Liverpool FC Forum

If Trent plays that hybrid role then we'll have 2 DMs in Trent and Fabinho and Robbo, Virg and Konate cleaning up behind them.

That's why Klopps gone for more creative players that also have the legs to get back and help if needed. We've kinda copied City with the players they have.  Szoboszlai is our version of KDB, Mac Allister is our Bernardo. Rodri and Fabinho were on a par a few years ago, but Rodri has risen to another level since and Fabs legs have gone. We desperately need a big strong CDM to challenge next season.. Thuram has played there for Nice but not sure if that's preferred position. I've not got excited over signing Lavia as at the end of the day Southampton were awful last season.. but watching his highlights he looks really good. He looks quick, strong in the tackle, good feet.. yeah he might actually be a good signing, plus he's only 19 aswell.

Dominik Szoboszlai’s former manager, Gerhard Struber, who coached the Hungarian at FC Liefering and Red Bull Salzburg, has given his thoughts on Szoboszlai’s imminent move to Liverpool.

“I have many many big talents next to me like Naby Keita, Taki Minamino, Patson Daka – so many players who play for Leipzig in the German Bundesliga and then make the jump to the Premier League.

“I had so many top talents next to me but I can say Dominik Szoboszlai was always a player who surprised us. I think sometimes a match plan was not helpful – he needs freedom, he needs space for himself to create his special direction.

“He did a great job in the last few years and this step to Liverpool could be the next trampoline for Liverpool.”

“We saw the potential in him at this time and also what I see and I never forget is that sometimes the team would have an off day and he was always on the field.”.

“He would train on days off. I was in my office, I can see him outside and he would make some special corner kicks, free kicks with the balls on the field.

“I think next to a top talent what he is, I can see also a high ambition and in this direction, two things come together – very high work ethic plus a super talent.”



Julian Nagelsmann, his former manager at RB Leipzig, once said: "Dominik can play in a variety of positions. "He can play in attacking midfield, as a left-sided attacker, or even out wide on the left wing. He can also do the same on the right. In Salzburg, he operated as a number 10 a lot and as a left-sided No 8."

So for we have got two attacking midfielders. We should still sign a CMer and a CDMer

kazza wrote:
“I have many many big talents next to me like Naby Keita, Taki Minamino, Patson Daka – so many players who play for Leipzig in the German Bundesliga and then make the jump to the Premier League.

None of those players were able for the step up to the prem. Keita was a bottle job while Minamino got lost outside of an under 16 match. Daka was a massive flop for Leicester despite all the ravings about him being the next Haaland.

kazza wrote:“I had so many top talents next to me but I can say Dominik Szoboszlai was always a player who surprised us. I think sometimes a match plan was not helpful – he needs freedom, he needs space for himself to create his special direction.

Is he not a team player then. Not going to go down well if he isn't as he's going to be given a specific role with responsibility. Not going to get away with prancing around doing his own thing in this system and we can't afford him to be.

I guess he's going to be no worse than Keita and Minamino whatever that means...

kazza » Sat Jul 01, 2023 7:43 pm wrote:I think we should be a much better team next year. I am much happier with this setup than spending all we had on Bellingham and so far I like who we have bought.

Agree with that it was better to spend on a few players rather than splash everything on just one (Bellingham), we needed more than one to fix things up so we had to spend wisely. Whether or not we've signed the right players though, remains to be seen I guess.

red till i die!! » Sun Jul 02, 2023 2:06 pm wrote:

kazza wrote:
“I have many many big talents next to me like Naby Keita, Taki Minamino, Patson Daka – so many players who play for Leipzig in the German Bundesliga and then make the jump to the Premier League.

None of those players were able for the step up to the prem. Keita was a bottle job while Minamino got lost outside of an under 16 match. Daka was a massive flop for Leicester despite all the ravings about him being the next Haaland.

kazza wrote:“I had so many top talents next to me but I can say Dominik Szoboszlai was always a player who surprised us. I think sometimes a match plan was not helpful – he needs freedom, he needs space for himself to create his special direction.

Is he not a team player then. Not going to go down well if he isn't as he's going to be given a specific role with responsibility. Not going to get away with prancing around doing his own thing in this system and we can't afford him to be.

Reading those quotes it sounds like it was translated to English.

The thing which struck me was him saying Szoboszlai surprised him, ie he never expected him to develop. He does look big and athletic so that is always going to give an edge add to that work ethic and a good injury record and I think he will work out well for us. He’s very good at penalties and free kicks, we haven’t had a player that takes great free kicks for a long while. Could be the difference against teams that park the bus, and I think that strategy will return next year unlike last year when teams didn’t respect us.

Liverpool are now reportedly in direct talks with both Romeo Lavia's representatives and Southampton over a deal for the Belgian after unveiling the arrival of Dominik Szoboszlai. The developments would appear to indicate the Reds are now going after a third midfield acquisition after the Hungarian maestro joined Alexis Mac Allister at Anfield as Jurgen Klopp's summer overhaul continues to take shape in ambitious fashion.

******

This is where I think we will go next, he would be considered a home grown player and he is a defensive midfielder. We are going to be stacked at midfield as we still have a very young Elliot and Jones as well. Which begs the question why we couldn’t have bought at least one last summer before our midfield crumbled.

Romeo Lavia of Southampton is on the radar after an impressive individual campaign in his first full season as a Premier League player. The Belgium international is just 19 but managed to feature 29 times and stood out in a Saints side that ultimately couldn't stave off relegation.

Manchester City have a buyback option that reportedly comes into effect in 12 months but with Southampton now in the Championship, will they really be able to demand upwards of £40m for Lavia this summer?

The interest in Lavia is genuine and Liverpool have kept tabs on his development since he moved to the south coast from Man City last year. His inexperience could yet count against him though where a potential move is concerned. At the sort of price being mentioned, Liverpool usually prefer players to have played anywhere between 150-200 senior games, where Lavia has less than 40.

Senior Anfield sources have insisted their interest has not gone beyond the due diligence process at present but he is most certainly a player whose ceiling and current ability means he is well liked within the club. As seen by the sudden move for Szoboszlai, Liverpool move swiftly when the green light is given.

Elsewhere Ryan Gravenberch and Khephren Thuram are two others who have been assessed, although a knee injury for Manu Kone, picked up on France Under-21 duty last week, could yet rule out the Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder from the running. With Szoboszlai through the doors, it appears unlikely Gabri Vegia's £40m release clause at Celta Vigo will now be triggered.

France's U21 exit at the hands of Ukraine on Sunday could now theoretically free up time and space for negotiations with Thuram's camp but the Nice midfielder is perhaps the great conundrum now given the addition of Szoboszlai.

It's believed the player's agent, Rafaela Pimenta, met with Nice's hierarchy last month but it was generally accepted any potential deal would not be forthcoming during the young Bleus' European Championship campaign. What happens next then will be intriguing.

Defensively, Liverpool are being named in connection with a number of centre-halves as the questions over the Reds' tactical framework for the coming campaign rumble on. Much depends on the use of Trent Alexander-Arnold going forward but another centre-back would be ideal if the profile and price were suitable.


Levi Colwill is widely appreciated but the England Under-21 international is currently a Chelsea player, making it potentially prohibitive to conclude a deal with a Premier League rival, particularly with Brighton keen to make their loaning of the defender a more permanent arrangement this summer. There are several hoops to jump through on that front and the Reds generally prefer not to get into any drawn-out sagas if there are alternatives.

Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven has been linked with moves to both Liverpool and Tottenham but it is believed to be Anfield where the Dutchman dreams of really pitching up at. A report in Wolfsburg media recently read: "He's not one of those crest-smooches who want to suggest to the fans that the club means everything to them and that they would never leave – and then run away. On the contrary, Van de Ven honestly says that he dreams of the Premier League and Liverpool."

Another piece in Wolfsburger Allgemeine, wrote: "The departure of Micky van de Ven is becoming more and more likely. The 22-year-old defensive rocket is very much in the focus of Premier League clubs. In addition to Liverpool, with its new sports director and former [Wolsfburg] managing director Jorg Schmadtke, Tottenham Hotspur should now also have the left foot on a shortlist."

The ECHO understands that there is no interest in Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio. Sources have dismissed the prospect of the left-sided centre-half being under any real consideration, despite reports in Portugal suggesting both Liverpool and Chelsea are set to enter a bidding war.

With two in by early July, Liverpool are clearly taking a proactive approach towards recruitment this summer and they are not going to rest on their laurels yet as a major campaign for the Klopp era draws nearer.

Thanks for posting those articles Kazza, Luddite arl @rses like me who aren’t on twitter or facebook or instagram or any of that malarkey don’t always know the best places to get the latest news.
Much appreciated mate

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Mon Jul 03, 2023 3:07 pm wrote:Thanks for posting those articles Kazza, Luddite arl @rses like me who aren’t on twitter or facebook or instagram or any of that malarkey don’t always know the best places to get the latest news.
Much appreciated mate

Thanks for that. Most of it is cr@p and if you follow it it says we are after every single player. Just like the weather, the forecast is only usable two days or so before the event itself.

A few reports floating around today that Hendo is the next one to depart for Arabia. Reportedly set to link up with Gerrard.

red till i die!! » Tue Jul 04, 2023 10:54 am wrote:A few reports floating around today that Hendo is the next one to depart for Arabia. Reportedly set to link up with Gerrard.

Saw that, I think his playing time will be limited and he should probably take the deal. He would be a good backup though as a defensive mid for us when we need to shut the game down, unless we got a replacement. Who will be captain though?

Liverpool 'walk away from talks to sign Nice star Khephren Thuram' with Jurgen Klopp now focusing on Southampton star Romeo Lavia amid interest from Arsenal and Chelsea

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12262239/Liverpool-walk-away-talks-sign-Nice-star-Khephren-Thuram-refocus-Romeo-Lavia.html

kazza » Tue Jul 04, 2023 12:18 pm wrote:

red till i die!! » Tue Jul 04, 2023 10:54 am wrote:A few reports floating around today that Hendo is the next one to depart for Arabia. Reportedly set to link up with Gerrard.

Saw that, I think his playing time will be limited and he should probably take the deal. He would be a good backup though as a defensive mid for us when we need to shut the game down, unless we got a replacement. Who will be captain though?

Thought he would be good back up myself and surprised the club would agree to letting him go. Personally wouldn't want to see him DM anyway as he doesn't make enough tackles or impose himself enough in that position. Given the length of his contract we might get a few Bob back on him.

As for the Captaincy there is a few who deserve it. Virgil seems most likely as he has all the respect of the players and is a commanding figure. Ali in there as well and Mo would love it too. Given the age of that lot I'd make Trent VC with the view to taking the mantle in about 2 years.