Keep, Assess, Sell: A Personal Perspective of What Liverpool FC Should Do
Goalkeepers:
Alisson – Keep – Best in the world and, despite injury issues, vital to our team.
Kelleher – Sell – He is a more than capable back-up option, but he is not as good as Alisson, and he is now at an age where he must need/ want first team football.
Pitaluga – assess (?) – I heard he has had a rough time on loan, but I don’t really know. Should be assessed to see if he can provide cover.
All other youngsters – assess.
Conclusions: We may need to dip into the market to buy a back-up, be it a veteran or a youngster, but first team is secure.
Full-backs:
Robertson – Sell – I love Robertson, but my reason for selling him is a combination of his age, mounting injuries, but most significantly the inverted fullback system which does not suit him at all and which has badly affected his impact for us. Slot apparently uses inverted fullbacks, and if so, Robertson just isn’t the answer sadly. It is a shame we have moved away from the system that benefited him, because that system benefited the entire team.
TAA – Keep – He is excellent on the ball, but he is not an inverted fullback, and defensively he gets too exposed. A new position may be the best option for him. Too much quality to even consider letting him leave.
Tsimikas – Sell – Unfortunately, not good enough and again not suited to the style of football we are currently playing.
Bradley – Keep – I would argue he’s a better inverted fullback than Trent, and I am certain he is a better defender. Looks to be the long term option for the position.
Beck – assess – I don’t know enough to comment, but if he is good enough, why not.
Gomez – Keep – Jack of all trades, His versatility is very useful. As long as Slot doesn’t ask him to push into midfield he should do well. The inverted fullback system is by far the biggest issue.
Conclusions: a left back looks to be the most necessary addition, but even that isn’t a guarantee. Given inverted fullbacks will likely feature in our future, I have no idea who I would even sign as the skill set for inverted fullbacks is very different from a typical fullback. I can’t wait until this fad passes.
Center backs:
Matip – release – A great servant to the club, but age and injury have caught up to him.
Van Dijk – Keep – He is aging, but I think he has been mostly excellent this season (the last few weeks aside) . It would be a huge risk to let such a huge, charismatic presence leave during a period of transition.
Konate – assess – His injury record is becoming difficult to ignore. What good is there in having a good player who you cannot depend upon? When he gets runs of games, he looks better and better, but he cannot avoid injuries. May need to find a more reliable solution.
Quansah – Keep – I don’t think he should be a starter, but he can certainly take the 4th choice spot.
Youngsters – assess. Hopefully, there are other gems just waiting to be discovered.
Conclusions: I think given Van Dijk’s age and the issues surrounding other players, a signing is needed. I’m still not sure why the club didn’t move for Van Den Ven last summer as he would have fit in perfectly. Who they sign now I don’t know, but it is an area that needs attention.
Midfielders:
Endo – Keep – Whether or not we try and sign an upgrade / specialist for the DM position he is a vital squad player, and arguably one of our best this season.
Macallister – Keep – Excellent player, just don’t play him as DM for Christ’s sake.
Jones – Keep – Superb before injury, much more to come from him.
Elliott – Keep – Stop playing him as a right winger. He obviously isn’t effective as one.
Gravenberch – Assess – Decent in recent weeks, but I’m still not sure he offers enough quality. Tough one.
Szoboszlai – Assess – Given how good he was at the start of the season, I cannot believe I’m saying this, but he has fallen off a cliff. It is injury disrupting him? A lack of focus? Being asked to play a role that doesn’t suit him? New manager needs to figure it out and make a decision.
Thiago – LOL – Klopp shoulders the blame here, a quality player, but his injury issues were as clear as day, and we still signed him. Effective signings make a huge difference, so do ineffective ones. Look at the difference in us as a team when we signed Allison. Look at Arsenal this season with Rice. It all contributes.
Bajcetic – Assess – Will he ever not be injured? If the answer is yes, he could be really important, but right now nobody can really say.
Clark / McConnell / Etc – Assess – My opinion is they could be good squad options, but if they are not going to get enough games, then should be given loans that can help their development. Certainly think they would have done better than some players in recent weeks.
Conclusions:
I do not think the midfield needs much work, but the roles of certain players definitely needs looking at. I get that versatility in a squad is important over a long season, but constantly hobbling talented players by shoe-horning them into positions that don’t utilize their best attributes is a recipe for poor performance, loss of form, and lack of confidence. Maybe, just maybe, a defensive midfielder might be necessary if the new manager doesn’t fancy Endo and / or Bajcetic cannot get himself fit.
Forwards:
Jota – Sell. Clinical finisher, good on his day, far too injury prone to be relied upon. Recurrent theme season after season, we need a more reliable option.
Gakpo – Keep – Not overly impressed, but also feel the way he has been used by Klopp has been ridiculously poor. In his favored position, he does well.
Diaz – Keep – Very good, very lively, but very wasteful. Lacks a clinical edge and though gives opposition a headache, we need someone who can remain calm and just bury the ball. Would keep for now, but if a big offer came in would take it too.
Nunez – Assess – Captain chaos, yes, and that chaos applies to his finishing, which ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous. I love his passion and desire and work-rate, I just don’t think the quality is quite where it needs to be.
Salah – Keep (if he wants to stay) – Still the best, most reliable player on his day. Scores goals, gets involved and was excellent before his injury. The question is whether he is declining, or whether the injury just disrupted him. I would also say the tactical system has, like most players, reduced his effectiveness.
Doak – assess – Looks nigh on unplayable at times, but again constant injuries. Perhaps our medical department needs looking at too?
Gordon – (Loan) – Needs experience and games after a lengthy injury and won’t get them with us.
Danns – Keep – Made a difference whenever he was brought on, then the manager stopped bringing him on. I don’t get it. Looks like he could be, if nothing else, a useful option. Is also very direct as well, which offers something a bit different to what we currently have.
Conclusions: again I don’t have names in mind but I do think that we need a forward that can stay fit and score goals consistently. Salah’s burden was shared with Mane previously and linked together with Firmino. Jota isn’t fit long enough to help, Diaz doesn’t really provide what Mane did, and Nunez is just too unpredictable to expect consistent output from.
Concluding the conclusions:
We are not miles away in terms of quality, I think 3 or 4 signings maximum, in key positions (LB, CB, DM/ CM, ATT) would make a huge difference. What would probably be even better would be a tactical system that plays to the current players’ strengths, rather than inhibits them. If Slot manages that, then there may be even fewer signings needed.
The medical department needs looking at too, as the amount of player injuries, and recurring injuries, does not seem right to me. If the talented players we have can be utilized correctly, we are going to be closer to success than people think. It’s true we are getting a new manager, and it is a transitionary period, but he is not inheriting a decrepit, aging squad – this is a team and squad with huge potential and lots of quality. Used correctly, they can go far.
Many of us have spoken about how we have played poorly and won this season – far too times to be honest – so imagine if the new manager can get us to play well? Klopp leaving can feel like the end of the world, but if we take a step back there are perhaps more things to be optimistic about than it first appears. Except the inverted fullbacks, to hell with inverted fullbacks.
Written by Seano_ May 03 2024 13:24:31
