The OFFICIAL Liverpool FC thread - Arne to Slot right in?

[north_antrim_hound]

And who replaces couthino

[heganboy]

Keita, but neither in January

[TabClear]

And who replaces couthino

You cant replace someone of that quality. There isnt a team in the world taht would not be better off with him in it, hence the reason why Barca want him. If he is going to go all you can do is maximise the fee and invest it well.

You have to hope that the scouts do their job and find another Salah/Countinho (I see Lemar being linked again) or one of the youngsters like Woodburn steps up to a different level.  Keita will help but in a different way plus Mane/Salah/Firmino/Lallana will all provide goals and creativity. Just hope that the sum of the parts is greater after the money is reinvested.

Put it like this, if Coutinho had went inthe summer and VVD had been signed would Liverpool be worse off than they are now points wise? They would not be as potent offensively but there are very few games where Liverpool have struggled  in that area. As good as Countinho has been, I cant think of a game where he has been the difference between Liverpool winning and losing? If he was not there on Sunday, it might not have been 4-0 but I would be confident we would have taken all 3 points, especially with Mane sitting on the bench.  However, if VVD or a similar top class centre half had been signed would Watford have scored 3 on the opening day, would Calvert Lewis have been pushed in the back etc?

Dont get me wrong, I hope he does stay but bottom line is that its still a team game. Every team has to replace their best player at some point and Liverpool have not done two bad in the last 2 summer windows with Mane and Salah.

[north_antrim_hound]

And who replaces couthino

You cant replace someone of that quality. There isnt a team in the world taht would not be better off with him in it, hence the reason why Barca want him. If he is going to go all you can do is maximise the fee and invest it well.

You have to hope that the scouts do their job and find another Salah/Countinho (I see Lemar being linked again) or one of the youngsters like Woodburn steps up to a different level.  Keita will help but in a different way plus Mane/Salah/Firmino/Lallana will all provide goals and creativity. Just hope that the sum of the parts is greater after the money is reinvested.

Put it like this, if Coutinho had went inthe summer and VVD had been signed would Liverpool be worse off than they are now points wise? They would not be as potent offensively but there are very few games where Liverpool have struggled  in that area. As good as Countinho has been, I cant think of a game where he has been the difference between Liverpool winning and losing? If he was not there on Sunday, it might not have been 4-0 but I would be confident we would have taken all 3 points, especially with Mane sitting on the bench.  However, if VVD or a similar top class centre half had been signed would Watford have scored 3 on the opening day, would Calvert Lewis have been pushed in the back etc?

Dont get me wrong, I hope he does stay but bottom line is that its still a team game. Every team has to replace their best player at some point and Liverpool have not done two bad in the last 2 summer windows with Mane and Salah.

I was thinking kieta
But as you say different sort of player
I think if Liverpool run deep in CL couthino might  be convinced to stay

[TabClear]

And who replaces couthino

You cant replace someone of that quality. There isnt a team in the world taht would not be better off with him in it, hence the reason why Barca want him. If he is going to go all you can do is maximise the fee and invest it well.

You have to hope that the scouts do their job and find another Salah/Countinho (I see Lemar being linked again) or one of the youngsters like Woodburn steps up to a different level.  Keita will help but in a different way plus Mane/Salah/Firmino/Lallana will all provide goals and creativity. Just hope that the sum of the parts is greater after the money is reinvested.

Put it like this, if Coutinho had went inthe summer and VVD had been signed would Liverpool be worse off than they are now points wise? They would not be as potent offensively but there are very few games where Liverpool have struggled  in that area. As good as Countinho has been, I cant think of a game where he has been the difference between Liverpool winning and losing? If he was not there on Sunday, it might not have been 4-0 but I would be confident we would have taken all 3 points, especially with Mane sitting on the bench.  However, if VVD or a similar top class centre half had been signed would Watford have scored 3 on the opening day, would Calvert Lewis have been pushed in the back etc?

Dont get me wrong, I hope he does stay but bottom line is that its still a team game. Every team has to replace their best player at some point and Liverpool have not done two bad in the last 2 summer windows with Mane and Salah.

I was thinking kieta
But as you say different sort of player
I think if Liverpool run deep in CL couthino might  be convinced to stay

I hope your right (on both points!) but unfortunately I think he will go, and potentially in January.

[laoislad]

I don't think he will go in January. It's not like Barca need him right now. They are 6 points clear in La Liga and 11 ahead of Real.
Plus he would be cup tied for the Champions League if he were to go.
He will go in the summer though I'd expect.

[blewuporstuffed]

I don't think he will go in January. It's not like Barca need him right now. They are 6 points clear in La Liga and 11 ahead of Real.
Plus he would be cup tied for the Champions League if he were to go.
He will go in the summer though I'd expect.

I would have thought the same

[TabClear]

I don't think he will go in January. It's not like Barca need him right now. They are 6 points clear in La Liga and 11 ahead of Real.
Plus he would be cup tied for the Champions League if he were to go.
He will go in the summer though I'd expect.

I would have thought the same

I think its more likely he will go in the summer but you never know. There have been a few articles in the Spanish press about a January bid. If it drags on to the summer hopefully it will happen pre the world cup so any replacement can be identified in good time. With £100+ million in the kitty we might be lucky enough to pick up the likes of a Diouf and Diao at this world cup....

[AZOffaly]

I don't think he will go in January. It's not like Barca need him right now. They are 6 points clear in La Liga and 11 ahead of Real.
Plus he would be cup tied for the Champions League if he were to go.
He will go in the summer though I'd expect.

I would have thought the same

I think its more likely he will go in the summer but you never know. There have been a few articles in the Spanish press about a January bid. If it drags on to the summer hopefully it will happen pre the world cup so any replacement can be identified in good time. With £100+ million in the kitty we might be lucky enough to pick up the likes of a Diouf and Diao at this world cup....

I wouldn't expect him to go in January. I don't think the club would have gone through the hassle in the summer if they were going to let him go in January, especially now that they've qualified for the knockout stage.  I hope he's sold in June if he's going, as you said.

[supersub]

A few points;

Have long been hoping Gomez shifts to CB, I think he'll be excellent in there. VVD & Gomez in the centre with Clyne/TAA/Robertson in the fullback positions would be decent.

On Coutinho, he has made the difference in so many matches - his goals and assists tally lately is very impressive - but he also has the ability to get frustrated like the rest of the team i.e. the previous two drawn games. Yesterday he scored the first, a sublime goal, not many others would have scored - the longer the game goes on at 0-0 the harder Liverpool find it to score. Coutinho unlocked this early yesterday. I don't think he will leave in January for a few reasons; no CL football so not really of any immediate benefit to him or Barca, also if he did move and failed to settle straightaway or lost form he would be in danger of not making the Brazil team/squad for the WC. Pretty sure he'll go in the summer however but don't think it will take a bite at the WC to force the issue like Suarez!! I'd say the same agreement is in place. Give us one more year and if you still really want to go, go!

[Boycey]

Doesn't strike me to be the type in public anyway agitate for a move but if the chance comes in Jan I'd say he'll away. You can't tell what the future holds, he could get a bad injury, Barca could change their minds. I'm sure when Madrid's fax machine went wonky De Gea didn't think he'd still be at Utd several years later missing out on 2 Champ Leagues..

[gawa316]

It's not Coutinho's decision to make though...FSG made it blatantly obvious in the summer they do not want to sell, so no way they take that stance all summer just to drop the nags in January...makes no sense at all.

[StGallsGAA]

A few points;

Have long been hoping Gomez shifts to CB, I think he'll be excellent in there. VVD & Gomez in the centre with Clyne/TAA/Robertson in the fullback positions would be decent.

VVD would certainly  beef up Liverpool's defence!  Mind you Oscar Pistorius would probably improve that defence atm! 

[Gabriel_Hurl]

You're as funny as a dose of the runs

[Syferus]

It's not Coutinho's decision to make though...FSG made it blatantly obvious in the summer they do not want to sell, so no way they take that stance all summer just to drop the nags in January...makes no sense at all.

Everyone has a price.

FSG talk a big game but that's about it. This isn't baseball.