With Ox and Lallana fit, Liverpool don’t need new signings: Smicer
The conventional wisdom is that teams need to strengthen their squads even when they are successful.
But Liverpool have bucked that trend with 11 wins and one draw from their first 12 English Premier League matches - the joint-best start to an EPL campaign - despite not making any major signings in the summer.
Juergen Klopp's only signings have been 17-year-old defender Sepp van den Berg, 16-year-old winger Harvey Elliott and back-up goalkeepers Andy Lonergan and Adrian on free transfers.
Vladimir Smicer, who scored in the Reds' famous come-from-behind Champions League triumph in Istanbul in 2005, told The New Paper that his former team did not need signings because they have the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana and Naby Keita returning after long spells out with injury.
In the Reds' Champions League-winning campaign last season, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lallana started a combined total of two matches, while Keita's 22 starts came largely as a back-up option to Klopp's preferred midfield trident of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Georginio Wijnaldum.
Smicer, who is in town for the Battle of the Reds - a tournament involving former players from Manchester United, Liverpool and the Lions at the National Stadium tomorrow - told The New Paper: "I know they didn't sign big players, but they have Oxlade-Chamberlain back from injury, Lallana as well had a lot of injuries.
"They are assets for the team, even Keita had a lot of problems last season...
"Against Man United, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lallana came on and changed the game and Liverpool nearly won the game... If everyone is fit, I don't think Klopp needs more players, that's why he didn't buy anyone.
"I heard they wanted maybe one player, but now players cost 90-100 million euros (S$135m-S$150m), so they decided not to buy anyone."
Ex-Reds fullback Jason McAteer, meanwhile, believes his former team's Champions League triumph last season changed the dynamics at the storied club.
He said: "To win the Champions League last season, it just changed the dynamics of how the football club is.
"They just seemed to get stronger and unite. The fans, the brand and commercial side of the club, everything's just in the healthiest position it's ever been... The club at the moment is in the best place they have ever been to win a title."
After 12 EPL matches, the Reds are eight points clear of second-placed Leicester City and Chelsea as they chase their first top-flight title in 30 years.
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