If all our players were fit

[Sir Bob]

---------- -Reina------------
Finnan---Carra----Agger----Arbeloa
Yossi----SG-----Masher-----Pennant
--------Crouch-----Torres

[Los Rojos]

It's funny to see Kewell is everyone's side. We must be getting desperate if we think Harry's going to be our saviour

[Los Rojos]

It's funny to see Kewell is everyone's side. We must be getting desperate if we think Harry's going to be our saviour

---------- -Reina------------
Finnan---Carra----Agger----Arbeloa
Yossi----SG-----Masher-----Pennant
--------Crouch-----Torres

Sir Bob to the rescue immediately

[Red_Polo]

Well if fit he is clearly our best LM

It's just the size of the 'if' that's the problem

[kev776]

Playing with no keeper's a bit dodgy

thats the secret plan, allows me to bring on crouchy when no ones looking

[Nic83]

Easy:

Reina
Finnan
JAR
Carra
Agger
Chabbi
Gerrard
Benayoun
babel
Crouch
Torres

If Kewell was firing he'd be in there.

[Shaggy]

Can't believe Riise's been included in more than one team at left-back. You must be watching someone else.

[mersey86]

Fit, and on form.

Reina; Finnan, Carra, Agger, Arbeloa; Pennant, Gerrard, Alonso(home)/Mascher(away), Yossi; Torres, Kuyt

[JohnDoe]

I'll be different:

Reina
Finnan Carragher Agger Arbeloa
Pennant Alonso Gerrard Kewell
Torres Benayoun

[red g]

i thought this was a torres love in thread

[El Jefecito]

who would be your first 11?

Reina
Finnan Carra Agger Arbeloa
Alonso Masch
Yossi Gerrard Kewell
Torres

for me

Me too, as long as SG is playing behind the ball and not with his back to goal like in the early part of the Blackburn game. Thats not his style and he is wasted there.

Maybe what I am looking for is more of a 4321.

[AFII]

Reina
Finnan Carra Agger Aurelio
Alonso Mascherano
Babel Gerrard Kewell
Torres

[the rev leeroy brown]

seems to be the favoured line up. mine the same:

reina
finnan carra agger arbeloa
alonso mascherano
benni gerrard kewell
torres

subs
itandje
aurelio
lucas
babel
kyut

[Sir Bob]

I think this thread highlights one of our main problems, we don't have a clearly defined first 11. Only Reina, Carra, Agger, Sg & Torres get in just about everybodys team, the other 6 places are up for grabs. If you did the same exercise with the Chelsea, Ar5e & the mancs I reckon about 9 or 10 players would be in nearly every team.

The only part of our team were nearly everyone agrees is the defence, strangely enough the only bit of the team which is hardly rotated.

Our left backs, wide players and 2nd striker are all much of a muchness, good strength in depth but lacking real top quality players

[El Jefecito]

I think this thread highlights one of our main problems, we don't have a clearly defined first 11. Only Reina, Carra, Agger, Sg & Torres get in just about everybodys team, the other 6 places are up for grabs. If you did the same exercise with the Chelsea, Ar5e & the mancs I reckon about 9 or 10 players would be in nearly every team.

The only part of our team were nearly everyone agrees is the defence, strangely enough the only bit of the team which is hardly rotated.

Agree, they tend to do less KM so it's unlikely that you need to rotate them on the basis of fitness (Hyypia aside). Rafa does however rotate the full backs quite often, it's just that there have been so many injuries that he hasn't been able to do it so much.

The thing about the best 11, I think is a bit of a red herring. I don't think (and don't believe Rafa does either) that there is 1 best team. I think he thinks that there is a best team for each type of opponent.

If a team is going to sit deep then you would want a different line up than when you are likely to get a load of counter attacks.

Is the team soft like Derby, or tough like Blackburn. In each of those situations a different mix of players is going to bring the best attributes for that type of opposition.

He knows his core (as you identified). The rest he picks on the basis of fitness and playing style. That's my take anyway.