09 May 2025 10:08:57
Gravenberch has been good this season and he's still only 22 so bound to get better on the defensive side of things. The desperation from a loud minority to alter the system and replace him or Mac Allister with a destroyer is extremely strange to me. Slot likes Grav in midfield with Macca and I'm inclined to say he's backed up his decision by winning a league title.
I'm not for one second saying we don't need a midfielder though. If you look a most successful teams nowadays they all have a core 14-16 players. 1 keeper, 2 centre backs, 4 full backs, 5 midfielders and 4 forwards. That's 11 starters and your 3-5 first choice substitutes. You don't typically rotate your keeper or your centre backs, nor do you make subs in those areas unless injury forces it. Usually most title winning teams have had a full back or midfielder who can comfortably step in at CB if needed such as Gomez/ Azpilicueta/ Ake, Fabinho/ Fernandinho/ Matic etc. Slot has trusted Gravenberch at CB at times but we may also look to a Hato/ Geertruida type full back. If you break down our core 16 the issues are clear though, and Gravenberch being a ball player is not one of them. The bigger issue actually is that due to having a destroyer who the manager doesn't fancy, we've overplayed our other midfielders.
Alisson - OK
Bradley - OK
Trent - definitely leaving
Virgil - OK
Konate - possibly leaving
Tsimikas - not good enough
Roberston - OK
Gravenberch - OK
Mac Allister - OK
Szoboszlai - OK
Jones- OK
Endo - not fancied by Slot
Diaz - OK
Gakpo - OK
Salah - OK
Nunez - not good enough
So we need a RB to replace Trent, a LB to replace Tsimikas, a CM to replace Endo, and a ST to replace Nunez. Probably a CB to replace Konate who looks increasingly likely to depart.
I know a lot of our fans have a hang up on CB's because of what happened in 2021 but that was a freak season. 9 times out of 10 the team that wins the league kept both starting CB's fit and together for nearly every game. Konate played 28/ 34 league games before the title was confirmed and Virgil is yet to miss a single minute in the league (35/ 35).
Everyone outside of that (Elliott, Jota, Chiesa, Quansah, Gomez, Kelleher etc) we shouldn't really be rushing to boot out the club, but if they push to leave we should try to replace internally if possible, because the odds are their replacements will barely kick a ball. We have lots of talented young players at the club worth some game time.
FWD: Doak, Koumas, Danns, Ngumoha
MID: Nyoni, McConnell, Stephenson
DEF: Bajcetic, Nallo, Chambers, Beck
GK: Mamardashvili
Ultimately, there are only a handful of issues in our squad which need resolving and that is why we are Champions. There is not a fundamental problem with our system or Slot's midfield preference.
09 May 2025 10:36:14
Slit said in his press conference today that he doesn’t discuss recruitment for positions but did say “we have four players who can play RB”. Bradley, Jones, Quansah and Gomez.
I am not so sure Slot sees replacing Trent as a vital move. Interesting summer ahead.
09 May 2025 10:41:10
Agree with all of that, with any luck bajetic takes the endo role.
09 May 2025 10:45:46
I don't think anybody wants to replace Grav or Mac with a destroyer. Most people want another quality deep midfielder (not necessarily a destroyer) so that they can rotate and not run them into the ground. A DM that offers something different (e. g. Beleba) would also allow us different options in games. It would also be reasonable for all 3 to play with Grav alongside a new deep midfielder, Macca playing at 10 and resting Szobo.
I personally think there are 3 obvious positions that are likely to be addressed this summer in RB, LB and CF.
After that we are looking at improving the squad and planning for the future which would most likely be DM, CB (or 2 if Konate is sold) and RW.
I can't see us signing more than 4 players this summer so I would like to see us sign RB, LB (one of which is comfortable covering at CB), CF and DM.
09 May 2025 11:41:39
Shipley, there was a thread further down where 'Isedgodam' and 'House of Cards' were literally both arguing with people that we needed a DM so Gravenberch could play further forward. Ironically, we saw that under Klopp, and Gravenberch was totally unsuited to being further forward.
As I said, it is only a loud minority of people saying it. It's quite clear what Slot wants from his deepest midfielder. He wants them to take the ball in tight spaces on the turn and get us on the attack, whereas most deeper lying midfielders will just knock a first time pass straight back to the defenders if they're under pressure. There are very few players who can do what Slot wants and are also be better defensively than Gravenberch. We've got a future world class midfielder and he's found his home at the base of our midfield in Slot's system.
09 May 2025 12:01:21
Personally see Gomez being the rcb/ RB cover. Nallo and Stephenson could cover RB aswell. Hato would be ideal for lb as he plays next to Virg for Holland. Endo will need replacing and hopefully Bajcetic replaces Morton. High hopes for Nyoni and hopefully he can come into the first team squad more this season.
09 May 2025 12:05:23
What black magic has Jones done on you @MKS. I have never ever seen another more overtated player than Jones.
09 May 2025 12:09:41
The problem is that the one player in world football- who coincidentally is available on a release clause for relatively cheap, liverpool's favourite kind of deal- who we can with some level of certainty say looks like a long term replacement for Virgil, is available right now, Dean Huijsen. He should be uppermost in our minds simply because he is the ultimate 'opportunistic signing' and will solve a problem we will have hanging over our heads the next two seasons with Virgil beginning to enter the twilight of his career.
So I would say that Huijsen is the deal we need to sew up first, then see if we can renew Konate, or we would have to bring another center back in this window as well, because Huijsen and Virgil is not at all an upgrade on what we have in terms of their respective skill sets. We need a physical, mobile and pacey defender who is good in the air alongside Virgil.
After that we can think of getting two full backs, one on the left to start and one on the right to compete with or deputise for Conor (I don't know if that would be Martim Fernandes or Givairo Read or somebody like that, or if we have a right back solution in the academy) . I would imagine that the prospect of bringing in Frimpong might be too attractive to pass up, though, he looks like he's eager to come, is friends with members of the squad, can play two positions and offers very good value even on the chance that he doesn't make it with us.
A number 9 is a no brainer but if we are only getting one attacking player I think it doesn't look likely that it will be Cunha. I imagine that Slot wants somebody with presence in the box as well as pace, but is also mobile and can run first minute to last. I don't know who that player would be, Sesko looks a risk and Ekitike looks even more of a risk, I don't know why we would let go of Darwin and get two raw projects who don't have the sort of complete game we would want. Honestly I think Sesko looks a better bet than Ekitike all around and to me he has a higher ceiling, but you wouldn't expect either to arrive and be the finished article in the way that, say, Marmoush has done. I think he is a decent player and I have seen him a fair bit, but I really would not want us to go for Ekitike, he really lacks physicality. If Diaz is also leaving this window, which I would hope is not the case, then I can see us going for Cunha.
As for a deep lying midfielder, I think Stiller is a very very good choice. He is defensively okay, plus with Trent going it makes sense going for him because everything goes through him at Stuttgart, he is very much a passing metronomic sort of midfielder rather than a carrier like Gravenberch, so if they are to rotate they will provide different things despite occupying a similar sort of position. Hugo Larsson also offers a similar kind of profile but I would imagine he would be more expensive.
I would imagine Baleba is not very likely given this isn't our most pressing position and he would probably take up most of the budget we have available to us, the bulk of which I would expect to go to a top tier number 9, a starting left back and Huijsen. To be honest those three alone would cost a whole lot, somebody like Frimpong coming in with them and the other problem positions like DM being left for a future window seems more sensible to me.
09 May 2025 12:44:47
Poor Jota isn't worth mentioning?
09 May 2025 12:46:22
You’re right on Gravenberch MKS, that post earlier was/ is just complete nonsense. RG offered little further forward last season but has been superb since playing as a more defensive minded midfielder and I don’t see the point in changing that. Bajcetic can cover if needed, or Endo if he stays. There are other positions where any funds can be better spent (LB, CB, Striker) .
09 May 2025 13:58:39
Not seen anyone of sound mind mention replacing Gravenberch. I would suggest better use of the posters time. But he definitely wore down this season so his minutes will need to be managed more next season and finding the "right" backup whether internal or external will be important. If they can convince Endo to stay or one of the younger lads (Baj, McConnnell, Morton, Nyoni, etc) can handle the job that is fine as well. But I doubt a higher profile signing (Stiller ie) is coming in to play behind Berch.
09 May 2025 14:45:08
I'd like a new midfielder, preferably a defensive one . not to replace any of the current 3 but to compete with them . love Elliot n Jones ( i know a lot don't ) but don't think they're starters, more squad members . I'd also think Macallister get play even better further up the pitch . not sure who that midfielder could be though.
09 May 2025 15:16:48
We have a Fantastic squad. Add some players to it, avoid too many injuries, and I can see us winning it again!
09 May 2025 17:59:21
Gravy was excellent up to Christmas. He's been average since. Whether that is down to fatigue or whether the opposition clocked onto the Virgil-Gravy attack construction and shut it down.
Either way, we need some help in there.
09 May 2025 18:24:05
I would like a midfielder who can do both as in defend and offer something in creativity and in attack, if that makes sense.
09 May 2025 22:15:05
Slot doesn’t fancy Endo. Move him on and get the best player in that position you can. If that means Gravenberch drops out so be it. Maybe Gravenberch steps up even more and MacAllister drops out maybe Mac goes into the 10 and Dom drops out. Good problems to have. You get better by signing better players not squad players.