09 Jul 2022 19:40:06
Ed001 I hope your well mate? Do you think we have enough options in midfield as the season approaches? Do you think we might well still add a midfielder?
{Ed001's Note - good thanks mate, you?
Yes, we never had an issue with a lack of options or creativity last season, what cost us was not taking chances.
If the right man became available, yes. I think it unlikely now though, but you can never tell 100% with the transfer market as sometimes it can be turned on its head by one transfer setting off a chain reaction.}
09 Jul 2022 23:56:02
We do, tend to wait for right player to become available. As I see it we’d be interested in Bellingham, Barella but neither are available this window. I have a feeling we will wait and hope Elliot, Carvallho and Jones step up.
10 Jul 2022 03:40:20
Ed1- what would you think we would do (with all options available) if the legend Fabinho gets a serious injury. I could be wrong but I’m thinking that’s most peoples fears. I think we are covered in all areas but I would love another decent player to come in for him. (Possibly at the expense of naby)
{Ed001's Note - Hendo would provide cover.}
10 Jul 2022 06:38:10
Ed001 I think like City we are lucky enough to have a squad now where it’s good enough to wait a year till the right player comes available. Diaz was a prime example he was are main target for this summer but he came available earlier and because we have everything in order we where able to move straight away. As for your point about we never took are chances last season I think that has been happening for a long time Mo and Sadio as many goals as they have scored have missed hat fulls and I am hoping having a proper number 9 in Nunez who I have only seen twice but he looked very calm and natural in front of goal and if he stays fit and plays like that all season for us he is going to score easy 30+goals.
{Ed001's Note - fingers crossed mate.}
10 Jul 2022 07:17:55
Whilst there’s obviously a midfielder or two that Klopp would push the boat out for, are we seriously saying that Liverpool don’t have a list of alternatives, as they do for every other department in the team?
I’m sure that they do, it’s just that Klopp has chosen to stick with what he’s got.
Whether the fact that the two most senior and influential players at the club (Henderson and Milner) are also midfielders has anything to do with this, I wouldn’t like to say.
I do think that they have Klopp’s ear to an extent. An English heart to the midfield is preferable and I hope that this points the way to Bellingham joining eventually?
{Ed001's Note - it comes down to those alternatives being available and at the right price too. I doubt it is anything to do with Hendo or Milner as we know that we showed interest in at least one midfielder this summer in the shape of Otavio. Klopp wouldn't just go and buy anyone that doesn't show the right enthusiasm for joining the club either, so there could be any number of reasons that we haven't signed one. I certainly don't think it is anything at all to do with Millie, who has signed to be a rotation/cover option.}
10 Jul 2022 08:48:42
I fully agree with you, Ed. To add to the point of poor finishing which is perfectly illustrated away at Leicester where we fluffed our lines all night including Salah missing a pen, I think our inability to see out results while in winning positions was a huge matter as well. Losing 10 points from winning positions will lose you the title everytime vs City (who lost only 2 points vs us onbeheerd patch) regardless of what player you sign in or wherever, IMO.
Now coming into this season, we just need to improve on both points above and we’ll be straight Regarding signing a mid, we know Klopp does not sign players just cos they are available or are alternatives. If one is available at the right price they ticks the boxes then, we go for it. This is common knowledge and it won’t change so for me, it’s a dead issue.
The guy had a chance to sign a young Ben Chilwell in 16/ 17 when we were desperate to replace Moreno and he wasn’t convinced and instead convinced Milner (that many seem to suddenly trash) to play LB and we got top 4. I’m good with whatever Klopp decides.
10 Jul 2022 09:32:48
Clearly we do sign alternatives though Oli, Salah is proof of that.
It’s just a matter of how pressing the need is seen as being, and I guess that Klopp sees the midfield as being ok.
Which is fine by me, I would like to see the younger players get their chances, but it does leave us slightly at risk of being impacted by injuries.
But cross that bridge if it comes to it.
10 Jul 2022 10:05:18
100% we weren’t as clinical last season as we could have been but for me I think the blame cannot just be put at the forwards feet.
Yes they all missed a hatful of chances but they also scored an abundance.
Just looking at the CL final (as it’s the freshest in my head) I can remember Salah, Jota and Mane missing a few decent to great opportunities but I can also remember Trent having 2, Hendo having one and the centre half’s a couple from set pieces.
If our defenders can give us 5-8 more goals this season and our midfield options give us another 10 plus then that takes off a huge weight from the forwards who at time are all being double marked or sat in amongst 8-11 players around the opposition box.
It might sound like a lot of goals from other areas but when broken down it’s a single or couple of goals more each between them individually.
10 Jul 2022 10:11:04
The point seems to be, and I totally agree, that we enough numbers in midfield including players who can cover different positions/ roles when needed to not push us to go and sign a player this window.
10 Jul 2022 09:16:05
Hi eds, do you know what stopped us from signing Octavio?
{Ed002's Note - Otavio (RM) Liverpool have sustained interest and something may be possible but they need to decide where funds need to be allocated - and he could be another they store in the memory for next summer. Manchester United see him as a useful midfield addition, but cannot offer CL football. Leeds are keen but again the lack of CL foootball might hinder a transfer. Aston VIlla did make an offer but it was well short of what Porto would be willing to consider and again the lack of CL football would make it unattractive to the player.}
10 Jul 2022 10:43:46
I always feel that Trent should score more goals.
10 Jul 2022 11:38:38
Hello The Irish Rover, Chris Lawler the "Silent Knight" and a fellow right back like TAA scored 61 goals (no penalties or free kick goals) in 549 appearances, even more remarkable he was not the clubs penalty taker or free kick specialist, all the goals scored were from open play hence his nickname the "silent knight", that's a goal scoring total many attacking midfielders have failed to match.
For me he will always be the clubs best right back ever.
10 Jul 2022 12:49:41
We had the same conversation last summer, and we missed out on the league by a point.
We’ll get a Midfielder in, we have too. This great manager deserves the squad to win league titles.
10 Jul 2022 14:00:59
Edd001 have you seen much of otavia? I thought he'd be a brilliant addition. Looks like a perfect fit for us and would give us more energy and bite in midfield. Never thought it was on though unless we sold keita. Good passer and terrific at winning the ball back. Shame we'd no takers for keita.
{Ed001's Note - no mate sorry.}
10 Jul 2022 18:40:58
Juicer, of course we sign alternatives but that’s not my point BUT I agree with your sentiments overall in your response.
JK23 just speaking for myself here BUT I am not the type who lays blame to just one reason or individuals as to why we did not win the title cos a lot of things go into whether we win the title or not. Just as I don’t believe the fallacy that we didn’t win the title cos we didn’t win the title cos we didn’t sign a midfielder. That’s just farcical thinking, IMO.
Now I will say that as much as we can improve on our conversion rate across all phases of the team, we need to do a better job of just seeing out results from winning positions cos you’re not going to score all your chances so in some games, we’re going to have to dig deep and see out the result cos losing 10 points from winning positions, ain’t going to cut regardless of how many goals we score, IMO.