Unfortunately, due to his injuries, “how would Bradley feel” should not fit into this equation. With the current state of the squad, it would feel very irresponsible to me to half measure the RB position on the off chance Bradley can maintain fitness. Chelsea added Gusto when they still had Reece James, and with all due respect to Bradley, he hasn’t shown Reece James ceiling either. LFC need to bring in the best player possible for the job and worry about the rest later.
Chelsea adding players is just what Chelsea do. It's meaningless. They are a player trading fund masquerading as a football club. If they think they can make big money on someone they'll buy him. It's as simple as that. How they've been allowed to spend £1bn on players in two seasons is beyond my comprehension and beyond the power of the football authorities to dish out meaningful punishments. They get fined. They don't care.
No one likes Chelsea, but that’s not the point. The point is you cannot let an injury prone player, even a top one, hold the squad hostage. I think healthy Bradley is great. He has not shown he can be an every week starter, he just hasn’t. We should not be planning the squad assuming that he is.
I agree with this.. I think Bradley is worse than injury prone, when you actually look at the amount of games he’s played.
I think this was the reason why Frimpong was brought in last season, rather than a back-up player. Frimpong’s pace meant he may play further forward at times should Bradley stay fit but he wasn’t joining to be a back-up.
But Bradley has been so regularly injured that you need a genuine 3rd starting RB option…
It does feel like a fallow market generally; Everyone seems to be scrabbling for Alvarez, Diomande and Barcola as there aren't that many other options- and it seems to be the same at RB.
Just don't go for world cup hype in Spence or Wan Bissaka, this is not 2002
If the plan is to hold onto both Bradley and frimpong, then surely a flexible CB profile is the way to go.
We can’t seriously be going into the season with just four of VVD/Joe/Jacquet/Leoni?!
Given the above, Konsa has to be a serious consideration.
Again the sale of quansah is questionable as he’s another profile who could fulfill the role of part time CB , part time RB.
Naturally the cash for either konsa or quansah is gonna be higher than we would like. But as your research has found, there aren’t many RBs on the market that would move the needle for us, and we really lack a semi experienced CB between the age of 21-28 .
Acheampong at Chelsea would be an interesting player, think there was rumours Liverpool looked at him before, Young, homegrown think he can cover centre back too.
With Bradley targeting a September return and having players who can cover like Frimpong, Gomez, Jacquet and Curtis I'm not sure right back is a priority for unless we can find someone outstanding at a price we like. Right wing and CB more of a priority (so another CB who can cover FB might make the most sense).
I know his name came up in your search but Arnau Martinez has a good injury record (nothing on Transfermarkt), 23, former Spain U21 and eminently gettable from Girona (unless City can stop it in some way).
I doubt we will get better value or quality in the market than him.
Spain produce more quality footballers than any other nation, yes World Cup fever, but they just won the Euro U19’s at a canter as well, and his settling in would be much easier now we have Spanish staff and he will know Munoz from Spain youth sides I’m sure.
I personally don’t want to see any midfielders or centre halves playing right back.
Just sign one and don’t over think it by looking for a world beater.
He’s just signed a new bumper deal so he’s obviously going to play in his prefered role in midfield, but Szobo would literally become a world beater at RB if he commited to it. He’s got all the traits to reach Hakimi-like levels in that role and you’re not finding anyone at that level on the market.
Iraola’s approach with double width would probably unlock him even more in that role, either overlapping with his endless running or entering the half spaces to deliver the best whipped crosses in the league. His passing game is also more suited to playing deeper, he sees more of the pitch infront of him and can be his vertical best and play switches from deeper positions.
But I believe we’ll see him do all of this in the double pivot most of the time and that RB will just have to be sorted some other way. Frimpong is an absolute non-starter for me at RB so we have to sign someone, Ratiu at Rayo has been downplayed in reports but he wouldn’t cost much and has both the experience and the well rounded profile that we need, and he wouldn’t block Bradley in the long run.
I don't think we're signing a right back, in which case the state of the market doesn't matter.
I know it's Andoni's job at this point in his LFC career to say positive stuff about all the players, but he seemed genuine in his comments that Bradley, Leoni and Ekitiké are all 'the future', and 'important players' [my words, not Iraola's], so I'm happy to take him at his word.
I also don't see Frimpong being designated as 'a utility player' as Lynch insists upon claiming, and I also don't rate Lynch's claims that Liverpool don't see Frimpong playing 35-40 games a season at right back. Why not? I mean, where else is he going to play, given Conor's season will take a while to get into gear. Lynch seems to pass off some of his own personal opinions and what smell like no more than gut feelings as having come from sources inside the club.
I think Hughes and Iraola are on the same page and they're not gonna go out and sign someone on a 5-year contract just because we've got a few players missing for a few months at the start of the season. We're always gonna have players missing injured, that's just how it is. You can't just go out and sign players on long contracts every time we're a man down.
I don't see us signing a CB either. The kid Ndukwe looks like a massive talent to me, even just from a few clips in training, Rio's had no change out of him at all. I dunno what the Austrian equivalent of the Great Wall of China is, the Alps I suppose, but Rio couldn't get round/over him. All the talk has been of sending Ndukwe out on loan, but why would you, given Leoni won't make the start of the season, and JoeGo's propensity to get injured means a club like ours should always ALWAYS have a talented kid around to promote to 4th (or 3rd) CB if necessary. I really can't be dealing with any more of Endo or Gravenberch filling in there.
I think we're done at the back. And no doubt that'll wind up the centre back obsessives.
And finally, just heard the sad news, rest in peace, King Kev...
However; I am not sure you can count on Bradley staying fit.
3 managers now all talk about Connor’s ability, but couched in caveats about staying fit. IMO if fit they would expect him to be first choice.. but.. he rarely is.
I believe that’s why they signed a potential first choice fullback last year in Frimpong. Albeit someone who could be utilised elsewhere if Bradley did stay fit (Don’t anyone kid themselves, Frimpong wasn’t going to a club to be back-up)
So one way or another we have to have another serious option for RB.
and one way to do that is get more centre backs so one of them can cover, or get another RB because you can look at using forming further forward a lot more if Bradley does get fit for a sustained period..
Part of me keeps thinking if we get a new CM like Wharton that Gravenberch might make a bit of sense in that position, can ball carry and also can put in a decent ball. If we are looking for cheap alternatives then Bart van Rooij would be my pick, cheap, progressive passer. Or Givairo Read if you want someone a bit younger for resale.
I don't think we're signing anyone. Just making people move around. This is good work as ever like, but I think we're done. Why is that? Because of last time? No big sales?
Nice research but why only look at players 26 or younger ? Di Lorenzo and Carvajal are amongst the best in Europe and both playing very well at well past 30 years of age ! Of course signing either will be impossible 🤣
Well we also looked at older. But the reason for looking at younger is because Hughes hasn’t yet signed anyone over the age of 25 for Liverpool, and FSG have pushed that policy for years.
I used to be a fan & watch Liverpool almost 50 back when studying in the UK . Phil Neal was a great attacking right back , with Alan Kennedy at left back who was no mug either !
Unfortunately, due to his injuries, “how would Bradley feel” should not fit into this equation. With the current state of the squad, it would feel very irresponsible to me to half measure the RB position on the off chance Bradley can maintain fitness. Chelsea added Gusto when they still had Reece James, and with all due respect to Bradley, he hasn’t shown Reece James ceiling either. LFC need to bring in the best player possible for the job and worry about the rest later.
I don’t disagree to be fair.
Chelsea adding players is just what Chelsea do. It's meaningless. They are a player trading fund masquerading as a football club. If they think they can make big money on someone they'll buy him. It's as simple as that. How they've been allowed to spend £1bn on players in two seasons is beyond my comprehension and beyond the power of the football authorities to dish out meaningful punishments. They get fined. They don't care.
No one likes Chelsea, but that’s not the point. The point is you cannot let an injury prone player, even a top one, hold the squad hostage. I think healthy Bradley is great. He has not shown he can be an every week starter, he just hasn’t. We should not be planning the squad assuming that he is.
I agree with this.. I think Bradley is worse than injury prone, when you actually look at the amount of games he’s played.
I think this was the reason why Frimpong was brought in last season, rather than a back-up player. Frimpong’s pace meant he may play further forward at times should Bradley stay fit but he wasn’t joining to be a back-up.
But Bradley has been so regularly injured that you need a genuine 3rd starting RB option…
How many times has the great Reece James been MOTM against Real Madrid?
It does feel like a fallow market generally; Everyone seems to be scrabbling for Alvarez, Diomande and Barcola as there aren't that many other options- and it seems to be the same at RB.
Just don't go for world cup hype in Spence or Wan Bissaka, this is not 2002
If the plan is to hold onto both Bradley and frimpong, then surely a flexible CB profile is the way to go.
We can’t seriously be going into the season with just four of VVD/Joe/Jacquet/Leoni?!
Given the above, Konsa has to be a serious consideration.
Again the sale of quansah is questionable as he’s another profile who could fulfill the role of part time CB , part time RB.
Naturally the cash for either konsa or quansah is gonna be higher than we would like. But as your research has found, there aren’t many RBs on the market that would move the needle for us, and we really lack a semi experienced CB between the age of 21-28 .
I think you are right.. however we’ve signed 5 CB’s since last summer.
Leoni, Jacquet, Ndukwe (17), Talla Ndaiye (18), Adekoya (19)..
Plus there’s Lucky and Nallo we’ve seen with the senior team before.
It may well be that at least 1 of them is expected to step forward to join VVD, Jacquet, Leoni and Gomez
I thought the plan with Quansah was too bring him back next year with his pre negotiated transfer fee and contract.
If the rumours about Zabarnyi have any legs, I could see us buying / loaning him and Jacquet given the minutes at right back.
I wouldn’t be against it.
Acheampong at Chelsea would be an interesting player, think there was rumours Liverpool looked at him before, Young, homegrown think he can cover centre back too.
With Bradley targeting a September return and having players who can cover like Frimpong, Gomez, Jacquet and Curtis I'm not sure right back is a priority for unless we can find someone outstanding at a price we like. Right wing and CB more of a priority (so another CB who can cover FB might make the most sense).
My counter to the poor right back market… is it ever a good right back market?
Feel like right backs are mostly just rubbish apart from a few.
We need defensive cover. Just sign a cb (ideally a hybrid) and be done with it.
I know his name came up in your search but Arnau Martinez has a good injury record (nothing on Transfermarkt), 23, former Spain U21 and eminently gettable from Girona (unless City can stop it in some way).
I doubt we will get better value or quality in the market than him.
Spain produce more quality footballers than any other nation, yes World Cup fever, but they just won the Euro U19’s at a canter as well, and his settling in would be much easier now we have Spanish staff and he will know Munoz from Spain youth sides I’m sure.
I personally don’t want to see any midfielders or centre halves playing right back.
Just sign one and don’t over think it by looking for a world beater.
We just need someone reliable.
He’s just signed a new bumper deal so he’s obviously going to play in his prefered role in midfield, but Szobo would literally become a world beater at RB if he commited to it. He’s got all the traits to reach Hakimi-like levels in that role and you’re not finding anyone at that level on the market.
Iraola’s approach with double width would probably unlock him even more in that role, either overlapping with his endless running or entering the half spaces to deliver the best whipped crosses in the league. His passing game is also more suited to playing deeper, he sees more of the pitch infront of him and can be his vertical best and play switches from deeper positions.
But I believe we’ll see him do all of this in the double pivot most of the time and that RB will just have to be sorted some other way. Frimpong is an absolute non-starter for me at RB so we have to sign someone, Ratiu at Rayo has been downplayed in reports but he wouldn’t cost much and has both the experience and the well rounded profile that we need, and he wouldn’t block Bradley in the long run.
I don't think we're signing a right back, in which case the state of the market doesn't matter.
I know it's Andoni's job at this point in his LFC career to say positive stuff about all the players, but he seemed genuine in his comments that Bradley, Leoni and Ekitiké are all 'the future', and 'important players' [my words, not Iraola's], so I'm happy to take him at his word.
I also don't see Frimpong being designated as 'a utility player' as Lynch insists upon claiming, and I also don't rate Lynch's claims that Liverpool don't see Frimpong playing 35-40 games a season at right back. Why not? I mean, where else is he going to play, given Conor's season will take a while to get into gear. Lynch seems to pass off some of his own personal opinions and what smell like no more than gut feelings as having come from sources inside the club.
I think Hughes and Iraola are on the same page and they're not gonna go out and sign someone on a 5-year contract just because we've got a few players missing for a few months at the start of the season. We're always gonna have players missing injured, that's just how it is. You can't just go out and sign players on long contracts every time we're a man down.
I don't see us signing a CB either. The kid Ndukwe looks like a massive talent to me, even just from a few clips in training, Rio's had no change out of him at all. I dunno what the Austrian equivalent of the Great Wall of China is, the Alps I suppose, but Rio couldn't get round/over him. All the talk has been of sending Ndukwe out on loan, but why would you, given Leoni won't make the start of the season, and JoeGo's propensity to get injured means a club like ours should always ALWAYS have a talented kid around to promote to 4th (or 3rd) CB if necessary. I really can't be dealing with any more of Endo or Gravenberch filling in there.
I think we're done at the back. And no doubt that'll wind up the centre back obsessives.
And finally, just heard the sad news, rest in peace, King Kev...
I think you are right on a lot of this.
However; I am not sure you can count on Bradley staying fit.
3 managers now all talk about Connor’s ability, but couched in caveats about staying fit. IMO if fit they would expect him to be first choice.. but.. he rarely is.
I believe that’s why they signed a potential first choice fullback last year in Frimpong. Albeit someone who could be utilised elsewhere if Bradley did stay fit (Don’t anyone kid themselves, Frimpong wasn’t going to a club to be back-up)
So one way or another we have to have another serious option for RB.
and one way to do that is get more centre backs so one of them can cover, or get another RB because you can look at using forming further forward a lot more if Bradley does get fit for a sustained period..
Part of me keeps thinking if we get a new CM like Wharton that Gravenberch might make a bit of sense in that position, can ball carry and also can put in a decent ball. If we are looking for cheap alternatives then Bart van Rooij would be my pick, cheap, progressive passer. Or Givairo Read if you want someone a bit younger for resale.
Josh you were dead right to be banging the drum for Porro all along. Would be great for us but unfortunately won’t happen now
A good read as ever.
I quite like Javi Rodriguez at Celta Vigo but what do I know. I miss FBref, RIP.
I don't think we're signing anyone. Just making people move around. This is good work as ever like, but I think we're done. Why is that? Because of last time? No big sales?
You think we’re done as in no more arrivals?
Yeah. How come everyone else is doing it and we're not? Rats
Nice research but why only look at players 26 or younger ? Di Lorenzo and Carvajal are amongst the best in Europe and both playing very well at well past 30 years of age ! Of course signing either will be impossible 🤣
Well we also looked at older. But the reason for looking at younger is because Hughes hasn’t yet signed anyone over the age of 25 for Liverpool, and FSG have pushed that policy for years.
I used to be a fan & watch Liverpool almost 50 back when studying in the UK . Phil Neal was a great attacking right back , with Alan Kennedy at left back who was no mug either !