Like Adama?
The midfield
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Good to see so many people coming round to my idea, but a MF is more urgent. My ideal would be Nunes and Sane. Would cost us about £90m in total
FSG approve.
Like the fuck they will
I think this is exactly right. We need starting 11 quality additions both at RCM and LCM and we are suffering and have suffered due to the decision not to replace Wijnaldum with someone who can deliver on a similar level in terms of athleticism and stamina. I long for the “Brexit midfield” of 3-4 years ago - they lacked in creativity, but outworked every midfield they came up against.
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We replaced Gini with Thiago.
Harvey is earmarked for the RCM role long term.
I agree we need 2 midfielders though - 3 (at different levels of development/readiness), if we decide to let Kieta move on.
But of those 2 or 3, only one “needs” to be a starter - the Thiago replacement.
I feel like, next season Hendo drops in to being DM back/up while Bajcetic gets more game time or a loan. Harvey & a Kieta replacement for RCM and Thiago should start to be phased out with a new LCM integrated in over the season.
Jones, Morton & another younger player can provide cover with Milner & Ox departing.
In reality we’ve replaced Wijnaldum with a combination of Thiago, Milner and Curtis Jones at LCM. Upgrade all things considered? Not sure.
Definitely an upgrade. It's not even close.
How can people forget how close we came to the quad last season? Compare that to Gini's last season when he played 51 games and we won .... nothing. OK we had severe CB issues that season but we still had an awful season (3rd PL, ¼ finals CL, 4th R FAC, 4th R EFL, lost Charity Shield). Incredible.
Milner was behind Wijnaldum in the midfield pecking order when they were both here, so he is definitely not an upgrade. Is Thiago enough of an upgrade over the games he does play to compensate for the downgrade in those games when he’s unavailable, that’s the question.
Well Milner is on borrowed time, a fine player in his day but you can't expect at 37 that he can sustain the tempo we play for long periods. Thiago is undoubtedly a better player than Wjinaldum but he's plagued by injuries and I don't think the club will extend his contract when it runs out I'm 2024.
That leaves Jones who sadly doesn't look like he's going to make the step up to be a first team player with us.
I'd go along with the notion that we probably need 2 first team quality midfielders in the next 12 months. The age/injury profile of our current midfield options doesn't lend itself to long term stability
That leaves Jones who sadly doesn't look like he's going to make the step up to be a first team player with us.
I'd go along with the notion that we probably need 2 first team quality midfielders in the next 12 months. The age/injury profile of our current midfield options doesn't lend itself to long term stability
Well the answer is clearly yes - you only have to look at the win percentage when he plays, esp. with Fabs in the team too. It's almost like extreme Woke revisionism on here whenever he's out. I find some comments on here churlish and based on an ingrained bias rather than on the facts/statistics. Our real issue isn't the games Thiago misses - it's that we don't have quality cover and lose what he brings to our performances when he's out.
PL in his first season (24 games + 1 x non-starter on the bench + 4 CL +2 FAC = more minutes than Hendo)
Last season (25 games + 1 x non-starter on the bench + 10 CL + 4 FAC with only Fabs & Hendo from our midfielders playing more mins).
He played a total of 30 games for us the first season and 39 games last season. I'll take that with Milner/Keita/Carvalho/Hendo (with Elliott R) / Morton or whoever covering for FAC/LC and when injured (13 PL games first season + 12 PL games last season).
Whilst there is no doubt that Thiago is more susceptible to muscular injuries than most, when reviewing his injury record we also need to accept that 2 x Covid (7 games) and that horrific challenge by Richarlison, responsible for 17 games out, make a huge difference to the games missed (comprising 24 of the 61 games missed).
Once we get a new midfielder I'd put my house on him being interchangeable with either of the two CM slots and being better cover/competition.
BBC
Winning a quadruple of major trophies this season has been described by many - including Liverpool's own players - as almost impossible. But if they do achieve it, a significant reason for that will be the form of one man in recent weeks: Thiago Alcantara.
The Spain midfielder has stepped up at just the right time for the Reds, producing man-of-the-match performances on an almost weekly basis as Jurgen Klopp's side chase success in the Premier League and Champions League to add to their FA Cup and League Cup wins.
Thiago was sensational in both legs against Villarreal as Liverpool reached another European final, helped the Reds to the FA Cup on Saturday and has been consistently excellent in the Premier League as his side have kept up the pressure on Manchester City at the top of the table.
After a slow start to his career at Anfield, Thiago has now found his very best form, which is helping to propel an already exceptional Liverpool side to the next level.
Last Season with 3 games to go :
Thiago's current statistics speak for themselves.
Since a 1-0 home defeat by Chelsea in March 2021, Thiago has started 36 games for Liverpool and the Reds have lost just once - a 1-0 home defeat by Inter Milan in the Champions League last 16 second leg last month, when they progressed anyway.
Of the 10 Premier League games Liverpool have failed to win this season, Thiago was missing for six of them.
In the 2-0 win against Everton in the Merseyside derby recently, Thiago completed more passes than the entire Toffees team, while in his sublime display against Villarreal in the first leg of the Champions League he had a passing accuracy of 96%.
Those passes were not just over five yards, either, with many coming in the final third and nine long-ball efforts going straight to their target.
"I think sometimes those stats can be misleading - the 96%, 98% from players who give it five, 10 yards," former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch said during BT Sport's coverage of the Villarreal game.
"He wins the ball and he's hitting it 30, 40 yards or he's playing it through the lines. He's not someone who passes sideways and backwards."
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand says Thiago's football intelligence in particular has shone through in recent games.
"On the pitch it's there for everyone to see," he said.
But we don't and it isn't. Shocking planning and it's coming back to bite us on the arse.
Indeed, we needed someone this season - and the player that would have provided for both Thiago, Henderson, and Fab was the one that is scheduled to goto Wolves right now. Can we still hijack that deal and bring him here ? - surely we must, I just know that Matheus Nunes is the answer to everything this transfer window, and also we need to get Ismaila Sarr. That will do, and then next season Ox, Milner gone, we just need Jude, - we would be sorted for the next few years - surely they can see that right ? - no they are fucking blind.
Um
Personally I'd like to get Sane but Sarr will do knowing the club don't push the boat out. Even if it isn't Nunes, there are other MFs out there even on loan. think we can mark CJ as injury prone along with Thiago and Naby. Worse then not winning at the game against the Mancs is having another MF injured.
Macallister might be an interesting option for us. He has only 1 year left on his deal, and I like him as someone who can play both LCM and RCM at a good level.
I think the no. 6 position is less of a concern once we get more energy and youth in the LCM and RCM positions. I would be content with Fabinho, Henderson and Bajcetic at no. 6 if we had 4 robust options at LCM and RCM.
Henderson and Milner can't cut it in those positions. Thiago and Keita are the best bets, but we know how injury prone they are. That really just leaves us with 19 year old Elliott. Jones' progress has stalled for 2 years now, and Ox might as well not exist. We really need 2 midfielders, and if one is supposed to be Bellingham, I'd be happy with the second one being someone like Macallister.
One of the things Klopp mentioned as being a major problem is the contract and money situation i.e. that players who are under contract till 2025 or 2026 aren't likely to move except for a huge sum of money, and that's not possible this summer (probably referencing Bellingham). That's where someone like Macallister may be far more realistic - just 1 year left on his deal, well-experienced in the PL, the right age profile and grades well in pressures, tackles and ball recovery departments, while also being technically competent.
Henderson and Milner can't cut it in those positions. Thiago and Keita are the best bets, but we know how injury prone they are. That really just leaves us with 19 year old Elliott. Jones' progress has stalled for 2 years now, and Ox might as well not exist. We really need 2 midfielders, and if one is supposed to be Bellingham, I'd be happy with the second one being someone like Macallister.
One of the things Klopp mentioned as being a major problem is the contract and money situation i.e. that players who are under contract till 2025 or 2026 aren't likely to move except for a huge sum of money, and that's not possible this summer (probably referencing Bellingham). That's where someone like Macallister may be far more realistic - just 1 year left on his deal, well-experienced in the PL, the right age profile and grades well in pressures, tackles and ball recovery departments, while also being technically competent.
We would be crazy not to get Sane, but he would be expensive cover for Diaz. We know Klopp loves him though.
However, I just don't get how he club does not seem to address our needs for midfield - even Klopp's explanation is just fucking lame. Honestly I am just lost.
Take that post back. Macallister is Argentinian. So he has two feet. If you look at him play, he has the right body type for a central defensive midfielder also. He passes all SCM requirements for a premier league midfielder with flying colors.
I hate to say this, and its completely unbecoming of a club supporter, but I feel like we need to lose our next few games for the club to understand that we really do fucking need to get some midfield replacements. I honestly think the LFC management team are expecting too much from a bunch of perennial cripples which they are every few games, and that this season given how well other teams have tried to address the issues of their teams shortcomings - especially in midfield, that we will actually struggle for 4th place. Honestly think the Fulham, and Crystal Palace games are what we can expect against most teams we face this season:
1) Teams that take us on in midfield knowing we are not so dynamic
2) Teams which park the bus (low block etc), waiting for that moment to play the long ball and that moment will always happen.
I actually find listening to Klopp's comments the other day annoying and somewhat deluded, - I would rather he just said in plain terms - "We cannot afford to sign someone" and close the point. Not talk about all that other garbage, when most of us know there are other players out there.
1) Teams that take us on in midfield knowing we are not so dynamic
2) Teams which park the bus (low block etc), waiting for that moment to play the long ball and that moment will always happen.
I actually find listening to Klopp's comments the other day annoying and somewhat deluded, - I would rather he just said in plain terms - "We cannot afford to sign someone" and close the point. Not talk about all that other garbage, when most of us know there are other players out there.
WTAF!!!!
Are you for real?
Yeah let's chuck a few games so we can get a midfielder in. What are you 6?
He is called moron.
Fab - Hendo - Thiago
Milner -Ox - Naby
Jones - Elliott
This is effectively what we went into the season with...now we bring in another midfielder and the other 4 start to come back 1 by 1....where do they fit? 3 of them would need to miss out on the squad completely.
Compare to our forward options.
Salah - Nunez - Diaz
??? - Bobby - Jota/Carvalho
We're lacking badly, especially in Salah's absence...we have no one.
Milner -
This is effectively what we went into the season with...now we bring in another midfielder and the other 4 start to come back 1 by 1....where do they fit? 3 of them would need to miss out on the squad completely.
Compare to our forward options.
Salah - Nunez - Diaz
??? - Bobby - Jota/Carvalho
We're lacking badly, especially in Salah's absence...we have no one.
Keita is back with the squad. Thiago is out for 3 more weeks which includes an international break. So we are missing Ox and Jones who didn’t really contribute last season.
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