Squad Analysis 2019/20

[Hunta]

Arteta doesn’t want to play like Liverpool, he wants to play like City.

For that he needs a billion quid, so we know how his tenure here is going to go.

 

[dashsnow17]

aww man, that wasn't a bad team y'know

 

[Hunta]

Arsenal fans wanking over a team that got smashed 10-2 in Europe.

 

[OnlyOne]

Arteta doesn’t want to play like Liverpool, he wants to play like City.

For that he needs a billion quid, so we know how his tenure here is going to go.

Do we need to meet up again and you know, talk? I feel your spiralling out of control and I want to help you.

 

[Hunta]

Do we need to meet up again and you know, talk? I feel your spiralling out of control and I want to help you.

Who’s this?

 

[Monstar-Gunn4r]

Arsenal fans wanking over a team that got smashed 10-2 in Europe.

That was that team? Thought Cazorla was injured and Koscielny went off. Thought the team in the picture is the one Özil missed the peno and they should have had a player sent off but we got out goalie sent off instead.

 

[Riou]

aww man, that wasn't a bad team y'know

I agree with this...but the guy who tweeted this should have used a picture from 13/14 or 14/15, not 15/16 when we lost the league to ****ing Leicester

 

[14Henry]

Everyone seems to want to recreate Liverpool's setup. Unsurprising given their success, but it's not a formula I particularly enjoy. In my opinion they've also outperformed their actual level. Lots of things have gone their way this season, due to exceptional individual class (Salah, Mané, VVD, Firmino, TAA, Robertson) and some luck with refs.

In order to recreate their setup you need three exceptional attackers. We barely have one, and Auba's not one to create something out of nothing like Mané or Salah (not to take anything away from Auba). You also need two exceptional fullbacks (we have one). Lastly, you need three service men with huge engines in midfield (we arguably have two with Willock and Maitland-Niles albeit with significantly less experience). VVD is just icing on the cake, saving their asses plenty of times at CB.

I don't think their system is one that is optimal without exceptional individual players either.

A 4-3-3 with a more creative and mobile midfield, as well as creativity on the left seems much more attainable for us and it's a proven system.

We simply need either a playmaking LW (Benrahma/Grealish/Depay) or a creative CM (Aouar/Szoboszlai/???) and an all-action midfielder (Partey/Willock/vdBeek/Golovin) to make the switch to this system.

Then it's a matter of upgrading our current ****ty personnel, which is glaringly obvious. The system is in place, though. Even with just one of the two aforementioned signings we could play the system if we trust our youngsters (not saying we should, but we could).

Liverpools front 3 cost less than 100m.

So when people talk about recreating it they are talking about Liverpools model of searching for talent within the PL and then try and getting a few good players from Europe. All who want to buy into a 2-3 year plan.

Liverpool didnt go from 8th in the league to champions in 1 go. Nor did just Van Dijk and Allison move them 8th to 1st. Year on year they got rid of crap and brought in a better player. They also bought premier league proven players to mix with overseas purchases.

How many of Liverpools first team had played PL football before? Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Winjaldum, Mane. On the bench Milner, Lovren, Lallana, Shaquiri. Liverpool didnt buy stars who were brilliant. They bought a balance of players who would buy into Klopps plans and do the simple things right (the midfield). They bought hard working players who would both attack and defend (robertson, mane). They unearthed a few gems. (Firmino, Gomez, Coutinho).

It was a building process were year on year they chipped away and got to the top.

Klopp was also ruthless getting rid of players who he deemed not good enough. But he didnt send them on loan forever. He sold them. He got 20m for Ings and 10m Mingolet.

 

[Dutch D]

Liverpools front 3 cost less than 100m.

Sure, if we can find hidden gems for little money to drastically improve our attack I'm all for that. Don't think we should start there, though. Also, we have Saka and Martinelli for the long term project.

So when people talk about recreating it they are talking about Liverpools model of searching for talent within the PL and then try and getting a few good players from Europe. All who want to buy into a 2-3 year plan.

Liverpool didnt go from 8th in the league to champions in 1 go. Nor did just Van Dijk and Allison move them 8th to 1st. Year on year they got rid of crap and brought in a better player. They also bought premier league proven players to mix with overseas purchases.

If they are talking about recreating the model, sure I can get behind that. Don't think we should necessarily limit ourselves to PL/Championship players, though, but we could search there more often.

However, I also see a lot of references to their style of play, which is something I don't think we should strive for.

I'm also not saying the process should take a year, so I'm not sure how that factors in this discussion, but I think we agree there. If next year Arteta can finish 4th, then the year after 4th while doing well in CL then seriously compete for top 3, that would be massive.

How many of Liverpools first team had played PL football before? Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Winjaldum, Mane. On the bench Milner, Lovren, Lallana, Shaquiri. Liverpool didnt buy stars who were brilliant. They bought a balance of players who would buy into Klopps plans and do the simple things right (the midfield). They bought hard working players who would both attack and defend (robertson, mane). They unearthed a few gems. (Firmino, Gomez, Coutinho).

It was a building process were year on year they chipped away and got to the top.

Klopp was also ruthless getting rid of players who he deemed not good enough. But he didnt send them on loan forever. He sold them. He got 20m for Ings and 10m Mingolet.

Again, I don't think we disagree. I was talking about systems, not recruitment.

We should indeed be ruthless in getting rid of players not deemed good enough, which is why I wouldn't mind selling Xhaka this summer even though he might be our best midfielder currently. Long-term he doesn't get us where we should be. His limitations are obvious and have been discussed exhaustively. Happy he's doing well atm, of course I don't have an agenda against him as a person.

I don't see too many players in the PL who could improve us short- and mid-term for a reasonable fee, though. Perhaps some of the players of the teams that ultimately go down, but I doubt they'd really transform us.

Aké would be good, but probably still cost €40m even with relegation. I like Aarons and Lewis as fullback prospects, but won't immediately take us up a level (please Arteta get rid of Kolasinac and buy a talented back-up for Tierney, shame we don't have any academy players there).
Cantwell, Brooks, Buendia, could probably provide some creativity, but I'm not sure if they would quickly take us up a level either.
Grealish is probably out of reach, too expensive for a 'rebuild signing' probably.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Arteta doesn’t want to play like Liverpool, he wants to play like City.

For that he needs a billion quid, so we know how his tenure here is going to go.

This club need Chris Wilder, we should do everything to get him in.

 

[Macho]

He’s really impressed me tbh.

I wouldn’t sack Arteta for him but I would have taken Chris Wilder or Brendan Rodgers after Emery.

To get man playing on a budget I think they could have done it.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

 

[DanDare]

The ruler has returned

 

[GoonerJay24]

I agree with this...but the guy who tweeted this should have used a picture from 13/14 or 14/15, not 15/16 when we lost the league to ****ing Leicester

With half our squad injured

 

[HairSprayGooners]

How many starting players do people think we really need to challenge for a title? Say Arteta wants to play in a 433... to get a starting 11 worthy of challenging how many signings do we need to make.

I think a world class CB next to one of ours would be good enough. Bit like Liverpool with VVD next to Gomez/Matip.
We need a better starting right back although I like Cedric.
Think we need a Partey type in midfield.
We need a creative player.
And possibly a left winger, but not sure on that one as Saka/Martinelli are quality.

5 first teams signings to challenge, doesn't sound like a lot but we have a good base to work from.

 

[Macho]

I think WC centreback and midfielder would go a long way for us. I don't think we need that much for champions league qualification. We wasn't that far this and last season.

Title and CL finals thats a different convo I think.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

I think WC centreback and midfielder would go a long way for us. I don't think we need that much for champions league qualification. We wasn't that far this and last season.

Title and CL finals thats a different convo I think.

Problem is finding a world class commanding CB. Or someone that is on the brink of being that. I think Partey could be that guy for midfield.

 

[Macho]

Problem is finding a world class commanding CB. Or someone that is on the brink of being that. I think Partey could be that guy for midfield.

Notice how I couldn't name any lol.

Partey, I've not watched I will be honest as I only follow the league. I would like him to join though for sure.

 

[DanDare]

How many starting players do people think we really need to challenge for a title? Say Arteta wants to play in a 433... to get a starting 11 worthy of challenging how many signings do we need to make.

I think a world class CB next to one of ours would be good enough. Bit like Liverpool with VVD next to Gomez/Matip.
We need a better starting right back although I like Cedric.
Think we need a Partey type in midfield.
We need a creative player.
And possibly a left winger, but not sure on that one as Saka/Martinelli are quality.

5 first teams signings to challenge, doesn't sound like a lot but we have a good base to work from.

Tierney, Leno and Auba are our only players good enough to win the title.

So that's 8 starting 11 signings away from winning the title.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

How many starting players do people think we really need to challenge for a title? Say Arteta wants to play in a 433... to get a starting 11 worthy of challenging how many signings do we need to make.

I think a world class CB next to one of ours would be good enough. Bit like Liverpool with VVD next to Gomez/Matip.
We need a better starting right back although I like Cedric.
Think we need a Partey type in midfield.
We need a creative player.
And possibly a left winger, but not sure on that one as Saka/Martinelli are quality.

5 first teams signings to challenge, doesn't sound like a lot but we have a good base to work from.

We haven’t been in the top 4 for like 4 seasons now counting next year, we’re like 15 players off challenging for the title.