Harvey Elliott

[Fosterbloke]

Yep, he seems to make everyone else worse when he plays that midfield 3 role. He just doesn't have the game to play that role.

Not sure why he's not tried in more of a Firmino type role as a false nine. He could actually do ok there as he's a crafty little bugger at times and slipping passes through for Mo and Nunez could be tasty.

At this stage if someone offered stupid money for him and Jones i'd snap their arms off. I don't think either will ever be truly elite. Especially Jones

I've said this before too - he's got the vision, passing, close control and shooting skills to play there. Perhaps it's all about minutes and learning how the midfield works in order to be a better Firmino?

[baitman]

You think we should sell a highly rated teenager who hasnt finished growing?

Bournemouth will give us 40m for him.
He'd be great at five a side or subbuteo but it's a full size pitch and he's still trouser shopping at mothercare.

[Charly]

A great little munchkin, but sell.

You think we should sell a highly rated teenager who hasnt finished growing?

[baitman]

A great little munchkin, but sell.

[Kenneth]

Still, he’s miles better than £100m Jack Grealish, which is something I suppose.

[RedReet]

It is easy to forget he is still only 19, but I agree with the sentiment. When he starts in a midfield 3 we don’t perform as well as a unit. He seems to have the discipline but then doesn’t have involvement meaning the other 2 can become exposed. Not sure he quite gets the role.

The worry here is that he is clearly a gifted footballer - but - does he have an obvious place in our formation? The biggest problem he has is his size he can get over run quite easily. Worth sticking with him to see how he develops but he is not good enough to be a starter for us yet. Curtis Jones is definitely ahead of him but seems to be permanently injured.

I think the injury he had is impacting him more than we realise. At the start of last season, the only goal we conceded when he played was the fortuitous corner against Chelsea and he was generally excellent. Not sure what the answer is now as he is struggling atm.

[Charly]

Elliott has bags of talent and will make it. But our midfield needs to be able to physically press and Elliott is not built for it. We should be playing him as a false nine. We dont really have many better options in midfield, but it is clear he has an eye for a through ball and a fantatic first touch.

Id be gutted if he did not make it, but playing him in midfield will only help his development. I dont think playing him and Thiago is a great mix, but if he had two bigger chaps.palying in there, then ehen he grows out he might be more suited.

[Lee]

The worry here is that he is clearly a gifted footballer - but - does he have an obvious place in our formation? The biggest problem he has is his size he can get over run quite easily. Worth sticking with him to see how he develops but he is not good enough to be a starter for us yet. Curtis Jones is definitely ahead of him but seems to be permanently injured.

Agree with this and I think the same applies to Carvalho and Jones as well. I think if we moved to 4231 then they slot nicely together in the three, but as it stands I don’t know where they really fit and they’re not good enough (yet) to make us change formation in order to fit them in.

I think Elliott and Carvalho can make it here. Sadly for Jones he’s stagnated but playing him for 18 months as a Wij replacement probably didn’t help with his development. Still time though if he can put his niggling injuries behind him as he’s clearly a talent.

[Buzzo]

It is easy to forget he is still only 19, but I agree with the sentiment. When he starts in a midfield 3 we don’t perform as well as a unit. He seems to have the discipline but then doesn’t have involvement meaning the other 2 can become exposed. Not sure he quite gets the role.

The worry here is that he is clearly a gifted footballer - but - does he have an obvious place in our formation? The biggest problem he has is his size he can get over run quite easily. Worth sticking with him to see how he develops but he is not good enough to be a starter for us yet. Curtis Jones is definitely ahead of him but seems to be permanently injured.

[Exiled_red]

I agree with everything that’s been said about Harvey so there’s no point in sticking the boot in.

So if Harvey is not yet ready (physically), Henderson is blowing hot and cold, Thiago and Keita are very injury prone, Fabinho has been sluggish and Jones has hardly kicked the ball this season …how can the board/club not see the need for a midfielder now in January??

When Gakpo is available, we can push Ox back into midfield

It's not just this year it's been obvious for a few that Ox and Naby aren't available enough, Milner is too old to play regularly, Henderson is heading the same way. Thiago is great but needs his minutes managed. I can only assume we have believed that either Elliott or Jones would have developed sufficiently and/or that Ox/Naby would miraculously come good.

[Exiled_red]

The same Firmino that didnt score a goal for a year?

IIRC Firmino didn't score at Anfield for about a year, but he scored about 10 goals away from home in that time. Yes he is a patchy goalscorer but can be a composed finisher when he gets the chances. He averages a goal about every 3 appearances (some of which are apps from bench). Elliott hasn't really played as a forward, but personally I haven't yet seen anything from him that would suggest he is capable of that type of goal return at this level (he had about 1 in 6 on loan at Blackburn in the Championship).

[Maxiedge]

I agree with everything that’s been said about Harvey so there’s no point in sticking the boot in.

So if Harvey is not yet ready (physically), Henderson is blowing hot and cold, Thiago and Keita are very injury prone, Fabinho has been sluggish and Jones has hardly kicked the ball this season …how can the board/club not see the need for a midfielder now in January??

[Harv]

I said this in the match thread yesterday, he played his best when he was further forward, but when he was there he was hindering Salah's play, since stopping doing that and Salah playing better Elliott hasn't really done anything. Early on I thought he was best suited to a No 10 type role, but we don't play with one. I wondered if he could have been developed into a Firmino type player, but I don't think he has the finishing ability. I think on loan at Blackburn he played as a right winger problem is we don't play that system and he isn't able to play Salah's role.

Clearly he is being played as a RCM, and it seems that is the position Klopp sees him in. The issue for me is that he doesn't play that role the same way as anyone else. He plays that role at least 10 yards more advanced than anyone else playing it or anyone else playing in midfield.
This wouldn't be a problem if it was effective and other people cover the gaps but for me it isn't needed. Salah plays wide right, and TAA is and advanced fullback, there isn't the space for him where he seems to play, half of the time he seems to shuttle passes between Salah and TAA, half of them could have been direct and 2 passes rather than 1 just slow things down, defensively he doesn't cover for TAA enough, and often let's runners go.

I think he has ability I think the problem is he is a square peg in a round hole. Not sure where he should play though. To me it seems we are trying to adapt him to the system but in doing so I think we lose the attacking ability which I think is a big part of his game. For what it's worth I think we are doing the same with Jones. Not sure if this is because we think they will be good in those roles long term or if we are doing it out of necessity in the short term because the likes of Ox and Naby aren't available or good enough

The same Firmino that didnt score a goal for a year?

[Exiled_red]

I said this in the match thread yesterday, he played his best when he was further forward, but when he was there he was hindering Salah's play, since stopping doing that and Salah playing better Elliott hasn't really done anything. Early on I thought he was best suited to a No 10 type role, but we don't play with one. I wondered if he could have been developed into a Firmino type player, but I don't think he has the finishing ability. I think on loan at Blackburn he played as a right winger problem is we don't play that system and he isn't able to play Salah's role.

Clearly he is being played as a RCM, and it seems that is the position Klopp sees him in. The issue for me is that he doesn't play that role the same way as anyone else. He plays that role at least 10 yards more advanced than anyone else playing it or anyone else playing in midfield.
This wouldn't be a problem if it was effective and other people cover the gaps but for me it isn't needed. Salah plays wide right, and TAA is and advanced fullback, there isn't the space for him where he seems to play, half of the time he seems to shuttle passes between Salah and TAA, half of them could have been direct and 2 passes rather than 1 just slow things down, defensively he doesn't cover for TAA enough, and often let's runners go.

I think he has ability I think the problem is he is a square peg in a round hole. Not sure where he should play though. To me it seems we are trying to adapt him to the system but in doing so I think we lose the attacking ability which I think is a big part of his game. For what it's worth I think we are doing the same with Jones. Not sure if this is because we think they will be good in those roles long term or if we are doing it out of necessity in the short term because the likes of Ox and Naby aren't available or good enough

[Harv]

Yep, he seems to make everyone else worse when he plays that midfield 3 role. He just doesn't have the game to play that role.

Not sure why he's not tried in more of a Firmino type role as a false nine. He could actually do ok there as he's a crafty little bugger at times and slipping passes through for Mo and Nunez could be tasty.

At this stage if someone offered stupid money for him and Jones i'd snap their arms off. I don't think either will ever be truly elite. Especially Jones