* Liverpool 2024-2025 thread *

17,352 Views | 339 Replies | Last: 7 hrs ago by AG@RICE
jeffk
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AG
New manager, new season!

Going to be a really interesting season as we have Champions League back on our fixture list and we might see some significant roster changes as the transition to the Arne Slot era begins.

How are we feeling about things moving forward? Any predictions about outgoing or incoming players?
hoosierAG
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In!

No idea what to expect really and just going to let it unfold...especially the players leaving and acquistions. However, as much as I wish Klopp wasn't leaving I do think a change was needed (especially with him saying as much and himself having an empty tank) and it showed this season at times. I want to be clear, I have no idea how you replace Klop (you don't really) and by no means do I think this change will be actually better for us. But change is inevitable and can be good. I also like Edwards and Hughes being back and what that they can do, so I am feeling good on that front.

What I am not feeling good about is the $$ for transfers ,etc. as we all know Liverpool goes the moneyball route. Not that that is all bad by any means as stupid spending doesn't work either. But more support is needed here, and it just isn't going to happen most likely.

Fam and I will be at the Liverpool vs Man U in SC, so that will be the next live action I see and pumped to go see that.
YNWA.2013
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It still does not seem real. But I am so happy I got to see Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool at their absolute peak. For 2-3 years there in 2018-2021, Liverpool were the best team on the planet. Thank you Jurgen for leading our club, thank you fro dreaming right along with us, and thank you for being an exemplary human being with a kind heart.

Arne Slot has some big shoes to fill. But with Michael Edwards working behind the scenes I am begrudgingly and cautiously optimistic.

As is usually the case, I do not expect much activity from us in the transfer market. I think focus will be spent on renewing VvD and TAA. And then figuring out what to do with Mo Salah. You know Saudi Arabia is going to come hard for him. He has said all the right things, saying he will "fight like hell" for Liverpool next season. But I think it will ultimately come down to what Edwards want to do. I think you try to extend his contract and if terms cannot be met, sell him this summer for likely 125M+ GBP. There has also been rumors of the Saudis coming for Alisson. They can offer whatever they want, he is not for sale, imo.

There have also been mumblings that Barcelona want Alexis Mac Allister and that there is a 60M GBP release clause in his contract. I can't imagine we put a release clause the low in there and, even if we did, I do not know how Barcelona could swing it with their alleged financial situation. Luis Diaz is also reportedly being kept tabs on by Barcelona. I understand the sentiment of wanting to play for Barcelona especially as most of these guys were kids during peak Barca time. But now? The club is a dumpster fire and I, personally, would stay away as a player.

I expect Caoimhin Kelleher to push for a move. He has been a very reliable No. 2 and, at 25 years old, deserves a chance to try to make it as a No. 1 somewhere. Signing a replacement would then have to happen. Adrian's contract expires next month too...

And then there is the Darwin Nunez situation. The guy has load of potential. He misses a lot of shots but continues to consistently find himself in positions to take shots. If he can figure out how to score the tap in or the "easier" goals, the sky is the limit for him. If Liverpool are forced to sell either Diaz or Nunez, I think Diaz is the odd man out as he would fetch the better combination of higher fee + replacement costs. Could Ben Doak stay injury free and step up in a role here? With Salah, Diaz, Nunez, Cody Gakpo, and Diogo Jota, the forward room is crowded. I think a decision needs to be made whether you think Doak can compete at this level.

Decisions will have to made up and down the depth chart. None bigger, I think, than Fabio Carvalho. He has proved at Fulham and Hull City that there is a really good player in there. Does he have what it takes to play first team football at a club like Liverpool? Tyler Morton had a very good season at Hull as well. Has he done enough to merit regular first team action or is he better served with another year out on loan?

Who would I want to sign? Teun Koopmeiners of Atalanta has caught my eye this season. I think we're gonna need a new LB soon so I'd address that here, if possible. I like Antonee Robinson, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Milos Kerkez, and Lloyd Kelly (who would be a free transfer). I also like Santiago Gimenez if we are in the market for a striker. And lastly, Mohammed Kudus from West Ham and Michael Olise from Palace would slide in nicely in our attack I think.
AG@RICE
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YNWA.2013
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I saw this YouTube video put out by Sky Sports where they rank every Klopp signing who made at least 30 appearances.

Ranking EVERY Liverpool signing under Jurgen Klopp - Saturday Social

I think their "temperature" rating was weird so I'm just gonna straight up rank them. Feel free to disagree and discuss. It's the offseason, what else are we supposed to do?

26. Keita
25. Karius
24. Klavan
23.Gravenberch
22. Minamino
21. Tsimikas
20. Szobozlai
19. Endo
18. Gakpo
17. Nunez
16. Thiago
15. Shaqiri
14. Ox
13. Diaz
12. Konate
11. Elliott
10. Mac Allister
9. Fabinho
8. Matip
7. Wijnaldum
6. Jota
5. Robertson
4. Mane
3. Alisson
2. Van Dijk
1. Salah

I agree with a lot of what the guy said, I think I might have switched a few around but this is my list. Keita is the worst signing for me. I never saw what others saw in him and for what the price tag was, he was never going to live up to that. In my eyes, Salah is the best signing. Pound for pound value, it's hard to argue against for me. VvD and Alisson transformed our defense, but Salah put this team into elite status. I wouldn't push back too hard if you switched anybody between numbers 12-19. These rankings are also based on impact while at Liverpool. Like Thiago is not the 16th best footballer on this list. He's obviously in the top 5 but he was just so injured all the time and I think we'll always wonder what could have been.
eiggA2002
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AG
End of an era and the beginning of a new one! Pumped for a fresh start. We'll never forget our time with Jurgen. What a ride!

I'm honestly more excited about having Edwards back than anything else. He's good for at least one, come out of nowhere signing that is awesome. I agree, we'll work on new deals for VVD and Trent. I tend to think Mo is back, which likely means some sort of extension.

If Arne Slot inverts TAA and puts Salah as a linesman like we did for the last half of the season, I will tear my eyes out. That was Lijnders' doing. Brutal. If TAA moves to midfield we've got to have someone (Bradley) provide the width at RB and not Mo.

We need some depth and if Kelleher goes, we'll need to sign a backup keeper. Need some midfield cover and gosh we could strengthen in a lot of places, but also don't see any major outgoings. And yes, I'd sell Diaz over Darwin in a New York minute. Darwin isn't going anywhere. I'd reckon Diaz stays (and hope he does) unless he forces his way out. Fees for wingers/forwards are just insane and we'd have to pay a lot (probably more then we'd get) for someone who is likely less proven and experienced than Diaz. So much wait and see with Slot and what he's got in mind positionally.

Excited for next season. YNWA!
ChipFTAC01
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YNWA.2013 said:

I saw this YouTube video put out by Sky Sports where they rank every Klopp signing who made at least 30 appearances.

Ranking EVERY Liverpool signing under Jurgen Klopp - Saturday Social

I think their "temperature" rating was weird so I'm just gonna straight up rank them. Feel free to disagree and discuss. It's the offseason, what else are we supposed to do?

26. Keita
25. Karius
24. Klavan
23.Gravenberch
22. Minamino
21. Tsimikas
20. Szobozlai
19. Endo
18. Gakpo
17. Nunez
16. Thiago
15. Shaqiri
14. Ox
13. Diaz
12. Konate
11. Elliott
10. Mac Allister
9. Fabinho
8. Matip
7. Wijnaldum
6. Jota
5. Robertson
4. Mane
3. Alisson
2. Van Dijk
1. Salah

I agree with a lot of what the guy said, I think I might have switched a few around but this is my list. Keita is the worst signing for me. I never saw what others saw in him and for what the price tag was, he was never going to live up to that. In my eyes, Salah is the best signing. Pound for pound value, it's hard to argue against for me. VvD and Alisson transformed our defense, but Salah put this team into elite status. I wouldn't push back too hard if you switched anybody between numbers 12-19. These rankings are also based on impact while at Liverpool. Like Thiago is not the 16th best footballer on this list. He's obviously in the top 5 but he was just so injured all the time and I think we'll always wonder what could have been.


I started to critique this when I saw Keita at the bottom, but thinking about $/productive minutes and seeing who's above him, it's not a terrible guess. Like you said you might quibble a place or two on some of them but generally have the tranches correct. Mo is definitely #1 for me. Virg and Alisson are obviously world class but you knew you were buying Rolls Royce's when you got them.

And I think a lot of the new guys, their story remains to be written. For what we paid for Mac, he could get up to top 5ish on this list. I still think Sboz is incredible with his tiny feet.
AG@RICE
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For me, VVD has to be #1. I don't think any of our recent success happens without big Virgil. Klopp is attributed with changing the attitude and culture of Liverpool, but to me Virgil was equally important. His first full year at the club we finished second to city and allowed a league lowest 22 goals. You could instantly see his impact on our defense. We went from sieve to water tight in one transfer.

Virgil is more than just a great defender, he is an organizer and tempo setter for the entire defense and midfield. Historically, the team was highly successful when VVD was at his best and struggled when he was off the pace. Liverpool goes as Virgil goes. You could replace anyone on that list with someone 10% worse and Liverpool probably would have similar outcomes as long as Virgil was there. He has had so many partners and all of them look like world beaters next to him. That's no accident, everyone plays better next to VVD. I honestly don't want to see him leave the club for years to come. He can lose several steps and still be a top 10 CB in the prem because of his mind and leadership.

I'd actually put Alisson 2nd. Ali allowed us to push the entire team forward because of his passing and confidence on the ball. That shift in field position dramatically improved our ability to counter press.

Salah is a great footballer, but I've got him 3rd on my list and nearly equal to Sadio in my mind. Bobby and Sadio created the system that allowed Salah to flourish. Prior to Salah's arrival Bobby and Mane built a beautiful partnership which caused defenders to collapse on them in the middle of the park. Our squad desperately needed a winger who could exploit all of the space made by Bobby and Mane's industry. Salah's approach and mentality allowed him to fit perfectly into that spot. The three of them were perfect complements and its telling that all 3 have fallen off since breaking up.

I also would have Fabinho much higher on that list, probably behind Robo. I'm a sucker for a good defensive midfielder and in his prime Fabinho was a special #6. He filled all of the classic roles of a #6 such as clean distribution, intelligent defending and excellent ball recovery/retention, but he was also a very big lad. He would routinely fall back between the CBs and cut off all direct routes to goal.

jeffk
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AG
Mo shaved his head. Do with that information what you will.
concac
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jeffk said:

Mo shaved his head. Do with that information what you will.
Less drag so he's gonna be faster.
OregonAggie
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AG
I'm quite excited and optimistic about what Slit can do. Not saying he's surely going to bring us hardware but he has every chance of doing it. His system isn't too far off of Klopp's so I don't think there's going to be a huge reshuffle on the roster.

TAA - You can't let him go and he'll be given a massive contract.

VVD - 50/50 as to what he wants to do and that's what it comes down to. I think Slot being Dutch helps our odds though.

Salah - I've been quite consistent in saying we need to sell him over the last year. Amazing player and he's going to be playing great at a high level again next year, but we need to cash in. The money we make in a sale can be transformational for this roster just like the Coutinho sale was.

We need at least 1 more CB and we need a young replacement at LB for Robbo. We also need an incoming 6 to replace/compete with Endo and Bajetic. Slot uses a double pivot with 2 DMs.

I watched a few YouTube videos on Slot (I know…this make me an expert now hahaha) and it was reported that he's excited to work with Nunez. If that's the case, I could see us cashing in on Diaz but that's only if we keep Salah. Is we sell Mo, we can't really afford to sell any of the other front line players IMO
RossG_2
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AG
Slot is officially in charge.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C7Mjltrt-bO/?igsh=a21zbjNsOWFiZXA=
RossG_2
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AG
Seeing Alisson playing at Kyle is incredible.
jeffk
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AG
Seeing Luis run at the USMNT backline was un-fun too.
hoosierAG
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AG
RossG_2 said:

Seeing Alisson playing at Kyle is incredible.


That was really, really cool. Turned it on about 20 minutes and it was my wife who caught that it was Alisson in goal and got excited. Completely didn't snap to him potentially being there for some reason.
RossG_2
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AG
I'd been pondering going to the game the whole day but didn't decide to go until 6:15 - and we're an hour drive away. Snagged the two cheapest tickets I could get for my five year old step daughter and me. Made it just in time to walk in while the Brazilian national anthem was going. It was electric in there.

Toward the end we snuck down to the second row corner end zone where Alisson was. Saw him give up the second goal but I yelled some words of encouragement that I like to think cheered him up.
ChipFTAC01
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AG
Listening to a pod last about Alan Hansen. In thr 78-79 season Liverpool conceded 16 goals and only 4 at Anfield. In a 42 game season
ChipFTAC01
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AG
Listening to some pre-Euro podcasts and they kept talking about John McGinn as Scotland captain. Was really confused because Robbo has been captain since 2018. Anything to that? He has the armband today
YNWA.2013
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Robertson is 100% the Scotland National Team captain
ChipFTAC01
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AG
Probably just stupid Gary Neville
YNWA.2013
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Of course we open the season Away to a newly promoted team. Portman Road is gonna be rocking!

AG@RICE
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AG
Bump for our boy Cody. Looking forward to Slot getting this type of performance from him.
jeffk
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AG
He's carrying this Netherlands team.

Darwin and Diaz are having really solid summers too.
YNWA.2013
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Playing out wide on the left side seems to be his best position. It's also the best position for like 2-3 of our players. It'll be interesting to see how our summer business goes and what team Slot has to work with when the transfer window closes.
-FTA c/o 2013
OregonAggie
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AG
I want us to sign Conceio. This dude is pretty impressive.
jeffk
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AG
Finally managed to find and purchase a 2017 NB away kit. Always have liked that one and should have gotten it back in the day. Love the 125 year Anfield stitching design on the badge.
YNWA.2013
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Pic?
-FTA c/o 2013
jeffk
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AG
YNWA.2013
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Niiiice
-FTA c/o 2013
jeffk
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AG
Please ignore how much gray is in my scruff now.
gougler08
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AG
How long is Nunez going to get suspended?
jeffk
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Idk if any sort of discipline would be just for international duty or if it could carry over to league matches.
Crispin Torque
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Beyond any kind of suspension, I have trouble seeing him staying in good standing all season.

All the reasons he was riding the bench by May were on full display last night. I just dont have any faith he can keep it all together and produce like he needs to.
eiggA2002
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AG
If drunk Colombians were assaulting my wife and infant child, I'd have done much worse that what Darwin did.

He's definitely emotional and has to balance that out, but the other day shouldn't define him as a person. Let's face it, he's got competition for a spot and he's got to earn his place in the team.

Suarez got a couple of bans for biting and one was in a World Cup, so FIFA probably has the jurisdiction to suspend Darwin.
hoosierAG
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AG
I know it's crazy rumor and clickbait transfer season, but a lot of perhaps serious smoke about TAA and Real Madrid at the moment.
 
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