Our 'paper thin squad'

[PaulM]

Why does everyone seem to be so negative suggesting that this season we cannot compete ?

 

I was listenting to John Aldrige on the radio city phone in on the way home from the match on Saturday and he was suggesting that our squad is not strong enough to compete this season. We have pepe reina being 'misquoted' and lots of journalists and posters on forums talking about our failure this summer in the transfer market. I was reading one of the forums the other week and apparently we have no chance of winning the league because the owners have not given the manager any money.

 

What exactly has changed in terms of our squad ? How have Liverpool gone backwards in terms of squad numbers or squad quality.

 

Alonso ? Yes, we lost Alonso but we gained Aqualini, no one knows how good this lad is yet (who by the way cost twice as much as Xabi originally did) so how are we mortally wounded in this position ? As far as I can see it is like for like, yes he may not be as good as Xabi but have we really been mortally wounded in this position, did we struggle without Xabi at Old Trafford last season ?

 

What about right back ? Is anyone seriously suggesting that Johnson is not a huge improvement on Arbeloa ? Offensively he has given us a huge amount, especially at home against the weaker teams when he can play almost as a winger.

 

Injuries – How many games did Agger, Torres and Gerrard miss last season, they all missed huge chunks of the season and we did not do that bad did we

 

On Saturday we beat Burnley 4-0 with no Agger, Aurelio, Mascerano or Aqualini – arguably all four would be in our very strongest 11 and yet everyone is going on our desperately weak squad on the phone ins

 

Its bizarre, our main rivals Man Utd have lost far more in terms of what they had last year than we have, as have Arsenal. Chelsea to, only bought in one player.

 

Its ridiculous the amount of doom and gloom that surrounds Liverpool at the minute, in my opinion, for what is worth we are stronger in relation to our three main rivals after the summer transfers than we where last season and for the last three months of last season we where the best team in the country by some distance.

Edited September 14, 2009 by PaulM

[Chili Palmer]

Why does everyone seem to be so negative suggesting that this season we cannot compete ?

 

I was listenting to John Aldrige on the radio city phone in on the way home from the match on Saturday and he was suggesting that our squad is not strong enough to compete this season. We have pepe reina being 'misquoted' and lots of journalists and posters on forums talking about our failure this summer in the transfer market. I was reading one of the forums the other week and apparently we have no chance of winning the league because the owners have not given the manager any money.

 

What exactly has changed in terms of our squad ? How have Liverpool gone backwards in terms of squad numbers or squad quality.

 

Alonso ? Yes, we lost Alonso but we gained Aqualini, no one knows how good this lad is yet (who by the way cost twice as much as Xabi originally did) so how are we mortally wounded in this position ? As far as I can see it is like for like, yes he may not be as good as Xabi but have we really been mortally wounded in this position, did we struggle without Xabi at Old Trafford last season ?

 

What about right back ? Is anyone seriously suggesting that Johnson is not a huge improvement on Arbeloa ? Offensively he has given us a huge amount, especially at home against the weaker teams when he can play almost as a winger.

 

Injuries – How many games did Agger, Torres and Gerrard miss last season, they all missed huge chunks of the season and we did not do that bad did we

 

On Saturday we beat Burnley 4-0 with no Agger, Aurelio, Mascerano or Aqualini – arguably all four would be in our very strongest 11 and yet everyone is going on our desperately weak squad on the phone ins

 

Its bizarre, our main rivals Man Utd have lost far more in terms of what they had last year than we have, as have Arsenal. Chelsea to, only bought in one player.

 

Its ridiculous the amount of doom and gloom that surrounds Liverpool at the minute, in my opinion, for what is worth we are stronger in relation to our three main rivals after the summer transfers than we where last season and for the last three months of last season we where the best team in the country by some distance.

 

 

Never worry about what anyone else says about your team, believe in what you see yourself, talk to (reasonable) fellow supporters and ignore g*******s.

 

Its how I'm going to live my life. (until someone annoys me)

[Spilly]

I think once everyone is fit we'll have a strong squad, but we went into the summer needing some quality cover for Torres, which failed to materialse due to the owners penny pinching. It remains to be seen whether that could be our downfall this season. There's always January but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[fred milne]

The bench was unusually weak on Saturday because Agger, Aurelio, Aquilani and Mascherano are currently unfit and because Babel was dropped.

 

When everyone is available, we could go with something like this:

 

1st XI: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio, Mascherano, Aquilani, Kuyt, Gerrard, Riera, Torres.

 

Subs from: Cavalieri, Skrtel, Insua, Lucas, Benayoun, Babel, Ngog.

[Falconhoof]

Fred, how have you got Riera in a 1st choice 11 but Benayoun on the bench ? Don't get that one.

 

We'll never have everyone fit. Even when they are, we can't play Gerrard and Torres every week. Going into last season we'd made an attempt at addressing this by bringing in Keane. He didn't work out but the idea to get another forward was a good idea. I'm still amazed that no attempt has been made to get another forward.

 

I'm not feeling doom and gloom but i'm annoyed at the modest investment in the side, to use a hackneyed old phrase 'the lack of ambition'.

[Chili Palmer]

Fred, how have you got Riera in a 1st choice 11 but Benayoun on the bench ? Don't get that one.

 

We'll never have everyone fit. Even when they are, we can't play Gerrard and Torres every week. Going into last season we'd made an attempt at addressing this by bringing in Keane. He didn't work out but the idea to get another forward was a good idea. I'm still amazed that no attempt has been made to get another forward.

I'm not feeling doom and gloom but i'm annoyed at the modest investment in the side, to use a hackneyed old phrase 'the lack of ambition'.

 

I bet that there were lots of attemps made. Rafa knows he needed another striker but got the rug pulled from under him so late in teh day.

[yellow jumper]

Fred, how have you got Riera in a 1st choice 11 but Benayoun on the bench ? Don't get that one.

 

i agree with him. not really a reflection of their respective form or talent, but i think we lack width without riera. also prefer benayoun right to left.

 

thought the side on saturday, with kuyt pushed central, gerrard in an advanced midfield position and benayoun cutting in from the right was a good recipe for the majority of games at anfield.

[PaulM]

i agree with him. not really a reflection of their respective form or talent, but i think we lack width without riera. also prefer benayoun right to left.

 

thought the side on saturday, with kuyt pushed central, gerrard in an advanced midfield position and benayoun cutting in from the right was a good recipe for the majority of games at anfield.

 

I agree I liked that formation for playing at home

 

I would use it away as well, against the weaker teams

 

Riera offers us good balance on the left and Johnson allows yossi or Dirk to drift in and cause problems

[Falconhoof]

i agree with him. not really a reflection of their respective form or talent, but i think we lack width without riera. also prefer benayoun right to left.

 

thought the side on saturday, with kuyt pushed central, gerrard in an advanced midfield position and benayoun cutting in from the right was a good recipe for the majority of games at anfield.

 

Riera was poor on Saturday, gave us no width to speak of but he's a better option than Babel.

I can't see Kuyt playing too many games centrally, he's going to play most of his football down the right with Gerrard off Torres when Mascherano (and aquilani) is fit. That leaves the left of midfield for Yossi or Riera and though i've always preferred Benayoun in other positions, he's still a far better option that Riera IMO.

[fred milne]

Fred, how have you got Riera in a 1st choice 11 but Benayoun on the bench ? Don't get that one.

I'd have Benayoun in the team every time ahead of Riera and, for that matter, Kuyt. However, I'm not convinced Rafa sees it the same way - in a big game I reckon he'd go for Kuyt and Riera in the wide positions.

[Falconhoof]

I'd have Benayoun in the team every time ahead of Riera and, for that matter, Kuyt. However, I'm not convinced Rafa sees it the same way - in a big game I reckon he'd go for Kuyt and Riera in the wide positions.

 

Fair point, Rafa may prefer Riera on the left.

[Chili Palmer]

I'd have Benayoun in the team every time ahead of Riera and, for that matter, Kuyt. However, I'm not convinced Rafa sees it the same way - in a big game I reckon he'd go for Kuyt and Riera in the wide positions.

 

 

In front of Riera I can understand, but Dirk is one of the first names on the teamsheet, every time.

[fred milne]

thought the side on saturday, with kuyt pushed central, gerrard in an advanced midfield position and benayoun cutting in from the right was a good recipe for the majority of games at anfield.

If Aquilani lives up to his billing then I'd push Gerrard forward at Kuyt's expense.

[fred milne]

In front of Riera I can understand, but Dirk is one of the first names on the teamsheet, every time.

I don't see him as the untouchable that most seem to do on here - particularly at home against teams that come to defend for 90 minutes.

[Chili Palmer]

I don't see him as the untouchable that most seem to do on here - particularly at home against teams that come to defend for 90 minutes.

 

 

I think workrate is invaluable against those type of teams.

[fred milne]

I think workrate is invaluable against those type of teams.

Yossi is hardly work-shy.

[Chili Palmer]

Yossi is hardly work-shy.

 

 

Then play him in place of Riera, not Kuyt. There are players that you see on a team sheet and feel that little bit happier/confident/secure, Dirk is one of them for me.

[fred milne]

There are players that you see on a team sheet and feel that little bit happier/confident/secure, Dirk is one of them for me.

Away at Stamford Bridge, I would agree. At home to Hull, I'm not so sure.

[spk]

sorry but this is just daft, we have cover for torres in kuyt, babel, ngog and voronin. lesser cover sure, but thats because unless you can compete for a first place spot in a different position on the pitch you wont get regular football, and that in a world cup year is an extremely significant factor for the level of footballer you lot demand.

 

i'd also say that there is no evidence that the club held back money - rafa was able to spend 20m in the last two weeks of the window on a player that is a significant risk. regardless of the conjecture if he was held back i could frankly understand and agree with two expensive players already joining the club during the window there is the risk of a significant loss if either or potentially both went the same way as keane.

[Falconhoof]

sorry but this is just daft, we have cover for torres in kuyt, babel, ngog and voronin. lesser cover sure, but thats because unless you can compete for a first place spot in a different position on the pitch you wont get regular football, and that in a world cup year is an extremely significant factor for the level of footballer you lot demand.

 

i'd also say that there is no evidence that the club held back money - rafa was able to spend 20m in the last two weeks of the window on a player that is a significant risk. regardless of the conjecture if he was held back i could frankly understand and agree with two expensive players already joining the club during the window there is the risk of a significant loss if either or potentially both went the same way as keane.

 

If we had the money we'd have better than Babel, Ngog and Vornonin. Its silly to pretend that's the best we can expect because good players wouldn't want to sit on the bench.

Its nothing to do with competition and everything to do with not having the money. Otherwise Robinho, Santa Cruz, Tevez and Adebayor wouldn't all be wearing Man City shirts.

 

 

Your 2nd paragraph is twisted. You are saying that, having sold Alonso and being left with just Lucas and Mascherano, the fact that Rafa was given about 60% of the money he got for Alonso to sign a replacement means that money was there for him ?

Bizarre stuff.

[mathewbet1]

If Babel et al were as good as they should be or squad depth would be ok. The fact that Benny is performing and Aqulani is on his way back means we should be ok.

[Molby]

sorry but this is just daft, we have cover for torres in kuyt, babel, ngog and voronin. lesser cover sure, but thats because unless you can compete for a first place spot in a different position on the pitch you wont get regular football, and that in a world cup year is an extremely significant factor for the level of footballer you lot demand.

 

i'd also say that there is no evidence that the club held back money - rafa was able to spend 20m in the last two weeks of the window on a player that is a significant risk. regardless of the conjecture if he was held back i could frankly understand and agree with two expensive players already joining the club during the window there is the risk of a significant loss if either or potentially both went the same way as keane.

 

you have not got a f***ing clue what you're talking about

 

do the sums, research the entire history of Rafa's reign as manager under the owners, and then come back...or not

[psl]

A great deal of the negativity is due to us losing twice and being six points behind so early.

[Molby]

A great deal of the negativity is due to us losing twice and being six points behind so early.

 

 

so what? it doesn't hide the facts

 

whether people want to ignore the guaranteed long term decline of the club under G and H just because results are good or fret about it more when we lose......changes nothing

 

apart from Man City the next thing to worry about is that we won't be able to replace Gerrard

 

let's hope G and H don't start thinking too hard about the ramifications of that

[Sion]

let's hope G and H don't start thinking too hard about the ramifications of that