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Midfield replacements

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Stevesquash

Stevesquash

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If we get rid of ox and gini leaves we (still) have:

Hendo
fabs
Thiago
Keita
Jones
Milner
Shaq

Do we need any more cover for midfield ?

I would rather spend on cover to push Trent, and a CB. Also upfront.

Would you recall Elliott? I probably would, and would give him time a decent amount of time from the bench. But Klopp doesn't seem to do that much.
 
Milner is a good leader and he does bits when we need him to but yeah he won't start every week.

Next season our 3 midfielders are from Hendo Fabinho and Thiago, alongside Jones. In the seasons we won we had a reliable 5 midfielders so we need one more if Wijnaldum leaves but prob no more than that. Would bring Eliott in and find a new striker and spend money on the defence
 
Shaq needs to go for sure and he is likely to get us a profit if we sell. What I wanted to see from him is more explosive type performances like he did in that season he scored 2 against man u. Since then he has been going downhill with the odd good pass in specific games. Not good enough and like @Modo says he cannot tackle. Ox, and obviously Gini. The former because he has become next to useless now - I really don't see the point of him, and Gini if he goes. Also I think Milner has passed it this season.

This leaves the following:

Tiago, Fab, Henderson, Jones, Keita

1) Can we even think about bringing back Grujic for start as cover for the DM role - is he good enough guys ? - I just want him as part of the squad, he has physical attributes to fill a destroyer role. But you guys will know more.

2) Ok - we need to identify a replacement for Gini - key qualities are: a) high availability (b) versatility - this is a hard task - and I have no idea. - lets call him player X1 (suggested player could be Yves Bissouma, or even Declan Rice who as a DM could also play that role maybe ?)

3) Creative midfielder with lots of energy/dribbling/some pace - in addition to Jones, - now I love Grealish, so I don't know if we can do a deal to get him at a suitable price with Ox also bundled into the deal ? - if we can't get him then I would not mind us going for Todd Cantwell from Norwich - I thought he was quite good last season. Personally I think he would be better than what we are getting out of Shaq.

So you want names to replace: Shaq, Ox, Milner and I give you:

Cantwell, Bissouma, Rice

Attacking Talent:

1) Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid - he is a left winger and we should seriously consider him if Mane's current form continues to fall.
2) Is Klopp willing to let Origi go ? - if so then we need a similar replacement in terms of getting someone who has the best of Origi and willing to stay on bench.

Note: I don't think Mbappe will ever join us but if by miracle he does then he is good enough to replace (1) and (2) above. But if we lose Salah to fund Mbappe - then we don't sell Origi as there will be nothing left to spend on another attacker.

Defence:

1) Matip is not trustworthy - lets just assume we keep Kabak ... I think after this season Nat will have upped his value and we will get buyers for him, and because no one really rates him apart from a few of us - I think we will sell him.

2) Gleison Bremer of Torino is all we maybe able to afford.

Is all the above too expensive - you tell me.
 
Kieta needs to go - his made of glass
Milner - showing his age
Hendo - A real leader but is injury prone too

Wilson and Elliott should be called back, and be tested in the preseason friendly.

We're missing that MF that box-box midfielder to complete the midfield
 
bluebell said:
Kieta needs to go - his made of glass
Milner - showing his age
Hendo - A real leader but is injury prone too

Wilson and Elliott should be called back, and be tested in the preseason friendly.

We're missing that MF that box-box midfielder to complete the midfield
Click to expand...

Elliott is too young - we need wait another year in my view. Although a test is a good idea for pre-season. Wilson I don't think we can use him - if we find a buyer we should sell.
 
bluebell said:
Kieta needs to go - his made of glass
Milner - showing his age
Hendo - A real leader but is injury prone too

Wilson and Elliott should be called back, and be tested in the preseason friendly.

We're missing that MF that box-box midfielder to complete the midfield
Click to expand...
Our very own Football Manager strikes again. Sell him ! And him ! And him !

Wilson will never play for our first team. Though I agree Elliott should be in the squad next season (age notwithstanding), he would be a very good option from the bench and will get enough starts in the minor cups and Europa League.
 
I'm not sure Milner will want to stay as a player. He's a realist and must know his time is almost up. Now as a coach ....
 
Stevesquash said:
If we get rid of ox and gini leaves we (still) have:

Hendo
fabs
Thiago
Keita
Jones
Milner
Shaq

Do we need any more cover for midfield ?

I would rather spend on cover to push Trent, and a CB. Also upfront.

Would you recall Elliott? I probably would, and would give him time a decent amount of time from the bench. But Klopp doesn't seem to do that much.
Click to expand...

Looking at this, we should really try and keep Gini.
And add a top midfielder.
 
Frogfish said:
Our very own Football Manager strikes again. Sell him ! And him ! And him !

Wilson will never play for our first team. Though I agree Elliott should be in the squad next season (age notwithstanding), he would be a very good option from the bench and will get enough starts in the minor cups and Europa League.
Click to expand...
Which one of those I said "sell", would you keep?
Matip - injury issues
Kieta - Injury issues
Ox - injury issues
Karius - Shit
Adrian - Shit
Div - Not good enough
Grujic - I like him but he isn't good enough
Shaq - I like him, but Klopp doesn't, not enough to play him more often.
Milner - should be moved to backroom as part of the coaching team
Bobby - approaching 30, if a decent offer comes in for him, why not? The club needs to think about rebuilding the front line.

You could sell all these guys (other than Bobby and Millie) and not notice.

Wilson - has done well on loan I would like to see him be given a chance in preseason games. If he is shit, then sell him


Se
 
I like gini a lot. He frustrates me often when he dallies and goes sideways. However, he hardly ever gives the ball away, does all the dirty work and when minded to, he can be a positive force going forward.

Hes reliable, and the best ability is availability.

He seems like a top character too. So if it turns out he's signed this pre agreement with inter(?) and keeps spouting on about how he hopes he can stay i'll be very disappointed in him.

If we strengthen elsewhere so don't need our midfield playing out of position, and we keep Shaq, then I don't think we need anyone else. If everyone was fit we'd have a bench that could easily include Jones Keita Milner Shaq all covering midfield. With hendo Fabs thiago playing.

We can (reluctantly) do without gini or a replacement imo. Use the funds at the back and in front.
 
I think it's pretty obvious we need another ball winner in midfield. A Leicester Kante or a Ndidi who bring some bite and add alot of energy to our midfield.

It is no coincidence everything start falling apart once Fab and Hendo stopped playing in midfield. We have plenty of recyclers of the balls, but it doesn't matter if we can't win the ball back.

I will get rid of Ox, Shaq and bring in a combative midfielder.
 
Every dog knows we are not going to sign another midfielder when Gini leaves lol
This season's two windows have shown us how the people in the background think about such things.
 
Frogfish said:
I'm not sure Milner will want to stay as a player. He's a realist and must know his time is almost up. Now as a coach ....
Click to expand...

Yea it’s difficult to tell where his head is at regarding his future but it’s clear that time has caught up with him. He can’t manage a couple of games in a row without picking up an injury now and you can see from the look on his face he’s starting to realise the end is close.

Surely we’d be happy to keep him as long as he wants to stay though and start transitioning him into the coaching staff. I’m not sure the leeds move is realistic anymore.
 
KopRed said:
I think it's pretty obvious we need another ball winner in midfield. A Leicester Kante or a Ndidi who bring some bite and add alot of energy to our midfield.

It is no coincidence everything start falling apart once Fab and Hendo stopped playing in midfield. We have plenty of recyclers of the balls, but it doesn't matter if we can't win the ball back.

I will get rid of Ox, Shaq and bring in a combative midfielder.
Click to expand...

if we could afford him, Sergej Milinković-Savić? Or possibly buy a RB and move TAA in the middle?
 
bluebell said:
if we could afford him, Sergej Milinković-Savić? Or possibly buy a RB and move TAA in the middle?
Click to expand...

I think we have seen how much harm moving round pegs into square holes have done for us. I think ultimately weakening the midfield was the key to our major downturn in results.

I will buy Ndidi (or someone with similar attributes) outright.

A midfield consisting of Fab, Hendo, Ndidi, Thiago, Jones, Keita and Milner is more than a match for any team.
 
KopRed said:
I think we have seen how much harm moving round pegs into square holes have done for us. I think ultimately weakening the midfield was the key to our major downturn in results.

I will buy Ndidi (or someone with similar attributes) outright.

A midfield consisting of Fab, Hendo, Ndidi, Thiago, Jones, Keita and Milner is more than a match for any team.
Click to expand...
For sure. With 7 midfielders, 4 defenders, a keeper and the three up top I'd be surprised if we don't win the Olympics and the World Cup in addition to the domestic cups, PL & CL.
 
I’m pretty sure we’ll sign Florian Neuhaus this summer, regardless of whether Gini leaves or stays.
 
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