30-50m Winger

[Babylon]

1 minute ago, North Leeds Fox said:

Personally I think you are right, perez does fill the need for a winger and think he will quietly go about scoring a lot of goals for us this season. However I get the general feeling that this forum does not rate either gray or ghezzel and the likelihood of them coming good is minimal. If both were set to leave or be pushed down the pecking order, a winger would be required. Think we need to get an attacking midfielder that can also play wide (olmo or suso would be my choice) as then we are covered if vards get injured and rodgers prefers perez up top to nacho. 

 

Think if you look at our squad now, the 'weaker' areas in comparison to teams around us is attacking mid depth, a solid cb and then goals from the wide areas. Barnes will be a fantastic player, like soyuncu and benkovic but rodgers seems to have used him more as an impact player and can see that being the case this season. I would be happy to start the season without another winger, just as football fans, we always want more and there will always be more excitement from a new winger than a new cb, even if the cb is much more crucial. 

If we can trade Gray out for someone in I'd be more than happy. 

[FireFox]

I assume most agree: Perez might occasionally be needed as a 2nd striker. Albrighton is a great winger, but it'd be great to have another proven (sorry Barnes, Ghezzal, Gray) goalscoring winger. But we also have lots of goalscoring potential in other areas (Tielemans, Maddison, Ricardo), so maybe backup for a number 8/10 is best... or maybe we sign someone who can play those roles and on the wing.

[HighPeakFox]

Has anyone seen @Babylon yet this morning? 

[Babylon]

6 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

Has anyone seen @Babylon yet this morning? 

Can you tell I'm back at work? 

[Pliskin]

I think the issue is with Barnes is the uncertainty. He is clearly a raw talent, but one criticism is at times, he looks exactly that. But on the flip side would a Ferran Torres be any more consistent? If we're going to look to bring in an attacking player, I would rather they be experienced like Ziyech, as we may as well stick with Barnes, I'd rather we work with him than bring in Torres and run the risk of stunting Barnes' development. 

[Ric Flair]

28 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Perez didn't play a single game as a 9 last season, he played as 10 but the majority was wide right. Considering we don't need a 10, I'm not been sure why he's been considered as the Vardy backup. He was always clearly going to mostly be the winger, for me at least.  So the board assumed Barnes was good enough, but now they don't because Albrighton might start? 

 

I just find the "go with 4 centre backs" "give the two unknowns a go" attitude in one thread totally at odds with how people are talking about the wide roles, when we already have 5 wingers and one of them at least falls into the same "give them a go" type category in Barnes. 

 

If money is unlimited then sod it, let's go nuts and get another one. But I keep thinking that we've got a massive Vardy shaped hole appearing on the horizon at some point and we're going to need to go very big there if we want anywhere close to his quality. So it might be worth keeping the tinder dry if money isn't unlimited and we've got enough wide options out there for now. 

I think we all agree it will be goals scored and not being a Burnley type team at the back that gives us any chance of upsetting the top 6. I know it's naïve to place less importance on defence but Jonny Evans is the organiser and the experience there and had Soyuncu and Benkovic signed this week on the back of Maguire leaving then I can't imagine there'd be that much disappointment that neither of them are proven PL players. Both fit the criteria we seemed to base our recruitment on in the last few years. We haven't seen Benkovic but we know he has question marks on his fitness, we've barely seen Soyuncu but he is getting slated as being a liability even though the errors he's made haven't actually led directly to more than 1 goal being conceded in the games he's played for us, he does need to improve though but he'll only get that opportunity to do so by playing and having the confidence and faith instilled in to him. Yet both of them were highly sought after young players and both full internationals already.  It's a tricky one, ambitions and expectation have move up a level since Rodgers has arrived and what I've described above probably fits in with a team looking to improve from 9th-12th but we seem to really want and expect to challenge top 6 and to do so the way you operate as a club and the transfer policy does change too.

 

 

[Dahnsouff]

Wondering if we have relaxed our interest in a wide right attacker, based on the performances of Ayoze. Reckon Ayoze will be enough to cover the wide (right) attacking position?

[Shane]

For me, it's always been about the squad depth..

 

Perez-Vardy-Albrighton is capable of getting us into Europe, with a bit of help from Tielemans and Maddison of course. However, where are the options on the bench to change the game?? We can't be sure Iheanacho is going to find form & Barnes is still very raw.

 

When you compare our options on the bench to Chelsea's, they can bring on Pedro or Willian. Man Utd could bring on Mata or Sanchez. We can all agree these players have had poor seasons the past couple years but they are still proven quality.. We have no proven quality in reserve. We do need more than Perez, Vardy & Albrighton. Whether that's another striker or another winger, strength in depth is a necessity in my opinion. 

[Scotch]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

At the starts of the summer most people were saying we needed a winger, not two wingers. We've signed Perez who is clearly playing that position, so I'm not sure why people have now reverted to needing two wingers. Is it lack of faith in Perez? Is he not a fancy enough, or unknown enough to peak peoples interest?

 

When people talk about centre backs, they seem more than happy to just give Benkovic and Soyuncu a go. Yet the same attitude doesn't see to be taken with the likes of Barnes, who was the great white hope about 5 months ago. 

I think alot of folk on here at the start of the window (myself included) were saying we needed a winger AND a striker. Obviously with Perez's versatility, he's looking likely to be the one to play up top if Vardy can't, leading to people now saying we need another winger. 

 

I predict Perez will play on the right but if Vardy is injured and he moves up top, who takes his place? As it stands, I'm thinking it will be Gray or Albrighton as I would have Barnes start on the left with our current squad. 

 

I don't think it's a major issue but there is no doubt that if our front 3 where vardy perez and another quality winger, should anything happen to our main striker, ot leaves us far stronger with Barnes coming of the bench. 

[Babylon]

5 minutes ago, Foxy_Bear said:

I think alot of folk on here at the start of the window (myself included) were saying we needed a winger AND a striker. Obviously with Perez's versatility, he's looking likely to be the one to play up top if Vardy can't, leading to people now saying we need another winger. 

 

I predict Perez will play on the right but if Vardy is injured and he moves up top, who takes his place? As it stands, I'm thinking it will be Gray or Albrighton as I would have Barnes start on the left with our current squad. 

 

I don't think it's a major issue but there is no doubt that if our front 3 where vardy perez and another quality winger, should anything happen to our main striker, ot leaves us far stronger with Barnes coming of the bench. 

The fact we've signed a "utility player" surely says that we were never going to get a striker and a winger... otherwise we'd have got specialists in both areas? Not saying I agree with that, but that's how it looks. Perhaps Rodgers wants to give Iheanacho one last shot?

[Scotch]

32 minutes ago, Babylon said:

The fact we've signed a "utility player" surely says that we were never going to get a striker and a winger... otherwise we'd have got specialists in both areas? Not saying I agree with that, but that's how it looks. Perhaps Rodgers wants to give Iheanacho one last shot?

That's a fair comment. Never looked at it that way. 

[Guest SO1]

Does anybody know who plays striker for Liverpool? Winger?

[Pliskin]

I don't think we're playing a rigid forward line? It appears that Maddison, Parez and Albrighton will all swap positions and move around. Plus Youri can push up into that 10 role also. Perhaps there isn't a need to a new wide man, and Brendan is happy with what he has. We can't say Albrighton is not good enough for a side with top 6 aspirations, he did win the premier league. 

[Ric Flair]

1 minute ago, Pliskin said:

I don't think we're playing a rigid forward line? It appears that Maddison, Parez and Albrighton will all swap positions and move around. Plus Youri can push up into that 10 role also. Perhaps there isn't a need to a new wide man, and Brendan is happy with what he has. We can't say Albrighton is not good enough for a side with top 6 aspirations, he did win the premier league. 

But so did Schlupp, Huth, Simpson, Okazaki, Ulloa and Drinkwater and yet we'd not want any of them back here as first choice.

 

What I admire about Albrighton is that he never really suffers dips in form, what you see is what you get with him. However, he has never scored enough and we can argue that he was good enough to help us win the league but Brendan Rodgers teams are all about scoring goals and if he can't notch 6-10 a season then he won't be first choice for very long. Last season the assists dried up for him as well but if he can at least get back to setting up goals then he's a valuable asset but long term we still need better wide players.

[Finnegan]

6 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

We can't say Albrighton is not good enough for a side with top 6 aspirations, he did win the premier league. 

 

Albrighton won the league as a wide midfielder in a 4411 playing counter attacking football where his defensive contributions were valued above all else. 

 

Albrighton is not under any circumstances a goal scoring wide forward in a 433.

[Pliskin]

9 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

But so did Schlupp, Huth, Simpson, Okazaki, Ulloa and Drinkwater and yet we'd not want any of them back here as first choice.

 

What I admire about Albrighton is that he never really suffers dips in form, what you see is what you get with him. However, he has never scored enough and we can argue that he was good enough to help us win the league but Brendan Rodgers teams are all about scoring goals and if he can't notch 6-10 a season then he won't be first choice for very long. Last season the assists dried up for him as well but if he can at least get back to setting up goals then he's a valuable asset but long term we still need better wide players.

I agree with you, I would like to see a serious attempt made to bring in an attacking player, we've still to replace the creativity, goals and assists of Mahrez, and like you say Albrighton simply does not deliver this. 

 

I don't think Barnes will either, but I could be wrong.... It will be the difference ultimately come the business end of the season, however, I fear we have left it too late, unless we trigger a release clause. 

[foxfan92]

9 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

Albrighton won the league as a wide midfielder in a 4411 playing counter attacking football where his defensive contributions were valued above all else. 

 

Albrighton is not under any circumstances a goal scoring wide forward in a 433.

True and I'm not going to argue we shouldn't be looking at another creative attacking winger capable of causing havoc and scaring the opposition with his runs. But Albrighton is a workhorse and he can certainly float in the odd dangerous cross or two a game and we'll need that at times this season too.

[Babylon]

Just now, Pliskin said:

I agree with you, I would like to see a serious attempt made to bring in an attacking player, we've still to replace the creativity, goals and assists of Mahrez, and like you say Albrighton simply does not deliver this. 

 

I don't think Barnes will either, but I could be wrong.... It will be the difference ultimately come the business end of the season, however, I fear we have left it too late, unless we trigger a release clause. 

We did that by investing in creative attacking players elsewhere... eg. Ricardo and Maddison last season and Tielemans / Perez this season. Compare their creative output against Simpson, Okazaki, Drinkwater and Gray for instance and there is no comparison. So whilst we've not got that one amazingly creative player out wide, the burden is shared. 

[rachhere]

2 minutes ago, Babylon said:

We did that by investing in creative attacking players elsewhere... eg. Ricardo and Maddison last season and Tielemans / Perez this season. Compare their creative output against Simpson, Okazaki, Drinkwater and Gray for instance and there is no comparison. So whilst we've not got that one amazingly creative player out wide, the burden is shared. 

Absolutely, and in my mind we are in a far FAR better position than we were back then. If Mahrez had got a long term injury, who knows where we would be. We now have multiple players who are capable of scoring. Main concern for me now is if Tielemans were to get injured, and so my priority would be for backup for him. 

[Babylon]

2 minutes ago, rachhere said:

Absolutely, and in my mind we are in a far FAR better position than we were back then. If Mahrez had got a long term injury, who knows where we would be. We now have multiple players who are capable of scoring. Main concern for me now is if Tielemans were to get injured, and so my priority would be for backup for him. 

A player who can play there and in the fluid front line system we're employing would be ideal.

[Pliskin]

4 minutes ago, Babylon said:

We did that by investing in creative attacking players elsewhere... eg. Ricardo and Maddison last season and Tielemans / Perez this season. Compare their creative output against Simpson, Okazaki, Drinkwater and Gray for instance and there is no comparison. So whilst we've not got that one amazingly creative player out wide, the burden is shared. 

I do agree with you, but it is always nice to have that one player who you know can pop up with something out of nothing, when things collectively going to plan. Perhaps that will be Madders role this season?   

[Babylon]

Just now, Pliskin said:

I do agree with you, but it is always nice to have that one player who you know can pop up with something out of nothing, when things collectively going to plan. Perhaps that will be Madders role this season?   

Tielemans and Maddison will be those two player with most of that responsibility. Tielemans is the man, he's a star and his vision opens up opportunities and space all over the pitch. 

[Deeg67]

7 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Tielemans and Maddison will be those two player with most of that responsibility. Tielemans is the man, he's a star and his vision opens up opportunities and space all over the pitch. 

Top 6 sides tend to have players like that all over the attacking half.  Right now we lack options up front if Perez is forced to be locked into a wing role.

[urban.spaceman]

LET THE DOMINOES FALL

[FOXYTALK]

Get Harry Wilson on loan. I know he stated he didn't want to go. But he could be tested at prem level and if the loan's isn't working then no loss there either.