General LFC Transfer rumours/gossip thread

What youth?

Are Salah, Coutinho, Lallana, Matip, Firmino, Mane, Wijnaldum etc. youth?

They can't improve?

Jürgen said he believes in training. I don't doubt he actually believes that.

And people believe in the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny and Santa Clause but it doesn't make it real. Yes those players can be improved but that shouldn't preclude buying better players with more experience and more talent if and when the opportunity presents itself. We've waited twenty seven years for a title, I have no desire to sit around for another five whilst Jürgen trys to coach average players into Lionel Messi. Yes coaching has its place but buying proven talent is the only proven method of winning this League. The fact we appear to have changed our stance would suggest the club has finally accepted that fact.

What youth?

Are Salah, Coutinho, Lallana, Matip, Firmino, Mane, Wijnaldum etc. youth?

They can't improve?

Jürgen said he believes in training. I don't doubt he actually believes that.

With those players on board we scraped a CL qualification, it was never an assured end-game.
Again your unbridled  optimism tells you those same players can take on the best in Europe because in your opinion they will improve.

The manager apparently does not share your confidence and is in for VVD and Keita, the latter the subject of £65m improved bid according to the Liverpool Echo, while VVD is still very  much on the radar.

It does seem the time difference between our countries is affecting your keeping up.

With those players on board we scraped a CL qualification

We have not qualified yet.

It does seem the time difference between our countries is affecting your keeping up.

And yours.

players will develop from last season to make us better and a couple of new additions will fill the gaps where quality is lacking.

I hope we do make signings.

I also have faith that our current players will kick on and build from last season.

What's difficult to understand?

We have not qualified yet.

Qualified for qualification, ok?

And yours.

I hope we do make signings.

I also have faith that our current players will kick on and build from last season.

What's difficult to understand?

No problem at all with that.
Your previous comment however inferred that we have no need to throw money at new signings.

Why do people go on about a striker all the time? Klopp looks for every player to score their fair amount and they can, Firmino, Lallana, Mane, Couts, Gini, Salah. We were not far off all our rivals on the scoring charts last season at all, that was not the problem.

Granted we scored a lot of goals before Christmas but the lesser teams sussed out the way to play against us and the free flowing football we had seen turned into rather dour workmanlike performances. Yes the lads did enough to get across the line into 4th place but it wasn't pretty and we didn't score enough goals. And not one of the players on your list (of those who will chip in) is a striker. Firmino is not the answer up there, not against teams that sit on the edge of the box in a bank of four and bank of 5, his contribution in those games was poor. And the thing with Jürgen's teams in those games is that we get sucked forward, we fail to score and we pour players forward and that then makes us vulnerable at the back. In my opinion we absolutely need a striker far more than we need a Defender. Ideally someone who can create chances for himself, a skilful bugger please.

We're a bit fuc.....ked this season if we don't bring someone in.   

Granted we scored a lot of goals before Christmas but the lesser teams sussed out the way to play against us and the free flowing football we had seen turned into rather dour workmanlike performances. Yes the lads did enough to get across the line into 4th place but it wasn't pretty and we didn't score enough goals. And not one of the players on your list (of those who will chip in) is a striker. Firmino is not the answer up there, not against teams that sit on the edge of the box in a bank of four and bank of 5, his contribution in those games was poor. And the thing with Jürgen's teams in those games is that we get sucked forward, we fail to score and we pour players forward and that then makes us vulnerable at the back. In my opinion we absolutely need a striker far more than we need a Defender. Ideally someone who can create chances for himself, a skilful bugger please.

We're a bit fuc.....ked this season if we don't bring someone in.   

Is correct mate, we attack and there's nobody at the end of it to scare the sh*t out of their back four, accordingly they have a license to mount the odd foray and confront the questionable defence we have.
Even with the wide man we have been crying out for all these years, that killer instinct is still needed to get it in the onion bag,.
So yes the imperative is a sh*t hot striker.

A striker wouldnt harm, but it depends what kind of striker it is. Problem is that with liverpool, it seems to me that JK dont prefer a striker but more of a liquid attack where everybody make a offensive run. Just like other tactics, this too have negative sides.
id rather use our transfer money for a LB and a new CB. JK thinks we could need a CM/DM so lets go for that too. Il let JK decide how he wants to play and whom he wants to buy.
That said, i totally see where the new striker argument comes from and the time we are using to sign our primary targets, i am pretty sure we wont sign a striker. hopefully in Jan?

Granted we scored a lot of goals before Christmas but the lesser teams sussed out the way to play against us and the free flowing football we had seen turned into rather dour workmanlike performances. Yes the lads did enough to get across the line into 4th place but it wasn't pretty and we didn't score enough goals. And not one of the players on your list (of those who will chip in) is a striker. Firmino is not the answer up there, not against teams that sit on the edge of the box in a bank of four and bank of 5, his contribution in those games was poor. And the thing with Jürgen's teams in those games is that we get sucked forward, we fail to score and we pour players forward and that then makes us vulnerable at the back. In my opinion we absolutely need a striker far more than we need a Defender. Ideally someone who can create chances for himself, a skilful bugger please.

We're a bit fuc.....ked this season if we don't bring someone in.   

Not having the pace of and general brilliance of Mane was a big factor in the diffilcutues you describe. We will have him back fur start of season as well as something silmilar on the opposite side in Salah

I've never believed for one minute that we would go through this transfer window without bringing in a new striker but I'm starting to wonder now, is Jürgen actually happy with our options up top?

- False 9 Firmino (excellent against the top sides invisible vs the bus parkers
- Sturridge, occasionally fit, occasionally excellent when he is fit but really not a fit for the Klopp philosophy and a passenger when he doesn't see much of the ball
- Origi, good for 5 weeks over the Christmas period but regressed, stunk up the joint (he really was terrible) the rest of the season and looked like the player who made it into the Ligue 1 'worst team of the year' squad a couple of seasons ago
- Danny Ings, two years, two terrible injuries and a questionable pedigree (at this level) even before he got injured
- Solanki, looked bright in first couple of pre-season games but lots of players do, surely we're not relying on this kid to come in and be the main man?

Nice to see us going after players like Keita and VVD, both quality players who will improve us if it happens but surely a striker should be top of the list? With another 10-12 games to play next season I can't see how we could hope to challenge with our current crop all of whom have question marks over them and not one of them would get near a starting role as striker in any of the other top 4/5 sides IMHO.

I agree that we need another striker Scott but I dont think we'll buy one.

Not having the pace of and general brilliance of Mane was a big factor in the diffilcutues you describe. We will have him back fur start of season as well as something silmilar on the opposite side in Salah

Yeah it definitely contributed mate, plus bringing in a player like Salah (who has some. Of the same traits) will also help BUT we need some of what Mane brings (ie. Ability to beat a player, make some space, goal threat etc) in the number 9 shirt. Firmino brings work rate and a level of skill but he's not the answer as a first choice and we'll suffer if he is. At Dortmund Klopp had Lewandowski and then Aubameyang so I don't buy the 'he isn't too. Other editors about an out an out striker, everyone will chip in' line.

Fingers crossed we do some business in the next few weeks.

I think as far as striking options go we should target a plan B sort of player.

If only we had that sort of hold up player to help slow things down against the bus parkers.

Maybe someone like Andy Carroll , Benteke, or Lambert would fit the bill. 😁

I think as far as striking options go we should target a plan B sort of player.

If only we had that sort of hold up player to help slow things down against the bus parkers.

Maybe someone like Andy Carroll , Benteke, or Lambert would fit the bill. 😁

I think Scott is bang on the money re a striker.

Though, our spine from back to front is in need of value adding: VVD - Keita - (insert striker).

That said, I don't see us bringing in a new striker and I'm quite surprised Klopp hasn't offloaded Sturridge like many had us believe last season. I thought Sturridge would leave off his own back but it seems he's turned down a big money move to China.

While I don't agree with Firmino being numero uno for #9; I think I'd rather us spend the sum of our budget on someone like VVD and Keita. Because we still have one of the best strikers in the league in our ranks, if he's given a fair crack of the whip.

Jürgen Klopp won't budge on number one Liverpool targets during 'complicated' transfer window


Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp says he is reluctant to compromise on his number one targets as he navigates his way through a ‘complicated’ transfer window.

Klopp’s first choices are well established – especially Red Bull Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita – and although the German coach has not spoken directly about the player, Liverpool have had numerous approaches rejected so far.

Klopp says he has the ‘100 per cent backing’ of his owners but expecting all his deals to be complete before his side returned to training two weeks ago was ‘dreamland’.
 
“We pretty much have all you need. But at the end it is still business,” said Klopp.

“You go out and see the car that you have been dreaming about your whole life. “You say ‘here is the money’ but they say to you ‘I don’t want to sell the car’. You say ‘but I have got the money’ but they say ‘I don’t want to sell’.

“They say ‘go for another car in another colour’ but you say ‘that’s ok but I want this’. Things like this happen in life, not only football. It is pretty simple. You can imagine how it works. It is not that we are doing something that other clubs are not doing - that we are more silly or they are more smart.

“If I could decide alone, we would be complete from the last day of last season - done, shoot, there’s the new team, thank you very much - but that is dreamland.

“I can imagine if you are not involved it is annoying for fans. They think ‘oh my God! Nothing happens here! Everything happens there!’ We cannot think like this. I would have liked to have everyone here for the first day of training at the latest. But that is not possible anymore and probably won’t be possible again in the world, especially in England. So why should I moan about it?”

The figures in this transfer window are astronomical, something Klopp says sets the Premier League apart.

“It is always complicated,” he said.

“I read in Germany that there are still transfers in the Bundesliga for £5million. You can imagine that happening in England? No chance. Yet it is similar quality.

“You are in a circle and that is how it works here. It’s not that we don’t want to spend. It is all about doing the right things.”

Asked if he had the financial support from Liverpool’s owners, Klopp replied: “One hundred per cent. Ok, I didn’t ask if I could buy Ronaldo or the other guys from Barcelona but I am absolutely fine with this. If they could make it quicker, you can imagine they would be here and trying. It’s not about money or something like this.

“It is not about a number (of players). It is about how it fits together. We will see.

“I felt we all ready had a pretty good side last year, especially when everyone is fit and that gives me a good feeling.”

Klopp has given no indication so far he is losing patience in the pursuit of Keita – Liverpool are constantly in contact with the Bundesliga club - but there may come a point where the Liverpool manager has to rethink if there is no prospect of a breakthrough in negotiations.

“It’s all possible. It’s more likely doing that than doing nothing,” said Klopp.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/07/16/Jürgen-klopp-wont-budgeon-number-one-targets-complicated-transfer/

Encouraging. My between the lines read? Jürgen is saying to the transfer committee "thanks very much for your suggestions of viable/cheaper alternatives, but if it's all the same with you I'd quite like to sign my two main targets. I went along with your suggestions of Salah, Salanki and Robertson, now if you could find the way to sign my two people (VVD and Kieta), all is good."

I think - to use a golf analogy - like a Saturday in a major that this will be "moving week" in our primary targets.

To me - that was a gentle but significant turn of the screw from Jürgen......

Encouraging. My between the lines read? Jürgen is saying to the transfer committee "thanks very much for your suggestions of viable/cheaper alternatives, but if it's all the same with you I'd quite like to sign my two main targets. I went along with your suggestions of Salah, Salanki and Robertson, now if you could find the way to sign my two people (VVD and Kieta), all is good."

Interesting take Mick.

Interesting take Mick.

It's how I see it mate. Too many coincidences with Jürgen chasing the same players Brendan did to think the "one for you, one for me" method has been binned completely.

Encouraging. My between the lines read? Jürgen is saying to the transfer committee "thanks very much for your suggestions of viable/cheaper alternatives, but if it's all the same with you I'd quite like to sign my two main targets. I went along with your suggestions of Salah, Salanki and Robertson, now if you could find the way to sign my two people (VVD and Kieta), all is good."

Hmm do you not think Salah was Klopp's choice, what makes you think that mate?

Encouraging. My between the lines read? Jürgen is saying to the transfer committee "thanks very much for your suggestions of viable/cheaper alternatives, but if it's all the same with you I'd quite like to sign my two main targets. I went along with your suggestions of Salah, Salanki and Robertson, now if you could find the way to sign my two people (VVD and Kieta), all is good."

Definitely think salah was Jürgen's choice, how they work out the under 23 signings i am unsure but it appears to me is that so far the first team is strictly Jürgen's domain this summer

It does seem that the manager has taken it upon himself to specifically define the very obscure ''success in the long term'' throw away FSG statement.
It is to be seen if Klopp's stated targets are allowed to materialise thereby putting some meat on the bones of that obscure comment.

A failure to back Klopp in the challenges he faces will have more implications than the owners could contemplate.   

I think as far as striking options go we should target a plan B sort of player.

If only we had that sort of hold up player to help slow things down against the bus parkers.

Maybe someone like Andy Carroll , Benteke, or Lambert would fit the bill. 😁

Surely the objective of the bus parkers is to slow the game down themselves.
The means to counter the tactic has got to be the direct opposite, a pacey, direct, skilled striker to force them into a reaction.