Roberto Firmino

[lifetime fan]

10 minutes ago, MegadriveMan said:

I'm fine with Elliott being the Wijnaldum replacement. There are similarities because Wijnaldum was a more attacking player at Newcastle, but we converted him in to playing Centre midfielder.

 

I'm disappointed that we are starting the season with Orgi and Minamino as second choice attackers when we know that they aren't good enough. If we get a serious injury to Salah, where are the goals going to come from? Its very similar to the risk we took with VVD not getting injured last season.

I reckon everyone is happy having Elliot as an option. But after the first choice 3 we have an ageing Milner, two shit crocks and two very promising kids who only have a handful

of league appearances between them. 
 

We’ve let Gini go and you’ve the likes of 3 stacks trying to argue we’re better off this season because we have Elliot. 
 

The lack of quality options in midfield will come back to bite us on the arse, as it will upfront. 

[Nolongerathletic]

Time will tell but not sure we will get best out of TTA with Elliot and Salah 

 

I though Elliot and Salah showed a good understanding V Chelsea but did negate Arnold/Salah combination to some degree. Early days and Chelsea toughest we will have to breakdown, Elliot looks like a good option, just like Jones but still a worry we are short...certainly not better off.

[3 Stacks]

13 minutes ago, lifetime fan said:

I reckon everyone is happy having Elliot as an option. But after the first choice 3 we have an ageing Milner, two shit crocks and two very promising kids who only have a handful

of league appearances between them. 
 

We’ve let Gini go and you’ve the likes of 3 stacks trying to argue we’re better off this season because we have Elliot. 
 

The lack of quality options in midfield will come back to bite us on the arse, as it will upfront. 

It's literally a fact that we have more options than last season. 8 legit midfielders and 5 legit centre backs with Konate and Phillips signing a new deal, meaning no need to shift a midfielder in defense. You're arguing the inarguable.

[lifetime fan]

31 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

It's literally a fact that we have more options than last season. 8 legit midfielders and 5 legit centre backs with Konate and Phillips signing a new deal, meaning no need to shift a midfielder in defense. You're arguing the inarguable.

Who was our most reliable midfielder last season? 
 

Henderson - injured last season

Milner - injured last season

Ox - injured every season

Keita - injured every season

Plus 2 kids with a handful of league appearances between them. 
 

We have strengthened the defence after last season but we’ve weakens the midfield. That’s a fact. 

[JagSquared]

4 minutes ago, lifetime fan said:

Who was our most reliable midfielder last season? 
 

Henderson - injured last season

Milner - injured last season

Ox - injured every season

Keita - injured every season

Plus 2 kids with a handful of league appearances between with. 
 

We have strengthened the defence after last season but we’ve weakens the midfield. That’s a fact. 

This time we can play centre backs as centre midfielders. 

[ManéMan]

2 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

Are you aware that Klopp just played him 90 minutes against Burnley and Chelsea, in midfield? Did you see that? For sure not a real option, though. Is he even part of the squad? Who can say.

Replacing someone who was an integral member of the CL and League wins with a promising and unproven 18 year old isn't the same thing though is it? It's a shit argument and if we want to go down that route we can include Clarkson or whoever else is in the youth teams as an option too.

 

We saw last season that Jones and even Milner aren't adequate replacements to come into a midfield that won everything. They are options, but only if you want to finish as also rans, and not maintain our position at the top that we reached.

[3 Stacks]

18 minutes ago, ManéMan said:

Replacing someone who was an integral member of the CL and League wins with a promising and unproven 18 year old isn't the same thing though is it? It's a shit argument and if we want to go down that route we can include Clarkson or whoever else is in the youth teams as an option too.

 

We saw last season that Jones and even Milner aren't adequate replacements to come into a midfield that won everything. They are options, but only if you want to finish as also rans, and not maintain our position at the top that we reached.

We have 8 midfielders. Do you want 9? 10? 8 is already way more than enough. We have a backup for the 3 positions and 2 extra. That's more than almost every club. Were we meant to sell all of Jones, Milner, Ox and Keita because people don't rate them. Should we have sold and replaced Thiago as well, who some people don't like? Should we have replaced 6 midfielders this summer?

 

Also, no matter how much people want to frame that Elliott isn't an actual option because he's 18, he just played 90 minutes in midfield against one of the best teams in the world. You can't just keep ignoring that. 

 

Look, the injuries are a worry, they're a worry everywhere, that's always a risk. But when you have the number of midfielders we do, it's less of a problem than for almost anyone else, even when we have soft cunts like Keita.

 

The forward line is a far bigger problem.

[Red Shift]

36 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

We have 8 midfielders. Do you want 9? 10? 8 is already way more than enough. We have a backup for the 3 positions and 2 extra. That's more than almost every club. Were we meant to sell all of Jones, Milner, Ox and Keita because people don't rate them. Should we have sold and replaced Thiago as well, who some people don't like? Should we have replaced 6 midfielders this summer?

 

Also, no matter how much people want to frame that Elliott isn't an actual option because he's 18, he just played 90 minutes in midfield against one of the best teams in the world. You can't just keep ignoring that. 

 

Look, the injuries are a worry, they're a worry everywhere, that's always a risk. But when you have the number of midfielders we do, it's less of a problem than for almost anyone else, even when we have soft cunts like Keita.

 

The forward line is a far bigger problem.

It also allows us to go 4-4-2 as an option as required.

[Red Shift]

I can’t see Elliot playing any European games. Thiago will be picked ahead of him.

 

Elliot coming thru reminds me of Suarez’ last season for us when due to lack of options Raheem Stirling broke thru the ranks. Not ideal, but what a season that turned out to be. Elliot and Mo are syncing up nicely already.

[aRdja]

25 minutes ago, Red Shift said:

I can’t see Elliot playing any European games. Thiago will be picked ahead of him.

 

Elliot coming thru reminds me of Suarez’ last season for us when due to lack of options Raheem Stirling broke thru the ranks. Not ideal, but what a season that turned out to be. Elliot and Mo are syncing up nicely already.

Elliot didn’t start the Chelsea game due to “lack of options”.

[aws]

Is there a new rule which says we have to play three forwards? 

[m0e]

8 hours ago, lifetime fan said:

You can’t think that’s acceptable for a club supposed to be trying to win the PL and CL? 

That depends. Who did we have when we won both?

[m0e]

The issue isn't the quality or reliability of our current midfield.

 

The issue is that we have too many to justify buying another, whichever way you look at it.

[Red74]

None of our midfielders start for their countries.

 

*Fabinho’s our only world class midfielder and it’s not his fault he can’t get a look in for Brazil . 

[Guest Alex_K]

We've got one reliable midfielder at the club, who is Fabinho. Everything after that is a total lottery, and the odds get worse with the more injury-ridden ones riding further into their 30s.

[aRdja]

42 minutes ago, Alex_K said:

We've got one reliable midfielder at the club, who is Fabinho. Everything after that is a total lottery, and the odds get worse with the more injury-ridden ones riding further into their 30s.

Fabinho didn’t have the best end of the season either in fairness, and he looked real leggy against Chelsea. 

[3 Stacks]

Should have just gotten rid of our 8 midfielders, they all stink, clearly. 

[lifetime fan]

41 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

Should have just gotten rid of our 8 midfielders, they all stink, clearly. 

No one has said that. 
 

But we should have fucked Ox and Keita off. 

[Razoray]

11 hours ago, lifetime fan said:

 

We have a first choice midfield of Fab, Henderson and Thiago. 
 

All three regularly pick up knocks and miss games. After that we have a 35 year old Milner, Oc and Keita who can never be replied on (even if they are fit) and two promising kids. 
 

We let our most reliable midfielder go and haven’t replaced him. 
 

I’ll say it again, this isn’t hindsight, we’ll be fucked in midfield at some point this season the same as we will be upfront. 

For league games alone, Fab usually misses approximately 6 games a season, Henderson about 14 and Thiago roughly 18. That's 38 starts available for the other 5 to fight for. 6 of those have been used already in the first 3 games. 

I'd be disappointed for their development if Elliot gets less than 10 more starts and if Jones gets less than 8 from now until May. Milner will start 6 or 7 games at least. We might rely or choose for Ox and Keita to start a maximum of 8 games between them for the rest of the season. I'd say they will easily manage that if Klopp decides to use them rather than play Elliot and Jones.

 

Having players available for midfield will be less of a problem than keeping those players happy in my opinion. 

[Razoray]

1 hour ago, lifetime fan said:

No one has said that. 
 

But we should have fucked Ox and Keita off. 

They won't go. Origi has virtually been frozen out and still won't leave. 

Fuck all the club can do really so they will play when needed. 

[Lario]

This has fuck all to do with Firmino. 

[stringvest]

is he still here?  

[VladimirIlyich]

An unbelievably skillful player,but that skill is pointless when just in front of our defensive line as was happening before his injury v Chelsea.

[Scooby Dudek]

19 hours ago, lifetime fan said:

I’d agree. 
 

But I’d also make the point there is no acceptable choice bar Jota as back up to the front 3. 
 

And after only 3 games of the season one of the front 3 is injured, so we have no acceptable backup at all. 
 

It’s just not on. It isn’t hindsight, plenty have been saying this would happen and plenty have said it’ll happen with the midfield too when you’re relying on the fitness of Ox and Keita. 

 

18 hours ago, lifetime fan said:

 

We have a first choice midfield of Fab, Henderson and Thiago. 
 

All three regularly pick up knocks and miss games. After that we have a 35 year old Milner, Oc and Keita who can never be replied on (even if they are fit) and two promising kids. 
 

We let our most reliable midfielder go and haven’t replaced him. 
 

I’ll say it again, this isn’t hindsight, we’ll be fucked in midfield at some point this season the same as we will be upfront. 

Don't worry, it will be called out as hindsight and people who only deal in FACTS will say that no one called out these potential problems earlier in the season. 

[Scooby Dudek]

6 hours ago, Razoray said:

For league games alone, Fab usually misses approximately 6 games a season, Henderson about 14 and Thiago roughly 18. That's 38 starts available for the other 5 to fight for. 6 of those have been used already in the first 3 games. 

I'd be disappointed for their development if Elliot gets less than 10 more starts and if Jones gets less than 8 from now until May. Milner will start 6 or 7 games at least. We might rely or choose for Ox and Keita to start a maximum of 8 games between them for the rest of the season. I'd say they will easily manage that if Klopp decides to use them rather than play Elliot and Jones.

 

Having players available for midfield will be less of a problem than keeping those players happy in my opinion. 

The flaw in the plan is the injury record, no point having eight midfielders if two of them are rarely available when needed. 

I don't believe Klopp planned on never giving Gini a rest last season, but the injury prone CBs and above midfielders meant he had no option.