Topic: Injury (and absence) related chat (so the news is kept in the other thread)

[MosDefKop]

Interesting discussion apart from the shout to play Trent in central midfield.
I would not trust him to stay concentrated and focussed enough to play quality consistent ninety minutes week after week.

I assumed the long term aim was to buy Bellingham alongside the 'one' that comes through most impressively between Jones/Elliot/Carvarlho.  But now seems clear Klopp wants two new ones bearing in mind the Tchouaméni bid.

I would hope now we are at the top of the transfer tree that we can now ensure we buy the best who also have the best injury records and avoid the Tiago/Ox transfers  (Keita's record was good before coming here). That is essential.

[newterp]

On another note, does anyone know what the hell is going on with Ramsay?

I was just wondering - how bad was this injury that we discovered? he's missed 6 weeks so far with no return date in sight.

[SamLad]

But is Trent as a midfielder the answer to our midfield problems?

that is not what I'm saying.  I'm talking about a situation where we lose a couple more from midfield while Thiago is still out.  Trent in midfield beyond that isn't a great idea at all.

[SamLad]

Or just sign a top quality player that can improve the Team

that doesn't look likely at the moment.

[Samie]

On another note, does anyone know what the hell is going on with Ramsay?

I was just wondering - how bad was this injury that we discovered? he's missed 6 weeks so far with no return date in sight.

They discovered something in his medical and so he's only trained once properly. But he did go to Austria with the group though.

[Ghost Town]

Sam, the problem is that our midfield has very specific jobs to do, that aren't really about creating (though it's welcome when it happens).

How do we know that Trent can perform those duties? If he can't he could leave us horribly exposed. It's not really about spatial positioning and more about the burden that would be on him as a midfielder compared to the very different one that is one him as a full back.

I think he might have played a few minutes in midfield for England (I don't know as I don't watch them) but that's not the same as playing in an Klopp midfield

[SamLad]

He finds himself on the right ‘of midfield’ because he’s an attacking right back, not because he’s a natural midfielder.

semantics man.  plus as you know, he was a midfielder BEFORE he became an attacking RB. 

We’ve got better cover at LB, stick Robbo in CM and Tsimikas at LB. Sorted.

Joe isn't good cover at RB now? Wow.  news to me -- and Jurgen, and just about everyone else on here, I'd think.

It’s utter nonsense, like saying any attacking full back should play there. Why not Robbo? We’ve got better cover at LB, stick Robbo in CM and Tsimikas at LB. Sorted.

putting Robbo in midfield?  LOL.  as sensible an argument as “put Ali at CB”.

Trent spends so much time in the attacking third coz because he's fucking good there, he meshes so well with Mo and the other attackers, provides pinpoint passes and can shoot great.

what I'm suggesting is:
in a pinch - simply tell Trent to play his usual game but with reduced defending duties, which Joe can mop up.  I’ve no clue why the idea offends you so much.

[gray19lfc]

Wonder if we go 4-2-3-1 with so many of the midfielders out?

2 from Fab, Hendo, Milner and Naby

Diaz and Salah, plus Bobby or Carvalho behind Nunez

[Knight]

Sam, the problem is that our midfield has very specific jobs to do, that aren't really about creating (though it's welcome when it happens).

How do we know that Trent can perform those duties? If he can't he could leave us horribly exposed. It's not really about spatial positioning and more about the burden that would be on him as a midfielder compared to the very different one that is one him as a full back.

I think he might have played a few minutes in midfield for England (I don't know as I don't watch them) but that's not the same as playing in an Klopp midfield

If by creating you mean assists, sure. But Thiago’s signing, and clear importance to us, shows that we really want our midfield to progress the ball.

[Ghost Town]

If by creating you mean assists, sure. But Thiago’s signing, and clear importance to us, shows that we really want our midfield to progress the ball.

True enough, though he still has to do the covering and troubleshooting stuff. They all do. It's a pretty hard job being an LFC midfielder.

And yes I was referring to the assists because there's this idea that Trent in midfield would be a sort of Beckham redux. Perhaps he would a bit but he'd have so much else to do as well, and it's unclear how he'd be at those tasks

[SamLad]

Sam, the problem is that our midfield has very specific jobs to do, that aren't really about creating (though it's welcome when it happens).

How do we know that Trent can perform those duties? If he can't he could leave us horribly exposed. It's not really about spatial positioning and more about the burden that would be on him as a midfielder compared to the very different one that is one him as a full back.

I think he might have played a few minutes in midfield for England (I don't know as I don't watch them) but that's not the same as playing in an Klopp midfield

yep, agree about the work expected from the midfielders, Ghost .... but I have a hard time thinking that Trent would not be intuitively very aware of what Hendo (eg) does defensively when Trent is at RB, and any deficiency he does show regarding defending would be addressed via Joe being there.

(btw as for him playing in mid for England, I put zero weight in that "experience")

anyhow I think this horse is now pretty beaten to death.

[Max_powers]

I see we are in Trent in midfield stage of grief. Soon we will enter the Gini on loan stage.

[Stubbins]

You've stirred things up here Sam, with this Trent into midfield suggestion.

Never works though, fiddling about with the team and changing a players accepted natural position. You just have to look at Ray Kennedy and see how badly that went 

[El Lobo]

I see we are in Trent in midfield stage of grief. Soon we will enter the Gini on loan stage.

Thats long, long past. Fromola was there 11 months ago.

We'll be at 'Bobby in midfield' soon though, that'll be interesting

[Dubred]

Thats long, long past. Fromola was there 11 months ago.

We'll be at 'Bobby in midfield' soon though, that'll be interesting

No no.  Its Matip in midfield.........then its Bobby in midfield after that.

[Knight]

If Trent were cloned then there’d be an argument to play ver 2 in the Henderson position. Trent could play as an 8 in the way Henderson plays it. But we only want someone to play it that way because Trent is the RB! The issue with Trent is he’s not very press resistant and doesn’t play on the half turn, so he couldn’t be a more traditional 8.

[Fromola]

I see we are in Trent in midfield stage of grief. Soon we will enter the Gini on loan stage.

Is Jay Spearing match fit yet?

[SamLad]

You've stirred things up here Sam, with this Trent into midfield suggestion.

hey don't blame me - blame the buggers who gave us a 9-day break between games. 

[Black Bull Nova]

Is Jay Spearing match fit yet?

Ibeee!

[newterp]

also lost in the mix is Kostas - what's the status there?

[dutchkop]

Wonder if we go 4-2-3-1 with so many of the midfielders out?

2 from Fab, Hendo, Milner and Naby

Diaz and Salah, plus Bobby or Carvalho behind Nunez

That would be my shout - why not give it a try against Palace. Having Bobby and Nunez and then Carvalho to come on.
I would add Elliot to the mix in Midfield 2 as well. First as sub or in League cup match

[rawcusk8]

Some reports said the Thiago injury was not as bad as feared. So is the 6 weeks definitive or is he going for another scan to determine the extent? Is there any point in me hoping and praying he can be back before the 6 weeks?

[newterp]

Some reports said the Thiago injury was not as bad as feared. So is the 6 weeks definitive or is he going for another scan to determine the extent? Is there any point in me hoping and praying he can be back before the 6 weeks?

don't do it. even if he comes back early - the chance of him getting injured again before the end of 2022 is high.

[ScouserAtHeart]

Don't follow intl football too much, does he play a lot for Spain?

[newterp]

Don't follow intl football too much, does he play a lot for Spain?

he's been eased out of the national set up in the last 2 years (a lot because he's injured all the time).

[mercurial]

Ibeee!

He is cup tied

[The G in Gerrard]

Some reports said the Thiago injury was not as bad as feared. So is the 6 weeks definitive or is he going for another scan to determine the extent? Is there any point in me hoping and praying he can be back before the 6 weeks?

Sky ticker tape says up to Six weeks via Jürgen. Gutted

[amir87]

Sky ticker tape says up to Six weeks via Jürgen. Gutted

And sadly another few weeks to get up to speed again.

[Nick110581]

Klopp just said 4-6 weeks in presser

[The G in Gerrard]

And sadly another few weeks to get up to speed again.

Yeah it'll be 9 or 10 weeks really (at least).

That's without even thinking of anyone else getting injured.

[Nick110581]

Yeah it'll be 9 or 10 weeks really (at least).

That's without even thinking of anyone else getting injured.

If it was 10 weeks then we would surely sign someone

[Caston]

If it was 10 weeks then we would surely sign someone

Klopp on signing new midfielder: “It has to be the right player, not just a player. If we had the right solution then we would have done it already. We are not stubborn”. 🔴 #LFC

“We have had a lot of conversations already and it doesn't look like anything will happen”.

[The G in Gerrard]

If it was 10 weeks then we would surely sign someone

Don't think time scale makes a difference. We won't sign anyone else this window.

[El Lobo]

If it was 10 weeks then we would surely sign someone

Can't see why it would suddenly push us into action? Numbers-wise right now we've got six out of nine first team CMs available, and hopefully Curtis out not too much longer. This isn't 2020 when we literally didn't have a senior CB. I know people are going to lose their shit over it, but this is how the gaffer works.

[Zlen]

So there isn't a single obtainable midfield player in all of Europe/World that we could get for a reasonable price and who would fit into the team and actualy help us? This is the conclusion of world's best scouting minds? Yeah, not buying that to be honest. Whatever their reason, it's not because there are no players available.

[buttersstotch]

4-6 weeks for Thiago isn't too bad, I thought way longer at first judging from the mood. Suspect it will likely be 6 weeks rather than 4 so probably after that 1st international break.

Don't want to make this a transfer thread.. but really does seem like we have a specific target(s) in mind who is just unattainable right now and we are prepared to wait.

[El Lobo]

So there isn't a single obtainable midfield player in all of Europe/World that we could get for a reasonable price and who would fit into the team and actualy help us? This is the conclusion of world's best scouting minds? Yeah, not buying that to be honest. Whatever their reason, it's not because there are no players available.

He didn't say that though did he?

We don't do tiny improvements just for the sake of having an extra body. I mean I'm sure we could drop £40 million on Tielemans, or £60 million on Ndidi, £50 million on Fornals, to improve the squad but it doesn't particularly make sense does it? I'm sure we could get Milenkovic-Savic if we offer Lazio £60 million and offer him £200k a week....but seemingly we don't see him as the next major signing in midfield so wouldn't do that, as it likely means we then don't get the player we do.

[amir87]

He didn't say that though did he?

We don't do tiny improvements just for the sake of having an extra body. I mean I'm sure we could drop £40 million on Tielemans, or £60 million on Ndidi, £50 million on Fornals, to improve the squad but it doesn't particularly make sense does it? I'm sure we could get Milenkovic-Savic if we offer Lazio £60 million and offer him £200k a week....but seemingly we don't see him as the next major signing in midfield so wouldn't do that, as it likely means we then don't get the player we do.

We'll need a few midfield additions next season so I'd assume none of them are available this Summer. You can look at it from a glass half full perspective and think we've had positive indicators from Bellingham and maybe another, or we simply want to be in the conversation for our first choice targets and don't want their spots filled in now.

Feels like it's going to be a real balancing act this season. Just have to hope we get some luck and it tips in our favour.

[paisley1977]

Klopp just said 4-6 weeks in presser

He said I read 4-6 weeks I would prefer 4.

[Nick110581]

We'll need a few midfield additions next season so I'd assume none of them are available this Summer. You can look at it from a glass half full perspective and think we've had positive indicators from Bellingham and maybe another, or we simply want to be in the conversation for our first choice targets and don't want their spots filled in now.

Feels like it's going to be a real balancing act this season. Just have to hope we get some luck and it tips in our favour.

It’s weird going into a season hoping for luck when there are surely players that improve our first team.

We could arguably need 3 midfielders next year.