13 Aug 2019 19:25:00
Right, so this could end up being a long post but here goes.

Why I would stick with our backups. I do not believe City's backups rank higher than ours.

Milner, I believe this is the first player Klopp will call on to take up the spot at fullback should one of TAA or Robbo not be available. Milner is our go to guy and you can bet he will run through 10, 20 or even 30 brick walls and still do a perfect job for us on the pitch. This guy is a machine. Cancelo was not even a regular at Juventus, they wanted rid of him anyway and one would wonder why? Pep has signed him to sit on City's bench. Mendy is injured but even if he wasn't he has hardly played for City in 2017/ 18. Clearly he just is not good enough. Angelino, this guy will struggle to get into their team too when he cannot even make City's matchday squad. We have two able youngsters in Hoever and Larouci if need be. I think we will be A ok at left and righ back. Worst case we could have Fabinho or Gomez to fill in.

Lovren and Matip. Lovren 4th choice and I am assuming Gomez will be ahead of Matip. Lovren on his day is like a demon, Matip formed a brilliant partnership with VVD last season. Otamendi, I bet anyone on here will take him in exchange for Lovren or Matip, cough cough. That is the only backup CB City have but they can also use Fernandinho at CB if need be who has now found himself down the pecking order with the arrival of Rodri.

Now to the midfielders. Bernardo Silva after being pretty much a regular last season looks like he will be playing second fiddle to Mahrez this season. Shaqiri played less than half the EPL minutes of Bernardo Silva last season yet Shaqiri's goals/ assists return of 11 in 1052 minutes is only bettered by 4 from Bernardo Silva who played 2849 minutes with 15 goals/ assits. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying Shaq is better than Bernardo Silva but Shaq as an impact player seems the better option. Fernandinho is already looking for a new home.

Foden, cannot really say anything about him when he will get 2 minutes here and there and even Lallana with his Cruyff turns is a better option for us. Gundogan, very good player but cannot stay fit. Keita, has much to prove so I am sitting on the fence with these two but still believe Keita will come good. Ox another midfield option for us. Reckon we will be A Ok with backups for Midfield.

Now to the forwards. What is Pep going to do, stick with Jesus as a starter or is he giving Aguero some extra rest? No doubt I would love to have a player on our bench like Aguero but let's face it, even at 31 Aguero not going to join Anfield to come sit on our bench. Would he even be able to fill the role Bobby does? Jesus, was backup last season. In terms of playing time, will he do any better than Origi at LFC? Brewster will just have to wait for his opportunity but this guy is a massive talent waiting to be unleashed and should he get his opportunity, having a straight head, good attitude, he may just surprise many. With Sturridge gone he is bound to get opportunities.

So there you go Irish, I said I would post my reasons for sticking with our set of backups.

Thoughts welcome.


1.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 19:54:45
Well my initial thought is how did Man City end up with 75% (3) of the 4 trophies and Liverpool 25% (1).

It can only be down to Pep being a better manager or you think that City's first 11 are better?


2.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 20:12:05
Speaking of back ups gents. Apparently Kieta picked up an injury in training tonight.


3.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 20:14:29
My initial thought is that Klopp has been building a squad capable of challenging for trophies when City have not had the same problem. It was not going to take Klopp overnitght and to expect Klopp to wave a magic wand and in what 3 years win the League and cup treble is a way of suiting your argument.

Man City winning the League by just one point over LFC is another thing that needs to be taken into consideration. Show me another team finishing on 97 points in the history since the EPL formed and did not win the League. It is unheard of and a mystery to say the least.

As for the 3 domestic trophy haul, that has only ever happened once, last season by City.

Again, finishing 2nd on 97 points, not winning the League when in every other season it would have been won with 97 points, only 1 point behind City and winning the CL, that shows that LFC is finally (well hopefully) on the right track again and we mean business.


4.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 20:16:34
I'm sorry Max, but this post is just biased. You say you can't really say anything about Foden because he only gets 2 minutes here and there? How many have Hoever and Larouci got yet they are able?

Have you taken into consideration if Lovren leaves?

Isn't Fabinho a first 11 player, at least he wasnt on your backup list yesterday.

Gungodan has played circa 30 games the last 2 seasons, hardly injury prone, compared to Lallana or the Ox.

Cancelo " Pep has signed him to sit on the bench" Correct, we are still talking about backup players here? So what's your point? £60 million backup fullback coming from a top Italian team 25 Serie A games, 7 Cl last season.

I will leave it there.


5.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 20:24:01
Bernado Silva is NOT going to be playing second fiddle to Riyad Mahrez. I can pretty much guarantee you that. Silva is a much better player than Mahrez, and will definitely play more minutes.


6.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 20:29:17
Your post is about Man City Max or have you forgotten? It's irrelevant if we finished a point behind them we still did.

At the end of the day Man City have a better overall squad (backups or whatever) and Klopp has done a tremendous job closing the gap between the two but we aren't there yet. I also have my doubts that we will get as close to City this season but off course I hope we do! I hope we win but I'm not one for putting rose tinted glasses on and not seeing things for what they are.

City have just spent circa £130 million this window but they lost Kompany. We spent about £2 million and look like losing Lovren. I think City were stronger last season and certainly look stronger now. Unless, and it's a big ask, but the likes of Brewster (unknown PL quality) and a few other "backup" players step out of the shadows and show us how good they are. I live in hope.


7.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 20:33:56
I agree EpicPotato. I mean how does Max come to that assumption? Based on 1 Premier League game this season? It makes no sense to me, unless Max is Pep?


8.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 20:37:28
I love Liverpool but that was the most biased post on the planet sounding like a deluded United fan or something.


9.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 20:40:03
Worst case we have backup at fullback with Fab and Gomez, worst case. You do get that Irish?

Exactly my point about Foden, he will only get 2 minutes here and there and has nothing on any of our midfielders. I did mention Larouchi and Hoever IF NEED BE. You do understand the term in CAPS? Milner is by far a better player than Cancelo, hands down.

Lovren is still at the club and any team wanting to take him will have to fork out his wages plus willing to take him permanently as it is highly unlikely that the club will let him leave on loan and we burn our fingers again like many times before where players who have been on loan and those clubs made us pay towards wages.


10.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 20:41:10
Angelino " he cannot even make City's matchday squad" You mean the player that was at Eindhoven last year Max. Jeez man give him a chance.


11.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 20:59:14
Your post is about back up players Max. Not first team player ( Gomez and Fabinho) . If that was the case it would be a Moving first team players to another position post.

You didn't use CAPS in your first post Max.

Please point me in the direction of the stats that say Milner is a better fullback than Cancelo. Or is this just your opinion Max?

You don't rate Foden? We will agree to differ I guess.


12.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 20:59:41
Milner a better player than Cancelo? Maybe in midfield, but there is NO WAY Milner is a better full-back than Cancelo. While I have no doubts about Milner's attitude, we have to remember that he will have to adjust to playing a full-back role occasionally and that he has gotten slower with age. If Milner ends up playing full-back for any significant period of time again this season, he will not have anywhere near the impact TAA/ Robertson has. As for City, if Walker or Mendy are out, Cancelo and Angelino/ Zinchenko can come in and produce similar impact. IMO, that is a significant difference.

The same holds true for pretty much all areas of the squad except goalkeeper with respect to Liverpool and City IMO. If City loses players, they have similar players at good quality to step up, whereas we have to move players around or deal with different options.


13.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 21:07:42
By the way Max. Phil Foden 26 games last season, 2 minutes here and there, 7 goals Max. Without looking I would guess that's more than our midfielders, never mind our "backup" midfielders.


14.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 21:14:51
AG, Pep has spent hundreds of millions on fullbacks. Look at the hype around Danilo, flopped. Mendy another expensive fullback, flopped. Angelino which City sold and now resigned, sorry what? is he going to start for City this season? Cancelo yet again was not even a regular at Juventus and they were happy to let him leave. It seems like Pep likes to spend massive amounts on fullbacks and when they flop, oh well let's just sign another expensive fullback to sit on the bench.

Klopp does not have that priviledge but we know we can count on Milner.


15.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 21:24:39
Yes Max, City resigned so he can't be getting onto any match team squad if he was playing in a different league! You do understand that, don't you?


16.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 21:31:59
Cancelo played 32 games for Juve last season Max. He was a regular.


17.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 22:22:39
Max, I understand Klopp doesn't have the financial luxury Pep has, but we surely could have bought in a versatile player who could play both full-back positions or a versatile player who can play full-back and wide forward?

My point is that we were well placed financially and from a sporing view-point, in a great position to get 2-3 quality players to increase squad competition and give rest to our starters but we failed to act on it. By January, I guess we will know where we stand on this and whether it was the right decision or not.


18.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 22:43:01
Let's win 2 trophies within 12 months then we can start bragging about team, squad and manager. at the moment Mourinho in a failed 2 seasons at United have won more trophies than we did under Klopp.


19.) 13 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019 22:53:10
Not sure why you're comparing Bernardo Silva and Shaqs goals/ assists as a metric. Bernardo ihas so much more to his game than that, especially in winning the ball back and helping defensively. To suggest that he is any way inferior to Shaqiri or Mahrez is laughable, especially when you use one poor statistic to try and prove the point.


20.) 14 Aug 2019
14 Aug 2019 01:28:23
Who will win

Adrian
Clyne lovren Matip Milner
Ox Keita lallana
Shaq Brewster originally

Vs

Bravo
Cancelo otamendi fernandinho Angelino
Foden Gundogan D. Silva
Mahrez Jesus Sane.

{Ed0333's Note - I’d say City by a couple of goals.


21.) 14 Aug 2019
14 Aug 2019 07:48:40
Like A Virgil

I never said Shaqiri is better than Bernardo Silva, we do not need Shaqiri to be better but we need him to have an impact on the pitch.

I only pointed out that Shaqiri has scored and assisted just about the same amount in less than half the minutes compared to Bernardo Silva. Silva was a regular for City last season, Shaqiri was not a regular so stats are not always relevant but if Silva is going to be on the bench this coming season then when looking at attacking returns from both players last season based on their minutes on the pitch, it does not suggest that Silva will be able to deliver the same return as he will not be playing as often. Both these players are used for goal output and assists.

That makes Shaqiri a handy player to have as when he comes on as a sub or starts for us when his minutes per goal is every 175 minutes for LFC compared to Silva who scored every 407 minutes (EPL) .

We have to remember, Shaqiri is not a guaranteed starter but can do the job when called upon.

{Ed047's Note - Max everyone has an opinion mate and I’m a huge fan of your team and manager but there is no way your back up 11 is anywhere near City’s mate.

Bernardo Silva is an awesome player and any comparison to Shaq is pointless mate, Silva is an almost 9/10 every game he plays.


22.) 14 Aug 2019
14 Aug 2019 08:19:42
I think the difference is that our squad players are used sparingly. Whether that is down to Klopp not trusting them or another reason who knows. All of City’s forwards featured in 3 quarters of their premier league games last season. They are used as rotational some of ours are used as a last throw of the dice if we aren’t winning. The only players we had that rotated more or less equally last season was Hendo, Milner, Wiji and Fab for the 3 midfield positions.


23.) 14 Aug 2019
14 Aug 2019 08:33:34
So arguably City’s best player last season and Ballon d’Or candidate is going to be on the bench this season? Says who? And if you are comparing teams, why are you looking at ‘attacking returns’ from midfielders instead of their all round game? Its selective criteria to suit your argument.
How about we look at tackles won, ball retention, miles covered, etc, when discussing Shaq vs Silva as they have a huge impact on possession and goal-prevention.
Its all about opinions, of course, but i see no sense in what you are suggesting.


24.) 14 Aug 2019
14 Aug 2019 08:33:43
Max, you're reaching here, man. The truth is that City have a better squad than ours hence, better backups than ours. That is just a fact. We simply cannot say tat we are able to compete pound for pound with a squad that has had 800m almost (under Pep alone), spent on it whereas we have only been building this squad essentially for the past 3 seasons. That matters a whole lot, man.

Also, you forget that their backups now, were not signed as backups. They were signed as first teamers on huge fees who later got upgraded on or lost their places in the team. Example, Bravo was signed as a 1st choice GK. He flopped. Next season, they sign Ederson and Bravo (who can start for plenty of PL teams) is now no. 2. And you wonder why they have the best depth at GK or at any other position. We again, cannot compete with that, man.

Now having said that, Klopp is building a well-oiled machine, just like he did in Germany with BVB where Bayern (PL's City, for ex. ) had the pick of the lot. It took a while BUT Dortmund prevailed over Bayern twice and that was not cos BVB have beeter backups or the better squad. They did not. It is cos BVB had become a team, a group who knew each other inside and out and then Bayern could no longer handle them. That is what Klopp is trying to do here and clearly with lasst season, it is working. We just have to keep building and progressing and our time will come, just like it did for Dormund.


25.) 14 Aug 2019
14 Aug 2019 09:18:58
One of the most biased posts ever here lol fair play for backing the boys but i just don’t agree. B Silva is one of the best players in the league, to compare to Shaq is a bit ridiculous. There’s more to his game than just goals and assists. Perfect example was the game against us at Ethiad where he was excellent and ran the show.

To be fair, I can understand an argument for centre backs and central midfield (although D Silva does tip in favour for them for me) but everywhere else city have better depth.

The (very few) games our front 3 did struggle in last year, we needed something off the bench and we just didn’t have it. City can mix it up by throwing in sane Mahrez Jesus silvas Foden etc. We don’t have that depth. And to be fair that’s expected given they’ve spent so much more compared to us.


26.) 14 Aug 2019
14 Aug 2019 16:42:14
Spot on, Reyrey1. The comparison is not even close so not sure why it is even being made, tbh. Also IMO, Bernardo Silva will start for any team in Europe including LFc. That is just the whole truth, man.