Liverpool FC Forum

by **ivor_the_injun** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:09 am

Until Alonso's back I can't see it happening.

Wouldn't bet against it though when he does return, unless Gerrard's form in the centre improves drastically in the meantime.

That said, I do think Pennant has been a bit harshly done by on this forum of late. He started the season like a shot, and up with the likes of Torres, Finnan and Arbeloa has been our best player overall for me. He's far better than the last few games have shown.

by **maguskwt** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:30 am

bigmick wrote:There's no question that if we aren't going to play Crouch barely at all (and it certainly appears that way) then we are at least one striker short. Infact, given the "sameyness" of three of them you could even argue we are two short. The lack of threat from out wide is a real problem when Gerrard and to a lesser extent Riise don't play there, and we are obviously short of a centre half.

In fairness to saint, he has been on about this "creative second striker" for a bit now and time has proven it be a good call, he was and is obviously right. Similarly Stu talked last season about strengthening the first team, needing another striker, a winger and a centre back and although in the latter case he was incorrectly in my opinion stressing we should replace Agger, he looks like he's right on the other two.

I've got a bit of a feeling as I've alluded to on many occasions, that Rafa is about to see the light on mass rotation. I don't expect or need to see a press conference and an "I fecked it up" style apology, but just expect to see a largely settled team played in all matches except the Carling Cup for the forseeable. If as I hope we can put the wheels back on quickly, before the leaders disappear over the horizon we can hopefully put ourselves back into the mix (or stay in it if you prefer as on points we still are) by the turn of the year.

It is my hunch though that we are going to need at that point to gamble on signing a proper partner for Torres. My knowledge of European football is nowhere near sufficient to start throwing names into the mix, but there really must be somebody better suited to the task than any we currently have. I've a further hunch that by then our very best eleven may include our captain playing right midfield. One thing is certain, if you are going to buy a right-midfielder you could scour the World, robbing banks along the way and you wouldn't find one better than Gerrard in my view.

if we go for a second striker we should go for a creative young striker... around 20-23 years old... not just a very promising youth (potential) but proven to some extent (like physical proof that he's got what it takes a la rooney/ronaldo)... easier said than done I know... but how come wenger gets all those kind of youngsters...

one solution would be to get a very good winger like quaresma so that babel has the chance to play upfront... he's got a very good shot and even though his technique might not be up to the mark for a winger... he's got speed and good enough skills for a striker... if he plays well and his confident goes up he can become a very potent attacking player... a la henry...

come on rafa you only need to do this and our squad will improve by leaps and bounds... oh and of course find a back up CB...

by **The Grudge** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:35 am

Babel is written off already then by most?Really had a chance?

Maybe we should sign that scottish :censored:

from Everton...not great but he scored in the last few games?
McFadden..scored 3 goals! GREAT PLAYER!

by **maguskwt** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:54 am

The Grudge wrote:In reality and all bitching apart!

Strongest team is

Reina

Finnan Carra Agger Arbeloa

Gerrard Mash Alonso Riise

Kuyt Torres.....I would maybe swap ...that is a balanced midfield!

I would never play gerrard on the right... his crossing is not the strongest aspect of his game... the rest I agree... mine is

Reina

Finnan Carra Agger Arbeloa

Pennant Gerrard Mash/Alonso Riise/Benyaoun

Kuyt Torres

I would also like to see a flexible 4-5-1 that can transform into 4-3-3 when attacking:

Defending:

Reina

Finnan Carra Agger Arbeloa

Mash

Benyaoun Gerrard Alonso Babel

Torres

Basically benyaoun and babel play as wingers with Torres as lone striker... Masherano protecting the back four a la hamann.

Attacking:

Reina

Finnan Carra Agger Arbeloa

Gerrard Mash Alonso

Benyaoun Babel
Torres

Here Benyaoun and Babel push forward and inside to assist Torres... Gerrard and Alonso pull wide... Masherano fill in the void in the middle

OR

Reina

Finnan Carra Agger Arbeloa

Benyaoun Mash Alonso

Gerrard Babel
Torres

Another reincarnation... Gerrard pushes forward to assist Torres... so does Babel... Benyaoun remains as a wide winger...Alonso pushes wide and Masherano fills the middle again...

by **maguskwt** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:01 am

The Grudge wrote:Babel is written off already then by most?Really had a chance?

why is that so?

by **The Grudge** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:06 am

maguskwt wrote:
The Grudge wrote:Babel is written off already then by most?Really had a chance?

why is that so?

Too many to quick to judge! we have few games to play yet?

by **maguskwt** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:11 am

The Grudge wrote:
maguskwt wrote:
The Grudge wrote:Babel is written off already then by most?Really had a chance?

why is that so?

Too many to quick to judge! we have few games to play yet?

oh you mean as a winger?

I see his abilities more suitable for a striker than as a winger... that's all

by **The Grudge** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:22 am

maguskwt wrote:
The Grudge wrote:
maguskwt wrote:
The Grudge wrote:Babel is written off already then by most?Really had a chance?

why is that so?

Too many to quick to judge! we have few games to play yet?

oh you mean as a winger?

I see his abilities more suitable for a striker than as a winger... that's all

I dont really see any..i just find it hard that folk can judge him so harshly at times!

In reality he is a spring chicken with a bit part role so far that has a lot to prove...too early to criticise him unless you know everything about football?

by **redsince2001** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 7:40 am

by **mattylfc** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 9:13 am

I do actually find it quite frustrating when we buy a player with lots of potential and we then play them out of position.

Babel is perhaps a little different as he has played on the wing quite a lot but i would have certainly given him more of a chance by now in his favoured position as a second striker.

I believe he has been starting there for the Dutch national team and although it would be quite a young stiking partnership, surely Torres and Babel could cause havoc amongst most defenders.

Someone mentioned in a different thread a while back that if Babel had gone to Arsenal, he would have probably already been a top player in the PL. I hate to admit it but i kind of agree with this.

I know Babel is young and he is maybe being brought in gradually but i just hope that playing him out wide wont affect his game too much for the future.

I see a lot of potential in Babel and am sticking by the guy. I do however recognise that we are definitely short of a winger, whether Rafa gets one in the transfer window remains to be seen. It will be just our luck that Kewell comes back into the team just before the transfer window opens and he starts performing for us, we then resist buying another winger and Kewell gets injured again a week after the transfer window.

I hope that this time we do only buy a player if it is teh right player for us. We dont want a Nunez, Josemi or Kromkamp to fill a gap. The worry is that top players dont always become available in the January transfer window.

by **Red Dotty** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 9:22 am

If we do loose crouch which it looks like we might well do there is one striker who would be top of my list at the moment to pair up with Torres and push Kuyt for his plac

DAVID VILLIA

Playing at Velencia looks total quality and has done for some time i can remember some post a few seasons ago where people where putting him top of there wish list. He plays along side Torres at national level and at the moment would put him above getting any winger.

by **RedBlood** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:15 pm

Any1 who doubts Babel IS a retard in my mind, as 4 DAVID VILLIA good call but id rather go 4 Franco Di Santos hes only 18 & is a target man like crouch but faster & betta in the air & hed cost less then what we would get 4 crouch

my wish list

Van Borre
Franco Di Santos
Jeremy menez
Alves Alfonso

:blues:

by **Owzat** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:25 pm

Regards Babel, well if Crouch is on his way out and out of favour in the Premiership, and Arbeloa is going to play LB more than Riise and other options, then we already have way too many options to play LM already so why not utilise Babel as the fourth/fifth striker?

by **account deleted by request** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:25 pm

Just to add to my second striker theory, can anyone name the last team to win the league title playing 2 strikers rather than a striker and a creative second striker. Chelsea I would argue played with either one striker and 2 wingers or with Gudjohnson as their creative second striker. Mancs have had Cantona, York, Scholes,Sherringham, Rooney. Arsenal had Bergkamp. We have a long history of creative second strikers going back to Stjohn, Keegan, Dalglish, Beardsley.

Only team I could think of was Blackburn with S.A.S.

by **Leonmc0708** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:02 pm

s@int wrote:Just to add to my second striker theory, can anyone name the last team to win the league title playing 2 strikers rather than a striker and a creative second striker. Chelsea I would argue played with either one striker and 2 wingers or with Gudjohnson as their creative second striker. Mancs have had Cantona, York, Scholes,Sherringham, Rooney. Arsenal had Bergkamp. We have a long history of creative second strikers going back to Stjohn, Keegan, Dalglish, Beardsley.

Only team I could think of was Blackburn with S.A.S.

Cole and Yorke ?

Campbell and Wright ?

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