GWT: Champions League - Round of 16

[Chimaera]

We're going to lose but the difference between Konate and Gomez is really clear. We haven't defended great but we're not keeping players onside all the time, and it makes me wonder what could have happened if Gomez didn't play the first leg. Hardly anyone says we need a new CB this summer but yes we do to replace Gomez.

They need one. But they just don’t have the money. They likely won’t have the money for much at all.

 

[Savant]

They need one. But they just don’t have the money. They likely won’t have the money for much at all.

Arrogance is going to continue to do this team in. If we are keeping the same personnel next season (by necessity or not) they need to have an honest look in the mirror. Their identity is completely gone and they clearly aren’t as hungry/motivated as they were before. That does not flip on and off like a light switch either.

This Madrid series proved that the whole “mentality monster” phase is over. Madrid are the mentality monsters. All season has proven time and again the intensity ethos is gone too. Too much quitting during games. Too many examples of not being able to get up for less prestigious games. Too many excuses. Klopp would be wise to take some notes from Ferguson here but Klopp has always been too loyal (even if he will say otherwise). Can’t really complain about what happened today, but can look at what happened during the first leg at Anfield for sure. It’s not just Top 4 at stake the rest of the season

 

[Live in the Now]

They need 3 CM and one CB. I do not see how they cannot afford to fix that.

 

[bluesfan94]

They need 3 CM and one CB. I do not see how they cannot afford to fix that.

They'll sell Salah for way too much money to PSG and be set.

 

[Live in the Now]

They'll sell Salah for way too much money to PSG and be set.

Wouldn’t be too mad about that but then we’d need a player for that side too. He single-handedly prevented us from scoring multiple goals here.

 

[bluesfan94]

Wouldn’t be too mad about that but then we’d need a player for that side too. He single-handedly prevented us from scoring multiple goals here.

It's crazy to me that none of Jota, Diaz, or Gakpo can play the right side. Seems superfluous to have kept buying guys for the left.

 

[Chimaera]

I imagine one could. Maybe Diaz. Mane shifted over when Salah came. It’s possible.

There’s no way they spend what it takes for 3 CM and a CB of the quality needed. Unless they sell part of the club, and I think that’s just smoke

 

[Chimaera]

Throw in Bajcetic is now out for the season? I mean... 3 CM's is basically a must. But they'll go get Mount, the Portuguese kid from Wolves, and call it a day.


For what it's worth, Gakpo playing further back in the midfield was decent today for spurts. That could be something against teams that are not as good as Real. He actually had better plays coming back defensively than getting on the end of anything. For me, I see there being something in a Ox type replacement, who obviously does not have the injury record. Drives in from attacking midfield, puts in a shift pressing.

 

[Savant]

I imagine one could. Maybe Diaz. Mane shifted over when Salah came. It’s possible.

There’s no way they spend what it takes for 3 CM and a CB of the quality needed. Unless they sell part of the club, and I think that’s just smoke

Mane did it before. Not only have none of these guys ever played on the right, there’s been no appetite to try it. I think this is overly optimistic until proven otherwise.

Transfer wise it remains to be seen if what the team wants and what they need will intersect. But again it would either be more arrogance or more ineptitude to let a season like this happen again due to negligence in the market. In reality they need more that four guys; (they really need 6-7) and it’s telling that no one believes theyll get more than three.

Throw in Bajcetic is now out for the season? I mean... 3 CM's is basically a must. But they'll go get Mount, the Portuguese kid from Wolves, and call it a day.


For what it's worth, Gakpo playing further back in the midfield was decent today for spurts. That could be something against teams that are not as good as Real. He actually had better plays coming back defensively than getting on the end of anything. For me, I see there being something in a Ox type replacement, who obviously does not have the injury record. Drives in from attacking midfield, puts in a shift pressing.

Bajcetic being out for the season just proves how inept and arrogant they were. We are killing our players. This is 100% an overuse injury and everyone could see this player was in the red YET we kept playing him because we “had to” because Klopp won’t use Keita/Chamberlain/Jones/Arthur (lol) there after planning to count on them for minutes. It’s absolutely insane they took a teenager, who had never played a full season at midfield before, and burned him out. Our medical staff must be run by Dr. Nick Riviera from The Simpsons.

I’m not having this Gakpo bandaid talk either. Took them a month to figure out what his best position was and I’m not having that he should even be considered as a midfield solution. That’s the same thinking that helped get us into this trouble.

The self inflicted wounds of this season keep on coming and there is still like two months to go

 

[cgf]

Didn't watch, but not surprised SGE couldn't turn it around. Without Kolo Muani or Lindstrom they were really going to need their A-game.

For those who watched, how did Knauff do?

 

[cgf]

Rangnick confirms that Paul Wanner is going to wait to make his decision on whether to transfer to the Austrian NT. Bayern are working on a loan for him to get consistent PT, with references to Alaba & Kroos' loans to TSG & Bayer, and the kid reportedly wants to wait until he's established himself at the senior club level before making any longlasting decisions about his NT future.

Part of me thinks he should do it. He's an incredible prospect, but he's not that much younger than Musiala, Wirtz, Adeyemi, & Moukoko...and it's a position we develop well even when the Havertz / Brandt's of the NT age out...in his own age group there's Ibrahimovic, Bischoff, Raebiger, Diehl, Ulrich, etc. that have senior NT potential. So it will be a crowded field for him to break through.

On the otherhand, he's talented enough to break through alongside Musiala, Wirtz, & Mouki, and be part of a world class attack.

 

[Chimaera]

It's a hard choice. Playing for Austria isn't the worst, but obviously, if you can make it for the full German team, there is a difference.

Germany produces so many players, and there's so many bright young players coming through at Bundesliga clubs, they will be ok. But yeah, cutting the pool down is tough. I don't blame some kids who see an opportunity to go to the World Cup with a side that maybe didn't have it in the past. They do need to find a way to keep younger talent in house though.

 

[cgf]

It's a hard choice. Playing for Austria isn't the worst, but obviously, if you can make it for the full German team, there is a difference.

Yeah. Selfishly, a part of me wants him to pick us even if he just ends up a depth piece like Brandt, but I would feel bad for him if he picks us and barely catches a start in meaningful matches when he could be a leading figure for a good Austrian team that does seem to be on the rise.

Kid seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

lol just realized this was the wrong thread

 

[Chimaera]

Yeah. Selfishly, a part of me wants him to pick us even if he just ends up a depth piece like Brandt, but I would feel bad for him if he picks us and barely catches a start in meaningful matches when he could be a leading figure for a good Austrian team that does seem to be on the rise.

It's the tough choice when kids are that age. Sure, they're playing more and more at a young age, but you don't know what the roster will look like when these kids end up being 25-26. You might need them, but they're gone at that point. I think back to the swap that the US orchestrated with Teal Bunbury. Kid would have had a decent Canadian run, but got 4 top matches for the US. Torn ACL did him in, but it's a really hard choice.

I never would have had the option, as slow, one footed midfielders aren't on the call up sheet, but I wonder what I would have felt if I was a gifted player as a teenager. I could qualify for Germany through my dad, but born, raised and feel American. The German passport would have made it easier to get residency / roster spot in Europe.

With the WC expanding, kids should go where they know they're going to play the most.

 

[luiginb]

Didn't watch, but not surprised SGE couldn't turn it around. Without Kolo Muani or Lindstrom they were really going to need their A-game.

For those who watched, how did Knauff do?

He went against Kvaradona, but he was decent defending him. Eintracht didn't have the ball at all when it mattered, and I stopped watching at 2 0.