The Liverpool FC Thread XIV

Will be interesting to see what happens this summer in the pre-season. No doubt Klopp will want to do a lot of work to lay the groundwork for next season and the demands he'll place on the team. It's a huge shame that the Euros and other internationals will reduce his time with a number of players.

Origi is going to be a tough one to balance so that he can continue to develop. I still expect Klopp to buy a first choice striker so that his options are [new striker], Sturridge, Origi and Firmino. Will Origi get enough game time?

Not sure what happens with Ings but I expect us to cut our losses on Balotelli and Benteke one way or another.

Except, unlike six or seven other clubs in the country next season, we won't have European football.

Sure, there's the aspect of Klopp which could keep squad players more than happy and willing to learn, develop and be a part of our journey, but it would be just as easy for someone like Allen (who has a healthy relationship with Rodgers) to move back to Swansea if BR gets that job and, with Ashley Williams ageing, Allen would be a natural successor for the captaincy.

Honestly can only really see us buying a new striker if Sturridge leaves.

There simply aren't that many strikers around these days who are at the level we are looking for, will be available this summer, and will come to us over the other teams lurking around. The only player that comes to mind that may just fit that criteria (admittedly I'm not exactly a scout) is Lacazette and even then there will be a few teams after him. Wouldn't say no to Ibrahimovic as a temporary option if Sturridge leaves, but again we'll be way down the pecking order.

Arsenal have been looking for an upgrade on Giroud for years, Utd risked god knows how much on an unproven kid, we resorted to Benteke, City resorted to Bony. People had been talking about Jackson Martinez for years, he flopped as soon as he went to a proper league. My point is that the options are extremely limited atm. The speculation that PSG are interested in a big money move for an injury prone Sturridge just goes to show that.

Balotelli and Benteke will almost certainly be gone this summer but I can't see Ings leaving, it's easy to forget he had a fairly decent start for us. At the end of the day, Vardy has proven at Leicester that the most important thing is having someone that suits the way your team plays (and Benteke in contrast for us). The likes of Origi and Ings (and Firmino) are perfectly suited to us and I think that will really start to show itself the more they play, so there is no need for us to get desperate like we did last summer. For the record, I think Sturridge will be staying anyway, and if someone who will genuinely improve our team/squad becomes available then I wouldn't say no, I just don't think it's likely.

Both players will demand a sizeable fee since even Shelvey went for £12mil recently.. Allen's contract expires in summer 2017 so either we need to give him a contract extension now or we have to sell in the summer. Henderson signed a new contract on big wages last summer.

I also think while Allen is technically good and has fight in him, he doesn't fit the Klopp type player who tend to be big units. The Dortmund side he put together are generally pretty big. Henderson is more of that type of athlete imo.

I reckon Allen will stay and fight. No news on his contract but there doesn't have to be, he's nor indispensable nor under threat of massively losing valuation.

As for Henderson vs Allen, well, Sahin has a pretty similar profile to Allen, and Allen has far, far outplayed Henderson so far. Lucas is much more likely to leave than either imo.

Similar in profile in terms of style or physique? Cos Sahin isn't a small guy. He's like 5 inches taller than Allen and like 10 kg heavier (according to google).

I just don't see Klopp targeting a specialist DM this summer. He can't get everything he wants this summer so some compromises will need to be made. Keeping Lucas means he can tie over one more summer where he's unlikely to play a lot of games where he wants a DM.

I just think the lack of length on his contract and the fact the club hasn't discussed a new contract with him, it doesn't bode well. He's playing for his future but with Henderson out for the season, he's got a big chance to prove himself.

We're one of the several clubs to be interested in Borussia Monchengladbach's Mahmoud Dahoud. £20m rated according to Barrett.

Lol Sahin played a half season for us and again the other night, he's slightly taller than Allen but Allen is less of a lightweight and more suited to the scrappy ball recovery game we play in midfield. Sahin is not a 'big unit' at all, and neither is Zielinski, the much-linked apparent replacement for Allen, who is just two inches taller than Joe. The height in midfield thing is blown out of proportion, it doesn't have to be the factor that tips the scales.

Can is likely to be Klopp's 'DM' (not that we play with a DM very often). He's been very happy to give Stewart games too, and Lucas has been deferred to CB as often has he's played DM. Lucas doesn't fit the profile of a Klopp player at all (no mobility at all) and his form is extremely questionable in the position regardless. I love the guy and backed him for many years but his time at the club is ending. He doesn't HAVE to be let go but it's more likely than JH/JA.

I don't think it bodes well either and I'm not hugely fussed. I trust in Klopp. I do think it would be stupid to let Allen leave but he's not irreplaceable. Getting in a younger player with less miles on the clock, more energy and incision would not be a bad thing at all. This side definitely lacks goals and lack of midfield creation is part of the issue. Allen is good at turning on the ball but he can't dribble his way through a midfield line and open up the game for us, and nor does he actually dictate games for us. His end product and final third struggles are well documented. There's definitely scope to improve despite Allen's great work defensively and good work in possession. Dahoud who we're linked to offers all of this, so too Zielinski apparently. Plus a younger player gives Klopp a chance to mould a player into exactly what he wants, like he did with half the Dortmund squad.

What pleases me most going into Thursday is the abundance of options we boast in the final third.

If Sturridge and Origi start (which I think will likely happen, given their mauling of Stoke at the weekend and the fact we'll likely concede), you need to then omit two of Coutinho, Firmino and Lallana. You'd imagine the latter two will be dropped to the bench, but that seems harsh, given their qualities.

Hard to know if we'll go with a 4-4-2 diamond with Coutinho behind Sturridge and Origi and then Can/Allen/Milner as the midfield or a 4-3-3 with Origi or Sturridge flanked by Coutinho + Lallana/Firmino (with same midfield) or a 4-2-3-1 with Can/Allen as the midfield and then you have 4 options for 3 spots and then a choice of two strikers.

I think 4-4-2 is the most obvious, given the strength we showed playing with two strikers at the weekend. For that reason, though, Klopp could just as easily want to spring a surprise and not deploy both Sturridge and Origi.

Thursday's team announcement promises to be fascinating.

It's a tough one since everyone expects Dortmund to score but then equally a 0-0 would take us through..

I think you can tell with Stewart that he's played youth football and come through our Academy playing deeper. He was a really effective centre-back in the youth system for a while, and he seems to enjoy picking the ball up deeper from the centre-backs and always offering himself. That's a useful trait to have, especially with Sakho and Lovren's propensity - while on the ball - to make people slightly anxious.