Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2024/25

That's the decision to be made… we likely have the money to buy first choice guys in some positions, and backups in others. We probably don't have the money to buy first choice starters in every position we're looking at. So you have to choose which positions are prioritised with starters, and which can make do with more flexible backups.

The way our backs play, as evidenced by today’s march, as box to box creatives. They often need to be replaced during a game.

Nobody at the club has said Trent is leaving, why wouldn't they start him?

Bonjour surely?

I'd have thought "Salut".

Bonjour is no use for those evening games.

One of the things Slot mentioned was how useful it is to have players who can cover multiple positions. I wonder if they will look for a centre back who can cover right back.

If they can get 2 defenders and a centre forward I think it'd be a good summer. Anything else depends on outgoings.

You're mistaken about Bacjetic. He has been short on match sharpness but in the big games against Barcelona and Atletico he was a standout player for Las Palmas. He didn't put a foot wrong against Atletico when Las Palmas beat them at the weekend.

On Saturday, he played the full 90 minutes for the second successive game which is an indication that he is regaining his match fitness, that is what the loan this season was all about.

Hopefully he'll play the majority of their remaining 6 games and come back to pre-season in a good mindset. In terms of his skill, he is levels beyond any of the midfield prospects coming through the academy and is more than deserving of a chance in the first team.

The issue for me is that he is not ready to displace any of the first choice midfielders so he won't get the minutes that he needs for his development. Another loan next season to a club such as Bournemouth if they qualify for a European competition would be best for him.

If he doesn't get the loan then filling in for a midfielder or in the right back position is an option. He has the athleticism to get up and down the pitch, a great range of passing and he doesn't give the ball away easily so he has the components to be the box-to-box midfielder that happens to line up in the fullback position.

I still hold hope that Trent signs a new contract, which is likely a decent bump in his wages. Not likely, but I'm not completely ruling it out.

I don't think Tsimikas leaves either, instead Robbo going wouldn't surprise me.

Interesting situations to watch will be Joe Gomez and Diogo Jota

There's also players on loan who likely don't have a future - Beck, Ramsay, Mrozek, Stephenson, Gordon, Doak, Koumas, Scanlon, Chambers and Rhys Williams. None would be missed if sold, though not a massive wage impact.

Jayden Danns and James McConnell likely will go out on loan

Nallo, Nyoni and Ngumoha will surely be given the chance to step up in preseason - you'd think it could be a massive opportunity to any of them who impresses

And lastly I think Endo will go back to Germany and for the same amount of wages I think we can attract someone decent

Yep true, I fully expect he wants to stay. I just think Slot genuinely rates Tsimikas. His set piece and open play delivery has greatly improved this season and he's always been a decent defender

Keys is such a bitter man

I thought we were the challengers..

I don't think our midfield has been running on empty lately. We absolutely dominated the ball and the middle of the park most games we play.

I don't think it's the case that they are running on empty. Without Alexander-Arnold or Bradley at right back the team was missing a runner on the right. As the season has progressed Robertson has become less effective on the left.

The full back positions play a significant role in the way Slot likes the team to play. The knock on effect is that there is no opportunity for overloads out wide in the final third, or diagonal runs from deep. Coupled with a pedestrian in the #9 position leaves us looking devoid of ideas.

An injection of pace coupled with a goal threat in place of Jota/Diaz would make a huge difference. What Chiesa did to offend Slot is anybody's guess. A front three of Gakpo, Salah and Chiesa would add an element of danger to the front line and give the team a new lease of life.

This is so depressing to read.

Why always look for a glass half full?

Its not Slots miracle. He didn't take a team that just avoided relegation and turn them into PL winners a la Ranieri, that was a miracle. Slot is an experienced (albeit not PL experienced) 46 year old manager who FSG identified as a good successor to take Klopps rebuild forward and that's exactly what he's done. He may have overachieved relative to expectations in year one but it's far from a miracle, the foundations were in place as evidenced by the fact he only bought one player who has barely got a look in.

Why not give FSG some credit for overseeing a smooth transition instead of accusing them of wanting to buy more time to extract more from this group whatever that's supposed to mean?

Can't you just enjoy the fact we've got the best owners in the league who make calm long term commercially sustainable decisions and get far more right than any other club without putting the future of the club at risk a la the Glazers who needed a bale out for Man Utd from Jim Ratcliffe or they would have literally run out of cash last Xmas just gone.

Just think about that as you watch the PL celebrations instead of contorting yourself into a knot trying to find a way to criticise owners who have overseen 2 X PL titles and Champions League win during their reign and long may it continue.