22 Aug 2024 21:11:27
Sep VDB joins Brentford 25mill.
22 Aug 2024 21:54:39
And the online fume builds with 8 days to go.
Seeing some very contrasting reactions from Reds, that shows those who hope to win the league again one day and those that think 3rd is good enough.
Can’t believe we sign no one. Inacio and Rabiot I reckon.
22 Aug 2024 23:06:10
I presume the two ideas are mutually exclusive are they @Genius?
22 Aug 2024 23:19:43
Would keeping VDB help us win the league?
He was a 4th/ 5th choice centre back.
I don’t think there’s much “fume” about him being sold. He’s a fringe player being sold for a decent fee.
I think you’re clutching at straws on this one. It doesn’t take a ‘genius’ to see your agenda with your username and what you’re trying to stir.
23 Aug 2024 01:43:51
Did he really go for 25million?
I keep reading people saying Liverpool is pricing him out of a move. in fact whenever a player's leaving is a bit protracted, that Liverpool is at fault.
Never sure about the logic on this.
Liverpool think that he is worth a certain price, and will only let go at a certain price.
Sometimes you get it, and sometimes you don't.
Apart from Philips, I think Liverpool has sell extremely well.
Never understand what is all these criticism about.
23 Aug 2024 02:16:46
Or maybe people believe we can challenge for the league with the squad we have. Buying one or 2 players isn't going to change that much and certainly won't guarantee us the league.
23 Aug 2024 05:29:29
@kloppdog - this squad couldn’t win the league last season, and hasn’t been strengthened in any way, how is it somehow good enough now? We need to strengthen every season, to improve the quality, and maintain serious competition for players places.
23 Aug 2024 05:40:58
25m each for VDB and Carvalho is great business. Neither looked world-beaters and we will upgrade if Rabiot and Inacio are brought in their place. We should be wary on Sunday as both of them (if they feature) will want to show us what we missed out on.
23 Aug 2024 06:33:14
Seano - we only signed SVB and Minamino the summer after we finished 2nd and won the CL. The season after we won the premier league. By your logic those two strengthened the team enough to win the league did they? No they didn't, so the team that couldn't win the league the year before did just so the year after. There are other ways to improve other than just spending money.
23 Aug 2024 06:36:02
Sean_ I won’t deny selective additions are strategically important (witness Alison, Fabinho, Salah etc. ) but it’s not that simple or Chelsea would have won the league a few times over ;)
I think for Liverpool a lot of investment went into rebuilding the midfield last year with Macca, Szobo and Gravenberch etc. another year under the belt, and with the likes of Elliot, Jones, Bradley and Quansah maturing, we actually are a stronger side now. Our forwards look strong, and likewise defence is solid.
The key question in my view is whether there are notable gaps that a strategic purchase will make a difference, and I think probably only really at CDM. The rest of the squad I think is very competitive. Of course an Mbappe or Bellingham would help too, but realistically who’s available of that calibre that we can bring in?
23 Aug 2024 06:50:39
SGRed-Exactly. Buying for the sake of buying doesn't work. We do need a CB, having lost 2, and potentially Gomez. Then we have Nyoni, Jones, Endo and Grav for one place. Somethings got to give.
23 Aug 2024 07:28:20
Navy Keith don’t make up what you think I was saying. Read it properly before jumping to incorrect conclusions.
23 Aug 2024 07:35:34
In terms of CB we have really only lost one so far (Matip) as SVB didn't play for us last year. You could argue with his fitness concerns that Matip gametime could easily be given to a youth player. If Gomez leaves then I reckon we def need a new CB (though we are leaving it pretty late) . Im guessing it would depend on how they view VVD contract renewal as to whether we get someone like Inacio in.
23 Aug 2024 07:50:48
25 million each for two players who were never perceived to be starters by the club, and not for the future either, is excellent business. One consistent thing that I have noticed from LFC, over the years, is the ability to sell "future potential" in players very very well, after deciding on not using it, itself.
23 Aug 2024 08:01:26
@FSGenius
You’re replying to a post saying we have sold SVDB to Brentford with “And the online fume builds with 8 days to go”.
What am I making up? What aren’t I reading properly?
FS…Genius? (not the word I’d use! )
23 Aug 2024 08:07:33
I think it's narrow minded to think that just because we haven't made signings we can't do well. As someone points out our title win was after spending only £16m on minamino.
You can change tactics, youth players can become ready, recent addition can become more accustomed to the club and style of play, roles can change, in some cases just a change of manager is enough to help some players play much better.
There are also multiple examples of winning teams adding players and it makes them worse (Chelsea adding shevchenko for example) the answer isn't always, nor should it be 'sign more players' that really should be the last resort as it's the most expensive and the most likely to alter the balance of the team.
23 Aug 2024 08:12:37
Westwood we had players at their peak of their powers when we won the league. Part of the reason why we won it. But our squad is ageing and not good enough to win the league. I imagine people will say where is your crystal ball, I’ll point to logic given we’ve won one league in about 35 years.
23 Aug 2024 08:13:25
Rabiot is far too expensive.
23 Aug 2024 08:36:11
Couple more sales and everyone can get in the starting lineup or on the bench. Good for morale ?.
23 Aug 2024 08:38:45
Many posters see buying new players as like an upgrade on a car engine or a PC. Put the new part in and boom instant massive performance upgrade.
It doesn't work like that on the whole with football.
We bought a whole new midfield last season then fell away late on in the Prem after being right up there for so long. Those players are a year down the road with each other now, and that makes a difference. So yes, supplementing that with the right signings would be an ideal situation, but is it utterly disastrous and calamitous, are we stagnating and sliding backwards if we don't buy the big names that fans want?
Of course not. We might not be moving forward with the same impetus that a signing or 2 in the right positions would give us.
But fans who are utterly fixated on transfers don't see that.
They just want the dopamine rush of a big signing. And when that doesn't happen they revert to slagging the club/ players.
23 Aug 2024 08:50:05
If you look for two years and end up with Rabiot then the club we love is in serious trouble. It would feel better if they could actually sort out contract extensions. What a distraction they are going to be heading towards the new year.
23 Aug 2024 08:53:37
Hardly pulling a Rabiot out of the hat at 350k PW.
23 Aug 2024 09:04:51
I agree with SGRED, apart from the defence bit. We conceded too many goals last season. I think the left side is vulnerable and relying on Virg and Robbo staying fit. We definitely need somebody coming in who is Left footed and capable of playing both positions. Inacio?
23 Aug 2024 09:07:28
Kloppdog - as nothing guarantees us winning the league, doesn’t everything “far from guarantees us from winning the league”?
23 Aug 2024 09:17:20
Aging squad is harsh Frode. Other than Alisson, Robbo, Virgil, Endo and Salah who else would you describe as aging?
Marmadashvili (23), Kelleher (26), Davies (21), Pitaluga (21) and Jaros (22) are 5 young goalkeepers. Trent (25), Bradley (21), Stephenson (21) and Ramsay (21) are 4 young RB’s. Konate (25), Quansah (21) and Nallo (17) are 3 young CB’s. Chambers (20), Beck (21) and Scanlon (18) are 3 young LB’s. McConnell (20), Bajcetic (19), Morton (21), Nyoni (17), Jones (23), Gravenberch (22) and Mac Allister (25) are 7 young DM/ CM’s. Szoboszlai (23) and Elliott (21) are 2 young AM’s. Gakpo (25), Nunez (25), Danns (18), Koumas (18), Doak (19) and Gordon (19) are 6 young FW’s.
Given we only have Gomez, Phillips, Tsimikas, Jota and Diaz in that 27-29 age bracket I’d say if anything our squad is too young! Especially as at least 2 of them will probably leave this week. How can 10/ 40 being 27+ years old be considered an aging squad. Especially as only 5/ 40 are over 30’s.
I will concede that Alisson, Robbo, Virgil and Salah are key players though and the only one with a solid succession plan in place right now is Alisson. So we do need to think about future proofing LB, left side CB and RW in the near future. I’m hoping we can sort CB out this summer (we’ve already sorted GK this summer) and then next summer we can nail down RW and LB long term. That gives Doak and Chambers a chance out on loan to really stake a claim. Whereas at CB we don’t really have any really too young ones out on loan and Nallo is probably just that bit too young. So I’d accept we have an aging spine to the team, but the squad is ram packed with young talent and at least 7 of our starters against Ipswich have another 5-10 years at the highest level injury permitting. All 4 of the subs we used against Ipswich were also 21-27 years old. So our core squad members are generally pretty young for me. I think “aging squad” is an unfair assessment.
23 Aug 2024 09:31:28
FTR, you're just wrong.
your squad won't magically improve unless you can upgrade positions, unless you're world class in every position then you can and should reinforce in areas of weakness.
Yeah our midfield might be in a better position then last year as they've bedded in. But we currently have pretty obvious weaknesses, LB, LCB, Salah leaving in the next year, Trent going? VD going leaving us with some youngsters.
We get injuries and all we've done is offload, then we quite clearly will be in a real problem state.
I just can't believe people on here somehow acting like losing some fringe players somehow makes us have a better squad this year. There's a chance slot does some magic and fixes some of our weaknesses like our lack of clinical forwards (outside of djota who is injured constantly), but you can't act like that is some certain thing.
23 Aug 2024 09:32:46
You are completely wrong Flash, absolutely a million miles off. You have given it no thought or context. For example posters don’t want Rabiot on massive wages, so it’s not just buying for the sake of it.
The captain says the squad needs help and in 99% of the time winners bring in a few quality additions. We didn’t win the league without bringing in some quality additions.
23 Aug 2024 09:35:08
“The club we love” - that made me laugh out loud ???.
23 Aug 2024 09:46:24
Frode-If your argument was the one Seano was making I would say fair enough, but it isn't. He is saying that as our squad didn't win the league last year it won't this year, and I simply gave a recent example as to why that stance is objectively wrong. No I don't have a crystal ball, and neither do you, so why do you think our current younger players won't this season come into the 'peak of their powers' as you say. Again correct we won't nothing for lots of years, and I bet in most of those summers I bet we made signings, yet the one summer where we made one signings neither if which were first teamers, we won the league the year after. So yeah, there's your logic thrown right back at you - we are clearly better when we sign no-one lol. I'm not here to argue, I'm here to make objective based counters to peoples negativity.
23 Aug 2024 10:06:25
To those saying that we don't need to sign anyone, your reasons may be valid but we know that in football, anything can happen and we need quality squad depth. Even a strong team like Man City do sign players, as one can argue their squad is already strong enough to win the league. Same for Arsenal, they are improving each year, partly thanks to their signings helping them along the way.
I'm not saying we can't win the league with our current players. With the right form and tactics, we may well do so. However, we have some first team players that we may need to replace soon. Like VVD, Salah to name a few. So, if we don't sign anyone this season and wait until next season to sign players, we'll be put in a tight spot. Clubs will know we are desperate to fill in the gaps and they can squeeze us for more money compared to this season. Also, we don't have hundreds of millions to spend per transfer window. If we don't plan ahead, we may get into trouble.
Some might argue, that we did the same last season with our midfielders. Well, it was a huge risk that surprisingly paid off. Imagine if the players brought in couldn't adapt well? For example, we brought in Fabinho and Keita, one took a while to be great and the other one kinda flopped. So, if we buy some players this season, we get to see if they can adapt or do we need to react next season.
I feel we are talking a huge risk by not signing anyone this season. It speaks volumes when we're not the title winning team and yet we're the one that are not putting in reinforcements. I also don't buy into the reason that we cannot find players that are better than our current squad. RM, Barca, City, PSG, Arsenal can find players to improve their team but Liverpool can't find anyone to strengthen our existing squad? Its like saying we're the dream team. Let's see how it turns out this season. I hope I am wrong.
23 Aug 2024 10:37:22
Someone said this already but it’s been glossed over. The 2019 summer window we brought in Minamino, SVB, Adrian. Hardly impactful first team players.
We do need to strengthen but it’s not over if we don’t sign a player. It does narrow the margin of error. More so to do with quality as opposed to depth because we have a full squad even with the recent sales.
23 Aug 2024 10:39:53
I have been going to the games for 40 years WDW, we are so close that it would be heartbreaking for the club not to try and improve. We are close but as it stands next year will be extremely difficult.
Strive to be the best we can, that’s all we can ask for. That doesn’t include letting your best players leave on free transfers and adding no one to fill glaring weaknesses in the current squad. It also doesn’t mean buying £100m player after player or paying someone £350k a week.
I know you’re happy with the pay on the head at the end of the season but I want to strive for winning the PL.
23 Aug 2024 10:40:04
Have I missed something but when did we sign Mamardashvili as far as I know we haven’t.
23 Aug 2024 11:11:56
OK, I'll say it then. Good luck Sepp. You'll Never Walk Alone!
23 Aug 2024 11:12:03
What you mean Mark is that I haven't given it meaning or context that you agree with. Which is understandable given that I'm not utterly fixated on transfers, so we'll always see things differently from that perspective.
And yes, reading the hysterical posts here on a daily basis many fans do just want a signing for the sake of it, while many others put forward good cases for certain players/ positions. While you may not think along the same lines as that, to deny it's happening doesn't make it so.
In short, could we do with some new blood? Probably.
Is the world going to stop turning or the club implode and disappear if we don't sign anyone? Only if you have a hysterical outlook.
23 Aug 2024 11:14:25
Sid19, It’s pretty much done now I believe. ITK’s are reporting a €35m plus 10% sell on clause and we loan him back for 1 year. Be some collapse if the deal doesn’t happen now.
23 Aug 2024 11:31:09
@Markp - how does whining about everything the club does or doesn’t do constitute striving to win the league. I can’t understand how you have been going to the match for 40 years and yet you have no regard for the coach and coaching staff improving players that we have at the club year on year or recognise that players in their early 20’s are on a learning curve and will get better and better or are you saying players like Gerrard were the finished article at 18? I also think the general opinion that buying a defensive midfielder will somehow guarantee that we will get better and / or win us the league. The notion that you and others (have you read this far Frode) that buying a defensive midfielder will improve our defence out of sight. Ironically we conceded the third least goals in the PL last season and I could make a reasonable case that it is the goal opportunities that we missed rather than the goals that we conceded that cost us.
Buying one player won’t win us the league but it could help in tandem with our existing squad improving with better tactics and good coaching.
23 Aug 2024 12:21:27
We may not have strengthened that year but we had, in the previous 2 seasons, signed Alisson, Van Dijk, Fabinho, Salah, Robertson, and seen the emergence of Trent. Alisson world class in his position, ditto Fabinho and Salah, Robertson by that season also one of the best LB’s, and we had prime Mane and Bobby as a foil. It was an outstanding team at its absolute peak. That is not the case now - there are lots of very good players, but I mean even Salah today isn’t as good as that version of Salah. I just find it laughably optimistic that you think we can bring in a new coach, not sign anyone, and win the league. Make the case that this team/ squad now is as strong as that 2019/ 20 one, player for player, I want to see how you justify it.
More to the point though why haven’t we bought anyone? Lack of money? No will? No ambition? When the injuries start kicking I hope those making these bold proclamations won’t go hiding. Fans being asked to pay ever more money to either buy a kit or attend a game, but are derided for wanting a new signing or 2? It doesn’t have sense. Why have the two teams who finished above us strengthened and we haven’t? Do they seriously have more weaknesses than us? I’ll await the responses/ justifications.
23 Aug 2024 12:24:00
The only thing I would say about the Minamino transfer window is that we’d come off of a season with 97 points, 1 defeat, incredible form and we were so unlucky to finish behind City by 1 point! We were arguably the best team too. Last season, we were comfortably the 3rd best team. Arsenal and Man City were clearly better, simple as.
I don’t mind if we’re not in the title battle this season as Slot finds his way and gets embedded into things, but I’m naturally worried about missing out on CL football. There’s a lot of good teams now, id argue the top 10 teams in the Premier League have never been stronger. And injuries last season plagued teams more than ever before, and with Internationals all summer, could be more of the same this season.
23 Aug 2024 12:42:17
Ok MK mate, to be honest, I’m not sure why we’re buying another GK as we have a plethora of that position “in stock”, I’m sure we’ll both agree that our priorities lay else where, still I’m not running the show, it’ll be nice to know if contracts have been sorted out for Salah, Trent and Ali first before anyone is considered to be coming to us regardless of what position they play in and like you (not many of us posters mind) I still think all 3 especially Salah can still do a top job for us for at least 2 more years maybe more with the likes of Trent and Ali who I can’t see leaving us any time soon.
23 Aug 2024 12:43:13
Ok ill say it. The whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. Not saying that we don't need additions, but getting a sparkly new toy doesn't mean everything is now fixed.
23 Aug 2024 13:02:32
VDB has a grand total of 4 appearances for Liverpool about 4 seasons ago.
Has been loaned out ever since.
He wanted to leave.
Complained about being priced out of a move.
Liverpool held firm in their valuation and it was eventually met, and possibly more.
VDB had the choice of the German champions or Brentford.
He made his choice.
Great bit of business by Liverpool for a player that didn’t want to stay.
23 Aug 2024 13:51:19
It would be a Caicedo/ Zubimendi/ Alonso of a collapse.
Something we’re used to know.
23 Aug 2024 15:57:31
I do have one justification Seano, but 1st thing is that if you'd have started with your most recent post, I wouldn't have said anything other than that I actually agree with you, but you didn't. You said we didn't win the league last year so we won't next without making signings and not only is that an entirely subjective opinion I countered it with objective evidence to the opposite occuring when we won the league.
Besides saying LFC where at their absolute peak when finishing 2nd? Well sorry but obviously not. You can call it unlucky but the table doesn't lie. City were better than us that year and we, the same first 12 were better than them the year after.
Anyway to my justification, we have a new manager introducing a new style to new players who may or may not fit that system, or get on with him or vice versa. There are so many variables there. I don't know what others do professionally on here but I don't mind saying that I manage at Board level of an international corporate and the time it takes to settle into a role and who is compatible with your ideas takes a long long time, let alone to implement something effective. Put that into the context of elite level sports with huge ego's and immense public and professional scrutiny and Slot is expected to know enough about his entire squad to who should go and who should come in to make improvements within a few weeks at best. Nope, not a chance. If I was manager I probably wouldn't sign anyone on that basis either.
All this said, it does appear we are going to be making signings so at least that will give the masses their shiny new toys to play with, haha.
{Ed025's Note - good post that Westwood..
23 Aug 2024 16:09:50
It wasn’t minamino that won us the title though. It was the fact we broke the transfer record for GK CB and DM in the 18 months before. Anyone can pretend otherwise all they like but our success came from spending big money just like anyone else recently. It’s how you win you can’t win without doing it anymore.
23 Aug 2024 16:25:47
One Kiss. I went to school with Marc Albrighton and I am pretty sure he would disagree with you with regards to the Leicester team, their total team worth and he himself who went to Leicester on a free and now has a PL winners medal.
Again I am not disagreeing with the trend here, but City have been rich and outspending most other teams for a long long time now but it o lying since they had a top class coach in Pep that they have had sustained success. If money was everything, Mark Hughes would still be City Manager.