Why Rúben Neves Would Be Liverpool's Midfield Conductor
There will always be archetypes that footballers fit into. Creators, destroyers, poachers, leaders, midfield maestros.
That “maestro” trope will be overused, as is the tendency of footballing media. It’s natural to categorise, but what exactly does that trope mean? Maestro? Is he a magic-wielding passer of the ball? Is he tricky with his feet, guiding defenders one way while fully intending to go the other? Does he possess trickery or guile? Is he selfish or will he play others in? …
Analysing Liverpool’s Finances and Transfer Activity
When it comes to football, there are few things less interesting then examining sets of accounts. However, the audited set of figures released by Liverpool in the first week of March each year give one of the clearest indications of the off-field standing of the club and its ability to effectively challenge on the pitch. This article aims to explain why the club’s net spend in recent seasons has appeared to be so relatively low, examines the story behind the …
Klopp’s Miracle: Turning Water into Wine, & Making Money at the Same Time
Jurgen Klopp has improved Liverpool all over the pitch, quite literally, since arriving in October 2015.
But unlike some of his managerial rivals, he’s done so without spending money in the transfer market. ‘Net Spend’ is a much scoffed at phrase in modern football, but to transform Liverpool into the gegenpressing, offensive monster we often see now, from the weary, possession-obsessed ‘animal’ it was at the end of Brendan Rodgers’ reign – while making £34m – is nothing short of …
A Mystery Man Cometh: Liverpool Signing Anderson Arroyo
We were promised a mystery signing, and boy did Liverpool deliver…
Since we didn’t get the traditional, drawn-out transfer saga with this new addition, I’ll set the scene for you.
AN EMERALD IN THE ROUGH
50km inland from the black sands of Colombia’s Pacific coast, between Medellin and Cali is the small city of Quidbó, capital of Chocó. A visually stunning region, largely cut-off from the rest of the country; some towns and villages there are inaccessible by road. Most …
Scouting Christian Pulisic: Dortmund's Teenage Sensation
At 1-1, Dortmund’s recent failures stared them in the face. Julian Nagelsmann – the manager they’ve been pursuing as a means of ailing all their woes suffered under previous incumbents – was about to grind out a great result at the Signal Iduna Park. Hoffenheim had taken a first-half lead but the lack of attacking impetus had come back to bite them in the rear-end as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang nailed an equaliser in the sixty-third minute.
Then stepped up the American …
5 Players to Replace Phil Coutinho
Thomas Lemar
The man who this writer once described as being the creative force behind Kylian Mbappe, Thomas Lemar is the man being touted as the replacement for Phillipe Coutinho. There’s a good reason Monaco’s price tag is yet to waver from the €90 million mark – that is the reflection of his importance to Leonardo Jardim’s side.
Though a winger by position, Lemar’s dribbling ability and creative incision are belied by a willingness to do the hard yards, and …
Leon Goretzka: A Midfield Maestro
Leon Goretzka is a familiar name to Liverpool fans now, having risen to footballing prominence during Germany's Confederations Cup campaign. But with new reports emerging of a potential transfer in January, to a Premier League club, Goretzka was one of the main points of discussion on the Euro Incision podcast, in which Bundesliga expert Jonathan Harding gave a quick profile of the coveted 22 year-old German international. You can find the Euro Incision Podcast as part of AnfieldIndex.com's subscriber content on …
Five Defenders to Fix Liverpool's Defence - #4 Jose Maria Gimenez
A pair of gilt-edged centre-halves at the base, ensuring a stable last line of defence. Liverpool has seemingly needed them for an eternity. No matter the populous' opinion of Joel Matip, who harbours some concerns for the long-term, Liverpool simply must sign a centre-half of the utmost quality if they have any hope of continuing to move in an upward trajectory under Jürgen Klopp.
Considering Liverpool looks set to lose midfielder Emre Can on a free transfer, come the end of …
Goretzka's Pro-Active Approach Makes Him An Ideal Signing For Liverpool
There’s been a lot of rumours floating about in recent weeks and few seem to be making as much noise as Leon Goretzka to Liverpool. With 12 months remaining on his contract, the Schalke midfielder is being scouted left, right and centre as attentions slowly begin to turn to the January window.
Despite securing the services of Naby Keita for the 2018 season, Jurgen Klopp’s side could do with midfield reinforcements in January, with a lack of ingenuity and creativity …
5 Defenders to Fix Liverpool's Defence - #5 Milan Skriniar
Everyone knows the rhetoric. Jürgen Klopp may be resolute in his public support for his four centre-halves, but the summer pursuit of Virgil van Dijk speaks volumes about the need for a commanding, composed centre-half to fix Liverpool’s shaky defensive problems. Come January, those problems will likely be addressed with the pursuit of a centre-half – given how often Liverpool’s manager is having to face scrutiny in the press regarding his side’s frail rear guard. Or perhaps he'll wait until …