12 May 2021 09:49:23
Morning eds1&2 With only a few games to play. Any idea if we will sign kabak plus has impressed enough to warrant signing him.
Thanks.

{Ed002's Note - Ozan Kabak (CB) Financially it makes sense for Liverpool to buy the phlegmmeister as he has done enough to prove himself, but the club need to think hard about the CB situation with van Dijk and Gomez returning to fitness, the desire to add a starter and the Home Grown situation.}

12 May 2021 11:07:12
Ed, do you see LFC having to buy some homegrown talent in order to keep the squad numbers in balance? Obviously they won't be overpaying for well established homegrown players, so will our own youth and player like Elliot and Gordon will have to make these numbers up or do you see us being forced into purchasing British? Any idea who those players might be?
Cheers.

{Ed002's Note - Liverpool have a very good crop of youngsters but we have seen in recent years that having few or no opportunities in the first team they look to move on - other clubs suffer similar problems. The Home Grown issue only becomes directly relevant at 21 but the future will see the requirements for the number of Home Grown players for English sides rise from the current levels and, more significantly, the number of Club Developed players will need to increase. As such squad management will become an issue if not already addressed - which is why Liverpool are playing with a smaller squad in Europe than other sides. Liverpool have looked at Home Grown players like Ricky-Jade Jones (although he can no longer be counted as club developed), Michael Olise (won't be moving to Liverpool) and Ben White (too expensive).}

12 May 2021 11:22:50
With money limited, I'd just sign Konate to be the VVD partner at CB, with Gomez, Matip and Phillips the other options. Spending another 18 mil on Kabak is not good use of limited funds, when he wouldn't even be a first choice CB.

12 May 2021 12:14:44
Cant be overpaying for over hyped English players! Klopp will bring through some of the gems we have in the Academy to add to Kelleher, N Willliams, Trent, Gomez, Sepp VDB, Jones and Elliott like Gordon and Musialowski! By the time Klopp leaves we'll be in a very healthy position.

12 May 2021 14:10:38
Signing both Kabak and Konate seems like a hell of a lot of CB depth if it happens, would allow for greater tactical options imo, but need left back cover as well, I'm not sure if we are looking at anyone or bringing up a youngster.

{Ed002's Note - Liverpool bought LB cover in the summer.}

12 May 2021 14:28:38
I think I read somewhere that Tsimikas was unhappy and was looking to leave, it might of just been one of my booze fueled fantasies like when Monica Bellucci asked me if I was single!

{Ed002's Note - Yes, his agents have been looking for a way out but Liverpool have told them he is not for sale.}

12 May 2021 14:34:55
VVD, Gomez, Matip, Kabak and Konate would be a nice mix of centreback options for next season. I doubt we’d be able to sell Matip this summer due to injury concerns. We may be better holding onto him and selling in Jan or summer 2022.
Sell Philips. Doubt we’ll ever get more for him than this summer as if he stays his playing time will be severely limited and I don’t think he suits playing our high line. Sell Davies. Loan out Rhys Williams to see how he performs playing week in week out at a Championship team.

12 May 2021 14:48:03
Good. good player is Tsimikas!

12 May 2021 15:08:38
Why does everyone want 5 and even 6 centrehalves all of a sudden?

12 May 2021 14:41:35
Appreciate the clarification ed, your a star.

12 May 2021 14:50:06
Hi ed002. I've just read Ryan Bertrand is leaving Southampton. Is he looking for guaranteed first team football or would he be an option to provide competition for Robertson? This would allow Tsimikas to leave (albeit for a fraction of what we paid for him) and give us another homegrown player in the squad.

{Ed002's Note - Ryan Bertrand is not moving to Liverpool.}

12 May 2021 15:19:45
Appreciate the clarification ed, you're a star.

12 May 2021 15:30:12
Kabak makes zero sense if Konate is coming. Phillips 4th choice means we would have 4 solid centre backs.

12 May 2021 17:25:26
Ryan Bertrand would be a better signing than Alberto Moreno, but i'd rather give Brad Smith a chance. Wait a minute. What year is this Marty?!

12 May 2021 19:59:14
Surly there no point keeping matip he is also make of glass.

12 May 2021 20:42:58
Who's going to buy him? And on the flip side he's a top player in his peak years. We just have to hope he can stay fit, he shouldn't be starting every week so he should get plenty of rest time. A fit Matip still gets into any other team in the league bar City.

13 May 2021 01:03:11
Have we learned nothing from this season? Matip won’t suddenly keep fit next season i wouldn’t count him as an option, on good wages aswell, sell for whatever we can get, Konate and Gomez have injury problems too and will miss games. We can’t just hope one stays fit and play a returning VVD in every game next season, we need to be able to rest VVD and remain strong in 4 competitions and not even consider Fabinho out of midfield. Phillips has done alright but we should cash in when his value is at its highest. Matip and Phillips out Konate and Kabak (or another) in.

{Ed0666's Note - injuries are contrary example being keita when he played in the bundesliga hardly ever got injured he comes to Liverpool and it’s the exact opposite. If we sign konate he could be injury free for 2 years or be or perennially be in the physios room. You just can’t predict these things.

13 May 2021 08:45:21
We also need another DM to cover for Fabinho. The whole problem we’ve had is a lack of cover when Fabinho goes into the back line. Exactly the same as City had 2 years ago when Laporte was out and Fernandinho went into the back line.
They went out and splashed £60m on Rodri. We need to do something similar (although I know we can’t afford £60m. Is Lee Cattermole still playing? )

13 May 2021 12:26:38
ed0666, tbf keita has barely been injured bar one he got at the start he's just been not fit and not trying enough to play surely? and then when he does play he just stands around and doesn't try, i think injuries are a cover up for him not being good enough for the matchday squad?

{Ed0666's Note - keita barely been injured? Are you sure mate? His career at Liverpool has been blighted by injuries.

13 May 2021 14:03:24
Yeah He was out versus Southampton for who knows what he has been fit for a while now surely it’s just a cover up for the massive money and wages we pay him? . When in reality he’s just awful and is nowhere near good enough for u21 let alone the first team squad.

13 May 2021 14:25:05
He's clearly not awful. The player at Liepzig and the player we've seen in very rare flashes here prove he's not awful. Either through injuries or what looks like just being a tosser he hasn't shown his previous form near often enough.

13 May 2021 23:11:43
I see Phillips and possibly Matip being sold, hence why we would need Kabak, and will probably buy him just to turn a profit in a couple of years time, as with Ben D. Phillips has been a great stand in but he has too many mistakes in him at this level and heart alone won't keep him at LFC. Then there is the one year on the contract issue, and the fact that he knows he will not be a starter next season, and so will likely want to move on. Perhaps to Rangers with Stevie G? Or maybe that's Ben d, who was set for Celtic.
Its time for a mass clear out, some very astute purposes and then our best youth players to be brought in to bulk the squad. We have too many under used, insufficient, over injured players on our books .
Thanks for the response Ed.

14 May 2021 06:57:04
Why would we need 5 centrebacks for next year?
Has anyone watched this season!

2 of the 5 have yet to come back from season ending injuries.
1 of the 5 is perennially injuried, can’t be sold yet but can’t be relied upon to stay fit. Altho has the uncannot ability to walk back straight into the side and perform at a high level.
2 of the 5 are very new to the league finding their feet, one not having kicked a ball yet (Konate)


Why sign Kabak and Konate?
At £18mil and from what we’ve seen it would be a bargain. Konate has been identified as being one to future proof our defence.

In reality it’s not 5 defenders as such, more like 4.5 with the view to selling one within the following 2 windows.

15 May 2021 03:57:50
Ed02,
Always appreciate on players, and management of squad.
Liverpool's current centre back issue is a very interesting one, caused by themselves in my opinion when they didn't identify a replacement for Lovren.
VVD, Gomez, and Matip will be back next season. Phillips, Davies, Williams are still around. Decision need to be made on Kabak and a new signing.

I am very keen to know what you would do in this situation?

{Ed002's Note - Well LIverpool have Van Dijik, Gomez, Matip, finally gave Phillips a chance, have borrowed the Phlemmeister, added Davies, have some youngsters who are expected to do well in Rhys Williams, Billy Koumetio and van der Berg. Kabak may have done enough to make his deal permanent and Liverpool are persisting in trying in trying to add a starter to play with van Dijk. This should be Konate but there is an issue. They have also looked at Ben White, David Carmo, Sven Botman, Merih Demiral and spoken with the agent of Kalidou Koulibaly. Konate would be a very good option to replace Joe Gomez as a starter but it requires Liverpool to find the funds to pay for him from somewhere.}

15 May 2021 12:01:05
Ed02, what would you do if you are in the driving seat?

One thing I would definitely do (but probably can't, since unlikely to get any money) is to sell Matip.
Also, I would definitely keep Phillips.

{Ed002's Note - I would think Kabak has done enough and sign him as the cost is low and money is a huge issue for Liverpool. I would make a decision over the youngsters and then decide what to do with Joe Gomez who Klopp has been looking to replace as a starter with Konate. Whatever happens, the club needs to trim the number of CBs it has to four senior players and then a couple of youngsters. The HG isutation remains a problem at Liverpool and they do not want to be caught out over club developed players in the future - so need to hang on to van der Berg and the like.}