Liverpool FC Forum

[red_indian]

i think we still need some pace in the side - probably through the vacant RW spot. We've replaced Cisse with Bellamy, so pace for pace but likely a better player/scorer too, and added Mark G on the left hand side but not much else pace wise. Sure the World Cup showed with the Italians that pace isn't everything but i think in an open league like the p'ship its what you need to help open up tight games.

I personally would like to see us add another striker as Robbie is not going to play every game and Bellamy may suffer the odd injury, a pacey RW (don't ask me who though) and a central midfielder (Iniesta from Barcelona?) - that'd be the minimum, after that perhaps we need to look at the right back slot - thats why Alves would still be a good buy as he can play both positions if need be.

Think Anderson looks like he deserves his chance this year at some point but am also disappointed to see Barragan leaving as i thought this time last year he was expected to be on the fringes of the first team only for us to hardly get a sight of him - what went wrong? did he not settle or the scouting network just got it wrong??

[Paul C]

I'd like to see Anderson given a chance in the first team, maybe in the Coca Cola cup or what ever it's called now.

[Effes]

I feel another striker is needed more than a right winger.

aside from Sissoko we have no players who have ever won a league title in any country.

Agree about having a striker if we could only choose between one or the other...

Aurelio won the league at Valencia with Rafa

[stmichael]

According to the Independent and Times, we're offloading Hamann, Cisse, Kirkland and Barragan to release wages to go for, Alves, Kuyt AND Pennant.

They reckon offloading those four players has saved us about £5m a year in wages.

[tubby]

I dont see how we will afford Alves and Kuyt unless we can come to some sort of agreement for fees based on appearances for Alves.

But out of the youngsters id like to see Hobbs and Anderson given a chance in the Carling cup this year.

[account deleted by request]

I was reading an article on the web( cant remember where) yesterday that was saying the Spain and Italy are both virtualy closed to transfers as they await developements at Real Madrid and the court case in Italy. Cappello has supposedly been given a huge "war chest" to raid any Italian clubs that go down and any "special players" from other clubs that he wants. He is also supposedly going to have a huge clearout at Real Madrid with many of the Galacticos being moved on. So maybe Rafa is just waiting to see what happens in Spain and Italy before spending his limited funds.

[Mark 23]

I was reading an article on the web( cant remember where) yesterday that was saying the Spain and Italy are both virtualy closed to transfers as they await developements at Real Madrid and the court case in Italy. Cappello has supposedly been given a huge "war chest" to raid any Italian clubs that go down and any "special players" from other clubs that he wants. He is also supposedly going to have a huge clearout at Real Madrid with many of the Galacticos being moved on. So maybe Rafa is just waiting to see what happens in Spain and Italy before spending his limited funds.

eh Saint, any chance of digging that article up for us to have a gander at?

Good post Saint,

That is quite a good theory about the problems in Italy combined with the behind the scenes developments of one of Europe's most influential clubs making managers weary of revealing their hand too quick in the transfer market.

What I don't subscribe to is the idea that 'IF' the big Italian clubs do face the drop, that all the players will be really cheap.  Although the clubs facing the drop wouldn't be able to keep them, the laws of Supply and Demand will generate a decent price for them.

Also I believe the man who runs AC Milan is a very powerful man with lots of money, so if they only go down one division, then money talks so I think he might be able to keep hold of more players then you think.  Just a thought, don't go ripping into me, it's only a suggestion.

eh Saint, any chance of digging that article up for us to have a gander at?

[lakes10]

nope, on a two year contract

Oh dear ... he's good, right ?? But why Rafa let him go ??

Damm thats a shame, i liked him and had big hopes for him, lets hope there are a few loop holes and if he gets good(and he will) we can get him back cheap.

[robbo1982]

For a Premiership team a squad of 22,23 or 24 first team players is what you would want, the clubs competing in Europe are likely to have 23 or 24, but that really is the maximum. And all these players must be good enough to play in the Premiership, with maybe the exception of 1 or 2 talented youngsters. If you have any players aged 22 plus out on loan then you know that something isn’t right, if you have any players aged 22 plus in the reserve then you know something isn’t right. Since Rafa has come he has been shaping the squad nicely, last season we made much more progress on the pitch and in terms of squad shaping than I thought we would. This is how I see the shape of our squad right now:

                                       Pepe Reina
                                       Jerzy Dudek
                                       David Martin

Steve Finnan     Jamie Carragher      Sami Hyypia        Fabio Aurelio
Jan Kromkamp    Gabriel Paletta        Daniel Agger       John Arne Riise


A NEW RM         Steven Gerrard       Xabi Alonso         Harry Kewell
Luis Garcia         Momo Sissoko    Boudewijn Zenden    Mark Gonzalez


                          A NEW ST        Craig Bellamy
                         Peter Crouch     Robbie Fowler

Ignore which order I put them in and the formation, that is purely for squad size and shape, were almost there in terms of these 2 things. All we need another striker and a right midfielder, and arguably a central midfielder to replace Hamann, so 2, maximum 3 signings are needed if we keep the above players, and for me that is a very strong squad.

We can have the following youngsters in the reserves:

Paul Anderson
Besian Idrizaj
Danny Guthrie
David Mannix
Miki Roque
Lee Peltier
Danny O'Donnell
James Smith
Adam Hammill
Jack Hobbs
Godwin Antwi
Plus a few more from the under 18s who are bound to get a chance in the reserves

(And send out Scott Carson on loan for the season)

That makes these players surplus to requirements, get rid of them and our squad trimming in complete:

Djibril Cisse
Djimi Traore
Carl Medjani
Chris Kirkland
Stephen Warnock
Neil Mellor
Florent Sinama Pongolle
Anthony Le Tallec
Salif Diao
Darren Potter

sounds good to me

[Lando_Griffin]

I feel another striker is needed more than a right winger. The squad is progressively being enforced and it is true that a right winger would be ideal but currently Stevie Gerrard does more than an adaquate job there. Whereas three strikers is leaving yourself almightily short, considering injuries and suspensions.

We haven't made that 'BIG' signing yet, every season we have a 10m+ signing, it always gets the fans excited when you see your club attracting the best players. Players who bring a winning mentality to the club, aside from Sissoko we have no players who have ever won a league title in any country.

I know there's a big theory on here that we don't need a right winger because Stevie can play on the right-side of midfield, but I honestly disagree with a passion.
Steven Gerrard is one of, if not THE best midfielder in the World today, IMHO, but for all the snowflakes in December he will NEVER be a right winger.
He can play there, yes. He is better than most there - YES.

But he is better that most everywhere on the pitch.

A lot has been made of the fact that he scored more goals last season than ever before, but I personally believe it was INSPITE of playing rght-midfield, rather than BECAUSE of it.

"Oh, but the stats, etc PROVE it all" - do they f*ck. WHen has Steven Gerrard ever had Xabi ALonso AND Momo Sissoko along side him in a season where he's predominantly played centrally? - Never. Who can possibly argue that Stevie G wouldn't batter EVERYONE in the league if he were played just behind the front man/two, with that magnificent duo behind him?

ANyone who thinks it's a daft notion - look at Houllier's reign. Back then, Stevie was played on the right, and did f*ck all. He was wasted. Now, because he's developed into the finest midfield dynamo of his generation, he's suddenly cast as a f*cking winger who drifts. B*llocks. He's a f*cking battler, a technician, and a f*cking genius who can play anywhere and do a fine job.

Put him in his true position, and he'll win us the title:

                                      Reina

     Finnan                 JC             Sami                  Auerio

                       Sissoko                  Alonso

                                                                    Gonzalez
                                   Gerrard

                                     .

You know it makes sense. 

[Raoul]

I haven't enjoyed reading a post as much as this one for a while - and I almost didn't read it - what's the big deal about a new taxi stand at Melwood, I was thinking to myself.  I must be a bit tired I reckon.  So, thanks CIGGY (even if it was ripped of RAWK!) and Cool Hand for starting off a good discussion. 

Like a few of you, I'd keep Pongelle and probably Kromkamp too.  I think Lando is right, I'm really looking forward to that right winger - Pennant would do me, but I've no particular favourites.  I actually think a right winger is more important than another striker, especially if Pongelle is around, or on loan and available in a crisis.  Garcia, SG, even Kewell can do a job in the hole, and goals can come from all over the place if we are playing well.  I'll admit though that our stikers don't look as formidable as the rest of the team.

How good is Anderson, really? I've never seen him.

[Mark 23]

I watched him in a youth game last season and I was impressed with him, he makes things happen, looks to always be involved and is hardworking.  He stood out for me.  I think he needs to fill out a bit first, but he looks a good prospect.

There was a clip of a reserve game on here a few months ago, the one were Hamman scored form the half way line from a free kick, and he looked really good there.

[Raoul]

Cheers Mark

[Mark 23]

Cheers Mark

I didn't know whether you were being sarcastic there

[Gerrard30391]

We need some more class players, any good size has a subs becnh as good as there first team, and lets be honest i dont't think we have that?
I'm from Lincoln and i beleive that Jack Hobbs from the U18's at Liverpool will be one to look for in 5 or 6 years time!
Any under 18's that anyone reccommends?