No it really didn't. We completely lost the plot by then though in terms of what kind of player we needed, character wise. That's one thing we seem to have got right again under Klopp.
Summer rebuild 2023
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No it really didn't. We completely lost the plot by then though in terms of what kind of player we needed, character wise. That's one thing we seem to have got right again under Klopp.
He is going Saudi unless MLS can structure a deal like Messi, but I can't think the cake is big enough for that. For example, his boot sponsor is Puma, so there's no Adidas assistant. Apple has seen a massive surge in subs, don't know if they'll dip into their pockets.
The Saudi League can offer him $150m plus salary
I know they have bought some of our deadwood and taken Calvin Ramsey on loan. I wonder who Big George is looking at?
Their Goal Keeper
Freddie Woodman is 26 and is worth €6m according to transfrmakt, which must mean he is decent.
Their CBs are; Is Jordan Storey any good?
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{/td}
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{/tr}
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[/xtable]
Their Goal Keeper
Freddie Woodman is 26 and is worth €6m according to transfrmakt, which must mean he is decent.
Their CBs are; Is Jordan Storey any good?
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{td}Jordan Storey{/td}
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[/xtable]{/td}
{td}25{/td}
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6{/td}
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{td}Liam Lindsay{/td}
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{td}Centre-Back{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]{/td}
{td}27{/td}
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{td}€1.50m{/td}
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26{/td}
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[/xtable]{/td}
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5{/td}
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[xtable=skin1]
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{td}Patrick Bauer{/td}
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{td}Centre-Back{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]{/td}
{td}30{/td}
{td}
{td}Jun 30, 2024{/td}
{td}€600k{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]
I know they have bought some of our deadwood and taken Calvin Ramsey on loan. I wonder who Big George is looking at?
Their Goal Keeper
Freddie Woodman is 26 and is worth €6m according to transfrmakt, which must mean he is decent.
Their CBs are; Is Jordan Storey any good?
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{td}Jordan Storey{/td}
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{td}Centre-Back{/td}
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[/xtable]{/td}
{td}25{/td}
{td}{/td}
{td}Jun 30, 2025{/td}
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6{/td}
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{td}Liam Lindsay{/td}
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[/xtable]{/td}
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26{/td}
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[/xtable]{/td}
{td}26{/td}
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5{/td}
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[xtable=skin1]
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{td=rowspan:2}{/td}
{td}Patrick Bauer{/td}
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{td}Centre-Back{/td}
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[/xtable]{/td}
{td}30{/td}
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[/xtable]
Before you start standing on bins outside Prestons training ground, you should know he was watching US play at Deepdale...
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I thought the game was in Germany
https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/liverpool-captain-virgil-van-dijk-160051138.html
[article]“I can definitely understand it (fans’ negativity) in some ways but I’m not a very negative person, so obviously it’s not in my mind to think like that,” he said.
“But obviously when a lot of players are leaving, when your captain is leaving, your vice-captain is leaving, and at the moment there are only two incomings…
“And the way we have been playing, in possession really good but defensively when you concede goals it’s not as good I can understand some people having doubts.
“Let’s see if more players are coming in and then we have to be ready again for a long season. It will be very tough if we look at the teams around us, but we want to be up there again, we want to be challenging again.”
[/article]
[article]“I can definitely understand it (fans’ negativity) in some ways but I’m not a very negative person, so obviously it’s not in my mind to think like that,” he said.
“But obviously when a lot of players are leaving, when your captain is leaving, your vice-captain is leaving, and at the moment there are only two incomings…
“And the way we have been playing, in possession really good but defensively when you concede goals it’s not as good I can understand some people having doubts.
“Let’s see if more players are coming in and then we have to be ready again for a long season. It will be very tough if we look at the teams around us, but we want to be up there again, we want to be challenging again.”
[/article]
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Translates as "FSG, take notice - we need defensive reinforcements". Klopp's made similar statements occasionally in the last couple of years.
A question that’s long been brewing on my mind and one I’d love to know myself.
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It's one thing finding players and another being allowed to go for them. Afterall, we have often read about us "monitoring" players or players being on our radar etc. I stand by this belief: Still don't think Edwards, Ward and Graham leaving in succession is pure coincidence.
E.g.: What's the use of this if your recommendations/findings aren't going to be heeded?
[article]https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/22/magazine/soccer-data-liverpool.html
Graham, who earned a doctorate in theoretical physics at Cambridge, built his own database to track the progress of more than 100,000 players from around the world. By recommending which of them Liverpool should try to acquire, and then how the new arrivals should be used, he has helped the club, once soccer’s most glamorous and successful, return to the cusp of glory.[/article]
Just look at the glum faces of that guy from Redmen TV, as Gary is talking about FDG spending the giy is looking down like "please dont say anything bad about FSG, our channel has done so well out of them"
Liverpool concerns: Defensive frailties and lack of transfer signings
[article]Virgil van Dijk reeled off the concerns one by one: player exits, a dearth of new signings and familiar defensive frailties.
The Liverpool captain considers himself an optimist, spying opportunities where others may see only a potential ordeal, but he is aware of the murmurs of discontent from a portion of a fanbase who have gone from doubters to believers and now flipped back again.
“I can definitely understand it in some ways,” Van Dijk said. “I’m not a very negative person so, obviously, it’s not in my mind to think like that. But when a lot of players are leaving, when your captain is leaving, your vice-captain is leaving and, at the moment, there are only two incomings.
“And the way we have been playing, in possession really good but, defensively, when you concede goals it’s not as good, so I can understand some people having doubts.”
A positive result in the Premier League at Chelsea on Sunday would help restore some perspective, but it spoke volumes that Jürgen Klopp, the manager, was left wrestling more questions than answers as Liverpool ended their pre-season programme with a 3-1 victory over SV Darmstadt 98 on Monday.
The summer signing Alexis Mac Allister was the latest to be road-tested in the No 6 midfield role, which has become a problem position since the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to the Saudi Pro League and Southampton’s stance in rejecting three bids (the highest being £45 million) for the teenage anchorman Romeo Lavia, who would still be a project signing in any case.
Earlier in the friendly schedule Trent Alexander-Arnold filled in and Curtis Jones was also trialled as the pivot, but that the team balance is not right is disconcerting given the underlying issues that led to last season’s dispiriting fifth-place finish.
Liverpool allowed 370 shots at their goal in the league last season according to Opta, 73 more than the previous campaign and the most in a full season since Klopp’s arrival in 2015. They faced 103 big chances, the third-most behind only Leeds United, who were relegated, and Fulham (both 112).
Against Darmstadt a ball over the top allowed the newly promoted Bundesliga side to score, while it was evident in last week’s 4-3 defeat by Bayern Munich in Singapore how opponents target the right side when Liverpool switch to a back three in possession with Alexander-Arnold stepping from full back into midfield.
The fact that Klopp’s side have scored at will in pre-season — 18 goals in five games — underlines their offensive strength, but it is the number conceded — 11 — that is clearly a worry for a team that seems to be heading back to the you-score-we-score approach that characterised the manager’s early tenure.
Van Dijk refused to accept the upheaval in midfield as an excuse for being porous and revealed the coaching staff have already held meetings in an effort to address the matter.
“If you see it as very black and white, then obviously when you concede goals it is the defender’s or the goalkeeper’s fault,” he said. “We defend all together. It is not just the midfield or the strikers or just the defenders. It is about the way we try to put the opponent under pressure. If they are under pressure they cannot play the ball in behind so easily and you are prepared for it.
“It was a good meeting the other day. Very clear and very direct and that is what we need in order to be successful. It was very helpful. The way you are positioning and you have to be ready for the balls in behind. When teams smell the danger is there, they will go for it.”
Klopp has always stressed the importance of pre-season, but his team is not where he would want it to be ahead of a campaign in which, after Stamford Bridge, Liverpool face away trips against Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion in the first eight fixtures.
Instead, he recently felt compelled to ask supporters to “trust us” — which should be a given for a manager who, in recent seasons, transformed the club into Premier League and Champions League winners and the only team to seriously challenge Manchester City’s dominance.
Yet the Liverpool of today does not inspire the same confidence as the Liverpool of 2016-2022. Since the Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid 15 months ago, the missteps have become more pronounced under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group and winning a little more difficult as a result.
Changes on the pitch have been mirrored by changes behind the scenes, with Jörg Schmadtke a temporary sporting director after Julian Ward resigned within a year of taking over from the redoubtable Michael Edwards.
The decision-making feels more fuzzy. The failure to sign a midfielder last summer exacerbated current problems with Liverpool opting out of the race for Jude Bellingham before he had made a final decision on his future.
The initial £64 million outlay on Darwin Núñez is still waiting to pay off and how Alexander-Arnold is used is set to be just one of many subplots.
Still, there is Mohamed Salah, Mac Allister looks an astute purchase and Van Dijk will seek to assume more responsibility having inherited the armband from Henderson.
“Let’s see if more players are coming in,” Van Dijk said, “and then we have to be ready again for a long season. We have to be confident, we should be confident and we should still be learning each and every day.
“There have been characters leaving, players who have played a big part in the success, but others have to step up. That’s a nice challenge in my opinion. We should be excited. I’m very excited, so let’s give it a go.”
[/article]
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Did someone point out to Neville that “his” club have spent a whopping great big fortune on players without winning anything of note.
I mean, he’s partly right, because the owners should be exploring options about how more resources could be targeted to player recruitment - but it shouldn’t be at the expense of other capital projects - because that’s the sort of short term fan appeasement strategy the Glazers have deployed while bleeding as much cash out of the club as they can and letting Old Toilet crumble.
I think he can’t get past the fact Liverpool have outclassed Utd under Klopp despite spending a fraction of his cunt club.
I mean, he’s partly right, because the owners should be exploring options about how more resources could be targeted to player recruitment - but it shouldn’t be at the expense of other capital projects - because that’s the sort of short term fan appeasement strategy the Glazers have deployed while bleeding as much cash out of the club as they can and letting Old Toilet crumble.
I think he can’t get past the fact Liverpool have outclassed Utd under Klopp despite spending a fraction of his cunt club.
I believe that FSG never expected us to wind up in a situation where we had to buy for 4-5 players during one summer.
I also think that there's been a disconnect between Klopp and the so called "transfer board".
Was it really the plan to let that many valuable assets go for free during the last few summers?
I think that the plan has always been to gradually strengthen the team. Let go of underachieving players on expiring contracts and slowly build towards the future while having a strong core.
It's all been turned upside down.
So despite the fact that I fucking hate it, we're forced to buy Lavia and that's got nothing to do with the player. I hope he turns out to be world class, but it's a risky move.
It's fucking frustrating that we find ourselves in this situation again just before the season starts.
I also think that there's been a disconnect between Klopp and the so called "transfer board".
Was it really the plan to let that many valuable assets go for free during the last few summers?
I think that the plan has always been to gradually strengthen the team. Let go of underachieving players on expiring contracts and slowly build towards the future while having a strong core.
It's all been turned upside down.
So despite the fact that I fucking hate it, we're forced to buy Lavia and that's got nothing to do with the player. I hope he turns out to be world class, but it's a risky move.
It's fucking frustrating that we find ourselves in this situation again just before the season starts.
Again, I think you’re overthinking it.
What were the options with Milner, Ox, Naby & Firmino - let them leave for free or offer them new contracts. The new contracts weren’t likely to be bumper new long term deals (unlike Salah) so there was a high likelihood they wouldn’t sign and also a high likelihood that no other team would be likely to offer much n the way of a fee to sign - due to age and injury.
Milner was likely retained until Curtis could no longer be classified as U21.
Firmino we knew about in advance and signed Gakpo early to integrate.
So we’ve replaced Naby & Ox, who we were never getting money for with Mac A & Slobbers.
Were things didn’t go to plan is Hendo & Fabs as there’s no way we we’re expecting to sell them.
It’s more that highly likely that “the plan” was Mac A and Slobbers instead of Bellingham, Hendo & Fabs staying and us taking our time to sign a young DM (likely Lavia and/or Andre) to integrate into the team along with a new LCB.
No rush on either of those two because they wouldn’t have been earmarked as starters this season - so we could take as long as we wanted to get the deal structure right or even wait till January.
Hendo and Fabs being sold fucked things up and we’ve ultimately decided to stick with the strategy rather than change it.
In wanky corporate speak - we’re not very nimble and reactive to market changes and way to rigid.
That’s about it really.
Plain and simple, you've summarized everything that needs to be said.
No hyperbole, no exaggeration, no melodrama, no loon talk.
We've done fine in some aspects (getting rid of the deadwood and think the 2 we've bought in will be fine players) but we still haven't addressed
any of the issues that were apparent 38x times over last season. We're going to hit the same road bumps, Klopp is going to cut the same frustrated figure on the
touchline and of course the camera will be on him at every possible moment to capture it so they can make a massive headline out of it, rinse and repeat.
The problem is - you are basing your expectations of defensive issues based on the pre-season games, which to me are not worth shit, other than fitness preparation rather than mental preparation for actual PL games. However, I cannot see any players in our team that will go to ground like a DM would to make a tackle or do those fouls, we have none worthy enough to do that shit in midfield now. So - yes we could be like a very lose pussy having dicks rammed down our defense with deep penetration.
To be fair though - we’ve seen Mane, Firmino, Hendo, Milner, Fabs, Ox & Keita go and Diaz, Nunez, Gakpo, Slobbers & Mac Allister come in and Jones, Elliot & Badgertits coming through as expected, possibly Bradley, Clark & Doak next in line. Not sure where Morton, Ramsey, Van den Berg & Carvalho sit in all that but they might be options.
We get that young DM and that’s the guts of the forward line & midfield done with only really a Thiago replacement required for next season.
Then we’re on to the defence next summer with Matip, Robbo & Virgil replacements to consider.
I don’t think it amounts to a pitchforks moment.
Maybe if we decide not to sign anyone for the DM position - that would be a bit of a disaster.
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