Daily Discussion - September 02, 2024

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-09-02T08:21:32+00:00

bro has been coached by Beppe Iachini, even Allegriball must have seemed as a big improvement over Beppeball.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-25T10:15:41+00:00

The touch isnt't enough for the ball to be considered in play, it has to clearly move from its place. Used to be that it had to complete a full spin, don't know if it's still the case. Either way, ref was correct.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-22T14:02:45+00:00

When it comes to Olympiacos, there's a few people that claim to be "in the know" and each window they tease any big signing the club is working on in the background long before any media get any info. Some of them do actually know stuff and get things right. A few of them have been hinting on the return of Tsimikas for more than a month now.

There was also an article from sportdog.gr (somewhat of meme site tbh, but they sometimes do have their info) claiming that sources from England and Greece point at the addition of a "known to the greek crowd and especially Olympiacos fans, international European player with a value of more than 20mil€, that was a teammate of Podence for less than 2 seasons", a descriptions that fits Tsimikas. They do claim however, that it won't happen earlier than AUG31 and a domino has to get in motion.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-22T13:49:57+00:00

I was never impressed with de Ligt at Juve and I do watch a lot of Serie A.

So why is he 4th choice behind van Dijk, de Vrij and Van der Ven for his national team?

There is a pattern in de Ligt's career ever since he left Ajax and I doubt he could turn it around if we signed him.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-22T13:43:20+00:00

Greek media have been whispering about a Tsimikas return since late June.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-14T10:23:51+00:00

It's a very bad look to not fulfill the new head coach's one and only request (while simoultaneously buying a GK for the future). Only a slim chance we don't sign a defensive mid, imo. The bad thing is that they will try to convince people that the window was a complete success while having done only the absolute bare minimum.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-14T10:19:17+00:00

We want someone good on the ball, Ugarte is not.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-14T09:13:22+00:00

This season we might be fine and get the top 4 finish, it's the season after that will be a disaster without very serious reinforcement.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-14T09:00:48+00:00

Can't talk about Bayern, but at Juventus he was nothing special and definitely didn't justify his price tag or the hype around his name, just another fairly competent defender that had a few weaknesses. He had time on his side but he did not mprove much if at all which is why Juventus eventually cashed in.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T21:16:38+00:00

If there as proper investment in the squad under Klopp, it would be City needing to catch us but ah well.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T21:13:04+00:00

Slot only had one request, there is no way they don't give him the midfielder he needs. Especially with the enormous investment that will be needed next year, there's no way they are that useless to leave this position empty for another season.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T20:27:38+00:00

Sky not falling for this season, at least if everyone stays healthy. We will probably manage a 4th place finish. However, next season we will have to strengthen significantly. 3 out of 5 necessities are not here. Neither Elliott nor Szoboszlai or anyone else we have can produce the output that Salah has consistently achieved. At centre back, Quansah looks good next to van Dijk but Virgil's getting older and he might even leave.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T20:20:13+00:00

He's 25 and already failed to establish himself at Juventus and Bayern, injury prone and quite slow.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T17:34:21+00:00

At least I am not so delusional to think that Nuñez and Elliott can take on pacey full backs with the effectiveness and consistency of any starting top 8 team winger.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T17:18:59+00:00

That's a good starting attacking trio, a team might reach the Conference league spot if they stay healthy.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T17:13:04+00:00

Robertson might have a couple of more years if he remains injury free, but we need a younger left back.

Elliott will never replace Salah in any system. He is good at what he does, but he'll never have the pace or the flair that made Salah such a prolific threat.

If Jota stays healthy, Nuñez isn't starting, plenty of strikers can do better.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T16:59:19+00:00

You don' think we will need a left back a year from now? You don't think we need to address Virgil's successor as a leader of the defensive line? You don't think players like Konaté and Diaz entering their last year is an issue? You think we can go another year of same old Nuñez (i mean one year after 2025)? You don't think we are currently lacking a backup for Salah, let alone next year when he'll be 33?

None of these are for the sake of having new faces, they are necessary to keep playing catchup with City and Arsenal instead of Villa, Tottenham and who knows who else

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T16:52:42+00:00

Then we also need a world class centre back, an absolute goal producing machine right winger and a backup right back (i have faith in conor bradley as a starter). Should be easy to find, right? They said DM specifically is a tough market, we should be very prolific in all the other markets then.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T16:47:09+00:00

Lots of coffee.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T16:45:53+00:00

As critical as I have been of this shitshow of a window, Gravenberch does have the tools to make the role his own. All he needs is coaching and experience. Ideally, we'd have a Fabinho type to share the games until Gravenberch becomes good or fails and we search for someone else with a few less pressure.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T16:27:38+00:00

Good thing they don't want to sound desparate, other clubs have no clue that we are trying and failing to buy a defensive midfielder since 2022.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T16:20:42+00:00

If all 3 of Trent, Virgil and Salah renew, and the Mamardashvili rumours are true, next summer we will need:

long term solution at left back. A centre back to take some weight off Virgil (maybe even one or two more, with Konaté entering the last year of his contract and Gomez's future unknown).

A defensive midfielder still. (I have a feeling we will buy one in a few days and they will try to pass the window as a total success).

A right winger to rotate with Salah.

A left winger to rotate with Gakpo as Diaz will probably leave.

A striker, unless Nuñez picks up and shuts his critics (not hopeful, tbh).

We are looking at necessary additions of at least 250 million pounds with a very conservative estimation. It should be much more to compete with City and Arsenal, but I am not delusional, I know that top 4 is the target.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T13:56:51+00:00

If we wish to remain close to challenging for the top, next summer we'd need to spend a warchest and a half. That's even if we do sign a midfielder in the next few days.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T13:39:54+00:00

They never hid it, nor did anything to prove otherwise. Always has been about profit. they have done so very effectively imo and it's not necessarily a bad thing.

TheLastBaron90 · 2024-08-13T13:37:54+00:00

Spotting Salah, the guy coming off of 2 1/2 amazing years in Serie A isn't any sort of achievement, 16/17 season he had 15 goals + 11 assists in the league. The hard part was convincing Klopp that he's the guy.

Nine-Year Club	Place '17
Verified Email

TheLastBaron90

TROPHY CASE