Reg » Mon Apr 20, 2015 3:31 am wrote:If you took the best player from Leicseter, Burnley, Palace and QPR you'd have a far better basis for a side than the international super stars we have today.
This relates to you last post. Sorry to drag it from a different thread Reg.
Not true. That seems to be our transfer strategy and we have a side thats marginally better than everyone outside the top 4.
What we need are players who come in and make a difference. The Ozils, Hazards, etc. who cost more and produce on a more consistent basis than your average Sunderland or Swansea player of the season.
To be perfectly frank, Rodgers will get most of the blame and rightly so, but I still maintain that there isnt enough quality in our squad to warrant a top 4 spot. Him getting us a CL spot with what we have would have required us overachieving and one of the other top 4 significantly underachieving. We could go out and bring any manager in world football but until we sort out the playing squad we wont get anywhere.
My main concern is that over the years, Rodgers has been given the money. From 23 players he signed, only 2 (Sturridge and Coutinho) have proven to be top4 quality players. He spent over 220 mill bringing in players and the 2 quality players he brought in have have cost less than 10% of what he spent. Many will argue that the jury is still out on the likes of Lallana, Markovic, Lovren (all 20mill + players) but realistically very few expect them to reach the levels you'd want given the amounts spent.
As things stand, we have 3 players who are able to consistently contribute at a level comparable to our top4 competition: Sterling (admittedly overrated), Coutinho and Sturridge. In Henderson we have a decent (admittedly overrated) midfield option who will never control a game but might prove useful with better player around him. In Sakho and Skrtel we have 2 good CBs who need a bit of consistency playing alongside each other. The rest of the players are all squad players at best. Can and Ibe seem to have potential and the likes of Lallana and Lucas are useful players to have around on the bench.
Whoever is manager next season, they'll have to :
a) Add to that first list of top quality players (a top quality CM is a must, as is another forward)
b) Find a formation to get the best out of our top players (No Sterling at wingback OR as a striker)
c) Get rid of the many mediocre players who are only getting game time because they are at the club (I fail to see what Allen, Manquillo, Johnson, Moreno, Markovic, Lambert, etc. bring to the table that a kid from the youth wouldn't).