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Gini Tonic

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Frogfish said:
I'd rather have Morton. Fabs, Thiago and Morton is a damn good midfield even though Morton is still a baby - and he tackles (and loves to tackle he says) way more than Gini ever did (Gini isn't a tackler, he's a possession retainer, which is why I guess it's not working out at PSG - he brings little to the attack and they have all the possession they need).
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I'm not worried about our midfield if Fabinho and Thiago are fit and available – any of our 3rd (more attack-minded) midfielder options, be it Hendo or Elliott, Jones, Keita or Ox will do fine, each in their own way. If Fabs is not available, Hendo must be to play at DM, otherwise we are a bit screwed (Milner can do a job there for an odd game, but that's about it). If Thiago is not available, until Morton's emergence we didn't have anyone else comfortable in the role of a "2nd midfielder" – Hendo was tried there early in the season and didn't convince, Keita can do a job, but we can't rely on his fitness for such a key position and this role stifles his best qualities. This is where we truly missed Gini – I don't think we comprehensively lose the midfield battle to City in that first half with him in the side instead of Jones, for example.

Now with Morton, I'm eager to see him tested against a proper EPL team that will try to put him under pressure – he looked so in control and unflustered against Porto and Milan and it would be interesting to find out where his limit is at the moment. If he aces through the next big tests, in theory he can replicate Thiago's role in the team, but that's a pretty huge responsibility to place on someone who just turned 19 and made his debut a month ago... And if he's not ready, then without a player like Thiago we will lose a lot of control and press resistance and our defense will be tested and put under pressure much more frequently.
 
No way that the owners would let this happen.

Here's someone we let go for nothing, coming back a to play at a wage we wouldn't even consider discussing with him.
 
rurikbird said:
I'm not worried about our midfield if Fabinho and Thiago are fit and available – any of our 3rd (more attack-minded) midfielder options, be it Hendo or Elliott, Jones, Keita or Ox will do fine, each in their own way. If Fabs is not available, Hendo must be to play at DM, otherwise we are a bit screwed (Milner can do a job there for an odd game, but that's about it).
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Agreed

rurikbird said:
If Thiago is not available, until Morton's emergence we didn't have anyone else comfortable in the role of a "2nd midfielder" – Hendo was tried there early in the season and didn't convince, Keita can do a job, but we can't rely on his fitness for such a key position and this role stifles his best qualities. This is where we truly missed Gini – I don't think we comprehensively lose the midfield battle to City in that first half with him in the side instead of Jones, for example.
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In general I'd agree with most of that statement but I'd be a little leary of basing an opinion on 45 mins against City. We don't play them every week (and they are one of the best 3 teams in the world) and maybe Morton would struggle against them too. I'm not dismissing his lack of experience and his age (of less relevance at 19 than his experience).
However based on what we've seen of him, from preseason thru Milan, I'd not lose sleep if he were our only other option in midfield. His coolness under pressure, quality of passing and tackling, is not only miles ahead of most but already ahead of what most PL midfielders will ever be capable of. That said Klopp will not put him into a situation that he feels he's not capable of handling.

rurikbird said:
Now with Morton, I'm eager to see him tested against a proper EPL team that will try to put him under pressure – he looked so in control and unflustered against Porto and Milan and it would be interesting to find out where his limit is at the moment. If he aces through the next big tests, in theory he can replicate Thiago's role in the team, but that's a pretty huge responsibility to place on someone who just turned 19 and made his debut a month ago... And if he's not ready, then without a player like Thiago we will lose a lot of control and press resistance and our defense will be tested and put under pressure much more frequently.
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Yes I want to see him play against the Burnleys, Wolves and Newcastles of this world. Can he handle them, because none of the teams he's played against have that same level of physical aggression. Hopefully he's on the bench more often and will get 10-20 mins here are there to test him in a variety of differing styles.
Of course it would be awful to lose Thiago again however with the returning midfielders we now have depth there and, although not capable of the same world class levels, it still means a strong midfield albeit playing a slightly different way.
 
I think people are getting a little ahead of themselves with Morton. He might be one of those players that thrives and grows in stature super quickly when thrown in at the deep end but right now we just don't know.

That Milan game wasn't far off a training match. We need to see Morton in a game that means something against an opposition midfield that will, well, provide somewhat of an opposition.
 
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keniget said:
I think people are getting a little ahead of themselves with Morton. He might be one of those players that thrives and grows in stature super quickly when throw in at the deep end but right now we just don't know.

That Milan game wasn't far off a training match. We need to see Morton in a game that means something against an opposition midfield that will, well, provide somewhat of an opposition.
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Exactly.
 
Modo said:
Let Thiago get injured again and all of you haters will be crying for Gini to come back. Wasn't it just a few weeks ago people were talking about how we missed him?
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Personally I just rue the fact we never replaced him. I don't want him back, I just want a sturdy midfielder
 
Remember ten years ago when City turned up to Anfield with Yaya Toure in his prime and Milner and Barry next to him and everyone thought we'd get fucked because we had Lucas and Spearing in midfield... and we absolutely fucked them three nil and Spearing just ran round Toure biting his ankles like a Boston Dynamics Jack Russell? Well I'm not worried about having to play Morton if two of the other four are injured.
 
I'm enjoying that Holle hates Gini as much as Silver Sean hates Arsenal. Have we got anyone else with specific hates on a par?
 
Dont think there is any point in taking him back. That usually wont end well. We've moved on, he's moved on and even though its a rumor I doubt PSG will let him move on loan anywhere in January.
 
The problem is Gini is too old now. We need to do what we are doing and replace Old with New, and that goes for everyone. We should be looking for replacements for Salah and Mane. This is not saying we sell them now. It is saying that we either get these players in now,or bring them through and start giving them game time.
Instead of look to take back players that we let go
 
If its very low cost and he's happy to mostly be on the bench then why not, he'll be good at the training ground and he'll help us protect more important players.
 
keniget said:
I think people are getting a little ahead of themselves with Morton. He might be one of those players that thrives and grows in stature super quickly when thrown in at the deep end but right now we just don't know.

That Milan game wasn't far off a training match. We need to see Morton in a game that means something against an opposition midfield that will, well, provide somewhat of an opposition.
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I agree, that’s why I want to see him to play against Newcastle or something to get a better sense of how he can handle the intensity of the EPL.

Y1 said:
Have everyone forgotten about Jones and Elliott?
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I think they are both (especially Elliott) better suited to the role of the “3rd midfielder” - the one who plays very close to the strikers this season and has less defensive responsibility. Curtis can physically handle a more defensive role, but I think he is better when he has more license to take risks. We’re discussing Morton because unlike the two players above, he seems like a natural fit for the Thiago role.
 
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