09 Nov 2021 06:52:07
What does everyone think the team needs at the moment? Despite the recent poor result I do think we are pretty strong. Yes the front line will need replacing over the next couple of years but I think our midfield is our weakest area. Normally the industry and covering the full backs getting forward is effective but we are being figured out in recent times making this approach difficult to rely on consistently. When teams sit deep and defend wide we always struggle and I believe This is due to a lack of genuine world class creative ability in our midfield, not a new problem either. When teams adopt this tactic against us, sometime you need a player in the midfield to pick up the ball run, beat his marker and play a through ball or a one two to create openings. Our regular midfield does not do this. Keita and Ox can but they are made of glass and lack defensive nouce. Personally my priority would be to buy a midfielder in the mould of Bernardo Silva. I don't like him as a person due to prior comments but he's a workhorse, is creative and a goal scorer. Thoughts? Is it just me? Havnt been happy with what I consider to be our main weakness for quite some time now.

09 Nov 2021 07:54:13
Robbo needs dropping for sure. And Jota needs someone to push him.

09 Nov 2021 08:05:35
The midfield looked the weakest area before the season even started, it still is in my opinion. If Thiago was ever fit it might be different but he is turning into a very expensive mistake.

09 Nov 2021 08:15:26
Buying Bernanrdo silva and asking him to babysit full-backs and do the Wijnaldum job ain't giving you results. Klopp won't allow his midfielders to express themselves upfront. Look at Curtis Jones and Keita.

09 Nov 2021 08:28:06
So reading that lot back, the "issues" are Robbo, our entire midfield including Thiago, and Klopp himself.
I didn't hear any of this when we were leathering United recently.

09 Nov 2021 08:32:38
Okay this is who I think we need in an ideal world over the next couple of years.

I agree that a midfielder would be good. A busy cariliero who can carry the ball up the pitch and, as you say, is a workhorse. maybe Bissouma or Gravenberch. I used to like Florian Neuhaus but he doesn't seem to be first choice for Gladbach anymore so don't know if he's dropped off. Renato Sanches' injuries count him out for me. I personally love Zaniolo but unfortunately his injury history probably counts against him. In an ideal world, we would sell Keita and Ox to make way.

I think we could improve our number 9 area as Firmino isn't getting an younger. Ideally a goalscorer who presses and can link up play. I'm hesitant to say Haaland on this site however I don't think it's impossible although I don't think we're favourites. Failing him, Joao Felix, Jonathan David, Karim Adeyami or Darwin Nunez perhaps? I like Adam Hlozek of Sparta Prague but I'm not sure how ready he is at this stage of his development. Maybe an attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz could be converted to play as a false 9.

I also think we need another player to play on the wings. Klopp seems to have long-term interest in Ousmane Dembele - maybe we can get him on a free? He also seems to like Doku and Bowen so perhaps one of them? One or two players will probably leave to make way.

Finally when James Milner eventually leaves, we will probably need another midfielder. Having said that maybe Tyler Morton will be good enough. If not, it would be cool if we looked at another young talent like James McAtee or Kacper Kozlowski who we've both been linked with recently.

I don't think we need anyone else after that. Our options in defence and goalkeeper look good.

09 Nov 2021 08:43:09
Honestly think we have what we need in the club right now.

09 Nov 2021 09:13:28
Babbity

I like your choices, Unfortunately, to get them all we might have to sell the club.

09 Nov 2021 10:04:56
We're just fine as we are.

09 Nov 2021 11:46:47
We need to give the first choice midfield and Tsimikas plus Konate/ Gomez a run of games. In january i would look to be buying Bissouma, as our midfield beyond the first choice is made up of inexperienced youngsters, ageing pro’s and flakes. If the club aren’t going to stump up the money for Bellingham in the summer then there’s no point pretending that they will, in which case they should be honest with themselves and move for Bissouma. Also if possible try and find someone who can be groomed as a proper heir to Firmino, a striker who can link up the play. I’d say that’s about all we can do and just hope for the best.

09 Nov 2021 12:40:00
A kick up the backside.

09 Nov 2021 13:37:21
We have only won half our league games so we definitely need something. Salah has been the best player in the world at the start of this season which basically means the other players have been underperforming.

09 Nov 2021 14:00:24
In the summer i looked at Liverpool and thought, 3rd or 4th. I’d say we’re pretty much where we should be early on and happy with a decent start.
Current season problems we should look at (not knee jerk or transfers) We need to sort out our vulnerability to crosses into the box, mainly back post. Substitutions are too late IMO. Failing to Hold onto 2 goal leads instead of finding the 3rd goal. Starting inform players Kostas for example. The crowd for some premier league games has been flat, very unlike us.
But it’s minor details, and nitpicking at a decent start and we’re pretty much on track of where you’d think this current squad is at the moment.

09 Nov 2021 14:58:31
Yes, It’s not panic stations. But I’m a little baffled at people saying we are fine “nothing to see here”. Difference of opinion is what makes this site but I would like those giving those one liners, or throw away comment as you were to give more of an explanation as to how they came to that conclusion. Losing, drawing will happen in football. However, if it’s happened in a similar manner on a number of occasions wouldn’t that at least suggest there is a problem somewhere? Whether it’s mentality, tactics, team selection, subs, players off form, something but to say it’s nothing is just confusing to me but may be it’s just me.

09 Nov 2021 19:19:32
General consensus is that our midfield is the problem but we have already had injuries to Keita, Fabinho, Thiago and Elliott this season. I think we are fine. Just need a bit of luck and the players returning to get back to their best.

Only changes that need to happen are Tsimikas in for the painfully underperforming Robertson, and Minamino/ Origi need to be coming on earlier so they actually have time to inject something in to the game. They have 6 goals between them this season despite bit part roles thus far. Trust the squad more when Mane or Jota aren't at the races.

09 Nov 2021 20:27:00
We have the least net spend of any premier league club since 2018 including Norwich and Huddersfield we are even 3.5 million in credit. Klopp is some kind of wizard.

09 Nov 2021 20:45:56
But the discussion at the start of the season was we have a midfield full of players who can’t stay fit, luck doesn’t come into it. None of the players can stay fit for 3 months never mind 9 months. We have 8 midfielders all of which have missed multiple games already.

09 Nov 2021 21:53:17
What does that tell you mark?
It's either the players are weak and easily injured or that Klopp's midfielders put the hard yards in and take their share of knocks and suffer injuries as a result.
I go with the latter personally, although some do seem to get injured more easily than others.
It makes Gini's constant availability all the more remarkable in hindsight.
There are probably very few midfielders out there that could come in and enhance the midfield as well as stay fit for the majority of the season with the demands Klopp places on them, so it wouldn't matter how much cash was splashed. Any new signing would most likely spend his fair share of time out injured as well over the course of a season.

09 Nov 2021 22:16:45
I agree they are asked to work extremely hard. It becomes a vicious circle. Milner had to play too many games so got injured. Fabs came back too early from injury, and Keita is just not up to the hard running. For all Gini’s faults I think we would now have more points if he was still here.

09 Nov 2021 23:38:58
I totally disagree regarding Gini - last season, when we really needed him to put in a performance like he did the year we won the league and a few games the season before, he disappeared and went missing in games. Back to his old self, we’d still be where we are now even with Gini in the side.

10 Nov 2021 06:44:44
In fairness wherever Gini was hiding last season he wouldn’t have been there alone.

10 Nov 2021 07:15:06
Gini hiding was not new JK23…. I remember going to countless away games, watching him let the game pass him by. He had a great season the year we won the league and was ok in parts the season before.