16 Jan 2018 14:51:41
Hey Eds, now that Bobby's scoring goals I assume we no longer looking at 'big name' strikers but I am concerned about who we have as back up. Studge looks like he's missed his last chance, Ings doesn't look like he's going to get a look, Origi's likely played his last game for the club and Solanke is too raw to be relied upon.

Are we actively looking at any strikers who could be Bobby's understudy?

{Ed002's Note - The club has more than enough options to see the season out.}

1.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 15:23:56
Putney, forget the notion of a "striker". Our front 3 is fluid. At any one time the 3 players can be in completely different places to where you'd expect them to be.

With that in mind, we have Firmino, Salah, Mane, Solanke, Sturridge, Chamberlain, Lallana and Ings. 8 players to cover 3 positions, should be more than enough. Also, if we don't give Solanke chances, he'll never reach his massive potential. We have the opportunity to mould him into the exact type of player we want to. He works hard, he has good vision, he is strong, relatively quick, good in the air, and he's proven he can score goals at every level he's been thrown into so far. His vast array of skills make him one of the few up and coming talents who could potentially succeed Firmino long term (maybe in 4 years when Bobby is 30 odd and Solanke will be 23 and coming into his prime) . He may even develop sooner and be an excellent foil for Firmino in a partnership.

There is no rush. If we were struggling for goals, it would be unfair to put the pressure on him. But we're outscoring nearly everyone though. It will click for him, but he's not going to get any better if he's 3rd choice behind another big money signing. Patience is key with Solanke.

2.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 15:37:04
That front three won't be the same without Bobby. If he suffers an injury then we rely on Solanke.

{Ed002's Note - Or Sturbridge, or Ings, or Mane - or one of the youngsters.}

3.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 15:59:06
You can't sign 6 world class attackers just in case 1 gets injured.

If Firmino got injured, we'd have Mane and Salah either side of Solanke. If Salah got injured, we've got Ox to play out wide right. If Mane gets injured, we've got Lallana to play wide left. Then we have Sturridge and Ings as further depth. What are the odds of all 3 being injured at once? And should we really have £150m of talent on the bench just in case that happens?

Sure; Lallana, Solanke, Ox is much weaker than our first choice front 3. But it's still a front 3 of full England internationals that cost £80m combined. How much do you want to spend on the reserves?

I think we could do with shifting Ings and Sturridge and signing a more versatile AM/ forward to replace Coutinho, such as Lemar or Brandt. But we have more than enough goals and quality to see out the season so we can get our preferred players in the summer.

Have you actually looked at who Barcelona have after there first 3? After Messi, Suarez and Dembele, Barcelona have Munir, Dennis and Turan. After Sterling, Aguero and Sane, Man City have Zinchenko, Jesus and Bernardo. Don't lie to me and say you think Zinchenko is as good as Sane.

Not even the best teams in the world can make 3 changes to their attack without weakening it significantly. Get over it.

4.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 16:03:14
Sorry, I'm behind the times. Barcelona actually have Dennis Suarez to cover Lionel Messi, Paco Alacer to cover Luis Suarez, and Gerard Delofeu to cover Ousmane Dembele.

I'm not being funny but Lallana-Solanke-Ox is just as good as Dennis-Alacer-Delofeu!

{Ed025's Note - really?, i think your red tinted specs may need a bit of a clean there MK, i do like your bias though mate.. :)

5.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 16:12:24
PutneyRed, I reckon we are fortunate we do not have to rely on a natural striker to score our goals.

As it is, we are scoring goals for fun so why the need for to sign a striker?

If Klopp can make more signings like Salah, Mane and Firmino who can play anywhere across the front three then there is no need for strikers.

Solanke is an understudy, why do we need to sign another one?

6.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 16:16:36
delefeou is pants tbf but the other two have a future in La Liga.

No surprise that delefeou is being moved on again.

I wouldn't argue against MKs post that those 3 are on par with the Barcelona 3.

The Ox has really surprised me since his introduction to the side JK has got him playing excellent.

7.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 16:22:28
Ed025, Ox or Walcott :-O

I bet you are really excited about him signing.

{Ed025's Note - i thought the two of them were of similar ability myself max, i just hope im right because ox has done well mate..

8.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 16:27:33
C'mon ed. Delefoeu is utter crap. Alacer is decent but out of his depth at Barcelona and same said about Dennis Suarez. lallana is class ox is the new coutinho and solanke is the next Harry Kane. think I'd rather our 3 any day.

{Ed025's Note - wow liverpool supporters never cease to amaze me ben, comparing solanke and ox to couts and kane is like comparing a 2 up 2 down in granby st to downton abbey mate.. :)

9.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 16:19:21
Sorry ed, wasn't thinking of a short term problem, more a longer term plan, if Studge and Ings left we would be light up top.

{Ed002's Note - In the longer term all of the players will leave and be replaced.}

10.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 16:35:45
Ed025, you do know who Dennis, Alacer and Delofeu are don't you 😂 Lallana is better than them 3 combined, on his own. As is Ox who we had to fight off Chelsea to sign. Solanke isn't better, but he is about 5 years younger and was voted in the top 25 young players in Europe for the golden boy award.

Barcelona couldn't even give some of their squad players away, and yet they're running away with La Liga because their first team is good enough.

Even over at City, Zinchenko is nowhere near as good as Lallana, Bernardo and Ox are pretty well matched, but to be fair Jesus is better than Solanke. So their back ups aren't exactly streets ahead of ours either. So i make that 1 to us, a draw and 1 to City.

I don't get this obsession with people thinking you need 22 world class players. You only need about 5 and then you need a group of hard working players around them with enough quality not to hold them back. People are just greedy. Some teams can only dream of having 1 player as good as Mane, Firmino or Salah. We'll we've got all 3 and people still want more!

Forwards are not our problem and I'm still staggered i have to even say that!

{Ed025's Note - i do know them 3 MK, unfortunately i know your 3 as well and i know its personal choice but give me the first trio any day mate..

11.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 16:52:54
Kind of insane there. Love solanke but Kane is the best English striker in decades and top 5 in the world.

12.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 16:54:21
If the right player becomes available at the right price, of course we'd bring him in if all parties are satisfied.

Solanke could well be a great player down the road, but the club come first, so if an upgrade is available, make no mistake, moves would be made.

13.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 17:09:37
I am just happy none of Barcelona's rejects were included in the Coutinho deal.

14.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 16:45:03
Walcott is a walking injury Ed025. Ox 'touch wood' is actually staying fit for a change.

Walcott is past his best. I think you guys have signed another Aaron Lennon unfortunately.

{Ed025's Note - time will tell i suppose max but to be honest he cant be any worse than we have at the moment mate..

15.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 17:18:13
Ed025, just hope and pray for your part that fat Sam does not ask him to get involved in parking the bus.

{Ed025's Note - im sure our supporters would agree with you max..

16.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 17:30:43
You could have done with a manager like Paul Lambert Ed025.

How long do you see Allardyce staying on? It was a bit of a surprise that he was appointed.

Not that I feel sorry for you guys but it is the worst appointment you could have made. Would have been better to take back Moyes.

{Ed025's Note - moyes, lambert and sam are all peas in a pod for me max, decent enough managers if you dont want to actually win something, i think we are hoping sam is a temporary appointment to get us safe before we hopefully move on to better things mate..

17.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 18:45:58
Putney, Bobbie has been scoring goals for a while now in all comps. and maybe the Ed's can help me here BUT I do not recall us being in the market for any "Big name strikers" so again, I don't know he purpose of your OP. We are a well oiled machine up top as our front 3 are top 3 in Europe with The Bobbie Dazzler as the glue who holds EVERYTHING together so why bring in a "striker" who will come and screw all that up, IMO as he will not be able to do what Bobbie can?

Now regarding back ups, you can't buy a shed load of players just cos you are scared one will get hurt, Nobody does that as that is illogical. The coaching staff have all this under control. If all else fails, you play Salah or Mane as the front man if Bobbie can't go and even then, Solanke can step in as well. Chill out, mate. It's all good.

18.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 19:03:07
I think you have at least another year of him which will be worrying because that means he gets the summer transfer funds to buy Titus bramble and djimi traore.