Mad Scientist

This content is not viewable to guests.,This content is not viewable to guests.

Whatever happened to: I've got through about half of it so far. I didn't agree with this bit: I don't think Alonso lacks mentality or footballing intelligence, exactly the opposite if anything. Stick Alonso's footballing brain into Essien's body and you'd have the perfect footballer. Alonso's problem is his physical limitiations, he's just not quite fast or athletic enough for the modern Premier League game in my view.

This content is not viewable to guests.,This content is not viewable to guests.

This content is not viewable to guests.,This content is not viewable to guests.

This content is not viewable to guests.,This content is not viewable to guests.

Konishiki would have been a fabulous 'keeper. Imagine trying to stop him claiming the ball from a corner.

We didn't play 442 most of last season, certainly not the second half. We played 4231. So why would we need wingers? What we need for the right side of our attack is a quality player with pace, strength, vision, tackling ability, leadership, a ferocious shot, stamina, crossing ability, who can beat a player and who will chip in with his fair share of goals. I think we've already got that player. What we've done is we've signed someone who will free him up from the center. You think a forward line of Torres up front, with Babel, Keane and Gerrard behind lacks pace? I don't.

The offal is almost guaranteed to go t*** up when there's a live match on. It's like no one there has ever come across the concept of a 'spike in demand'. It will probably be back for the last 20 minutes of the second half.

Kristian Nemeth...

Still think we should have bought Steve Carr.

Ultimate Aim Supporter ownership of Liverpool Football Club. If the ultimate aim of the SOS is the same as that of ShareLiverpoolFC, why are there two seperate groups? And why should I join SOS instead of ShareLiverpoolFC?

Agreed. Most people wanted a better option than Kuyt on the right of the three, and now with the signing of Keane we've got one - called Gerrard.

An interesting fact about Keane I read somewhere - he scores as many on the road as he does at home. This could help to offset the only weakness that's been noticable so far in Torres' game (although I hope that Torres will start scoring more often away from home this season as well).

I think having so many top class centre backs can only be a good thing. Carra will probably be first choice for the big matches, but at least we can now give him a well deserved rest once in a while. I think we'll also see one of the centre backs swapped if we're 2 or 3 up and cruising with half an hour to go, let one of them have a rest. We're also properly covered for injuries in that position for the first time in many years.

And I would fly 500 miles, and I would drive 500 more Just to be the one who went 1000 miles to watch our Robbie score Da-da-da-da (etc)

God doesn't forbid much apparently, as subsequent postings show: God forbid that David Hodgson *is* actually Bascombe...

We finished last season playing 4231 when attacking and 4411 when defending. This is also very similar to the formations Rafa used in Spain. I think this basic 'dual' formation will be the preferred one next season, although I'm also expecting to see different combinations used depending on opposition and availability. We'll see what happens, but I'd expect our attacking formation against the top sides to look something like this (assuming Barry actually arrives): Reina Arbeloa Carra Agger Dossena Masch Barry Gerrard Keane Babel Torres Defending formation: Reina Arbeloa Carra Agger Dossena Gerrard Masch Barry Babel Keane Torres The three behind Torres are largely interchangable, so I'd expect to see them swapping positions during the match, and taking it in turns to have a free role. One or other of the full backs will push on more than they did last season, with Masch or Barry able to drop in and cover. One of the two 'defensive' midfielders will also be allowed to get up and support attacks, and will be mobile enough to get back if required (sorry Xabi). Skrtel, Carra and Agger will scrap it out (get rotated!) for the center back roles.

I said the same thing a couple of days ago in the transfer thread. Blink and you'll miss it .

It appears that you have answered your own question. Maybe you could do it in advance next time... Nice talking to yourself.

<KaizerMode> Actually goals per minutes played is a more important stat for judging strikers. A 2 minute substitute 'appearance' in a game tends to skew goals per game statistics. </KaizerMode> Plus there are plenty of aspects of a striker's performance that don't show up in the statistics, such as runs making space for others, holding the ball up, pressing the ball high up the pitch, terrorising defenders etc I tend to grade a striker's performance based on what I see when I watch a match. I'm a bit old fashioned me.

I'm no Kaiser, but I will do my (humble) best to substitute during his (permanent?) visit to Banland: The question at hand - is Robbie Keane a 'streaky' scorer like Michael Owen was in the last couple of seasons he was with us? Let's have a look a the stats and see what we can see... Owen's last two seasons with us, goals per game. Substitute appearances in brackets. Owen 2002/3 Appearances 54 Goals Scored 28 0/0/0/0/1/0/(0)/0/0/3/0/1/(0)/3/1/0/2/0/1/0/0/1/0/0/1/0/0/0/0/0/(0)/1/0/1/0/0/0/0/0/0/(1)/1/1/1/0/1/0/1/1/1/0/4/0/0 Owen 2003/4 Appearances 38 Goals Scored 19 1/0/0/2/2/1/1/1/0/1/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/1/1/0/0/0/1/0/0/2/0/0/2/1/0/0/0/0/1/1 Robbie Keane last season: Keane 2007/8 Appearances 54 Goals Scored 24 0/0/0/0/0/0/1/1/0/1/1/2/1/0/1/1/(0)/1/0/1/0/2/0/0/2/0/(0)/0/0/0/1/1/1/1/0/0/1/1/(0)/0/(0)/0/0/0/1/1/0/0/0/0/0/0/1/0 And for comparison purposes, the one, the only, bow down, we're not worthy: Torres 2007/8 Appearances 46 Goals Scored 33 0/(0)/1/0/2/(0)/0/(0)/3/0/0/1/0/(1)/0/2/1/0/1/0/2/1/0/1/1/0/0/0/1/0/3/0/3/1/1/1/0/1/0/(0)/1/1/0/1/1/1 I will make no attempt to attach any significance whatsoever to these statistics. Make of them what you will

I think you are correct, on paper at least

I'd pick San Jose to make it out of the center backs as well, ahead of Huth and Hobbs. Insua will get games this year in the first team. Nemeth and Pacheco are the two closest out of the attacking players, I expect they'll get some games from the bench and in the cups (unless they go out on loan). Another player I like who hasn't been mentioned yet is Ryan Flynn. I think he's a really intelligent player, he could get some games. We definitely need a Scot in the first team .

The first Mad Scientist Prediction for this season: by the end of it we'll be talking about which of the other midfielders should be playing alongside Lucas. Two more club captains and leaders on the pitch as well. Benitez does like buying captains - Torres, Xabi and Kuyt on that list already, to add to Gerrard, Carra and Sami who were here when he arrived. Has Masch ever captained a side? I wouldn't be surprised. We all dream of a team of club captains

This content is not viewable to guests.,This content is not viewable to guests.