19 Jul 2022 16:16:26
Ed001, in your opinion, do you think we have improved the squad on last years, stood still or gone a little backwards?
{Ed001's Note - well the young players should improve, so that will take us forward, Diaz and Konate should be better adapted, another step forward and Mane has been replaced with a proper centre-forward to play in the middle, so that should be another one. It is small gains, but it does look to be improved on last year.}
19 Jul 2022 16:56:29
Jones and Elliott will hopefully not struggle with injuries, Carvalho looks like he could have a very important part to play too, so there’s 3 tricky midfielders we did not have for most of last season. Ramsey is finally a proper backup for Trent, and we know how much we struggle when Trent is out. A proper centre forward as Ed001 had already covered.
The only issue for me really is the lack of a dependable, ever available midfielder, who is both a workhorse and adaptable. Doesn’t have to be the best player in the world, but i’d be a lot more comfortable with someone like that in the squad. Our midfielders aren’t necessarily getting worse, they just need to be protected more often.
To say we are going backwards seems like a reach to me.
19 Jul 2022 17:24:27
What do people think, will Konate start most matches instead of Matip this year?
19 Jul 2022 17:26:39
I agree about a midfielder but I would like someone who breaks through lines. a real box to box with pace and guile but who can tackle as well.
19 Jul 2022 17:44:48
The young ones get better. But the older ones slow down.
I think in terms of the team we’re better. But the squad is weaker. I Can’t see us fighting on Four fronts, but we certainly will on the 2 main ones.
It’s a long Transfer window though a lot could change.
19 Jul 2022 17:48:04
I'm more excited about the progression Jones, Elliott and Carvalho might make this season than signing a new midfielder. This season our midfield will be our biggest strength not a weakness.
19 Jul 2022 17:56:03
Bigsqueeze73, that was Ox before his devastating knee injury in the CL vs Roma sadly. I agree with Ed. Small gains indeed BUT I think our biggest gain will be continuity with the squad since we are not doing a Spurs and signing 5/ 6 players that need to bed in quick during a congested season. Really excited with what the young guns can do this season, as well.
19 Jul 2022 19:13:55
Just hope Nunez gets his first goal sooner rather than later, will do his confidence the world of good, could make the difference in games where everyone is behind the ball.
19 Jul 2022 19:14:59
1st team should be- Allison Trent Konate VVD Robbo Fabinho Hendo Thiago Diaz Nunez Salah 2nd team for fa and league cup- Kelleher Ramsey Matip Gomez Tsimikas Milner/ Hendo Jones Elliot Carvalho Jota Firmino Obviously the likes of Jota Firmino Carvalho Jones Elliot will be great of the bench in any game and good to start if any injuries. Once again the only hole in the team is cover for Fab. Also would like to see Gordon in cup games. It is a very strong squad of players in every position bar DM.
19 Jul 2022 19:21:16
Oli red yes ox definitely had that when he first joined. someone like him but not so injury prone.
19 Jul 2022 19:44:22
Scousenouse if fit and back to his best I would prefer Gomez in defence and would go with Elliott over Henderson. I would have Henderson rotating with Fabinho and Thiago so 2 from 3 most games and Carvalho and Jones doing the same with Elliott. That should hopefully keep Henderson Thiago and Fabinho fit for the season. With the young midfielders it will give them time to go in and out of form as the season progresses as youngsters seem to do.
19 Jul 2022 19:48:29
My worry is Nunez build up play. Jota scores goals but gets slated for his build up so Nunez could easily fall into that same boat.
Hopefully the weight of expectations don’t get to him or any of our youngsters.
19 Jul 2022 19:29:35
LFC8 don't see how the squad is weaker at all. We've lost Mane but replaced him w Diaz. Nunez is an upgrade on the 9 position. Konate has a year under his belt. We have a back up for Trent. Gomez is fit and getting a full pre season and could start the season next to Virgil. Elliot is a year older and Carvalho has come in. Sure the latter two are unproven in this league but Elliot was keeping Thiago out of the side last year until his injury. Carvalho looks like one heck of a signing and will get far more minutes than Origi and Minamino combined imo. So I don't see how we're weather. Sides like United need wholesale changes like us a few seasons back. We need "tweaks" and that's exactly what we've got. Last season I don't think a single so called pundit picked us to finish above 3rd and most had us 4th/ 5th and look what happened. We didn't make any major additions other than Konate. Even fans were saying we needed to do more. Well we all know what happened now and I think we will improve more this season than we did last year. Just a bit but we will improve. I think our options in attack are better and we'll have more flexibility to change the outcome of games. I also think our defense will be better. The worry for me is our mids staying fit and players like Elliot Carvalho and Keita standing up. If two of those step up then we'll be fine and in it until the end. The team is evolving and I trust Klopp and his coaches 100%.
19 Jul 2022 19:32:09
TB2, those 3 step up and the others stay fit we'll have a fantastic season. Keita could do more as well but not holding my breath on that one. Could possibly see him more attack minded in a diff formation. Exciting season coming up for us i think for many reasons.
19 Jul 2022 19:35:32
Scouse, I still think a fully fit and firing Gomez is a better option than Konate but you're prob right. I think Konate has strides to make (no pun lol) but he'll make them eventually. Wouldn't be surprised to see Gomez start the season tho. We're spoiled for CBs. But I agree and our second side looks good too. Our squad is now stronger and evolving.
19 Jul 2022 20:12:40
Like Oli said small tweaks but we're going to have a lot more tactical flexibility I think too. Wholesale changes like Spurts usually don't work out so well. United did it 2-3 seasons ago when ollie took the wheel. They fluked a second place finish on squad size alone imo when all others were ravaged.
19 Jul 2022 20:18:16
Player under the most pressure has to be Jones, make or break season for him I feel. Hope he makes it.
19 Jul 2022 21:32:30
Big season ahead for Carvalho Nunez Jones Elliot and possibly Ramsay. Average ag 19-20? Bodes very well for us imo.
19 Jul 2022 23:34:22
I don’t get why people are so concerned about Nunez’s build up play. Did anyone watch Mane in that position? His build up play and ball retention with his back to goal were awful.
If he loses the ball 50% of the time it’ll be an improvement.
I do love Mane BTW but centre forward was not his position.
19 Jul 2022 23:37:41
I am just sorry I forgot Ox and Naby but tbh they are just not in my thoughts for the team going forward. Also want to add Morton to the Gordon category hoping they both get more minutes this season. I am going to have to disagree with Grino and Redflyer and I think Gomez time has been and gone he is good if not great back up but to stop Konate progression now would be madness. A lot of money was spent on Ibra and he is for me starting to show real quality and is a danger at corners. To have Matip and Joey Goey in reserve is blessed. Also want to add Nunez hold up play will not be a problem he will bully his man and lay it off simple, then be on the end of a Salah scuff shot or a Trent wonder cross. Really looking forward to the season now happy with us going in to it and want to see how others fair after some mad transfers and new teams in the league.
20 Jul 2022 03:57:10
I have a funny feeling that Carvalho is a lot better than many people realise.
20 Jul 2022 06:08:01
Beckers I’m concerned with it mate because Jota gets slated for it by his own fans. Will Nunez get double standards and it not get mentioned. Hopefully
Appears it’s not just Jota it turns out Mane couldn’t hold the ball up either. Considering we average 60% possession and above in games the opposition must have loved Mane giving them the ball 50% of the time he has it. Good job he scored a couple of goals there.
20 Jul 2022 08:33:55
Naby might not be in many fans thoughts with regards to selection but he might be in Klopps.
This isn't a Naby defence post but just a realisation that Klopp picked him over 40 times last season and whilst fans assume the new contract offer is to protect his sell on value i can't imagine him being offered a new contract to sit in the stands for a season to watch.
It would be far cheaper to get him a season ticket than a new contract if that's the plan.
20 Jul 2022 10:08:39
JK, if Nunez has issues with his build up play in his first season the I will give him the benefit of the doubt as it will be his first season in a new system esp coming into a new league, country, system and all that. If it us a lingering issue in his second or 3rd season like Jota then, my worry will come. Not in his first season.
Jota gets slated cos he is NOT improving in this area IMO yet he would have been in the PL for 4 seasons and with us for seasons already. In fact, some on here including want him sold BUT I’m not even in that boat cos I think he can still improve on this front cos he shows flashes BUT needs to be more consistent.
Don’t worry about Nunes. He has time to develop and I will give him time cos he is raw and less experienced than Jota who is starting his 5th season in the PL and 3rd with us. Nunes will fail or succeed on his own merits. Hopefully, it’s the latter.
20 Jul 2022 10:40:22
Diaz will not score the mane numbers so I think that’s a downgrade. The kids should be better agreed so a very marginal gain and I think it might be a coin toss with Nunez on if he works out or not. It all depends on where the coin lands as to if we’ve improved or declined imo unless Elliot and carvalho are at the level Elliot started at last year or better.
20 Jul 2022 11:23:44
Here's a question for the posters who want Ox and Naby gone because of their injury record - supposed Bellingham comes in next season and immediately starts getting injured?
Will he then be immediately slated or given preferential treatment because he's a big money shiny new plaything?
20 Jul 2022 12:19:22
He will be given time like both Ox and Naby have had but it seems time does not heal all wounds. It is sad about Ox love the guy but his dad had similar problems being able to stay fit and looks like Ox has inherited the same problem. With Naby it is more application than injury, he is good on his day but they are few and far between. Jude has had no injury problems of yet and is fit as a fiddle, he would be a Thiago replacement and is my dream signing for next summer.
20 Jul 2022 12:52:52
I’m not bothered about Bellingham one way or the other as I think he’s a over rated and I can’t see us putting the transfer fee and £350k+ a week in wages together to make it happen, there’s going to be a lot of disappointed Bellingham fans on this page when he inevitably ends up at City, but the truth is that neither of Ox or Keita can be relied upon, either because they’re so fragile that they pick up injuries far too easily and far too often or because their performances are simply not good enough when they do get minutes on the pitch.