12 Nov 2021 09:01:24
Hi Ed001. Hope you're well mate and thanks for another excellent review of the WHU game. Just wondered what your thoughts are regarding Joe Gomez? Seems like he has dropped down the pecking order somewhat and obviously Konate was bought for big bucks. Personally, I have always liked the VVD / JG partnership and that was the one that won the CL and PL in 2 years. Do you think he is genuinely 3rd choice now (behind Matip and Konate) or is it just that he is coming back to fitness after his own long lay off (which seems to be glossed over for some reason? ) . I think it was Square Tomato that always had proper info on Joe and just wondered what you thoughts were? Cheers.
{Ed001's Note - it does seem he has dropped down the pecking order, remember Matip was also coming off a long lay-off and Konate is new to the club, yet both have partnered VVD in the Prem this season, ahead of Gomez. Personally I think he is the best of the 3 and should be playing next to VVD. Our defence dealt much better with long balls over the top when he played and that is the main threat opponents have if they sit deep. If you want to force them to come out and play, you need to cut out the option to just back and defend deep because the long ball launched over the top is not effective. Gomez is our best pairing with van Dijk for that. I really like Gomez myself.}
12 Nov 2021 09:41:18
We won the league with VVD and Gomez playing 28 games together, no brainer to me.
12 Nov 2021 09:47:39
Good morning all. I have been thinking the same thing myself that Joe has dropped down the ranks unfortunately. I would have him 1st choice all day long and when Konate gets settled let him and Joe battle it out to see who partners Virgil.
12 Nov 2021 10:31:18
Thanks Ed001. Much appreciated. Like you, my favourite combo is VVD and JG. I do feel we need to settle on a combo at least - I've never been a fan of the chopping and changing - although I understand it for injuries obviously. If we sorted our defence, we would look immense this season. It's not the players though, I'm not saying we haven't got the correct personnel. Just we look like we need a proper settled duo there.
{Ed001's Note - I hate the chopping and changing, personally I would go Gomez/VVD in the Prem and UCL (except the next two group games) and Phillips/Konate in the cups to give them game time. I would look to offload Matip, too many injuries and he simply cannot cope with a simple ball over the top. Save on his wages and take what you can get for me.}
12 Nov 2021 10:52:41
VVD and Gomez are proven and have shown they are hard to beat. Esp with the long ball and high line where Gomez's blistering recovery speed has bailed us out may a time when he was in form and alongside VVD.
It's a shame Klopp opted for other CB pairings and not him. Also, the chopping and changing of CB's does not hep at all. Even Pep who likes to tinker a lot at CB, never changed the starting Dias/ Stones pairing only for when he wanted to play with a back three and he would play Laporte or Ake. We got to select a CB pairing and stick to it.
12 Nov 2021 14:17:29
It’s a shame for Gomez as like everyone above I’m also a big fan. I also think Matip has been good for us when fit and Gomez contributed massively to the League title and Matip the CL win.
Gomez will be itching to get back playing and if he’s thinking about his own career he might even be getting itchy feet. I’d imagine there wouldn’t be a lack of interest in him if he decides he wants or needs first team football.
We’re almost a third of the way through the season and he’s been reduced to 12 mins of league football. Obviously this situation isn’t ideal for him on a club or international basis.
As a selfish fan point of view I’d love him to stay and give us 4 quality Centre half’s in the squad but if I was looking at it from his point of view I wouldn’t be surprised to see him looking for a move.
Someone mentioned the other day about a move to Newcastle which I think could be a fantastic solution for him and club. But only if we do it as a loan with a recall clause and charge them a Premium loan fee.
This is all based on him not moving up the pecking order for us.
12 Nov 2021 15:08:53
Spot on post, Jk. Couldn't agree more mate.
12 Nov 2021 15:59:43
I think Ed001 and all the other posters have it spot on. For me, Matip has always been good (when fit and uninjured) with the exception of with long balls lobbed over his head. He always seems 2-3 yards behind it and unable to catch up, this season. I'm not sure it was always like this, maybe the injuries have piled up and slowed him down; I don't know. But I've always liked his incisive passes up the middle, which were the perfect counterbalance to Robbo and TAA on the wings.
I think it is ultimately the plan to move him on this coming summer. His age is creeping up there. Why keep Philips otherwise? Keep VVD as the anchor for as long as possible and then let Gomez, Konate and Philips rotate and compete. (And when it's time for VVD to move on, perhaps Van den Berg will be ready to complete the 4 CBs we need? ) . I hope Gomez is patient enough and sticks around with us to see the plans the club have, pan out.
12 Nov 2021 18:58:35
Klopp needs to play Gomez with VVD and sort out the midfield or we can forget more silverware, it really is as simple as that.
12 Nov 2021 20:08:49
Imagine losing Gomez and Phillips in January and being left with Matip and Konate. Then Matip gets broken first week in February!
This site would go into meltdown.
However, what I don’t understand is the Liverpool buying ethos. We all knew Thiago was a crock. We all knew Oxlade-Chamberlain was a crock. Yet we still bought them.
Then when players like Matip, Keita et al keep picking up niggling injuries we don't look to offload them. We have a skeleton squad, so they need to 100 percenters, not inbetweeners.
12 Nov 2021 20:23:56
I don't think things are that drastic.
We've lost one game so far and also qualified early for the CL after winning every game. Do improvements need to be made? Of course, but major surgery isn't required.
We're still in with a great shout in 4 competitions, it's a tad premature to write our chances off just yet.
12 Nov 2021 21:58:57
I said it the other day JK23 but it was firmly tongue in cheek to be honest. If he's still not playing in January I reckon he will look to go. Newcastle have the money now but I'd fancy Gerrard to have a look at him if he were available.
12 Nov 2021 22:11:59
Oh mane mane both are good shouts mate. Like I said in my post I don’t want him to go anywhere. But what I want and what a player wants are probably totally different.
13 Nov 2021 18:40:41
Agee with you on Matip Ed. I don't understand why he seems to be first choice ahead of Gomez and Konate this season. Both him and Gomez are injury-prone and ideally you don't want 2 injury-prone players in the same position as we found out last season. But I thought Virgil and Gomez's partnership when they played together in the year we won the league was superb. Plus Gomez is younger than Matip and homegrown. I don't think we would have to sign a replacement if we sold one of them as Sepp van den Berg seems to be doing really well on loan.
{Ed001's Note - and we still have Nat.}