Ill be honest I was one for thinking that I wouldn't do too much, just try to add some star quality to what we have and build to the base of the current squad, but the longer the time has gone on this season I think it will be possibly more of a cull on the outs especially and I think that's the right decision in all honesty.
We have spent too long with the senior members of this squad finishing 6th-8th in the league and I think that we need a fresh start to try to get rid of that mentality within the players, the second place was the execption to the rule with a lot of the lads we have, and the two cup final defeats maybe showed that we don't have that winning mentality within us to raise it and get beyond our current limitations and mindset.
Now we may well like some of the senior pros as lads but they have been here during that time that finishing 6th-8th has become the norm, the likes of Skrtel and even Lucas maybe have that imprinted in their Liverpool DNA and we need to call this ground zero in what will be a new mindset and a new Liverpool going forward.
The lack of European football is the reality now, lets not say its ideal but it is what it is and we have to use that as a positive rather than a negative in this rebuild.
We wont need such a big squad than with European Football, so Jürgen can get a group of players and maybe with that spine out and a new one in and get them all on his wavelength, then if we are successful next season that basis will be there to add the 3 or 4 of quality the following summer to take us back into Europe, we have to start now building to stay in Europe the next time we get there rather than get there and fall away again, with the same spine of players that are more used to finishing outside that competition than in it.
The run in this season as well I think will have given Jürgen enough of what of the kids can be useful and which unfortunately aren't, he has an informed decision now using 6-8 league games to judge them on rather than a few minutes here and there and the odd start in cups.
If it were me id be fairly strong and the following would go (with the odd proviso)
Defence
Toure - The man is great, im really pleased for him that he had last season but id be surprised to see him given a new deal
Caulker - Emergency Loan when we had so many injures to CBs but clearly not in JKs plans nor good enough
Skrtel - Had his time, one of the ones that I think has to go to give us a fresh start and fresh mentality
Illori - Had game time under Klopp, ultimately not good enough
Smith - Not good enough, very limited, plays in straight lines, does what Moreno does but not as well, and that says it all
Randall- Not good enough sorry
Enrique - Already gone but from the mentality side needs highlighting that he had to
Wisdom - Been away on loan, not good enough
So that leaves us with this
Lovren
Matip
Gomez
Flanagan
Clyne
Moreno
Plus Sakho
Now that's not a lot there, Flanagan can cover Clyne at RB. Then there is LB. Now the talk is of Chilwell from Leicester and Hector from Cologne, Ive not seen Hector play much, couple of times but like the fact he was in the Bundesliga team of the year (with Matip) but would we sign both? You have to think that if we sign Chilwell then Moreno is the starting LB in front of him as Chilwell simply doesn't have enough football behind him to be No.1 for Liverpool straight away, unless we sign both and Moreno is fu**ed off too? Ideally id take Hector. 4 full backs will be enough for us without any Europe, Clyne hardly misses a game, Flanno good enough when we need him, Hector with Chilwell/Moreno.
Gomez has got to prove his fitness on return but the rumours were that Klopp was going to start him at CB against Spurs until his injury so id pencil him in for a CB slot injury willing. Lovren and Matip plus one more? There are other rumours out there today so id imagine two CBs will sign this summer, Matip +1, Lovren and Gomez.
Here's one, id F**k Sakho off, when we can, which might not be until next summer but hes landed us in hole with this ban, ive liked the lad since signing but hes another id put in the ruthless bin and F**k him off, likely next summer.
Midfield
Interesting midfield too. Depending on formation as well.
What we know is.
Rossiter - Gone
Texeira - Going at end of deal
The rest.
I think he keeps
Henderson - Wont go this summer IMO
Can - Wont go
Milner - Wont go but I think he may find his games in CM restricted and he will find himself used wide.
I think will go
Allen - He hasn't really fancied him if truth be told, all big games this season he has come off the bench ultimately. Not big enough for a Klopp midfield
Stewart - Not good enough I don't think, hes had chances and he hasn't done too bad but with the 3 above, plus the names being linked in CM and the lack of Europe I just don't see where he gets his game.
Ibe- Im not sure, but again with no Europe, his lack of kicking on this season and his reaction a month or so before the end of the season I think Klopp may just move him on.
The rest.
Lucas- Big one for me, im genuinely not sure, I don't see where he gets starts, im not sure if he wants them, in terms that he will be happy with maybe 10-12 starts and filling in the rest. I don't think he has legs for midfield anymore, hes another like Skrtel that maybe hes too used to us finishing in 6th - 8th and we need to get fresh mentality around the place.. I love the lad, not sure though. May get time filling at CB too. I think id thank him and move him on.
Ojo- I think he stays around to devlop, gets League Cup etc, minutes late on in games and develops in u21s
Brannagan- Will stay around u21s
Chirivella - As Brannagan
Canos - Talk around his contract, if he stays another loan is likely.
Then there is
Lallana and Coutinho who obviously stay but I kind of think of them as more final third players.
Midfield options of
Henderson
Can
Milner
Grujic
Zeilinski/Dahoud
Forwards
Staright out strikers
Sturridge - Stays, word class, wont leave this summer
Origi - Klopps project, will get lots of game time
Ings - Will be back up to the two above.
Without Europe I think that we wont sign another out and out striker than those above, Firmino will be used as a 9 in games like he was this season, also wider or deeper.
Lallana, Coutinho will be played wide in the final third or behind a striker, and if all goes to plan Klopp will get Gotze as the bit of stardust, spark in that final third.
For me we will end up with Sturridge, Firmino, Origi, Lallana, Gotze, Coutinho competing for 3 spots and rotating the season between them with Ings there to fill in as well.
Out will be Benteke, Sinclair is already gone, Balotelli wont be back and im struggling looking at those options if we get Gotze where Markovic gets a game, unless he does something special in pre season which id expect him to be on the tour I think he wont get an opportunity.
Also around the squad to think of, Allan De Souza will have to go away on loan again due to work permit issues. Luis Alberto, Samid Yesil and Jordan Williams will be finding new clubs.
With the smaller number of games I think that will lead to a cut on the squad size and we will go in looking something like this if Klopp gets his transfers he seemingly wants, and these will play the bulk of next season.
Karius
Mignolet
Ward (likely loan to Huddersfield though)
Fulton
Clyne
Flannagan
Moreno
Chilwell/Hector
Lovren
Matip
Gomez
+1
Henderson
Can
Grujic
Milner
Zieilinski/Dahoud
Coutinho
Lallana
Gotze
Sturridge
Origi
Ings
Firmino
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