Our midfield

[Ron B]

On 24/09/2023 at 18:33, 3 Stacks said:

It actually does matter how it happened. If your business is an accident, that isn't as good as having a well-executed plan, for obvious reasons. It's having a clear process.

 

The signings of Mac and Szobo were great, everyone said it at the time. That was good planning. We replaced outgoing players who weren't producing anymore with two good players, and early in the window. That was easy business to do, but it was well-executed.

 

Conversely, the panic sagas of Lavia and Caicedo after the unexpected Hendo and Fab sales, followed by the eventual Endo and Gravenberch signings are still absurd events that were badly handled.

Agree. 
Early doors, it looks like we’ll at least have a 50% success rate from this summer’s transfer signings, and none of them look like clear misses (albeit it’s very, very early to say). Any other club in the world would be delighted to have such a success rate. 
But I do question whether we’re going to really pine for Michael Edwards if our handling of transfers doesn’t return to its previous state. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Mac Allister is 24

Szoboslai is 22

Jones is 22

Gravenberch is 21

Elliott is 20

Bajcetic is 18

 

The future's bright.

 

[an tha]

2 hours ago, AngryOfTuebrook said:

Mac Allister is 24

Szoboslai is 22

Jones is 22

Gravenberch is 21

Elliott is 20

Bajcetic is 18

 

The future's bright.

 

Very much so.

 

Huge potential in that group - and a lot of it already at a high level.

 

Szobo looks the real deal.

 

We are set fair for years with that group.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Would still like a Souness or Mascherano type.

[Aventus]

Endo hasn't set the world alight, but I don't think he was ever meant to. Cheep signing of someone semi-decent that can do a job. 

 

From what I've seen so far though Endo in his natural position is better than Mac being played out of his natural position. Desperately need us to sign a 6, we'll go up several levels once that happens. 

[aws]

I think Jurgen was hoping that Thiago and Bajetic would be chipping in with a few appearances at 6. 

[3 Stacks]

7 minutes ago, aws said:

I think Jurgen was hoping that Thiago and Bajetic would be chipping in with a few appearances at 6. 

One of those two simply has to step up and become an option at some point.

[TheHowieLama]

Go around in circles however you want - the fact is Klopp thinks a midfield three of Mac, Dom and one of Jones, G'Berch. whomever is stronger than Endo, Dom, Mac.

[an tha]

3 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

Bajcetic simply has to step up and become an option at some point.

Fixed for reality.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

9 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

One of those two simply has to step up and become an option at some point.

Stepping onto a pitch would be a start.

[Carvalho Diablo]

[Pete]

Are we allowed to say it’s a little bit better than last year?

[VladimirIlyich]

33 minutes ago, Pete said:

Are we allowed to say it’s a little bit better than last year?

It's a lot better,but then it always was going to be. The only potential downside is that having a great midfield and forward line exposes our creaking defensive line. This will be Jurgen's,if FSG allow,next rebuild.

[Barrington Womble]

I thought the midfield was poor last night to be honest. The opposition would struggle in the championship, they had absolutely no organisation at all. Terrible team. Obviously once you change all the players, it's a better midfield, but I wasn't excited by anything I saw last night and spent the night hoping klopp would bring on Dom and Mac. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

3 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

I thought the midfield was poor last night to be honest. The opposition would struggle in the championship, they had absolutely no organisation at all. Terrible team. Obviously once you change all the players, it's a better midfield, but I wasn't excited by anything I saw last night and spent the night hoping klopp would bring on Dom and Mac. 

I'm glad we didn't bring on anyone we didn't have to.

We absolutely battered a Ligue 1 side with two of our first-choice midfield three sitting on the bench. Two of the three starters scored. We even had the luxury of bringing on a child for the last few minutes.

As long as our midfield is always "poor" enough to win comfortably, I'll be happy.

[Barrington Womble]

18 minutes ago, AngryOfTuebrook said:

I'm glad we didn't bring on anyone we didn't have to.

We absolutely battered a Ligue 1 side with two of our first-choice midfield three sitting on the bench. Two of the three starters scored. We even had the luxury of bringing on a child for the last few minutes.

As long as our midfield is always "poor" enough to win comfortably, I'll be happy.

We won't play sides that bad too often this season. They may be a ligue 1 side, but they weren't close to the level of say a much rested Leicester who we played just a few weeks ago. I was happy with the win and in the long term happy we didn't need to use Mac and Dom. But it was pretty terrible viewing as a game and that was because of the lack of intensity and speed of thought and passing in midfield. Our comfortable win is a reflection of how out of place we are in this phase of this competition. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

26 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

We won't play sides that bad too often this season. They may be a ligue 1 side, but they weren't close to the level of say a much rested Leicester who we played just a few weeks ago. I was happy with the win and in the long term happy we didn't need to use Mac and Dom. But it was pretty terrible viewing as a game and that was because of the lack of intensity and speed of thought and passing in midfield. Our comfortable win is a reflection of how out of place we are in this phase of this competition. 

I don't think it reflects badly on our midfield that we battered mediocre opponents.

[Barrington Womble]

3 minutes ago, AngryOfTuebrook said:

I don't think it reflects badly on our midfield that we battered mediocre opponents.

I didn't say it reflected badly on our midfield..I just thought our midfield was poor last night, endo included, but we were fortunate enough to be up against a side that isn't close to mediocre. 

[TheHowieLama]

Update:

 

Gravenberch has now played more minutes than Oxlade did all last season.

Endo has now played more minutes then Keita did all season.

[an tha]

I'd imagine that our midfield has likely already passed the combined total of goals and assists that it got last season too....and if it hasn't it is probably already pretty close.

[TheHowieLama]

Nope.

 

Caveat being last season Elliott and Jones had eight between them - this season they both got zip. Plus Carvalho had three.

 

 

 

 

[an tha]

17 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

Nope.

 

Caveat being last season Elliott and Jones had eight between them - this season they both got zip. Plus Carvalho had three.

 

 

 

 

Fair do's.

 

I'd wager it won't be close come end of the season mind.

 

Even Endo has a goal!

[an tha]

Players who can shoot and score...

 

What a difference.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Perhaps one of our statty guys could tell us how many goals Henderson, Fabinho, Keita and Ox have scored this season? Curious.

[TheHowieLama]

It's better than it was.