Apparently Oxlade-Chamberlain has turned down the move to Chelsea and wants to come to Liverpool.
Yeah, I know, but this is from the BBC, not one of the tabloids.
Yeah, I know, but this is from the BBC, not one of the tabloids.
Liverpool 2017-18: Salah Days are Here
- Thread starter 67YAZ
- Start date
Looks like it might be a crazy last 36 or so hours in the window for our resident Liverpool watchers. Curious to what you all think about the following:
Lemar: Coming to Liverpool or Staying at Monaco
Van Dijk: Coming to Liverpool or Staying at Southhampton
Oxlade-Chamerblain: Coming to Liverpool, Going to Chelsea, Staying at Arsenal
Coutinho: Staying at Liverpool, Going to Barcelona
Plus any other out of left field moves that you think might happen...
Lemar: Coming to Liverpool or Staying at Monaco
Van Dijk: Coming to Liverpool or Staying at Southhampton
Oxlade-Chamerblain: Coming to Liverpool, Going to Chelsea, Staying at Arsenal
Coutinho: Staying at Liverpool, Going to Barcelona
Plus any other out of left field moves that you think might happen...
If LFC can pull off both Lemar and AOC, I think they let Coutinho go - public denial and stance of not a chance or not, they take the money and run, spin it as we don't want a player whose head and heart are elsewhere submarining the team and season.....I have doubts on VVD, but I think, at the end of the day, if LFC places the right amount of cash down, Southhampton sells.
If you sign Lemar and VVD with Coutinho going out I think it improves the squad immensely. Coutinho is getting overrated because Barca is desperate but for that money you take it and run.
I'm not that high on Ox but he'd be a nice squad rotation player.
I'm not that high on Ox but he'd be a nice squad rotation player.
I think Ox wants to play centrally, and frequently at that. Hence him telling Chelsea to buzz off.
Per the BBC story it seems like Chelsea wanted him as a wingback and that was further back than he was comfortable dropping on the pitch (or will be until he has to go there or stay at Arsenal at which point it will be fine.)
Really don't understand bringing Ox at all, let alone a central role. Feels like Henderson insurance and a Keita stepping stone more than anything.
Champions League roster rules. That's my default answer to any "why is club X chasing English disappointment Y" question.
I'm kinda pondering this one too. But Ox's game is very different to Henderson's. They're both English, don't score many goals and play midfield.
But even then...I dunno what is Ox's best position? For $40M what's he got that Liverpool really need? A British Passport?
I think it's a couple of reasons 1) he can play anywhere in the 4 between the Striker and then DM. 2) he's English so he helps with the European homegrown rules and 3) Liverpool's issues in the past few seasons have revolved around players breaking down as their limited squad gets overworked, tired and eventually injured. He gives them another competent body that can play when they need to give someone a day off.
It'll be nice to not have to run players into the ground for competitions like the league cup. My guess is there end up being two rotations for big matches in the league / CL, with some rotation through the first team bench for lower level squads, especially if Van Dijk and Lemar are in the fold. With Lallana out until the new year:
------Mané - Firmino - Salah------
---------------Coutinho---------------
---------Henderson ---- Can------------
Robertson - Matip - Van Dijk - Clyne
------------------Mignolet------------------
First team bench: Karius, Lovren, Gomez, Wijnaldum, Milner, Chamberlain, Sturridge (+Lemar potentially)
League cup squad:
----- Woodburn - Solanke - Kent -----
-----------------Chamberlain-----------------
----------- Wijnaldum - Milner ------------
Moreno - Klavan - Lovren - Alexander-Arnold
------------------- Karius -------------------
Additional: Ward, Bogdan, Flanagan, Ejaria, Grujić, Wilson, Ings
The squad was in 3 competitions last year and needed all the depth it could get - adding the CL this season, it looks like they're not messing around with getting the quality depth that they need. I doubt it's lost on Klopp that having a few extra bodies could have saved them from their January swoon.
---------------Coutinho---------------
---------Henderson ---- Can------------
Robertson - Matip - Van Dijk - Clyne
------------------Mignolet------------------
First team bench: Karius, Lovren, Gomez, Wijnaldum, Milner, Chamberlain, Sturridge (+Lemar potentially)
League cup squad:
----- Woodburn - Solanke - Kent -----
-----------------Chamberlain-----------------
----------- Wijnaldum - Milner ------------
Moreno - Klavan - Lovren - Alexander-Arnold
------------------- Karius -------------------
Additional: Ward, Bogdan, Flanagan, Ejaria, Grujić, Wilson, Ings
The squad was in 3 competitions last year and needed all the depth it could get - adding the CL this season, it looks like they're not messing around with getting the quality depth that they need. I doubt it's lost on Klopp that having a few extra bodies could have saved them from their January swoon.
Ox is a charming guy with amazing physical ability, very good technique, and a 10p football brain.
He was far better when played as a wingback last year than in any other role I've ever seen him, and for obvious reasons: The wingback role is relatively simple and caters directly to his strengths, which involve running, dribbling, and crossing with his right foot. So naturally he wants to be a central midfielder, a position in which tactical nous and the ability to read game situations is all important.
In part, this is Wenger's fault as he fostered this delusion for years, even publicly saying that he saw Ox's future in the center of the pitch, when it was clear that he had no intention of playing him there unless all other options were hurt.
He was far better when played as a wingback last year than in any other role I've ever seen him, and for obvious reasons: The wingback role is relatively simple and caters directly to his strengths, which involve running, dribbling, and crossing with his right foot. So naturally he wants to be a central midfielder, a position in which tactical nous and the ability to read game situations is all important.
In part, this is Wenger's fault as he fostered this delusion for years, even publicly saying that he saw Ox's future in the center of the pitch, when it was clear that he had no intention of playing him there unless all other options were hurt.
Ox's skills also seem more suited to a Klopp-esque system that aims to overwhelm teams with athletic pressing than it is to an Arsenally system involving lots of midfield possession and intricate buildup play.
Barca is rumoured to be sticking its nose into the Lemar deal with a 90m pound offer.
They are effectively telling LFC to make a choice between Lemar and Coutinho.
If they let him go they will drop the Lemar bid.
Whereas LFC want both players.
If they can get Lemar for 90 and sell Coutinho for 150 then I think you have to make that deal.
Edit: the problem with choosing Coutinho is that there's nothing stopping Barca from coming back next summer for him. Then LFC lose both players.
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Here we go again... Liverpool's medical team were reportedly on standby for a trip to France for Lemar's medical. The LFC subreddit is now tracking a private jet that left Liverpool and is now over Paris: https://www.flightradar24.com/C680/eac844a
Lemar is at Clairefontaine (~1 hour drive from Le Bourget to the southwest) with the rest of the French squad ahead of tomorrow's match against the Netherlands in Paris.
The eagle has landed at Le Bourget airport
Lemar is at Clairefontaine (~1 hour drive from Le Bourget to the southwest) with the rest of the French squad ahead of tomorrow's match against the Netherlands in Paris.
The eagle has landed at Le Bourget airport
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I'm sick of Barca sticking their noses in here. I really wish that LFC could find a way to sell Coutinho to Barca but cup tie him for the Champions League as a general fuck you.
Even if it truly is the medical team it's probably just a "just in case" development. You don't want to blow a 75 million pound deal because you cheaped out on having a team in place.
That link didn't work for me, but why would someone fly privately into Le Bourget when going to Clairefontaine? They could fly into TNF, or even Orly, and it would be much faster. Does this plane belong to the club, or is it just a guess based on flying from Liverpool to Paris? Because that seems like a reach.
Oh everything I've posted about the van and plane are absolutely reaches. My wrist is beginning to hurt from grasping for straws at this point...
In the end, it would be a bit underwhelming to have Oxlade-Chamberlain be the only deadline day addition to this squad given the smoke around Lemar / VVD - especially if Arsenal make a move to replace Sanchez with Lemar as is rumored.
~8 hours left
In the end, it would be a bit underwhelming to have Oxlade-Chamberlain be the only deadline day addition to this squad given the smoke around Lemar / VVD - especially if Arsenal make a move to replace Sanchez with Lemar as is rumored.
~8 hours left
I don't think he's coming back. He doesn't have the mobility and close control required to play in the side Klopp is setting up. I thought he might be a Plan B option, but I suspect Plan B will be in player placement, not skill sets.
It was reported that Ox turned down 180K/week from Arsenal to go to Liverpool for about 125K/week
Now that it looks like Sakho is off to Palace, I'm waiting to see if Markovic ends up leaving on yet another loan.
Apparently Lemar turned down a potential move to Arsenal even with Lacazette, Koscielny, and Giroux all trying to convince him. It doesn't look like Liverpool wants to pay the 90+ million GBP Arsenal are rumored to have offered, though.
All indications are the VVD is staying at Southampton.
Since the Spanish transfer window is open though tomorrow, we've still got one more day of the Coutinho watch.
Apparently Lemar turned down a potential move to Arsenal even with Lacazette, Koscielny, and Giroux all trying to convince him. It doesn't look like Liverpool wants to pay the 90+ million GBP Arsenal are rumored to have offered, though.
All indications are the VVD is staying at Southampton.
Since the Spanish transfer window is open though tomorrow, we've still got one more day of the Coutinho watch.
I can't imagine that they'd let him go now. Considering they couldn't get a warm body in until January.
I really don't get this move, considering:
- Firmino isn't a natural striker
- Sturridge is made of tissue paper, and
- Ings has barely played in two seasons
I think Solanke has passed him on the depth chart. And, while not a "natural" striker Firmino is a terrific player .. and Klopp seems to love him in the 9 slot.
Edit: Besides .. they can recall him in January in the event of a striker crisis.
Sky is reporting that Coutinho will refuse to play in the CL. Does the team have any recourse here? I mean, forcing him to play won't help since he can laze around the pitch. This is just going to get uglier and uglier.
I wish this type of petulance on the part of a player would follow them into future contracts, but that's not the way business works.
I wish this type of petulance on the part of a player would follow them into future contracts, but that's not the way business works.
I doubt its true. Sky has lost all credibility since it came out that they're in cahoots with the betting sites. Even though this isn't really transfer specific, its a world cup year. It would be incredibly stupid of Coutinho.
Well, there were a few rumours a couple of weeks ago that Coutinho might take this stance. But the sources were always from Spanish sites who spent the summer reporting the Coutinho signing was hours away. They have gone out of their way sucking up to Barca and towing the company line.
I will believe this when I see it reported by the Echo or the Guardian or the other reputable sites.
And ... it would be an incredibly stupid thing to do. He would end up on the suspended list , lose his pay check and rot on some back training field. .. not the way to prepare for a World Cup.
It is if you're preparing to watch the World Cup from Copacabana instead of the Luzhniki.
Unless the bid gets ridiculous (~£150m), I let this play out if I'm FSG. If he's so desperate for a move that he'll sit out the UCL, killing his shot at being in the Seleçao and nuking his transfer value in the process, so be it, but Coutinho is a big part of the squad if they have any intentions of competing in all four competitions.
LFC appealing the Mane suspension .. trying to get a game (or two) knocked off. I doubt they care if they can get it reduced by two (given game 2 of the suspension is in the League Cup where Mane probably wouldn't play anyways) but at least one would be nice - which would make him available for the Leicester game.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-appeal-against-length-sadio-13605065
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-appeal-against-length-sadio-13605065
Mane suspension upheld. Misses Burnley and Leicester (cup + league).
All things considered, not the worst stretch of games for him to sit, and he'll be eligible for tomorrow's match v. Sevilla.
In more unfortunate news, Salah was sent home due to illness today
All things considered, not the worst stretch of games for him to sit, and he'll be eligible for tomorrow's match v. Sevilla.
In more unfortunate news, Salah was sent home due to illness today
Well, it's a home match, so maybe a night's rest will help. I read "sent home" and though "from Sevilla to Liverpool" , so I'm holding out a sliver of hope.
Confirmed:
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-goalkeeper-loris-karius-start-13611076.amp
Not a fan of this move. I really would have preferred they used him at Spartak or Maribor. Maybe they've seen something encouraging on the training ground.
Posting in 15'...
Klopp's use of Karius is the first ongoing major issue I have with the manager in his tenure. His preseason was a disaster. He was shaky with his feet in his one EPL start so far. Our major data points on him are at Liverpool are that he's very mistake prone. I'd like to see him prove something against some English bottom feeders before he's in the CL.
Klopp's use of Karius is the first ongoing major issue I have with the manager in his tenure. His preseason was a disaster. He was shaky with his feet in his one EPL start so far. Our major data points on him are at Liverpool are that he's very mistake prone. I'd like to see him prove something against some English bottom feeders before he's in the CL.