16 Jul 2016 19:32:47
Greetings fellow lfc fans! It's beeeen a long time

So firstly . No left back or centre mid yet! What's going on! Can't have can an Henderson solely with Milner filling in I prefer Milner out wide in games when he plays
I mean this with Lucas and Allen being sold someone should come in

And as for the left back area that has to be a priority - for the love of all they is holy! Make it happen lfc.

1.) 16 Jul 2016
16 Jul 2016 20:30:26
You must have missed Grujic.

2.) 16 Jul 2016
16 Jul 2016 20:45:57
Have you forgotten about lucas, grujic, allen, Stewart, brannagan? Another shocking post from a closet red devil.

3.) 16 Jul 2016
16 Jul 2016 21:08:41
Grujic has been signed and promised game time. Mane has been signed for massive money. Brannagan has been denied a loan as he is seen as an important player. Stewart was given a new contract and at 22 years old will be expecting pitch time. Ojo is clearly rated very highly. Chirivella, Arnold, Ejaria, Kent and Woodburn are now knocking on the door. So Hendo and Can have support of some kind! Firmino can drop in as an attacking mid and Origi can play in the wider positions as well.

Plus Lucas, Allen, Coutinho Lallana, Markovic and Milner haven't actually left yet. A few of them may stay. I personally hope we keep Lucas and Coutinho decides to stay, regardless of how likely that is.

Considering our bloated squad it would be careless (to say the least) to sign another midfielder before we move some players on.

People are clearly worried about our midfield. Particularly cover for Henderson and Can. But we have Brannagan, Chirivella, Grujic and Stewart who can play there; all of whom are definitely staying at the club for next season. If we sign another midfielder, it is far more likely to be an attacking player similar to Zielinski, as proven by our interest in him. Klopp is not a kid in a candy shop like Brenda was. If he can't get in a player he wants, he won't just spend that money on a completely different player.

With regards to left backs, If we can't get Chilwell, Amavi or Hector over the line (and there are no other left backs that he is keen on) I suspect he will just stick with Moreno, Flanagan and Smith instead of panic buying.

I personally am baffled by the cry out for more central midfielders. If Henderson, Can, Grujic, Stewart, Brannagan and Chirivella isn't enough, what will be? 8 players? 10 players? I personally believe Grujic is better in a more advanced role but he can play deeper if required so people really need to stop panicking.

The only area I am concerned about is left back as Moreno is still a liability, Smith has not convinced me, and Flanagan is predominantly a right back who has played 8 games in 3 years. Yet I see less moaning about this than I do about midfield!

4.) 16 Jul 2016
16 Jul 2016 21:27:15
I still think we are very weak in the middle and it needs to be addressed.

{Ed002's Note - Sell Grujic and bring who in?}

5.) 16 Jul 2016
16 Jul 2016 21:28:21
MKSCOUSER I think that's because most of us are expecting a LB to be brought in. Well you know me by now and know I'm one worried about our midfield. That's because none of our regular CM have shown any midfield strength and proven time and again that they are just as likely to disappear when the going gets tough. Chirivella has not impressed me any in the chances he's been given, Stewart has shown some promise but enough to be our main DM? Not by a long shot. Brannagan I'd be happy to have as cover and play the odd game like Stewart but to be relied upon? No. I agree weare overstocked in midfield but there isn't a quality DM among em.

6.) 16 Jul 2016
16 Jul 2016 22:20:52
Sorry Ed, I meant that it looks like our midfield options are all very similar, there's none in there who you'd say is a spoiler, that's not to say Henderson, Can and Grujic aren't good players, because they are (in fact they're very good players) but we could do with a spoiler when we need to grind out results. (Assuming Lucas and Allen are leaving) .

7.) 16 Jul 2016
16 Jul 2016 22:23:49
Finally!
Someone understands it's about the quality not the amount of players we have in midfield

This midfield ain't going to win the title or dominate
Ok maybe have the odd really good game but throughout the season it's been proven it's not good enough

What are we talking about here? 4-5th place
Or do I wanna win the damn title!
The players mentioned in some posts above will give u 1 good game every 2 weeks

Whereas u clearly saw Leicester players gave everything every game and performed
So yes I stand by what I say misfield needs to be changed and some defenders.

8.) 16 Jul 2016
16 Jul 2016 22:35:28
Red lobster, stay off the crack man.

It's early days and you're flapping like a tart!

No one know what will happen


I can assure you that there's plenty of surprises ahead with players leaving that no-one even suspects.

9.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 00:30:33
Stewart is nearly 23 and Brannagan is 20. These are not kids who will just play in the academy next season. They will be expecting gametime.

I am really considering staying off all threads about defensive midfielders from now on.

People are still convinced Can is not defensive minded despite the fact he was used at Leverkusen as a left back, by Rodgers as a centre back, and for Germany as a right back. He may well not be a holding midfielder, but to claim he is not good enough defensively when he has actually been drafted into defence by 3 separate coaches and teams is ludicrous. The same people also refuse to acknowledge that Klopp rated Stewart enough to play him in central midfield ahead of both Lucas (who got pushed back to defence due to a severe lack of mobility) and Allen (who got pushed forward so he could concede possession in less dangerous areas) last season. Just to top it off, we also want to completely write off 18 year old Chirivella because of 1 bad half against Swansea, despite Ed001 confirming he in particular is seen by the club as a future first team regular and the player himself confirming that Klopp has asked him to work on is his pressing in order for him to get more game time.

We have 3 young, talented, defensive minded midfielders. I am really tired of pointing this out now though. If people want to sell Can and replace him with Alex Song, then that's fine. I think you're mad, but clearly you think I'm mad for having faith in 3 lads under 23 years old. So honours even! ;)

10.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 01:29:12
I think as well that the team had low confidence when klopp arrived, and Hendo struggled with injury for the entire season. The squad needs trimming, we have no European football. Let's just see how the lads get on with a decent pre season under klopp. Obviously everyone wants us to do well, I'm sure if the players don't cut it then it will be sorted. Sadly these things can take time. Think we should just have a bit of faith in the squad and manager.

11.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 01:50:53
I think Kloppo is going to use Can, Grujic and Hendo in most games. There is no necessity for a "specialist" CDM, CDUK, DLP, SDP, TCP, OMG or any other 3 letter acronym.
These are 3 very mobile and very accomplished midfielders who are all capable of tackling, tracking back, linking up with attacks, passing and shooting. Stewart will also get some games as will Brannagan. People need to open their minds a bit and let go of the relatively recent fad of having midfielders who can only do one task. I wonder what Johann Cryuff would think 😞.

12.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 02:33:02
Who do we sell to make room for this new CM many seem to want? Henderson? Can? Allen? Lucas? Grujic? All of them? Feels like some won't be happy unless we have an entirely new 11 every season, which is more or less what we seemed to try under the last guy.

13.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 06:46:04
RDL, chances are Lucas and Allen will be sold.
Is Branagan, Stewart, Chririvella better than Lucas and Allen at this point?

14.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 08:14:17
MKSCOUSER Can is not a defensive minded player. Playing Can out of position cost Lever use their place in Europe against Man UTD because he wasn't good enough. Playing Can out of position albeit with several other players cost Brendan his job so I don't get that argument. If your going to get the best out of your team surely you play your players where they're best at not because they CAN play there. Yes if we needed cover then fair enough but to say that's the solution for the season, mate I just don't get it. It was proven time and again last season that to get anything out of us all you had to do was counterpress and have a go, even poor teams like Norwich nearly succeeded. Games like these was where Can just disappeared, he wasn't the only one though. It actually got that bad we even brought Allen on to try and stem the flow. Can when probing and pushing box to box is a phenomenal player for someone so young, likewise Hendo but both need someone solid behind them, someone who will cover fullbacks or sit in the holes left by our midfielders pushing on, this is what Hendo and Can don't do. I have a feeling we're going to have to agree to disagree again mate and wait and see what the season brings. I don't want to argue just for arguing sake lol. We just both feel strongly about our respective opinions on this it seems 😉 No bad thing.

15.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 08:23:41
Do you see Lucas or Allen starting many for us, Andy? I don't, maybe a few here or there or a bit more if there are injuries. I just don't see whose spot a new player would take. Can needs game time to continue to improve. Henderson is a better player than most seem to think in my opinion. We already have a massive squad, it doesn't need to be bigger as far as I can tell. So if we were to get this CDM some seem to want, who makes way? Reality is Can and Henderson are the two most likely to be in the midfield role- which one gets the bench?

16.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 09:09:24
RDL- why does one need to be benched? Didn't we play part of the Fleetwood game with a 4-1-4-1 formation? That's 5 midfielders mate lol.

17.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 09:25:11
Can, Hendo will be our 1st choice, but what most on here don't seem to realise, is that in sport, players get injured or lose form.
At that point we need someone to be able to come in without weakening the team.
For us to buy new players, it doesn't mean we have to increase the size of the squad! It means we will sell and buy (replace players we sell) .
Most on here forget that we finished 8th last season. Other sides are improving their squads. If we keep ours the same, do you honestly think we will finish higher than 8th?
If you do, please explain to me why.
I love LFC, and I want to, and expect to see them do well. I also support and like the players we have/ had. But that's because they play/ played for LFC.
But as a supporter I also know that with football, you have to keep improving your play and squad.
Settling for what wasn't good enough last season and hoping we do better is false hope.
I feel we have a good 1st 11, but I can count the number of games we were able to choose that 1st 11.
So our back up players need to be of a quality to come in and do the job.

18.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 09:21:22
Europe league final against Sevilla proved Can is not a Defensive midfielder nor any kind of sitting midfielder. I don't understand what people think we lost that final if not the bloody big hole in the midfield.

19.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 10:26:22
We are improving . Matip, karius and mane plus a left back to come in are all improvements of the first team. A fitter sturridge, Henderson, origi and Ings will all be an improvement on our options last year. Half the games toward the end of the season we played reserves so we have every season to be optimistic. A full year with klopp will help too. Tell me if you think Southampton squad is stronger than ours? because if you don't then we obviously under achieved. That doesn't make the players bad just inconsistent.

20.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 10:26:22
We are improving . Matip, karius and mane plus a left back to come in are all improvements of the first team. A fitter sturridge, Henderson, origi and Ings will all be an improvement on our options last year. Half the games toward the end of the season we played reserves so we have every season to be optimistic. A full year with klopp will help too. Tell me if you think Southampton squad is stronger than ours? because if you don't then we obviously under achieved. That doesn't make the players bad just inconsistent.

21.) 17 Jul 2016
17 Jul 2016 10:56:29
GoT you think just because we lost 1 game last season that means Can, Hendo and Grujic are incapable of adapting their positioning forever?
That's it now, they are branded forever as "CAMs".
These are professional footballers, not pixels on a FM screen. They can adapt their game with coaching. It's not rocket science.