January 2021

[RedNoodle]

Jeez, sound awful. Still, good to hear you're more or less okay!

Yeah. It's just the other 23+ debilitating and potentially life threatening conditions I have to worry about.

[teesred]

And kevplaining for when he moans! I'm on fire tonight!

Boom. Double whammy there!

[Insidious]

Don't worry i'm sure williams will do great against some of the best strikers in europe

It's a concern, undeniably.

Team game mind. We beat Barcelona 4-0 despite missing 2 of the front 3 for example.

If the centre-backs we have on our long-term shortlist aren't available at present, particularly at a price we feel we can manage/justify given that the pandemic has done to finances, we likely won’t sign one.

We have a system/way of playing. Williams and Phillips know this, having come through with us. A new centre-back who goes straight in, even if more talented, could be learning on the job, unless coming from somewhere with an extremely similar set-up.

Few of our transfer acquisitions have been thrown straight in - Fabinho and Robertson took time. Van Dijk was thrown straight in despite being a January acquisition but he was the exception - others had a pre-season or longer.

I think, rightly or wrongly, one of 3 things happens.

1. A target who was on our long-term, heavily desired list is available at a fair price. We acquire them now rather than Summer.

2. We get a player on loan for a half-season just to have an extra body as an emergency.

3. No purchase, no loan - Williams and Phillips are trusted, with possible "emergency" supplementing of this, such as Henderson playing the occasional game back there as we are numerically alright for those who can do a job (to varying degrees) in midfield when fit - Thiago, Wijnaldum, Ox, Keita, Minamino, Shaqiri, Milner, Jones in rotation is surely enough for 3 positions for 5 months if Hendo is used at centre-back for emergencies and Fabinho remains back there.

I suspect number 3 is what happens. I'd love number 1 to be the case.

[RedNoodle]

If number three happens we will be taking a unnecessary risk, one which could end up have a number of repercussions not just this season, but for the foreseeable future.

[Insidious]

Lisandro Martinez (22, Argentinian, centre-back at Ajax) has apparently covered defensive midfield and left-back during his career.

Can't say I know much about him, but players with that sort of versatility are pretty useful. Was linked with Barca a few weeks ago, though that seems to have gone quiet. Contracted until 2023.

[Insidious]

If number three happens we will be taking a unnecessary risk, one which could end up have a number of repercussions not just this season, but for the foreseeable future.

I understand the concern. Suspect Klopp will want a centre-back that will actually get games once the injury crisis is over - ideally someone who can push Gomez and Matip down the pecking order - and acquiring that player in a January window during a Pandemic that influences finances (even Ed Woodward has said Man United must be "disciplined" in their spending and the LOVE over-spending) at a price that doesn't give other clubs the idea that Liverpool will over-spend (and thus reduces our future negotiating power) is a tricky juggle.

[Steveo]

It is always tricky when you know that bringing in an emergency player will stop you buying projected targets. Yes times are unprecedented- global pandemic etc. But summer 2019 they were unprecedented too.. Bills had to be paid... Can’t keep looking for excuses.

It’s called working with a restricted budget - statistically the 14th most restricted budget in league over the last 5 years.

No point pretending otherwise.

[Balinkay]

Completely balanced out by the second highest wage bill.

[CCTV]

Completely balanced out by the second highest wage bill.

Which is in part due to bonuses from winning Big Titles and continued CL participation. Driving sales and increasing our commercial appeal/brand.
Wages remain healthy in terms of their ratio to turnover, which has increased steadily.

[CCTV]

It's a concern, undeniably.

Team game mind. We beat Barcelona 4-0 despite missing 2 of the front 3 for example.

If the centre-backs we have on our long-term shortlist aren't available at present, particularly at a price we feel we can manage/justify given that the pandemic has done to finances, we likely won’t sign one.

We have a system/way of playing. Williams and Phillips know this, having come through with us. A new centre-back who goes straight in, even if more talented, could be learning on the job, unless coming from somewhere with an extremely similar set-up.

Few of our transfer acquisitions have been thrown straight in - Fabinho and Robertson took time. Van Dijk was thrown straight in despite being a January acquisition but he was the exception - others had a pre-season or longer.

I think, rightly or wrongly, one of 3 things happens.

1. A target who was on our long-term, heavily desired list is available at a fair price. We acquire them now rather than Summer.

2. We get a player on loan for a half-season just to have an extra body as an emergency.

3. No purchase, no loan - Williams and Phillips are trusted, with possible "emergency" supplementing of this, such as Henderson playing the occasional game back there as we are numerically alright for those who can do a job (to varying degrees) in midfield when fit - Thiago, Wijnaldum, Ox, Keita, Minamino, Shaqiri, Milner, Jones in rotation is surely enough for 3 positions for 5 months if Hendo is used at centre-back for emergencies and Fabinho remains back there.

I suspect number 3 is what happens. I'd love number 1 to be the case.

Matip, Gini, Karius, Mane, Mo, Ox, Virgil, Alisson, Keita, Jota (displacing front 3) & Thiago have all featured early once signed up.

Fabinho and Robbo the exceptions. Not sure you can make the case that either really needed to be held in reserve. Just what happened. Robbos only played as the best LB in the world and Fabinho has been boss too and highly coveted at the time.

VVD's injury should see us go for option 1. We have ambitions to win both big titles, Lovren freed up a space on the roster but with Virgils absence we have an issue at cb with our other 2 other senior cbs regularly unavailable.

In midfield Hendo is a secret sauce you don't want playing CB in a CL crunch game. Fabinho in midfield is our no1 for tackles and interceptions, whilst being our best aerially.
Milner could be at fullback and all of a sudden you have 2 cms at cb, another at fullback and Gini the only 6/cm in the side. Not exactly the sort of options to see out a second leg.

Not sure there are many loan options out there tbh.