I think I'm somehow less optimistic about Liverpool next year after their 11 match unbeaten run to end the season than I was before, but it could just be end of season depression and this weird Sporting Director set up. A little unsure if the inverted Trent thing is the way to go for good, or if that was just the shake up they needed to push them over the line during what was a favorable run of matches.
I didn't think they were that great as much as I thought Trent AA was that great (and he wasn't that great in the last two, which they drew and still looked vulnerable defensively). That being said, I'm not sure how many clubs put together an unbeaten streak that length this year, which you need to do if you are going to even make City think about it. So they showed they can still dial it up.
They need at least 2 midfielders (I think 3, but I'm actually talking myself into Gakpo being the more advanced 8 on the right) but if that's the way they're going set up permanently, I think they'd need at least two new defenders, too. Matip and Tsimikas might go, Konate isn't the most robust, and Van Dijk is still great, but I think you want to watch his minutes and I don't think he's getting any better from here. Haven't seen them mentioned with too many defenders -- Inacio and Timber more recently, who both seem like they could do a fullback/centerback thing on either side and Timber might be able to do sort of the Trent thing, too, but I'm not sure either could work in a regular centerback pairing in the Premier League. Colwill would be perfect, but if Pochettino is smart he makes that a non starter -- that would be the dream, though.
Think you could make a case for another versatile attacker, too, since Firmino and -- likely -- Carvalho are going, and Gakpo for me has looked more natural in midfield and they still need some shot volume monster in there like Darwin.
Give me: Mac Allister, a 6-ish with a high ceiling (Thuram?), young English/homegrown midfielder (Lavia/Scott/Hackney/O'Riley -- unsure if the last two count as homegrown), versatile defender or 2 (Timber/Inacio/Kelly/Hincapie/Colwill), and a versatile attacker (Chiesa). That's 5/6 which is about the maximum I'd expect them to do (not counting a backup GK if Kelleher goes). Don't know how that works with homegrown numbers.
Eventually something like this:
Alisson
Trent AA/Konate or Timber/VVD/Colwill or Robertson
Gakpo/Fabinho or Thuram/Mac Allister
Salah/Nunez or Diogo J/Diaz
Bench: Zieler; Timber, Robertson, Henderson, Thuram, Elliott, Jones, Diogo J, Chiesa (Gomez, Thiago, Bajcetic, Ramsay, Scott)
Sell: Kelleher, Phillips, Matip, Carvalho, Tsimikas
Talked myself into a little optimism after that. Don't think that's too much of a fantasy? Sorry, that's long and was kind of stream of consciousness.
