He had a very good tournament. Solid, strong, decent pace, decent on the ball.
He’s not an aerial monster but I think he makes it difficult enough for strikers not to get clean headers. He’s not ‘weak’ in the air IMO, he makes the most of his strength and height. I think he’s better in the air than Gomez who featured heavily in arguably our best ever team, but obviously he’s not Konate/Van Dijk levels of aerial prowess.
I don’t like his LGBT politics but that’s a non football issue.
For £30-40m it’s a very sensible signing on paper. We would quickly move on I’m sure if we can’t get Palace down to that level.
I am slightly concerned with the ‘Liverpool would look to sign him on a free if Palace won’t deal’ stories. We can’t afford not to sign a defender this summer.
If Van Dijk got injured it could be the Phillips/Williams season all over again and this time we wouldn’t even have Phillips!
I thought Guehi stood out at the euros because the rest of the England team were just so, so, so terrible.
Made plenty of mistakes, got caught out of position, had a bit of the “new guy” leniency.
I think Geuhi’s level is pretty clear from the clubs trying to buy him last year and the lack of interest in him now or next year (ie only on a massive discount or a free)
If Guehi was top level all the top European clubs would be chasing him now - as they are konate, Huijsen, even Yoro last year.
For me, Guehi is firmly a level below and not good enough to be a starting Cb for Liverpool.
I think that builds the case for Palace to sell on the cheap..
If both the player and the purchasing club are saying they will wait till next year for a free transfer if a discounted deal can’t be done it pushes palace to do a discounted deal..
As much as we loathe them; like the buybacks, it prime Real Madrid tactic
I like Guehi, good player but not exceptional yet, his Ariel stats worry me, but at the right price will offer good cover on both sides while also retaining a decent value if surplus in a couple of years… as with most players in the market all depends on price
Josh, I literally have never left a comment anywhere but this article has me pumped and it’s off-season! We had 30-40y in the shadows so it’s hard to know how to stand in the spotlight but it really does look like the recruitment team are bossing it. C’mon Reds. YNWA.
CB market looks brutal for anyone 6'3" plus may be why all of our links are to CBs on the smaller side (Guehi, Inacio, Diomande, Lukeba). Hard to find any tall options that aren't too expensive, too raw, or just unattainable.
Bit of an outside shout, but still an interesting profile, is Alexsandro Ribeiro from Lille. 25yrs, 1.89m (6´2), left footed. Won 70% of his aerial duels last season. Havent seen him play so these are just stats. But they´re good stats.
Great article.. agree entirely on the buyback clauses.. we’ve been doing them ever since Edwards took over but never actually used one. It’s just as our levels improve across the squad the quality of players we sell has too so 🤞
Agree entirely on Guehi too.. he is such a change in profile.
We sign big, quick, dual winning monsters of CB’s. Even Yoro and huijsen meet this requirement.
When you read about the space controlling models will spearman created.. this makes even more sense.
Guehi is neither particularly big or quick. And worse at duals then Quansah.
What he may be is a zero-cost replacement that allows Quansah to get the game time he needs to become the CB he could be..
The links seem too strong to be a red herring but I have huge doubts about Guehi.
The problem with being a team like LFC in the modern game is if you have all the possession, teams will hit you on counters and at set pieces… and with long balls to bypass your press.
… and your centrebacks just have to be big and quick and able to deal with this.
Yes they have to be able to pass through the lines in build up.. even more so with Trent gone.. but they will also have to cover massive spaces and win 1-1 aerial duals against the big men
What do you think of Evan Ndicka. Recently read Roma was contemplating his sale as he’ll be all profit. He’s been absolutely fire for them. Cons: left footed, CAF, 3-man backfield
Liked him at Frankfurt, lefties are cool. But haven't followed him as much since his move to Rome. Not ideal that he'll turn 26 in August. Still has three years on his contract, too. I'm not sure tbh. Feels unlikely at surface level.
Probably wouldn't force a sale now that we're getting paid for Quansah. Phillips has gone too. And Konate has an uncertain future. The stability of Gomez suddenly feels really valuable and we've got plenty of other players to sell as a means of raising funds. Keep.
He usually gets 1 in 2 seasons injury free, this should be one of them. I really hope so, because Joe is one of those players that you want to see do well (and score a goal).
Not sure where Kerkez or Wirtz sit, but buying Guehi & Frimpong adds another couple of openly religious characters to our ranks. I’m beginning to think it’s one of the criteria the analysts look at when evaluating suitability.
A huge amount of professional sports people are deeply religious.
I think it partly has to do with surrendering control of fate to someone else.
When you train all week, all your life and your whole career can be influenced by something which is out of your control like basically the bounce of the ball..
Be able to “entrust” that outcome to a higher power is a massive emotional safety net
I have had this ongoing dialogue with my wife about why so many athletes are religious. My theory is it is easier to be religious when it is so obvious that you have been endowed with such incredible athletic gifts. The athletes that reach the top top level have 100% worked hard and tireless hours, but they have also been "blessed by the gods" with strength, reflexes, size, coordination, athletic talents, and especially SPEED many of us will never understand. When you have been given these gifts, I think it would be a lot easier to believe in a higher power!
On a related note I played Division 3 College American Football. That is the lowest level of college football, but we still had lots of guys 6'4" 300+ pounds that could benchpress over 400 and squat over 500.
We had a 26 year-old assistant coach who had been on an NFL practice squad and had a brother in the NFL. He was assisting us and trying to get in shape for one last shot at making the NFL. He was a 6'3" 235 linebacker in college. He did sprints with our team and beat EVERYONE by a LOT. Being around sports, the speed is the thing that just keeps ratcheting up at unbelievable amounts as you move up levels.
The short distance quickness, explosiveness, and the reflex speed is insane amongst the very top athletes, whether rugby, football, American football, basketball baseball, hockey, etc. The "slowest" Premier League footballers would make all of us look like we were standing still.
That is why I am excited by our transfers, we have added speed on both flanks. Adding some of the quickest players in the world is going to be a good thing!
>So I’ve been in Naples for the past few days, and a lot has happened.
Are you working on the Núñez deal?
Guehi went up in my estimation in the Euros.
He had a very good tournament. Solid, strong, decent pace, decent on the ball.
He’s not an aerial monster but I think he makes it difficult enough for strikers not to get clean headers. He’s not ‘weak’ in the air IMO, he makes the most of his strength and height. I think he’s better in the air than Gomez who featured heavily in arguably our best ever team, but obviously he’s not Konate/Van Dijk levels of aerial prowess.
I don’t like his LGBT politics but that’s a non football issue.
For £30-40m it’s a very sensible signing on paper. We would quickly move on I’m sure if we can’t get Palace down to that level.
I am slightly concerned with the ‘Liverpool would look to sign him on a free if Palace won’t deal’ stories. We can’t afford not to sign a defender this summer.
If Van Dijk got injured it could be the Phillips/Williams season all over again and this time we wouldn’t even have Phillips!
I don’t know..
I thought Guehi stood out at the euros because the rest of the England team were just so, so, so terrible.
Made plenty of mistakes, got caught out of position, had a bit of the “new guy” leniency.
I think Geuhi’s level is pretty clear from the clubs trying to buy him last year and the lack of interest in him now or next year (ie only on a massive discount or a free)
If Guehi was top level all the top European clubs would be chasing him now - as they are konate, Huijsen, even Yoro last year.
For me, Guehi is firmly a level below and not good enough to be a starting Cb for Liverpool.
I’ve been wrong before though 😂
I think that builds the case for Palace to sell on the cheap..
If both the player and the purchasing club are saying they will wait till next year for a free transfer if a discounted deal can’t be done it pushes palace to do a discounted deal..
As much as we loathe them; like the buybacks, it prime Real Madrid tactic
I like Guehi, good player but not exceptional yet, his Ariel stats worry me, but at the right price will offer good cover on both sides while also retaining a decent value if surplus in a couple of years… as with most players in the market all depends on price
Josh, I literally have never left a comment anywhere but this article has me pumped and it’s off-season! We had 30-40y in the shadows so it’s hard to know how to stand in the spotlight but it really does look like the recruitment team are bossing it. C’mon Reds. YNWA.
CB market looks brutal for anyone 6'3" plus may be why all of our links are to CBs on the smaller side (Guehi, Inacio, Diomande, Lukeba). Hard to find any tall options that aren't too expensive, too raw, or just unattainable.
Bit of an outside shout, but still an interesting profile, is Alexsandro Ribeiro from Lille. 25yrs, 1.89m (6´2), left footed. Won 70% of his aerial duels last season. Havent seen him play so these are just stats. But they´re good stats.
“Everybody else is prey.” Love that line - LFC acting like the big boys.
Great article.. agree entirely on the buyback clauses.. we’ve been doing them ever since Edwards took over but never actually used one. It’s just as our levels improve across the squad the quality of players we sell has too so 🤞
Agree entirely on Guehi too.. he is such a change in profile.
We sign big, quick, dual winning monsters of CB’s. Even Yoro and huijsen meet this requirement.
When you read about the space controlling models will spearman created.. this makes even more sense.
Guehi is neither particularly big or quick. And worse at duals then Quansah.
What he may be is a zero-cost replacement that allows Quansah to get the game time he needs to become the CB he could be..
The links seem too strong to be a red herring but I have huge doubts about Guehi.
The problem with being a team like LFC in the modern game is if you have all the possession, teams will hit you on counters and at set pieces… and with long balls to bypass your press.
… and your centrebacks just have to be big and quick and able to deal with this.
Yes they have to be able to pass through the lines in build up.. even more so with Trent gone.. but they will also have to cover massive spaces and win 1-1 aerial duals against the big men
What do you think of Evan Ndicka. Recently read Roma was contemplating his sale as he’ll be all profit. He’s been absolutely fire for them. Cons: left footed, CAF, 3-man backfield
Liked him at Frankfurt, lefties are cool. But haven't followed him as much since his move to Rome. Not ideal that he'll turn 26 in August. Still has three years on his contract, too. I'm not sure tbh. Feels unlikely at surface level.
Josh do you think we should sell Joe Gomez ? We are getting depleted of CBs but his fitness is an issue. Keep or Sell if there is an offer?
Probably wouldn't force a sale now that we're getting paid for Quansah. Phillips has gone too. And Konate has an uncertain future. The stability of Gomez suddenly feels really valuable and we've got plenty of other players to sell as a means of raising funds. Keep.
He usually gets 1 in 2 seasons injury free, this should be one of them. I really hope so, because Joe is one of those players that you want to see do well (and score a goal).
Not sure where Kerkez or Wirtz sit, but buying Guehi & Frimpong adds another couple of openly religious characters to our ranks. I’m beginning to think it’s one of the criteria the analysts look at when evaluating suitability.
A huge amount of professional sports people are deeply religious.
I think it partly has to do with surrendering control of fate to someone else.
When you train all week, all your life and your whole career can be influenced by something which is out of your control like basically the bounce of the ball..
Be able to “entrust” that outcome to a higher power is a massive emotional safety net
I have had this ongoing dialogue with my wife about why so many athletes are religious. My theory is it is easier to be religious when it is so obvious that you have been endowed with such incredible athletic gifts. The athletes that reach the top top level have 100% worked hard and tireless hours, but they have also been "blessed by the gods" with strength, reflexes, size, coordination, athletic talents, and especially SPEED many of us will never understand. When you have been given these gifts, I think it would be a lot easier to believe in a higher power!
On a related note I played Division 3 College American Football. That is the lowest level of college football, but we still had lots of guys 6'4" 300+ pounds that could benchpress over 400 and squat over 500.
We had a 26 year-old assistant coach who had been on an NFL practice squad and had a brother in the NFL. He was assisting us and trying to get in shape for one last shot at making the NFL. He was a 6'3" 235 linebacker in college. He did sprints with our team and beat EVERYONE by a LOT. Being around sports, the speed is the thing that just keeps ratcheting up at unbelievable amounts as you move up levels.
The short distance quickness, explosiveness, and the reflex speed is insane amongst the very top athletes, whether rugby, football, American football, basketball baseball, hockey, etc. The "slowest" Premier League footballers would make all of us look like we were standing still.
That is why I am excited by our transfers, we have added speed on both flanks. Adding some of the quickest players in the world is going to be a good thing!
Good point. I suppose if it gives you even the slightest edge then it makes some kind of sense!
Do you think the club has their eyes on Antonio Silva (Benfica, 21, contract until 2027) as a replacement for Konate next season?