Next Season's Squad.

[NewCorkSeth]

Liverpool also let players go for reasonable fees with big add ons and sell on clauses. See Ilori.

I'd argue, for the arguments sake, Watford are the best run club in the premier league.

[SCIAG]

Apparently WBA have agreed a fee with Brentford for Sawyers. Which I assume will be used to fund Ejaria.

How important is this position? Do we need alternatives? Olise, Barrett and Holsgrove are all attacking midfielders. Loader can play there.

Far more important is a deeper midfielder, who can allow Swift to be our main man in that attacking role.

Goes without saying I'd have loved Ejaria, but it's not a priority position.

I don't think Ejaria offers enough cutting edge to play as an attacking midfielder. I thought his best games for us came as a genuine central midfielder, which allowed him to use the combative side of his game along with that amazing close control.

A midfield with Ejaria and Rinomhota sitting and Swift pushed on a bit should work. I'd prefer Baker or Kelly as genuine DMs but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

[Denver Royal]

Liverpool also let players go for reasonable fees with big add ons and sell on clauses. See Ilori.

Yep, and they scored a major coup that altered the Top 6 landscape when Barca paid them approx 150 mil for Coutinho. He hadn't impressed me all that much at the time. You still have to then go out and spend the money well, which I think they did when they bought Van Dyke and Allisson, which had been problem areas in the past. This was b4 they'd spent their own money, which they also did.

[NewCorkSeth]

Liverpool also let players go for reasonable fees with big add ons and sell on clauses. See Ilori.

Yep, and they scored a major coup that altered the Top 6 landscape when Barca paid them approx 150 mil for Coutinho. He hadn't impressed me all that much at the time. You still have to then go out and spend the money well, which I think they did when they bought Van Dyke and Allisson, which had been problem areas in the past. This was b4 they'd spent their own money, which they also did.

Comparing their transfers before Klopp and after Klopp is very telling. Also comparing them with Chelsea or Arsenal really shows how well they've been dealing in the transfer market recently.

[Denver Royal]

Liverpool also let players go for reasonable fees with big add ons and sell on clauses. See Ilori.

Yep, and they scored a major coup that altered the Top 6 landscape when Barca paid them approx 150 mil for Coutinho. He hadn't impressed me all that much at the time. You still have to then go out and spend the money well, which I think they did when they bought Van Dyke and Allisson, which had been problem areas in the past. This was b4 they'd spent their own money, which they also did.

Comparing their transfers before Klopp and after Klopp is very telling. Also comparing them with Chelsea or Arsenal really shows how well they've been dealing in the transfer market recently.

Yep, he's done a nice job, and done well with some older players too, like getting another season or two out of Milner.

[NewCorkSeth]

Yep, and they scored a major coup that altered the Top 6 landscape when Barca paid them approx 150 mil for Coutinho. He hadn't impressed me all that much at the time. You still have to then go out and spend the money well, which I think they did when they bought Van Dyke and Allisson, which had been problem areas in the past. This was b4 they'd spent their own money, which they also did.

Comparing their transfers before Klopp and after Klopp is very telling. Also comparing them with Chelsea or Arsenal really shows how well they've been dealing in the transfer market recently.

Yep, he's done a nice job, and done well with some older players too, like getting another season or two out of Milner.

I know city have won 2 titles so probably dont care but he was well worth hanging on to. Such a tidy, professional player.

[leon]

Sorry lads this isn’t “Robbibg dirty Scouse Skag heads Anyone?”

[StellaPlease]

Apparently WBA have agreed a fee with Brentford for Sawyers. Which I assume will be used to fund Ejaria.

How important is this position? Do we need alternatives? Olise, Barrett and Holsgrove are all attacking midfielders. Loader can play there.

Far more important is a deeper midfielder, who can allow Swift to be our main man in that attacking role.

Goes without saying I'd have loved Ejaria, but it's not a priority position.

I don't think Ejaria offers enough cutting edge to play as an attacking midfielder. I thought his best games for us came as a genuine central midfielder, which allowed him to use the combative side of his game along with that amazing close control.

A midfield with Ejaria and Rinomhota sitting and Swift pushed on a bit should work. I'd prefer Baker or Kelly as genuine DMs but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

He doesn't have a combative bone in his body. He's best drifting around behind the striker.

[SCIAG]

Apparently WBA have agreed a fee with Brentford for Sawyers. Which I assume will be used to fund Ejaria.

How important is this position? Do we need alternatives? Olise, Barrett and Holsgrove are all attacking midfielders. Loader can play there.

Far more important is a deeper midfielder, who can allow Swift to be our main man in that attacking role.

Goes without saying I'd have loved Ejaria, but it's not a priority position.

I don't think Ejaria offers enough cutting edge to play as an attacking midfielder. I thought his best games for us came as a genuine central midfielder, which allowed him to use the combative side of his game along with that amazing close control.

A midfield with Ejaria and Rinomhota sitting and Swift pushed on a bit should work. I'd prefer Baker or Kelly as genuine DMs but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

He doesn't have a combative bone in his body. He's best drifting around behind the striker.

Would disagree based on his performances in the last few games. He really looked like getting stuck in.

Let's look at the stats. Last season he had 1.8 tackles, 1.4 fouls, and 1.1 interceptions per 90. By comparison Andy Rinomhota had 2.3 tackles, 1.4 fouls, and 1 interception. So the most combative of our remaining midfielders put in one extra tackle every two matches. It's also considerably higher than Lewis Baker who I would intuitively said was more combative than Ejaria.

On the other hand, going forward Ejaria made 0.7 passes leading to a shot every 90 minutes. That's less than half the rate of John Swift (1.6) and is the same as Liam Kelly, a defensive midfielder. It's ahead of Rinomhota and (surprisingly) Baker.

So I stand by my intuitions - he doesn't offer enough of a cutting edge in the final third for an attacking midfielder, but he is good at keeping the ball and winning it back. Box-to-box midfielder is his position.

[Hound]

Not sure how much can be read into it, but squad numbers for McCleary, Gunter, Popa and Baldock

None for Meyler Smith or Southwood though

[Snowflake Royal]

Not sure how much can be read into it, but squad numbers for McCleary, Gunter, Popa and Baldock

None for Meyler Smith or Southwood though

Popa is really the only surprise there isn't he? Shame as it is for Southwood.

[URZZZZ]

Not sure how much can be read into it, but squad numbers for McCleary, Gunter, Popa and Baldock

None for Meyler Smith or Southwood though

None for Osho, Holmes or Odimayo either

[Nameless]

Not sure how much can be read into it, but squad numbers for McCleary, Gunter, Popa and Baldock

None for Meyler Smith or Southwood though

None for Osho, Holmes or Odimayo either

I’d expect Osho and probably Holmes to have season long loans.

[3points]

Popa is an odd one isn’t it? Haven’t seen anything anywhere about him being involved in pre season. I’d not be too disappointed if Gunter and McCleary end up back in the squad

My lad sort of knows Tom Holmes (they have some common friends) and he said about a month ago he didn’t know what was happening, but thought he might go out on loan

[Hound]

Yeah assuming loans for Osho, Smith and Holmes are lined up. Odimayo is fine in the U23s

Popa very strange. No major issues with Gunter and McCleary in the squad if have to. At the very least it suggests any departure isn’t imminent for them

[Snowflake Royal]

Just noticed that we have no No 3.
Obita 11
Blackett 24
Richards 27


And Gunter 2 rather than Yiadom who is 17.

[NewCorkSeth]

Just noticed that we have no No 3.
Obita 11
Blackett 24
Richards 27


And Gunter 2 rather than Yiadom who is 17.

Has Obita not always been number 11? Saw some people complaining about it on Twitter (surprise surprise)

[Stranded]

Just noticed that we have no No 3.
Obita 11
Blackett 24
Richards 27


And Gunter 2 rather than Yiadom who is 17.

Yeah, no #3 was interesting. Doubt we are getting a LB but would suggest we expect another arrival shortly who would perhaps favour that number. Yiadom was #3 last year wasn't he?

[NewCorkSeth]

Just noticed that we have no No 3.
Obita 11
Blackett 24
Richards 27


And Gunter 2 rather than Yiadom who is 17.

Yeah, no #3 was interesting. Doubt we are getting a LB but would suggest we expect another arrival shortly who would perhaps favour that number. Yiadom was #3 last year wasn't he?

He was indeed. Why did they change that I wonder?

[Stranded]

Just noticed that we have no No 3.
Obita 11
Blackett 24
Richards 27


And Gunter 2 rather than Yiadom who is 17.

Yeah, no #3 was interesting. Doubt we are getting a LB but would suggest we expect another arrival shortly who would perhaps favour that number. Yiadom was #3 last year wasn't he?

He was indeed. Why did they change that I wonder?

Yiadom asked for it after Barrow took #7.