Your 2022-2023 season's expectations and aspirations

[Steveo]

Perhaps - but that system won't work again imo. It has a short shelf life. It isn't top level football. It's power play. Where is the next Coutinho to sell to get the money to get the next world class trio in?

[eggy81]

Perhaps - but that system won't work again imo. It has a short shelf life. It isn't top level football. It's power play. Where is the next Coutinho to sell to get the money to get the next world class trio in?

Agree things don’t look great now. We will need to spend huge money to get back there. I don’t think klopp will win another prem or cl with us to be honest.

[Kev0909]

Agree things don’t look great now. We will need to spend huge money to get back there. I don’t think klopp will win another prem or cl with us to be honest.

I don't see us doing it in my life time to be honest.

Newcastle will dominate the 2030+ onwards

we'll probably still have some yanks milking the club, best chance of sucess was last few years but little money was spent after winning things for some reason and we go backwards

pathetic

[Nineteenx]

I agree. But it’s klopp who is the one picking the types of players and the system we play. And Henderson has absolutely excelled in his system up to now. What we need is players in that mould but even better on the ball

You've nailed it there Eggy, that's what our supposed evolution should have looked like

Steveo does love to knock Hendo, but as you pointed out in the match thread, he was our one player turning defence into attack, finding our forwards or midfielder in time and space, he released Mo to assist, he found Thiago to release Diaz, he did more that was creative and constructive with the ball than Thiago and always does, as much as it pains our Steveo

[Insidious]

We’re united from last season. A comedy act at the back.
Level on points with Everton now albeit with a game in hand

That is particularly upsetting reading. Really had hoped we would "muddle through" until the World Cup but it's just not happening for us at the moment.

[Nineteenx]

Bump

[Insidious]

Bump

Trying to think of our pre-World Cup, post-Man City matches in the League.

I think it's -

West Ham
Nottingham
Leeds
Tottenham
Southampton

We're going to need most of those points if we want to be within a reasonable distance of the European spots. Supporters will have to get right behind the side to help push them through this phase of the season.

[Nineteenx]

Top four and Champions League last 16 and likely a scrap for top four for me, just think we've sacrificed too much of what made us Champions League and Premier League winners chasing an ideal that simply hasn't materialised and too many dynamics have changed or have been lost altogether

We failed to strengthen adequately and to move forward and capitalise on how strong we were both after winning the Champions League and after winning the league, to the point we weren't even able to mount a defence of our title as we started the following season short of one top quality CB, and we're now starting our second season in a row short of at least one to quality CM and carrying too many midfielders who aren't of the required quality, consistency or are too injury prone

Gini was the last midfield signing we got right, that was a very long time ago

I did try telling you lads, from the end of 19-20 onwards, you just took the piss, wildly celebrated what you saw as the marginalisation of players like Hendo, Gini, Bobby and others in a few cases, refusing to accept it was fucking up our automation and weakening us moving forward, and yet, here we are

I really do hate to say I told you so, but I've seen this coming every step of the way

[dicko1969]

Everyone has known tbh.
2 seasons + the midfield stood still.
Only Thiago in.
Klopp got it so wonderfully right.
The team / squad became perfect.
Why change perfection . (?)
And loyalty is everything.
But the midfield of fabinho Henderson gini / thiago.
Now the knives will be out and klopp criticised for loyalty.
But also a lack of forward vision, luck with oxlade and keita outcomes.

Will the owners dig in the pockets for a desperately needed midfielder.
I doubt it .

[Insidious]

Here's a question, open to all.

A lot of folks feel we need two or even three midfielders.

We're currently 7 points off the Champion's League spots.

How many points off those spots do people think we would be if ONE midfielder had come in the Summer? If Tchouameni comes in (only one man remember) are we within 3 points (4 points better off and thus within touching distance) of the Champion's League spots?