28 Mar 2024 09:28:05
Ed001 do you think it's time to cash in on Tsimikas this summer while he still has good value and let Chambers take his role or do you think one more season on loan at a higher level would be better.
With the new champions league format and other cup competitions there could be plenty of game time for Chambers to develop within the first team squad.
{Ed001's Note - Chambers has not shown himself to be ready and I would say that Robertson is the one that is probably closer to being surplus with his fitness issues + age. If anything I would say Beck is the one that would be closest to coming in on the left.}
28 Mar 2024 10:23:30
Controversial suggestion: Trent at left back? I'm not a fan of inverting, but with the way we get Gomez to do it from left back at times, imo it'd put Trent in a good area for him to use his passing ability and leave right back open for Bradley.
28 Mar 2024 10:52:21
Nah, SR, not with that. Gomez has is a brilliant defender as in, he is a defensive Swiss army knife and has the mentality to play any position in the back line due to his mentality, professionalism and determination to get on the pitch and of his job, regardless of where he is. You can add players like Milner or even Kevin Grosskreutz that Klopp had at Dortmund who was well, his Swiss army knife.
Trent is a diff. type of player, IMO. He is a provider who thrives most in a specific position he is more than used to playing hence, RB. Putting him at LB would essentially put shackles on him preventing him from being the best he can be cos the team depends on him being at his best hence, playing at his best and most productive position. Just my opinion.
28 Mar 2024 10:53:42
In fairness to Robbo he’s usually pretty reliable when it comes to injuries and his big injury miss this season was for a broken or dislocated collar bone which could happen to anyone.
He doesn’t really fall into the injury prone category like the Matip and Thiagos of the squad who will be leaving in the summer.
I’m more concerned with the amount of injuries Jota, Jones and Bajetic seem to get though.
28 Mar 2024 11:22:42
How many injuries has Bajcetic had, Jk? I thought it was just the same growing pains issue.
28 Mar 2024 11:48:06
Jota and Jones were impact injuries this time round so I won't hold it against them. It happens in contact sports. I'd be more worried if they were muscular injuries. Jones used to suffer them fairly frequently in the past but he has been quite reliable this season.
As for Baj, he seems to just have growing pains which is fairly common in young athletes. He seems to be over them though so it is looking good for him.
28 Mar 2024 12:15:07
Idream and Drac I’m not suggesting we move those 3 on as I’m big fans of them all.
It was just regarding injury concerns and I’m just suggesting I’m more worried about them 3 than Robbo.
Just to add context
Baj has more or less missed the entire season (calf and adductor injury’s are what transfer market stats are reporting.
Jota has missed about 40% of the season
Jones has missed about 35% of the season.
Which actually doesn’t sound a lot in percent but it’s a third of the season missed and we could go back further than just this season.
28 Mar 2024 22:23:22
I’d say Robbo is the most likely candidate to leave, although it is most likely at the end of next season, imo.
He doesn’t maraud down the left side like he did about 3 or 4 years agp and I don’t think he looks suited to the inverted full back thing.
I reckon Tsimi is going to be a squad player however long he stays so we probably need Beck or Chambers to shine in the coming pre-season and set themselves up as the ‘most likely contender’ for the 25/ 26 season.
28 Mar 2024 23:30:53
Dont know whos leaving but wouldn't be surprised at all to see lloyd kelly arriving On a free to strenghten the left hand side.