New Thread to continue discussion for General Premier League. Old thread closed.
So Trent will leave Liverpool. Big summer ahead, not sure Bradley is reliable enough yet. Even if he was, a second right back would be needed. Pity to see Trent go, the best attacker of a full back the PL has probably ever seen.
The abuse he is getting online is mental but I guess thats the world we live in these days
If Saka left Arsenal it'd probably be the exact same. Big men behind a screen spouting absolute nonsense.
Ah Salah can leave on a free and I would have no hard feelings 🤣
nearly as bad as what Garron Noone got
Stupid autocorrect. Saka, I know he's no Salah but Arsenal fans would still be disappointed to lose him 😜
Need to know what is happening with the other 2. If Pool can keep VVD and Salah then getting in a RB to replace Trent isn't a massive issue. If they have to also replace their main CB and main goal threat then it is a massive issue especially with no fees coming in for any of them. For all the good work that usually goes on behind the scenes at Liverpool they have massively dropped the ball here with the 3 lads. Letting 1 get to the end of their deal is bad enough, but your 3 best players is shocking.
They both have to be replaced either way. Even if they sign 2 year extensions you can't wait 2 years to replace
Liverpool will be very busy this summer
Mo may not need to be replaced though. There seems to be plenty of talk of a new no. 9 so if we go for a pure goal scorer then we'll need something different from the wide positions.
If Mo does sign though I was wondering whether we might see him through the middle a bit next season? His pace has dropped off a bit but his link up and hold up play has been really good so could do a job there.
That's true. It's just a lot harder to replace them all in one go. If VVD and Salah sign then you have some time to identify replacements or even bring them in and bed them in without the pressure of having to take over.
Yeah it might not be a direct right-winger for right-winger replacement. It's the main goalscorer threat you need to replace.
Eggs not going in the Darwin Nunez basket anymore then Edit : was just thinking due to the convo below but if ye replace Trent with a full back who overlaps a lot more then maybe Salah can be pushed more centrally as he won't need to hold the width as much in build up. Get him closer to a striker to link up more. Might even help someone like Nunez
If VVD and Salah stay then you'd probably be looking at
Kelleher, Tsimksas, TAA and Nunez out. You may also see Diaz go as he's heavily linked to Barca and Frankfurt are apparently after Endo. Then you'd also hope that Phillips and Morton move for their careers and potentially a few of the younger lads.
You'll need a new LB, new RB (or backup RB if Bradley is your main guy), new DM to rotate with Gravenbach, new LW and new CF. You should also be looking at a new LCB but can't see that being done.
That's an awful lot of churn on the squad.
I'd sell Jota before I'd sell Nunez because at least Nunez is always available. There are rumours that Saudi teams will be in for Nunez though at around 60m which you can't turn down no matter how broken Jota is.
Frimpong wouldn't be a bad TAA replacement.
Lads would have an aneurysm looking at Frimpong trying to defend if they think TAA can't defend.
Edit: there's a fella who plays at Monaco at RB who looks good but if you were to look for a RB I wouldn't mind Livermanto or even bring Williams back if you want PL experience.
Salah is a one in a million transfer success. I don't think you can just say replace him as I don't think you get one for one quality like he's provided the last whatever number of years.
Getting someone somewhat close and improving the level around him probably a more realistic proposal to maintain a top of the table spot.
Right now it's relatively weak up there compared to previous seasons and the other teams are struggling to find difference makers in attack so will be interesting anyway.
Well that's just it, TAA is great at getting forward but an awful defender, so either get like for like or go for a player who is good at both but doesn't excel at either.
Frimpong is even worse defensively though. Better in a full on attacking RB role (bit like Robbo in the early days) and would be faster than TAA. Not nearly as good at passing though.
Frimpong isn't like for like. He's more like a winger. Would suit a 3 at the back system more Trent is a full back who plays his best when he's acting more like a midfielder in possession, inverting into opened space in the middle. They are very different IMO
I've never rated TAA as a defender at all, always thought he'd end up a winger like how Bale went from a LB to a winger.
So both are bad defensively and good going forward? So unless Slot wants a more solid RB it's not a bad shout, losing the attacking threat from the right means a big tactical change is needed.
Surely Liverpool have a fair bit of cash to spend. Last summer was very quiet.
Yep there's a lot of wiggle room. Hence players like Isak being linked.
It's crazy how many players from a potential title-winning squad have question marks over them in terms of staying at the club:
Kelleher (12 months left come summer, new keeper already signed)
Tsimikas (general feeling we can do better)
Robertson (12 months left come summer, getting on in years)
Konaté (12 months left come summer, PSG circling)
Joe Gomez (was linked with a move last summer, injury prone)
Trent Alexander-Arnold (gone)
Virgil van Dijk (contract up)
Mo Salah (contract up)
Wataru Endō (linked with Frankfurt, clearly not a Slot player)
Tyler Morton (general feeling he's not a first team option)
Harvey Elliott (think he's staying long-term personally, but lots of talk around lack of mins under Slot)
Darwin Núñez (general feeling we can do better)
Luis Díaz (itching to go to Spain)
Diogo Jota (injury prone - wouldn't be a surprise if he's available for the right price)
Fererico Chiesa (another I think will stay but again lack of mins has the rumours flying)
And that's before you get to the players out on loan who I don't believe will be coming back to the first team regardless of what you'd think - Ben Doak, Stefan Bajčetic, Nat Phillips (out of contract), Calvin Ramsay, Lewis Koumas
I don't think all above will be leaving, but individually I could see a case for each of them leaving if that makes sense
What's the expected budget for Liverpool in the summer? The lads I know who support them hate FSG saying they rarely spend, the Anfield agenda lad does moan about them a lot too but surely they have to go big this summer as we all know City will go all out again.
The club spends what the club makes, its nothing do with FSG. Too many fans more interested in winning the transfer window than what happens on the pitch.
Anyway there will be a number of incomings but also outgoings, im expecting the attack even if Salah stays to be changed up. Nunez, Diaz and Jota up for transfer and could generate 120m maybe.
Right back will obviously need to be addressed, centre back regardless if Van Dijk resigns, left back is the weakest spot with Robbo getting on.
Midfield will need reinforcement too but I'm expecting Bajcetic to come back from loan.
Interesting times ahead, for a squad that walked the league strangely.
Jesus no, never a winger. Nothing about what Bale did makes me think of Trent. I think Trent is a lot closer to what Beckham had than what Bale had. The wide midfielder role doesn't really exist now in the way the top teams setup. Will be very interesting to see what Real do tactics wise next season because their squad is starting to fill up with the star names but I'm not convinced enough of them will do the hard yards to make it work. Be interesting to see who else they go for this summer to shape their squad.
Valverde
I always thought the same about Trent, a better more mobile version of Beckham
Better than Beckham 🤣 like Wes Brown was ahead of Maldini
Add Jarrell Quansah to the above list. The former Liverpool u18 captain who has been with the England senior camp this international break is rumoured to be interesting Newcastle for £30m
Wonder if Isak or Gordon interest from Liverpool has anything to do with it. "Swaps" as separate transactions are all the rage for PSR these days
