Brendan Rodgers has today submitted his completed squad list for this season’s Europa League group stage. The 21-man squad includes two notable omissions – defender Jose Enrique and midfielder Joao Carlos Teixeira – who both failed to do enough to earn a spot in the team due to the various UEFA restrictions currently in place. As ESPN explain, the Reds were permitted to name a 25-man squad, with the understanding that at least eight of those players would be homegrown. However, in an additional UEFA caveat, at least four of those eight players must have been trained at the club – meaning they’ve spent three years with us before they turn 21. The only player that fulfils those requirements is Jon Flanagan, who is currently sidelined through injury, and as such the Reds have had to give up those four places in our squad – meaning there’s no room for Enrique or Teixeira. In addition, we are permitted to include an unlimited number of under-21 players on what is known as a ‘B’ list – but as ESPN explain, in order to be eligible, a player has to have been both born after Jan. 1, 1994, and needs to have had an uninterrupted two-year spell with the club at some point since the age of 15. Jordon Ibe is the only member of the current first-team squad who would fall under this category – although the likes of Jerome Sinclair and Ryan Kent would also qualify for selection in this way. Squad in full: Simon Mignolet, Adam Bogdan; Nathaniel Clyne, Kolo Toure, Dejan Lovren, Joe Gomez, Mamadou Sakho, Alberto Moreno, Martin Skrtel; James Milner, Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, Lucas Leiva, Emre Can, Joe Allen; Christian Benteke, Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi, Danny Ings. http://www.empireofthekop.com/2015/...ft-out-as-liverpool-name-europa-league-squad/ I think this may well explain the Ilori and Markovic loan deals - if LFC couldn't fit them in the Europa squad, they're better off getting game time elsewhere.
I don't think we'd mind the Illori loan if it wasn't for the purchase clause that basically told him he can move on.
Agreed, it is somewhat concerning - I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens with that though and save our ire for whenever he does end up leaving for (seemingly) peanuts
Is this Eufa trying to stopbbigger clubs playing weakend teams? This does threaten our squad depth a bit, and could be why Ilori and Markovic were loaned. I see our EL group game team as: Bogdan Clyne Toure Sakho Moreno Lucas Rossiter Allen Ibe Ings Firmino
Bogdan shouldn't be getting anywhere near the team imo, he's a sub keeper there for injuries only. I'd get Origi in for Europy as well.
Good tight European rules there it must be said. It clearly points to an inability to just buy your way to hg It shows wed no games for Ilori and frankly while Toure is just a cock block at least he had full preseason and manager knows. Rodgers was not willing to take a chance on ilori so he will be judged on this in the end. If the same rules apply to cl then lots of clubs are struggling for 8 hg players. Clyne won't count for instance. Gomez will fit these rules Rossiter will It shows why we gave Flanagan who might be done 20k a week with the hope to get a squaddie There not many we have in u21s that are good enough for top of prem though.
Pretty much as we expected. I don't half miss seeing Suarez name on our team sheet What's the bit in the title about loan deals?
Could possibly be a reason although I'd prefer ilori in the EL squad compared to Toure. Markovic, makes sense if looking at it like that. He's not going to be chosen ahead of Firmino and coutinho in that attacking midfield role so don't see who you would leave out for him, similar with Tex.
Putting the two together suggesting that the loan deals come about because we couldn't fit them in our El squad.
true. it would seem to me that we can stand by for rodgers dumping this comp and playing a trash side in it... this is only acceptbale when winning games in it but i can see him dumping the cup totally. he will focus on league and end up with egg on face
Hope not. I'd genuinely like to see us go for it. Try and get some heart and self esteem into this team on the European front because we are either a) going to get CL and need to be ready for the step up which we werent last time or B) this is our European comp for a while so might as well take it seriously
Some success (last16 minimum) is needed in this comp, to try improve the current UEFA ranking of 54th!! As it stands, if Pool make the CL they will be in seeding pot3 at best and quite likely pot4. Winning it can be worth around 30 points which rise to the low 20's and an outside chance of pot2
It's UEFA rules, so I guess they must: http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles.../Regulations/02/14/11/74/2141174_DOWNLOAD.pdf Looks exactly the same to me
