Like-mining isn't shameful. It is an honourable profession.
Georginio Wijnaldum - confirmed
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Like-mining isn't shameful. It is an honourable profession.
As you can tell from my post above I really rate this lad.
Secondly he inherits a number last worn by probably our best defender ever...
..from Denmark.
Yeah, definitely not a lightweight. Nice to see. Well taken goal as well. Looks an instinctive finisher.
Sounds like he's not a straight upgrade on any one player, but that he'll be a starter more often than not, whether he plays in the central 3 or on the flanks.
He'll probably start the majority of our games.
Could go either way, but still very excited by this signing along with Mane and the keeper.
Could go either way, but still very excited by this signing along with Mane and the keeper.
I would guess for the wings we have clear first-choice players in Coutinho (left flank only) and Mane (either flank), with Lallana being nominally 3rd choice, but probably getting as much playing time as the other two, because Klopp loves his energy. As a winger, I recon Wijnaldum would be a 4th choice at best.
However when/if we play with a 4-3-3 type system, I can see him making the LCM position his own (with some rotation with Milner/Grujic). That's the position he played almost exclusively in his last, very successful season in Holland (on the left of an inverted triangle with Adam Maher at RCM and Guardado as DM) and I think that's probably where he can offer the most value, starting as a CM, but springing into the #10/second striker role whenever we have an opportunity to counter at speed.
I didn't mean flank in a front 3 so much but on either side of midfield diamond if we play with 4 midfielders.
*Holds head in hands*. Uh-oh here we go .....
And he's Dutch, which is like the next closest thing. Queue years and fucking years of having a new player rammed down our throats as the best thing ever.
I can see either of these though I prefer to see Coutinho deeper and carving through the midfield, than on the flanks and cutting in to shoot, shoot, shoot.
.................................. Wijnaldum
......... Mane ............... Sturridge .......... Coutinho
or
.................................. Coutinho
........ Mane ............... Sturridge .......... Wijnaldum
Firmino can replace any from AM/centre/right and Origi centre/left.
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As in 4-4-2 ? I would be surprised if we ever saw that. 4-3-3 and more likely 4-2-3-1 would be my guess at Klopp's preference.
I think he'll play left too, of the front three. I don't think he'll be the midfielder everyone professes him to be. He can press and work hard, but not enough for a central midfielder. He'll play wide left and behind the striker I reckon. We are proper overstocked now though with attackers. I'm guessing this is how the positions will be covered:
Coutinho - attacking mid, left attack
Firmino - Right attack, forward, attacking mid
Wijnaldum - Left attack, attacking mid
Origi - forward, right attack
Mane - Right attack
Sturridge - forward
Ings - Back up forward - covering wide also.
Coutinho - attacking mid, left attack
Firmino - Right attack, forward, attacking mid
Wijnaldum - Left attack, attacking mid
Origi - forward, right attack
Mane - Right attack
Sturridge - forward
Ings - Back up forward - covering wide also.
You really suck at geography..
He did revert to it on a couple of occasions last season I think. Very rarely, but I'm sure he did.
I could see Coutinho playing deeper in a possession-based team (as he did under Rodgers at times), but not so much in a counter-attacking one – mainly because he doesn't have the speed and stamina to start from a deep position and catch up to the pace of a fast counter. Maybe Klopp can try him at #10, but he will still need to play pretty close to the opposition goal to be effective. What can I say, I love Coutinho and I love Klopp, but their respective styles aren't a natural fit.
I still believe Coutinho's best starting position is wide left in a 3 (because of the space it affords him), but as you say - Klopp's tendency would be to have someone with more pace there. Going to be interesting to see how he manages this one.
Another reason Coutinho won't play in midfield under Klopp is that if your emphasis is transition/counter-attacking game then by definition you are allowing opponents more of the ball, which means you have to be defensively solid through the middle – otherwise it's just suicide by football. So you can't have short and physically weak players in CM; even Allen was only used as the most attacking of 3 CMs by Klopp and he is an infinitely better defender than Coutinho.
The emphasis will be on pressing in their half far more than counter-attacking in my view.
Yeah, I've left myself open for that. it is my biggest faux pas since I announced Sterling and Raheem were playing well in a youth match.
Wijnaldum - Liverpool's Klopp factor made me turn down Everton and Spurs
Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool arrives at the team hotel on July 23, 2016 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Gini Wijnaldum has revealed that it was the Jurgen Klopp factor which convinced him to snub Tottenham and Everton before completing a £25million move to Liverpool.
The Dutch international was a man in demand this summer after suffering relegation from the Premier League with Newcastle United.
Spurs offered Champions League football and fellow countryman Ronald Koeman wanted him at Goodison, but a meeting with the Reds boss convinced the attacking midfielder that Anfield was the right destination for him.
Their discussion ended with Wijnaldum enthused about the prospect of being part of the Reds' bright future under Klopp.
“In that conversation he made me feel really good,” Wijnaldum said.
“He gave me a lot of confidence because he said he liked my way of playing football. He said I was a person he really wanted to have in his squad.
“Something like that is always good to hear. It made me happy, especially as it came from such a great trainer like Jurgen Klopp.
“He showed how good he is at Dortmund with all the success he had. It's always great when a trainer of that kind of ability says he needs you in his team.
“There was interest from Everton but Liverpool had more interest. Jurgen gave me a good feeling in that conversation. Straight after that I had the feeling that I wanted to come to Liverpool.
“Of course Liverpool is a big club with a good history. Everyone knows that. But there had to be a match.
“He's in charge and if a great trainer like him wants you then it gives you more confidence to come to a club like this.”
Rafa said Liverpool 'is a big club'
Wijnaldum, who penned a five-year contract, linked up with the squad in California on Saturday and took part in his first training session just hours later.
Rafa Benitez had been desperate to keep him at Newcastle to help fuel their promotion push back to the Premier League.
But the 25-year-old told the former Reds boss he just couldn't turn down the chance to work with Klopp.
“Rafa just said that Liverpool is a big club,” Wijnaldum said.
“The biggest thing he said was that he wanted to keep me for Newcastle.
2016 Liverpool FC
Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool after signing his contract at Melwood Training Ground
“He didn't want to sell me but he said that if a great offer came in they would think about it. He wanted to keep me there.
“He didn't say: 'You need to go to Liverpool' because he wanted me to stay at Newcastle.”
Part of the attraction for Klopp was Wijnaldum's versatility. He has spoken about the new boy being able to operate in one of the two holding roles or the three advanced positions in his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.
Wijnaldum, who scored 11 goals last season, is simply happy to feature wherever the manager believes his talents are best utilised.
“Jurgen is in charge and he will decide who's going to play,” he said.
Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool arrives to sign his contract at Melwood Training Ground on July 22, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“We as players must make it difficult for him. Everyone wants to play, we need to train well and then he will decide on the line up.
“For me it's good that I can play in more positions because that makes it easier for the coach and also easier to play.
“But it's down to each of us to force our way into the team. You do that by performing well on the training field. And showing the manager you deserve to play.”
- 22:29, 24 JUL 2016
- BY JAMES PEARCE
- 6SHARES
Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool arrives at the team hotel on July 23, 2016 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Gini Wijnaldum has revealed that it was the Jurgen Klopp factor which convinced him to snub Tottenham and Everton before completing a £25million move to Liverpool.
The Dutch international was a man in demand this summer after suffering relegation from the Premier League with Newcastle United.
Spurs offered Champions League football and fellow countryman Ronald Koeman wanted him at Goodison, but a meeting with the Reds boss convinced the attacking midfielder that Anfield was the right destination for him.
Their discussion ended with Wijnaldum enthused about the prospect of being part of the Reds' bright future under Klopp.
“In that conversation he made me feel really good,” Wijnaldum said.
“He gave me a lot of confidence because he said he liked my way of playing football. He said I was a person he really wanted to have in his squad.
“Something like that is always good to hear. It made me happy, especially as it came from such a great trainer like Jurgen Klopp.
“He showed how good he is at Dortmund with all the success he had. It's always great when a trainer of that kind of ability says he needs you in his team.
“There was interest from Everton but Liverpool had more interest. Jurgen gave me a good feeling in that conversation. Straight after that I had the feeling that I wanted to come to Liverpool.
“Of course Liverpool is a big club with a good history. Everyone knows that. But there had to be a match.
“He's in charge and if a great trainer like him wants you then it gives you more confidence to come to a club like this.”
Rafa said Liverpool 'is a big club'
Wijnaldum, who penned a five-year contract, linked up with the squad in California on Saturday and took part in his first training session just hours later.
Rafa Benitez had been desperate to keep him at Newcastle to help fuel their promotion push back to the Premier League.
But the 25-year-old told the former Reds boss he just couldn't turn down the chance to work with Klopp.
“Rafa just said that Liverpool is a big club,” Wijnaldum said.
“The biggest thing he said was that he wanted to keep me for Newcastle.
2016 Liverpool FC
Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool after signing his contract at Melwood Training Ground
“He didn't want to sell me but he said that if a great offer came in they would think about it. He wanted to keep me there.
“He didn't say: 'You need to go to Liverpool' because he wanted me to stay at Newcastle.”
Part of the attraction for Klopp was Wijnaldum's versatility. He has spoken about the new boy being able to operate in one of the two holding roles or the three advanced positions in his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.
Wijnaldum, who scored 11 goals last season, is simply happy to feature wherever the manager believes his talents are best utilised.
“Jurgen is in charge and he will decide who's going to play,” he said.
Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool arrives to sign his contract at Melwood Training Ground on July 22, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“We as players must make it difficult for him. Everyone wants to play, we need to train well and then he will decide on the line up.
“For me it's good that I can play in more positions because that makes it easier for the coach and also easier to play.
“But it's down to each of us to force our way into the team. You do that by performing well on the training field. And showing the manager you deserve to play.”
I know it's all PR bluff at this stage, but there isn't even the tiny hint of knobhead there and he seems very grounded and humble. Whilst I'd have liked him for a few million less (relegation tax) I've little doubt he'll prove a very good player for this club. He needs to adjust to Klopps methods as well as our expectations, which will prove his biggest challenge. The talent is already there. Scoring 11 goals from midfield in a shit, relegated side like Newcastle is noteworthy. He's a classy finisher who loves getting into the box more than any player from midfield we've had in years.
A song for the new lad.
(To Genie in a Bottle by Christina Aguilera)
If you want to see some speed /
Baby come and hear us sing /
He is Gini at full throttle /
Watch him run down the right wing
Fucking Boom.
(To Genie in a Bottle by Christina Aguilera)
If you want to see some speed /
Baby come and hear us sing /
He is Gini at full throttle /
Watch him run down the right wing
Fucking Boom.
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