First Team Squad 21/22

So you believe the spine means the middle😂


The spine of a squad is the most important players in the squad out spine is


Alisson
VVD
TAA
Fabinho
Salah

I stand corrected on that then. I always thought it literally meant the spine. Thanks for telling me.

Well I believe our middle is weak. We need to strengthen midfield and up top if we're to win this league.

Anyway, let's see.

People just need to get over Gini Wijnaldum for christ sake.

No. I was slagging him off when he was with us. But he's now a world class player having joined PSG. We should have kept this world class player. Big mistake. Yet I'd continue to be on this useless player if we didn't let him go.

He's useless if he stays. Yet he's the world class player we miss having now joined PSG. People need to stop being hypocritical like me.

Elliott, Jones, Milner, Hendo, Thiago, Ox, Keita and Fab have all been injured lately/returning from injury

This is my only issue. Literally nothing else about the midfield.

Before the season started we knew Milner, Hendo, Thiago, Ox, Fab and Keita will pick up injuries. We knew they all have a chequered past when it comes to injuries.

We lost the only one that never got injured and didn't replace him.

This is my only issue. Literally nothing else about the midfield.

Before the season started we knew Milner, Hendo, Thiago, Ox, Fab and Keita will pick up injuries. We knew they all have a chequered past when it comes to injuries.

We lost the only one that never got injured and didn't replace him.

You said earlier that a good spine wins leagues. You defined a good spine as Ali, VVD, Fab and Bobby who all need to be in form. You said when we won the league, they were in form. Now you are saying these other players are your only issue and there nothing else in the midfield. I think your only issue is to keep the spine in form and fit and nothing else and no one else, based on what you've said. Because good spines win leagues. All in your own words.

We lost the only one that never got injured and didn't replace him.

If we'd signed Elliott in the summer for £20mill + and if he didn't get injured I wonder if you'd still be saying this. Because it's quite clear we didn't sign another midfielder because the intention was to replace from within the club, which hasn't exactly gone badly has it because Elliott was smashing it until the injury which can happen to any player. We could've kept Gini and the same thing could've happened to him, we could've signed another player and again, the same thing happen to him. And before you say "well Elliott is only a youngster" or whatever - well so was Owen, so was Gerrard, so was Trent etc etc. If a player is good enough then he is old enough.

We lost the only one that never got injured and didn't replace him.

I got curious about your previous stance and had a bit of time to kill, thought I'd quickly see if you were consistent or not.

Adding Thiago hasn't strengthened but replaced Gini.

Thiago replaced Gini.

Okay so you initially said Thiago was the replacement for Gini.


25th September 2021 you then started posting the following;

So what defense is there for fsg in this sh*t show of not replacing Gini?

If they replaced Gini we would have been in a stronger position.

For anyone interested to know, 25th September 2021 was the day we drew 3-3 with Brentford and first dropped points in a game we should be winning.
Funny how your stance then changed, it's like I knew it would be the case when I said earlier today that the Gini drum started beating loudly after the Brentford game.

Then there was this during the City game that we failed to win;

Don't replace Gini and this is what you get

You then had a bit more of a moan about not replacing Gini in the aftermath of the City game but again, like I said earlier, the drums went silent again because we were smashing the Mancs and Watford...until now, after our defeat to West Ham.


Just to throw in for good measure too;

Shaq replaced by Elliot disagree. Elliot is playing cm.

So not only have we replaced Gini with Thiago, we also have Elliott as an extra CM. Or is this only on days we win?

I got curious about your previous stance and had a bit of time to kill, thought I'd quickly see if you were consistent or not.



Okay so you initially said Thiago was the replacement for Gini.


25th September 2021 you then started posting the following;

For anyone interested to know, 25th September 2021 was the day we drew 3-3 with Brentford and first dropped points in a game we should be winning.
Funny how your stance then changed, it's like I knew it would be the case when I said earlier today that the Gini drum started beating loudly after the Brentford game.

Then there was this during the City game that we failed to win;

You then had a bit more of a moan about not replacing Gini in the aftermath of the City game but again, like I said earlier, the drums went silent again because we were smashing the Mancs and Watford...until now, after our defeat to West Ham.


Just to throw in for good measure too;

So not only have we replaced Gini with Thiago, we also have Elliott as an extra CM. Or is this only on days we win?

Right so I don't know how to cut and paste like you so I'll try and address them.

1. People claimed Thiago replaced Gini so I went with the narrative. I don't believe he did but I was discussing peoples narrative of it. I personally don't believe FSG would replace a player a year early, they usually replace a year later. I also believe that this "replacing" hasn't strengthened us in any way. Thiago is not as good *in our setup* as Gini.

2. Elliot can still be a CM and my point still stands. We are Liverpool Football Club, there's no reason why we couldn't have had a Gini replacement AND Harvey.

3. I was missing for those games as I moved abroad and was settling in. I was also not in a rush to post as I felt like those two wins were flattering.

If we'd signed Elliott in the summer for £20mill + and if he didn't get injured I wonder if you'd still be saying this. Because it's quite clear we didn't sign another midfielder because the intention was to replace from within the club, which hasn't exactly gone badly has it because Elliott was smashing it until the injury which can happen to any player. We could've kept Gini and the same thing could've happened to him, we could've signed another player and again, the same thing happen to him. And before you say "well Elliott is only a youngster" or whatever - well so was Owen, so was Gerrard, so was Trent etc etc. If a player is good enough then he is old enough.

I don't agree with said poster that I have on ignore, but I will tell you that Harvey and Gini aren't the same player, by a longshot, so I would find it hard to believe that he was meant to be any kind of like for like replacement for Gini. I personally believe that the club thought they'd be able to work out something with Gini and then when they didn't it was too late to bring someone in (or the funds weren't there because we couldn't sell Origi and maybe a few others). You can't predict injuries although with our midfield, I'm not sure that you wouldn't hedge a little bit with the following often missing either a lot or at least some games on a regular basis: Keita (a lot), Ox (seems like a lot), Thiago (some), Hendo (some), Milner (some).

I don't agree with said poster that I have on ignore, but I will tell you that Harvey and Gini aren't the same player, by a longshot, so I would find it hard to believe that he was meant to be any kind of like for like replacement for Gini. I personally believe that the club thought they'd be able to work out something with Gini and then when they didn't it was too late to bring someone in (or the funds weren't there because we couldn't sell Origi and maybe a few others). You can't predict injuries although with our midfield, I'm not sure that you wouldn't hedge a little bit with the following often missing either a lot or at least some games on a regular basis: Keita (a lot), Ox (seems like a lot), Thiago (some), Hendo (some), Milner (some).

No of course he wasn’t ever going to be a like for like replacement but I don’t think that’s something the club particularly looks for when replacing a player. I think the club looks towards adapting the team and roles in the team differently, you only have to see how we never got a direct replacement for Coutinho to see that could well be the case. I think when we let a player go, because every player is seemingly somewhat unique in what they bring to the team, we look more at indirectly replacing a player and given nobody even noticed Gini having gone and Elliott slotting into the midfield nicely, I think that was the intention. Rather than going out to get another Coutinho, another Gini, another Mane or whoever it might be.
Something the midfield lacked was creativity with Gini, Hendo and Fab. Suddenly one of them has gone and we are blitzing a lot more goals and I think we are also getting more goals from the midfield now too. Defensively we still have question marks but the biggest issue with that is the high line and individual players switching off.

Yeah there are legitimate question marks over the availability of the midfielders you mentioned but again, Elliott from what I am aware didn’t have any injury issues before his ankle and with a fully fit team coming into the season, I don’t think we’d have looked to get anyone else in unless they really justified it or if another player had moved on; for example Ox, so we don’t stockpile on players.

So over the last few days Salah10 is seeing his arse again.

Get a grip kid, we can't win the league the same way as two years ago. What we have to do is make sure we''re within that chasing group as we hit chrimbo and Jan.

Chelsea have still got to hit a sh*t patch yet!

So over the last few days Salah10 is seeing his arse again.

Get a grip kid, we can't win the league the same way as two years ago. What we have to do is make sure we''re within that chasing group as we hit chrimbo and Jan.

Chelsea have still got to hit a sh*t patch yet!

Chelsea havent seen a sh*t patch since Tuchel arrived. They just don't concede and that's the worrying thing.

Yeah we need to be in the pack come xmas and hope we can slug it out. AFCON's on it's way don't forget

Chelsea havent seen a sh*t patch since Tuchel arrived. They just don't concede and that's the worrying thing.

Yeah we need to be in the pack come xmas and hope we can slug it out. AFCON's on it's way don't forget

Which may suggest one is coming at some point no?
I was listening to something on the athletic the other day that suggests they’re performing way above their stats which cannot continue, it never does

But let’s not pretend they’ve been unbeatable since he has been here
They dropped points to Burnley at home last time out
They’ve lost to the likes of Villa Arsenal and West Brom since he’s been manager
Dropped points to Brighton, Leeds, Southampton, Wolves and united as well as Burnley

I don’t see this need to consistently bash our own team, this team is unbelievable, this season won’t be high 90 points to win it so all you need to be is in and around everyone else come the run in

You mention AFCON, Chelsea lose their keeper to that don’t they? He’s been a massive reason of their defensive unit

Which may suggest one is coming at some point no?
I was listening to something on the athletic the other day that suggests they’re performing way above their stats which cannot continue, it never does

But let’s not pretend they’ve been unbeatable since he has been here
They dropped points to Burnley at home last time out
They’ve lost to the likes of Villa Arsenal and West Brom since he’s been manager
Dropped points to Brighton, Leeds, Southampton, Wolves and united as well as Burnley

I don’t see this need to consistently bash our own team, this team is unbelievable, this season won’t be high 90 points to win it so all you need to be is in and around everyone else come the run in

You mention AFCON, Chelsea lose their keeper to that don’t they? He’s been a massive reason of their defensive unit

I thought their keeper's French. That's very good news! Hopefully that'll slow them right down and they ship a few in

So over the last few days Salah10 is seeing his arse again.

Get a grip kid, we can't win the league the same way as two years ago. What we have to do is make sure we''re within that chasing group as we hit chrimbo and Jan.

Chelsea have still got to hit a sh*t patch yet!

Yeah you can't piss the league every year but you can do your best whilst you still have the players who once did to give it a close shot. I think this is where prudent risk-taking enters. As it is, and up to this point, this season has been question of whether we can iron out enough of these silly inconsistencies to stay in the chasing pack and whether we can then seize the moment on the home straight. We are a better outfit than the others IMO at full tilt mainly because of Mo -- he's just unplayable at times -- but we need to turn these 3-3, 3-2 and 2-2 into boring, grinding 1-0s where we just take the points and move on.

Mane trained fully today.

Hendo was out running.

So perhaps the international injuries not quite as bad as feared.

Mane trained fully today.

Hendo was out running.

So perhaps the international injuries not quite as bad as feared.

Heard Mane was a rib issue


Henderson tight groin and he pulled out to ensure no damage


Jones , Milner and Gomez expected to be back by weekend as well


So we could end up be just missing


Kieta another week or so
Bobby - 3/4 weeks
Elliott - new year

Not that bad thenn

Heard Mane was a rib issue


Henderson tight groin and he pulled out to ensure no damage


Jones , Milner and Gomez expected to be back by weekend as well


So we could end up be just missing


Kieta another week or so
Bobby - 3/4 weeks
Elliott - new year

Not that bad thenn

Robbo will probably be out for a couple of weeks with his hammy.

Robbo will probably be out for a couple of weeks with his hammy.

Has it been confirmed yet ?


Will give the Greek Robbo a good run then

Has it been confirmed yet ?


Will give the Greek Robbo a good run then

Not confirmed yet.

But as you say gives the greek a run, or at very least starts at the weekend.

Echno now saying robbos injury might not be too serious, will be assessed later in the week. Still think the greek will start at arsenal.

Milner back training too.

Echno now saying robbos injury might not be too serious, will be assessed later in the week. Still think the greek will start at arsenal.

Yep - Robbo had two intense games so a rest will be good

Heard Mane was a rib issue


Henderson tight groin and he pulled out to ensure no damage


Jones , Milner and Gomez expected to be back by weekend as well


So we could end up be just missing


Kieta another week or so
Bobby - 3/4 weeks
Elliott - new year

Not that bad thenn

Jones is out for a number of weeks with an eye injury