Quality Players

[The Woolster]

And actually on topic, the purchases of Virgil and Keita are steps in the right direction. Problem is we need more than 1 quality addition a year.

Salah, Robertson...?

[stringvest]

Haven't these players been consistently good for the past two years?

 

I mean take Henderson for example. He's been at the club 6 years and been part of a team that nearly won the league, won a league cup, got to an FA Cup, another league cup, Europa league and Champions League final. He's played at a really good level in two good Liverpool teams now. He obviously has ability and the manager really likes him. 

 

I wouldn't be selling anyone we have now bar Mignolet. Just add Keita and another three players to what we have now. 

 

 

Henderson is part of the reason we don't win anything.  He lacks courage and composure when the pressure is on.  I'd be surprised if he's a regular next year.

[RobbieOR]

I think the manager vehemently disagrees with that. 

[VladimirIlyich]

I think Henderson is good enough. Lovren too. They've proven it. Our problem is the squad.

I like Henderson personally but he looks to me like he's got a chronic injury problem and it will never be addressed. For this reason he probably should only be a squad player,which he has been at times due to lack of fitness anyhow. As for Lovren,while he had a very good final and seems to have all the attributes he will have brain farts that cost us. If Karius is being called out for spectacular mistakes then Lovren has made many more but they've been in less spectacular games than the CL final. I'd have no problem if he was back up to a better centre back.

[stringvest]

I think the manager vehemently disagrees with that. 

 

 

Let's see next year.

[Byrnie]

Henderson's performance was really poor on Saturday night. If we use him in with two top midfielders, he could be fine. But he has not got the character required when things are going against us on the pitch in my opinion.

Also, his fitness record is a huge concern.

[stringvest]

Henderson's performance was really poor on Saturday night. If we use him in with two top midfielders, he could be fine. But he has not got the character required when things are going against us on the pitch in my opinion.

 

Also, his fitness record is a huge concern.

 

 

why the fuck would you want two top class players to be carrying him?  I want a player in there who can bring some composure to that position, as well as someone who can control the pace of the game and manage the game when necessary. 

[Byrnie]

I wouldn't, but I'll be massively shocked if he's sold in the summer.

 

He will be here and that could be the way we use him.

[Section_31]

While I agree in principle with what your saying and where we can be improved it's not really that clear cut is it?

 

You can't just go and buy a better players knowing they'll instantly be an improvement as it isn't an exact science or like football manager.

 

Things like attitude, technical attributes that they have shown in the past (that you hope will be maintained or improved in the future), fitness, fit to the tactical system, ability to handle pressure and ability to settle in the area all play their part.

 

The pool is far smaller than I think we would hope for and anything beyond that is generally a punt.

 

Sure spending at the top end helps to ensure the players will have most of the above but we've had plenty of expensive and not so expensive flops (morientes for example).

 

for what we can afford the competition is fierce for the kinds of players we would need. For example your obalk, Alisson and jorginhos all of whom will be linked with teams who can pay a lot more.

 

You mention that houllier and Rafa signed quality but some of their best buys weren't proven. Hyypia was rejected by lots of clubs, xabi alonso was young and could have gone either way. Arbeloa was unknown, mascherano was considered a flop in this league by many.

 

So while we all agree that we need better players and shouldn't settle who can we get with the above? Not asking you to name, names as you aren't a scout.

 

I also agree that our fans expectations have been lowered but is that really an acceptance that we can't just go and sort it right away? It's about prioritisation. For me we need better options up front and better in midfield. Sometimes that's an incremental improvement like a yossi benayoun or just depth like Erik Meijer or Jean Michel Ferri.

 

Klopp has got it right more often than not and it's pleasing to see him only spending when he deems a player worth it which is why VVD and Kieta have taken so long to get done. We do need to aim higher and we are if you look at the signings to date.

 

So we can either try and speed this up by taking a few punts and if they fail it'll be on he managers head or improve gradually as we have done as let's face it we aren't getting a billion quid to sort it. I just hope fans and klopp himself have the patience to see it through.

 

Is it a lowering of standards to say 3 finals, albeit all lost, two of which were in Europe is an improvement on the shit we've had for so long or is it an acceptance of the way football is these days where the success is generally concentrated in the hands of a few. Put it plainly I'd rather where we are than spurs who despite finishing above us recently are no where near as close to us as winning stuff.

I agree with all that, but for me it's less about how we scout and spot new players, but what we're prepared to put up with when we know they won't be good enough, or when they turn out to be provably not good enough.

 

We 'hope' they're going to prove us wrong and we cling on to the occasional good performance and hope they've turned a corner, but they can't because at a fundamental level they're just not good enough.

 

Players like Henderson, Leillana, Milner should have been nowhere near a champions league final for Liverpool football club against Real Madrid.

 

The fallout from our last two final failures produced many of the same conversations this one has, but still we have a squad with too many average players, many of whom still get selected week in and week out.

[magicrat]

Henderson is part of the reason we don't win anything.  He lacks courage and composure when the pressure is on.  I'd be surprised if he's a regular next year.

 

Harsh imo. Not great but not the worst by a long chalk

[an tha]

Harsh imo. Not great but not the worst by a long chalk

He's decent and is definitely a decent/good squad member who should deffo play a part/be an option and offer us depth...but captain and first choice (when fit) no, not for me - not if we really aspire to being champions/kicking on to next level.

[Byrnie]

Klopp getting straight to work on our midfield.

 

I like it!

[VladimirIlyich]

Klopp getting straight to work on our midfield.

 

I like it!

Have we signed somebody else as well as Keita?

[Byrnie]

Fabinho signed from Monaco.

[Jennings]

Who!?

 

Does he come for crosses?

[Bjornebye]

We've just signed the best player ever.

 

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

[JagSquared]

I agree with all that, but for me it's less about how we scout and spot new players, but what we're prepared to put up with when we know they won't be good enough, or when they turn out to be provably not good enough.

 

We 'hope' they're going to prove us wrong and we cling on to the occasional good performance and hope they've turned a corner, but they can't because at a fundamental level they're just not good enough.

 

Players like Henderson, Leillana, Milner should have been nowhere near a champions league final for Liverpool football club against Real Madrid.

 

The fallout from our last two final failures produced many of the same conversations this one has, but still we have a squad with too many average players, many of whom still get selected week in and week out.

Similarly I agree with that with the exception of Milner. If all our midfield had been fit would all of them played? They've all shown the ability to be decent squad players and weirdly we seem to be addressing the flaws we all agree on. Let's see how much further we take it.

 

A wise forward and goalkeeper please Klopp.

[KopOut]

Fabinho’s coming to Anfield !!

 

[Boss]

I agree with all that, but for me it's less about how we scout and spot new players, but what we're prepared to put up with when we know they won't be good enough, or when they turn out to be provably not good enough.

 

We 'hope' they're going to prove us wrong and we cling on to the occasional good performance and hope they've turned a corner, but they can't because at a fundamental level they're just not good enough.

 

Players like Henderson, Leillana, Milner should have been nowhere near a champions league final for Liverpool football club against Real Madrid.

 

The fallout from our last two final failures produced many of the same conversations this one has, but still we have a squad with too many average players, many of whom still get selected week in and week out.

 

Milner should not be spoken about in the same sentence as the other two. In his first season he provided something like 14 assists. In his second season he was the most consistent left back in the league. This season he's broken the all time Champions League record for assists.