Liverpool learned £11m lesson the hard way despite unpopular transfer situation – Theo Squires

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It’s easy to forget that Liverpool currently have more attacking options than they did in the second half of the season.

Xherdan Shaqiri may have left for Lyon in a £9.5m deal, but the return of Takumi Minamino and Harvey Elliott ensures that Jurgen Klopp still has plenty of options behind the quartet of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota.

However, this will not stop the fans from feeling upset that the Reds failed to strengthen their attacking ranks this summer, especially when they saw Manchester United, Man City and Chelsea boosted by the arrival of Jadon Sancho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jack Grealish and Romelu Lukaku.

With Salah and Mane set to leave mid-season for the Africa Cup of Nations in January, and Firmino now sidelined with a hamstring injury, Liverpool are well aware they could come under attack if they aren’t careful.

As such, their decision not to bolster their front line is kind of a calculated gamble, but with Divock Origi and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also among their frontline choices, at least not as risky as their decision not to finally replace Dejan Lovren. Summer after moving to Zenit St Petersburg for £11m.

READ MORE: Liverpool may have made another mistake in transferring Virgil van Dijk on deadline day

The potential centre-back alternatives on offer were not addressed, Klopp opted to use Fabinho as his fourth centre-back option only to see Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all with end-of-season injuries.

Klopp had to turn to Jordan Henderson as an emergency cover, only for both Liverpool captain and Fabinho to be laid off with injury, Klopp turned to juniors Nat Phillips and Reese Williams while adding Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies to his ranks in the January transfer. final date.

Such a situation was far from ideal and, rightly, prompted the Reds to move quickly to sign Ibrahima Konate in a £36m transfer from RB Leipzig back in May to ensure a repeat is avoided.

But will they risk the same danger and not learn from a previous mistake by not strengthening their offensive ranks this summer?

Well, that depends on your point of view.

It is inevitable that there will be a decline in the qualities of Salah, Mane, Firmino and Jota compared to Origi or Minamino, and the question remains how Klopp’s men can find a way to win when the previous four do not score.

That alone appeared in the 1-1 draw against 10-man Chelsea on Saturday, leaving Minamino and Oxlade-Chamberlain unused despite the Reds’ search for a subsequent winner.

But it would be practically inconceivable to see Liverpool leave without three of their four attacking options for most of last season despite last year’s injury scars.

Yes, the question marks remain over Minamino and Origi’s futures at Anfield, Salah, Mane and Firmino all advance 30 times, and Oxlade-Chamberlain has limited experience at Anfield as a false nine or worldwide.

Then when you think about the struggles of the Senegalese and the Brazilian last year as the Reds struggled for goals at times, and the injury record of the likes of the England international, you can understand the fans’ anxiety.

But even with this imminent threat to the Africa Cup of Nations in January, Liverpool’s stance is a calculated gamble they can actually take in the short term.

While Firmino may be out of action over the next few weeks, the injury record at Anfield alongside Mane and Salah is second to none, while the previous two have already shown greater sharpness in front of goal than they did last season.

Elsewhere, Anfield insiders believe Minamino will benefit from his first full pre-season with the club, having left on loan to Southampton in January, and insist Oxlade-Chamberlain has impressed by coaching in this attacking role.

Meanwhile, Elliott thrived throughout pre-season and during the formative weeks of the campaign after his season on loan at Blackburn Rovers last year, even if he has been used so far in midfield.

There is nothing stopping Liverpool from arriving in January and reassessing their position ahead of the departure of Salah and Mane at the Africa Cup of Nations.

In the meantime, they can continue to assess Firmino’s injury layoff and the suitability of players like Minamino, Oxlade-Chamberlain or Elliott as cover in such roles.

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If they get more injuries, as they did defensively last season, their reaction will be.

If Minamino is not given enough time to play again, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s problems in the past continue or Elliott proves to be not quite ready for a full season of Premier League football, the Reds could change their transfer position accordingly.

Until then, they have plenty of options in reserve, and while they don’t all have the same record in front of goal as Salah, Klopp will have complete confidence that the team he already has at his disposal can once again compete in the Premier League and Glory of the Champions League.

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