The Official Liverpool FC Thread [Vol 12]
Discussion
jammy-git said:
London424 said:
jammy-git said:
Does it really take a leader to have to tell players that they're not in the right position? Firmino look to be standing where he was pretty purposefully.
You'd be surprised. It's much easier when playing zonal, because as you say everyone knows where they should be standing.Things do get messier if things like quick short corners are taken as you'll get in a muddle between the closest man shutting things down vs reorganising to fill the zones.
ETA: also when you get subs. Though they should come onto the pitch with instructions of where they go/who they're marking.
Edited by London424 on Monday 14th August 22:00
And yet it's leadership apparently. We could have Churchillian leadership at the back but it won't matter if the manager (and his coaches) don't set us up properly on set pieces.
cerb4.5lee said:
I foolishly expected pretty big things from him because he's a proven winner...sadly it's not turned out that way, I still much prefer him to Rodgers for sure...although I don't see him winning anything for us either.
I think he's done remarkably well to get us 4th place last season. With that especially thin squad, until the injuries hit us we were competing at the top.Also there has not been a single game where a top 4 side has walked over us.
We all went into this window thinking we'd buy better than Salah to improve our first 11. The failure to get transfers over the line isn't on Klopp.
Just look at the farce on the VvD apology. No one sacked for that. I honestly believe FSG did it on purpose. Another player we were in for but not quite got. Haven't Chelsea now bid for 50 million for him?
At some point we've got to judge FSG on what they're net spend is season after season. They've made a profit in transfers for most of the time Klopp has been here. For him to work under those conditions and still deliver top 4 last season, remarkable. His only first team signings were Wijnaldum, Mane, Karius and Matip on a free.
So far this season we've spent around 50 million. And by the time we've looked at what's come in for Stewart, Lucas, and if we manage to get rid of them, Lazer and Sakho, we will likely once more be in profit.
We've spent an average of 35 million (euros or pounds, can't remember - someone on here had worked it out previously) under FSG. Not a general net gain. If your football management skills are as good as your maths it could explain a bit? You feel they are much higher in net because you make these random lists up selling around 1/2 the squad with random prices attached to each person by yourself each window that never actually happens. So it feels like a smaller net spend than it is.
I for one think Salah is a great signing and likely to be a bit of a bargain considering the price of other players. Obviously we would like a CB and another midfielder, but to be honest I still think the biggest issues are the way we play. Some of which is fine, as it makes it more exciting. Some of which is bad because we concede so many silly goals. I'd actually go for a defensive midfielder, but Klopp clearly doesn't want that - his focus is the team as a whole and pressing further up the pitch.
Any proof no one got fired for VvD? Also Klopp was one of those that seemed to be involved in the tapping up remember,
I don't think it made much difference most likely, since it seems many clubs will not sell their best players and Southhampton are using our tapping up to remove the pressure on them selling VvD.
I for one think Salah is a great signing and likely to be a bit of a bargain considering the price of other players. Obviously we would like a CB and another midfielder, but to be honest I still think the biggest issues are the way we play. Some of which is fine, as it makes it more exciting. Some of which is bad because we concede so many silly goals. I'd actually go for a defensive midfielder, but Klopp clearly doesn't want that - his focus is the team as a whole and pressing further up the pitch.
Any proof no one got fired for VvD? Also Klopp was one of those that seemed to be involved in the tapping up remember,
I don't think it made much difference most likely, since it seems many clubs will not sell their best players and Southhampton are using our tapping up to remove the pressure on them selling VvD.RedTrident said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I foolishly expected pretty big things from him because he's a proven winner...sadly it's not turned out that way, I still much prefer him to Rodgers for sure...although I don't see him winning anything for us either.
I think he's done remarkably well to get us 4th place last season. With that especially thin squad, until the injuries hit us we were competing at the top.Also there has not been a single game where a top 4 side has walked over us.
We all went into this window thinking we'd buy better than Salah to improve our first 11. The failure to get transfers over the line isn't on Klopp.
Just look at the farce on the VvD apology. No one sacked for that. I honestly believe FSG did it on purpose. Another player we were in for but not quite got. Haven't Chelsea now bid for 50 million for him?
At some point we've got to judge FSG on what they're net spend is season after season. They've made a profit in transfers for most of the time Klopp has been here. For him to work under those conditions and still deliver top 4 last season, remarkable. His only first team signings were Wijnaldum, Mane, Karius and Matip on a free.
So far this season we've spent around 50 million. And by the time we've looked at what's come in for Stewart, Lucas, and if we manage to get rid of them, Lazer and Sakho, we will likely once more be in profit.
- The quality of ownership and investment into the club
And
- The tactical issues on the pitch
They are two separate issues being incorrectly considered as one.
We are playing bad not because we haven't signed good players but because technically were not set up well - if we had more expensive players it wouldn't suddenly make our formation technically more appropriate, it would just give have better players (ideologically) in those positions.
Stating we need to net spend more is a throwaway statement that can attribute success to a £ value - we beat the top 4 each year with players who, mentioned, wouldn't get in those teams top 4 apprently. These are players who are good enough to beat Man U, Chelsea, Spurs, City and Arsenal but we should be spending more money on more expensive players so we can beat the likes of Burnley, Watford and Palace? It just doesn't align.
Every year we lose to bottom half teams - what costs us the league isn't results against the other top 6 - it's the mistakes, poor tactics, inability to play against the 'bad' teams in the league.
Thinking that if we have a high net spend well be better is a falsehood of the tactics and gameplay doesn't change first.
I don't disagree we need to spend more £, but that's because we don't have depth and were attack heavy.
The players we have have all proven they can play together and beat the best in the league - they need coaching and set up to beat the worst.
Our issues are in the players heads and on the pitch - not in the boardroom - that's a convenient distraction right now.
How much under Klopp?
And if you think 35 million a season with all the tv money is enough then fine. That's half an Ibe give or take.
As for Salah, I think he'll be a very good signing also, similar fee to Mane and improves the starting 11 which then adds depth to the squad. Much better than buying squad fillers at left back when your first choice left back needs improving on.
No one got fired over VvD because if they had we would have read about it. And if Klopp was involved then whoever was meant to be making sure he wasn't should be sacked.
There is not one single person on here that with a straight face is going to be able to defend this transfer window after what Klopp said at the beginning regarding all the transfers being identified. The transfer team, whoever they are, messed it up or it was done intentionally in the way Everton used to pretend they were really in for players they had no chance getting in.
VvD. After everything that has gone on, why have we not bid for him? Why are we now suddenly looking for a Keita replacement?
My guess by the way. We're waiting to see how much we get for Coutinho and Sakho and then we'll spend that money. if we don't sell Coutinho then we won't be buying anyone else anywhere near our ceiling of c35 imo.
And if you think 35 million a season with all the tv money is enough then fine. That's half an Ibe give or take.
As for Salah, I think he'll be a very good signing also, similar fee to Mane and improves the starting 11 which then adds depth to the squad. Much better than buying squad fillers at left back when your first choice left back needs improving on.
No one got fired over VvD because if they had we would have read about it. And if Klopp was involved then whoever was meant to be making sure he wasn't should be sacked.
There is not one single person on here that with a straight face is going to be able to defend this transfer window after what Klopp said at the beginning regarding all the transfers being identified. The transfer team, whoever they are, messed it up or it was done intentionally in the way Everton used to pretend they were really in for players they had no chance getting in.
VvD. After everything that has gone on, why have we not bid for him? Why are we now suddenly looking for a Keita replacement?
My guess by the way. We're waiting to see how much we get for Coutinho and Sakho and then we'll spend that money. if we don't sell Coutinho then we won't be buying anyone else anywhere near our ceiling of c35 imo.
RedTrident said:
How much under Klopp?
And if you think 35 million a season with all the tv money is enough then fine. That's half an Ibe give or take.
As for Salah, I think he'll be a very good signing also, similar fee to Mane and improves the starting 11 which then adds depth to the squad. Much better than buying squad fillers at left back when your first choice left back needs improving on.
No one got fired over VvD because if they had we would have read about it. And if Klopp was involved then whoever was meant to be making sure he wasn't should be sacked.
There is not one single person on here that with a straight face is going to be able to defend this transfer window after what Klopp said at the beginning regarding all the transfers being identified. The transfer team, whoever they are, messed it up or it was done intentionally in the way Everton used to pretend they were really in for players they had no chance getting in.
VvD. After everything that has gone on, why have we not bid for him? Why are we now suddenly looking for a Keita replacement?
My guess by the way. We're waiting to see how much we get for Coutinho and Sakho and then we'll spend that money. if we don't sell Coutinho then we won't be buying anyone else anywhere near our ceiling of c35 imo.
No idea under Klopp. Someone else had worked out the costs previously. 35 million was quite a lot before the new TV rights etc. Just look at the comments on the waste that Carroll was for example. Also look at the Spuds comments about our high salaries, which is one way of trying to get better players.And if you think 35 million a season with all the tv money is enough then fine. That's half an Ibe give or take.
As for Salah, I think he'll be a very good signing also, similar fee to Mane and improves the starting 11 which then adds depth to the squad. Much better than buying squad fillers at left back when your first choice left back needs improving on.
No one got fired over VvD because if they had we would have read about it. And if Klopp was involved then whoever was meant to be making sure he wasn't should be sacked.
There is not one single person on here that with a straight face is going to be able to defend this transfer window after what Klopp said at the beginning regarding all the transfers being identified. The transfer team, whoever they are, messed it up or it was done intentionally in the way Everton used to pretend they were really in for players they had no chance getting in.
VvD. After everything that has gone on, why have we not bid for him? Why are we now suddenly looking for a Keita replacement?
My guess by the way. We're waiting to see how much we get for Coutinho and Sakho and then we'll spend that money. if we don't sell Coutinho then we won't be buying anyone else anywhere near our ceiling of c35 imo.
Cheap does not mean bad. It'll be interesting to see what Klopp does going forward. I think he does want Moreno to work - he kept him in the squad far longer than we would have previously. As I outlined earlier, I think theorically Moreno is a very good player for Klopp's style (if he sorted his mistakes out).
Not if it is some nobody in the club - which I would suspect given my own experience of people leaking news in tightly controlled environments. We're not in for VvD again because we traded not trying to get him for them not pressing charges against us with a likely resulting transfer ban. I'm almost certain it will be lawyers saying don't do it due to it being properly illegal and so we'd be stuffed. Obviously someone is at fault, but I'd be almost certain a company would have done something about it given the possible impact it could have had. It's not something they'd just ignore.
The window has changed this year. Many clubs are not selling. RB Leipzig clearly want to build on their success so will not sell their best players. Just look at what they have done in other sports to get to the top. A few million extra is nothing, they want to build the best team and will not do that selling their best players. So between an illegal bid, a club that refuses to sell and getting Salah we have 1 of our 3 main targets it seems. Plus we look to be doing to Barca what Leipzig did to us. "No means No". I do feel FSG do not want to sell our best players if possible, but they also will not throw money at anything. Everyone agrees they are doing it for profit - just most people think they try and balance the two. And that money often does not help, as shown by Man U, Chelsea and City to varying degrees recently.
So let's follow this through, if we accept that we can't bid for VvD, we knew this before the window opened. If that is the case, why have we not gone looking for another centre back? We have Matip, Lovren, Klavan and Gomez who has hardly played there at all. For a club with champions league ambitions, how is that enough?
And the net spend under Klopp. My suspicions are that it is close to zero before this window started.
Finally, regarding tactics, I don't think Lovren or Moreno are capable of playing the way Klopp wants, just as Benteke was always going to be a bad fit for us.
I think it's the same with Henderson, he is too one paced to do the defensive work and lacks the drive to carry the ball forward. Can is actually better imo in that deeper role and has a higher ceiling in terms of talent. Although there we have also messed up. He is about to enter his final year of his contract. Again that is inexcusable.
Of all the first 11 players that Klopp has brought in, I think that only Karius has flopped. And here again we paid very small amounts for him.
Baring a flurry of transfer activity, if we go into this season as is then we're going to struggle.
And the net spend under Klopp. My suspicions are that it is close to zero before this window started.
Finally, regarding tactics, I don't think Lovren or Moreno are capable of playing the way Klopp wants, just as Benteke was always going to be a bad fit for us.
I think it's the same with Henderson, he is too one paced to do the defensive work and lacks the drive to carry the ball forward. Can is actually better imo in that deeper role and has a higher ceiling in terms of talent. Although there we have also messed up. He is about to enter his final year of his contract. Again that is inexcusable.
Of all the first 11 players that Klopp has brought in, I think that only Karius has flopped. And here again we paid very small amounts for him.
Baring a flurry of transfer activity, if we go into this season as is then we're going to struggle.
Pommygranite said:
There are 2 distinct issues at play here being merged as one:
- The quality of ownership and investment into the club
And
- The tactical issues on the pitch
They are two separate issues being incorrectly considered as one.
We are playing bad not because we haven't signed good players but because technically were not set up well - if we had more expensive players it wouldn't suddenly make our formation technically more appropriate, it would just give have better players (ideologically) in those positions.
Stating we need to net spend more is a throwaway statement that can attribute success to a £ value - we beat the top 4 each year with players who, mentioned, wouldn't get in those teams top 4 apprently. These are players who are good enough to beat Man U, Chelsea, Spurs, City and Arsenal but we should be spending more money on more expensive players so we can beat the likes of Burnley, Watford and Palace? It just doesn't align.
Every year we lose to bottom half teams - what costs us the league isn't results against the other top 6 - it's the mistakes, poor tactics, inability to play against the 'bad' teams in the league.
Thinking that if we have a high net spend well be better is a falsehood of the tactics and gameplay doesn't change first.
I don't disagree we need to spend more £, but that's because we don't have depth and were attack heavy.
The players we have have all proven they can play together and beat the best in the league - they need coaching and set up to beat the worst.
Our issues are in the players heads and on the pitch - not in the boardroom - that's a convenient distraction right now.
Good post. I agree with Raja about the transfer window, it's been terrible and I bet it doesn't improve. - The quality of ownership and investment into the club
And
- The tactical issues on the pitch
They are two separate issues being incorrectly considered as one.
We are playing bad not because we haven't signed good players but because technically were not set up well - if we had more expensive players it wouldn't suddenly make our formation technically more appropriate, it would just give have better players (ideologically) in those positions.
Stating we need to net spend more is a throwaway statement that can attribute success to a £ value - we beat the top 4 each year with players who, mentioned, wouldn't get in those teams top 4 apprently. These are players who are good enough to beat Man U, Chelsea, Spurs, City and Arsenal but we should be spending more money on more expensive players so we can beat the likes of Burnley, Watford and Palace? It just doesn't align.
Every year we lose to bottom half teams - what costs us the league isn't results against the other top 6 - it's the mistakes, poor tactics, inability to play against the 'bad' teams in the league.
Thinking that if we have a high net spend well be better is a falsehood of the tactics and gameplay doesn't change first.
I don't disagree we need to spend more £, but that's because we don't have depth and were attack heavy.
The players we have have all proven they can play together and beat the best in the league - they need coaching and set up to beat the worst.
Our issues are in the players heads and on the pitch - not in the boardroom - that's a convenient distraction right now.
But we can't ignore the defensive set up for set pieces and Klopp's accountability.
phil_cardiff said:
Pommygranite said:
There are 2 distinct issues at play here being merged as one:
- The quality of ownership and investment into the club
And
- The tactical issues on the pitch
They are two separate issues being incorrectly considered as one.
We are playing bad not because we haven't signed good players but because technically were not set up well - if we had more expensive players it wouldn't suddenly make our formation technically more appropriate, it would just give have better players (ideologically) in those positions.
Stating we need to net spend more is a throwaway statement that can attribute success to a £ value - we beat the top 4 each year with players who, mentioned, wouldn't get in those teams top 4 apprently. These are players who are good enough to beat Man U, Chelsea, Spurs, City and Arsenal but we should be spending more money on more expensive players so we can beat the likes of Burnley, Watford and Palace? It just doesn't align.
Every year we lose to bottom half teams - what costs us the league isn't results against the other top 6 - it's the mistakes, poor tactics, inability to play against the 'bad' teams in the league.
Thinking that if we have a high net spend well be better is a falsehood of the tactics and gameplay doesn't change first.
I don't disagree we need to spend more £, but that's because we don't have depth and were attack heavy.
The players we have have all proven they can play together and beat the best in the league - they need coaching and set up to beat the worst.
Our issues are in the players heads and on the pitch - not in the boardroom - that's a convenient distraction right now.
Good post. I agree with Raja about the transfer window, it's been terrible and I bet it doesn't improve. - The quality of ownership and investment into the club
And
- The tactical issues on the pitch
They are two separate issues being incorrectly considered as one.
We are playing bad not because we haven't signed good players but because technically were not set up well - if we had more expensive players it wouldn't suddenly make our formation technically more appropriate, it would just give have better players (ideologically) in those positions.
Stating we need to net spend more is a throwaway statement that can attribute success to a £ value - we beat the top 4 each year with players who, mentioned, wouldn't get in those teams top 4 apprently. These are players who are good enough to beat Man U, Chelsea, Spurs, City and Arsenal but we should be spending more money on more expensive players so we can beat the likes of Burnley, Watford and Palace? It just doesn't align.
Every year we lose to bottom half teams - what costs us the league isn't results against the other top 6 - it's the mistakes, poor tactics, inability to play against the 'bad' teams in the league.
Thinking that if we have a high net spend well be better is a falsehood of the tactics and gameplay doesn't change first.
I don't disagree we need to spend more £, but that's because we don't have depth and were attack heavy.
The players we have have all proven they can play together and beat the best in the league - they need coaching and set up to beat the worst.
Our issues are in the players heads and on the pitch - not in the boardroom - that's a convenient distraction right now.
But we can't ignore the defensive set up for set pieces and Klopp's accountability.
We still have just over 2 weeks left so am open to not writing it off yet.
What should be noted is that we have openly bid £120m for 2 players and the reason we didn't get them is the selling club not us and also openly turned down all offers for PC - if clubs don't want to sell them were stuck and I am a little bewildered about what more we could do as it seems it's not necessarily the money for the selling club.
You don't need to be bewildered. It's not complicated to identify several players, especially when one has been ruled out before the window was even open.
Also, if you follow the pattern of players that want to leave but the club doesn't want to sell, this has been
- opening offer and club says no
- improved offer at/over the player's value and club still says no
- player agitates for a move
- final bid for a player that is well above value. The selling club is now in an interesting position with the player wanting to leave and an offer well above what he's worth.
Watch Barca get to the last stage and big bid for Coutinho. Same as every other team has when they bought someone the selling club didn't want to sell. If Barca come back with 125 to 150 million, we will sell. I'm certain, regardless of the rhetoric.
We didn't go in with that final bid, when we should have for Keita. After he agitated for a move, when we knew it was worth another bid, we backed off. Again, imo, this is because FSG actually didn't want to spend the money. What harm would a final bid for Keita been?
Also, if you follow the pattern of players that want to leave but the club doesn't want to sell, this has been
- opening offer and club says no
- improved offer at/over the player's value and club still says no
- player agitates for a move
- final bid for a player that is well above value. The selling club is now in an interesting position with the player wanting to leave and an offer well above what he's worth.
Watch Barca get to the last stage and big bid for Coutinho. Same as every other team has when they bought someone the selling club didn't want to sell. If Barca come back with 125 to 150 million, we will sell. I'm certain, regardless of the rhetoric.
We didn't go in with that final bid, when we should have for Keita. After he agitated for a move, when we knew it was worth another bid, we backed off. Again, imo, this is because FSG actually didn't want to spend the money. What harm would a final bid for Keita been?
RedTrident said:
You don't need to be bewildered. It's not complicated to identify several players, especially when one has been ruled out before the window was even open.
Also, if you follow the pattern of players that want to leave but the club doesn't want to sell, this has been
- opening offer and club says no
- improved offer at/over the player's value and club still says no
- player agitates for a move
- final bid for a player that is well above value. The selling club is now in an interesting position with the player wanting to leave and an offer well above what he's worth.
Watch Barca get to the last stage and big bid for Coutinho. Same as every other team has when they bought someone the selling club didn't want to sell. If Barca come back with 125 to 150 million, we will sell. I'm certain, regardless of the rhetoric.
We didn't go in with that final bid, when we should have for Keita. After he agitated for a move, when we knew it was worth another bid, we backed off. Again, imo, this is because FSG actually didn't want to spend the money. What harm would a final bid for Keita been?
To be honest, if we got £150m for Coutinho, I'd flog him too. I think the final offer for him will probably be £105m-£110m. It will be interesting to see what FSG do then. Barca may not come knocking next year.Also, if you follow the pattern of players that want to leave but the club doesn't want to sell, this has been
- opening offer and club says no
- improved offer at/over the player's value and club still says no
- player agitates for a move
- final bid for a player that is well above value. The selling club is now in an interesting position with the player wanting to leave and an offer well above what he's worth.
Watch Barca get to the last stage and big bid for Coutinho. Same as every other team has when they bought someone the selling club didn't want to sell. If Barca come back with 125 to 150 million, we will sell. I'm certain, regardless of the rhetoric.
We didn't go in with that final bid, when we should have for Keita. After he agitated for a move, when we knew it was worth another bid, we backed off. Again, imo, this is because FSG actually didn't want to spend the money. What harm would a final bid for Keita been?
RedTrident said:
You don't need to be bewildered. It's not complicated to identify several players, especially when one has been ruled out before the window was even open.
Also, if you follow the pattern of players that want to leave but the club doesn't want to sell, this has been
- opening offer and club says no
- improved offer at/over the player's value and club still says no
- player agitates for a move
- final bid for a player that is well above value. The selling club is now in an interesting position with the player wanting to leave and an offer well above what he's worth.
Watch Barca get to the last stage and big bid for Coutinho. Same as every other team has when they bought someone the selling club didn't want to sell. If Barca come back with 125 to 150 million, we will sell. I'm certain, regardless of the rhetoric.
We didn't go in with that final bid, when we should have for Keita. After he agitated for a move, when we knew it was worth another bid, we backed off. Again, imo, this is because FSG actually didn't want to spend the money. What harm would a final bid for Keita been?
It's not complicated to understand that Klopp has said time and time again they know who exactly they want for certain positions - they don't have a cast of 5 and will happily take any of them.Also, if you follow the pattern of players that want to leave but the club doesn't want to sell, this has been
- opening offer and club says no
- improved offer at/over the player's value and club still says no
- player agitates for a move
- final bid for a player that is well above value. The selling club is now in an interesting position with the player wanting to leave and an offer well above what he's worth.
Watch Barca get to the last stage and big bid for Coutinho. Same as every other team has when they bought someone the selling club didn't want to sell. If Barca come back with 125 to 150 million, we will sell. I'm certain, regardless of the rhetoric.
We didn't go in with that final bid, when we should have for Keita. After he agitated for a move, when we knew it was worth another bid, we backed off. Again, imo, this is because FSG actually didn't want to spend the money. What harm would a final bid for Keita been?
So we made two offers for Keita and we didn't want to spend the money but Barca have only made two bids for PC and they do?
It's not complicated - you play another bid and you've done 3 and raised up your price with a fourth costing you considerably more if it's to be successful - that's the harm. There's still two weeks to go - that 3rd bid might still be given.
NRS said:
And that money often does not help, as shown by Man U, Chelsea and City to varying degrees recently.
Are you living your life in an alternative universe where these 3 teams have not won trophy after trophy whilst FSG have been in control of us?Chelsea in particular have done amazingly well with their purchases. Alonso and Kante immediately spring to mind last season.
Utd under Moreno will get much stronger this season. And he has delivered them a trophy and Champions League whilst off loading Rooney and some of the other flakey signings,
The only question mark with City is not the quality of their signings, rather it is their manager. Klopp would walk the league if he was in charge there imo.
We have won nothing under FSG. By all means criticise Klopp, but if we're going to criticise our transfers, the only first 11 players he's brought in are
Karius, Matip, Wijnaldum, Mane and Salah.
The club buy the players. Under Klopp our net spend has been close to nothing. There's a world of difference between throwing money at a problem and what we're doing.
Pommygranite said:
RedTrident said:
You don't need to be bewildered. It's not complicated to identify several players, especially when one has been ruled out before the window was even open.
Also, if you follow the pattern of players that want to leave but the club doesn't want to sell, this has been
- opening offer and club says no
- improved offer at/over the player's value and club still says no
- player agitates for a move
- final bid for a player that is well above value. The selling club is now in an interesting position with the player wanting to leave and an offer well above what he's worth.
Watch Barca get to the last stage and big bid for Coutinho. Same as every other team has when they bought someone the selling club didn't want to sell. If Barca come back with 125 to 150 million, we will sell. I'm certain, regardless of the rhetoric.
We didn't go in with that final bid, when we should have for Keita. After he agitated for a move, when we knew it was worth another bid, we backed off. Again, imo, this is because FSG actually didn't want to spend the money. What harm would a final bid for Keita been?
It's not complicated to understand that Klopp has said time and time again they know who exactly they want for certain positions - they don't have a cast of 5 and will happily take any of them.Also, if you follow the pattern of players that want to leave but the club doesn't want to sell, this has been
- opening offer and club says no
- improved offer at/over the player's value and club still says no
- player agitates for a move
- final bid for a player that is well above value. The selling club is now in an interesting position with the player wanting to leave and an offer well above what he's worth.
Watch Barca get to the last stage and big bid for Coutinho. Same as every other team has when they bought someone the selling club didn't want to sell. If Barca come back with 125 to 150 million, we will sell. I'm certain, regardless of the rhetoric.
We didn't go in with that final bid, when we should have for Keita. After he agitated for a move, when we knew it was worth another bid, we backed off. Again, imo, this is because FSG actually didn't want to spend the money. What harm would a final bid for Keita been?
So we made two offers for Keita and we didn't want to spend the money but Barca have only made two bids for PC and they do?
It's not complicated - you play another bid and you've done 3 and raised up your price with a fourth costing you considerably more if it's to be successful - that's the harm. There's still two weeks to go - that 3rd bid might still be given.
- knowing what you want in a certain position is not confined to 1 player. Especially when that one player is not available to us before the window opened.
- Regarding Barca, again if you actually read what I wrote, you will see that I expect Barca to now come in with another bid.
- If there is a 3rd bid from us for Kieta, it will be because we've sold Coutinho and we will be using the money from his sale.
The FSG transfer kitty of spending 150 million this window is imaginary imo (VvD, Kieta, Salah). Sye pointed out we've spent 25 million a season under them. I don't think it will be much different this year.
The harm isn't overpaying for the players you want. The harm is panic buying or worse starting the season with huge gaps but having c250 million sat in the bank from the sale of Coutinho and the money you failed to spend on VvD and Kieta.
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