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9 months ago
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I think it was understandable that a lot of Liverpool fans looked at last Sunday’s trip to Bournemouth with a degree of trepidation. Given the players the Reds had missing, and the way they stumbled at the Vitality Stadium last season, it certainly looked like a game which had the potential to derail them.
So the manner in which Jurgen Klopp’s side dealt with it was impressive, to say the least. They have made a habit this season of performing better in the second half of games, and this was as commanding and as dominant a 45 minutes as they have produced all season away from home.
The finishing, from both Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota, was exceptional and that will have pleased Klopp immensely, with so much made of the absence of Mohamed Salah due to AFCON. Nunez, in particular, has come under fire for his goal record, but 10 goals and 10 assists this season is no mean feat, while Jota is up to 11 goals himself.
That is why Liverpool have spent so much money assembling this frontline, so that it is not reliant on one player or even two players. Salah remains their main man, of course, and they’ll want him back as soon as possible, but this is a team that can cope without him, and that has the firepower to worry any opponent.
It’s clear to me that Michael Olise is a player who is ready to take the next step in his career. I expect him to leave Crystal Palace in the summer, and I expect him to join a top-six club.
I can understand why Liverpool’s name is in the mix, given he’s a left-footer who plays on the right – and we know that the Reds have a potential challenge regarding another of those coming up!
The questions for me would be two-fold. Firstly, is he a player who will score and create enough to become a starter at Anfield? He has 11 goals in two-and-a-half seasons at Palace, and seven in three seasons at Reading prior to that. Compare that to other forward players signed by Liverpool in recent years, and it would represent a slight change in approach. The Reds tend to go for those who are starting to rack up big numbers, and I’m not sure Olise is there yet, albeit allowing for the fact he is playing for a pretty negative team.
The other question would be whether you would get the same Michael Olise if he were to be added into a rotation policy, or whether he thrives on being the ‘big fish’, with the bulk of attacking responsibility. I personally think he has the game and the talent to flourish at a bigger club – he reminds me a lot of Riyad Mahrez – but those are the questions that will need to be answered, if and when he moves.
The absence of Thiago remains one of the big frustrations at Liverpool, as we approach the 12-month anniversary of his last appearance for the Reds.
I can understand why some fans, and indeed Jurgen Klopp, are dreaming about how the Spaniard might flourish in this new-look team. Certainly, his nous, passing range and ability to dictate the pace of games would be welcome in the closing months of this campaign.
My understanding is that a return to training could happen in February, but obviously there will be risk associated with any return to competitive action, given he has had so long out. I think we will see him play before the end of the campaign, but it is hard to see him starting a run of games. It was hard enough beforehand!
As for the summer, I’d be very surprised if Liverpool extended Thiago’s contract. He’ll be 33 in April and he’s done nothing in the past 18 months to suggest he’s the future for the club. A great player, no question, but I think he’ll be on the move in the summer. Maybe he’ll have a medal or two in his pocket when he leaves, though…
Ah, the Jordan Henderson situation. The end of an error, you could call it.
Firstly, good luck to him at Ajax. Not a bad move for him, in terms of football, lifestyle and prestige. The Eredivisie giants may be struggling this season, but they remain one of the game’s great clubs, and they seem understandably delighted to have landed a player of Henderson’s pedigree.
As for the Saudi Arabian experiment, I’m sure Jordan himself would reflect on that and feel some pangs of regret. He took a big risk, professionally and reputationally, moving to Al Ettifaq, and it didn’t pay off. I think a lot of the issues he encountered over there, on and off the field, could have been predicted beforehand, and I think Liverpool’s subsequent success without him has only added to the sense that he took both a hasty decision, and the wrong one, in leaving Anfield.
Still, that’s football, and Henderson will know that. At least now, he has the chance to start enjoying the game again. I’m sure he’ll relish the challenge in Amsterdam.

With Henderson leaving Al Ettifaq and stories about Karim Benzema, Aymeric Laporte and others, could this January represent a chance for Liverpool to swoop for some of the unsettled big names in Saudi Arabia?
In all honestly, it’s hard to see many of the names who moved to Saudi Arabia in the summer being useful for Liverpool at this point, barring a few long-term injuries between now and the end of January.
Liverpool’s transfer policy is well-established and well-known, targeting up-and coming players who are making their mark in top European leagues. It is unlikely that they would be tempted by established, big-name players who have taken the plunge in the Saudi Pro League and are now looking to back out.
What they will be doing, I’m sure, is looking with interest at the reports linking the likes of Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante with moves away. Those players, plus Jordan Henderson, may well be used as examples when a certain Mr. Salah’s future is up for discussion this summer…
