Jeremy Jacquet

[JockStrap]

I somewhat disagree, probably better pay, and in the future chelsea will be very scary

only a few signings away from challenging, and so much potential in that squad it's insane

I'll be very disappointed if he ends up at Chelsea. Madrid I could understand but not another PL team. We've got as much talent, potential and money as any of them.

[Kev0909]

I'll be very disappointed if he ends up at Chelsea. Madrid I could understand but not another PL team. We've got as much talent, potential and money as any of them.

Prime VVD,SALAH & allison would be us anyday but they're coming to a end, just feel chelsea win on the future front at the moment.

[Kev0909]

Any thoughts on bringing quansah back once virgil leaves,surprised he was let go as he looked ready made replacement for virgil.
Had a good season at leverkusen and he's part of 4th best defence in league.

nope because he's not good enough, 4th defence in german league doesn't say much.

Sold him for a reason, shame he didn't want to stay around and be backup though because he's english but understandable

[Insidious]

I'll be very disappointed if he ends up at Chelsea. Madrid I could understand but not another PL team. We've got as much talent, potential and money as any of them.

Wages will be a factor you'd think.

In practical terms we can certainly afford to give a big contract out, given that we know Salah and Van Dijk will depart the club in due course and free up some of the weekly wage budget.

But I think we will be hesitant to give out certain wage packets due to the impact it will have on future renewals, ie "well if he is on this, then surely I am worth THIS?" etc and the large wages we have given to Salah and Van Dijk could have influenced this a bit - or indeed the wages that Isak or Wirtz are on now despite it being their first deals with us.

We might (purely speculation, granted) privately have an idea of a figure (let's say £180k-per-week) that we don't want to exceed, so that 3-5 years from now we don't have four centre-backs that are all simultaneously on £220k-per-week. Konaté may want more than what we are willing to offer and he can point to recent availability, partnering Van Dijk in a title-winning season etc as justification for what he wants.

Entirely made up figures but the gist/premise is there.

Last thing we need is another Salah situation (earned his right to £400k-per-week through excellent service over many years, but the current version absolutely isn't "worth" anything remotely like that) on the books.

[JockStrap]

Wages will be a factor you'd think.

In practical terms we can certainly afford to give a big contract out, given that we know Salah and Van Dijk will depart the club in due course and free up some of the weekly wage budget.

But I think we will be hesitant to give out certain wage packets due to the impact it will have on future renewals, ie "well if he is on this, then surely I am worth THIS?" etc and the large wages we have given to Salah and Van Dijk could have influenced this a bit - or indeed the wages that Isak or Wirtz are on now despite it being their first deals with us.

We might (purely speculation, granted) privately have an idea of a figure (let's say £180k-per-week) that we don't want to exceed, so that 3-5 years from now we don't have four centre-backs that are all simultaneously on £220k-per-week. Konaté may want more than what we are willing to offer and he can point to recent availability, partnering Van Dijk in a title-winning season etc as justification for what he wants.

Entirely made up figures but the gist/premise is there.

Last thing we need is another Salah situation (earned his right to £400k-per-week through excellent service over many years, but the current version absolutely isn't "worth" anything remotely like that) on the books.

I just don't see that myself. Unless Chelsea were offering stupid money why bother? Konate has a chance to stay at LFC, be a leader and guide the new team to success. He could have a potential French superstar playing alongside him for years to come. Then consider the potential of Wirtz, Ekitike, Frimpong, Isak, Kerkez as well as our established players and I think he'd be mad to leave.

I get the whole new challenge and lifestyle in Madrid attraction. But outside of that, what else is there really?

[Insidious]

I just don't see that myself. Unless Chelsea were offering stupid money why bother? Konate has a chance to stay at LFC, be a leader and guide the new team to success. He could have a potential French superstar playing alongside him for years to come. Then consider the potential of Wirtz, Ekitike, Frimpong, Isak, Kerkez as well as our established players and I think he'd be mad to leave.

I get the whole new challenge and lifestyle in Madrid attraction. But outside of that, what else is there really?

I do get what you're saying, but projection of future career opportunity will matter, plus combined with the wages.

Let's say Chelsea offer £50k-per-week more and are in the Champion's League next season while we aren't - he might look at the stockpile of young talent of Chelsea on an upward trajectory and see them as a Champion's League staple for the next five years, whilst looking at us and thinking "Alisson, Van Dijk and Salah will all be leaving soon" and perhaps have doubts about our ability to continue the build of "the next" Liverpool side.

Ignoring the actual wages-per-week side for a second, it wouldn't surprise me if he is biding his time to see how well/poorly the remainder of our season will pan out and whether we're linked with a new Coach or not before he makes a call. We may well go on a run of form (we'd all welcome that!) or we may revert to something closer to that undeniably turgid spell where we got 21 points from 18 games - which was poor by our standard.

Whilst I can't PERSONALLY see the appeal of Chelsea given the inherent bias, he might (?) see them as a better long-term prospect.

Konaté is one of a number of reasons why we need a good finish to the season.

[Steveo]

Is one way of looking at it on Mo but the Salah deal was more than recouped by cashing in on Diaz without a replacement.

Who is the fool that believed Gakpo could possibly affect that flank with anything like the same attacking and defensive capability?

This plays its own part as to why Mo has been struggling. At his age he is more dependent than ever on the extra space… There hasn’t been any real threat at all on the opposing flank and he has been double and triple marked religiously across 90 minutes… He has half the number of touches in the opposition box as last year…

This isn’t all on Mo Salah. But he is an easy target for multiple reasons.

[Kev0909]

Well true, all gakpo does is cut in inside, sometimes gets lucky

I've never seen such a predictable footballer in attack from recent memory, I hope he doesn't start next season but with slot being dutch n all that...

you can even argue Nunez made space for salah and some chaos

I think that's why salah posted that post in the summer, because he thought fans was disrespecting those that left or something- yet they helped his game bigtime, think he misses his pals

[Steveo]

Nothing really wrong with Cody. Just not at the level to be the only option. Rotated well with Diaz last season. Kept the main man fresh and kept opposition guessing.

Nunez did defo make space. He wasn’t at the level as a striker but he created the chaos for others to profit. Gave his all. A quality we have sorely missed this season .

But much of that comes from the manager. It’s easy to get up for a big CL game or the visit of a big Prem rival, but what about at home to Forrest…. Burnley… Away at Bournemouth etc. These are tough games but if you aren’t 100% motivated - in this league you drop points.


Jacquet will have to motivate himself by the looks of things.

[Kev0909]

Nothing wrong apart from being very average and not a starter.....

wouldn't even start for man utd

[JockStrap]

Wirtz & Ekitike are masters of creating and using space already. See the Wirtz interview after the Newcastle game. They are far more effective than Nunez ever was.

Gakpo has done ok this season. He's not the reason VvD can't clear a ball, or Mo can't hit the target.

[teesred]

Is one way of looking at it on Mo but the Salah deal was more than recouped by cashing in on Diaz without a replacement.

Who is the fool that believed Gakpo could possibly affect that flank with anything like the same attacking and defensive capability?

This plays its own part as to why Mo has been struggling. At his age he is more dependent than ever on the extra space… There hasn’t been any real threat at all on the opposing flank and he has been double and triple marked religiously across 90 minutes… He has half the number of touches in the opposition box as last year…

This isn’t all on Mo Salah. But he is an easy target for multiple reasons.

To be truthful I genuinely thought Gakpo would kick on this season and improve on last year where I thought he had a good season overall. He hasn't kicked on though but he's obviously not alone in his form upto now. He's never been quick but his lack of pace has been massively evident, he far too often gives the opposition defence time to regroup and we miss the chance of an effective counter attack.

[teesred]

Yea it's a strange one. He has plenty of good years left at LFC should he choose to stay. Unless it's for somewhere like Real Madrid, why would he leave? Pointless going to Chelsea for example.

Agree, if he does go elsewhere it's money that's his motivation and obviously everyone is motivated by it to an extent but footballers are as greedy as politicians so whilst it'll be disappointing to see him there it wouldn't shock me.
Im biased like most LFC fans but Chelsea are a pure shithouse club with awful fans, very little appeal aside from money and London in my opinion but that's huge draw for football players with no allegiance.

[Steveo]

To be truthful I genuinely thought Gakpo would kick on this season and improve on last year where I thought he had a good season overall. He hasn't kicked on though but he's obviously not alone in his form upto now. He's never been quick but his lack of pace has been massively evident, he far too often gives the opposition defence time to regroup and we miss the chance of an effective counter attack.

Not sure if you have seen him live to compare with Mo or Diaz? I saw him on a few occasions in Klopp's last season and again last season mainly at Anfield. He was always clearly levels below our best wide options. Not a level below - but levels below. Scores in games where we are generally bossing the play ..not a top class player as yet. Big lad - a willing trier...but predictable and limited. Plenty of his goals are what I often refer to as 'benefit in kind'. he has been kept instead of Diaz because on paper it made sense.

I have also hoped he would break out of that mode and start to show a higher ceiling.. but no sign of it as yet. He will probably get more goals and assists this season in the end but he has been played and played and helped at every turn. We need him to make that position his own.. yet despite his only rival being a 17 year old.. he hasn't really. He is only getting the time because we don't have a genuine senior alternative.

[Insidious]

Apparently he's got it all, strength, speed, a bit of a beast, very dominant in the air. Of course what he hasn't got is loads of experience, and in particular experience of the premier league. But I am very optimistic.

He is going to be a Monster with development.

Has moved from a right-centre-back in a back three to being in the middle - so good experience - and is a ball-player that can dictate play (which influenced Rennes making the change) as well as having the athleticism for ball-winning.

There's no such thing as "buying another Van Dijk" and it's hard to know where his "floor" is but his ceiling looks ridiculously, ridiculously high.

Size of him!