(No More ) New Fekir's in a New Town: Summer Transfers II

Suss · Jul 18, 2018

Klopp said that the club has been doing it’s business with the assumption that we won’t have Ox this season.

Perhaps we would have never pursued Fekir if Ox was fit, but now it’s seems like a priority to get a player in that position.

This could also put to rest talk of Wijnaldum leaving the club.

EruditeHobo · Jul 18, 2018

bayern is god said: ↑

This Should be our First Choice Eleven and Boy does it ooze class.
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------------------- Bobby -----------------------
------------------------------ Salah -------------
--- Mane ----------------------------------------
--------- Keita ----------------------------------
------------------------ Fabinho --- TAA ---
Robbo --------- Hendo --------------------
--------- Lovren --------- VVD -------------
------------------- Alisson -------------------

^-- I think this is likely even better, and more relevant considering Ox's situation.

poopoobigelow · Jul 18, 2018

agree that hendo will still likely start, at least for the first half of the season, even if we sign fekir. I think Hendo and Keita will start most of the time, with fekir/lallana in home games/bottom teams. Fab will come in on the road/top 6 games.

Milner and gini will rotate in a few games for rest/injury.

speker · Jul 18, 2018

James Pearce story in the Echo on Alisson.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spo...erpool-agree-world-record-668million-14922696

dcc134 · Jul 18, 2018

imasyko said: ↑

I can't see the Captain on the bench just yet.
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He'll be starting there as he won't be back in training until August 5th. First game is the 10th.

Our staring midfield for the first few games is going to Fabinho/Kieta and either Milner/Gini. If Fabinho settles quickly, hard to see Hendo getting straight back in. We won't have a midweek until after the international break in September.

Suss · Jul 18, 2018

dcc134 said: ↑

He'll be starting there as he won't be back in training until August 5th. First game is the 10th.

Our staring midfield for the first few games is going to Fabinho/Kieta and either Milner/Gini. If Fabinho settles quickly, hard to see Hendo getting straight back in. We won't have a midweek until after the international break in September.
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Agreed, but you forgot Lallana as an option to start the first game.

dcc134 · Jul 18, 2018

Suss said: ↑

Perhaps we would have never pursued Fekir if Ox was fit, but now it’s seems like a priority to get a player in that position.
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I suspect it has more to do with not hearing noise around Lallana's future.

dcc134 · Jul 18, 2018

Suss said: ↑

Agreed, but you forgot Lallana as an option to start the first game.
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Yes, he is an option, but more than likely he'll be injured.

dcc134 · Jul 18, 2018

I assume Klopp will want everyone to get 3 weeks training in before starting a game, which means:

Salah/Mane join up for the trip to US this weekend, which gives them 3 weeks to the first game,

Firmino/Shaqiri/Alisson join up for the France camp after the US trip, which gives 3 weeks to the second game. I would assume Klopp would throw Alisson in for the opener after 2 weeks and Firmino/Shaqiri would make the bench.

Hendo/Trent/Lovren/Fekir join up August 5, so earliest they'd be ready to start would be third game. Probably be available for the bench in the second.

Lineup for the opener likely to be

Alisson
Gomez Matip VVD Robbo
Fabinho Keita Gini
Salah Sturridge Mane

Bench

GK Clyne Milner Lallana Solanke Firmino Shaqiri Moreno Klavan

LorneMarvello · Jul 18, 2018

So another boring liverpool breaks a world record for a player type day eh chaps

oikos · Jul 18, 2018

I wonder if Klopp at times would move Firmino back to attacking mid. He's got all the attributes to play that position. The question then would be who do we put in Firmino's positon. Sturridge.

EruditeHobo · Jul 18, 2018

dcc134 said: ↑

He'll be starting there as he won't be back in training until August 5th. First game is the 10th.
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This is a good point, forgot about the reality of Hendo having played all year up until last Saturday.

Still think the team will be better with him in the side. He will only be made better by sitting behind the likes of Fabinho and Keita.

Our staring midfield for the first few games is going to Fabinho/Kieta and either Milner/Gini. If Fabinho settles quickly, hard to see Hendo getting straight back in. We won't have a midweek until after the international break in September.
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Definitely agreed with the bold... but Hendo wouldn't necessarily be coming in for Fabinho. Stability of Hendo at 6 allows for the dynamism of Fabinho to shine, in that Gini/Milner role as much as or maybe more than in the 6 role, IMO. Eventually, yes, Fabinho will replace Hendo.

I think it's worth mentioning you're further down on Hendo than a lot of people... but not without reason. That said he's had a pretty fantastic year for both club and country, and is still the captain. I'd be surprised if he was phased out imminently, certainly not due to missing training due to playing in the WC semifinal. Maybe in a year, or two... or maybe injuries will make up the decision for LFC/Klopp.

Either way I'm very interested to see how Klopp uses this really great, deep midfield.

EruditeHobo · Jul 18, 2018

oikos said: ↑

I wonder if Klopp at times would move Firmino back to attacking mid. He's got all the attributes to play that position. The question then would be who do we put in Firmino's positon. Sturridge.
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... isn't this why he can't move Firmino back?

He's doing so so well with the dirty work and creating for Mane and Salah, can't see a really good reason to move him; the only really good reason would be signing a great striker.

Suss · Jul 18, 2018

oikos said: ↑

I wonder if Klopp at times would move Firmino back to attacking mid. He's got all the attributes to play that position. The question then would be who do we put in Firmino's positon. Sturridge.
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The brillance of Firmino is that he fills the role of the attacking midfielder and center forward at the same time. I keep saying this, but I think our other center forward option is Salah.

We can play a really interesting 4-4-2 with versatile and interchangeable players:

Strikers: Salah and Firmino
RM: Mane
CM: Keita and Fabinho
LM: Shaquiri (maybe Fekir)

Allison
TAA Lovren VVD Robertson
Fekir Fabinho Keita Mane
Salah Firmino

You can easily adjust that same lineup to a 4-3-3 with Fekir as CM and Salah on the right. Either way that would an incredibly exciting team.

EruditeHobo · Jul 18, 2018

I do like the idea of Salah with double backup on the wing over there, both Shaqiri and TAA... then maybe Naby drifts over. Damn. Tasty.

This could be a pretty epic season. Need Naby and Fabinho to settle quickly.

Bobinhood · Jul 18, 2018

Alisson. Sweet!

A top class goalie never hurt. 6 years they are saying. Nice.

Donfather · Jul 19, 2018

Rumour going around is that Alisson signing will conclude the transfer business for this window.....no other fekir will be signed

Suss · Jul 19, 2018

Donfather said: ↑

Rumour going around is that Alisson signing will conclude the transfer business for this window.....no other fekir will be signed
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That’s what the journalists close to the club are saying. The same journalists that told us Danny Ward would be our #1 goalkeeper a week before we signed the most expensive keeper in history.

It could be the club using the media for leverage in negotiations with Lyon, or it could mean we are not signing any more players. We will see.

Suss · Jul 19, 2018

Danny Ward off to Leceister. 10-12 million.

Does this mean Karius is our backup?

el-capitano · Jul 19, 2018

Suss said: ↑

Danny Ward off to Leceister. 10-12 million.
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Real want Courtois. So Chelsea want Kasper. So they need a keeper. I thought Migs would be sold before Ward?

http://www.skysports.com/football/n...ester-agree-fee-with-liverpool-for-danny-ward

dcc134 · Jul 19, 2018

Suss said: ↑

Danny Ward off to Leceister. 10-12 million.

Does this mean Karius is our backup?
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Most likely, which I guess I'm fine with.

Distinct lack of noise around Mignolet a bit worrying though. Be a laugh if we get more for Ward than him.

Suss · Jul 19, 2018

If we could get a good price for Mingolet, close to half of the Allison fee would be covered by outgoing goalkeepers.

The other position that we will see sales and loans is striker. I would keep Sturridge and Solanke and sell Ings and Origi. Brewster is expected to be back around Christmas. At that point we could send Solanke on loan in January if he is not playing.

Decisions need to be made about Woodburn, Kent, and Ojo as well.

Donfather · Jul 19, 2018

Suss said: ↑

That’s what the journalists close to the club are saying. The same journalists that told us Danny Ward would be our #1 goalkeeper a week before we signed the most expensive keeper in history.

It could be the club using the media for leverage in negotiations with Lyon, or it could mean we are not signing any more players. We will see.
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Going all binary there pal

Anyway Liverpool have broken the record paid for a keeper (Edensor was around 35 mill) but Gigi Buffon cost around 32 mill in 2001. If you factor in inflation, introduction of Euro, the price of a loaf of bread and the age of the old Lady) that would equate to 300 million in the current market

dcc134 · Jul 19, 2018

EruditeHobo said: ↑

Definitely agreed with the bold... but Hendo wouldn't necessarily be coming in for Fabinho. Stability of Hendo at 6 allows for the dynamism of Fabinho to shine, in that Gini/Milner role as much as or maybe more than in the 6 role, IMO. Eventually, yes, Fabinho will replace Hendo.
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Fabinho has played RB and as a DM. More likely Hendo moves further forward.

EruditeHobo said: ↑

I think it's worth mentioning you're further down on Hendo than a lot of people... but not without reason. That said he's had a pretty fantastic year for both club and country, and is still the captain. I'd be surprised if he was phased out imminently, certainly not due to missing training due to playing in the WC semifinal. Maybe in a year, or two... or maybe injuries will make up the decision for LFC/Klopp.
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I agree Hendo has grown into the captaincy and is doing a good job as captain. However, I also think that if he is who your building your midfield around, your ceiling as a team is going to be around 4th place. He's technically limited (ever see him play a ball with his left or turn that direction) and a player in our 11 who can be improved upon. Fabinho looks like an upgrade on him. Time will tell, but one is a league winner and one has made a career of coming just a bit short.

Hendo is going to continue to be a key member of the squad and get his games. I don't think he's likely to be in the line up when our best 11 is required.

Donfather · Jul 19, 2018

Is VVD the natural successor to the captaincy? I dunno if any other players fit the bill quite like VVD

Obviously it has to be a definite first team player