Liverpool FC Forum

by **Stu the Red** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 1:29 pm

As the title says.

Was having the debate last night in the pub, I think we're 5 or 6 away at least, while some people were saying 2 or 3.

For me, the only players that should be safe are Suarez, Coutinho Enrique and before his injury Sahko was showing promise. Agger is injury prone and despite his form lacking he's shown in the past he has enough about him to be at least a decent player for us. Sturridge is also in a similar category but they aren't players I'd like to see in the starting line up every week.

Allen and Henderson have done ok in fits in and starts too and have shown signs that they at least good enough also to be classed as squad players for the time being, but neither are really league winning standard players.

The rest for me are average at best.

I think the following positions need looking at desperately.

GK -
GK - Mignolet

RB - Kelly
RB - Flannagan

CB - Sahko
CB -
CB - Agger
CB - Toure

LB - Enrique
LB -

CM -
CM - Allen
CM - Henderson
CM - Gerrard

RW -
RW - Sterling

LW - Coutinho

CF - Suarez
CF - Sturridge

The leaves for me a first eleven of:

GK - Need improvement

RB - Kelly
CB - Need improvement
CB - Sahko
LB - Enrique

CM - Need improvement
CM - Allen, Gerrard or Henderson
CM - Allen, Gerrard or Henderson

RW - Need improvement
LW - Coutinho

CF - Suarez

Subs:

GK - Mignolet
DF - Flannagan
DF - Agger
MD - Gerrard, Allen or Henderson
MD - Alberto
RW - Sterling
CF - Sturridge

I believe if we can get the right players in those positions we'll be a good side, but it requires massive improvement. Players like Skrtel, Johnson, Coates, Lucas and Aspas should all be used to free up wages and bring in extra transfer funds as they've all proven time and time again how poor they actually are.

For the improvements as well its no good signing players who "might" be a "slight" improvement on what we have, they have to be very good players who'll improve us straight away.

Cabaye would be a fabulous signing, as would Schneiderlin. We need a class right winger too, not someone like Salah who's probably not going to be an improvement on what we have. I actually think if we don't go and get a top midfielder and a decent defender in this window we're kissing our chances of champions league football and hanging on to Luis Suarez goodbye.

by **red till i die!!** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:13 pm

probably 6-7 at least away from winning a league but only 2 or 3 off that top 4.
it will take a while to build a side that can win the league but in this window we can definately improve on at least 3 positions to make top 4 this season. we need a quality full back, a quality mid and a quality winger.
they have to be quality players bearing in mind the target we have. without it i really can see us losing our best player and only match winner we have.
it pains me to see that we sat on top of that league christmas day and had we of got better players in the summer we could still be up there.

by **Stu the Red** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:04 pm

Another thing that worries me is a team we beat 5-0 at their own place is now level on points with us and looking strong all of a sudden. Everton are probably the most consistent side in the league too...

We had a chance in december while top of the league too progress and push on with a signing of quality or two, instead we've done nothing and it looks like it could cost us.

by **metalhead** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:35 pm

I'll go that we are 3 or 4 players away from a title challenge.

2 players away from a top 4 place.

We need a midfielder & a right back to at least cement 4th place.

Cabaye would not join us, especially he looks like he is going to PSG, I doubt Southampton would sell us Scneiderlen for less than 20m

by **Ben Patrick** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 4:33 pm

For me we need a top defensive midfielder and a right back.
We may get away with the right back for the rest of the season if Flanagan can come in and be as steady and consistent as he was before his injury.
Shouts of Schneiderlin and Cabaye are extremely unlikely for me although both would be very good buys.
Newcastle are notoriously quite difficult to negotiate with and if PSG are sniffing as well we would get out priced.
Southampton have said they wont sell any players in this window.
One that I would test the water with is Alex Song at Barca. He is not getting a game as far as I am aware and can do a bit of everything.
The only problem may be if he is on big wages.

by **damjan193** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 4:52 pm

I think that we're only a player or two away from being a top 4 side. We might even make it to 4th as it is. A new addition to our midfield would be nice though, just to be sure. Yann M'Vila please.

As for winning the title, I think Stu has got it right more or less.

by **jacdaniel** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 5:20 pm

Id say probably 5 away from title challenge but we could get top 4 this season with the players we have.

We need a RB.
We need a wing forward.
A striker.
A DM who can play the holding role, is mobile and can use the ball.
Probably a CB too.

by **jacdaniel** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 5:44 pm

Actually, we should get top 4 this year if we're honest. We're a better side than the Mancs, Everton and Spurs.
We have the best player in the league.
A fairly devastating attack in general with Suarez, Sturridge, Coutinho, Sterling.
We have a good enough midfield for top 4 although it could be improved on.

The defence is probably our weakest area. We've suffered far too many injuries back there and we just can't get a settled back 4.

With all the problems Spurs and United have encountered this season we have no excuse not to finish 4th. We've played much better than both and our goal difference shows that.

by **Stu the Red** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:37 pm

jacdaniel » Mon Jan 20, 2014 5:44 pm wrote:Actually, we should get top 4 this year if we're honest. We're a better side than the Mancs, Everton and Spurs.

We have the best player in the league.

With all the problems Spurs and United have encountered this season we have no excuse not to finish 4th. We've played much better than both and our goal difference shows that.

Just to break that down, are we really a better side than Spurs or Everton player for player? I personally don't we're even close. The only thing we have going for us really, is the Suarez factor. He's out of this world, Everton and Spurs don't have that, but I think if you were to have a mixed eleven of both sides, the only players we have who'd get into those sides would Suarez and Coutinho, maybe a shout for a fully fit and on form Agger.

Apart from that I don't believe we are better than those teams.

Also, you say our "goal difference" reflects we've been better... and to an extent yes it does... but he fact is, after 21 games, we have exactly the same win, loss and draws as Spurs and Everton have a game in hand and are two points behind... Points are more important than goal difference!

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 7:24 pm

If we can't get Cabaye, I would like Dembele. Spurs are overloaded in midfield and it's a matter of time before one or two of them express unhappiness.
M'Villa would be a good option too though he's abit of a nutcase.

We'll also need a leftback and a rightback.
Roberto Rosales and Ricardo Rodriguez or Jetro Willems are the best options as Luke Shaw would be overpriced.

Johnson, Moses, Cissokho, Aspas and Kelly can leave.

Bring Suso back.

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 7:27 pm

And send Gerrard to the bench while we're at it. He's way past it and accommodating him in the side will be the reason why we might not make it in the top 4. He offers no energy whatsoever and just because he makes a good set-piece delivery doesn't justify his place in the team. The midfield of Henderson, Allen and Lucas were doing very well until one of them had to be dropped in favor of the captain.

by **metalhead** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 7:35 pm

How about Song? he isn't getting any games with Barcelona and we could use a player like him, could be a good loan signing till the end of the season, plus offers a lot more than Lucas and can play the ball forward.

by **metalhead** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 7:37 pm

maypaxvobiscum » Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:27 pm wrote:And send Gerrard to the bench while we're at it. He's way past it and accommodating him in the side will be the reason why we might not make it in the top 4. He offers no energy whatsoever and just because he makes a good set-piece delivery doesn't justify his place in the team. The midfield of Henderson, Allen and Lucas were doing very well until one of them had to be dropped in favor of the captain.

What a flawed argument, Gerrard-Allen were also doing very well before the captain got injured.

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 8:09 pm

Did you watch the Spurs game? The players were pressing very high up and harrying the Spurs players into making stray passes. I've never really appreciated the idea of pressing but that was the most beautiful performance I've seen. Gerrard wouldn't have offered the same intensity if he had played in that game.

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 8:10 pm

metalhead » Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:35 pm wrote:How about Song? he isn't getting any games with Barcelona and we could use a player like him, could be a good loan signing till the end of the season, plus offers a lot more than Lucas and can play the ball forward.

Would have been nice if you spelled his out name out as for a while you got me worried that you wanted Rigobert Song until I read the second sentence :no

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