The Gutter is back with Rob Gutmann going through all the transfers Liverpool have been linked with.
Joined by Paul Senior, Adam Smith and Neil Atkinson the focus this week is on both defence and attack.
All the big names…
– The Gutter descends into the depths of tabloid transfer tittle-tattle and website waffle. It can be murky down here, but we look to give you our assessment of what might be the flaming torch of truth in the darkness – and what could just be flaming nonsense. Subscribe – it’s only a fiver a month. Minimum sign up is only one month. For more information on a subscription, click here.
I’ve been saying for years Liverpool can’t attract the best players and that Liverpool fans have over stated how much of a big club we are. We are but as I always say – there’s no professional player playing today who remembers us winning the league. Some may have a vague memory but we won’t be interested in them.
I think that’s changed quite dramatically. As mentioned on the show, it’s not just Klopp but he is the catalyst that pulls all the strands together.
Players watched the Europa, they saw the Prem table at Christmas. The may have followed the League Cup over the last 2 seasons. It insinuates we’re becoming contenders. We should have CL footy. That in itself suggests we’re progressing. People saw the Dortmund game. They saw the coach welcome and the atmosphere. Players want that adulation. Also, and importantly, they start looking at Barca and Real and think Mascherano, Alonso, Suarez. They all know Coutinho. They saw Torres. Mane and Firmino are probably quite big stars now across the footballing world. Players can see what happens to many players who play for us. They become big. Klopp is big news. People have their eye on us again like never before in our recent past except for around 2007/09. I know deep down why we didn’t get Sanchez et al. The landscapes changed since then. This summer is the summer we have to capitalise. All our stars are aligned. We have to take the next step and that means buy some of these big players who are finally in our grasp. We always say it but this is the summer we have to take a leap in our transition from has beens to England’s elite club.
For me it’s all about the strength in depth and not in the sense of having talent on the bench. I think the bulk of our back up players need to be of a requisite quality to be pushing for first team football; two players (at least) in each position.
GK: Mignolet, Karius.
RB: Clyne, Alexander-Arnold.
CB: Matip, new lad (Van Dijk/Koulibaly/take your pick), Lovren, Klavan, Gomez.
LB Milner, Sessegnon.
Mid 3: Hendo, Lallana, Wijnaldum, Can, Lucas, Keita, maybe Coutinho if he drops deep.
Front 3: Coutinho, Firmino, Mane, Origi – Salah & another lad with pace (Douglas Costa/Brandt/add as applicable) or Salah & a Lacazette-type if you’re going to rebuild the team in the image of a striker of his standing.
What we need is lads to supplement what we have to the standard we already have it, or (in the case of CB) improve it. We need someone with Mane’s pace to play alongside or instead of Mane. We need someone who sets the tempo in the way Hendo does when he inevitably gets injured; someone who can do that role in a way Can or Lucas or Wijnaldum just can’t. As has been said on various shows, Wij and Can are great at playing at the pace set around them, but neither is really capable of setting the tone themselves.
Up the lavish reds making it rain in the transfer market.
I think Salah would be a great addition but as he is a predominately right winger who “can” play left I’d be slightly concerned as we already have Mané to play right wing.
I’d prefer to get someone of his quality for the left wing. Douglas Costa?
One thing is for sure, we NEED more speed in this team particularly in the final third.
I’m also slightly concerned with the plan to stick with Milner at left back and use Sessengnon as back up. He’s generally quite solid but attacking wise he does my nut in a bit. Rarely getting past the fullback and constantly having to cut back onto his right makes us extremely narrow and predictable down that side.
In this system the fullbacks provide the width. Ours either cut inside or can’t deliver a decent ball.
We need players of the calibre of VVD Lacazette Kieta Jonas we can win things with these additions not player’s from Hull or Boro they went down for a reason critical to spend big on quality play CL football or we fall behind and become mid table team
Whilst I get your point, sometimes teams who get relegated have the odd good player. Carrick is still under rated by some Utd fans but he’s been huge for them. So was Roy Keane.