I have no problem with Firmino returning, although I would love to know the plan. When we signed Darwin, there was a lot of talk (from Klopp) about a different way of playing, and how Darwin will play the centerforward role very differently from Firmino. At that time it looked like we were moving away from Bobby. Well now Bobby is staying. Gakpo has come in, and instead of playing on the left wing like he did for PSV, he seems to be employed in the Firmino role. Darwin is spending most of his time on the left. Has the club abandoned their plan of moving away from the false 9 Firmino role? Are we instead grooming Gakpo into the new Firmino? Is Darwin now just meant to be the new Mane? Is there a plan or are we just making it up as we go along?
Yeah it's not like FSG are filling our boots with cash. I wouldn't expect Bobby to be starting too much any more but he'd certainly be a good experienced forward coming off the bench. Having said that IF the plan is to go into full rebuild mode what does this do for Carvalho? I would have thought the Bobby role might suit him better than midfield and we seem well stocked on the left so I'm not sure where he fits in.
Carra says "don't panic" https://www.caughtoffside.com/2023/...gher-makes-exciting-liverpool-transfer-claim/
Perhaps the plan is to play with 4 “forwards”? And have two center mids play alongside each other in front of the back four. When everyone is fit Salah, Darwin, Diaz, Jota, Gakpo, Firmino, Elliott, Carvalho can all be classified as forwards. Why have so many of them without trying to get 4 on the pitch at once? The problem is that most of them have not been available. Maybe this is why a forward was prioritized over a midfielder this window? It will be interesting to see what happens when we start getting forwards back fit.
I think we're seeing the team managers panicking and playing people wherever they can instead of where they should be playing. So my vote is for them making it up as they go along.
I think we are one injury away from Fabinho playing centerback again. The reason Fabinho at centerback was a disaster was because of the negative effect it had on the midfield. He was actually a very good centerback. Fabinho and Matip centerback partnership had us top of the league at Christmas. At this point, Fabinho will not be missed from the midfield. Maybe a change of position is what he needs? Or we just might find out that he is incapable of playing anywhere on the pitch at the moment.
In all fairness to the coaching staff, its hard to imagine a plan for dealing with all the holes in the squad allover the outfield. They are doing the best they can given a very bad situation.
Lol, I would try it now for one game at least. Darwin on the left because he is more dynamic, Doak on the right, he takes on players more than Salah at the moment, then Salah and Cody up front.
Time to abolish the transfer window? https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-so...s-chaos-for-clubs-and-a-playground-for-agents
4 or 5 years ago we spent money soundly and clubs emulated us. What club would want to follow our current model?
Not crazy at all, that idea..... He was pretty good there in the thick of it - not so much at chasing back after the high line got crossed ...
https://www.thisisanfield.com/2023/...y-as-liverpool-women-make-5-january-signings/ The women made 5 signings...
Not a great read about the rudderless ship - Liverpool: How Jurgen Klopp's Reds have been hurt on the pitch by a 'brain drain' off it | Football News | Sky Sports
When Melissa Reddy is sounding the alarm bells then I think we all should pay attention. Something clearly seems to have happened behind the scenes to trigger such a exodus of so many important background personnel . These ppl all had their roles to play in our recent successes .
obviously there is an element of finger-pointing now going on - but the overall point is that its not good and we are truly in a mess.
Actually, the really disturbing part of the article is what is NOT in it. Namely, any discussion of the ownership (outside of Mike Gordon). A big black hole in the middle of that article is what the owners think/feel about the situation... they appear completely disengaged.
Yup the elephant in the room. Really hope something is done (sale, please) while its still salvageable.
The only thing that we have to hang onto is Jurgen Klopp. He signed a new contract because he is committed to a rebuild. He must have been given some assurances for him to continue with the project. I also don’t think that Klopp would be on board with a sports washing project. My level of concern is very high. It would increase exponentially if Klopp were no longer steering the ship.
Pretty much what most of us have been thinking, although one has to be be careful with only gearing one side of the argument— remember Rodgers’s hatchet job against Edwards? Whatever is happening, it’s not just stingy owners’ being the issue. Depressing times.
I see the owners as the source of our recent problems, but I wouldn't characterize them negatively, as stingy. It's that their business model no longer works given the way the top end of the Premiership has changed, and they full well know it. So, re-investing in a sports business whose economics better align with their investment model makes sense. But shutting off player investments as they explore a sale is definitely a destructive way to go imo.