Liverpool FC Forum

[aCe']

This is the type of team we should be aiming at -

                                Mingolet

                   Can          Ilorri          Sakho

     Ibe             Kovacic       Lucas           Konoplyanka

                      Coutinho      Markovic

                                 new CF

Ilorri is another one imo who has fell foul of the battle between Rodgers and the TC.

We'd get ripped to shreds with a lineup like this. No cover down the flanks, 5 attacking midfielders who all lack that goalscoring talent. Our CBs (who apart from Sakho arent good enough for the role) would be exposed. The GK isnt good enough and the best player, Sturridge, is not in the lineup.

Assuming Sterling leaves, I think we need 2 top signings and that realistically should be the peak of our expectations. We need a central midfielder who can control the game, and a forward to partner Sturridge upfront or play alone when Sturridge is injured.


                                Mingolet

      RB                 Skrtel          Sakho             Moreno

   
           Henderson         top CM              Milner

                                  Coutinho

                          top CF         Sturridge

With the likes of Can, Lallana, Balotelli, etc. we have a decent bench and options to change the formation around to 5 in midfield when needed.

This would be my ideal lineup and formation but to be honest, I think we're at a point where we should be building the setup and formation around the players rather than have it the other way around. If we are able to sign someone like Hamsik or Pedro, we'd need to find a different formation and I think it would be worth it. 

The likes of Konoplyanka, Markovic and Ibe arent game changers and are significantly below the level of talent the top4 contenders have. We most likely wont (we havent), but we should be aiming higher.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

This is the type of team we should be aiming at -

                                Mingolet

                   Can          Ilorri          Sakho

     Ibe             Kovacic       Lucas           Konoplyanka

                      Coutinho      Markovic

                                 new CF

Ilorri is another one imo who has fell foul of the battle between Rodgers and the TC.

We'd get ripped to shreds with a lineup like this. No cover down the flanks, 5 attacking midfielders who all lack that goalscoring talent. Our CBs (who apart from Sakho arent good enough for the role) would be exposed. The GK isnt good enough and the best player, Sturridge, is not in the lineup.

Assuming Sterling leaves, I think we need 2 top signings and that realistically should be the peak of our expectations. We need a central midfielder who can control the game, and a forward to partner Sturridge upfront or play alone when Sturridge is injured.


                                Mingolet

      RB                 Ilorri          Sakho             Moreno

   
           Henderson         top CM              Milner

                                  Coutinho

                          top CF         Sturridge

With the likes of Can, Lallana, Balotelli, etc. we have a decent bench and options to change the formation around to 5 in midfield when needed.

This would be my ideal lineup and formation but to be honest, I think we're at a point where we should be building the setup and formation around the players rather than have it the other way around. If we are able to sign someone like Hamsik or Pedro, we'd need to find a different formation and I think it would be worth it. 

The likes of Konoplyanka, Markovic and Ibe arent game changers and are significantly below the level of talent the top4 contenders have. We most likely wont (we havent), but we should be aiming higher.

I don't think my line up is unbalanced, half the team are defensive players and half are attacking players. Kovacic isn't a Coutinho type, he actually prefers to sit deep and pick out a pass but because of his skill and dynamism when he does decide to go forward its like having an extra Coutinho in the side. Kovacic is an out and out CM, he's not an AM.
You have based your midfield around Henderson and Milner, we saw how well that worked against Ireland, they stunk the place out, if it wasn't for Wiltshire it would have been embaressing.

[damjan193]

With our limited budget, this is a good realistic team for next season IMO:

Starter/Sub

                                              Mignolet/New GK

         Clyne?/Manquillo     Skrtel/Ilori       Sakho/Lovren       Moreno/Flanagan

                                      Lucas/Allen         Hendo/Can

             Ibe/Milner                   Coutinho/Ings*                    Markovic/Lallana

                                             Top CF/Sturridge*


*Obviously the formation will change to 4-4-2 if Ings (or Origi or whoever) comes in instead of Coutinho.

*I put Sturridge as a sub because of his proneness to injury. He'll be the first name on the team sheet if he can keep himself fit of course.

This team is not ideal but I doubt the owners are willing to spend a lot of money since they have the stadium thing and all so BR will probably have to rely on money made from selling players. But IMO we're not too far from having a team capable of challenging for top 4, 2 or 3 good players and we'll be up there again.
A top CF should be our top priority though, we MUST get one even if it means spending everything we have on him. We can make do with the rest and still be able to challenge the top teams.

[aCe']

This is the type of team we should be aiming at -

                                Mingolet

                   Can          Ilorri          Sakho

     Ibe             Kovacic       Lucas           Konoplyanka

                      Coutinho      Markovic

                                 new CF

Ilorri is another one imo who has fell foul of the battle between Rodgers and the TC.

We'd get ripped to shreds with a lineup like this. No cover down the flanks, 5 attacking midfielders who all lack that goalscoring talent. Our CBs (who apart from Sakho arent good enough for the role) would be exposed. The GK isnt good enough and the best player, Sturridge, is not in the lineup.

Assuming Sterling leaves, I think we need 2 top signings and that realistically should be the peak of our expectations. We need a central midfielder who can control the game, and a forward to partner Sturridge upfront or play alone when Sturridge is injured.


                                Mingolet

      RB                 Ilorri          Sakho             Moreno

   
           Henderson         top CM              Milner

                                  Coutinho

                          top CF         Sturridge

With the likes of Can, Lallana, Balotelli, etc. we have a decent bench and options to change the formation around to 5 in midfield when needed.

This would be my ideal lineup and formation but to be honest, I think we're at a point where we should be building the setup and formation around the players rather than have it the other way around. If we are able to sign someone like Hamsik or Pedro, we'd need to find a different formation and I think it would be worth it. 

The likes of Konoplyanka, Markovic and Ibe arent game changers and are significantly below the level of talent the top4 contenders have. We most likely wont (we havent), but we should be aiming higher.

I don't think my line up is unbalanced, half the team are defensive players and half are attacking players. Kovacic isn't a Coutinho type, he actually prefers to sit deep and pick out a pass but because of his skill and dynamism when he does decide to go forward its like having an extra Coutinho in the side. Kovacic is an out and out CM, he's not an AM.
You have based your midfield around Henderson and Milner, we saw how well that worked against Ireland, they stunk the place out, if it wasn't for Wiltshire it would have been embaressing.

Dont get me wrong, I quite like Kovacic. He's a talented player but he's not your typical CM. The closest player to him in the league is probably Oscar; excellent at building play and getting others involved but does little defensively. You could play him in CM but you'd need to have 2 players covering him. With regards to the balance of the side you have we'll agree to disagree; to begin with, I dont think you can play 3 at the back for an entire season.

With regards to the midfield I have out there, I'd love for us to go out and sign better options than Henderson and Milner but realistically we cant expect the club to sign 4 or 5 top players in one window. I think this setup allows both Milner and Henderson to utilize their work rate and defensive abilities while giving them a bit of freedom to join with the attacks through the middle or down the flanks. I agree that it wouldnt work without a Carrick type of CM playing alongside them holding position and keeping the ball moving (an upgrade of Lucas-Allen). Further up, Coutinho isnt a goalscorer. Neither are Markovic, Ibe, and Lallana. I dont see any of them scoring more than 10 (ambitious I know) which makes having 2 top forwards a must in my books (Sturridge's injury record, new signing needing time to adjust, form, etc.)

[LFC1990]

Emre Can should be the first name on the team sheet and right bang in the middle where he will dictate and control each game.

We lost too many games last year by having a flimsy midfield West ham and Villa come to mind.

A spine of Mignolet, Skrtel,Can, Coutinho and Sturridge isnt that bad at all its just finding the right players to support them

Im not sure what system we will play next year or if we will stick to one base formation but if we are playing the flat back 3 with wing backs then I think the RWB role is made for Henderson, THe guy loves to run chase and basically look like he is working hard

Our squad is overloaded with squad players who can rotate with each other but nobody that stands out that an opponoent would be overjoyed if he wasnt playing.

If it was the start of the season tommorow and we had no other signings and Sturridge was fit I would probably go with a line up like this

                                                  Mignolet
                           
                            Ilori                 Skrtel                   Sakho

         
      Henderson                   Can                Milner                    Moreno

                                               Coutinho

                               Sturridge                     Ings



With players like Lallana, Markovic, Ibe and Origi we havent got an awful squad we just havent got a good first team

[red till i die!!]

Some portuguese papers linking markovic with a return to benfica on loan 
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/socia ... ca-tweets/?

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

Emre Can should be the first name on the team sheet and right bang in the middle where he will dictate and control each game.

We lost too many games last year by having a flimsy midfield West ham and Villa come to mind.

A spine of Mignolet, Skrtel,Can, Coutinho and Sturridge isnt that bad at all its just finding the right players to support them

Im not sure what system we will play next year or if we will stick to one base formation but if we are playing the flat back 3 with wing backs then I think the RWB role is made for Henderson, THe guy loves to run chase and basically look like he is working hard

Our squad is overloaded with squad players who can rotate with each other but nobody that stands out that an opponoent would be overjoyed if he wasnt playing.

If it was the start of the season tommorow and we had no other signings and Sturridge was fit I would probably go with a line up like this

                                                  Mignolet
                           
                            Ilori                 Skrtel                   Sakho

         
      Henderson                   Can                Milner                    Moreno

                                               Coutinho

                               Sturridge                     Ings



With players like Lallana, Markovic, Ibe and Origi we havent got an awful squad we just havent got a good first team

We'd be lucky to finish in the top 8 next season with that line up. There's 1 creative player in the whole team. Not a fan of Henderson out wide either.

[leeroy74]

stick Falcao in that line up, rumours hotting up he's on his way to Anfield

[damjan193]

Bogdan rumors hotting up as well. At least he's a slight improvement on Jones I guess.

[number 8 ynwa]

I know Falcao wasnt very successful at Man U last yeat but I reckon he would fit into our team without an issue and could easily take over where Suarez left off.. Just what we need.. Not sure I can see it happening though.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

Bogdan rumors hotting up as well. At least he's a slight improvement on Jones I guess.

Well we do need a back up keeper but I guess it's the way once again we seem to be doing everything on the cheap that's starting to irk some fans. A lot of fans are saying that Mingolet doesn't need a back up he actually needs competition and the club should be putting their hands in their pockets and bringing a decent keeper in.
Personally I'd save whatever funds we have for outfield players that are going to improve the starting XI. If we are going to scrimp and save back up keeper seems the place to do it, not CM or CF.

[Doeboy]

Been told by someone close to one of the players that Benteke to us is happening

[C-R]

Liverpool Echo saying Bogdan may sign in next 24 hours.... http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/fo ... an-9435923

[Reg]

stick Falcao in that line up, rumours hotting up he's on his way to Anfield

I'd look to sell Sturridge at Christmas in that case.

Who would you rather have, Benteke or Falcao?

[eds]

Liverpool Echo saying Bogdan may sign in next 24 hours.... http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/fo ... an-9435923

Wow another "free" transfer.......

And we thought we had seen it all under the Hicks and Gillett era 

Rafa had this to say a few years back...

"For five years I had been a football manager at Liverpool. By the start of my sixth, it was clear I had become something else entirely. I was suddenly supposed to be a bank manager," he wrote. "Decisions were being made to appease the banks, not the fans. That is how serious the situation with the owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, had become.

Can't see this sitation unfolding as being any different. These f**kers are taking us for all they can now and aren't even hiding or shying away from it.

With us wasting more money on Ings, Milner and now this Bodge character or whather the f**k his name is, the obvious has to be stated.

WHAT THE F**K IS GOING ON AT OUR FOOTBALL CLUB????