Liverpool FC Forum

[JBG]

We were told back in the spring that Gerard Houllier was to oversee a mass exodus of players in the summer, with the likes of Heskey, Diouff, Diao, Dudek and Hamman leading the way.

Heskey has gone, and (to his own surprise) Houllier has followed him.

Should Benetiz pick up where Houllier started and begin a clearout of our squad?

Some members here raised the valid point that Benetiz should stick with the current squad for a season before making any major changes. However, that was based on the premise that we had the nucleus of a good team, and with a new manager and a few key signings, the tide would turn for us.

However, if the rumours are true and Gerrard jumps ship, what are we left with?

Personally, I believe that we need a far smaller and more efficient first team squad, and I think Benetiz should be given carte blanche to do what he pleases. I honestly think that the time is now ripe to clear out 8 to 10 players and start rebuilding immediately.

My candidates are:

Jerzy Dudek: not the worst keeper around, but I have lost faith that he will recover his 2002 form. PSV are interested, and Dudek is highly rated on the continent.

Gregary Vignal: Espanyol would probably take him off us.

Djimi Traore: we should recover our money by selling him to the likes of West Brom.

Stephan Henchoz: once the best defender at the club, but he has lost his pace and is injury prone, and in my view he should be let go.

Marcus Babbel: realistically he will never recapture his old form and its pointless having him around. Let him return on a free to Germany.

Didi Hamman: getting old and is increasingly one dimensional. Could still catch 2 or 3 million in a transfer fee.

Vladmir Smicer: also getting old, and his goal against Holland would probably be enough to secure a move to Turkey or Greece.

Igor Biscan: a poor player but who would take him? Our best option would probably be to loan him out abroad.

Bruno Cheyrou: Marseille are interested and IMO its time to cut our losses.

Salif Diao: would have left had Houllier satyed. Cannot see him improving. Cut our losses by selling him cheaply on the continent.

El Hadji Diouff: misfit. We would have to take the pain of letting him go on the cheap.

Neil Mellor: won't be a top striker and he'll probably be a division 2 player in three years time.

Obviously we would be lucky to shift half of these, but surgery needs to be carried out on the squad and three or four good signings to replace the lot of them would be enough.

[supersub]

I would keep Smicer

[Dalglish]

God post LBG as per usual

With the exception of Hamann I agree with your list and it sets out clearly why these players need to be offloaded. Whether Gerrard goes or doesn't we ought to keep Hamaann cos he gives the Liverpool team solidity and is a very undervalued player until he is out injured and then we realise how much we rely on him.

[JBG]

The reason I picked out Hamman is:

1. Houllier would have sold him anyway and replaced him with Joey Barton.

2. From what I have seen of Valencia under Benetiz he likes to have two kinetic and energetic central midfielders who take the game to the oppisition and Hamman isn't that kind of player.

As for Supersub and Smicer, the crazy thing about football is that I will guarantee you that next season one of the fans' and Houllier's favourites will be axed by Benetiz (maybe Hyppia?) and one or two hitherto useless chaps will suddenly start playing out of their skins, and that could be Diouff or Smicer!

Funny things happen when new managers come in: remember how Ince and Fowler were axed by Houllier while we saw a dramatic improvement from Berger and Murphy?

[anfieldadorer]

1. I will keep Dudek at least for reserve. (Good goalkeepers are relatively hard to find, since a team only need one goalie at a time in a match)

2. I will keep Smicer and Diouff to see if Benitez can treat them better, so at least they will be resaleable at a higher price.

3. Players to sell ONLY IF the replacements exist already:
- Hamann
- Henchoz

4. I have no clear idea about Cheyrou, if he's wanted for a reasonable price, he can go, but if not, perhaps we have to wait and see.

5. The rests out of JBG's list should go asap.

[woof woof !]

You can't let Dudek go without a BETTER replacement lined up, I'm not convinced Kirkland can go through a season without injury .Letting Dudek go would be shortsighted.

[LFC #1]

hopefully Rafa will bring Ayala and Aimar with him or Baraja or Vicente  . Well i can dream, Valencia have quality players and somw would be great signings for our club.

[anfieldadorer]

One more point : I will replace Danny Murphy with the hustler

[Bring Dalglish back]

John Barnes' Granny, you make a good point about the fact that 'we need a far smaller and more efficient first team squad' this season. When Jose Mourinho for example, took over at Chelsea, he said that he wanted a squad of about 23 players. Similarly, at Liverpool - at the moment we also have a large number of players, some of which should turn to balerina dancing because they are - to say the least - useless.

What we need next season, is a team of players who are committed to the cause (not necesserily overpaid individuals) - just like the Porto players were, who won the Champions League

[XSD]

Supposing that Canizares comes to Liverpool on a free transfer I would try to get 2-3m out of Dudek.
If Gerrard leaves I think we will need Hamann more than ever, because in some ways their game is similar..and Benitez's midfield might not work the same way in the premiership as it does in Spain.
We'll need to pick up a new right winger and new centre-half if we lose all the players you listed, other than that it's a good suggestion

[JBG]

I would let Jerzy go because we could recoup arounf £3m for him. I'd let Benetiz bring Canizarez with him and play him for a year or two until Kirkland is ready. Another option would be to bring in a journey man keeper and play Kirkland as first choice.

I want a smaller, leaner and meaner first team squad. If we suffer bad injuries we could give a few reserve team players like Warnock, Welsh, Potter and Patridge a run: thats what happened years ago and sometimes a reserve team player can amaze everyone by taking the step up.

I hate the idea of having four or five foreign players who are on decent wages rotting on the fringes of the squad. The young guys might not all be future Liverpool players, but no one could ever fault them for effort or desire.

[redandblue]

I'd keep Dudek and Hamman. The rest should go as soon as possible. Unlike a number of the guys on this forum who have thanked GH for providing a platform for winning major trophies, I believe that he has given Benitez a mountain to climb, particularly if SG is off.

[JBG]

Frankly, I'd order a massive clearout and leave the following squad:

Kirkland
Luzi Bernardi
Finnan
Carragher
Otsemembor
Riise
Hyppia
Gerrard     
Le Tallec
Murphy
Kewell
Welsh
Warnock
Cisse
Pongolle
Baros
Owen

Most of those guys are first teamers anyway. After that I'd allow Benetiz bring in 6 or 7 reinforcements and we could we going places.

[anfieldadorer]

I want a smaller, leaner and meaner first team squad.
I hate the idea of having four or five foreign players who are on decent wages rotting on the fringes of the squad.

Ideally, I agree with that.
However -in reality, GH HAS JUST DONE leaving us with some players who are on decent wages rotting on the fringes of the squad. All we can do now is to avoid it happening again. But since we are now exposed to a tricky situation of our balance status, the ideas of selling certain players should take this finance factor into account and, unfortunatelly, the ideal approach in selling some of those players may not be fruitful.

[jonnymac1979]

Have Biscan, Cheyrou, Diao, Diouf been linked with anyone yet?  Imagine if, like you say, one of the fringe players starts playing out of his skin.  Do you think they are capable of it?  They must have had some talent once.

Maybe the reason all of these players performed badly over the last two years is that their confidence is shot at.  Houllier was never really a good motivator of men.  Thompson just shouted at them all of the time from what I can gather.  Houllier didn't really have the man-management skills to motivate these players to want to play for him.

Only the players know what it is like on the inside.  They have got to want to play.