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Never before has the gap between summer and winter transfer windows been so short.
For Liverpool fans, however, it still feels like forever.
Thiago Alcantara is unlikely to be seen again this year and he dealt another blow to a Reds team already reeling from the long absences of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
Also missing are Trent Alexander-Arnold, Xherdan Shaqiri, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and it’s easy to see why Ajax manager Erik ten Hag was answering questions about whether his team was the favorite for the LA showdown. Champions League Tuesday at Anfield.
The relentless schedule means Liverpool must negotiate another eight games this month before the transfer window opens in January, giving Jurgen Klopp time to weigh the evidence on whether squad reinforcement is required in January.
Until then, however, it will continue to rely on strengthening from within, with Academy teenage duo Rhys and Neco Williams poised for more European exposure.
While center-back Rhys has been stable in his outings this season, right-back Neco has gone through a more difficult time, not helped by getting into such a key position with so many first-team regulars already out.
He was hooked during halftime in Brighton on Saturday and three days earlier attracted unwanted abuse on social media after a difficult outing in the loss to Atalanta.
Klopp, however, will have no qualms about turning to the Welshman tonight, while his namesake can make a third consecutive Champions League start if he doesn’t risk Joel Matip.
And the Reds coach has pointed out a unique problem these youngsters have when entering the Premier League first team and the world champions.
“If someone is a youth player or from the Liverpool academy, they already have a lot of talent, otherwise they could not make the cut,” he says.
“They go through all these difficult moments in their youth career and you are already used to some difficult situations and some pressure but when you take the final step and play in a competitive match for the first team that is a different animal and I think the the boys adapted very well.
“They did a lot of really good things, they helped us, and especially at this time.
“The only problem they have from time to time is that people compare him to the guy who played the position before them, in our case world-class players, and that makes it difficult for people to clearly see the talent of these guys.
“But from my point of view they did really well.”
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Liverpool only need one point to advance to the round of 16, and if things go wrong at Anfield, the safety net of victory at FC Midtjylland next week will suffice.
Klopp would prefer that the goal be achieved as soon as possible to offer the possibility of a possible rotation in Denmark, even if circumstances dictate that full changes are unlikely tonight against an Ajax side undefeated since Liverpool’s 1-0 win. in Holland six weeks ago.
“I don’t have players to prioritize,” says the Reds boss. “We played on Saturday and the most suitable players for that game were on the court and that will be the case in this game, since we do not have the players make these kinds of decisions, and I have never made these kinds of decisions, since all the competitions are very important to us.
“I expect a close game, Ajax is a really good team and since our game has been flying a lot. Great results, a clear top of the table, some very talented players are coming back. “
One player likely to be asked to come back is Andy Robertson, who was limited to a 30-minute cameo from the bench in last week’s 2-0 home loss to Atalanta.
And the Scotland international has joined the growing chorus of governing bodies to help prevent more players from breaking down due to the heavy workload.
“The schedule can’t change because we need to have all these games in different competitions,” says Robertson. “We heard about that, but maybe we could get a little more help.
“My manager has probably been the one who has spoken the most about it, but I know that many managers are crying out for five substitutions.
“It seems that every game I watch or in which I am involved someone is injured with something
“I always go 100% of course! Certain games you may need to adapt. But you cannot change everything and you cannot change too much. Hopefully I can stay as fit and healthy as I am now. “
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