Minamino

[Insidious]

Many players look good in pre-season often or not because we're against a weak side or, a weak fielded side.

what makes you think he can suddenly turn class for us when he couldn't even start at southampton?

Christ we're desperate

A Japanese speaker with no English joins a club mid-season and the World ends up coming to a standstill. Ends up on loan, whilst still learning the new tongue, amongst another group where his language isn't reverberating around the dressing room. It's hardly like a Brazilian coming to Anfield and having Firmino, Alisson, Fabinho and Adrian to talk to right away to settle in.

I understand a sense of urgency when it comes to players needing to perform for us, but I would be giving more leeway to Minamino than almost any player in World Football given the circumstances surrounding his arrival and opening months with us.

Let's see what happens.

[Kev0909]

Hasn't woodburn been class too? does that mean he's suddenly awesome?

Glad we've got these players to bring it home.

To be fair I see he did score once in league one.

[eggy81]

Hasn't woodburn been class too? does that mean he's suddenly awesome?

Glad we've got these players to bring it home.

To be fair I see he did score once in league one.

He has to be fair. Look there’s a fair chance we flatter to deceive and don’t have a good season especially with a few injuries to key players. I’m just saying that the condition we are in and brand of football we are attempting to play in pre season has somewhat alleviated my feeling of doom and gloom around transfers. A sort of “ maybe they do know what they are doing” type of vibe. Clarkson looked absolutely boss yesterday. Let’s smash Norwich and get off to a flier.

[Insidious]

Hasn't woodburn been class too? does that mean he's suddenly awesome?

Glad we've got these players to bring it home.

To be fair I see he did score once in league one.

I honestly don't know how you survived Hodgson being our boss Or perhaps that's what made you this way.

Minamino doesn't need to be awesome - he's 5th or 6th choice forward. He simply needs to contribute. Press, cover spaces, run, provide the odd goal or assist when the others aren't firing. We aren't (and won't be) a side which has a £60m back-up in every position on the pitch and that is totally grand.

I mean this sincerely - try to enjoy the season ahead - it's meant to provide an escape from the drudgery, not weigh you down.

[Kev0909]

How can I comment on the season ahead without a ball being kicked???

Just saying it would be nice to compete without having to hope Minamino suddenly becomes class, when everyone didn't have a good word to say about him last season, fickle as fuck. oh and super ben woodburn......

Other teams must be laughing at us.

Even leicester have done more in the market, with some very good signings, at a resonable price.

Minamino to carry us into top 4 happy days!!!!

But yeah, bigup FSG, while we fall further down the table, Klopp must be getting fed up behind the scenes, probably think's hes managing Newcastle.....

[LEGS]

We were pretty poor last season for a big chunk of the last season and still finished 3rd.

I want to see us challenge for the title but its going to be hard even if we did spend due to the sums City and now Chelsea are throwing around.

If City get Kane that will be around £350-370m spent from last summer and maybe sales of £100m if they can shift Silva.

City are strong favourites obviously but they will get zero praise from me and im comfortable with that statement.

[Insidious]

Couldn't find a more recent Taki thread, apologies if I have missed one.

7 goals and made 1 assist in 19 appearances for us this season. The lad was 5th or 6th choice, probably 6th or 7th choice now.

In terms of minutes, he's played 801 - so 114 minutes per goal at the moment.

Firmino is about 161 minutes per goal and Mane is about 205 minutes per goal.

This is not a post to say that Taki is brilliant/perfect for us/better than our other options. However, this is a post to say that our 5th/6th/7th choice forward could very well finish the season having scored 10 goals (which is bonkers if he gets there) having arrived for a modest fee, in a completely different culture, with his arrival coming during a Pandemic, playing for modest wages.

He'll likely end up being sold for a profit (with said funds used to assist the purchase of a better fit to our ever-evolving puzzle) or decide to stay and happily accept a bit-part role akin to Origi's, contributing here and there with the odd goal in the Cups.

He takes more stick than he should and he hopefully can reach those double digits this season.

[LFC-DPG]

I agree Sid and double digits would be an excellent return for a 5th / 6th choice forward.

Personally I’d rather keep him if he’s happy playing the bit part role he currently has but I think a decent offer would see him leave.

[faridtoxteth]

Couldn't find a more recent Taki thread, apologies if I have missed one.

7 goals and made 1 assist in 19 appearances for us this season. The lad was 5th or 6th choice, probably 6th or 7th choice now.

In terms of minutes, he's played 801 - so 114 minutes per goal at the moment.

Firmino is about 161 minutes per goal and Mane is about 205 minutes per goal.

This is not a post to say that Taki is brilliant/perfect for us/better than our other options. However, this is a post to say that our 5th/6th/7th choice forward could very well finish the season having scored 10 goals (which is bonkers if he gets there) having arrived for a modest fee, in a completely different culture, with his arrival coming during a Pandemic, playing for modest wages.

He'll likely end up being sold for a profit (with said funds used to assist the purchase of a better fit to our ever-evolving puzzle) or decide to stay and happily accept a bit-part role akin to Origi's, contributing here and there with the odd goal in the Cups.

He takes more stick than he should and he hopefully can reach those double digits this season.

But Sid, those stats are deceptive. He played a lot of cup games against lower league opposition, whereas Sadio is always picked to play in the toughest matches.

[Insidious]

But Sid, those stats are deceptive. He played a lot of cup games against lower league opposition, whereas Sadio is always picked to play in the toughest matches.

We need options against the weaker opposition so we can give Mane etc rests here and there.

Minamino is, for the moment, doing the job that's expected of him essentially - contributing to team performances in the Cups and getting some goals here and there.

If he keeps it up, he can either contribute for us in the same role next season (by which time he will be even more adjusted than he is now) or will have retained some value, meaning we can sell and put the money towards positions where we may feel an upgrade is required, such as a new midfielder or possibly a back-up to Trent so that he is challenged in the same way Robertson is by Tsimikas.

Either way, I think it's currently working out for a now 6th/7th choice player (Firmino, Mane, Salah, Jota, Diaz all ahead of him) acquired for £7.25m or so.

Hopefully a goal or assist for him in due course against Norwich.