Winter Window

Unique wrote:Liverpool set to sign Marko Grujic after agreeing £5.1m deal
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11669/10108342/liverpool-set-to-sign-marko-grujic-after-agreeing-16351m-deal
seems like his dad was not happy about it. I just hope he is better than markovic who lets face it is a waste of fresh air.

*...under Rodgers.

There, I fixed it for you.

It's more than a little harsh to judge a young player (21) after a total of one season in a new country/league, playing under a manager that likely didn't want him and used him in wholly unfamiliar roles.

Markovic wasn't even bad when he was given a chance by Rodgers. His problem was that he just was NOT given enough opportunities in his preferable position. I think he definitely has a future with us.

Don't call me James wrote:Markovic wasn't even bad when he was given a chance by Rodgers. His problem was that he just was NOT given enough opportunities in his preferable position. I think he definitely has a future with us.

The kid just isn't getting any break . Played a sum total of SEVEN games so far .

Surprisingly we are having a VERY slow window in terms of rumors :p

What's surprised me is that we haven't seen more credible links to any Strikers.

With Sturridge's injury record and Benteke looking like the place where all Liverpool attacks go to die, I would think a new striker would be a top priority (or at least low-hanging fruit for journalists).

I'm frankly surprised we haven't seen the usual round of transfer links to players like Cavani, Jackson Martinez, the newest prolific English striker (Vardy, Berahino, etc.), and others.

Klopp is in love with origi.

Unique wrote:Klopp is in love with origi.

Not sure "in love" is an accurate assesment. I think it's more a case of Origi being the ONLY fit striker (at the time) that fit's Klopp's vision, regarding movement/workrate/positioning/etc.

donttreadonred wrote:What's surprised me is that we haven't seen more credible links to any Strikers.

With Sturridge's injury record and Benteke looking like the place where all Liverpool attacks go to die, I would think a new striker would be a top priority (or at least low-hanging fruit for journalists).

I'm frankly surprised we haven't seen the usual round of transfer links to players like Cavani, Jackson Martinez, the newest prolific English striker (Vardy, Berahino, etc.), and others.

No. That's just wrong. Benteke is not the reason our attacking play is struggling.

I don't think we can buy another striker, because when they're all fit we've got plenty.

What sort of games are you watching Art?

Benteke IS the reason our attacking play is struggling.

We play alot more fluidly when he's not on the pitch. The amount of times our final ball is just shit / off the ground / straight to the opposition / straight to Benteke only for him to lose the ball at his feet (and thus not played behind the defence) is a major difference.

It's not his fault. It's just majority of the players behind him aren't used to playing with a 'target' man. They're trying to adapt to him which is making us look clueless and stupid in the box. It's hard to go forward when your striker isn't very good outside the box / with the ball at his feet in close spaces.

The other dilemma is we don't even have no creativity from midfield.

We need a new striker.

Benteke does not suit us. It's Andy Carroll 101 all over. I don't understand why Rodgers thought signing Benteke for 30m+ was a good idea. Incompetent twat.
Sturridge can't even get a game.
Ings is too hard to judge to know if he'll adapt to a "top" team or not.
Origi is just well, Origi.

Well we are well short of strikers and needless to say VERY SHORT on goals from midfield and strikers both.

Benteke scores once in 10 times, spectacular or what not :p
Sturridge scores more with hospital nurses then on the pitch
Origi scores . . . . well let's not comment there
Ings I feel for the guy

Coutinho screamers once in a blue moon or during lunar eclipse aren't gonna help us for pennies.
Lallana makes me question if he ever scored a goal in his lifetime.
Firmino . . . . too much sadness here The lad looks lost in front of goal as if it's Satan hunting him down if he scores.
Emre i know its not his job but you know you are a midfielder you are supposed to contribute to the threat I MEAN GOALS DO WIN MATCHES.
Milner in front of goal is as 'meh' as Mignolet is in our goal.
Hendo . . . come back lad we miss you
Ibeeeee i mean he's too young to be judged upon.

But seriously going through the names (leave out Sturridge people there is just no point) i really don't see who is going to score a goal

Now haggling over the price of Ter Stegen. So typical of us

Red Alert wrote:What sort of games are you watching Art?

Benteke IS the reason our attacking play is struggling.

No, it really isn't.

Benteke was on the bench in the Watford game. My goodness the difference in fluidity that having Firmino up top provided...

Our problem is that - if we cannot counter-attack - we start our attacking plays way too high up the pitch. We have a ridiculous number of players who end up standing still or jogging about ineffectively in the final third or even the final fourth of the pitch, waiting for the ball to arrive. That leaves way too little space to pass and move, to work good plays that create chances.

I watched Everton v Tottenham yesterday and in the 1st half Tottenham majorly dominated possession. Like we did against Watford, for instance. The difference to us was that when Tottenham started their attacking moves, they had their wingers and attacking mids first dropping deeper and then starting runs forward at least with some level of synchronicity. Their players were often able to receive the ball while facing the goal and/or on a run. Our idea of build-up is to get lot of players high up the pitch while the ball is still firmly in midfield. Then we struggle to create attacks, because everything is so still, the forwards have nowhere left to run. And when we do get possession in the final third there continues to be an awful lack of movement. Some jogging about or two guys attempting a give-and-go while the rest just look on.

That's our problem in attack, not any single player. Comparing Benteke to Carroll is flawed anyway, because they are very different sort of players. Carroll is an out-and-out target-man, but Benteke is a lot more versatile. It's not his fault if someone like Moreno keeps putting hopeless crosses into the box.

We need to change the way we build up our attacks or we'll continue to struggle with any personnel.

people saying benteke is why we don't score goals. when a team park the bus benteke is the best chance we have at scoring a goal. but instead of putting benteke on the pen spot and putting in some good crosses for him we still try to thread the ball though the eye of a needle to him. klopp stands on the side line watching teams cross the ball and head it in against us week in week out. then he moans about letting crosses come in and people scoring headers against us and never thinks hold up I will use benteke and do the same to them.

Art has it spot on. If the other team is conceding possession and sitting back deep you can't just try and batter through them all the time or you are playing exactly into their hands (as we've seen with the amount of times we've been open to counter attacks). This is a very limited and foolhardy approach. Yes, being direct, fluid and fast paced with a lot of pressure is great against teams that will play a more open style (like City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Southampton, Tottentham, etc.) but against mid table and bottom table teams (at least in the EPL) you are essentially just relying on the better quality of player to overcome a tactical deficiency. Why do you think Wenger has been so successful for so long with his system? He knows how to set up against teams that sit back and invite pressure.

There needs to be more support, more patience and a more measured build-up with very quick transitions in the final third once they are drawn out. Not sure if that's Klopp who's missing it or the players just don't know what they're doing or a combination of both.

Benteke is definitely not the problem. He's shown some nice ability on and off the ball, and he's our top scorer. He's missed some bad chances and played some poor balls but really a lot of the time he's just not getting any service...and the team doesn't look any better bar one game without him.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ter-stegen-liverpool-move-ruled-10683490

The Liverpool boss added: “We have some problems at this moment but thank God not around the goalkeeper position so everything is okay. It's how I said plenty of time on the goalkeeper position and the situation is more than okay, we are satisfied. I know both goalkeepers.”

...

“Simon Mignolet is a really, really, really good goalkeeper. Number two in Belgium – or number one we will see – but maybe number two at the European Championships. It’s a big football country in this moment so he’s had a good education in all parts of life, especially goalkeeping. I spoke a lot with John Achterberg and things like this so we have solutions in our on squad.”

Klopp really believes in the players of this squad apparently. Should be interesting moving forward.

Grujic confirmed.

Congrats lads. One for the future, I guess?

Liverpool have made an offer to Inter Milan for defender Andrea Ranocchia, according to Sky Sports in Italy.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has a defensive crisis on his hands and Ranocchia is not in the first-team picture at Inter under Roberto Mancini.

Norwich are also interested in bringing the player to the Premier League, but the Reds are the front runners

Unique wrote:

Liverpool have made an offer to Inter Milan for defender Andrea Ranocchia, according to Sky Sports in Italy.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has a defensive crisis on his hands and Ranocchia is not in the first-team picture at Inter under Roberto Mancini.

Norwich are also interested in bringing the player to the Premier League, but the Reds are the front runners

Hey Robsey, we need your analysis on this one .

Think Robes already did so in GS

Kolo Toure on his contract expiring: "If I play like I did against Stoke, maybe I'll join Real Madrid this summer."

Mario Gotze has fuelled speculation over a reunion with Jurgen Klopp by admitting he could leave Bayern Munich this summer.

Liverpool boss Klopp was in charge of Borussia Dortmund when Gotze came through the ranks, before he left for Bayern in 2013, where he has 18 months to run on his current contract.

But the 23-year-old told German newspaper Sport Bild his future is uncertain in the wake of the news Carlo Ancelotti will replace Pep Guardiola at the end of the season, and his admiration for Klopp remains.

"I know Jurgen Klopp well," said Gotze. "I've worked under him. He is a very good coach, definitely.

“It's all open, how to proceed after the season. I have a contract until 2017, but of course, it is important how the new coach feels about me.

"I have not really given my future much thought recently because of my injury, but everything is open as things stand. It all depends on the plans of the club and the new coach."


now that would be a good signing.

So, we're going to sign Goetze and ask him to play with Benteke... I suppose it will be Goetze's fault when we lack fluidity and incision, because he's just not providing the right kind of service.


Personally, I don't think we need a "Goetze" type player. We have creators available. As unpopular as this opinion seems to be, what i think we need is someone to spearhead our attacks and play to the creators' strengths. For me, Benteke's movement simply isn't cutting it. He's static, plodding in attack, doesn't stretch opposing defenses, refuses to run in behind, and (as if that weren't enough...) seems incapable of scoring sitters. (Credit where it's due: he has scored a few worldies in his time at the club. However, I'd prefer a striker that puts away the chances they should convert.)

Of course, you're all entitled to your opinion. However, I would love to see more links to effective strikers. My top-of-mind list would include:
Edinson Cavani (unlikely, I realize)
Mauro Icardi (possible, though still unlikely)
Alexandre Lacazette (doable, but expensive)
Michy Batshuayi (doable, but unproven outside France)
Saido Berahino (very doable, but likely with English Nationality and PL-proven premiums)

All of the aforementioned strikers would suit Klopps attacking style far more than our current Belgian behemoth.  With Klopp's semi-public criticism of Benteke's movement and "running", I can only assume that he is of the same opinion. Moreover, rumors of us entertaining inquiries for Sturridge suggest that we will not construct the attack around a player that cannot string together a week of training session to prove his fitness. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that we will once again pursue a Starting Striker in the summer window... I'm certainly glad we spent 32.5 mil on one last summer.  

donttreadonred wrote:So, we're going to sign Goetze and ask him to play with Benteke... I suppose it will be Goetze's fault when we lack fluidity and incision, because he's just not providing the right kind of service.


Personally, I don't think we need a "Goetze" type player. We have creators available. As unpopular as this opinion seems to be, what i think we need is someone to spearhead our attacks and play to the creators' strengths. For me, Benteke's movement simply isn't cutting it. He's static, plodding in attack, doesn't stretch opposing defenses, refuses to run in behind, and (as if that weren't enough...) seems incapable of scoring sitters. (Credit where it's due: he has scored a few worldies in his time at the club. However, I'd prefer a striker that puts away the chances they should convert.)

Of course, you're all entitled to your opinion. However, I would love to see more links to effective strikers. My top-of-mind list would include:
Edinson Cavani (unlikely, I realize)
Mauro Icardi (possible, though still unlikely)
Alexandre Lacazette (doable, but expensive)
Michy Batshuayi (doable, but unproven outside France)
Saido Berahino (very doable, but likely with English Nationality and PL-proven premiums)

All of the aforementioned strikers would suit Klopps attacking style far more than our current Belgian behemoth.  With Klopp's semi-public criticism of Benteke's movement and "running", I can only assume that he is of the same opinion. Moreover, rumors of us entertaining inquiries for Sturridge suggest that we will not construct the attack around a player that cannot string together a week of training session to prove his fitness. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that we will once again pursue a Starting Striker in the summer window... I'm certainly glad we spent 32.5 mil on one last summer.  

imo instead of playing the same balls to benteke that never work we should play to his strengths. I can understand if klopp don't want to play like that long term but he should be using what he has at its best at the moment.

Anyone who thinks Benteke is some immobile target-man is clueless. There's also no way Rodgers would have bought such a player.

Like I said in the summer, and the year before...we should have been going after Higuain but I think now he will be out of our reach tbh.

Benteke is playing injured is the rumour, no? He looked a lot more mobile and involved in the play earlier in the season and his energy levels have dropped considerably.

YFC would have been a prudent buy in the summer, but he probably would have picked Atletico over us anyway.

Looks like there won't be much action this window. Danny Ward being recalled, and then lots of smoke around Pato, but otherwise not much concrete besides an obvious CB signing.

We're trying to get Caulker on loan, get in!