Questions and answers

[keniget]

So this is a slightly different take on the "Are you satisfied" thread.

I figured this was going to be a transitional season for us. I didn't expect us to make top 4 given the level of competition and investment but thought perhaps the foundations will be laid for success going forward.

I'm sure that the goal at the club was to make top 4 for all the obvious reasons but they can't have been hanging everything on that - few were betting on us making it.

So if we manage to haul ourselves over the line at the weekend this season will go down as a success. We will have the added money and prestige that the CL brings, but what of those foundations?

We ended last season with a lot of questions that needed answering and I'm not sure we're going to end this one with less. Gkmacca has, on a number of occasions, posted that Klopp has given everyone in the squad a chance to prove themselves and has learned a lot about his team and job at hand this season.

We know from previous experience that a season in the CL can ultimately be just that - one season in the CL - and with that in mind, to what extent has this season been successful in terms of providing us with a platform for success going forward?

I suspect that we won't know the answer till September but take a guess.

 

[dantes]

The last time we qualified, we signed a bunch of shit squad players to pad out the numbers. Then our same old first team struggled in Europe, and the shit squad players who came into the team for way too many league games fucked us hard into 7th/8th place. This time we need to use the existing first team as the back up to come in for league games, and buy superior upgrades to play the rest of the time and in Europe. That is how to cope with the extra fixtures without sacrificing the progress you've made before. We'll fuck it up because of our transfer policy and reliance upon statistical bullshit value signings.

 

[gkmacca]

If we qualify, that will obviously provide us with a platform in terms of participation and player appeal in the market. Beyond that, I think, to be brutally honest, we've not got that much of a platform in terms of player quality and squad depth.

We've now pretty much established a pattern of play, and the off-field set up has been rationalised and improved since last summer, so we're a more professional and coherent unit.

But as a competitive unit I think we really only have a small core of players.

The youth teams could well generate quite soon two or three very good attacking wide players, along with AA and Woodburn, but that's about it for the short term.

So I think we need maybe as many as eight signings to give us a really strong and solid platform to progress. We need a stronger team and also a much, much, stronger bench, so there can't be any lack of courage from the owners in terms of really going for it this summer.

I think our choices will be better this time, simply because Klopp's got more of a say, but the question mark remains over the owners. They can't compete with the mancs or Chelski in most instances, but they need to take the top targets seriously and be much more committed in their pursuit of top class talent.

I guess that's all bleedingly obvious!

 

[StevieM]

The last time we qualified, we signed a bunch of shit squad players to pad out the numbers. Then our same old first team struggled in Europe, and the shit squad players who came into the team for way too many league games fucked us hard into 7th/8th place. This time we need to use the existing first team as the back up to come in for league games, and buy superior upgrades to play the rest of the time and in Europe. That is how to cope with the extra fixtures without sacrificing the progress you've made before. We'll fuck it up because of our transfer policy and reliance upon statistical bullshit value signings.

So what you're saying is, we should buy lots of players that are better than the ones we have now.

I can't believe no one has thought of this before.

Your genius knows no limits.

 

[dantes]

So what you're saying is, we should buy lots of players that are better than the ones we have now.

I can't believe no one has thought of this before.

Your genius knows no limits.

So what you're saying is, I'm turning into a regular type career genius happy to get paid for stating the obvious. This might be true, but it might also be that I'm simply reserving some of my genius in the bank for a rainy day, for my future self to cash in on when the time is right.

 

[hmmmmm1]

We will struggle next season with 2 games a week, unless we improve the first team / squad. Players have looked shattered in the the last few weeks / months and having to rely on kids from the bench.

 

[Rosco]

I see where Macca's coming from but i'm not sure we can actually integrate 8 players in any meaningful way over the summer.

Next season is just going to be tougher for us. No doubt about it. Not being involved in European competition is an advantage in this league.

Going into this season i thought we were better going in with a streamlined squad which would force us to test out fringe players. I felt it would help us identify a core we can build around.

I think we have a better sense of that now - e.g. we know the likes of TAA and Woodburn are capable of playing in certain games. We know we can't rely on Sturridge and Henderson.

 

[Modo]

I think that transition won't be a factor if Klopp buys players who fit the system. We won't see a complete over haul but there's certainly some spots open in our starting XI. Mané, Coutinho, Clyne and Matip are safe. The rest of the spots are up for grabs imo.

 

[Markeh]

I also have massive doubts over the significance of champions league qualification in isolation. Imo one season of qualification on its own means nothing, its consistent qualification and money that makes a difference. In particular with recruitment where we have really struggled, no top level player is going to think "Oh shit Liverpool are in the champions league this year I definitely want to join them".

However its the first big step in getting back on track but my concern is that next season mirrors the post Suarez season with the pathetic champions league campaign and we'd have been better off out of Europe altogether, giving the league a proper go.

My hope is that Klopp took stock and has a proper plan for what he needs, also that the club is ready to bankroll and execute this plan

 

[Spionkop69]

My expectations got raised by early results.

But I'm reasonably pragmatic about things and if someone had offered me 4th, at the expense of Utd and Arsenal, with us competing for the top until Xmas, not losing to anyone in the Top 6, including wins away at Chelsea and Arsenal, then I'd have been pretty content with that.

Who am I kidding! I'd be plenty satisfied with the progress.

So yes, I'll be happy but as long it's one step with next steps providing the next progress we need to compete for titles.

 

[Red Mullet]

I think that transition won't be a factor if Klopp buys players who fit the system. We won't see a complete over haul but there's certainly some spots open in our starting XI. Mané, Coutinho, Clyne and Matip are safe. The rest of the spots are up for grabs imo.

Whaaaaat? No Lucas?

 

[Modo]

Whaaaaat? No Lucas?

Lucas has a place on the bench

 

[darkstarexodus]

My expectations got raised by early results.

But I'm reasonably pragmatic about things and if someone had offered me 4th, at the expense of Utd and Arsenal, with us competing for the top until Xmas, not losing to anyone in the Top 6, including wins away at Chelsea and Arsenal, then I'd have been pretty content with that.

Who am I kidding! I'd be plenty satisfied with the progress.

So yes, I'll be happy but as long it's one step with next steps providing the next progress we need to compete for titles.

Nailed bang on. Great year overall but still feels a bit disappointing. But if it provides us the platform to push on then it will be remembered as a turning point.

And fuck Arsenal and United.

 

[Frogfish]

Lucas has a place on the bench

And AA over Clyne for me. Clyne's attacking play (or lack of it) drives me to near distraction considering 70% of our matches follow the same formula and we require a RB who can actually cross, attack and has some pace to go past defenders.

 

[Modo]

And AA over Clyne for me. Clyne's attacking play (or lack of it) drives me to near distraction considering 70% of our matches follow the same formula and we require a RB who can actually cross, attack and has some pace to go past defenders.

He's still a kid. Way to early

 

[The Nomad]

And AA over Clyne for me. Clyne's attacking play (or lack of it) drives me to near distraction considering 70% of our matches follow the same formula and we require a RB who can actually cross, attack and has some pace to go past defenders.

While I share your optimism for AA, like Modo said, way to early to throw him in every week. I'm disappointed Klopp didn't use him as a DM sometimes.

Anyway, back on topic, the biggest question I have for next season is "will he blood the youngsters properly next year". We clearly have a talented bunch, but I fear Klopp is afraid to use them.

 

[Red Astaire]

While I share your optimism for AA, like Modo said, way to early to throw him in every week. I'm disappointed Klopp didn't use him as a DM sometimes.

Anyway, back on topic, the biggest question I have for next season is "will he blood the youngsters properly next year". We clearly have a talented bunch, but I fear Klopp is afraid to use them.

I also share an optimism for AA 😉

 

[The Nomad]

I also share an optimism for AA 😉

Hello my name is...

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

Hello my name is...

. . . Inigo Montoya.
You killed my father.
Prepare to die.

 

[moron]

I also have massive doubts over the significance of champions league qualification in isolation. Imo one season of qualification on its own means nothing, its consistent qualification and money that makes a difference. In particular with recruitment where we have really struggled, no top level player is going to think "Oh shit Liverpool are in the champions league this year I definitely want to join them".

However its the first big step in getting back on track but my concern is that next season mirrors the post Suarez season with the pathetic champions league campaign and we'd have been better off out of Europe altogether, giving the league a proper go.

My hope is that Klopp took stock and has a proper plan for what he needs, also that the club is ready to bankroll and execute this plan

I really hope you are right on this regarding Klopp understanding fully what needs to be done in terms of recruitment. As a club which has a rich history of being in European competition - my personal feeling is that I do not want to be in this competition if we are not prepared to do well in it. We have a European reputation to protect - I hated that season post-Suarez being in the CL. It was one of the worst European campaigns we have ever had and quite embarrassing. I also agree on your point that potential signings will look at us and think 'OK - yeah Liverpool are in the CL - I will join them' - after 8 fucking years ? - I think it was pretty clear this season that we are totally lacking in squad depth to sustain a campaign in more than one competition.

 

[Squiggles]

This season we've learned:
Mane is sensational and will be key to our future success.
Coutinho and Lallana are both vital to our way of playing, but need shifting about to maxmise their effectiveness when they're both on the pitch together.
Matip is good enough to play a role in our defence..
Mignolet is worth persisting with for another season.
TAA looks good enough to cut it at the highest level.

Things that were predictable last summer:
Milner and Clyne struggle to provide effective width against stubborn opposition.
Henderson and Sturridge cannot be relied upon.
Wijnaldum will go missing unless we're winning.
Firmino and Origi do not score enough goals.
We need another winger + pace to take advantage of our slick AM's.

No developments:

Can hasn't developed as we hoped. He's been good in recent weeks in DM but otherwise held back by switching roles/pain in calf
Lovren. He is what he is. A good, but not great CB who is prone to positional errors.
Firmino - a decent player but no Suarez like upturn in form is going to happen. Needs to develop at AM providing we sign a quality striker.