Topic: LIVERPOOL TRANSFER THREAD - THE OLD (CRAP) THREAD THAT'S GOING IN THE BIN

[Asam]

Lots of moaning in this thread.

^ is the right answer

And finish 3rd 🥉

[HardworkDedication]

Why are the two related? Phillips and davies?

In my opinion and given what happened last season, it would be crazy for us to go into the season with only 4 centre backs especially as 3 of them are coming back from serious injuries. I don't want to be hearing talk of Fabinho being 5th choice again. You just know it wouldn't be too long before we start seeing him at CB again. No more square pegs in a round hole. For me we either keep Phillips or Davies as 5th choice. Getting rid of both would be a massive risk.

[BarryCrocker]

See now you're just being overtly negative.

You were thinking of the wrong 20th. 

[lionel_messias]

Win the league or come close.

"Coming close" being a brilliant option when we decide to have £0 net spend, with Klopp's years running out rapidly.

[killer-heels]

I believe it’s doable. We have an amazing team and manager. However that does involve Van Dijk getting back to his best and Firmino and Mane being better because we will need over 90 points again.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

In my opinion and given what happened last season it would be crazy for us to go into the season with only 4 centre backs especially as 3 of them are coming back from serious injuries. I don't want to be hearing talk of Fabinho being 5th choice. You just know it wouldn't be too long before we see Fabinho at CB again. For me we either keep Phillips or Davies as 5th choice. No more square pegs in a round hole.

If Davies couldn't get a game post January when we needed a body, he isn't getting any games as a 5th choice now, nor would we depend on him given that he clearly isn't good enough. Imo if we get what we want for Phillips, he'll go, regardless of 4 centrebacks and/or Davies leaving. Imo Rhy's Williams will more likely to be 5th.

 We've always gone with 4 CB's, bar last year.

-Van Dijk,Lovren,Matip,Gomez
-Lovren,Matip,Gomez,Klavan [it became 5 mid season once we bough Van Dijk in Klavan's last year here]

[Hazell]

You were thinking of the wrong 20th. 

ha ha gotcha

[Asam]

Would all depend on injuries.

Nope, would all depend on form of our forwards and the impact of a returning VVD on clean sheets

Salah
Mane
Firmino
Jota

Will need to score about 75 goals + between them in the league and hope that the rest of the side contributes at least 15

That should get us close to 90 points + which is there or thereabouts

If Salah or Mane have a goal drought over a lot of games then we need to find a way to win a bunch of games 1-0

[deFacto please, you bastards]

I believe it’s doable. We have an amazing team and manager. However that does involve Van Dijk getting back to his best and Firmino and Mane being better because we will need over 90 points again.

I believe so too, but one thing that I would add is having Jota fit, will help tremendously even if lets' say one of those two mentioned have an off year again.

I think Mane will be fine however.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

So if Konate is our only summer signing for first team squad. What's our expectations for the season ahead?

Win the league for sure

[BarryCrocker]

ha ha gotcha

[Asam]

"Coming close" being a brilliant option when we decide to have £0 net spend, with Klopp's years running out rapidly.

Are we complacent and relying on the genius of Klopp and Edward’s to keep us competitive? In comparison to our peers the wage bill is right up there (2nd highest) but we’re not even close when it comes to nett spend investment in new players

[scatman]

With minimal injuries, we'll be back to being a machine. I'd expect a title challenge and a deep CL run, win at least one of them to be honest. Last season may have dampened expectations but we've got a fantastic core group of world class players. I think some others like Tsimikas, Jones, Minamino and Elliot will push on. Psychologically the setbacks last season seem to have impacted our fans more than our players.

[rafathegaffa83]

In my opinion and given what happened last season, it would be crazy for us to go into the season with only 4 centre backs especially as 3 of them are coming back from serious injuries. I don't want to be hearing talk of Fabinho being 5th choice again. You just know it wouldn't be too long before we start seeing him at CB again. No more square pegs in a round hole. For me we either keep Phillips or Davies as 5th choice. Getting rid of both would be a massive risk.

Completely agree.

[lionel_messias]

Are we complacent and relying on the genius of Klopp and Edward’s to keep us competitive? In comparison to our peers the wage bill is right up there (2nd highest) but we’re not even close when it comes to nett spend investment in new players

Yes we are. At a push, I think it is an extra forward that we need, we can make do in midfield, especially if there is some healing magic Mr Miyagi shit applied to Naby Keita.

[HardworkDedication]

If Davies couldn't get a game post January when we needed a body, he isn't getting any games as a 5th choice now, nor would we depend on him given that he clearly isn't good enough. Imo if we get what we want for Phillips, he'll go, regardless of 4 centrebacks and/or Davies leaving. Imo Rhy's Williams will more likely to be 5th.

 We've always gone with 4 CB's, bar last year.

-Van Dijk,Lovren,Matip,Gomez
-Lovren,Matip,Gomez,Klavan [it became 5 mid season once we bough Van Dijk in Klavan's last year here]

I thought it was highly likely Rhys Williams would go out on loan? 

And as for your comment about us always having 4 CB's. The difference this time is 3 of them have had major injuries. `

[Peabee]

Are we complacent and relying on the genius of Klopp and Edward’s to keep us competitive? In comparison to our peers the wage bill is right up there (2nd highest) but we’re not even close when it comes to nett spend investment in new players

If our net spend was £200m higher, where would that money have come from? Answer: debt. We'd now be selling off more than fringe players to balance the books after the pandemic.

[vivabobbygraham]

So if Konate is our only summer signing for first team squad. What's our expectations for the season ahead?

I think we'll finish above Everton

[killer-heels]

I think we'll finish above Everton

Early shout?

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

We were on course to win the league last year up until all the injuries. Piss it as long as we don’t get the same bad luck

[FowlerLegend]

If our net spend was £200m higher, where would that money have come from? Answer: debt. We'd now be selling off more than fringe players to balance the books after the pandemic.

How much do we owe our owners now? I know we owe them £70m for the main stand. Do we owe them for the training ground as well? Are they loaning us money for Annie Road end as well?

[killer-heels]

How much do we owe our owners now? I know we owe them £70m for the main stand. Do we owe them for the training ground as well? Are they loaning us money for Annie Road end as well?

Yes, but imagine that gets called in when we are sold.

[Asam]

If our net spend was £200m higher, where would that money have come from? Answer: debt. We'd now be selling off more than fringe players to balance the books after the pandemic.

Debt isn’t a bad thing, it’s normal for a business to have debt

It’s not helpful to paint it as a choice between spending £200M more or doing nothing

[Peabee]

Yes, but imagine that gets called in when we are sold.

No, we will pay it off like the repayments being made against the Main Stand loan. FSG won't be selling up, they don't need to. If JWH wants some quick cash he could dilute his holdings in FSG, or if FSG wanted to raise some capital they could dilute their stake in LFC. I doubt they'd consider selling the club until they control, or have more control of, TV rights etc.

[vivabobbygraham]

Early shout?

It's out there, I know...

[Romford_Red]

That's not how negotiations work. I've asked for double in fees negotiations in the past and come to an agreement. It's more likely we'll meet somewhere in the middle ground with add-ons or sell-on clauses, for example.

What?

When and where did you do this?

[DonkeyWan]

I think the news this morning about Grealish to City and Lukaku to Chelsea will have added an extra frission of uncertainty to the situation, quite simply, Liverpool, by standing still, are in danger of going backwards.

[JackWard33]

So if Konate is our only summer signing for first team squad. What's our expectations for the season ahead?

Comfortable top 4 - would need City to have a somewhat down year and everything to go right for us (esp with fitness to key players) to win the title ...bookies have us at 5/1 which feels about right - in the mix but not favourites
Need to do more this window if a title this season is the objective,  but then we all know that

[Peabee]

Debt isn’t a bad thing, it’s normal for a business to have debt

It’s not helpful to paint it as a choice between spending £200M more or doing nothing

Yes, but we still have the option of using debt. We've won the CL and PL without spending an extra few hundred million like other clubs. If post-pandemic, FSG think we could sustain a certain level of debt, then they will likely use that option to replenish the ageing squad.

[Jookie]

So if Konate is our only summer signing for first team squad. What's our expectations for the season ahead?

Probably say we'd be contenders for PL and CL. Not sure if we'd go into either competition as favourites. A fair bit probably depends on what happens around CB.

Though a new midfielder and forward would help, both would only be likely to add depth and part of long term planning. I personally don't think any incomings that likely to amount to a 4th choice midfielder and 5th choice forward (at the start of the season) move the needle significantly with regards to our chances of winning the PL and CL. I'd like some extra depth in mdifield/forward positions, or a bit of a refresh of the back-ups, but it might improve our chances by a few %. It's not suddenly going to make us overwhelming favourites, IMO.

Would be interesting to hear off people who think new signings are absolutely necessary for us to compete. Or at least new signings will make a big difference to our position as a favourite for PL or CL. What type of signings they envisage (e.g. straight into 1st team, squad player, younger player, experienced) and the impact potential they could have to make us go from Top 4 contenders into potentially one of the favourites for the top trophies?

[rawcusk8]

So if Konate is our only summer signing for first team squad. What's our expectations for the season ahead?

Dust off the old keyboard and assemble the internet terrorist squad to drive away another set of Yanks. Oh and finish in the top 4 

[killer-heels]

I think the news this morning about Grealish to City and Lukaku to Chelsea will have added an extra frission of uncertainty to the situation, quite simply, Liverpool, by standing still, are in danger of going backwards.

Don’t think we are going backwards because we are definitely getting more points than last season. We need to be well into the 80’s and will probably do that but the issue is we may need over 90 and that depends on everything going right for us.

[Romford_Red]

Why are the two related? Phillips and davies?

It's that old Davies/Phillips, Phillips/Davis connection. Like rabbits and tennis.

[wige]

So if Konate is our only summer signing for first team squad. What's our expectations for the season ahead?

Expect = top 4. That wouldn't change past top 2 if we added another couple of players.

Think will happen = 90 points +/- 3.

[Peabee]

What?

When and where did you do this?

When a PoS equipment supplier wanted my old company to sell their machines. Their fees were too low, I worked out we'd need almost double for it to be worth our while, and managed to get close to that in the end. They obviously came in way too low... our MD was shitting it when I told him what I'd asked for, but it's all in the numbers.

[Jookie]

His total numbers for us are as follows (games and goals);

Total   157   35

He's a cult hero for us, for important goals he's scored, but lets be under no illusions he's really never put up any consistent numbers for us.

Is that 157 starts or total appearances?

I think it's time to move Origi on, if we get an offer that matches our expectations. However, his goals to minutes ratio at Liverpool is pretty good. The fact that he's been used as a sub a lot means his minutes played are much lower than you'd expect given the total number of appearances he's made. Therefore if the above is total appearances then that 157 number is pretty misleading

EDIT: took a look at Origi's stats and he's a goal every 181 minutes across all competitions his Liverpool career. That's not necessarily skewed by domestic cups since he's 1 goal in every 205 and 178 minutes in the CL and PL respectively.

[killer-heels]

Probably say we'd be contenders for PL and CL. Not sure if we'd go into either competition as favourites. A fair bit probably depends on what happens around CB.

Though a new midfielder and forward would help, both would only be likely to add depth and part of long term planning. I personally don't think any incomings that likely to amount to a 4th choice midfielder and 5th choice forward (at the start of the season) move the needle significantly with regards to our chances of winning the PL and CL. I'd like some extra depth in mdifield/forward positions, or a bit of a refresh of the back-ups, but it might improve our chances by a few %. It's not suddenly going to make us overwhelming favourites, IMO.

Would be interesting to hear off people who think new signings are absolutely necessary for us to compete. Or at least new signings will make a big difference to our position as a favourite for PL or CL. What type of signings they envisage (e.g. straight into 1st team, squad player, younger player, experienced) and the impact potential they could have to make us go from Top 4 contenders into potentially one of the favourites for the top trophies?

I don’t think it’s a particular player we need to compete or win the title because I believe we can do that anyway but I am worried about the level of uncertainty over the likes of Van Dijk, Mane, Firmino and Henderson and then also what sits behind that.

Like I have said I think we are going to need 90 points this season and therefore either all of those players play a lot of games and find good form or we need players to step in who can deliver that quality.

[Asam]

Yes, but we still have the option of using debt. We've won the CL and PL without spending an extra few hundred million like other clubs. If post-pandemic, FSG think we could sustain a certain level of debt, then they will likely use that option to replenish the ageing squad.

Exactly, it’s perfectly normal to use debt but just don’t go crazy like the Spanish clubs

We don’t have a huge stadium expenditure /rebuild to fund and the training ground is also sorted so the major capex projects are sorted

We can be a lot more ambitious without risking our future and not improving the squad is one sure way to fuck us up down the line

[Romford_Red]

When a PoS equipment supplier wanted my old company to sell their machines. Their fees were too low, I worked out we'd need almost double for it to be worth our while, and managed to get close to that in the end. They obviously came in way too low... our MD was shitting it when I told him what I'd asked for, but it's all in the numbers.

[Dr Stu-Pid]

If Salah or Mane have a goal drought over a lot of games then we need to find a way to win a bunch of games 1-0

That 'way' is via set pieces, which we became completely ineffective from last season once we lost Van Dijk and Matip.  Those were key to us over the previous couple of seasons and if we can become a genuine threat from corners and free-kicks again then we'll have an extra weapon against teams that want to just sit deep and defend.  Konate will hopefully also be a threat in the air, and just having two big CBs in the penalty area to worry the CBs of the opposition then creates space and opportunities for everyone else.

Hopefully TAA, Robertson, and Thiago will have been working on their set piece deliveries in Austria.