Liverpool 2018-19: Alisson, I Know Lovren is Killing You

EL Jeffe

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How long can a title be? Cuz...

Alisson, I Know Lovren is Killing You (Salah's Aim is True)
 

SoxFanInCali

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Getting 12.5 million plus a 20% sell-on clause from Leicester for Danny Ward makes Alisson's price look pretty reasonable.

I originally thought they might dump both Migs and Karius and keep Ward as the backup/cup games keeper. Now I wonder if one of them is going to stay, or if there's a veteran on the way to be the backup.

One thing I noticed yesterday, the team is usually pretty quick about announcing the squad number of a new signing and having ads to buy the player's new shirt running with the story. Makes me think that they've told Alisson that Karius' #1 shirt will be available soon.
 

SoxFanInCali

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Speaking of shirt numbers, Mane has taken over the #10 shirt that Coutinho vacated. The club have announced that anyone who already bought this year's shirt with MANE 19 from a club store or the official online shop can exchange it for a #10 shirt.
 

SoxFanInCali

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Here's the squad for the US tour and ICC matches:

Karius, Clyne, Fabinho, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum, Milner, Keita, Mane, Salah, Gomez, Sturridge, Grujic, Klavan, Moreno, Lallana, Shaqiri, Robertson, Origi, Solanke, Matip, Phillips, Jones, Markovic, Ojo, Woodburn, Kelleher, Camacho, Chirivella, Grabara.

No Firmino, Lovren, Henderson, TAA, Ings, or Mignolet. Have to think Ings will be moving on. With Alisson and Migs out, they will likely have to wait until after the tour to figure out what to do with Karius.
 

SocrManiac

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I wouldn’t keep Karius as a training partner at this point. He has no value to the club whatsoever. He’s broken goods and needs to move somewhere he can turn the page.

I’ve long-liked Migs as a pure goalkeeper. He isn’t suited for the modern game while tasked with distribution and as the 11th outfield player, but he is significantly better than most Cup keepers. If he’s willing to stay in that role, he’d be a key backup. I just don’t see him happy with that little time on the pitch.
 

SocrManiac

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I realize I’ve been railing about this for years, but it bears repeating.

Liverpool are doing the equivalent of buying nicer and more expensive cars, taking them to the same shady mechanic, and blaming the car when it breaks down. I hope Alisson can survive Achterberg.
 

Mighty Joe Young

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I realize I’ve been railing about this for years, but it bears repeating.

Liverpool are doing the equivalent of buying nicer and more expensive cars, taking them to the same shady mechanic, and blaming the car when it breaks down. I hope Alisson can survive Achterberg.
While all true .. Achterberg has survived 4 (? Was he around with Rafa? That would make it 5) regimes now. Not saying he’s responsible for the shiny cars breaking down - but he must have some pretty powerful backers at FSG.
 

Nick Kaufman

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I thought Fabinho was more of a 6 and Keita more of an 8 not the other way around. Also, we definitely need a creative mid, like Fekir.
 

SoxFanInCali

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ICC game against Dortmund starting on ESPN.

Liverpool are wearing the Barney kits. Salah, Mane, Pulisic all starting on the bench.
 

SoxFanInCali

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It's taken less than 4 minutes for Karius to nearly give up a bad goal, but fortunately for him Dortmund missed an open net after he was stranded.
 

SoxFanInCali

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Scoreline aside, a lot to like about the game. Tempo looked good, Keita definitely opened some eyes, and Sturridge may have a role if he can stay healthy (yeah, I know...).

They ran out of gas in the last 10 minutes, and Karius (surprise!) had his couple of bad moments, but they created plenty of chances that the normal front 3 would have done more with.
 

67YAZ

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good-looking squad.
Agreed, but I don't know if we'll see Henderson & Fabinho together absent injury problems. That would be a really defensive line up. I think Wijnaldum is much more likely for his box-to-box play. But it's an interesting decision for Klopp - Henderson is the oft-injured captain. Will Fabinho take his role? And if so, how soon?
 

allstonite

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Wasn't Henderson originally more of a box-to-box guy but forced into a more defensive role because there was nobody else capable? I think both of them playing together will be fine especially with the offensive capability of the forwards. Maybe Fabinho as cover will allow Henderson to be more aggressive and creative.
 

67YAZ

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Wasn't Henderson originally more of a box-to-box guy but forced into a more defensive role because there was nobody else capable? I think both of them playing together will be fine especially with the offensive capability of the forwards. Maybe Fabinho as cover will allow Henderson to be more aggressive and creative.
Henderson has had a really interesting career trajectory. At Sunderland he was young attacking kid that served as the fulcrum of their offense. He was involved in a ridiculous percentage of Sunderland’s attacks and passing; it was those stats that convinced Comolli to buy him for a seemingly high £20m. When Rodgers came in, he slid Henderson back into a #8 role to partner with Gerard in a very defensive #6 role. Now Klopp has pushed him even further back to the base of the midfield.

It’s fantastic that Henderson has been so adaptable over the years (though I do think it takes him about a half season to really dig into a new role). Can he move further forward at this point? Skills wise, probably after a transition period. But health wise? I think that’s the big question.
 
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SoxFanInCali

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Karius seems to have forgotten that he's allowed to catch the ball. He's trying to punch everything, even when he's got plenty of room.
 

allstonite

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CONCACAF-y first half against the Seahawks. Wouldn’t mind a Salah cameo but they might be cautious with the pitch looking like shit
 

SoxFanInCali

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Wouldn’t mind a Salah cameo but they might be cautious with the pitch looking like shit
These teams played a few years ago at Yankee Stadium and the grass they laid over the infield dirt kept giving way. Now they have them across the river and the field is torn up from a Taylor Swift concert.

To sum up...New York (area) sucks.
 

allstonite

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It’s like the ref wants to get the game over as quick as possible, which I get, but he’s calling nothing and it’s getting dangerous
 

SoxFanInCali

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I don't care if it is preseason or not. When Liverpool plays Manchester United, one of the teams should be wearing red.
 

koufax32

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All’s quiet on the Fekir front I suppose. Maybe that will be revisited in January?


That pass to and finish by Mata was beautiful.
 

67YAZ

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This team is soooooooo deep.
They’re going to need it. Last year the front line only really dealt with Mane’s hamstring early on and then the front 3 stayed remarkably healthy. Rotating more will definitely help keep everyone fresh, especially following a World Cup.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Me gusta, some of the goals in the 5-0 drubbing of Napoli today...

Milner 1-0, including great piece of distribution by Alisson:
Salah 3-0:
Moreno 5-0, with a fantastic ball from Sturridge to spring him:
 

67YAZ

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Cleaning up some of the recent moves...

Grujic on loan to Hertha Berlin after signing an extension. Hopefully he has a good season and can find a permanent home.

Karius is reportedly set for a 2 year loan to Besiktas after today's match. It's a complicated deal: Besiktas will pay a £2.25m fee; if Besiktas qualify for Europe this season and Karius makes a minimum number of starts, they are obligated to buy at £7.25m; if they don't make Europe, they will have an option to buy; if Besiktas do buy and later sell Karius on, Liverpool will get 20% of the fee. Oh, and Karius is extending his deal by a year to protect himself in case this doesn't work out.

Suppose that's as good as it could get for Karius at this point. I have been skeptical that any business was going to get done with Turkish clubs given the state of their currency. Maybe Origi next?

Much looking forward to tonight's tilt with Palace.