23 Jul 2019 19:46:56
Evening Ed001.

Gonna put you on the spot mate but I think we all value your opinions.

So it looks like a quiet transfer window for both City and Liverpool, with us both having pretty much the same squads as last season . Do you see us pushing on and claiming top spot? And do you feel there are there any of the other top 4/ 6 teams that could potentially challenge City.

{Ed001's Note - I don't do predictions mate, they are bad luck!}

1.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 20:32:13
I’d love to say yes but I believe their midfield options will make the difference but you never know. God I wished we had either Silva then I’d put us as favourites. Hopefully we can at least make a fist of it again and win another cup (7 times? ) as that wold be success for me. The league would be icing on the Klopp filled cake!

2.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 20:36:02
City have to move players on if they are thinking of signing anymore. Sane is evidence of that. Them singing another attacking player opens doors for Bayern to take Sane.

Pretty much same with us as we not going to replace Trent, Robertson, VVD, Mane, Salah, Firmino etc unless they decide to pack up and leave which is looking very unlikely.

Backup player the most likely arrivals, if any.

3.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 20:47:30
Evening Max mate.

My post wasn’t really about signing players but if one feels we can kick on from last season and whether we can claim top spot in the league?

So I’ll pose the question to you mate. With Liverpool and City not likely to sign any first team players, with both squads pretty much the same Mach the same as last, do you think we can kick on and win three domestic trophies including knocking City off top spot on the league?

4.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 20:54:59
I don't see any other team getting close to both us or City but in this league you just never know, let's just see how it goes all I have no doubt about is we'll have another strong season, will we win it? Who knows, I'm not going down that route again just yet lol.

5.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 21:45:27
Drogie, Klopp is not trying to build a squad like he had to after joining when Rodgers left. The squad he has built is there now.

If any new players had to arrive in this window it surely will be to fill in one or two spots. We have a very big squad. We cannot just add players for the sake of adding like we did in the past.

6.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 21:52:38
City have broke there transfer record so I wouldn’t say it’s that quiet for them.

7.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 21:52:56
Max, where have I mentioned in my post we need to add players for the sake of it?

My question to you was - I’d be interested to here your thoughts on next season, do we have the capability to win 3 domestic trophies, including the league?

8.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 21:54:52
City have signed Rodri, for £62.5 million, having identified a weakness when Fernandinho was absent last season. So their squad is already stronger thsn last season. This isn't me bleating about our lack of signings, I'm merely stating a fact.

9.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 22:01:49
City have signed Rodri and lost Kompany, I think they are exactly the same as last season right now.

10.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 22:05:21
Good point chaps, City have identified a weakness from last season ( a potential player to replace Fernandinho ) .

Thoughts on that one Max?

11.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 22:10:02
Your question is perfectly clear Drogie and it was not about adding players, so I do not know why Max is going on about transfers again.

I do not think our squad is strong enough to win several trophies, we saw what happened against Wolves that night in the FA cup. That said a lucky draw and you never know. We drew Chelsea and Wolves early on in the cups last season.

As for the league I do not think Man City or Liverpool will be as far ahead this season. Matches against the 'Top 6' will decide the title in my opinion.

12.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 20:31:42
Ed001, I completely forgot mate, you don’t do you!

So I might pose this question to 25 if he’s about, even though he’s a blue nose and will often not post some of my reply’s when we have a discussion -Ha

I like his balanced views on LFC and he did say we’d win either the league or CL so fair play.

{Ed025's Note - im expecting a 2 horse race again drogie, but you will both end up with less points than you did last campaign mate, for me liverpool need to invest in a few more players...resting on your laurels is a recipe for disaster..

13.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 22:39:49
Can’t disagree with that assessment mate and I agree with you 100%

The successful teams ( Leicester and Blackburn aside ) since the riches of the Premier League evolved added quality to their squad each season, even if it was just one player.

14.) 23 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 23:32:50
The Manchester United team of the 95-96 season had just finished second to Blackburn the year before, let Kanchelskis, Bruce and Parker go, didn't buy anyone of note, gave a bunch of youngsters a chance and created a dynasty. You don't always need to spend money.

15.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 01:04:24
We put out 2 totally different teams for both cups while city put out there strongest team in every competition that's the difference between us. City have strength in depth but can't keep all of their players happy so with incomings we have a player with no experience and city have a player bought for their record transfer fee but no premier league experience and needs to hit the ground running if he's going to replace ferindoho, who I thought won the league for city with his harassment and constant fouling and breaking up play and he only received a few yellow cards when he should have got at least 4 red cards last season.

16.) 24 Jul 2019
23 Jul 2019 23:03:19
ed025 I do agree with you but ox is like a new signing. And I think come the big games he starts. And Brewster is an improvement of Sturridge who was well past it last season. but I do think we could do with some sort of rotation player for Salah and Mane.

{Ed025's Note - you were extremely lucky with injuries last season grino, if you get a couple of bad ones to your key players then it could scupper any real challenge to city mate, liverpoool,s first team is easily as strong as the city one but for me your bench is very weak in comparison to theirs, your guessing on the fact that the ox will return as the same player and that brewster will cut it in senior school imo..

17.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 06:31:18
I do think the club should be looking to bring in at least one first team starter/ challenger to the first team as standing still inevitably leads to teams falling behind in the long run. I know it won't happen now but I tyhought Bruno Fernandes would've been a really good signing - a more technical midfielder with lots of goals in his game - he would've added something different to the team and yes, we do have a lot of midfielders, but we don't have anybody of his ilk. I would've been happy with him signing and a couple of back ups for fullback positions. There's still plenty of time in the window, so perhaps we're better off seeing were we stand at the end of it.

18.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 07:48:39
I suppose the signing of Andy Cole in 95 doesn’t count then, a British transfer record at that.

You forget all the other expensive signings made in previous seasons, it wasn’t just the kids.

{Ed001's Note - you are right Drogie, it is absolute nonsense about it being a team of kids. They had a lot of experience in the spine of that team.}

19.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 07:57:39
I have to agree, our bench is significantly weaker than City’s and is why they came away with three trophies. Yes they had some weaker opposition in the cups but I wouldn’t still have fancied them to beat Chelsea and wolves, the teams that knocked us out of the competitions

I totally agree with you Seano if we really want to kick on, we need to bring in one first team player. Especially when you look at the likes of Lallana, always injured. In fact he’s injured again with a dead leg and hasn’t featured in pre season.

Again, this isn’t a gripe or a moan, we have a great first team, I love Klopp and the club gave me another fantastic European cup final to go to.

20.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 08:34:17
We will have a worse season no doubt! if we don't bring 2/ 3 good signings in we will struggle to win anything imo. Lallana has never been good enough and the Ox will need a lot of easing in and game time just to reach half the level he had. Shocking transfer tactics. Klopp trusts too much am afraid. He is just not ruthless enough.

21.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 09:42:43
Drogie, I do not see us winning the FA Cup, League Cup and EPL in one season but we have a squad capable of winning trophies.

City will be the favourites again for the title and we will be challenging them. Priority for LFC will be EPL and CL.

League and FA Cup will most likely see Klopp giving some 1st teamers rest as the EPL and CL schedule is hectic.

Some carrying on about Lallana when he hardly set foot on the pitch last season so he had no impact on how we finished last season. The likes of Shaqiri took up his spot on the bench while he has been injured. Same with Sturridge, he was not even needed as Origi came into play. Now we have Brewster working his way into the 1st team. Ox has just returned who most likely was going to be Lalana's replacement as the club surely have been trying to move Lalana on.

CL win and 1 point seperating LFC and City last season, yes we have a squad capable of winning trophies. Can we win the 2 domestic cups aswell as the league in one season is anyones guess as it does not happen often.

22.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 10:06:04
Chamberlain was bought in as an addition not a replacement for Lallana mate. Which ever way you look at it, he’s taking up value cover on a hefty salary.

City will be favourites across all domestic competitions because they have strength in depth and that is my point. As Ed25 eluded to, sitting on ones laurels in the transfer market could prove costly long term.

Why just prioritise the CL and the league? We are record holders for the league cup and have a good pedigree in the FA cup, why should that change?

Don’t know about you but I love a big day out at Wembley, though I did prefer the old twin towers to the new arc.

23.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 10:17:13
City have improved the squad. I'm hoping the loss of Kompany around the club affects them but it won't.

24.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 10:32:00
@Maxlfc - I think the point many are making is that our bench is still quite weak and the personnel we are using to plug said gaps (Brewster, Lallana, OX, etc) are unknown quantities in terms of how they will perform this season for a variety of reasons (significant injuries, inexperience) . I think as ED025 said as well we have been relatively fortunate with injuries as our key performers, for the most part, have managed to remain injury free and fit. There is no guarantee that will happen again and, if we do get hit by injuries to key players, do we have enough options, with enough quality, to ride it out? I'd argue that we probably don't. I would also argue that bringing in new, first team players makes the squad more competitive and doesn't allow players to get too comfortable.

My feeling is, if the opportunity to strengthen is there, it should be taken. Cornet would be a decent squad addition, at the right price in the right position, but I do feel we need someone who improves the first team off the bat. As I said I hold out hope for Fernandes though know that ship has already sailed.

25.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 13:20:28
Firmino and Salah both missed some of the biggest games of the season in the final run in, and at one stage our only available centre backs were Fabinho and Hoever; that's a midfielder and a 16 year old right back.

We have 3 attacking midfielders; Lallana, Ox and Keita. They must have started less than 25 games between them. Ox and Lallana especially.

Trent was probably our top 3 outfield players and he missed a couple of months where we dropped most of our points due to Henderson and Milner having to cover there.

Can't have that mate. It's simply wrong.

26.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 13:32:29
All people seem bothered about is spending money, it's not all about money, the team we currently have just won the CL. They'll be hungry for more which imo will see them perform even better. Could we do with more cover? Damn right we could. People are being a little too impatient imo, it's not over until its over, anything can happen from now until the end of the window and I fully believe we're going to bring in a couple new additions. We have no idea what's going on in the background, leave them to it and hope for the best, either way, we're quality and will prove to be.

27.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 11:24:44
ed025 we did have few injuries remember Henderson having to play right back and fabinho playing centre back. Are midfield has plenty of back ups for injuries, Just not sure how we would do without salah or mane for a long period but ox can cover. Am not a massive Origi fan and do expect Brewster to have moved ahead of him by the end of the season if he is as good as everybody at the club thinks. For me Origi is like Shaqiri ok for a few games but could to do it over a long period but my be between them they can cover. I don't think Wilson as looked good enough in preseason. but only time will tell as good as we was last season I do think Salah and Firmino will be better this season and the Gomez injury was a massive loss.

{Ed025's Note - its cover for the front 3 thats the worry grino, im not an origi fan and brewster is only a kid so a definite lack of cover there mate..

28.) 24 Jul 2019
24 Jul 2019 14:02:57
The debate about adding players every year or face being left behind only works under the following circumstances :

1. Some players are not good enough and need replacing

2. Some players are leaving and need replacing.

It's arguable that our first 11 does not need replacing as they've literally been as good as city's first 11.

It's also arguable that most of our back ups (apart from full back) are good enough as well as on the big occasions they were needed they stepped up.

I know people will point to the cup defeats and say our depth is not good enough and that's why we lost but they're forgetting that most of those starting elevens were changed and that's a big factor in why those teams got beat. Team chemistry only happens by players playing together often, which is why early cup games often look disjointed because most of the players aren't used to playing together.

Look what happens when we swap first reamers for back ups when they're used to playing together . We beat Barcelona 4 nil despite missing our best forwards, and our best fullback being injured early.

We need fullback cover but I think we're fine elsewhere.