Sakho should be our first choice CB. Don't know why we bought another CB who plays on the left side, after buying Sakho.

That's just logically stupid.

Don't think anyone can argue that our best centre back pairing this season has been Skrtel and Sakho. 3-5-2 has been very functional this season for us but I think we have to persist with four at the back long term. Lovren will still be useful for us I hope but he will have to fight hard to get back into the team.

New RB - Skrtel - Sakho- Moreno

Stick with it.

comment by EL-TORO (U13505)
posted 1 hour, 36 minutes ago
Sakho should be our first choice CB. Don't know why we bought another CB who plays on the left side, after buying Sakho.

That's just logically stupid.
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Lovren also plays on the right. In fact we have many different players who play many different positions, shifting a bit to the right shouldn't be and hasn't been a disaster. That's probably the reason Lovren was bought as he is just as comfortable(or just as uncomfortable) on both sides.

Personally for me, I'd let Balotelli go. Markovic will be a good player, Moreno and Can too. Lallana a good buy for the squad. I'd keep Lambert if he wants to continue in the role he was given. Manquillo I just don't understand, send him back and for god sake sign a goalkeeper and get rid of Jones, or at least relegate him to third choice.

Hi TOOR

I think it's clear we have to be better in the the transfer market.

We still waste too much money either by buying the wrong players or by overpaying for others.

We overpaid for Markovic, Lallana and Lovren last summer. We didn't need Manquillo and Balotelli was a terrible signing. Lambert, Can and Moreno were all ok/decent value signings (though only Can has had what I would call a good season). Markovic hadn't done anymore than Can or Moreno in his career yet we paid twice as much for him. I know attacking players are more expensive but that's crazy.

Whatever we do this summer we have to get a lot more for our money more often than not. We won't be able to compete for the top 4 otherwise.

We have a better side and squad now than when Rodgers took over, but it's not £210m better.

I agree righteous1! A lot was spent on a little in the way of quality! Has we spent that mich on 5 or 6 worldies then it's a different story. I think transfer windows should be used to tweak the squad and add an improvement to the first 11. I;m not sure any of the signings have done that. The Sturridge, Coutinho transfer window was world class and that is the type of window we need again. Low cost, huge quality and straight into the first 11. If we are buying squad players how are the young players every going to progress?

comment by mattjc1990 (U9411)
posted 16 minutes ago
I agree righteous1! A lot was spent on a little in the way of quality! Has we spent that mich on 5 or 6 worldies then it's a different story. I think transfer windows should be used to tweak the squad and add an improvement to the first 11. I;m not sure any of the signings have done that. The Sturridge, Coutinho transfer window was world class and that is the type of window we need again. Low cost, huge quality and straight into the first 11. If we are buying squad players how are the young players every going to progress?
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I think the fact that we wanted to compete on all fronts this season meant we had to strengthen the squad. However next season it's obvious we need first team players. We need a replacement for Gerrard, Johnson also. We also need a striker as that's the sole reason we haven't finished in the top four in my opinion. If we signed just those three players I'd be happy.

Yes TOOR ! Less is more in my opinion in terms of building a team! I would be very happy with 3players that would walk into the side on those positions as well.

Question on Depay - can he play as a striker? Or would his signing potentially be unnecessary. If he is as good as his nickname 'Dutch Ronaldo' suggests then he would be worth an investment

my opinion is strongly that a back 4 is best but we need a goal keeper who will force that line 10 yards at least up the pitch. We isolate our forwards a lot cos mingolet is glued to his line.

I'd rather concede one a year to a charlie adam shot than lost 15 points a year by just not having the team close enough together

so

need GK

Need a back 4, ergo RB at least, LB is very worrying for me

Need a 3 across the middle. Maybe can is DM I don't know yet I hope so.

Need coutinho as main man further up and not tied to a win to defend. The oscar role IMO is where he needs to be

Need real strikers

we're dire in a 4-3-3. the players just look lost
rodgers ruined Balo by trying to use him as a lone striker
3-4-3 only really worked well when Lucas was fit

we need to sign 2 strikers and let the younger players develop more

We need a DM and quality one at that. We performed well last season when we played in a 433 and Lucas was at the base and Gerrard was injured. Some of our best performances came in that period. The same can be said for this season as well when he played his way back into the side.

Despite most of the big teams on the European scene not really playing with a recognised defensive midfielder, but more of a controlling holding midfielder, its still essential in our league because teams transition very quickly.

We dont need massive changes to the squad imo. The likes of Lallana, Moreno & Markovic should given one more season to see if they can adapt.

RB, striker, RCB and DM is a must for now.

Also i dont think Can is the answer to that, like some have suggested. He seems to switch off when he is not on the ball. Thats not something you want from your DM.

I think we should give Johnson a year deal

Flanno is uncertain with all this injury nonsense and we should not renew on Manquillo

Unless someone we'd be fools not to sign comes available, it's a tricky position to fill and I'd rather just keep GJ there until the right player comes along or Flanno proves his fitness

comment by moreinjuredthanowen (U9641)
posted 1 hour, 3 minutes ago
my opinion is strongly that a back 4 is best but we need a goal keeper who will force that line 10 yards at least up the pitch. We isolate our forwards a lot cos mingolet is glued to his line.

I'd rather concede one a year to a charlie adam shot than lost 15 points a year by just not having the team close enough together

so

need GK

Need a back 4, ergo RB at least, LB is very worrying for me

Need a 3 across the middle. Maybe can is DM I don't know yet I hope so.

Need coutinho as main man further up and not tied to a win to defend. The oscar role IMO is where he needs to be

Need real strikers


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So a whole new team then?

now we've got a few defenders.... a few midfielders and coutinho

thats not a whole team.

eg.

can, henderson, coutinho could be a midfield trio.

Skertl ahs been signe dup again, sahko and lovern are there as well so in reality our CBs are fixed. as much as we night not like it.

Moreno is a huge worry for me, his defensive attitudes and positions taken are poor at best.

So:

NEW GK
NEW RB Skertl Sahko Moreno
Can Henderson
Coutinho
Sterling Sturridge DEPAY

might be one example...

that's be three signings but still not brilliant but an improvement in the first team IMO.

I think we need to get our line much higher up so we con't have coutinho too deep in that and we need that RB. Montoya I am not sure about,.

It depends on what your club's aspirations are to be honest. If you are going for the league title, you need strength in depth and a much better first 11.

In my humble opinion you need to sign the following players for the first 11 with most of the current lot moving to the bench/squad

GK
RB/RCB
CB to deputise for Skrtel as Lovren is crap as is Sakho
LB/LCB

CM
CM
LM

ST
ST

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

comment by Greatteamswinit4times- A terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 15 minutes ago
4-2-3-1 seems like the most logical formation with the players we currently have. The key is the 2 in midfield. Henderson and Can have the energy and mobility to potentially be able to handle playing a 2. If Sterling stays, and that is doubtful for me, I think he should be played in the 10 position behind a striker and just be told that is his position for the season. He looks so much better when he can get the ball in more space with more options. The key then is having the solid foundation that playing 3 at the back gave us. We need a RB that can defend first and foremost, a CB that is rock solid in a 2 and can play with Skrtel and or Sakho and a new left back that can defend. Ideally the flexibility will come and we can play 4-3-3 when needed and the likes of Lucas can come in, but he should be nowhere near a two man midfield.

So, overall we need a new:

RB
LB
CB
CM
CF

That's depressing when you look at 200 million spent and we still need all the above to realistically compete.
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sterling? what about coutinho... he's twice the player on the ball sterling ever will be.

What do you make of the players we have been linked to? Is Benteke a cause for excitement? And Depay? Even Milner has been linked!

So in a 4-2-3-1 you want the 2 part to consist of Henderson and at the moment Can is looking like the best partner.

If you look at Chelsea - Matic sits back a bit, a bit like an anchor man while Fabregas is able to then create the attacks. I feel our midfield 2 would be of a different consistency. Henderson hasn't got the creativity of Fabregas or the defensive discipline of Matic but he does provide a hell of a lot of energy and determination. Would he be best paired with a Matic type player to allow Coutinho to create the chances meaning Hendo could arrive late into the box?

I'm thinking out loud here but I think in general the same positions have been highlights as needing new personnel - a striker, a centre midfielder with a defensive mindset and full backs as the main concerns.

I have noticed how deep out centre backs sit as well! When watching on TV I often think the opposition is through on goal until the camera pans and their sits Skrtel and Lovren deep inside our own half! Adopting a higher line would certainly be a tactical improvement.

If you watch Barcelona their CBs and Busquets occupy the centre circle in the opponents half and neither of them are particularly pacey.

We're just going to keep with the Wenger model

sign 7 young prospects, throw away 6 in the end

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

I'd prefer Sterling on the left and Coutinho through the middle in a 4231

I think we have too many midfielders who are good at attacking, playing as a 10 or an 8.

Henderson, Lallana, Sterling, Coutinho, Can, Markovic, Gerrard are all 10's or 8's (or both).

We need more midfield players with a defensive mindset first. Allen is a presser but isn't really a defensive player (he isn't a master of anything, which leaves him exposed a lot).

Lucas is our only defensive mindset midfield player apart from youngsters like Williams and Rossiter, and with Gerrard going who if not defensive minded will at least kick people and tackle we badly need some steel and nous in this area.

Players who pass simply, commit fouls, pull others in position and back up the play without caring about going on marauding runs or scoring or setting up goals.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

agreed righteous

we need someone who can stamp (maybe not literally ) their authority on the middle of the park