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The way the "new variants" have been mediatized is pretty weird, to be honest. The word's been overused now but it does look like a lot of scaremongering. Not by scientists, they have a right to be concerned because they actually study this stuff, but by the media. A couple changes to the virus, of which there are like thousands anyway, and all of a sudden the vaccines are in peril and it's infecting everybody 70% easier. Like, slow down.

There's a lot of weird sarcasm on here right now. I think the logical conclusion based on past evidence is that Klopp isn't really interested in a loan or short term CB signing, and FSG doesn't want to sanction the purchase of a top CB under the current circumstances. As a result, nothing is happening. I think it's a little naïve to only blame one party here. And again, this isn't me letting FSG off the hook, but there are some moves we could make that are financially doable that we're also not making.

We don't need another midfielder without getting rid of a bunch. We have a billion already. And in fact, that's one of the reasons why we haven't invested in other backup positions, because we have like 9 midfielders and some of them can play in other positions. And Eriksen is mostly done, anyway.

Yeah. We don't really buy from Spain though, for some reason. Must have been Alberto Moreno, the last one.

Moreno's a forward like Salah, no? Wide forward, not necessarily a #9.

We're a team that is based on creating the most quality chances we can because if we do that, the odds are at some point those chances will be converted. That's why we don't shoot from distance that much and our quintessential goal has been from a fullback cross to one of the 3 forwards in the area for a close range shot, or the gegenpress. It's about creating the chances with the highest chance of a goal happening. I just don't think we're creating enough of those good chances recently. We had more on target yesterday, but recently all the games have been like 20 shots, 2 on target type games and that means we're just not creating good enough chances. What the fix is for that, I don't know.

The front 3 players all only have 2 years left on their deals. At least one of them is going, we're not keeping all 3. Wijnaldum is going. You've got Matip, Keita, Oxlade and Milner who are tenuous in this squad for multiple reasons. There is a chance to move people out here and change it up. And if we finish out of the top 4, and that's looking likely, it's a good excuse to do that.

I see this said, but I don't think people at the club would agree. They'd probably point to the depth in midfield and Jota, Minamino and Shaqiri being a backup attack that should be decent enough. I just think it's shown the squad needs some turnover now. After years of some decent continuity in the first 11, when the results dip such as they have, you probably need to start thinking about moving some players on and adding some freshness. This just feels like an end of a cycle and unfortunately we won't be able to squeeze a title out of the last bit of juice we have with some of these players. Maybe I'm wrong and we'll keep everyone and get people back fit and find a new spark next season, but this feels like a real hole.

Yeah, there are some convenient explanations for some of this. Covid, no fans, some dead rubbers after the title win, injuries, etc... but it might be time to accept we're just not that good anymore.

I think when you look back on it, we've been bordering on shite since last March. Things have gone wrong this season in multiple ways, but this is a long term trend. Honestly probably should have seen it coming.

This is not great, but the "Klopp will quit" porn that comes out whenever there's a problem is a bit much.

I don't need you to tell me how serious Covid can be. I'm just not gonna do the thing where every footballer who is playing shit is doing so because they had Covid.

That's speculation. It's got nothing to do with whether you deny long term effects of Covid or not, if the energy levels were much lower, why are they playing so much? Would be reckless behaviour from the club in that case.

It's really not that easy. It's far more about how shit we are right now than anything opponents are doing. We used to easily beat teams who do this.

This really doesn't explain much. Clubs have world class sports scientists who track player fitness. If he had an actual issue after Covid, he wouldn't be playing.