BusterLfc wrote:It's strange that our squad doesn't look that thin when almost all of our players are fit.
Like it was against united, we could afford to bench the likes of Coutinho, Lucas and Sakho.
Seems like we got some options on the bench after all plus there are shit load of guys that are loaned out so the squad depth shouldn't be a problem next season.

I would go for a bombastic WC signing in the summer rather than buying decent players on multiple positions just for depth.

It's because our squad isn't that thin. I can't think of a single team in the world who would look flush in defense when both fullbacks and two of their senior cbs were all hurt; or a team that would have great attacking options on the bench with three midfielders and two forwards missing time. We had an injury crisis for a few months, but our squad when fully fit is deep enough to put out a high quality bench.

Just out of curiosity...why is Reus a pipe dream again? He has a $35 mil buyout IIRC, and Liverpool has to be one of the more attractive teams to go to if they win the league/make the CL this year.

Defense needs to be sorted first. Wasting 23423879m on attacking player(s) (just because someone supposedly WC is available) doesn't make sense to me...

ExtremistEnigma wrote:Defense needs to be sorted first. Wasting 23423879m on attacking player(s) (just because someone supposedly WC is available) doesn't make sense to me...

Will be interesting to see how our defense performs when settled (knocks on wood, no more injuries) from now until end of the season, with this new diamond formation which has given us a lot of solidity.

I still want Attacking players. We need legit players and out with the average like Aspas/Assaidi/etc.

I want us to be like Bayern. Improve and dominate.

I don't think we'll persist with the diamond formation, it was just a tactical decision by BR to crowd the center of the park against United. Coutinho will replace Allen, and Sterling will move back to the flanks, where he is most effectively utilized.

We will sign(or need) 4 players i think.

LB and LW for first team and back up (or rotatewith) for Suarez and Coutinho (RW/AM) and a creative CM to rotate with Allen and Henderson.

With Borini Ilori and Suso returing as well we would have excellent depth.

Just need to make sure the LW and LB we sign are real quality

ExtremistEnigma wrote:I don't think we'll persist with the diamond formation, it was just a tactical decision by BR to crowd the center of the park against United. Coutinho will replace Allen, and Sterling will move back to the flanks, where he is most effectively utilized.

If you asked me I think BR has shown us a glimpse of how we'll play in Europe next season.

Away from home diamond midfield 4-4-2(4-1-2-1-2, like vs United and Soton), press in packs, counter with terrifying pace. Invite opposition fullbacks up, isolate SAS 2v2 vs opposition CBs. When need be, retain the ball with numbers in midfield and Gerrard as a regista spraying balls to stretching SAS. Win pens, and dominate set pieces.

Home, 4-3-3. Go for the jugular. Coutinho and Hendo in box-to-box channels in front of deep lying James Bond. Press the shit out of the opposition as a military unit. Complete utter chaos of positional movement, change, and pace between SSS up front with the midfield trio providing the throughballs. Win pens and dominate set pieces.

Would catch a lot of European teams with their pants around their ankles, I tell you.

BeautifulGame wrote:We will sign(or need) 4 players i think.

LB and LW for first team and back up (or rotatewith) for Suarez and Coutinho (RW/AM) and a creative CM to rotate with Allen and Henderson.

With Borini Ilori and Suso returing as well we would have excellent depth.

Just need to make sure the LW and LB we sign are real quality

Yep...I really don't think our defence is as bad as has been made out lately. Sakho will improve and Ilori is a gem. Coates still has promise too, IMO. I think if you assume that the 60m kitty is true and we add some sales to it we could get a world class fullback and attacker and the team would look great.

Ricardo Rodriguez and Marco Reus preferably. Adding them would make Liverpool even more fearsome than it already is.

So for the past few weeks I've been watching a little more of these future fullbacks and one of our potential summer signings. And I gotto say surprisingly, for the all the hype for many of them I fail to see a clear improvement to what we have. As I feel our own Flanno is at that level and Kelly was prior to his terrible injury.

Watched Ricardo Rodriguez twice now in last couple of weeks (and I fail to see how he's better than Enrique). Two things, he does definitely have great concentration, which probably cuts down the individualistic tactical mistakes. And he releases the ball quicker than Enrique but pound for pound our Jose is goddam bull defensively in one on ones and is a greater threat going forward. RicRod does edge it crossing wise as well but Enrique is just horrible at that, and we really don't play a crossing game.

Alberto Moreno, caught Sevilla's game at the weekend against Valladolid and last nights Betis decider in EL and I gotto say he's a fantastic attacking fullback. Will probably be as good as Alba attacking wise. MOTM against Betis. Fantastic crosser and you stereotypical Spanish player, great ball controller, good passer etc. However, here's the catch, He's a younger Glen Johnson. Very prone to defensive mistakes. Loves to go forward and leaves ton of space in behind and almost never seems to get back in time. He also has a very small frame which might be an issue in the PL. He's not one of those players to give you that intensive desire like Flanno would. More laid back in his approach. I like him but I feel he has some deficiencies which would still leave us wanting to look for a more complete left back in the future if we were to sign him.

Don't think we would get a super clear improvement on Enrique and Flanno from these two.

Now Luke Shaw I'm still a huge fan of but he's just out of our price range and I don't think he's absolutely massively better than Jose at this point, but potentially he could turn into something very very special.

Calum Chambers, though, now this kid is special. Shits on that Clyne kid (unsurprisingly RedAlert wrong again). His defending style is sooo Italian I absolutely love it. He's a very good footballer to boot but for such a young Brit. At the moment he's around the same quality as Flanno and Glen but his qualities are very evenly spread out in defense and attack. Also think his potential is through the roof and might even be higher than Shaws.

Now on to the only fullback that I think is worth every penny. Mattia De Sciglio!!! Maldini's heir apparent. Seriously there's just nothing bad I can say about him. Just as good at LB as he is at RB. For me he's already as complete as some of the best fullbacks in the world (and I include Lahm and Alves). Best and closest young Italian defender to have the potential to reach the heights of your Maldini's, Nesta's, Baresi's. I want this kid here so bad. He's unbelievable.

Milan are terrible at the moment so this might just be our only chance to ever be able to sign him.

So yeah for me it's MDS first and foremost if not him then Chambers/Shaw or keep what we have.

What makes it tricky with our fullbacks is that when they're fit, I would be happy to have Johnson and Enrique as our starting fullbacks next season. Meaning that splashing the cash on a fullback that should be a certain starter isn't that necessary for me. But then again, this season has been anything but satisfactory when it comes to Johnson (form) and Enrique (injury). Tricky.

You're selling Rodriguez short. He's clearly better then Enrique, and only 21. On top of that he doesn't come with the injury concern. He might be the best left-back in Europe this year which is saying a lot given his company. He has everything really, pace, defensive awareness, a good tactical mind, can use both feet well, is strong, and handles the ball nicely.

Other than that I don't much disagree with your post.

The more I've seen of Draxler, too, the more I am a bit confused that Liverpool isn't in the running for him (or at least not rumoured to be). The kid is pure class...on the level of Gotze IMO and a year younger. He can also play anywhere across the attacking side of the pitch (CAM, LAM/W, RAM/W) which offers great versatility for Rodgers. Would absolutely love to see him brought in but another pipe dream I suppose.

I would go for Shaw if its 20 or less than 20m

Good post McY
Tbh I wouldnt mind a talented FB who has some weaknesses specially which I believe can be resolved given the excellent man management from BR.
For me, this season I wont splash 20m only on full back alone. I think we need a midfielder, CAM/goal scoring CM (I think from the next season Hendo is going to contribute few more goals, next season will be a stepping stone in his carrer at Anfield) but in spite of all that I would still sign a top class midfielder. I have given up on DM/deepest midfielder thing, as I see that Gerrard and Lucas will be rotated in that poistion in front od our defense.

McAgger wrote:
Calum Chambers, though, now this kid is special. Shits on that Clyne kid (unsurprisingly RedAlert wrong again). His defending style is sooo Italian I absolutely love it. He's a very good footballer to boot but for such a young Brit. At the moment he's around the same quality as Flanno and Glen but his qualities are very evenly spread out in defense and attack. Also think his potential is through the roof and might even be higher than Shaws.

I'd like to see this.

Wrong again how?

You continue to be knee jerk. You probably didn't even know Chambers existed before the Soton-Liverpool game 2 GAMES BACK ffs.

He's "Italian" defensively, because he used to be a CENTRE BACK; he's not even a full back for starters. He's played there for what, 1 season, and yet you claim him being better than Shaw in the future?  

But yeah, let's declare him as the next Cafu. Get off his penis. Or is that Flanagan in your eyes? Then again, you stated Flanagan's going to be here for 10+ years. Why sign another RB? I mean, Jon's signing a new contract.   

Also, at the fact that Flanagan's on the same level as Glenno.   

It's that time of the year again. Shall we give this another go?

Howedes and Cesc

Hummels und Kroos

Howedes and Kroos

Bender, Kroos and an awesome L/RB

Reus, Pjanic, and Hummels

I guess this belongs here, even though we've been linked to him in the past, but I hope that Wijnaldum impresses at this WC (he's looked good in the friendlies so far) and Liverpool finally pull the trigger. He's pacey, young, versatile and extremely talented.

Channel that negative energy here, McAgger.

Keep Suarez and splash 250m


Bench: Sturridge, Strootman, Sterling, Lallana, Hendo, Agger, blah, blah, blah, more blah

Is that too much to ask for ffs?

-----------Mignolet-----------
  ----  -----Shako----  
------Henderson--Gerrard------
-----------Lallana-------------
Suarez---Sturridge----Sanchez

------------Jones------------
Flanagan-Skrtel-Agger-Enrique
---------Can--Lucas---------
-------------Allen------------
Raheem----Borini-----Coutinho

Fun and games replacing Suarez:

1) MARIO BALOTELLI

Let's do that.

We need another nutter.

Italy hates him, Liverpool loves their star strikers, Balotelli demands to be the main spotlight, tremendous talent, praised Anfield and most importantly, he's Mario Balotelli.

2) Steven de Vrij. Cheap. As good as what we have, somewhat similar to Varane in playing style so can play with Sakho, and has the potential to be one of the btter CBs out there.

3) Shaqiri. Seriously. He's class. Still not sure why we were in for Lallana before this guy. He's at the same level, if not better already, and will be HUGE in the future. Bayern have this guy planned as the succesor to Arjen Robben ffs, you can't deny his talent.

4) Marek Hamsik. Benitez owes us for the whole Reina thing. Hamsik's one of the best playmakers in the world right now that's probably interested in joining, and would be a lot better if he goes back to playing his more natural role as a 10. :O

Could probably afford players 2,3 and 4 with the Suarez money. Balotelli is somewhat a joke but wouldn't mind it all if we sign him, he really can be the next big thing with the right manager.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/02/football-transfer-rumours-mario-balotelli-liverpool-arsenal

If only.