I have chosen a different way to look at who we should be looking to buy. The main question here should what happens when players get Injured. 1. Midfield Lucas Leiva Jay Spearing Alberto Aquilani Raul Mierelles Steven Gerrard Jordan Henderson Christian Poulsen Verdict Too many players in this pool with.2 will go from this pool. Poulsen looking the most likely to leave A creative player is needed in this lot. Gerrard continues to have niggly injuries therefore we may need another imposing midfielder or just keep the remaining players. 2. Right Back Glen Johnson Martin Kelly Flanno Verdict Can cope with injuries with this position 3. Left Back Fabio Aurelio Jack Robinson Verdict Aurelio is too injured to consider as reliable Robinson is too young to give a seasons run out-Read Insua We are light in this area and for Kenny will be buying to strengthen this position 4. Centre Backs Jamie Carragher Daniel Agger Martin Skrtel Kyrgiakos Verdict As much a Agger is talented, he is another Aurelio which is why we have been linked with players in this position Carra needs to play less games so as to give his best in those that he plays That leaves us with two players who are error prone at times. Expect to see a signing in this position 5. Wingers Dirk Kuyt Maxi Rodriguez Joe Cole Milan Jovanovic Verdict 2 from these lot need to go and in my view the wage suckers are at risk so Cole and Jovanovic should be released (easier said than done). 2 conventional wingers are definitely on the way to ensure the 35M we spent does not look like a mistake. Remember Manu have Valencia, Nani, Young and Giggs. 6. Strikers Luis Suarez Andy Carroll David Ngog Verdict Ngog by the looks of it is looking for another club that leaves us with Suarez and Carroll. Kuyt can play in that role too and did a pretty good job upfront last season. But 1 more striker is still needed INJURIES The question comes like what happens when Suarez, Gerrard Johnson and Left Back are injured at the same time how does the team cope. Likewise imagine Lucas, Kuyt and Spearing are out(workhorses out). How do we cope? The answers are the players we are looking to sign to enable the team function as a unit without affecting results. That said who do you think is a reasonable signing with the current squad have. Who we sign I have absolutely no Idea just waiting
Good post. I do agree with what you have put. Personally, I don't think we need to release Cole and Jovanovic. I still think we can get a couple of million each for them and even if it is a small amount of money, it's still some money which can be re-invested into the squad. Agree with the other points you have made.
Excellent article. I however still think that when signing natural widemen,we also need a deep-lying play-maker.However regarding widemen,I reckon at the moment,I reckon we just need one.I believe Jordan Henderson can play the old ''Ray Houghton role''.A left back is essential,a centre back is definitely needed and so is a striker.We don't need a massive overhaul we,just need to plug gaps and get rid of wages suckers.
So in terms of deep lying playmakers who would you reccomend as there are few available in the UK. My choices Ever Banega Tom Huddlestone - I rate him
Ever Banega definitely. Tom Huddlestone.No,He's too heavy footed.To play that position you need to be graceful.He can't get in Spurs first team,why do you think he would he get in ours.
Javier Mascherano. Couldn't get a game for West Ham the rest is history. But all I was looking for was your recommendations for that position.
We need a strong pacey centre back, our defence is too slow. We need a left back, ours are too injury prone. We need a left winger, we have none worthy of the name. We need a back up striker, or some one quick to play with Suarez, Carroll is far too slow (Hyppia was quicker!) how much money have we got.....!?
I know I'm going to confuse myself with this comment - so there's no hope for you lot: When it comes to a winger(s), what type of winger do we need? Is it a line-hugger or do we want somebody to play outside-in or inside-out or in and out?
nothing here that can be disagreed with. much depends on formation though if we play 4-3-3 that midfield pool looks less top heavy. bascial you just said we need a forward, winger, creative midfielder, CB, LB and most fans can say we've said this since last summer or before!
With regards to a centre back we've currently got carragher and skrtel who towards the end of the season formed a good and strong partnership.Soto is there for back up and when we play the likes of stoke and bolton who just play "HOOF" football.Daniel agger is very good but it is always a case of "when he's fit". Left back is a must as we seem to have had alot of problems filling this position since John Arne Risse left. the names that are being mentioned are not top quality (enrique & bridge) but I do like the sounds of gael clichy as defensively it provides us with stability. As left wingers go, can anybody name the last world class left winger we had, as i feel that it has been quite a while since we had 1. Stewart downing fits the bill as he's englilsh, naturally left footed, good pace & delivery and most of all with his age he will be hitting his prime.This is all dependant on the price of course. I feel that the back up centre forward at the club is currently Kuyt with N'gog getting the odd game here or there.We missed out on conor wickham which I feel is a big mistake as £8mil with add ons for an 18yr old centre forward who is showing alot of promise is a good deal for sunderland. Nobody is too sure on the budget and the new liverpool way is to keep information like that behind close doors or once people know we will be asked for the highest value possible. Hopefully we start to see some deadwood at the club leaving and new faces coming in to take the club to the next level
Formation is Key. 4-4-2 is rigid as it encourages specialists. 4-3-3 is very flexible in that it allows versatile players to interchange positions thus making it difficult for opposition players to stifle our play. With 4-3-3 and its various modification we are able to utilize all players thus keeping them fresh for the run in. I am of the view we need a player of Maxi's ilk but who is faster and has superb technique. Step forward Arda Turan.
"can anybody name the last world class left winger we had, as i feel that it has been quite a while since we had 1." Peter Thompson
Which positions need addressing? Well, doggy-style usually gives me carpet burns and a dressing does help - with some savlon.
Sorry KPR but i don't think that you can class Digger as a winger. England tried to limit him to that role and lost a very valuable asset. With us he was never really played as an out and out winger.
Good shout on Ever Banega - I believe if Rafa didn't leave last summer, then he would have signed Banega who is a more like-for-like replacement for Alonso. Adam is no where the class of Banega. It would be interesting to see what Adam's pass completion rate is because I've seen him give the ball away a lot, when we really need someone to keep the ball and pick a pass more often than not. Having said that, £8m for Adam won't be bad business and will improve the squad depth.
Michael Owen started in the 1st team when he was 18. So how about giving Raheem Sterling or Suso a crack at it? People keep talking about players needing years to build up to being good enough to play in the prem, I think that is cobblers. If the kids have confidence, which we should get a chance to see in some of the pre-season matches, especially the Liverpool XI matches in Ireland, then I would give them a crack. some 17/18 year old kid doesn't care that he should respect the defences, he just runs past it and scores. Blooding the kids at Liverpool has never failed, Robinson, Flanno and Kelly, while a bit older did not let anyone down. I'd give the kids a chance, and use Kuyt as back-up. I keep reading crap about players needing Prem experience, and in a vote on OurKop.com, over 850 people gave that as the reason why we were right not to buy Connor Wickham. With that logic, we'd never buy 90% of the players out there. Sometimes, you just throw a kid on against a top team, and it is the making of them, and they never look back. I have massive faith in all our squad members, and I hope Kenny does too. Sure buy a rapid winger or two, but lets start looking at all these kids that should be getting though into the first team.
