Doom and Gloom

[New York Red]

Does anyone think our squad is stronger now than it was at the end of the season?

 

I'm getting incredibly anxious about this season coming up. I was really optimistic at the end of last season. We were really clicking. We'd basically hammered the rest of the top four and all it appeared we had to do was to strengthen the squad and to figure out how to squeeze a few more points out of clubs we truthfully should have hammered.

 

But here we are, one week before the start of the season and I'm not optimistic at all.

 

-- We've lost a reliable fourth choice centre back while simultaneously we've had pretty significant injuries to our top three centre backs.

 

-- We've sold a reliable right back but have hopefully bought an upgrade in Glen Johnson. defensively suspect but hopefully a great balance with Kuyt.

 

-- We've sold a player who may be one of the most talented players to play for LFC in decades. He fit in perfectly and is essentially irreplacable.

 

-- His replacement in Aquilani is a player who may be incredibly talented, but is clearly injured a lot. His reliablity and potential influence in the upcoming season is dubious at best.

 

-- Getting a great attacking player to really make us much better and to torment and tear apart the likes of Burnley, Hull, Stoke and Sunderland had to have been a priority for us. We haven't got that player yet. Clearly that improvement would come from a player on the left, yet I see no prospect of that piece of the puzzle arriving.

 

-- Auerilio is brilliant. He's also a luxury because of his injury record. Insua will hopefully come to the forefront, but what is he gets injured?

 

-- Had Nando not been injured last year, I'm confident we would have won the title. We haven't bought a really promising youngster or a reliable veteran who would settle for less playing time. We have Ngog and Voronin who hardly inspire any kind of confidence.

 

-- Strangely, the situation with Stevie doesn't bother me as much as last year. Stevie is irreplaceable but Benni's improvement makes me a bit more confident if he gets injured.

 

I was really hoping that we were 1-2 top rate signings plus a few squad additions away from finally winning the title. I'm just not so sure right now...

[Ethan]

Ah we'll be grand

[Swipe]

Johnson is an improvement on Arbeloa. We needed an attacking full back and that's what we've got.

 

Aqualini is a straight replacement for Xab and only time will tell if he's good enough.

 

However, I think if we don't end up buying another attacking player i'll be disappointed. We ended the season saying we wanted and needed something else up top, and nothing has happened to change that.

 

Hopefully we can bring someone in, although if it's not Silva I really don't know who

[Zoob]

I wouldn't say we've had significant injuries to 3 of our Centre backs (Carragher should be fit for Spurs and it's not like the other 2 are out for months.

 

Losing Alonso is horrible, but when a player wants to go as much as he did, and you get an offer as good as we did, I don't think anyone is really surprised that we sold. Think Rafa wanted to change the way we played anyway, hence trying to sell Alonso a year ago. The big problem is that he saw Barry as the replacement and has ended up getting Aquilani, who, like you said is talented but a huge gamble because of his injury record.

 

However, to lift the doom and gloom, I don't really feel we've lost a load of ground on our competitors. Arsenal are weaker, Chelsea have a new manager - have no idea how he will find managing in the Prem. and although Jerkoff looks good, I'm desperately hoping he's one of those players who is not quite good enough defensively as a full back, and not quite good enough attacking as a winger in the Prem.

 

United have replaced Ronaldo and Tevez with Valencia (5 or so league goals in 3 years) and Owen (more injury prone than Aquilani. I can't even work our if I'm happy or disappointed that Van Der Saar is out for a while, since he's really getting old and injury prone. Also think Ferdinand was pretty dreadful in the 2nd half of last season and hope that continues.

 

What I do expect though is that our points total of last season is likely to be enough to win the league this year.

[beejay]

We hit a groove last season, everyone knowing their part and we had strength in all areas.

 

Arbeloa out & Johnson in is a positive, definite improvement although he still hasn't settled in fully yet.

 

Losing Alonso is a huge blow & Aquilani may fill the void but it's a lot to expect for him to slot straight in, particularly coming back a month into the season after a long injury.

 

We've also lost the rock of Hyypia if injuries at the back appear like now and like much of the last 2 seasons.

 

I'm not sure what's happened with our transfer policy. Missing out on Barry as well as selling Xabi so late has left a big hole & I can't believe Rafa really thinks that his squad is complete going into the new season. From what I heard, we were after 3 & if all worked out with sales, a 4th player, back in May but for whatever reason, only one has been signed. Our pre-season has been average to say the least. Bit worrying really.

[schmuckdonald]

Still a long way 'til August 31st.

[Guest PaulMcC]

  beejay said:

We hit a groove last season, everyone knowing their part and we had strength in all areas.

 

Arbeloa out & Johnson in is a positive, definite improvement although he still hasn't settled in fully yet.

 

Losing Alonso is a huge blow & Aquilani may fill the void but it's a lot to expect for him to slot straight in, particularly coming back a month into the season after a long injury.

 

We've also lost the rock of Hyypia if injuries at the back appear like now and like much of the last 2 seasons.

 

I'm not sure what's happened with our transfer policy. Missing out on Barry as well as selling Xabi so late has left a big hole & I can't believe Rafa really thinks that his squad is complete going into the new season. From what I heard, we were after 3 & if all worked out with sales, a 4th player, back in May but for whatever reason, only one has been signed. Our pre-season has been average to say the least. Bit worrying really.

 

Who were the 4?

[5InIstanbul]

Don't know why I did it to myself but switched on the Sunday Supplement this morning. They had a discussion about our prospects and I couldnt really argue with what they said.

 

Essentially, first 11 on the field, even missing Alonso, we're at least a match for anyone, but as things stand now, the squad looks very thin particularly compared to the Mancs and Chelsea.

 

Thats pretty much how I feel and hope we have a few more additions before the deadline.

[Andy @ Allerton]

If we can stop Gerrard taking f***ing corners then we'll score a lot more goals.

 

Never seen anyone ever as s**** as he is at corners. It's a complete joke.

[John am Rhein]

Why does he do it? He'd be very dangerous just outside the penalty area waiting to jump on anything half-cleared.

[schmuckdonald]

Who else can bar Aurelio?

[Guest PaulMcC]

Lucas.

[Leo No.8]

I think Insua should be taking some corners whilst Aurelio is out; he consistently puts a very, very good ball into the box even when he's under pressure or the angle is against him, its one of his best attributes.

 

Insua's technique when he's crossing is excellent and I don't see any reason why that shouldn't translate to set pieces. I get the feeling Gerrard takes senority with them just because he's the best player, which is silly.

[Guest PaulMcC]

Insua's crossing gainst Lynn was crap. He kept overhitting it to well beyond teh far post.

[surf]

  robmcburger said:

Who else can bar Aurelio?

 

He's not barred mate, he's injured.

[Flight]

Our first eleven is stronger. The problem is that we haven't improved our strength in depth, which is what cost us last season.

 

The reason for this is transfer funds. We still have a net spend of less than zero since we bought Mascha / Skrtel.

[New York Red]

  Flight said:

Our first eleven is stronger. The problem is that we haven't improved our strength in depth, which is what cost us last season.

 

The reason for this is transfer funds. We still have a net spend of less than zero since we bought Mascha / Skrtel.

 

-----------------Reina------------------

Johnson--Skrtel--Carragher--Auerilio

---------Marcherano--Aquilani--------

Kuyt-----------Gerrard----------Riera

---------------Torres------------------

 

Isn't better than:

 

-----------------Reina------------------

Arbeloa--Skrtel--Carragher--Auerilio

---------Marcherano--Alonso-----------

Kuyt-----------Gerrard----------Riera

---------------Torres------------------

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

  New York Red said:

-----------------Reina------------------

Johnson--Skrtel--Carragher--Auerilio

---------Marcherano--Aquilani--------

Kuyt-----------Gerrard----------Riera

---------------Torres------------------

 

Isn't better than:

 

-----------------Reina------------------

Arbeloa--Skrtel--Carragher--Auerilio

---------Marcherano--Alonso-----------

Kuyt-----------Gerrard----------Riera

---------------Torres------------------

 

it might be

[New York Red]

By the way Zoob, you make some very good points there. But I still worry about US. I have to assume that the other teams are going to be excellent.

[New York Red]

  Kvarme Ate My Food said:

it might be

 

Time will tell and I hope to God you are right mate.

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

  New York Red said:

Time will tell and I hope to God you are right mate.

 

I have no idea, of course.

 

The thing is, 'first eleven' arguments miss the point for me, because how often do you see your first XI in action?

[New York Red]

  Kvarme Ate My Food said:

I have no idea, of course.

 

The thing is, 'first eleven' arguments miss the point for me, because how often do you see your first XI in action?

 

I was just responding to GEH's point.

 

You're right. It rarely happens. But I would hope it would be the team playing against MU, Chelsea, Arsenal and in the Champions League final. If we have that team on the field, then I have no issues with getting beat. We have the best that we get turn out.

 

But that doesn't negate starting the season with an insufficient squad to win it.

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

  New York Red said:

But I would hope it would be the team playing against MU, Chelsea, Arsenal and in the Champions League final.

 

indeed, but when those days come around, someone will be injured/suspended/out of form or whatever.

[John am Rhein]

  New York Red said:

I have to assume that the other teams are going to be excellent.

 

Ha! Don't worry about that. We're the only team capable of being excellent.

[Flight]

  Kvarme Ate My Food said:

I have no idea, of course.

 

The thing is, 'first eleven' arguments miss the point for me, because how often do you see your first XI in action?

 

 

The first time last season was pretty much when we beat the Mancs at their gaff. From there on in most of them played all the matches to the end of the season. A brilliant run of form, much more attacking and hardly any points dropped.

 

Funnily enough, the positions that bothered me most last year was the full backs. We coped, and played well, losing people to injury in pretty much every position, without it costing us in terms of performance and results. But this wasn't the case with the full back positions.

 

 

Left back is less of a concern now that it looks like Insua will be picked over Doss and Aurelio is class. But at right back we are totally reliant on Johnson, where we were reliant on Arbeloa last year. If Johnson gets any injuries I suspect it will cost us dear.