Georginio Wijnaldum

[danperkins]

Jones is absolutely ready to step up to a more consistent role.

I'm not so sure yet, I think the fact Klopp took him out of the side the last 10 or 11 games shows us exactly where Jones is in the pecking order. Another bit part role next season imo. He's young and has talent but imo he isn't ready to be a consistent starter for us just yet.

[Fosterbloke]

He was great for many different reasons. We'll miss him massively I reckon. Particularly think we'll miss his press resistance.

His ability to be surrounded by players, stick his arse out, shuffle his magically Dutch feet and work the ball forward to carry out move on.

Jones and Thiago can do this already.

[Saveloy]

He was great for many different reasons. We'll miss him massively I reckon. Particularly think we'll miss his press resistance.

His ability to be surrounded by players, stick his arse out, shuffle his magically Dutch feet and work the ball forward to carry out move on.

[Fuzzy]

Don't want to sound too petty, but if he goes to Barca I hope we get them in the CL next year and absolutely thrash them poor choice of club, should really go to Bayern.

[Shaggy]

[ame]https://twitter.com/GWijnaldum/status/1397210770807693318[/ame]

[Irishnev]

[ame="https://twitter.com/manuelveth/status/1396954862810664961"]https://twitter.com/manuelveth/status/1396954862810664961[/ame]

[SB]

Bayern Munich are favourites to sign him now, according to the bookies.

Easier league with only a handful of tough matches

[baitman]

plus a lot of those "appearances" for the likes of Ox were 5 minute cameos at the end of games.....

Shop window

[frank the tank]

Sure age comes into it but Wijnaldum has just turned 30 and in his 5 seasons here has played (in all competitions) 50 games twice, 47 games twice and 42 games once (that season was his first when we hadn't qualified for Europe so played less games). By comparison Naby Keita has played 76 games in 3 seasons, Ox is 27 and has played 103 games in 4 years here, so both average ~25 games a season over their LFC career (and probably alot more of their games are from the bench than Gini's are) I don't think that their appearance record is going to improve with age. Gini's will also likely drop off but I would rather have someone what at 30 can place 50 games a season than a younger guy who can only play 25, Gini could deteriorate significantly over the next couple of years and still play more than those guys.

plus a lot of those "appearances" for the likes of Ox were 5 minute cameos at the end of games.....

[Mr Pink]

Sure age comes into it but Wijnaldum has just turned 30 and in his 5 seasons here has played (in all competitions) 50 games twice, 47 games twice and 42 games once (that season was his first when we hadn't qualified for Europe so played less games). By comparison Naby Keita has played 76 games in 3 seasons, Ox is 27 and has played 103 games in 4 years here, so both average ~25 games a season over their LFC career (and probably alot more of their games are from the bench than Gini's are) I don't think that their appearance record is going to improve with age. Gini's will also likely drop off but I would rather have someone what at 30 can place 50 games a season than a younger guy who can only play 25, Gini could deteriorate significantly over the next couple of years and still play more than those guys.

[Roboklopp]

Aye, a real loss.

[Exiled_red]

Fair points. But we need to take into consideration age (of Henderson, Thiago and Gini). Henderson and Gini have worked their socks off for the last five years under Klopp. It's not sustainable (see Henderson).

One other thing, Gini hasn't been particularly good this season.

Sure age comes into it but Wijnaldum has just turned 30 and in his 5 seasons here has played (in all competitions) 50 games twice, 47 games twice and 42 games once (that season was his first when we hadn't qualified for Europe so played less games). By comparison Naby Keita has played 76 games in 3 seasons, Ox is 27 and has played 103 games in 4 years here, so both average ~25 games a season over their LFC career (and probably alot more of their games are from the bench than Gini's are) I don't think that their appearance record is going to improve with age. Gini's will also likely drop off but I would rather have someone what at 30 can place 50 games a season than a younger guy who can only play 25, Gini could deteriorate significantly over the next couple of years and still play more than those guys.

[Fosterbloke]

Jones is absolutely ready to step up to a more consistent role.

[Tribute]

CBs aside, an ageing midfield is where we need to strengthen and not just because of age, because of goal scoring. We need the midfield to chip in with more goals each season to take the burden off the front three every game. Someone who has goal scoring ability like Ox but with a better availability record.

Gini, whilst reliable, was not a goal scoring threat this season and combined with his age and salary/contract length requirements means it's just not feasible. Even getting shot of Naby, Shaq, Ox doesn't make midfield any more robust or goal-worthy... it needs freshening up considering we have Hendo (31) Thiago (30) and Fab (27)... current back ups are either injury-prone, a bit young/inexperienced (Jones, Elliot) or older (Milner)

Front three now has Diogo as back up, but we need some spark in the middle to be able to come in and do a good job on deep lying teams. An Ox-type player or a Harvey Elliot with Premier League/senior experience, if you will...

[Rigadon]

When the option is available to us IMO we are rotating our midfield and if everyone were fit all season I suspect those 4 (Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum and Thiago) would all have ended up playing very similar numbers of games. Taking into account average injury records, Gini probably plays the most.

If we are talking about evolving the squad the natural thing to do IMO is replace the guys who don't play regularly first, so IMO the likes of Shaq, Keita and Ox would have been ahead of him in the queue for the door. bUt obviously things don't always work like that...

Fair points. But we need to take into consideration age (of Henderson, Thiago and Gini). Henderson and Gini have worked their socks off for the last five years under Klopp. It's not sustainable (see Henderson).

One other thing, Gini hasn't been particularly good this season.