How good is our squad as of August 7?

[lebron]

A lot of panic regarding our lack of transfers… There seems to be a certainty around how every contender needs to have two great players for each position. This is especially true since Chelsea and City distorted the transfer market. It’s also connected to teams fighting on several fronts, especially for those having teams that go deep in league, cups and CL. So how do we stack up in that respect?

 

I’d say this is our probable starting 11 for Chelsea:

 

——————-Allison————--

Trent—Konate—VVD—Robbo

—Jones—-McAllister—-Szobo—

—-Salah—-Gakpo———Diaz—

 

That leaves a 2nd team like this:

—————-Kelleher——————

Ramsay—Gomez-Matip—Tsimikas

—Elliott—-Bajcetic——-Thiago—-

—Doak——-Jota———Nunez—

 

Is the situation really that grim? I would say Matip and Ramsay (or Bradley) would have trouble playing extended periods for us, and Doak is of course raw. Other than that there’s quality all over the park. I rate Gomez a bit more than most on here I suppose, but unless he’s gone (or Matip) I doubt we will see another high profile CB brought in. 

 

The biggest thing for me is getting rid of the deadwood from last season. Fabinho, Henderson, Keita, Ox. Slow and sluggish midfielders aren’t really much kop in a Klopp system. I’m excited about the energy being displayed by our midfield, and how comfortable the midfielders look on the ball. We’ve bettered our ball retention possibilities by about 100 per cent. 

 

I’m actually pretty optimistic about our chances this season, even without the possible additions of other players. I might have thought differently if we were in the CL, but we should have more than enough to put up a proper fight in the league. I’m also OK with sacrificing the domestic cups to get in amongst the big boys in the league this season. Play a mix of youth and experience in the earlier EL rounds, and assess the league position when the knockout stages start.

 

Finally slightly looking forward to football again, even with the huge backdrops of negativity that are City/PSG and the Saudis and the general greed and insane money that threaten to consume the game completely.

 

 

[Creator Supreme]

It's shite, lacking depth, and full of players who are ageing and / or permacrocks!

[Torvald Utne]

Top 2 good

[John102]

5/10 for me.

 

May seem a little low but we  are essentially without any defensive midfielder at the minute and we have 2 left backs not suited to the way we seem to want to play.

 

In a team game, with an ever increasing reliance on tactics, you really are only as strong as your weakest link.

[KevieG]

The attacking depth (fwds and mid) is good. The defensive side of the team has no depth at all. The first team doesn't even have a DM. 

 

The squad is a few injuries, which are inevitable, from being under serious pressure

[Jarvinja Ilnow]

22 minutes ago, lebron said:

A lot of panic regarding our lack of transfers… There seems to be a certainty around how every contender needs to have two great players for each position. This is especially true since Chelsea and City distorted the transfer market. It’s also connected to teams fighting on several fronts, especially for those having teams that go deep in league, cups and CL. So how do we stack up in that respect?

 

I’d say this is our probable starting 11 for Chelsea:

 

——————-Allison————--

Trent—Konate—VVD—Robbo

—Jones—-McAllister—-Szobo—

—-Salah—-Gakpo———Diaz—

 

That leaves a 2nd team like this:

—————-Kelleher——————

Ramsay—Gomez-Matip—Tsimikas

—Elliott—-Bajcetic——-Thiago—-

—Doak——-Jota———Nunez—

 

Is the situation really that grim? I would say Matip and Ramsay (or Bradley) would have trouble playing extended periods for us, and Doak is of course raw. Other than that there’s quality all over the park. I rate Gomez a bit more than most on here I suppose, but unless he’s gone (or Matip) I doubt we will see another high profile CB brought in. 

 

The biggest thing for me is getting rid of the deadwood from last season. Fabinho, Henderson, Keita, Ox. Slow and sluggish midfielders aren’t really much kop in a Klopp system. I’m excited about the energy being displayed by our midfield, and how comfortable the midfielders look on the ball. We’ve bettered our ball retention possibilities by about 100 per cent. 

 

I’m actually pretty optimistic about our chances this season, even without the possible additions of other players. I might have thought differently if we were in the CL, but we should have more than enough to put up a proper fight in the league. I’m also OK with sacrificing the domestic cups to get in amongst the big boys in the league this season. Play a mix of youth and experience in the earlier EL rounds, and assess the league position when the knockout stages start.

 

Finally slightly looking forward to football again, even with the huge backdrops of negativity that are City/PSG and the Saudis and the general greed and insane money that threaten to consume the game completely.

 

 

 

Ramsay is at Preston on loan, mate, so yes he would have trouble playing for us!

 

Bradley seems to be injured, so it's Gomez as sub for Trent, by the look of things; and that would mean Matip when Konate (inevitably) gets injured. When Bradley recovers I've no doubt he will do a decent job, but Gomez has looked good a RB whenever asked to play there. 

 

Maybe Jarrell Quansah replaces Nat Phillips, but he could probably do with another loan?

[Bjornebye]

Badly need a right back. I think Trent will play in the middle a lot. And rightly so. 

[ZonkoVille77]

We had been crying out for a DM for years before finally landing Fabinho and he instantly changed the team. We've not replaced him so we could once again struggle. Unless the plan is to win games 5-3, 4-2 etc like we used to. 

[TheDrowningMan]

It’s a fairly run of the mill PL squad. Capable on its best day of putting a run together, but I think we’re far more likely to be in contention for the Europa competitions that 6th & 7th bring than worrying the likes of Man City and Arsenal. 

[Strontium]

Woefully deficient in numerous areas, and heavily reliant on players not losing form or getting injured. So no change, really.

[El Rojo]

I think we could do with a centre half who could challenge for a starting spot.
Van Dijk was poor last season by his standards, and Gomez and Matip weren’t at the level required. 

I’ve no idea how we’ll fare in midfield.
 

I’m not sure how cohesive our forward line will be compared to the halcyon Salah/Mane/Bobby days. Diaz really needs to show some end product - goals and assists - and it’s clear that Nunez isn’t a direct fit for our style. Gakpo looks excellent and Salah is relentless. 

 

Overall, I felt bitter disappointment of 2021/22 had a very bad effect on morale last year, and the World Cup didn’t help either, so hopefully we’ll see some encouraging signs from next weekend.

[an tha]

Add a DM and a centre half and it is sound.

 

Don't and we will inevitably suffer.

[Jairzinho]

Good enough to finish somewhere between fifth and seventh. 

[Pidge]

Two of those six midfielders are heading into the season injured, one of them should have no pressure on him to play significant minutes, just due to their age.

[Kevin D]

1 hour ago, Jairzinho said:

Good enough to finish somewhere between fifth and seventh. 

The team finished 5th in the league, was dumped out in the 3rd round of both cups(which we were defending) and then humiliated by a past-it Madrid team. 
 

So I think it’s good thing that we’ve managed to weaken it.

[Jairzinho]

Just now, Kevin D said:

The team finished 5th in the league, was dumped out in the 3rd round of both cups(which we were defending) and then humiliated by a past-it Madrid team. 
 

So I think it’s good thing that we’ve managed to weaken it.

 

They saved the club.

[Freddo]

Two mids and a centre half are vital. Matip should have been moved on. Thiago is injury prone and is a luxury player. We need players who can get around the pitch. We don’t have as many as we need in what could be a gruelling season. 

[Grinch]

2 hours ago, Bjornebye said:

Badly need a right back. I think Trent will play in the middle a lot. And rightly so. 

We’re not getting one.  Southampton wanted Bradley on loan and Klopp wouldn’t let him go.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Minimum 2 players short, could be a very long season.

[aws]

Qualifies for CL comfortably if it doesn’t get wrecked by injuries. 

[George Costanza]

Defences win trophies and ours collectively isn't good enough. There is the problem

[3 Stacks]

There's a lack of good defensive profiles. 

[Jose Jones]

Living in too much hope rather than expectation for me.

 

3 or 4 years ago we knew that Allison, Trent, Robbo, van Dijk, Fabinho, Mane and Salah were in the top 3 in the world in their position, then we had quality players like Firmino, Matip, Hendo who fit in well to a team that knew what it wanted to do.

 

Allison is the only one still at that level.
 

Trent should be still in his prime, but is a massive question for me now off the ball. The formation doesn’t suit Robbo, and Mo and Virg whilst still good have dipped from their absolute top level.

 

If we sign an absolutely top notch defensive midfielder, Szloboszlai turns out to be absolutely fucking amazing, Konate stays fit and keeps improving, Diaz puts it all together, Mo and Virg have an Indian summer and everyone stays fit, then we might have a reasonable chance of doing something.

[Scott_M]

9 hours ago, aws said:

Qualifies for CL comfortably if it doesn’t get wrecked by injuries. 

Agree.

 

If we have less bad luck, I think we can challenge City. Definitely needs some work though. 

[manwiththestick]

13 hours ago, TheDrowningMan said:

It’s a fairly run of the mill PL squad. Capable on its best day of putting a run together, but I think we’re far more likely to be in contention for the Europa competitions that 6th & 7th bring than worrying the likes of Man City and Arsenal. 

Come on, 'run of the mill'?

 

Granted we need some extra bodies, nobody is saying otherwise but saying the squad is average is crazy talk.