REBUILDING THE REDS
After the quadruple chase of 21-22, Liverpool had an extremely underwhelming season in 22-23. I attended my first match in years when the Reds played Wolves in the FA Cup. They were dreadful. The team was strung all over the pitch, and Wolves, fielding many reserves, should have won. Subsequently, they beat Liverpool quite comfortably in the league shortly after, as did Brighton and Brentford. Then, after an inexplicable 7-0 romp over their bitterest rivals, Liverpool returned to this season's type losing at lowly Bournemouth. What went wrong?
Several reasons have been put forward. I'm not going to go through them all. Each had validity. With the benefit of hindsight, the quadruple chase took too much out of the team physically and mentally. Liverpool had a good squad but wasn't equipped for a quadruple chase. Yet somehow, they almost pulled it off through luck and good management. In his time at Anfield, Klopp has never prioritized the domestic cups fielding reserve teams in the early rounds. Somehow last season, the team stumbled into the latter stages. I understand why he turned to his senior players with silverware on the horizon. After a disappointing campaign that sees a number of senior players on the way out, can the Reds rebuild? Will they be able to challenge at the top once again? Questions, questions.
Let's look at the potential rebuild through the different areas of the field.
Goalkeepers (3 needed): ALISSON, ADRIAN, ???
? - KELLEHER
Academy GK: DAVIES (loan), PITALUGA, JAROS
Many rated Alisson Liverpool's player of the year this season. He is one of the best in the business. #3, the experienced Adrian, is said to be returning, but #2, Caomin Kelleher, is a potential question mark. Kelleher has lost his place on the Irish national team and didn't play much last season. Klopp will want to keep him when the money at his disposal is likely to be spent in other directions. I expect him to offer Kelleher Europa League and League Cup games as a carrot for one more season. Otherwise, several young goalies from the Academy are all internationals at different levels. Harvey Davies, the lad rated top of the group, is going out on loan. Vitezslav Jaros will keep the goal for the Czechs at the u21 Euros. Will that be enough to warrant a promotion to the first-team squad? There is something for the manager to sort out here.
Full-backs (4 needed): ALEXANDER-ARNOLD, ???, ROBERTSON, ???
? - TSIMIKAS
Academy FB: RAMSAY (loan) BRADLEY, MABAYA, CHAMBERS
Will Tsimikas want another season on the bench? They are also questions regarding the so-called "role" of TAA. After an injury-hit first season, Calvin Ramsay is out on loan to Preston. Given the promise by Connor Bradley the previous season, I thought he was a strange signing. Liverpool felt confident enough to let Neco Williams go with Bradley in reserve, and he had a great season on loan at Bolton. Expect a promotion for the Northern Ireland international. He should take Ramsay's place on the squad. Left-back Luke Chambers has a good loan spell with Kilmarnock. However, would he be ready for EPL and European coverage if Tsimikas moves on?
Central Defenders (4 needed): KONATE, VAN DIJK,
? - MATIP, GOMEZ, PHILLIPS, WILLIAMS
Academy CD: VAN DEN BERG, KOUMETIO, QUANSAH
This is an area that needs a first-team-ready signing. Van Dijk blew hot and cold this season. Much was made of the injury that kept him out two seasons back. However, didn't he play the entire season in between when the team chased the quadruple? One interesting stat was he played more top-level football than anybody in the world over the last year. The truth is VVD is knackered! It's fair to assume he has passed his peak as the years add up. He's still a top defender and worth his weight in gold. Not so Joel Matip. Joel's been excellent over time, but he appears to have passed his best. Even though he was inconsistent, I would keep Joe Gomez, with performances ranging from superb (Man City home) to absolutely dreadful (Napoli away). Of the youngsters, Van den Berg's development was hindered by injury at Schalke. Liverpool needs to sign a central defender! First-team ready, not potential!! Meantime, I anticipate Nat Phillips and Ryan Williams to move on to raise some extra funds for the transfer kitty.
Midfield (8): HENDERSON/ELLIOTT, FABINHO/BAJCETIC, MacALLISTER/THIAGO, ????/JONES
? - MORTON, CARVALHO
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Academy MID: CLARK
Out: MILNER, KEITA, OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN, ARTHUR, CLARKSON
Midfield was highlighted as Liverpool's major area of concern in 22-23, and rightly so. It was an ageing group with several injury-prone players. Of the latter group, only Thiago remains. He might share a midfield slot on the squad with new signing Alexis MacAllister on paper. The Reds have some young midfield talent who Klopp may want to make squad regulars. Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones had good runs in the first team, and the unexpected emergence of Stefan Bajcetic, who, while only 18, played with a lot of authority. (Bajcetic can also contribute at the back, as his primary position initially was central defence!) Leighton Clarkson did well at Aberdeen and made his loan permanent. Likewise, Tyler Morton saw significant time at Blackburn. He could well be another sold to raise funds.
My opinion is that one more midfielder needs to be brought in. Again, first-team ready, not potential. That would give the manager eight first-team choices - 4 experienced, 3 experienced youth, plus 1 young player finding his feet. Booby Clark could be added to the latter group from the Academy, who showed ability when given a chance last season. Of course, other options are being widely discussed, namely moving Alexander-Arnold permanently into the midfield corps.
Forwards (5): SALAH, GAKPO, NUNEZ, JOTA, DIAZ
Out: FIRMINO
Academy FWDS: DOAK, GORDON
On paper, this is where the Reds have the greatest strength in depth. All can score, and Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo have had sufficient time to settle. In the domestic cups, there is also the likelihood that Ben Doak and Kaide Gordon might feature. Both are richly talented and have yet to seem overawed when given a chance.
CAN LIVERPOOL CHALLENGE AGAIN NEXT SEASON?
While the overall question concerns the race for second and Champions League slots, I expect LFC to be in the mix again. After all the difficulties of 22-23, Klopp did get the group re-focused, and they enjoyed a strong finish to end up fifth in the league. Whilst that could be classified as a disappointment after the accomplishments of previous seasons, taking a step back and looking at the challenges faced, that's about where the team is, based on the season. Two more "name" signings are required, one at the back plus another midfielder. However, it will take time to integrate, establish roles and buildup new chemistry among the players. Liverpool fans should not be expecting another quadruple-like chase. A realistic goal would be the top four plus a cup providing a platform for seasons beyond.
A big question currently revolves around Trent Alexander-Arnold and his so-called "hybrid" role, i.e. one minute right back, the next central midfield. In plain terms, in the course of the game switching between 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 as the match dictates/allows. I thought TAA would be advanced as a wing-back in a 3-4-3, so I was surprised to see him utilized more centrally. Trent's crossing ability is renowned, but it also appears he has vision playing in the middle of the park. Personnel-wise, for this to work, three pacey defenders who can read the game well and a right midfielder with a prodigious work rate who will defend when necessary is required. Andy Robertson is one of the three defenders based on the tail end of last season. Robbo can defend, but he is such a strong defender coming forward, as he showed for his country in recent internationals. He is also a fantastic crosser of the ball.
Ultimately, Liverpool can still be exposed a little too easily at the back, whichever system they employ, but Jurgen Klopp's philosophy is to take the game to the opposition. As a fan, this is a style I enjoy, so more power to him!
TNo early for forecasts for next season yet, other than I expect a positive rebuild and Liverpool to have a stronger overall performance than in the season just passed. Let's see who Jurgen brings in next! YNWA
FAN VIDEO BELOW. YouTube is full of this stuff for all the EPL teams: five sensible signings and some rational thinking putting a new squad rebuild together. However, following the season simulation, Liverpool wins the league! I find that too optimistic, to put it mildly.