[ashdoy]

Looked the pick of our team yesterday v Brighton. Always available to pass to.

Think back to when we tried Ajayi in his role, or Krov...we fall apart.

Sawyers is our most important player IMO.

[FallOutBoy]

I'd like to see us sign Will Hughes tbh.

Although I've been pushing that one on-and-off for about 4 years, so it's probably never going to happen.

[zippyandbungle]

I don't see Livermore as a weakness at all, England player, dedicated to the cause, I respect your opinion but I think your wrong
Johnstone needs to improve on his command of the area if he is to keep his place.

England is stretching it a bit ?
He wouldn’t get in now would he ?

I don’t doubt the dedication, it’s fair to say that it meant something to him when we got promotion....but then again it meant something to me, and I would try hard, but I wouldn’t be good enough for the prem .
We need to distance from the emotion if we have any chance of competing in the big league ...Livermore is a good champ player , sawyers same (although with a beast next to him could work) Johnstone was weak in the champ...so I can’t see any way he gets better .

[liverbaggie]

I've also mentioned Will Hughes.
He has a good engine ,gets up and down and harasses opponent's.

[AlbionFan]

I've also mentioned Will Hughes.
He has a good engine ,gets up and down and harasses opponent's.

I read earlier that Spurs were making a £13m offer for him

[ashdoy]

Livermore, whilst I like him is a liability on the ball. Awful is not far away in terms of his possessive skills.

I would like to try and get a good solid CM on loan if possible.

[Jeb-Dog]

Still short a left back, goalkeeper (won’t happen no we’ve got Button), a Defensive midfielder and two strikers.

[smethwickw]

Having watched some of yesterday’s friendly most of our wasted passes were from Livermore. For a pro footballer his first touch is horrific. I appreciate his work rate and leadership but we need a dominant CM in there who is good on the ball.

[Albionic]

I thought he (Sawyers)seemed stronger against Brighton numerous times he held there players of with upper body strength

[The Black Pearl]

England is stretching it a bit ?
He wouldn’t get in now would he ?

I don’t doubt the dedication, it’s fair to say that it meant something to him when we got promotion....but then again it meant something to me, and I would try hard, but I wouldn’t be good enough for the prem .
We need to distance from the emotion if we have any chance of competing in the big league ...Livermore is a good champ player , sawyers same (although with a beast next to him could work) Johnstone was weak in the champ...so I can’t see any way he gets better .

Playing for England isn't an opinion, it's a fact.

[mulliganstired]

I thought he (Sawyers)seemed stronger against Brighton numerous times he held there players of with upper body strength

He does do that very well, often looks like he's in danger of losing the ball but doesn't

[zippyandbungle]

Playing for England isn't an opinion, it's a fact.

Carlton Palmer did, but you wouldn’t want him starting next week...
I wasn’t saying he hadn’t, I was saying he wouldn’t now.....absolutely nowhere near.

[The Black Pearl]

Carlton Palmer did, but you wouldn’t want him starting next week...
I wasn’t saying he hadn’t, I was saying he wouldn’t now.....absolutely nowhere near.

Carlton Palmer had a great career.
All the negative stuff about Livermore was around when he played for England, he is an Albion player, I respect that people have opinions, but an opinion is massively outweighed by a fact.

[zippyandbungle]

Carlton Palmer had a great career.
All the negative stuff about Livermore was around when he played for England, he is an Albion player, I respect that people have opinions, but an opinion is massively outweighed by a fact.

I actually rate your contributions on here...but lord tell me you wouldn’t have current Livermore in the England team?

[The Black Pearl]

I actually rate your contributions on here...but lord tell me you wouldn’t have current Livermore in the England team?

No, I wouldn't, but neither would I denigrate his last season with our club, like many of our players, he has weaknesses, but I do think he has value in the team.

[ashdoy]

Of course he has a place and let’s not mistake my above comment for me disliking him, but his touch and passing for a pro international football is woeful. When he presses and runs all day superbly, and this can be effective (Bristol City away he was immense) we will find ourselves up against it too often.

He often goes hiding for the ball too, happy to win it but does not want it off Sawyers enough.

[boinging_along]

No, I wouldn't, but neither would I denigrate his last season with our club, like many of our players, he has weaknesses, but I do think he has value in the team.

This is what happens when someone becomes a scapegoat.  Any single misplaced pass and you'll see people moan about how poor he is, yet when their favorites misplace a pass it's ignored.  He'll get no credit from some unless he performs as a 10 out of 10 every week.

[mulliganstired]

Of course he has a place and let’s not mistake my above comment for me disliking him, but his touch and passing for a pro international football is woeful. When he presses and runs all day superbly, and this can be effective (Bristol City away he was immense) we will find ourselves up against it too often.

He often goes hiding for the ball too, happy to win it but does not want it off Sawyers enough.

To be fair, I think he sees his job as covering while Sawyers is looking to play the ball forward.  I think Bilic will have him pencilled in from the start, he knows what he's doing generally, and I don't see us looking to replace him, more getting midfield cover in if we can.  I just think that is the reality, we have greater priorities especially now having pretty much maxed the credit card out on Diangana.

[The Black Pearl]

To be fair, I think he sees his job as covering while Sawyers is looking to play the ball forward.  I think Bilic will have him pencilled in from the start, he knows what he's doing generally, and I don't see us looking to replace him, more getting midfield cover in if we can.  I just think that is the reality, we have greater priorities especially now having pretty much maxed the credit card out on Diangana.

This should never be under estimated at any level of the game, how do you make an average player good or a good player great? Give them time!

[seteefeet]

This is what happens when someone becomes a scapegoat.  Any single misplaced pass and you'll see people moan about how poor he is, yet when their favorites misplace a pass it's ignored.  He'll get no credit from some unless he performs as a 10 out of 10 every week.

It's easier to accept a players weaknesses if they are outweighed by their strengths. Sawyers tracking and tackling are shocking but, his passing and ball protection are superb.
Trouble with Livermore is, he doesn't really have any real, stand out, strengths. He's not a great passer, or tackler, he doesn't sit on the back 4, to add protection, nor does he get past the striker to get in the box. Yes, he has good energy but, in terms of skills, he's very average. This means a good game is not a 10, but more a 7 or 8, with a bad one being a 4 or 5.
We won't replace him, which is fine, we have higher priorities, so we have to accept him for what he is and just hope that he gets more 8's than 4's.

[Oldbury24]

It's easier to accept a players weaknesses if they are outweighed by their strengths. Sawyers tracking and tackling are shocking but, his passing and ball protection are superb.
Trouble with Livermore is, he doesn't really have any real, stand out, strengths. He's not a great passer, or tackler, he doesn't sit on the back 4, to add protection, nor does he get past the striker to get in the box. Yes, he has good energy but, in terms of skills, he's very average. This means a good game is not a 10, but more a 7 or 8, with a bad one being a 4 or 5.
We won't replace him, which is fine, we have higher priorities, so we have to accept him for what he is and just hope that he gets more 8's than 4's.

Absolutely spot on, very much a water carrier plus.  But, when he is fit, fresh and really on it he is definitely an inspiring presence and can lead by example with the way he gets around the pitch and closes down.