Jul 2021 07:17:39
I am probably going to be shot down but I think we will not challenge for the title next season, don't get me wrong we will be in a nd around it but not for the. long haul.
There are areas that in the squad we need to address, ins and outs that I think will go beyond next season,
I understand our club model but sill feel that we need an injection of real top quality in the forward areas to give the current squad a lift but also make Sadio, Mo and Bobby (like jota has started to do) feel their place is only guaranteed if they perform to the highest standard week in and week out, also impacting a game with that type if sub would be good.
Hopefully I am proven totally wrong again!
09 Jul 2021 07:40:42
If only the transfer window was still open.
09 Jul 2021 08:25:06
That free's up 9 months thanks mate. No point wasting time watching next season now is there?
09 Jul 2021 08:46:52
The best case scenario we can hope for are moves for Bissouma and Malen and imo that would guarantee us as strong contenders for the title again. The transfer window is still open for like a whole other month and barely any premier league clubs have signed anybody. I’m still waiting for anybody to tell me where in the squad needs improving that the club don’t appear to be a prioritising this summer, and who these mystery world class players on non-extortionate wages would be.
I’m also worried about our capability to get the transfers we need over the line but i’m not just going to write us off because we haven’t made them yet. Last season really seems to have cultivated an air of reactionary pessimism amongst some supporters.
09 Jul 2021 08:48:36
Wow, OP. You really think our squad was perfect, full of top class and quality talent when we swept ALL before us in those three years we were Champions of Everywhere and Everything? You think the Italian team in Sunday's final are full of top quality talent? If you think that then, I don't blame you for posting such comments cos none of that is true.
Well, Maybe you should hurry and tell Klopp and the boys not to turn up for preseason anymore on Mon cos clearly, they won't be able to challenge for the title cos you, the All-Seeing and All-knowing One has seen the future. With that in mind, I have cleared my TV calendar so will be joining my wife in binge-watching the Handmaid's Tale series. Thanks, bro.
09 Jul 2021 08:50:23
Bugger, did we just sell virg, Trent and Salah and Klopp quit while I was playing golf?
09 Jul 2021 09:28:39
Consider yourself shot down 😂.
09 Jul 2021 09:37:11
We have the best GK, the best CB, really promising CBs in the other slot, the best full backs, 3 great midfielders, the best attacker (Salah) and 3 other really good attackers (Bobby, Mane and Jota) . If we can add more quality depth to our midfield, then other teams should be scared.
09 Jul 2021 10:19:02
At the moment, we have Portugals starting forward, a forward with plenty of caps for the number 1 ranked team in the world, and the best Japanese international forward on our bench. Other than city and, at a push Chelsea, who has better backup than that?
09 Jul 2021 11:04:30
Wow guys just pointing out our deficiencies as I see it
1) will VVD and Gomez come back fully healed
2) are we going to have another season when salah stays fit and no long term injuries
I am only saying that if we were to reinforce in the forward areas then I would be fully confident. But again this is only my opinion, I am sure there will be something in the pipeline.
09 Jul 2021 11:59:43
OP, I think you'd have a reasonable point if we were at the end of the window. However, I have no doubt that there will be more incomings and the 2 weaker areas - midfield without Gini and more support for the forwards - is where we are looking.
If you consider the dominant team in 18/ 19 and 20/ 21:
GK - Alisson still here, Kelleher is a very promising backup and Adrian is no slouch as No 3 - I think we are actually a little better than we were as I rate Kelleher in 21/ 22 as slightly better than Adrian in 19/ 20.
Defence - On balance, I would say we are about the same as we were in our dominant years. Konate is a great prospect, and better than Lovren, IMO. However, as you point out, we have to wait and see how Gomez and VVD return from their LT injuries. I would prefer Phillips to be our 4th choice over Matip, but unfortunately I can see us selling him both for funds, and also at his request for game time. Robbo and TAA are a year or two more experienced so if anything are better than they were in past seasons.
Midfield - Right now, I believe we are slightly worse off as we haven't replaced Gini yet. Also, Milner is 1/ 2 years older, although I still think he will win the bleep test at pre-season! However, on the flip side, we didn't have Thiago in 18/ 19 or 19/ 20 and he is a quality addition. With another addition who can cover Fab (so we don't have to play Thiago or Hendo there) we will be as good if not better than the title winning seasons.
Forwards - our Fab 3 are older. Salah still looks his irrepressible self, Mane did struggle but I wonder if that is the after effects of C.V. and whether a rest over the summer will help him. Firmino also didn't look at his best. However, we have added Jota since our title winning season, and he looks great. I'm sure we will add another one, whether Malen or someone else, which will strengthen us further. And, although he is an unknown quantity at this level, let's not forget Elliot. With him in the first team squad as well, I would say that right now we are *marginally* worse mainly due to the form/ fitness of Mane and Firmino, offset by Jota and Elliot's additions. With another decent forward player, I would say that we are better.
Lot's of ifs and buts, and our competitors will strengthen as well, but we have a core of winners and we have kept key players together, only losing Gini. Other teams - I'm looking especially at United - will have new players who need time to settle.
I keep going back to this point, but please do not forget that for 2/ 3rds of last season we were the best team (by results) in the league. The first 1/ 3rd and the last 1/ 3rd we had better form than City (and everyone else) . We had an epically awful middle 1/ 3rd, which we all (including Jurgen! ) know was as a result of trying to cover our defensive frailties through using players out of position. I believe that has now been addressed.
So, the upshot is that I think we are stronger already than we were in 20/ 21 - with the additions of Konate and Elliot - and for 2/ 3rds of 20/ 21 we were in title winning form. With another midfielder and forward we are in better shape than 18/ 19 and 20/ 21 and even without those two roles, we are not far off at all.
09 Jul 2021 12:04:49
Molbydiet, every team has deficiencies. Every single one of them. It may take time for others to suss you out BUT if you don't do a good job in evolving your team to hide or mitigate against them, you will get found out. The other teams have highly paid employees whose job it is to suss you out. We evolved our team several times under Klopp w/ o spending big money and the receipts (trophies) are there to prove it. Calm down, man.
City despite their money, get found out a far deal in games in the PL. And in the CL, they get done EVERY single year. Why do you think they get bodied every time in the CL? It's cos their deficiencies keep getting exposed and they do nothing to fix them except spending MORE money. The other big teams have money too so what does that fix? Nothing.
Even in the PL, they get exposed quite a lot BUT there aren't enuff quality teams to take full advantage of them or they will just overpower the average teams who can expose them at the end cos quality will tell. Take a chill pill and enjoy the summer and preseason. I'm excited.
09 Jul 2021 12:47:09
with all of our injuries from last season we still finished 3rd. if we remain relatively healthy we will most definitely challenge not only for the league but for champions league as well. i'm not worried in the least.
09 Jul 2021 14:21:17
I think people are being harsh on the op, all he said was in his opinion he doesn’t think we will be challenging in the last few months of the season. If he had of said that before last season he would have been shot down but he would have been correct. There are lots and lots of un answered questions about the squad. Time will tell.
09 Jul 2021 14:54:57
bring it on I say. I like it better knowing that we can't win the prem, especially when fans are in so much doubt. Fits us much better that way.
09 Jul 2021 15:37:50
Mark, there are not lots and lots of unanswered questions about our team. That is being like the OP as in, making OTT comments. We have decisions to make like any other team b4 every preseason, nothing more. None our legends or big players are leaving the club so there's that. Can't say the same for City where Sterling, Laporte, Mahrez, Bernardo etc. all want out, reportedly. If that is true, then they have way MORE lots more "unanswered questions" than we do. Agian, no need to go all OTT, IMO.
We know what our first 11 is and in fact who our 1st 14/ 15 players are. They are proven winners who didn't just become crap overnight. We just need to navigate this window very well like we have done in the past and we should be good to go. Will we win the title, I have no idea. There is literally NO proof or indication at this juncture, to suggest that we would not be challenging for the title in the final months of next season. None whatsoever.
Shoot, I can't even fathom what will happen in the first game at Norwich nor what players will be available YET someone can see that far into the future? Allow it man. To me, saying so may be an opinion BUT one that cannot be supported by any proof this early esp since the TW is nowhere near over. As you said, Time will tell. Then, let the time tell instead of getting worked up this early in the process.
09 Jul 2021 16:24:09
So our deficiencies are you saying two "what if" scenarios which are indeed unknown but so are the weekend lotto numbers.
09 Jul 2021 17:53:43
It’s not OTT to say there are loads of unanswered questions. It’s obvious
Mane, nobody knows until he gets back playing and I tell you this if Mane plays like last season we will be winning nothing.
Can the lb who never played, is he actually good enough? Will Robbo get a rest?
Can the midfield stay fit? How many will get injured at once. Who will be fit for the big games.
Can Allison sort his kicking out?
Will Elliot be top pl level?
Will Tiago play like he did at the end or will he play like he did when we kept getting beat.
Will there be another lock down
VVD if he breaks down then we are bang in trouble as Gomez won’t be ready and probably Matip won’t either.
Etc etc
I have already stated my predictions for next season, but I respect anyone who thinks we will fall short due to too many unanswered questions.