Midfielders
Henderson - 31
Thiago - 30
Fabinho - 28
Keita - 26
Jones - 20
Ox - 28
Milner - 35
Elliott - 18
A quality group, age and injury worth keeping an eye on in some facets.
Henderson is a truly wonderful Captain and comfortably in the first three/four picks when forming your midfield three - his role makes him a pretty automatic starter. I'd be inclined to rotate him more to help prevent some niggling injuries, but he contributes a lot in terms of leadership, ground coverage, energy, instructions. He looks great at the moment - capable of top quality assists and the (somewhat due) screamer that his position doesn't allow him to take on as often.
Thiago - bloody brilliant when on it, but needs to be on it more - with his slower recovery rate from injury and historic injury record suggesting we won't ever get full seasons out of him. Here until 2024 so just enjoy the good bits.
Fabinho's aggression in the tackle whilst keeping it clean means he can absolutely boss the job of screening our back four at times, though occasionally is over-eager, losing us possession. Not often enough for it to terribly trouble me though, especially as opponents still have to get past Virgil+another and then somehow beat Alisson. Brazilian and a great age, theoretically in his prime.
Keita seems to be clicking at the moment and thus we're seeing more of what we bought him for. In terms of age profile, I view him as being the "bridge" between our 30+ midfielders and the younger lads, along with Ox. If we can get Keita steadily working, he's a very valuable member of the 1/2/3/4/5/6 players (numerically) you want covering a 3-in-midfield. A starter when on it, which he certainly is at the moment.
Jones has flaws, but is a confident lad with quality touches, a good physique and is bloody hard to shake off the ball. He comes in for more stick than most of our mids and whilst he isn't perfect, it's worth reminding people that he is just 20 - I certainly have no issue with his quality as 5th/6th choice for example and with continued development he will climb those ranks, I'm sure of it.
Ox is a player I like a lot. A really professional lad in interviews and has undeniable quality. Like Keita, in terms of age, he acts as a bridge between the oldest and youngest midfielders. I do question having a squad with three midfielders in it with injury records that aren't great and of that three (Keita, Thiago, Ox) he is arguably the one that "brings it" the least often - though admittedly he can't show his best from the bench. I'm relatively open to the idea of selling him if it helps fund a more injury-resistant player in the 22-25 age bracket, but would be genuinely sad to see him go.
Milner we all adore, even if we see little chinks in the armour being made by Father Time - his recovery pace certainly isn't there now. The experience he will have passed onto the other lads throughout his time here is invaluable. His contract is due to run out and whilst part of me is tempted by the prospect of one more year, the £150,000 a week he is on could also be used for someone younger. Whatever way the club calls it I will content myself with, though I'd love to see this absolute champion of a player depart ways with us rather than see him start to decline. I really hope he is part of our coaching set-up in future as he is just a wonderful professional.
Elliott is a contentious call as some may seem his as a right-winger still, but Klopp was starting him in midfield ahead of some seriously good players at the beginning of the season, so he's a midfielder as far as I'm concerned - probably lacking the pace to be one of our forwards anyway. I love Elliott - he's a real student of the game even at the foetal stage of his career. Could have a huge future with us if he comes good in terms of his injury.
Forwards
Salah - 29
Mane - 29
Firmino - 30
Jota - 24
Origi - 26
Minamino - 26
Six for three spots - four are top drawer, would love a fifth.
Salah is simply the world's best forward in terms of the right here, right now. Form does vanish, so best not be berating the man when he inevitably hits a slump in his career. I hope he retires with us.
Mane is another beast of a player. Does blow hot-and-cold (which he did at Southampton too) and I'd love to see him recapture the sort of form that saw him make a mug of Neuer, but he'll get back there.
Firmino has been making the attacking side of our team tick for a long time now. Indeed, this is his seventh season with us, which is some going. A pressing Monster. If he maintains this form, we're all besotted. Has been lacking in the goals department and 20/21 was not a good season for him. The age of our forwards means that we need to succession plan a bit, though he still has a couple of top years left in his tank - though it may literally be a couple, whereas you feel Salah has 3-4.
Jota looks like the first bit of succession planning for our front three and is a good age at 24 in terms of not needing to worry about a replacement. Pressed very well against Man United, showing that he is really "getting" football under Klopp more and more, plus we all know he is capable of purple patches. Has the odd game where he doesn't do much, but provided they're in the minority, happy days.
Origi is a good player and can be lethal in the box, but being a square peg in a round hole isn't great for him (or us) and at 26 I feel he should be finding a club that can make more effective use of him. He's somewhat behind the "first" four as well and I'd probably sacrifice him and Minamino to get a fifth quality player in for rotation that is a better fit (a "second Jota" if you will) for the sake of quality in depth. Really like the lad and he has cult hero status forever, but we have outgrown him somewhat.
Minamino I have touched on, but just seems to be lacking in the physicality required for the League, was unfortunate to join such an alien culture during a January window and has been one of the unluckiest lads in World Football for me in terms of integrating into a successful club with a very different language only for the Pandemic to happen. My heart tells me to give this lad every chance, but we simply can't afford to be starting him ahead of the likes of Salah/Mane/Jota/Firmino and thus, like Origi, I'd happily sacrifice him at a time where age is still on his side so he can get playing time somewhere else and help in part to fund a replacement.
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