Our Rivals Squad's next year - Liverpool 2015/2016
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And yet, without any strikers and players just that bad in those positions, we finished 8 points behind you.
I expect solid improvement this season mostly because it ought to be fairly simple to improve on having completely substandard strikers and a zombie rightback.
But they are an upgrade? Appears we do agree.
I'm not suggesting they are replacing rich quality but these signings are improvements.
Ha, you're right there. Similar to us mending our perennially leaky midfield - I'm optimistic that our signings there will have a big impact on our consistency and balance. I think a fair few managers in world football ought to be reminded of the old adage about correcting your weaknesses before improving your strengths!
I'm expecting a lot from Benteke, think he's quality. If since the summer of 2012 only 5 players have outscored you in 3 full seasons while playing for Aston Villa then you're definitely not some big lump.
We got rid of Gerrard. Finally. You talk of strenthening your midfield to bring about balance and order in the rest of your team.....we were riding a huge bike uphill with square wheels with Gerrard in the middle all of last season.
No one seems to have noticed this.
None of which supports your view, in fact you are clearly contradicting yourself, that our transfers this Summer are not upgrades.
Inspired by the RAWK thread and their world class squad every August.
What do we think it really is? For me:
De Gea >>> Mignolet
Darmian = Clyne
Smalling = Skrtel
Rojo > Sakho
Shaw = Moreno
Schweinsteiger >>>>.......>>> Lucas
Herrera >> Henderson
Schneid > Milner
Mata = Coutinho
Depay = Firmino
Rooney >> Sturridge/Benteke
What do we think it really is? For me:
De Gea >>> Mignolet
Darmian = Clyne
Smalling = Skrtel
Rojo > Sakho
Shaw = Moreno
Schweinsteiger >>>>.......>>> Lucas
Herrera >> Henderson
Schneid > Milner
Mata = Coutinho
Depay = Firmino
Rooney >> Sturridge/Benteke
In my opinion, and I'm basing this on recent form.
De Gea >>> Mignolet
Darmian << Clyne (Clyne has already played in the league and just came of a good season. Serie A players have been flopping in recent seasons so who knows how Darmian will get on)
Smalling = Skrtel
Rojo = Sakho (Both finding it hard to adjust)
Shaw = Moreno
Schweinsteiger >>> Lucas
Herrera = Henderson
Schneid > Milner
Mata = Coutinho
Depay = Firmino
Rooney = Sturridge/Benteke
Indeed
De Gea ?
He's a goalkeeper for Manchester United.
Romero = Mignolet ( I guess you are going to sign Cillesson - *spelling* - in which case he'd edge it. Ming was much better over the 2nd half of the season due to changes made in the way he treated specific situations, however most people remember the 1st half).
Darmian << Clyne (Darmian has it to prove in the PL, both are internationals).
Smalling = Skrtel
Rojo = Sakho (I believe Skho has a higher 'ceiling' if given a run in the team).
Shaw = I think Gomez is taking over that slot and if his PL performances are anything like in the friendlies and in the Championship last season, then he could be better).
Schweinsteiger > Lucas
Herrera = Henderson (totally different players, it would be hard to convince me either is better than the other since their individual talents are so disparate)
Schneid < Milner (I guess it's because Schneiderlin now plays for United he is being rated higher
though essentially totally different players again)Mata < Coutinho (all day every day for me, the little magician. Always liked Mata but he far less consistent than Coutinho and can disappear completely from some matches)
Depay = Firmino (who knows)
Rooney = Sturridge/Benteke (I rate Rooney as a striker, however currently at Sturridge's level (when he's fit) ? Naaah. Benteke we'll have to see.
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Not for long.
You might be right, but as of now he's a United goalkeeper and a significantly superior to Mignolet.
Not according to LvG
Why, did LVG list his Liverpool/United combined eleven in the presser too?Not according to LvG
Coutinho more consistent than Mata. Classic. The idea that Coutinho is better than Mata is pretty stupid in itself, but consistency? Coutinho is a 1 in 5 guy. Just because he's Liverpool's most talented player - not hard, is it? - doesn't suddenly elevate his actual performances.
Actually Rafateria's post is awful from top to bottom.
Actually Rafateria's post is awful from top to bottom.
Missed this post.Romero = Mignolet ( I guess you are going to sign Cillesson - *spelling* - in which case he'd edge it. Ming was much better over the 2nd half of the season due to changes made in the way he treated specific situations, however most people remember the 1st half).
Darmian << Clyne (Darmian has it to prove in the PL, both are internationals).
Smalling = Skrtel
Rojo = Sakho (I believe Skho has a higher 'ceiling' if given a run in the team).
Shaw = Moreno (however I think Gomez is taking over that slot and if his PL performances are anything like in the friendlies and in the Championship last season, then he could be better).
Schweinsteiger > Lucas
Herrera = Henderson (totally different players, it would be hard to convince me either is better than the other since their individual talents are so disparate)
Schneid < Milner (I guess it's because Schneiderlin now plays for United he is being rated higher
Mata < Coutinho (all day every day for me, the little magician. Always liked Mata but he far less consistent than Coutinho and can disappear completely from some matches)
Depay = Firmino (who knows)
Rooney = Sturridge/Benteke (I rate Rooney as a striker, however currently at Sturridge's level (when he's fit) ? Naaah. Benteke we'll have to see.
Few contentious decisions there I would strongly argue against. I'll give you Clyne as he is PL proven, but it's still marginal and Darmian can translate his form for the national team and his previous club over to us then I would prefer him.
Moreno was a bit calamitous at times for Liverpool last season, particularly in the latter stages of the season. The only thing holding back Shaw is injuries and fitness issues, otherwise I'd say there's clear daylight between the two. Particularly from a defensive perspective where Shaw is generally very solid.
That's an utterly atrocious point on Schneiderlin which surprises me when it comes from someone infatuated by statistics. I could post that Sky Sports article stating that Schneiderlin more or less trumps every PL defensive midfielder in every department last season, except for Matic. It's bollocks to suggest United fan are overrating him now. He was genuinly excellent for Southampton and the main question mark is whether he can step it up for a bigger club.
He's had a better two seasons than Mata. Mata has had far less moments of real quality in that period.
If it were Shaw vs Moreno .. no contest, however Gomez looks the real deal so jury is out on that one for a few weeks.
Schneiderlin ; you completely missed the gist of my comment which was that those two players are generally incomparable since they are so different. Schn vs Lucas perhaps ? However Milner operates in a completely different area of the pitch and his energy and versatility give him the edge, if I had to choose one over the other (though we have more desperate a need for a Schneiderlin).
Romero = Mignolet ( I guess you are going to sign Cillesson - *spelling* - in which case he'd edge it. Ming was much better over the 2nd half of the season due to changes made in the way he treated specific situations, however most people remember the 1st half).
Darmian << Clyne (Darmian has it to prove in the PL, both are internationals).
Smalling = Skrtel
Rojo = Sakho (I believe Skho has a higher 'ceiling' if given a run in the team).
Shaw = Moreno (however I think Gomez is taking over that slot and if his PL performances are anything like in the friendlies and in the Championship last season, then he could be better).
Schweinsteiger > Lucas
Herrera = Henderson (totally different players, it would be hard to convince me either is better than the other since their individual talents are so disparate)
Schneid < Milner (I guess it's because Schneiderlin now plays for United he is being rated higher
Mata < Coutinho (s)
Depay = Firmino (who knows)
Rooney = Sturridge/Benteke (I rate Rooney as a striker, however currently at Sturridge's level (when he's fit) ? Naaah. Benteke we'll have to see.
1. Darmian was chosen as best Italian player of 2014 something that cannot be said for dossena or whoever you are thinking of. Clyne has played one game for England and isn't really preferred to the likes of Jones or chambers. Plus I think you learnt from Lovren that having PL experience isn't really a big deal. Maybe darmian is a little more than Clyne in propensity to flop but not by a huge margin like your '<<' seems to indicate.
2. You have to be kidding with the Shaw = Moreno. Moreno had defensive nightmares against all the big teams. Shaw when fit was brilliant as a left back. Defensively solid and good going forward. Not to mention Shaw was amazing in preseason. Even Blind was a better LB than Moreno last season imo.
3. Coutinho for me is the definition of inconsistency. He went missing against all the top 4 teams when it matters(except city at home). He scored a couple of goals against Southampton Blackburn and the likes but was invisible vs arsenal United etc. You may argue that he was in team of the year and was nominated for player of the year but for me I personally think you guys are overrating coutinho a bit.
4. Schneiderlin was arguably the best DM after matic last season. That is why people think he is really good. Milner is a good player but again he isn't a DM (as you said).
Of course all these are subject to a lot of things though like whether darmian and Schneiderlin will step up well (initial signs prove yes but then again it was only preseason)
Shaw is a much better player than Moreno. All those saying they are equal have it wrong IMO. Moreno is such a liability defensively.
13/14 mourinho benched mata for most of the first half and he joined moyes' confidence stripped team and played as a winger. He did score about 5-6 goals and 4-5 assists mind you.
14/15 is debatable. He has more goals than coutinho. Even though he was benched for almost 2 months entirely. He scored vs city Liverpool (3 goals). In addition he was key for most of the second half of the season and against arsenal Spurs etc.
Coutinho has moments of quality and then will be passenger for the rest of the game. As evidenced by the match at anfield where he assisted a goal but other than that has only a long range attempt to show for. That's the definition of inconsistency according to me
Anyone spot the hypocrisy?
Romero = Mignolet ( I guess you are going to sign Cillesson - *spelling* - in which case he'd edge it. Ming was much better over the 2nd half of the season due to changes made in the way he treated specific situations, however most people remember the 1st half).
Darmian << Clyne (Darmian has it to prove in the PL, both are internationals).
Smalling = Skrtel
Rojo = Sakho (I believe Skho has a higher 'ceiling' if given a run in the team).
Shaw = Moreno (however I think Gomez is taking over that slot and if his PL performances are anything like in the friendlies and in the Championship last season, then he could be better).
Schweinsteiger > Lucas
Herrera = Henderson (totally different players, it would be hard to convince me either is better than the other since their individual talents are so disparate)
Schneid < Milner (I guess it's because Schneiderlin now plays for United he is being rated higher
Mata < Coutinho (all day every day for me, the little magician. Always liked Mata but he far less consistent than Coutinho and can disappear completely from some matches)
Depay = Firmino (who knows)
Rooney = Sturridge/Benteke (I rate Rooney as a striker, however currently at Sturridge's level (when he's fit) ? Naaah. Benteke we'll have to see.
You're justification for clyne being much better than darmian is he is premier league proven. So how come you think Gomez. Who is yet to play in the premier league is going to be better than shaw after a few weeks.
Bingo, see above
Great minds...
1. Why am I thinking of anyone but Darmian ? Fact is historically most Italians have not performed well in the PL. There are some exceptions but not many so definitely the jury is out there and I'd take Clyne not only for being PL proven but for his pre-season performances where he slotted seemlessly into the team and is a notable upgrade on Johnson.
2. I should correct/clarify that Shaw/Moreno/Gomez line as you can see in a subsequent post I was not referring to Moreno with the = sign as I clearly state Shaw is far better than Moreno.
3. Coutinho rarely goes missing and it's unfair to point a finger at matches against the Top 4 - it's a team game and he can't be expected to be both provider and scorer when it should be remembered that last season there was literally no-one ahead of him making runs and we were virtually a strikerless team. His personal value and performances were rarely doubted though.
Golden Blunder by name .......
Read it again, the reasoning couldn't be more different from Darmian's.
So the Shaw/Moreno/Gomez debacle ends up like this: Shaw is better than Moreno but because Gomez (who has yet to play in the PL) looks a talent I'll put them as equally good. How? It's either Shaw > Moreno or Shaw > Gomez. It can't be Shaw = (Gomez + Moreno) or whatever it is you're trying to do.
I thought Gomez was a centre back by the way, but I haven't paid attention.
The second someone uses "far more consistent" as a positive for Coutinho over pretty much any player... you know the person making it is a Liverpool fan. Especially when it's vs Mata; probably one of the most consistently efficient players in the Premier League.
That's before we even talk about Moreno/Gomes. One has flopped in the Premier League, one has never even played in it.
That's before we even talk about Moreno/Gomes. One has flopped in the Premier League, one has never even played in it.
Where did I say ' a few weeks ' ?
Why do I think Gomez *could be better* (my actual words) ? Because I've seen Shaw play in the PL for the past 2 seasons and whilst he is a good defender I don't think he's exceptional, as an attacker he's hot and cold.
Gomez has looked amazing for such a young lad, super calm, pacey, very strong, tall and good in the tackle and well as technically very adept, playing 24 games as a CB in the Championship means he's certainly no pushover. Rodgers obviously agrees.
Just love what I've seen and hope over the course of the season he'll justify my confidence in him.
It's not
You say Clyne better than darmian because of PL experience.
You then say Gomez will be better than the others because he looked good in the championship and friendlies.
Hypocrite.
He can play anywhere across the Back 4. See my post above.
He hasn't played in the PL...
For United?
The more you think about it, the weirder it gets Shaw = Moreno because Gomez looks promising. Alright.
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