iftikhar wrote:Might be a rhetorical question, but if you are allowed to have just one of the following three players (at their present level), whom would you pick???

Messi, Christiano, Suarez

Luis >>>>>>>>

Don't call me James wrote:With Stevie leaving we need some midfielders. DM was a necessity even if Stevie had stayed. But now I guess we need a DM and a creative CM.

Anyways my slightly realistic team for start of next season after winter and summer transfer windows. It's not that ideal because I tried to include players that we actually have some sort of shot of signing imo. Otherwise Varane, Reus, Griezmann, Pogba would be heading the list

Anywyas

Sturridge - Lacazette
Coutinho
Sterling - Carvalho - Kovacic - Flanno
Sakho - Nastasic - Schar
Perin

Origi - Vietto
Lallana
Moreno - Lucas - Hendo - Markovic
Ilori - Wisdom - Can
Cech*

*or some solid veteran GK

Squad depth: Ibe, Manquillo, Tex, Yesil, Ojo, Rossiter, etc, etc

Notice that we literally need a whole new spine to the team.


Sell/Release: Jones, Johnson, Enrique, Kolo, Lovren, Mignolet, Allen, Borini, Suso, Skrtel, Balotelli, Assaidi, Coates, Luis Alberto, Aspas, Lambert

That's right sell/release 17 players and buy at least 8 quality players.

What the heck ??? Henderson not in the first team !!!

Yeah Henderson is better than Carvalho and Kovacic. Sterling shouldn't be playing as a wide midfielder/wingback either.

I think this winter is going to be relatively quiet. Bringing in Origi from the loan and maybe getting Neto. The summer is where things will be shaken up a bit I think especially with Rodgers' recent comments perhaps putting a bit of pressure on the owners/committee to get a couple established players to complement the youth in the squad with ready-made talent. So, after this summer:



My 'realistic' ideal team. Only signings we make between now and the end of the summer (outside of youth players) being Neto, Lars Bender, Cuadrado and Schar. Plenty of depth, and with Sterling getting older and his ability to cover at striker we'd be fine like this IMO. If we were going to look for a back-up striker still other than Origi because we don't think he's old/experienced enough then I would look at someone a bit older but with movement (someone like Eto'o would have been a good punt this year instead of Balotelli) -- though if Rodgers will allow Borini to stay he works too, although again by next year I think someone like Sinclair or Ojo can step up and do a part.

Henderson ain't getting into my ideal team if Kovacic and Carvalho are around that's all you need to know. And the line up I used is purely because we are using that formation right now, otherwise I wouldn't line up my ideal team like that. Gotto fit Raheem in the line up even if it's as a wingback. Couldn't leave playa playa out ffs.

That's a bit much don't you think? Kovacic is not even as creative as Henderson being played in a more advanced position (in a weaker league) and doesn't do a fraction of his off the ball work. He only has shooting over Hendo, but doesn't rival the complete package our future captain brings. Carvalho isn't even worth comparing given he's having a hard time even having an impact for Sporting this season, and again doesn't come close to Henderson's complete package.

Kovacic is leagues, and I mean leagues above Henderson in the creative department. Carvalho plays for Sporting not Porto and is a beast DM. I like him from what I've seen and together they would add great balance to a very lacking midfield.

I love Hendo so if I lined up with 3 in the middle it would be Carvalho as the destroyer and Hendo and Kova as the 2 in front of him.

Of course, in your world we have the bestest, most world classest players in the whole wide world which is why we are winning all the league titles and CLs.

How much have you actually watched Carvalho? Yes, I meant Sporting not Porto.

Where have I said we have any of the best players in any world? Just get back to reality you are talking about two young unproven players (one of which by all accounts is having a poor sophomore season, and has never looked nearly as good as Hendo) and trying to place them in the side over our future captain and one of the best midfielders in the PL. In no way, shape or form is Kovacic in a completely different class to Henderson in terms of creativity...

But keep resorting to your immature remarks as retorts -- you're getting on the level of RA (though I honestly don't see much difference in your posting styles aside from opinions).

You realize outside of a few matches recently, Hendo has been having one of his worst seasons. But apparently he's the best midfielder in PL. And Lovren is a great buy as well as a host of great summer signings that we made who have us currently challenging for the title.

Just wake up form whatever dream you are living in man. Things aren't as rosy as you see them.

But anyways, this isn't the thread for arguing this and I don't want to derail it any further. It's my ideal team and I can do whatever I want with it.

My b. Rodgers is awful (despite Gerrard, Suarez, and every other player lauding him, and him having a team that had no business challenging for the title doing exactly that last season), all of our prospects are shit, our players are all not even as good as grade B Italian teams and Portuguese teams, and we're destined to mid table or even possibly fighting for relegation because all of our signings are shit and we should sack every single person related to the management of this team. Fraud players, fraud owners and fraud manager. Boo hoo.

Don't want to be a spoil-sport, but I think there's little or no opportunity to indulge in 'ideal team' fantasy. Why not we just focus on 'practical team' options.

agreed because we aint buying anyone this window !! but I am secretly still hoping for a Coutinho or Sturridge deal

El Cujo wrote:
But keep resorting to your immature remarks as retorts -- you're getting on the level of RA (though I honestly don't see much difference in your posting styles aside from opinions).

Only just read this.

Funny because I always thought you were James, why I kept calling you two B1 and B2.

Maybe we're all alike. Maybe we're the three stooges.

You can be Larry, Hames can be Curly and I'll be Moe.

Mignolet will never become a consistent performer and Jones is expected to leave at the end of this season. As alternative I would like either a veteran GK who would be regular next season and back-up for the season after and a young player who make odd appearance in 2015-16 and become regular in 2016-17. Or, I would like a young player, with 2-3 years experience, as the starter and a very young one who may replace the former in 4-5 years time.

In all probability; Skrtel, Lovern and Sakho will stay for the next season too. Now, if one of Coates (highly unlikely), Wisdom (not likely) or Ilori can stake their claim; all well and good. Otherwise, I would want a quality-proven CB to partner with Sakho.

Johnson will leave and Enrique might follow as well. Manquillo hasn’t been awesome and Flanagan might do a Kelly (you know, a young player showing lots of promise but simply withered away after a long lay-off) but I will still take my chances on both of them. But we will need a quality RB/RWB.

From what I have seen so far and if he continues his progress, I will start Emre in the DM position next season. However; Gerrard is leaving, Lucas might as well and there’s no competent youngsters in our ranks, so we will need a back-up for Emre. Preferably some veteran who can do it (occasionally) for couple more years.

I would start Henderson and either of Coutinho or Lallana but I have absolutely no faith in Allen and wish to see his back. However, I would like a young player who can be cover for Henderson.

I would like to see Balotelli partnered with Sturridge for few games in one stretch. I believe he can be useful in that set-up. But I would want a proven goal-scorer. No way in hell, I’m going to be satisfied with Origi & Sturridge as our only goal-scorer.

----------GK----------
RWB-CB-Sakho-Moreno
---------Emre---------
---Henderson-Lallana--
-------Raheem--------
---Balotelli-Sturridge---

or

----------GK----------
RWB-CB-Sakho-Moreno
---------Emre---------
---Henderson-Lallana--
Raheem-Sturridge-Origi

Back-up, rotation and tactical options: GK, Manquillo, Skrtel, Lovern, Flanagan, DM, CM, Markovic, Coutinho, ST plus 2-3 from youth squad.

Please note: I deem Lallana & Coutinho and Origi & Markovic at the same level. Both of the player might start/play if such a formation deployed.

In an ideal world Coutinho performs consistently at the level he's showing right now and is our best player. I've always liked a 3 man backline though I prefer the 3-5-2 to the 3-4-3.


It acts more like a 3-4-1-2, but that would be a sick team, and also totally attainable.

Song and Milner in midfield. Cheap, experienced, help us heaps.

Howedes in; Lovren out. Howedes / Skrtel to be rotated with Sakho. Kolo can stay for depth. Wisdom can play CB too.  

Splash big signing in final third. Maybe Jovetic? Seems angry at Pellegrini. Go all out for Reus? Carlos Vela playing like a scrub under Moyes, so could save him? Idk, but a massive signing in the final third is needed. Too many kids in there.

Oh, and Rafa. Ta.

Red Alert wrote:Song and Milner in midfield. Cheap, experienced, help us heaps.

Howedes in; Lovren out. Howedes / Skrtel to be rotated with Sakho. Kolo can stay for depth. Wisdom can play CB too.  

Splash big signing in final third. Maybe Jovetic? Seems angry at Pellegrini. Go all out for Reus? Carlos Vela playing like a scrub under Moyes, so could save him? Idk, but a massive signing in the final third is needed. Too many kids in there.

Oh, and Rafa. Ta.

Reus, Pjanic and Laca$$$ette

There's no way Reus is coming to us
Just signed a new contract with Dortmund and even if he leaves, there will be 2-3 more attractive takers for him. Not worth it even throwing his name around.

Jovetic doesn't score enough for me.

Song would be a pretty good option, we probably should have been all over him last summer already, since he was available even on loan.

And I'd like Pjanic, but I'm afraid Roma won't sell.

^ not to mention Jovetic's fitness record makes Sturridge look like Suarez injury-wise.

I refuse to go in depth with ideal summer thing, until seeing how rest of the season pans out and who is likely to go.

Milner on a free remains a total no-brainer for me, however regardless. RA and Me agreeing on something

Milner Rosicky ffs i love these players, Would be in my happiness XI.

I'll take Rosicky on a 2 year contract or something. Would be a great addition.

Milner, meh. If we sign him on lowish wages (which won't happen) I'm okay with it but otherwise no.

Get a world class talent like Pjanic to replace Stevie not a goddam 30 year old British workhorse.

Don't call me James wrote:I'll take Rosicky on a 2 year contract or something. Would be a great addition.

Milner, meh. If we sign him on lowish wages (which won't happen) I'm okay with it but otherwise no.

Get a world class talent like Pjanic to replace Stevie not a goddam 30 year old British workhorse.

Milner isn't just a work-horse. Ask any City fan and he's ALWAYS among their top-3 performers in big games. we need players who turn up in big games and he's one of them. Also has PL and Euro experience which our team will sorely lack with Gerrard gone.
He's for example a much much better player than Navas and on-par with Nasri. And I wouldn't mind getting the latter on free

Just turned 29 last month, on a 3 year contract, it's an absolute no-brainer. Not to mention with his versitality he can play in many positions in our 3-4-3 formation or even if we switch to a back 4.

Milner would be a good addition on a free, but I only see him in a similar role as at City, not an automatic starter. So, if it's not a bigger role we're offering him, are we willing to offer him a fatter contract than City? If City don't want to keep him, sure, come to us, but if City are offering him a reasonable contract I don't know should we top that.

Natalie Portman wrote:

Milner on a free remains a total no-brainer for me, however regardless. RA and Me agreeing on something

Who would of thought

Milner is 29. Theoretically he should be able to offer another 2-3 years of good service. But I'm not sure if he will have the hunger (and fitness). Then there's the question of his wage demands. Song is having a good season. I don't remember his Arsenal days (did he had a fiery temper or got cards on regular basis!!!) and don't think he played much for Barcelona.

Might as well bump this thread; it's about that time of year.

Klopp in.

Reus in.



Gundogan maybe? We need another midfielder. Lucas Henderson is okay, maybe we can stick Coutinho back in there and then get another player in the final third. Or give Can a chance, see if he's ready.

Need someone in defence to challenge Skrtel / Sakho too.

And a full back. Preferably one that can play on the left and the right because still not convinced Moreno has settled just yet, and GJ + Enrique should be off.