Slots Summer Squad Rebuild 2025/26

[teesred]

I think it's more than luck.

You have to work at your fitness at a personal level to be the type of player who rarely gets injured or is mostly fit and most of those you've listed there are renowned for being big on personal fitness.
Certainly Mo and Virg.
And I think we all know Robbo trains hard as well.

So it's no surprise that they rarely get injured or have long lay-offs with injuries.

It's also no coincidence that certain players known for getting injured are typically perennial visitors to the physio's office for long injury layoffs and it goes beyond just being "unlucky" or having bad luck with knocks.

Which is why I've always said I would have no problem with the club deciding they wanted to move on from, say Jota and instead to find a more reliable and durable replacement - even if they may not be as prolific scorers.

We just can't seem to get out of our own way in constantly buying these kinds of players - Aurelio, Naby Keita, Chiesa, Melo, Jota, Matip, and even Konate.

Something needs to be looked at in that recruiting and scouting team.

Good point and food for thought. Hopefully this is something that'll change going forward. Different manager, different personnel.
As much as Isak is quality is he someone we should be going nowhere near?

[Insidious]

As much as Isak is quality is he someone we should be going nowhere near?

"Circumstances" probably the key word when answering that question.

If we have multiple forwards all regularly scoring and it's within budget, then you go for it.

If he is going to take all of your budget (and maybe "plus sales") and you're putting all your eggs in one basket, then you avoid.

Sometimes you get fortuitous with these sorts of players, sometimes you don't - Barcelona must look at the version of Dembele that is constantly bagging goals at PSG and wonder how it worked out so poorly for him at Camp Nou.

The biggest shame is when these players have immense qualities but just can't catch a break - imagine what Sturridge could have been for us if he had the physical resilience of someone like Suarez or Kuyt instead of being made of being someone who clearly ate Kellogg's Chocolate Aurelios every morning as his cereal.

[teesred]

"Circumstances" probably the key word when answering that question.

If we have multiple forwards all regularly scoring and it's within budget, then you go for it.

If he is going to take all of your budget (and maybe "plus sales") and you're putting all your eggs in one basket, then you avoid.

Sometimes you get fortuitous with these sorts of players, sometimes you don't - Barcelona must look at the version of Dembele that is constantly bagging goals at PSG and wonder how it worked out so poorly for him at Camp Nou.

The biggest shame is when these players have immense qualities but just can't catch a break - imagine what Sturridge could have been for us if he had the physical resilience of someone like Suarez or Kuyt instead of being made of being someone who clearly ate Kellogg's Chocolate Aurelios every morning as his cereal.

Aye you're right there. The four players we "need" ( I think anyway) LB,CB,CDM,CF will be a huge outlay and even with money incoming from the likes of Kellerher and Gomez plus the money that's been banked from the CL and the fact we didn't spend last season I still don't see a 2018 type splurge.
The price being bandied for Kerkez is 40m. That's a good deal of it's something like that. Isak would be 80-100m. I don't see us going in for that and to be honest I'm not sure I'd want them to because of his fitness record.
There's other players for a lot less that could do the same job or around the same IMO.

[Steveo]

Plus Caicedo dosh 💰

[teesred]

Plus Caicedo dosh 💰

That's in Big Johns Boston Celtics ISA.

[Nineteenx]

Well if Virgil & Mo go I see Konate Grav Mac & Sloppy following not long after

Top players expect top signings & our other best players to be retained, these lads won’t be hanging about if pound shop
FSG continue to take the piss

[CCTV]

Here's Jozzas list for discussion from another thread, I'd add Jota & Jones as they've have had mentions.

Nunez
Kelleher
Elliot
Tsimikas / and or Robbo
Nunez
Chiesa
Endo
and maybe Gomez.

And obviously not forgetting the 3 Amigos.

●Jones stays
●Jota & Nunez maybe 1 leaves, if Salah goes both likely stay
● 1Kelleher goes
● Elliot stays, homegrown
● 2Tsimikas goes/ Robbo stays
● Chiesa maybe, if Salah goes less likely, a Slot signing so unless he's homesick he probably stays
● Endo maybe, likely stays.
●Gomez, only back from injury at the end of the season stays.
*** Salah & Virgil should see out their days at LFC, Trent too. Who knows.
■ Virgil would be missed the most of the 3. Then Salah. Then Trent presently but he has age on his side.

1 Kelleher leaves with Giorgi arriving
2 A Kerkez/new left back arrives.
3 add a centreback & Replace Matip

Thereafter the 3 amigos set the summers agenda.

If Virgil leaves, 2 cetrebacks needed. The with/without Virgil stats I'm not even looking up. He's missed few games, and when missed, he's missed. A balloon door level player.

Salah also a worthy balloon door level player. If Salah leaves, Sobozla, Chiesa & Elliott are options. A rwf of Salahs level & consistency is hard to find.
https://www.transfermarkt.com/mohamed-salah/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/148455/
That's Salah last season.

LFC in PL
Played 38
Won 24
Drew 10
Lost 4
+45 gd
82 points

Without Salah
Played 6
Won 5
Drew 0
Lost 1
+14 gd
15 points
2.5 ppg

With Salah
Played 32
Won 19
Drew 10
Lost 3
+31 gd
67 points
2.1 ppg

https://www.transfermarkt.com/trent-alexander-arnold/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/314353/plus/0?saison=2023&verein=31&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&tra iner_id=

Trent last season.

LFC in PL
Played 38
Won 24
Drew 10
Lost 4
+45 gd
82 points

Without Trent
Played 10
Won 8
Drew 2
Lost 0
+18 gd
26 points
2.6 ppg

With Trent
Played 28
Won 16
Drew 8
Lost 4
+27 gd
56 points
2.0 ppg

Their time-out in the PL around the same time, and results dipped after their return from injury. Darwin, Jones & Elliott beat PSG 0-1. And get pelters when we lose on penalties.

It'll be interesting to see what Slot does...

[Steveo]

That's in Big Johns Boston Celtics ISA.

Well if Virgil & Mo go I see Konate Grav Mac & Sloppy following not long after

Top players expect top signings & our other best players to be retained, these lads won’t be hanging about if pound shop
FSG continue to take the piss

Precisely. It’s a short career in this game, genuine winners aren’t gonna hang around for anything less than genuine ambition.

[justme]

they are fking greedy cunts (sorry for swearing) but those that are in charge of transfers just don't want to play Virgil his wage. You know what sickens me??? if we get someone worse who doesn't perform. means we'll lose money in the long run with failing to qualify for the champions league. but its never been about spending money.. its always been about savinggggg
its the same reason we let contracts run down. if we don't get what we require for the player..they'd rather run the player into the ground and get every ounce of them..

[teesred]

Terrible language that Justme.