Yes, and with him, we're looking at 6th or 7th.
Brilliant player, of course. But not as crucial to our success as the spine of the team that plays behind him, imho.
Our most important player?
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Yes, and with him, we're looking at 6th or 7th.
Brilliant player, of course. But not as crucial to our success as the spine of the team that plays behind him, imho.
Interesting that Hendo is valued so highly...I rate what Henderson brings to our team. But if the footballing Gods said for going to lose one player, VVD or Henderson, I find it difficult to say yeah I'll keep Hendo over VVD.
I love Henderson but for me this horrific season has largely been because we've been without our cheat code defender. Henderson definitely is the emotional and heart of our team but technically I don't think he's as important to our team as VVD.
This thread is interesting because it highlights how many crucial players we have, and how up to this season we've kept them all fit by and large.
On the negative side, it shows how we've not built a squad around them, and when they are out, we are in trouble.
I'd also like to call out Klopp for mot giving the alternates much of a go when things were going well. This would have given them experience and confidence and given our starters a breather.
We're also quite 1 dimensional so players with other skills (thiago, Shaq for e.g. Don't quote fit in but are clearly amazing players)
Can Klopp up his game to an even higher level and develop the way he uses different players strengths?
In answer to the OP...
Incredibly hard but
Vvd
Hendo
Salah
Fab
Trent
Alisson would have been there earlier in his reign but we've learnt to cope without him better now, and he's making too many howlers, though I still love him and he's still awesome.
On the negative side, it shows how we've not built a squad around them, and when they are out, we are in trouble.
I'd also like to call out Klopp for mot giving the alternates much of a go when things were going well. This would have given them experience and confidence and given our starters a breather.
We're also quite 1 dimensional so players with other skills (thiago, Shaq for e.g. Don't quote fit in but are clearly amazing players)
Can Klopp up his game to an even higher level and develop the way he uses different players strengths?
In answer to the OP...
Incredibly hard but
Vvd
Hendo
Salah
Fab
Trent
Alisson would have been there earlier in his reign but we've learnt to cope without him better now, and he's making too many howlers, though I still love him and he's still awesome.
There's a fundamental difference to the team when VVD isn't there. It's the combination of good aerial dominance AND pace, which is a rarity in centre halves. But I think Henderson covers acres for us and his actual technical ability is often understated. Thiago can put a ball on a sixpence and is less likely to play the careful ball, but Henderson is more likely to pick the ball up deep and play a perfect 40 yard ball to create a change on the break. He plays the ball with less consistency sometimes, but like every facet of his game, he's worked and worked on it, enough that we miss it when it isn't there. He harasses the opposition, he recognises danger and he spots a break on the counter. He's immense. Add that he will have literally no qualms about calling someone like Thiago a wanker for sloppy play, the likes of him and Milner (in a lesser sense) are like the scouse heartbeat of previous eras.
Great points and I agree with everything you've said! However I also think that we are missing VVDs organization skills just as much as Henderson. Maybe there is some bias...we feel is easier to relate to Henderson because we see a little of our selves in Hendo, the 'common man' whereas VVD as the god like foreigner. But I don't think that should detract from VVDs leadership and organisational man management skills at the back. As I said I love Hendo but let's say hypotheticslky that Hendo had a career ending injury the natural successor for captain for me would be VVD. So add in VVD man management skills plus his technical skills as a player I think he defo beats Henderson for most important.
Regardless it's all opinions I'm not trying to create a school yard tick for tack pettiness. I honestly can say that I can see and understand what every poster has said about their most important player, apart from that guy that said Keita!
I'm with you on that point with Klopp...I wish he had played other players more... When I see how well Foden is doing now I wonder why the hell we shipped out Harvey Elliott and kept Shaq. Foden is 20 years old but has been a important part of city team for a while. Pep kept faith in him even when they had a slump. I don't understand Klopp's strategy with Shaq, ox, Origi... If he knew he couldn't trust them why keep them around?
Maybe he wasn't sure one way or the other, or maybe he thought he needed experience even among the fringe players in a season ravaged by injury. I'd also like to have seen more use made of them, but one thing I definitely trust the manager for is that he'll have had his reasons.
I think this thread only serves to further underline the fact that Klopp and co have built a team with a system that relies on all it's cogs to function.
There are a couple players that we struggle to replace more than others but look back at the last couple years and you really have to list about 8 players that have been absolutely crucial.
And that's been part of the problem this year. There isn't a great deal of flexibility and whilst we can just about cover the loss of a couple of players, any more than that and we're severely impaired as a force.
There are a couple players that we struggle to replace more than others but look back at the last couple years and you really have to list about 8 players that have been absolutely crucial.
And that's been part of the problem this year. There isn't a great deal of flexibility and whilst we can just about cover the loss of a couple of players, any more than that and we're severely impaired as a force.
Our cheat code was ropey at times this year and utterly helpless when Villa spanked us and put 7 past us. He’s great and all but Henderson’s attitude is what we lack more than anything else.
Not buying that. I've always been a fan of Hendo's but VvD is fundamental to our shape in a way that no other individual player is - one iffy display doesn't change that. This season wouldn't have been rescued if Hendo had played every game.
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