Author Topic: The Klopp Template (Read 1089329 times)

deFacto please, you bastards · « **Reply #1320 on:** July 25, 2018, 06:02:09 pm »

He's a bundle of joy

Solomon Grundy · « **Reply #1321 on:** July 25, 2018, 06:58:07 pm »

Two possibly three more signings and I think we'd be absolutely golden. A CB and an attack-minded midfielder(Fekir or someone similar). Also a little concerned about the drop off in quality should any of our front three get injured. Shaqiri is a good player, but a couple of levels down from them in my opinion. So I wouldn't mind us bringing in someone else who could play across the front three.

I am quite aware that the likelihood of us signing another player in this window, nevermind three more is highly unlikely now by the way.

Giono · « **Reply #1322 on:** July 25, 2018, 07:11:23 pm »

Quote from: Solomon Grundy on July 25, 2018, 06:58:07 pm

Two possibly three more signings and I think we'd be absolutely golden. A CB and an attack-minded midfielder(Fekir or someone similar). Also a little concerned about the drop off in quality should any of our front three get injured. Shaqiri is a good player, but a couple of levels down from them in my opinion. So I wouldn't mind us bringing in someone else who could play across the front three.

I am quite aware that the likelihood of us signing another player in this window, nevermind three more is highly unlikely now by the way.

What is the likelihood of us buying someone of their level to sit on the bench? We have the next best thing in 2 talented players with something to prove: Sturridge and Shaqiri. Plus we’ll have ypung players with something to prove: Brewster and Solanke. For attacking mid we’ll have Lallana out to prove a point and possibly Gini and/or Hendo revisiting their attacking roots.

I don’t think Klopp wants to mess with the confidence of his defenders. And he just blew a wad of cash on a keeper.

Then there is the whole squad harmony aspect. How many players do we want to bring in during one summer? We are already absorbing 4, three of which will most likely displace starters.

I can see us staying with this squad and seeing what the 1st half of the season will bring.

Solomon Grundy · « **Reply #1323 on:** July 25, 2018, 07:24:06 pm »

Quote from: Giono on July 25, 2018, 07:11:23 pm

What is the likelihood of us buying someone of their level to sit on the bench? We have the next best thing in 2 talented players with something to prove: Sturridge and Shaqiri. Plus we’ll have ypung players with something to prove: Brewster and Solanke. For attacking mid we’ll have Lallana out to prove a point and possibly Gini and/or Hendo revisiting their attacking roots.

I don’t think Klopp wants to mess with the confidence of his defenders. And he just blew a wad of cash on a keeper.

Then there is the whole squad harmony aspect. How many players do we want to bring in during one summer? We are already absorbing 4, three of which will most likely displace starters.

I can see us staying with this squad and seeing what the 1st half of the season will bring.

It's called squad rotation mate. Anyway, It's not going to happen so pointless going on about it.

Our defenders are average to untested outside of VVD and Lovren in my opinion anyway. Lovren is quite injury prone as well. So we could definitely do with another CB. But as I have already said, I'm not expecting it.

As for Sturridge and Lallana, if and it's a big IF they can remain fit, we might be o.k with the squad as it is. There is a bit of risk there if we're hoping for that. Especially regarding Sturridge.

PhaseOfPlay · « **Reply #1324 on:** July 25, 2018, 07:25:26 pm »

Quote from: Solomon Grundy on July 25, 2018, 07:24:06 pm

It's called squad rotation mate. Anyway, It's not going to happen so pointless going on about it.

As for Sturridge and Lallana, if and it's a big IF they can remain fit, we might be o.k with the squad as it is. There is a bit of risk there if we're hoping for that. Especially regarding Sturridge.

The technical term is "Squotation"

Solomon Grundy · « **Reply #1325 on:** July 25, 2018, 07:27:12 pm »

Quote from: PhaseOfPlay on July 25, 2018, 07:25:26 pm

The technical term is "Squotation"

Bobinhood · « **Reply #1326 on:** July 25, 2018, 07:32:48 pm »

Quote from: PhaseOfPlay on July 25, 2018, 07:25:26 pm

The technical term is "Squotation"

NOT Squat-ation. Never make that mistake. Its just like when i wanted a picture of a whale for something and googled "There she blows". Never do that, thats my advice.

SerbianScouser · « **Reply #1327 on:** July 25, 2018, 07:34:48 pm »

If it wasn't set in stone that we have to play with all of our front 3 we'd easily have our attacking depth sorted - one of them would often be rested/rotated. But this way it seems like we lack attacking depth just because we managed to get 3 world-class players last few years instead of 4.

PhaseOfPlay · « **Reply #1328 on:** July 25, 2018, 08:11:57 pm »

Quote from: SerbianScouser on July 25, 2018, 07:34:48 pm

If it wasn't set in stone that we have to play with all of our front 3 we'd easily have our attacking depth sorted - one of them would often be rested/rotated. But this way it seems like we lack attacking depth just because we managed to get 3 world-class players last few years instead of 4.

It's much easier to see the depth if we stop thinking of it as a traditional 4-3-3.

Think of it as a 4-2-3-1, or even better, a 4-2-2-2, and we get a better picture of depth:

Giono · « **Reply #1329 on:** July 25, 2018, 08:36:44 pm »

Quote from: Solomon Grundy on July 25, 2018, 07:24:06 pm

It's called squad rotation mate. Anyway, It's not going to happen so pointless going on about it.

Our defenders are average to untested outside of VVD and Lovren in my opinion anyway. Lovren is quite injury prone as well. So we could definitely do with another CB. But as I have already said, I'm not expecting it.

As for Sturridge and Lallana, if and it's a big IF they can remain fit, we might be o.k with the squad as it is. There is a bit of risk there if we're hoping for that. Especially regarding Sturridge.

I get that. But it is difficult to get a very good player of that calibre to join a young stable of forwards. We are signing all three to new big contracts...not the sort of wages you’d want not playing almost every match. That’s why I think a player like Shaqiri could be key. He is willing to fight upstream for a start. We will have a few players like that.

I think Klopp has indicated that Sturridge’s problems with injuries was partly mental/psychological and not just physical. He seems to be pleased with Sturridge’s efforts this summer and gave him the armband. That spoke volumes to me and has made me a bit more hopeful than usual.

I may be corrected on this, but Lallana’s problems are not so much getting injured, but how long it takes him to get back to top form afterwards. He’s no Aurelio in terms of injuries and recovery. We are hetting him fitband healthy a few months after his recovery. Son I’m hopeful he will hit the ground running and help us out a lot in the starting weeks of the season. Klopp sure seems to value him.

Giono · « **Reply #1330 on:** July 25, 2018, 08:39:48 pm »

Quote from: PhaseOfPlay on July 25, 2018, 07:25:26 pm

The technical term is "Squotation"

Not to be confused with “scroatation”.

deFacto please, you bastards · « **Reply #1331 on:** July 25, 2018, 08:59:05 pm »

Quote from: PhaseOfPlay on July 25, 2018, 08:11:57 pm

It's much easier to see the depth if we stop thinking of it as a traditional 4-3-3.

Think of it as a 4-2-3-1, or even better, a 4-2-2-2, and we get a better picture of depth:

True you can have variations if needed without having to play all 3

ex

---------------Hendo/Fabinho------

---------Keita/Lallana------------------Wijnaldum--------

---------Shaqiri-----------Lallana/Keita-------------

------------------Salah--------------------

Swap out Bobby for salah, and Mane, vice versa.

We do have options if we neded to rest 2 out of the 3 up front, the additions of Shaqiri and Keita, help in that regard as they provide flexibility, a fit Lallana helps, and even Sturridge.

L8Craig · « **Reply #1332 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:16:22 pm »

The issue is, when not playing all 3 it feels like there is a massive drop off as imo no other player comes close to them in our squad.

If we lose Mane for a few weeks who can sit infront of Robertson and have the pace to be able to hit teams on the counter?
If we lose Salah who has the pace and technical ability to run onto balls when hit long in that right hand side corner and take a player on presenting themselves with an opportunity?
If we lose Firmino who presses CBs and DMs and has the craft to pull the defenders out of position?

Or do we change formation?

Has Shaqiri really got the athleticism to do the Mane job or the ability to do the Salah job? Why has he been at Stoke for so long if he has had the ability to do it long term?

Sturridge can’t do either of them jobs from what we have seen. Seems to have lost his yard of pace that he had back when he linked up with Suarez, feels like a lifetime ago now. Put him in the box and he will give you a goal but he isn’t a Klopp player.

Origi/ Solanke. People have said Origi will probably be sold but what has Solanke got that Origi hasn’t? They both seem a similar player to me and abiliity wise I don’t think they should be backups for Firmino like Solanke was last season, granted Sturridge was on loan but I don’t think Sturridge can put that work in up top like hounding defenders a lot of the game.

Why isn’t selling Sturridge/Origi/Ings an option to fund a proven pacey attacker to take the minutes of Firmino?

L8Craig · « **Reply #1333 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:28:08 pm »

Ok, just watched a couple of vids of Shaqiri, the youtube specials.
Stick a Fekir shirt on him and zoom out and you wouldn't notice the difference. Great left foot, can pick a ball over the top, brilliant in tight spaces and can easily take a player on, but no outright pace.

He is more like a Coutinho replacement than a Mane or Salah backup isn't he?
Not even sure why we would go for Fekir when Shaqiri looks a similar player. Be interesting to see them compared to eachother on them mad charts you see.

Suareznumber7 · « **Reply #1334 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:33:20 pm »

Quote from: L8Craig on July 25, 2018, 10:16:22 pm

The issue is, when not playing all 3 it feels like there is a massive drop off as imo no other player comes close to them in our squad.

Of course there is a massive drop off. You’re talking about 3 world class (or close to world class) players. There will inevitably be a drop off there.

princeoftherocks · « **Reply #1335 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:45:42 pm »

Surely, Klopp is still learning and, as such, his philosophy is still evolving. At Dortmund he did not have the resources that he has here.

Giono · « **Reply #1336 on:** July 27, 2018, 01:29:52 am »

Quote from: princeoftherocks on July 25, 2018, 10:45:42 pm

Surely, Klopp is still learning and, as such, his philosophy is still evolving. At Dortmund he did not have the resources that he has here.

Resources...like paying world record prices for players, final say on transfers, paying competitve salaries, a reputation that attracts the best players. Toto, we aren’t in Kansas anymore..

Bjornar · « **Reply #1337 on:** July 27, 2018, 03:25:01 am »

Quote from: L8Craig on July 25, 2018, 10:16:22 pm

The issue is, when not playing all 3 it feels like there is a massive drop off as imo no other player comes close to them in our squad.

If we lose Mane for a few weeks who can sit infront of Robertson and have the pace to be able to hit teams on the counter?
If we lose Salah who has the pace and technical ability to run onto balls when hit long in that right hand side corner and take a player on presenting themselves with an opportunity?
If we lose Firmino who presses CBs and DMs and has the craft to pull the defenders out of position?

Agree that this is a worry, that insanely intensive three-pronged attacking threat is what makes us stand out from the pack and keeps every opponent on the back foot, without one or more parts of it we immediately look in danger of regressing to something more akin to our Rodgers' team level post 13/14. While Firmino's attributes are next to impossible to replace, I'm surprised we haven't ensured we have forwards in reserve with some real pace and movement to stand in for Salah and Mane occasionally, to at least be able to keep the same overall shape and some threat in behind if and when they're not available. The CL final really highlighted this weakness, as IMO did the last fifteen minutes in quite a few games when we subbed of one or both of those two. It's not just that we couldn't replicate their quality, that went without saying, we could no longer play that same shape either, and we lost the threat on the counter.

Not that Klopp won't obviously have thought of all of this, but to me it seems like not fully addressing it is a gamble he's making this window, similar to the (successful) gambles of not buying a stopgap while waiting for VVD last summer, and not replacing Coutinho in January.

ThePoolMan · « **Reply #1338 on:** July 27, 2018, 04:23:10 am »

Quote from: Bjornar on July 27, 2018, 03:25:01 am

Agree that this is a worry, that insanely intensive three-pronged attacking threat is what makes us stand out from the pack and keeps every opponent on the back foot, without one or more parts of it we immediately look in danger of regressing to something more akin to our Rodgers' team level post 13/14. While Firmino's attributes are next to impossible to replace, I'm surprised we haven't ensured we have forwards in reserve with some real pace and movement to stand in for Salah and Mane occasionally, to at least be able to keep the same overall shape and some threat in behind if and when they're not available. The CL final really highlighted this weakness, as IMO did the last fifteen minutes in quite a few games when we subbed of one or both of those two. It's not just that we couldn't replicate their quality, that went without saying, we could no longer play that same shape either, and we lost the threat on the counter.

Not that Klopp won't obviously have thought of all of this, but to me it seems like not fully addressing it is a gamble he's making this window, similar to the (successful) gambles of not buying a stopgap while waiting for VVD last summer, and not replacing Coutinho in January.

Which is why I am surprised that we did not go in for Malcom or Leon Bailey in this window. It is a clear weakness and if Mane or Salah should get injured, our attack will again look shorn of pace. Brewster is injured and out for quite a while while Ojo, Wilson and Kent have been or will be sent off on loan. The only other fast option appears to be a very young Camacho.

ThePoolMan · « **Reply #1339 on:** July 27, 2018, 04:24:56 am »

On a positive note, I notice that with Alisson's signing, we have reacquired a world class spine running through the entire team - Salah, Keita, Van Dijk and Alisson - which we have not had since the days of Xabi and Gerrard and Mascherano and Torres.

catinthebag · « **Reply #1340 on:** July 27, 2018, 04:29:25 am »

Quote from: Bjornar on July 27, 2018, 03:25:01 am

Agree that this is a worry, that insanely intensive three-pronged attacking threat is what makes us stand out from the pack and keeps every opponent on the back foot, without one or more parts of it we immediately look in danger of regressing to something more akin to our Rodgers' team level post 13/14. While Firmino's attributes are next to impossible to replace, I'm surprised we haven't ensured we have forwards in reserve with some real pace and movement to stand in for Salah and Mane occasionally, to at least be able to keep the same overall shape and some threat in behind if and when they're not available. The CL final really highlighted this weakness, as IMO did the last fifteen minutes in quite a few games when we subbed of one or both of those two. It's not just that we couldn't replicate their quality, that went without saying, we could no longer play that same shape either, and we lost the threat on the counter.

Yes, this is precisely the thing I am worried about. Shaqiri doesn't fit the profile and neither does Woodburn, Solanke, Origi or the current version of Sturridge. Brewster is out till Dec, and I can only see Camacho and Ojo having the pace. But they are not ready for this level yet. I think pace is the key to keeping our shape up front. If only we had our old Origi back. He could have filled in once in a while.

PhaseOfPlay · « **Reply #1341 on:** July 27, 2018, 04:36:06 am »

Quote from: catinthebag on July 27, 2018, 04:29:25 am

Yes, this is precisely the thing I am worried about. Shaqiri doesn't fit the profile and neither does Woodburn, Solanke, Origi or the current version of Sturridge. Brewster is out till Dec, and I can only see Camacho and Ojo having the pace. But they are not ready for this level yet. I think pace is the key to keeping our shape up front. If only we had our old Origi back. He could have filled in once in a while.

Shaqiri doesn't have speed and mobility?

catinthebag · « **Reply #1342 on:** July 27, 2018, 05:06:29 am »

Quote from: PhaseOfPlay on July 27, 2018, 04:36:06 am

Shaqiri doesn't have speed and mobility?

Shaqiri is as rapid as Mane and Salah?

hesbighesred · « **Reply #1343 on:** July 27, 2018, 06:18:49 am »

Quote from: ThePoolMan on July 27, 2018, 04:23:10 am

Which is why I am surprised that we did not go in for Malcom or Leon Bailey in this window. It is a clear weakness and if Mane or Salah should get injured, our attack will again look shorn of pace. Brewster is injured and out for quite a while while Ojo, Wilson and Kent have been or will be sent off on loan. The only other fast option appears to be a very young Camacho.

Yep, and also not just injury - the rotation was very heavy at the start of last season and, actually, Mane, Salah and Firmino didn't have to start every game because Coutinho could be rotated in.

Assuming we rotate like that again, then Shaquiri has a very important role to play and will get a lot of game time. I think we'll also see a bit of Keita in Mane's role too, just to make sure everyone gets a rest from time to time.

SerbianScouser · « **Reply #1344 on:** July 27, 2018, 07:17:11 am »

Quote from: catinthebag on July 27, 2018, 05:06:29 am

Shaqiri is as rapid as Mane and Salah?

Opponents are definitely gonna be worried about him going in behind them, so the notion that he doesn't fit the profile is simply not true. Whether he's good enough to make a difference is a another matter.

Giono · « **Reply #1345 on:** July 27, 2018, 08:32:58 am »

Quote from: ThePoolMan on July 27, 2018, 04:23:10 am

Which is why I am surprised that we did not go in for Malcom or Leon Bailey in this window. It is a clear weakness and if Mane or Salah should get injured, our attack will again look shorn of pace. Brewster is injured and out for quite a while while Ojo, Wilson and Kent have been or will be sent off on loan. The only other fast option appears to be a very young Camacho.

So having 3 World Class players in the front three is now a negative? Some of the posts in here remind me of someone who has a new flash car, but is insanely anxious about actually driving it in case it gets damaged.

Giono · « **Reply #1346 on:** July 27, 2018, 08:36:48 am »

Quote from: catinthebag on July 27, 2018, 05:06:29 am

Shaqiri is as rapid as Mane and Salah?

So you are thinking we should have ideal replacements in case both players going down for a prolonged period at once?

redk84 · « **Reply #1347 on:** July 27, 2018, 08:44:59 am »

I agree that an absolutely quality forward threat (whether it be from midfield or directly in front 3 ala Coutinho/Fekir) is a position of depth we lack. The front 3 will start every game if fit, and we have enough to rest/rotate with them all being fit but not if there's an injury or two at the same time i dont think. Nobody id be happy to see have a run of 10 games without any worries....(sturridge - injuries, shaqiri? not sure on consistency, lallana - injury worry, etc)

My thoughts from another thread...

Quote from: just redk84 will do on July 20, 2018, 08:48:02 am

We were sure we wanted Dahoud
We were sure we wanted Brandt
Gotze too right?

maybe Klopp has thought that the need for the skillset Fekir has will change and the only way to really know is by seeing how we get on this season. I have in my mind what Mel Reddy was saying about the Dahoud situation and that once the season started we realised it wasn't him we actually needed, then set our sights on Keita....

Maybe Klopp is trying to add a bit of foresight here?
We've made changes to the team in terms of personnel and its hard to tell how we look as a team without seeing them all in there through the ebs and flows of a season.

But maybe we need to take a step back and see how things pan out before adding the cherry on top of our formidable attack.

Most sense I can make of why we may be waiting?

LallanaInPyjamas · « **Reply #1348 on:** July 27, 2018, 09:36:43 am »

Quote from: catinthebag on July 27, 2018, 05:06:29 am

Shaqiri is as rapid as Mane and Salah?

Just because he may not be as fast as Mané or Salah, does not mean that he isn't fast at all. Did you not see his last-minute winner for Switzerland against Serbia at the World Cup? He left his opponent for dead. From the half-way line. With the ball.

If you had two guys down the gym, one weighing 240lb squatting 280kg, the other weighing 210lb squatting 240kg, would you say the latter isn't strong because he's not as strong as the other guy?

Dubred · « **Reply #1349 on:** July 27, 2018, 10:51:16 am »

Quote from: L8Craig on July 25, 2018, 10:28:08 pm

Ok, just watched a couple of vids of Shaqiri, the youtube specials.
Stick a Fekir shirt on him and zoom out and you wouldn't notice the difference. Great left foot, can pick a ball over the top, brilliant in tight spaces and can easily take a player on, but no outright pace.

He is more like a Coutinho replacement than a Mane or Salah backup isn't he?
Not even sure why we would go for Fekir when Shaqiri looks a similar player. Be interesting to see them compared to eachother on them mad charts you see.

I think Shaqiri is going to surprise quite a few with the impact he'll have......positive impact of course

SerbianScouser · « **Reply #1350 on:** July 27, 2018, 12:15:19 pm »

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11669/11449562/jurgen-klopp-needs-a-trophy-at-liverpool-but-the-signs-are-good

Wonderful article about why this may be the year.

Liverpool conceded 11 goals directly from errors in Klopp's first season and 10 in his second. Last year, that figure was down to four. The number of errors leading to a shot of any kind has gone from 33 in that first campaign to 20 in the second and just 12 last season. The total number of shots on target that Liverpool have faced has also decreased year on year.

history suggests that the third full season is the one in which the German enjoys unprecedented success. It was at this stage that he took Mainz into the Bundesliga for the first time. With Borussia Dortmund, he won the thing.

deFacto please, you bastards · « **Reply #1351 on:** July 27, 2018, 01:00:46 pm »

Meh I'm allergic to that sentence. One game at a time.

Dench57 · « **Reply #1352 on:** July 27, 2018, 01:34:45 pm »

Quote from: SerbianScouser on July 27, 2018, 12:15:19 pm

Wonderful article about why this may be the year.

sms1986 · « **Reply #1353 on:** July 27, 2018, 01:59:12 pm »

Quote from: SerbianScouser on July 27, 2018, 12:15:19 pm

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11669/11449562/jurgen-klopp-needs-a-trophy-at-liverpool-but-the-signs-are-good

Wonderful article about why this may be the year.

Liverpool conceded 11 goals directly from errors in Klopp's first season and 10 in his second. Last year, that figure was down to four. The number of errors leading to a shot of any kind has gone from 33 in that first campaign to 20 in the second and just 12 last season. The total number of shots on target that Liverpool have faced has also decreased year on year.

history suggests that the third full season is the one in which the German enjoys unprecedented success. It was at this stage that he took Mainz into the Bundesliga for the first time. With Borussia Dortmund, he won the thing.

I think we'll challenge for the title and we'll win the league with Klopp, not sure if it'll be next season though. Still, we're improving every season. I love how Klopp has great success in his third season, the opposite of Mourinho!

BrandoLFC · « **Reply #1354 on:** July 27, 2018, 03:29:32 pm »

No matter how much it seems we spend we still have a budget, the money isn't infinite. Until we have revenues like ManU/Barca/RM we're always going to have a hole or seem thin somewhere, it's just not possible to have 22 players all at the same level to account for every eventuality. That's why to win the league or CL we need a bit of luck whether it be injuries, penalties, fortuitous bounces, etc. And again who are you going to buy that is on the same level of Sane or Salah? There's nobody sans Mpabbe with that kind of speed and output and we're not buying him anytime soon Fabinho or no Fabinho.

deFacto please, you bastards · « **Reply #1355 on:** July 27, 2018, 03:49:23 pm »

Quote from: BrandoLFC on July 27, 2018, 03:29:32 pm

No matter how much it seems we spend we still have a budget, the money isn't infinite. Until we have revenues like ManU/Barca/RM we're always going to have a hole or seem thin somewhere, it's just not possible to have 22 players all at the same level to account for every eventuality. That's why to win the league or CL we need a bit of luck whether it be injuries, penalties, fortuitous bounces, etc. And again who are you going to buy that is on the same level of Sane or Salah? There's nobody sans Mpabbe with that kind of speed and output and we're not buying him anytime soon Fabinho or no Fabinho.

Salah and Mane weren't on the level they are now when we signed them. Neithe was Firmino. Neither is Fekir. They have elevated themselves since joining the club so players like Mbappe may not be attainable for us, but that's not to say we can't sign more players that were of Salah's Mane's and Firmino's level when they joined us.

BrandoLFC · « **Reply #1356 on:** July 27, 2018, 03:59:49 pm »

Quote from: deFacto on July 27, 2018, 03:49:23 pm

Salah and Mane weren't on the level they are now when we signed them. Neithe was Firmino. Neither is Fekir. They have elevated themselves since joining the club so players like Mbappe may not be attainable for us, but that's not to say we can't sign more players that were of Salah's Mane's and Firmino's level when they joined us.

Bobby, Salah and Mane were already established footballers with their best years ahead of them in which we spent, at the time, a significant amount of money to be a first XI starter. These weren't just wing it on the cheap transfers for cover and hope of improvement as intimating that's what they were is just not accurate.

If we had signed Fekir at the rumored numbers it was to be a starter as you're not spending that type of money for any other reason.

Now you can then state that due to the improved starters your bench is better and your squad isn't as thin, year over year the holes keep getting smaller which is exactly what we're doing. But that doesn't mean that there won't be instances where we're sitting here wishing one more player was bought because of form, suspension or injuries and it will probably be like that for a good many years to go if not longer.

deFacto please, you bastards · « **Reply #1357 on:** July 27, 2018, 04:06:30 pm »

Quote from: BrandoLFC on July 27, 2018, 03:59:49 pm

Bobby, Salah and Mane were already established footballers with their best years ahead of them in which we spent, at the time, a significant amount of money to be a first XI starter. These weren't just wing it on the cheap transfers for cover and hope of improvement as intimating that's what they were is just not accurate.

If we had signed Fekir at the rumored numbers it was to be a starter as you're not spending that type of money for any other reason.

Now you can then state that due to the improved starters your bench is better and your squad isn't as thin, year over year the holes keep getting smaller which is exactly what we're doing. But that doesn't mean that there won't be instances where we're sitting here wishing one more player was bought because of form, suspension or injuries and it will probably be like that for a good many years to go if not longer.

Of course they were established footballers and there is no cheap bargain signings today [bar Shaqiri and Robertson, exceptions to the rule in today's market] HOWEVER they were NOT on the level they are currently. They weren't unknowns, but they weren't top of the food chain, they've improved, due to their hard-work and due to the club and the players they're around with.

Read the post again Nobody was saying that they were cheap signings or wing it signings, but they weren't Mbappe type of signings, and there are only 2 clubs maybe 3 that can pay 200 million for an Mbappe type of player [Real,PSG,not even Barca can do that presently or United]. Go back and see what people thought about us signing Salah and Mane [I was one of the few that though that both would excel here] and Firmino. They weren't Mbappe level's of talent.

There aren't any clubs in the world that have 22 world class players in each position. There are teams that are close to that, but they have parts of their team if they are injuries or suspensions they will feel the difference. We are talking about 2,3 clubs at the very most in world football. City have quality in depth in midfield and in the attacking third, but their defending not so much, but even they can't afford to have world class defenders sitting on the bench.

In other words, I am not sure what your point is.

newterp · « **Reply #1358 on:** July 27, 2018, 04:12:10 pm »

No idea - but I can’t wait for this season

PoetryInMotion · « **Reply #1359 on:** July 27, 2018, 04:22:55 pm »

Quote from: deFacto on July 27, 2018, 04:06:30 pm

In other words, I am not sure what your point is.

Just to take the piss, you could've only written that and nobody would've batted an eyelid