Liverpool 2014/15 | WARNING: Contains strong amounts of Scouse nonsense

Twigginater said:
Added in Lambert. Took out Alberto who is off on loan.

Very much hope Suarez is off.
Click to expand...
We've signed Can too. Lallana will probably be confirmed today too. Apparently it was paperwork issues that held it up from being announced yesterday.
 
Berbaclass said:
I don't think you'll have a squad big enough for the league and CL.
Click to expand...

I'll move the discussion here to avoid derailing the thread. If we assume Lambert, Lallana and Can are done we'd have a squad of:

Mignolet, Jones, Sakho, Skrtel, Enrique, Johnson, Flanagan, Ilori, Gerrard, Allen, Henderson, Coutinho, Lallana, Can, Lambert, Sturridge, Sterling and Ibe. That's 16 outfield players minimum (we might keep Lucas for instance). If we add a centre back, left back and two more attacking players we'll have more than enough depth to see us through the season IMO.
 
Berbaclass said:
I don't think you'll have a squad big enough for the league and CL.
Click to expand...

Our problem isn't so much numbers as quality. I think Mourinho has the right idea of a 23 man squad being sufficient if you've got the right players.

Assuming we offload the deadwood of Reina, Kelly, Coates, Assaidi, Aspas and Borini, and sell Suarez, we have (youngsters who might get first team action in paranthese):

  • GK: Mignolet, Jones (???)
  • RB: Johnson, Flannagan (McLaughlin, Wisdom)
  • LB: Enrique, ??? (Robinson)
  • CB: Sakho, Skrtel, Agger, Toure, Ilori (Wisdom)
  • DCM: Gerrard, Lucas, Can
  • CM: Henderson, Allen (Rossiter)
  • ACM: Coutinho, Lallana (Suso, Texeira)
  • "Attacker": Sterling, Suarez/Replacement(Sanchez?), ???, ??? (Ibe)
  • CF: Sturridge, Lambert
That leaves us short a first team leftback I think one more attacking player to have our squad in numbers. Get that and we have:

2 keepers,
4 fullbacks,
5 centrebacks,
5 central midfielders,
2 more who can play both in three-man midfield and out wide,
3 wingers
2 centre forwards.
23 players (24 when you count whatever 3rd choice keeper we'll settle on). More than enough.

I think if we sign more than a backup keeper, one attacker and a leftback from here (and of course a Suarez replacement if he goes) it will be to replace more prominent names.

Lucas, Johnson and Agger/Skrtel could come into play then.

I expect somewhere between 3 and 4 signings from here, besides Lambert, Can and Lallana.

I personally wouldn't mind an overhaul of Mignolet and Toure + one of Skrtel/Agger being shipped out for a new top centreback, but it it probably too much over one summer.
 
Last edited:
BarneyLFC said:
I'll move the discussion here to avoid derailing the thread. If we assume Lambert, Lallana and Can are done we'd have a squad of:

Mignolet, Jones, Sakho, Skrtel, Enrique, Johnson, Flanagan, Ilori, Gerrard, Allen, Henderson, Coutinho, Lallana, Can, Lambert, Sturridge, Sterling and Ibe. That's 16 outfield players minimum (we might keep Lucas for instance). If we add a centre back, left back and two more attacking players we'll have more than enough depth to see us through the season IMO.
Click to expand...
When you say 'see us through' what are your expectations for next season, if you were to add the players in the positions you suggest?
 
SiRed said:
When you say 'see us through' what are your expectations for next season, if you were to add the players in the positions you suggest?
Click to expand...

My minimum expectations are to qualify for the CL again as well as to get out the group stages. I would love to win a trophy too as that's the next step we have to take under Rodgers.
 
You've way overpaid for Lallana. £15 mil was about his price. A good squad player.
 
BarneyLFC said:
My minimum expectations are to qualify for the CL again as well as to get out the group stages. I would love to win a trophy too as that's the next step we have to take under Rodgers.
Click to expand...
Well since posting, Lallana is now in the bag for you guys. I think your chances of progressing out of the CL groups depends largely on how teams are seeded and the luck of the draw. It could be that you end up in a group similar to City a year or so ago with one or 2 monster teams in your group.
 
Lallana is a good player. Not sure he's up to Gerrard cira pre-2012 though, which is really what they need now. Even more than a Suarez replacement, I'd say.
 
BarneyLFC said:
My minimum expectations are to qualify for the CL again as well as to get out the group stages. I would love to win a trophy too as that's the next step we have to take under Rodgers.
Click to expand...

Likewise. Still, CL and out of the group will be good enough for this season. Preferably closer to 1st than 5th pointswise.
 
Plugsy said:
Lallana is a good player. Not sure he's up to Gerrard cira pre-2012 though, which is really what they need now. Even more than a Suarez replacement, I'd say.
Click to expand...

That is not going to happen no matter who we buy.

But midfield upgrade should be on the cards for the next January and summer windows, unless some players step up a whole lot.
 
Surely Glen Johnson is going to move on now? Terrible, terrible defender.
 
Derek Acorah said:
Surely Glen Johnson is going to move on now? Terrible, terrible defender.
Click to expand...

We can't solve all problems in one window.

I think Johnson will be filed into the last chance saloon. If he finds form he is still a top player. Likely he'll be phased out for Flannagan, maybe even McLaughlin who is a big talent, over the course of the season.

It's a passable solution till January/June.
 
Djemba-Djemba said:
Glen Johnson has never been and will never be a top player.
Click to expand...

I am not having a fergusonesque arument about that. On form he'd be a quality asset to our first team we'd have no need to ponder replacing.
 
B20 said:
I am not having a fergusonesque arument about that. On form he'd be a quality asset to our first team we'd have no need to ponder replacing.
Click to expand...

He's quality going forward but has always been very suspect defensively. He's a very good footballer but again, has never learned the positional side of the game.

I hope Rodgers persists with him but don't think he will. Flanagan and Moreno as your right and left backs.
 
Guy Incognito said:
Why haven't Liverpool addressed their defence yet?
Click to expand...

I think our problems in defence are more structural than personnel, fullback weakness aside.

Whereas we have distinct personnel problems in midfield and attack that are now being addressed.

New centrebacks might make our organisational issues easier to solve, but I wouldn't be surprised if we stick to a leftback for now.
 
Derek Acorah said:
He's quality going forward but has always been very suspect defensively. He's a very good footballer but again, has never learned the positional side of the game.

I hope Rodgers persists with him but don't think he will. Flanagan and Moreno as your right and left backs.
Click to expand...

Actually I think his positioning can be really good. It's his concentration that leaves him too often.

I remember a game last season where a dull and mostly invisible Johnson was replaced by Kelly - and suddenly the opposition was running rampant down our right. He's generally got the basics of shoring up his flank nailed down nicely.

Not so much that it makes up for the disappearance of his attacking game though. Without that, he is average.
 
Lallana's a good signing for Liverpool, hope they sign a few more good players like that.

I'm one of those fans who want our rivals to be strong as possible and the best players in the world playing in our league (I don't pay my Sky bill to see 200 Peter Crouch's) and since Liverpool are in the Champions League next season and are representing English football, i want them to be strong as possible so they can represent our league best they can.
 
Guy Incognito said:
Why haven't Liverpool addressed their defence yet?
Click to expand...

With Lallana's transfer out of the way it seems we could be going after Lovren who I am a big fan of. Not sure what's happening with the Moreno deal, though some of the more reliable LFC twitter heads say it's just stalled rather than off and can see us upping our offer slightly.
 
NoWinNoFee said:
Lallana's a good signing for Liverpool, hope they sign a few more good players like that.

I'm one of those fans who want our rivals to be strong as possible and the best players in the world playing in our league (I don't pay my Sky bill to see 200 Peter Crouch's) and since Liverpool are in the Champions League next season and are representing English football, i want them to be strong as possible so they can represent our league best they can.
Click to expand...

Don't agree at all. I want the exact opposite, I want them to be as weak as possible. We already have enough trouble with Chelsea and City having superior XI's to us, we don't need any additional trouble with Liverpool. We won't be saying the same stuff again if Arsenal and Liverpool strengthen to an extent where we won't be able to make it in the top 4 this year (again)
 
Bertrand and Lovren are apparently going to be our next targets. I'm happy with Lovren, but Bertrand makes me sad. He's not bad, he's just bang average.
 
I'd like me some ashley cole, tbh. Perfect solution for the moment.
 
Cole would be a good alternative if you fail in your pursuits of Moreno. Bertrand shouldn't come into consideration.
 
Our record without Suarez under Rodgers I think is 8 wins, 2 draws and a loss. The loss came against Southampton when we played with Aspas and four centre backs.
 
BarneyLFC said:
Bertrand and Lovren are apparently going to be our next targets. I'm happy with Lovren, but Bertrand makes me sad. He's not bad, he's just bang average.
Click to expand...

Rodgers knows Bertrand very well from his time at Chelsea so that's always a good sign for you.

I'd be happy for him to stay at Chelsea as backup for Azpili.
 
An Irish Red said:
What's the situation with Enrique? I've always thought he looked decent when I've watched you. Very strong player. Has he went off the boil or is it injuries or what?
Click to expand...

He spent most of last season out with injuries.

duffer said:
Rodgers knows Bertrand very well from his time at Chelsea so that's always a good sign for you.

I'd be happy for him to stay at Chelsea as backup for Azpili.
Click to expand...

Id be happy with him as a number 2 as well, but I don't think he's good enough to be first choice for us. If Rodgers helps develop him, then who knows.
 
Likewise, how many points did Suarez win for you last season? I don't know the exact figures, but it's a lot of points. It will be a significant blow to Liverpool as he's irreplaceable whatever way you look at it.
 
NoWinNoFee said:
Lallana's a good signing for Liverpool, hope they sign a few more good players like that.

I'm one of those fans who want our rivals to be strong as possible and the best players in the world playing in our league (I don't pay my Sky bill to see 200 Peter Crouch's) and since Liverpool are in the Champions League next season and are representing English football, i want them to be strong as possible so they can represent our league best they can.
Click to expand...
Who the feck do you support lad?
 
NoWinNoFee said:
Lallana's cost Liverpool £25 Million but I wish they'd paid double that, hope they sign a few Andy Carroll or Torres type flops though. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see them offload Suarez to Barca for a massive fee and then blow the whole lot on a couple of complete duffers.

I'm one of those fans who want our rivals to be relegated like Leeds were and the best players in the world playing for United (I don't pay my Sky bill to watch any teams other than United so frankly I don't give a sh*t) and since the dippers are in the Champions League next season that frees up a few Tuesday and Wednesday nights, even though i want them to do a City and get battered in all their group games.
Click to expand...

Corrected that for you, mate.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.