And both VVD and Thiago getting knee scans. *
by NDBass (2020-10-17 11:53:48)

In reply to: That was farcical  posted by siegfried08

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Today Fabinho became a center back.
by NDMike2001  (2020-10-17 13:17:43)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Liverpool did not get the best out of Thiago on the left. He was great but the spacing with he and Fab wasn’t.

I think Fab and Matip will be first team for a while. Then Fab and VVD when he comes back.

Thiago and Henderson can play the six. Keita, Gini, Jones, Milner, Shaw and eventually Ox all available at midfield.

Unless VVD and Matip are fully healthy and they need a true DM, I don’t think we’ll see Fab in the midfield. I truly think he’s a CB moving forward.

Matip picked up a knock, of course.
by NDBass  (2020-10-19 11:28:39)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Great timing for the start of UCL group play.
Sometimes decisions get made for you.
by NDMike2001  (2020-10-19 13:44:14)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

That would all but guarantee a Fabinho and Gomez pairing for Ajax. When I look at Fabinho I honestly see some similarities to Sergio Ramos. Both play with the versatility for right back, CD and DM. And while Ramos has a dead soul, Fab has certainly shown some bad assery in his day. The only thing I worry about is the durability in the EPL. Especially now when keepers are allowed to mug players without penalty. I don't really hate people, but if I did, Ramos would be right up on that list. But I give him credit as one of the greatest defenders of his generation. And I wonder if he could regularly deal with the physicality of the EPL.

But in Champions League, I have supreme confidence in Fab at center back. I truly think his career just changed.

Rumblings that it's VVD's ACL. *
by NDBass  (2020-10-17 13:43:55)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

One man's thoughts...
by Porpoiseboy  (2020-10-17 18:55:37)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

this is where we got lucky we didn't get bitten too badly last season by the injury bug. Motherfuck!
There you go *
by NDMike2001  (2020-10-17 14:18:39)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Would be nice to have Grujic if Thiago is out for a bit.
by NDBass  (2020-10-17 18:15:49)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Without him, Hendo and Gini will need to man the six.
I like Grujic, but...
by NDMike2001  (2020-10-18 07:04:53)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

I really can’t imagine a scenario where I have him in my midfield with the options they have. As you stated Hendo and Gini can play the 6. Yes Grujic is more of a classic DM than any of the other midfielders (and Fab of course). But I’d just as soon work a double pivot with my options (including Keita and Milner). And if I’m really getting to the point where I’m considering Grujic as my DM, I’m gonna probably go back to Fab and bring Nat Phillips to back up Matip and Gomez.

Of course the real scare is that Matip is almost always struggling with some lingering injury.

I will say this, Klopp always has contingency plans. But there really isn’t one for a long absence by VVD. They just went from an elite team to a good team.