Summer 2024 Transfer Thread

[Rushies tash]

7 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

Klopps whole ethos is on pressing/winning it back in that period of transition and he has always been happy to let attackers run at our two CB's. 

 

Yep. But when that pressing intensity goes, we look wide open - as we have done a few times this season. 

[TheHowieLama]

10 minutes ago, Rushies tash said:

 

Yep. But when that pressing intensity goes, we look wide open - as we have done a few times this season. 

Agreed, it is also amplified by the fact the it is harder to regain a traditional "shape" quickly when you need your RB to get back from advanced/infield.

And the days of highlight reels of Virgil shutting down 2 and 3 on one breaks against us have passed.

[TD_LFC]

33 minutes ago, etho said:

Our recent defensive issues are more structural rather than individual and a consequence of the risk /reward elements of what we and the other elite teams do, if you don’t get it right in possession.

 

We,ve conceded 5 more goals than Man City and that was pretty level until a couple of weeks ago. 
 

Can we be better defensively yes, but our issues are overstated. We rarely concede set pieces. 

If anyone thinks we’re gonna be racking up the clean sheets then they’re going to be disappointed, modern football isn’t like the era where Rafa and Mourinho were the games top coaches.

 

Not sure goals conceded is a useful metric for assessing our defence and how over/under stated any structural issues are.

 

Shot's conceded, where/how they're conceded and the volume of chances we give up are all better metrics.

 

My guess is that while we're only 5 or so behind the likes of Arsenal/City we conceded far more shots we just have a really good keeper.

[etho]

14 minutes ago, TD_LFC said:

 

Not sure goals conceded is a useful metric for assessing our defence and how over/under stated any structural issues are.

 

Shot's conceded, where/how they're conceded and the volume of chances we give up are all better metrics.

 

My guess is that while we're only 5 or so behind the likes of Arsenal/City we conceded far more shots we just have a really good keeper.

Your guess is wrong, our chances conceded is similar to City’s. Arsenal have been much better defensively, but there’s a good chance they won’t win the league still.

I think we can be better defensively, but it’s tactical/structural rather than down to our individual defenders.

 

Also don’t agree that after a 38 game season that goals conceded isn’t a useful metric. Scoring and not conceding is literally the purpose of the game. The next best teams outside of the top 3 have conceded around 20 more which is why they are where they are and were where we are.

we’re unlikely to become less attacking so while we can improve on some of our defending as a team, I think people are going to have to accept the way we play means that teams may always have a chance on the break if we lose the ball, and if they can beat our press.

[TD_LFC]

We concede 10.83 (3.86 on target) shots per 90 compared to 8.36 (2.11 on target) for Arsenal and 7.91 (2.8 on target) for City, we've faced 390 shots compared to 301 for Arsenal and 277 for City. 139 (35.6%) of those shots were on target compared to just 76 (25.2%) for Arsenal, City's is also high at 98 (35.4%). Only a 0.02 swing in goals per shot between the three clubs

 

We give up far more shots than the 2 teams above us and I agree entirely that it's structural.

 

 

[Bobby Hundreds]

54 minutes ago, Rushies tash said:

 

Yep. But when that pressing intensity goes, we look wide open - as we have done a few times this season. 

A few times every single game.

[Scott_M]

1 hour ago, beejay said:

Marc Guehi could fit the bill although he's also had injuries this season. For me, a new centre back and defensive midfielder should be top of our transfer list this summer, I'm sure a new manager can find the goals with our current personnel but we must improve defensively.

Seen we were linked with him earlier in the year. Palace want £50m apparently. 
 

He’s been out since February a knee injury.

 

I’m mostly Ok if a player has a one off injury, it’s constant muscle injuries that are the pain. 

[No2]

I reckon a couple more clubs will follow Arsenal's route and add a lot more height to the side. Their setpiece attacking and defending has been the difference between us and them. We have found ourselves in a situation where Virgil is the only threat in attack and as Everton proved, the only one we need to stop in defence. Konate has a crooked head, as Paul said on the pod I'd not be against selling him and replacing him with someone more durable and threatening in the box. Romero is a player that's about to peak, I'd take him instead of Ibou, he's a bit wild but we need a bit of that. Whoever we get at number 6 needs to be a beast aswell. 

[Rushies tash]

4 minutes ago, No2 said:

I reckon a couple more clubs will follow Arsenal's route and add a lot more height to the side. Their setpiece attacking and defending has been the difference between us and them. We have found ourselves in a situation where Virgil is the only threat in attack and as Everton proved, the only one we need to stop in defence. Konate has a crooked head, as Paul said on the pod I'd not be against selling him and replacing him with someone more durable and threatening in the box. Romero is a player that's about to peak, I'd take him instead of Ibou, he's a bit wild but we need a bit of that. Whoever we get at number 6 needs to be a beast aswell. 

 

Their blocking shenanigans have had as much to do with that as well I reckon.

[TD_LFC]

Nicolas Jover is the man responsible.

[No2]

1 hour ago, TD_LFC said:

Nicolas Jover is the man responsible.

He's got a team with 6 lads over 6.1", most teams can't compete with that.

[TD_LFC]

1 minute ago, No2 said:

He's got a team with 6 lads over 6.1", most teams can't compete with that.

 

They're not the only ones though. There's a reason they appointed a set piece coach and it wasn't so he could tell them to sign tall players. Their set pieces are more intentional than that (not that it doesn't help).

 

[No2]

6 minutes ago, TD_LFC said:

 

They're not the only ones though. There's a reason they appointed a set piece coach and it wasn't so he could tell them to sign tall players. Their set pieces are more intentional than that (not that it doesn't help).

 

Average starting 11 height minus the goalkeeper is the only one that matters. A small keeper or Dan Burn distorts the squad average.

[TheHowieLama]

We have gotten a bit taller already - last couple windows saw Nunez, Gakpo and Gravenberch.

 

Quansah is as tall as Matip I would think. Maybe only lost any height in Fab to Endo player for player.

[Barrington Womble]

21 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

We have gotten a bit taller already - last couple windows saw Nunez, Gakpo and Gravenberch.

 

Quansah is as tall as Matip I would think. Maybe only lost any height in Fab to Endo player for player.

Macca isn't exactly a giant. 

[TheHowieLama]

9 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

Macca isn't exactly a giant. 

Probably bigger than Gini.

Milner could carry him around.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

8 hours ago, Rushies tash said:

 

Yep. But when that pressing intensity goes, we look wide open - as we have done a few times this season. 

This is spot on, and you could say it’s the flip side of the way Klopp teams play. 
 

The intensity and pressing is the most important thing in our game, both attacking wise and defensively. Once it doesnt work properly, like you say, we’re wide open and a far weaker team.

[Bjornebye]

4 hours ago, No2 said:

I reckon a couple more clubs will follow Arsenal's route and add a lot more height to the side. Their setpiece attacking and defending has been the difference between us and them. We have found ourselves in a situation where Virgil is the only threat in attack and as Everton proved, the only one we need to stop in defence. Konate has a crooked head, as Paul said on the pod I'd not be against selling him and replacing him with someone more durable and threatening in the box. Romero is a player that's about to peak, I'd take him instead of Ibou, he's a bit wild but we need a bit of that. Whoever we get at number 6 needs to be a beast aswell. 

 

Romero is a complete liability 

[No2]

8 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

 

Romero is a complete liability 

He's becoming less so as time passes, I reckon in a couple of years he will be the best in the world in his position. Still very young.

[3 Stacks]

14 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

 

Romero is a complete liability 

He won the World Cup with Otamendi as his partner. He's clearly not that bad.

[Barrington Womble]

10 hours ago, Joey8FrogsLegs said:

This is spot on, and you could say it’s the flip side of the way Klopp teams play. 
 

The intensity and pressing is the most important thing in our game, both attacking wise and defensively. Once it doesnt work properly, like you say, we’re wide open and a far weaker team.

Through that peak klopp period 18-20, we understood how to drop off and kill a game for 10 mins or so, so we didn't have to keep pressing. What we see now is some players drop off, unable (or unwilling) to press and the team doesn't recognise the signs to take the sting out of the game for 10 mins. I don't think it's a klopp thing, I just think we've pretty much replaced our entire midfield and forwards line since then and they've not learnt how to do it yet. As klopp said though, it's down to the new guy to sort now. 

[El Dangerous]

10 hours ago, Bjornebye said:

 

Romero is a complete liability 

I don’t know about that but he’s 26 cost them £50m and probably not worth the Levy tax to find out.

[Scott_M]

Somebody I follow on Twitter, no a self promoting gob shite, thinks Kubo is favoured…

 

[3 Stacks]

I wouldn't get the Kubo thing. Is he a technical genius? On paper, he's a small ass attacker who can sort of play striker but not really, and he plays on the right, but I would assume he isn't playing as a winger either. What's the point of that?

[Lee909]

Agree with that

Slot seems to like wingers who can beat a man and come inside and finish. Kubo isn't that sort of wide player from what ive seen of him. Don't think he's any better than Elliot as a wide attacker. 

 

Bakyoko has a way to go go but he can beat his fullback and deliver. A year or so as Mo understudy.