How about Lucas & Gerrard sitting with Coutinho ahead of them? Going back to Rafa's 4231 formation? Luca in the Mascherano role, Gerrard in the Alonso role.
You sure there is not a decimal point between the 2 and 5? Even then, would still have to ask why. We need to be buying first team quality and let the bench take care of itself.
I honestly don't think we need to go and get 7-8 players this summer. Firstly, it would cause major gelling issues, and more importantly we don't need that many players to improve. The main positions we need sorted are LB and left forward imo. We should get De Sciglio, can play at both fullback positions Shaqiri, improvement on Kono imo Hughes, one for the future
I think you'd lose a lot of mobility - Lucas isn't that mobile, especially when you compare him with Allen and Henderson. Gerrard needs protection if he's going to perform. He needs two runners ahead of him (Allen and Henderson). He and Lucas would get in each others way if played side by side (which we've already seen this season).
It's not so much of buying 7-8 players for the first team. I agree that we need a couple of players to improve some positions but it's more about improving the quality of the squad. Currently - we have numbers. Our squad is big. Unfortunately, we have to rely on the likes of Aspas and Moses, and Rodgers clearly doesn't trust them. It's about bringing in more players who Rodgers can feel comfortable with in bringing off the bench and rotating. Which would be crucial next season given the extra games we will be playing.
I still maintain that our best performances of the season came when we have Lucas, Allen and Henderson in the middle but I guess it comes down to preference of style and approach. All three of them have the energy levels that I see as a bare minimum for central midfielders. As our Jim says, seven or eight players wouldn't all be for the first team. Two, maybe three for the first team, the rest young promising players that add to the depth. Not saying I agree or disagree, just that seven to eight players gives the wrong impression.
in short my opinion this season is that if rodgers turned to the bench he'd stick in anyone bar wisdom... just my view. I cannot say a player is good enough to fill a bench slot of hie's not good enough to play. i mean lets face it i lost count of the times alberto and aspas were overlooked this season I could sit on the bench in that regard. they are in other words unproven and so all i need say is oldham an coates in regards to cups. a team should be able to carry one or tow if they are rotated in cos we are half carrying flanagan like it or not!!! if we played these guys and we lost in the cups there'd be bitching and moaning in some quarters, you guys know that would occur. We need to have a solid reliable back up in each line. For me we don;t have enough at LB, striker or CM or GK. I personally would have zero issue with suso or wisdom or even borini being an option but if i looked down our bench as if i was rodgers I'd want someone other than aspas as my main man to come on and tats not these 3 is it? I'd have no issue looking down and seeing say wisdom for full back cover or even suso competing with sterltng/coutinho but if i want to rest suarez on 70mins at 1-0 up i'd not send on aspas... thats my point. If we need to start someone for suarez cos the guy played 90mins chasing barca all night in the nou camp we can't be turning to f'n aspas when we go away to say west brom or Newcastle can we?
Are you referring the 5-0 against Spurs? I would completely agree with that and I think this is how Rodgers wants to play, but I can't see Lucas replacing Gerrard at the base of the midfield, hence I can't see a place for him in the starting line up. I think once Rodgers bring in a top class DM (Bender) and Allen/Hendo in front, we can then start to dominate and control games. And with Gerrard on the bench, we have an option which would allow us to switch to a counter attacking style. More options
IMO, Migs, Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Sakho, Toure, Enrique, Flanno, Allen, Hendo, Lucas, Gerrard, Stelring, Coutinho, Suarez and Sturridge are of first team standard for where we want to be. Thats sixteen players. Many of us expect Johnson and one of Agger or Skrtel to leave so lets call it fourteen. A match day squad is eighteen players so we are four short. I've not even accounted for suspensions and injuries which would probably need what, another five players? Lets call it three. We are not going to go and buy seven first team quality players so some spots are going to be filled using squad players or youngsters.
That was our best result but wasn't the only game we played well in during that period. West Ham and Cardiff either side of that game, we dominated Man City and Chelsea too (but obviously lost). However, that's not me saying we should go straight back to that trio, far from it. Lucas (Sakho and Coutinho too) have to work hard to get back into the team.
At home our best games have come with 4-3-3, playing only 2 in CM. Away, our best games have come with Allen supporting the CM with one of the attackers giving way. In either formation, speed and hassle are needed, so Jimmy is right when he says Gerrard and Lucas cannot co-exist any longer.
I think we should use the same formation/system as we have been doing but: - Use Allen for the tough away fixtures as he provides more pressing and off the ball ability to ensure we keep our shape and make it difficult for the opposition. - Use Coutinho for the easy home fixtures where he will be given more time and space to play the killer balls to unlock stubborn defences.
you are right speed, pressing and energy are key. the tactical tinkering is required more to offset teams doing the same to us or sitting back and defending en masse. in either event the concept is full backs capable of getting back quick and two box to box cms working while gerrard and two cbs sit.
that's ok.... i mean "of first team quality" can mean a lot of things. hence i could say hey... allen and flanagan are average prem players but irrespective they can do a job in their roles. irrespective of me saying a guy is a top top player (suarez) or a top 4 player (sahko,stuuridge (good (henderson, coutinho, sterling) or average... i can agree that we've 16 players i will maintain we need 22. if of those 6/7 players one or two can be suso/wisdom great... if we can develop more of teix, rossiter et all wonderful but we also need those good to top 4 players to come in and push us on. we need the cm, we need the lb, we need the st and frankly some guys aren't what rodgers wants
Four top players, maybe needing more (too much too fast isn't good though, so lets take it in steps), but certainly not less. The other gaps in the squad can be filled with youth and Rodgers has shown that he can use them effectively in the right game. Rather simple really. We just need enough quality to cement our position in the top four for the long term, and enough rotation to get through the group stages of the CL for now. No point trying to challenge for that yet! Staying in the top four after this season is our big goal, not to be a flash in the pan Spuds team.
After all the last minute chasing of Konoplyanka in the last transfer window the bellend wants to go to Spurs. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-talks-Tottenham-prefer-London-Liverpool.html **** him.
Good question gonz, but even if we did and if this story is true, let the **** go to King Edwards FC while we enjoy the continuing Red Revolution.
Can't say I ever really wanted him but then, that's because I know ****all about him other than he's called plank.
