Liverpool FC thread

He then didnt make the team of the year 

Cast yer mind back to this time last year for a minute there. Chelsea won the EPL. Most people were aware City were going to go on another spending spree and tipped them as at least serious challengers, if not winners for this year (based on who they might sign). It isn't that weird a concept surely. 

Anyone can see that Liverpool already have 9 players out of 11 to have a pretty exceptional first team, the 2 most glaring weaknesses are there for everyone to see. It isn't a huge stretch of the imagination to think that if these 2 were replaced by better players, they would be closer to Man City. Overhauling them is a completely different matter though, as City will strengthen as well, and the next significant weakness Liverpool have in relation to City, or even Utd, is the disparity in strength of squad, which isn't quite as easy or quick to rectify. 

On a simpler level, if DDG played for Liverpool this season and Karius played for Man U, their positions in the league would likely be reversed right now, and I doubt there are too many Man U fans who would disagree with that, he did get club player of the year after all, it isn't for no reason. Ederson, by himself, and the way he plays & his passing of the ball, has totally transformed how Man City play more than any other player they signed last year, a top class keeper could and should have the same effect on Liverpool, though I would't think they will sign one, Klopp is a bit stubborn about keepers for some reason. 

The other thing is to look at the rest of the challengers, Man U are closest this year. Where are they going next though, as regards signings ? Probably more defenders and another few defensive midfielder who will no doubt be brilliant at what they do, as this the area Jose's excels in. I'd bet right now that Man U will have the best defence in the league next season, but will that be enough ? Enough for top 3 nearly certainly, the best defence nearly always finishes in the top 3, but Jose's whole philosophy is to keep it

tight at the back & take the chances that come upfront, and I wonder if what they have upfront is enough. 

Even if Lukaku got 35 goals next year, where are the rest of them going to come from, it isn't that Man U don't have the players capable of scoring them, they do (Sanchez, Rashford, Martial) but the managers insistence on all of them being auxilary defenders as well takes a cutting edge off them. Jose will never commit to his entire midfield breaking forward to support the front players, so this both slows attacks and leaves them numerically short of attackers as well. This is from time to time, not in every single game, before lads start getting pedantic or showing clips of goals where they attacked & scored quickly. 

People are talking about Liverpool holding on to players, but that is a way bigger issue for another challenger, Spurs, with their wage structure and seeming lack of transfer funds with the move to a new stadium. Pottechino has done an unbelievable job getting them this close while net spending remains at nearly nothing at all, but any club can only do that for so long. Another trophyless season next year, will Kane hang around ? Very unlikely, and even this year, they will probably lose Rose & Alderweireld, can't see how that will improve their challenge, they are light in places too, particularly upfront where Kane carries nearly all the burden himself. 

Chelsea will be restarting with another manager, who will have to figure out how to get Hazard back to last years form as well as buying plenty players, maybe even a keeper if Courtois fecks off as rumoured, and as ever, nobody knows anything about Abramovich's intentions as regards funds, they haven't spent on Man U/City type money in years. Wouldn't write off a serious improvement in them, but big jump from where they are to challenging for a league. Arsenal are simply miles away at the minute and not a factor. I think its a safe enough bet we won't see another Leicster, which rules out everyone else. 

I don't think Liverpool will win the league next year, but it isn't that outlandish to think they could be the closest to City next year, they aren't a million miles away and certainly look better equipped to do so over Spurs or Chelsea or Arsenal right now. To put it very simply again, I think Liverpool's keeper/defence is a lot easier sort than Man U's attack, not because of the players Man U have in attack, there isn't really anything much wrong with them individually, all good players,  but because improving Liverpool's defence won't involve changing the philosophy of the manager, whereas improving Man U's attack most certainly does.