Topic: LIVERPOOL TRANSFER THREAD - 2023 (FSG posts = get muted)

[eeekaj]

Replacing Salah with a Doku type would completely solidify us as a top 4 contender rather than title challenger.

Not really, because you replace his goals output with the deadly number 9 I mentioned rather than having a donkey in the middle.

[Coolie High]

Not really, because you replace his goals output with the deadly number 9 I mentioned rather than having a donkey in the middle.

Isak would cost 120 m or so, has years on his deal plays for an state owned club and was bought for around 70m.

Oshimen  is good also but I just don’t see him being much better than our options we already have.


You have to look at it like this, earlier in the season Arsenal fans we’re complaining about Saka, with some of the same complaints we’ve seen directed at Salah, isn’t dribbling any more, lost a bit of pace, doesn’t commit defenders and doesn’t have well rounded games even if he scores or assist.

That actually lasted for a good period also, up until the last few weeks where he seems to have regained form, but at the end of the day when you look back on it regardless of any critique he’s had he’s still contributed with more than 13 goals in the league this season thus far and a bunch of assists.

Players like that are key to any title challenge, it’s the same thing with the likes of Haaland, you’d rather let go of a Martinelli or Doku than either of those two and the same should apply for Salah in regards to a Diaz for example.

[PeterTheRed ...]

I think it’s time to cash in on Nunez and Salah for different reasons.

Nunez - just not good enough, for the amount he costs and what we could regain, he isn’t going to win us trophies unfortunately.

Salah - kills me to say this about the legend himself, but time is catching up with him.

I’d like to see the club go for a deadly finisher (Osimhen, Gyokeres or Isak) and a pacey, direct wide player (Doku-esque)

Sorry, but that is nonsense.

He has 31 goal contributions in 2836 minutes of football for us this season. That is a goal or an assist every 90 minutes ...

[clinical]

What's worrying is there's no stand out player we can get up front. We may need two because I can't see Salah and Diaz both staying. I think at least one of them will leave.

I reckon Edwards Hughes would be willing to sell Gakpo potentially too

[killer-heels]

I think there is a real question about the signings we have made since summer 2021. We signed Konate that summer.

Since then we have signed Diaz, Nunez, Carvalho, Mac Allister, Szobozslai, Endo and Gravenberch. There is also been a supposed disconnect in terms of the coaching team being more influential with transfers.

[cdav]

There is going to be so much stupidity for the next few months

We will sell some players and churn the squad a bit, but we need 3 or 4 really good additions and some better luck with injuries to improve next season

[Phineus]

I think there is a real question about the signings we have made since summer 2021. We signed Konate that summer.

Since then we have signed Diaz, Nunez, Carvalho, Mac Allister, Szobozslai, Endo and Gravenberch. There is also been a supposed disconnect in terms of the coaching team being more influential with transfers.

Not just that, contract renewals too. Think it’s fair to say it’s been a combination of coach lead recruitment and sentimentality with keeping a few players a season or two too long.

No room for sentimentality - let the nerds do their thing to get best squad & manager possible.

[QC]

What's worrying is there's no stand out player we can get up front. We may need two because I can't see Salah and Diaz both staying. I think at least one of them will leave.

I reckon Edwards Hughes would be willing to sell Gakpo potentially too

There is no stand out between the three, but Diaz probably holds the most value currently, so it should be him to go first.

[clinical]

I don't really understand why we got Gravenberch in when it's clear we were probably a no.6 short no a no.8. Will be really interesting to see what happens in the summer.

[clinical]

There is no stand out between the three, but Diaz probably holds the most value currently, so it should be him to go first.

Salah probably £80m+ from Saudi

[Phineus]

I don't really understand why we got Gravenberch in when it's clear we were probably a no.6 short no a no.8. Will be really interesting to see what happens in the summer.

That one reeks of coach lead recruitment yeah.

[killer-heels]

Not just that, contract renewals too. Think it’s fair to say it’s been a combination of coach lead recruitment and sentimentality with keeping a few players a season or two too long.

No room for sentimentality - let the nerds do their thing to get best squad & manager possible.

Its important to note that this has still been a very good season and there is still lots of talent in those players mentioned. But I think there has been a bit of that magic missing from those players than the players we signed up to that point. Maybe it was unsustainable always signing legends though.

We have a good base to work with for sure, but I said we need a jump in decisive players for this side as its still the same guys prior to this cohort who are winning games.

[Phineus]

Its important to note that this has still been a very good season and there is still lots of talent in those players mentioned. But I think there has been a bit of that magic missing from those players than the players we signed up to that point. Maybe it was unsustainable always signing legends though.

We have a good base to work with for sure, but I said we need a jump in decisive players for this side as its still the same guys prior to this cohort who are winning games.

Agree. Get back to ruthless decision making and we’ll be up there, I don’t think the squad needs a major overhaul or anything.

[Knight]

That one reeks of coach lead recruitment yeah.

Who was the 6 who was good enough though? The market for 6s was so bad that we were willing to spend 100+ million on Caicedo. He's much better than he's showing at chelsea but 100+ million is insane.

[clinical]

I think we've got a good basis to work from. But I also think it's obvious we're the 3rd best team. And there's a few areas we need to bring some quality players in to bridge the gap. CB/LB, DM and couple of forwards.

Need Trent to sign a new deal too

[clinical]

Who was the 6 who was good enough though? The market for 6s was so bad that we were willing to spend 100+ million on Caicedo. He's much better than he's showing at chelsea but 100+ million is insane.

It's a fair point. Although that lad Porto signed looks brilliant. We were linked.

[RedSince86]

Yeah I'm glad Edwards has got his power back, FSG will make sure we won't deviate from the analytics.

Exciting to see what team were going to have over the next 3-4 years mixed with the youngsters.

[killer-heels]

Who was the 6 who was good enough though? The market for 6s was so bad that we were willing to spend 100+ million on Caicedo. He's much better than he's showing at chelsea but 100+ million is insane.

Its not hindsight and not to denigrate Klopp in anyway, but i was happy at the time we missed out on him. Honestly he wasnt worth it.

We need a reset now with the players we are buying. Why we bought Gakpo I never know and even though i championed Gravenberch, its questionable where he fits in.

[DelTrotter]

There is going to be so much stupidity for the next few months

We will sell some players and churn the squad a bit, but we need 3 or 4 really good additions and some better luck with injuries to improve next season

Really hope so, though I'm already fearing the "it's difficult in a tournament summer" and "the new manager needs time to assess the squad" stuff. A 3rd season without sorting a 6 out for example would be ridiculous. Hopefully the geeks can find us some gods.

[killer-heels]

Yeah I'm glad Edwards has got his power back, FSG will make sure we won't deviate from the analytics.

Exciting to see what team were going to have over the next 3-4 years mixed with the youngsters.

Im not sure its an analytics thing, people will be quick to say Nunez’ numbers are unreal. Its more the fit, the system and all that.

Take Szobozslai, he looks very much an attacking midfielder shoehorned into playing midfield.

[Haggis36]

I think it’s time to cash in on Nunez and Salah for different reasons.

Nunez - just not good enough, for the amount he costs and what we could regain, he isn’t going to win us trophies unfortunately.

Salah - kills me to say this about the legend himself, but time is catching up with him.

I’d like to see the club go for a deadly finisher (Osimhen, Gyokeres or Isak) and a pacey, direct wide player (Doku-esque)

Gyokeres looks very much like a mid-table player who is having an incredible season - not LFC quality. Osimhen I think is mad overrated and will cost an absolute fortune. Isak looks great but is a poor fit for our set-up and would cost £100m+ probably. Doku has loads of promise, but has shown very little end product this season.

I don't disagree that our attack needs a bit of freshen up, but the above shouts are non-starters for a variety of reasons. I think there's a conversation to be had about Salah, but I wouldn't be giving up on Nunez yet. I think the problem is that the attack is not a cohesive unit, and ironically the only attackers who look to have any kind of relationship/link-up are Salah and Nunez. They're all good/great players in their own rights, but it feels like every single combination of 3 we put out is lacking something or doesn't work well together. Problem is, we've spent what - £150m odd on it in the past 2 and a bit seasons. Feels too soon to be "giving up" on any of the new additions, but it's also not working - individually or collectively. Big decisions to be made.

We need to add a top class attacker in the summer, but fuck knows what sort of player that will be.

[Asam]

Its important to note that this has still been a very good season and there is still lots of talent in those players mentioned. But I think there has been a bit of that magic missing from those players than the players we signed up to that point. Maybe it was unsustainable always signing legends though.

We have a good base to work with for sure, but I said we need a jump in decisive players for this side as its still the same guys prior to this cohort who are winning games.

Definitely:

-We have to decide how the style of play will evolve because we will play that way at all levels to make the jump in progression easier

- The players we bring in have to be more talented than what’s already here and they need to fit our style of play

- We are missing players who step up in big games, we seem to be flat track bullies this season, we’ve not had a good record against the top sides and it’s always the same players who make a breakthrough for us, we need more players who can score crucial goals

[clinical]

Maybe I don't have time to watch as much football as I used to. But is it me or are there less good players around right now? Even City ended up with duds in summer like Doku and Nunes.

[killer-heels]

Maybe I don't have time to watch as much football as I used to. But is it me or are there less good players around right now? Even City ended up with duds in summer like Doku and Nunes.

Doku isnt a dud.

And no thats not true. In the past few seasons people have made excuses about there being no good defenders, strikers and defensive midfielders. There are loads of good players around. Look at shite like Forest, even they have quality like Morgan Gibbs-White.

[Phineus]

Maybe I don't have time to watch as much football as I used to. But is it me or are there less good players around right now? Even City ended up with duds in summer like Doku and Nunes.

In terms of profile of players that we had at our peak, I’d agree. Wide forwards with scalable outputs, false 9’s… pressing monsters etc.

It’s why a change of system this summer could actually help with our recruitment imo.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Maybe I don't have time to watch as much football as I used to. But is it me or are there less good players around right now? Even City ended up with duds in summer like Doku and Nunes.

Any decent player is now getting quotes of 50 million minimum. Good goes up to 75, and very good is 100 million

[buttersstotch]

Salah is still our best attacker though? He's looked a bit rubbish since the injury, but pre AFCON he was electric. Not sure going from someone like Salah to a project player is a good idea.

[DelTrotter]

Maybe I don't have time to watch as much football as I used to. But is it me or are there less good players around right now? Even City ended up with duds in summer like Doku and Nunes.

Does kinda feel like it, look at the players Utd and Chelsea sign despite being armed with all the money in the world, part of that is them being completely inept obviously but also when they wanted a striker last season it was like errrr who can they even get with Kane out of the picture. If we want a DM and an attacker I can't really think of many super obvious ones right now but doesn't mean some aren't out there so hopefully we can get em.

[Shepnois]

Maybe I don't have time to watch as much football as I used to. But is it me or are there less good players around right now? Even City ended up with duds in summer like Doku and Nunes.

The pool of top class players has definitely been diminishing in recent years, I'm sure there's still some hidden gems out there but overall the talent pool is the lowest I've seen in my lifetime.

[clinical]

Doku isnt a dud.

And no thats not true. In the past few seasons people have made excuses about there being no good defenders, strikers and defensive midfielders. There are loads of good players around. Look at shite like Forest, even they have quality like Morgan Gibbs-White.

There's good but there's not many brilliant players.

[Working Class Hen-Pecked Hero]

There's players about. Grimaldo went Bayer on a free didn't he? It seems most teams are just better at controlling than us at the moment. We're so easy to attack, it honestly looks like training ground defending at times

[Asam]

There's good but there's not many brilliant players.

Of course there is, they’re just under the radar, playing in different leagues or haven’t lived up to their potential yet

This is precisely why we have such an extensive investment in data to find the best players

[Coolie High]

I don't really understand why we got Gravenberch in when it's clear we were probably a no.6 short no a no.8. Will be really interesting to see what happens in the summer.

I said this at the time.

[Phineus]

Sign Wirtz.

Lad just scored a hatrick to confirm his team winning their first league title in 119 years.

He’s him.

[Garlic Red]

Sign Wirtz.

Lad just scored a hatrick to confirm his team winning their first league title in 119 years.

He’s him.

Pretty sure he’ll do another year in Leverkusen. Like the manager, I don’t think he’s in a rush to get to a big club.

[Phineus]

Pretty sure he’ll do another year in Leverkusen. Like the manager, I don’t think he’s in a rush to get to a big club.

Yeah, no chance we get him.

[PeterTheRed ...]

Sign Wirtz.

Lad just scored a hatrick to confirm his team winning their first league title in 119 years.

He’s him.

Wirtz is not leaving Leverkusen this summer. Anyway, with Edwards back, it will be someone like Bakayoko, and I will be fine with that ...

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Maybe I don't have time to watch as much football as I used to. But is it me or are there less good players around right now? Even City ended up with duds in summer like Doku and Nunes.

The last-16 of the CL was a real eye-opener for me. Usually at that stage every tie bar one or two is high-quality but it was more like one or two high-quality ties. Definitely fewer quality players scattered around - combination of loads of things I guess. Randomness of elite player cycles, Saudi taking players, lack of money to spend/stricter financial rules in most European leagues, and maybe players being coached & managers implementing styles of play & tactics too similar to each other.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Wirtz is not leaving Leverkusen this summer. Anyway, with Edwards back, it will be someone like Bakayoko, and I will be fine with that ...

Very different type of player though aren't they. Wirtz is like an second striker/10 mould and Bakayoko a more traditional winger.

It won't be him (although if it was possible I would spend a lot of money on him) but if Amorim comes in we would definitely need someone more like Wirtz than like Bakayoko

[killer-heels]

Wirtz is not leaving Leverkusen this summer. Anyway, with Edwards back, it will be someone like Bakayoko, and I will be fine with that ...

What makes you think it will be him considering he was linked before Edwards was anywhere near the club.