This is accurate, a lot of people knew Konate was the bigger talent. The injuries were a risk, but the pieces the club put out suggested they believed it was behind him.
Ibrahima Konate
- Thread starter Adnan
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We had a manager who kept fighting the transfer team for signings, whereas Klopp came in and immediately put his trust in them from day one. I.e Brandt/Goetze v mane/salah. That also stems from when they pitched the job to him, they gave him a statistical breakdown of just how unlucky BVB had been in the first half of his final season and how unlikely it was to be repeated. I think Klopp said it articulated everything he thought.
Doesn’t mean we’ll be anywhere near as good when he leaves, but the club is in a significantly better position. A down period will definitely come when he does go though
It's marrying a good vision with solid support structure that works. We are improving our support structure I suppose but it's not enough, and we are woeful at hiring a manager with a vision. Look at Ole's signings in defence - Maguire (specific skill set that works in a back 3 but not in a progressive setup intended to play on the front foot) and AWB (poor on the ball and suited to a team that sits back). We spent something like 130 million of two defenders who are out of place in the systems top teams usually play. Then we add Ronaldo who scores but is bad off the ball and hire a manager who believes in the high press. Nothing actually meshes. It just feels like we give the reign to make these decisions to a few individuals (Ole, board including SAF?) and they aren't exactly trustworthy in this day and age, rather than having a combination of internal club system and with-the-times manager.
I agree, it’s clearly a lack of vision. Ole seeking to improve the fitness of the side to play front foot high pressing football sounds good in theory. But absolutely no thought went in to signing a CB and RB that fit the mould. Maguire cannot play high line football and AWB isn’t good enough in possession. We had the same issue with Clyne, but we paid 12m for him. Two of your biggest purchases to transform the side were the complete antithesis to the style of football you were looking to implement. It reminds me of Rodgers signing Benteke after having so much success playing with mobile, agile pressing forwards. Or picking Skrtle and Johnson who like to drop deep and Sakho and Moreno who push up in the same backline, just being coached two completely different things.
It needs the club the manager and the recruitment staff to all be on the same page about the type of team you’re building.
He's exactly as good as expected and he might be getting over his injury problems by the looks of it. Gutted.
Not because of the brilliance of anyone in charge!
They didn’t win a league for 30 years, and hadn’t been in the CL regularly for a few years, and hadn’t won a major trophy since the FA Cup under Benitez, if you consider it a major trophy.
And of that nearly team, 3 of the key players had left by the time Klopp arrived, Sterling, Suarez and Gerrard, and another Danial Sturridge was already not reliable because of injury problems. It’s taken quite a rebuild to this, only Firmino and Henderson are key components on the pitch from the squad he inherited.
Yes, they clearly have a good working environment now and great analytics, but Klopp has been the glue. He did the same at Dortmund, who also have/had great scouting and a good sporting director before him, but it took him to mesh it all together. So this is not Klopp’s first rodeo! It is what he does.
Only time will tell what happens of course in 2 years when Klopp leaves.
And on topic, Konate is already so good, amazing they got a clear run, I suppose maybe people where wondering what the issue was with him not playing much after his injury. But anwyay, it worked for Liverpool.
Put Konate in our system he will be mocked left right and center. I am not saying he is a crap player but his reputation was as good as Bailly when he joined us. Look where Bailly is even injuries aside. I hate ringing praises for Klopp but he is the x factor. Take him out and put a half decent coach they will be not this good.
If Klopp could make every single player look good he would have finished first in his first season, Konate at Bayern would be just as good, you can’t polish a turd the likes of Fabinho Alisson VVD were already top players before Klopp got hold of them.
To be honest, Bailly can't get a break. He was as good as Konate , at Villarreal. Sadly, his own injury issues halted his progress.
It's always a risk with younger ones.
I didn't think he was that good last night to be honest. VVD was keeping them together and one ball over the top was quite often getting Inter in. If it wasn't a 35 year old Dzeko chasing the ball, they'd have been in trouble.
Yeah, I don't quite get the fuss. He played well as the Robin to VVD's Batman but I wouldn't get too worked up about it.
More broadly, nobody has ever doubted Konate's physical tools and potential. The big questions with him are whether he can develop the positioning and reading of the game to go to the next level, especially if not partnered with VVD, and whether his body can hold up over a full season.
France has an insane group of young CBs (Konate, Upamecano, Kounde, Saliba, Badiashile). But all of them still really have everything to prove in terms of getting to top level.
I honestly think VVD is so good you could stick any one of our central defenders alongside him and they’d look world class. Liverpool’s other options at CB have all looked quality too, so long as they’re playing with VVD. Their only problem has been staying fit.
I am sure it gives Konate a lot of confidence playing next to Van Djik, but he did look really good last night too regardless, probably man of the match. And he looked very good in his other 2 champs league starts this season, I don’t think either of those was alongside Van Djik.
He’s a talent and a half.
He’s a talent and a half.
I agree with this. Bailly had the potential of being one of the best defenders in the world if his body could hold up.
Agreed 100%
He really has improved but I would still put Matip alongside VVD in the final.
Doesn't Konate cover Trent better than Matip. He is much faster. Saw him catch up and bump off Kante in the final. I think that can be important when defending against Vinicius.
Was impressed with him last night. Didn't see any weakness in his game and he was very composed under pressure. Impressive for seasoned pro let alone 22 year old.
Konate was the one I always wanted for the PL. he has it all. It’s only the injuries which were a question. I personally would have taken a chance because of his age.
instead we stuck with Lindelof. Whoever made that decision should be shot
instead we stuck with Lindelof. Whoever made that decision should be shot
I'm glad to see Liverpool lose, but thought Konate was their best player tonight.
Yeah he was solid, played very well.
Absolute monster yesterday. Damn what a signing for them.
Hopefully Rudiger will be like this for us next season and Militao(also amazing yesterday) keeps improving too. I'd like to be able to rely on our CBs the way Liverpool do...
Hopefully Rudiger will be like this for us next season and Militao(also amazing yesterday) keeps improving too. I'd like to be able to rely on our CBs the way Liverpool do...
Yeah he was a good choice. I think Vini would’ve fancied it more against Matip. I think Konate will be first choice next to Van Dijk next season.
Konate has all the attributes of a world class centre-half. Intelligence, strength, pace, you name it -- he'll be a bedrock for Liverpool for years to come. Meanwhile we're stuck with fecking Lindelof.
Great signing for Liverpool. With Konate - Van Dijk next season I expect Liverpool to have a relatively solid defence again.
He was incredibly bad tonight for Liverpool 
. One own goal, along with TAA at fault for the second one and gift the third one.
Hopefully this will feck up his confidence and the errors will continue
. One own goal, along with TAA at fault for the second one and gift the third one.Hopefully this will feck up his confidence and the errors will continue
Poor game tonight but he should be starting whenever fit imo. Better player overall than Matip.
We do look like we need a CB though. Matip is getting older and Van Dijk has clearly declined post injury. Last season he was good but he’s struggling a lot this year.
We do look like we need a CB though. Matip is getting older and Van Dijk has clearly declined post injury. Last season he was good but he’s struggling a lot this year.
We will sort you a deal on Maguire?
Actually think he’d help tighten things up for you
Well, all those posts waxing lyrical on Liverpool and Konate aged very well.