Width?

[El Jefecito]

An overlapping FB will allow the forward to cut into the box and hopefully be in a better poisition to score than if they'd hung out to provide the width.

[ScouseUK]

havnt we been here before with the signing full backs and although i like kuyts work effort i cant see myself beeing happy watching him as our winger for another season....

we havnt had a decent winger in years on either side,and wingbacks r not the answer to our problems,we need to wingers left and right who are gonna get to the bye line and cross and cross and cross some more,apart from babel this season on the left there has been no-one(carra when he played right back did it more than anyone else lol)....

if like people are saying we are gonna stick to the same formations as we have used this season then signing decent full backs and sticking with babel and kuyt as our wingers then we may aswell sit back and wait for a re run of this season

[El Jefecito]

havnt we been here before with the signing full backs and although i like kuyts work effort i cant see myself beeing happy watching him as our winger for another season....

we havnt had a decent winger in years on either side,and wingbacks r not the answer to our problems,we need to wingers left and right who are gonna get to the bye line and cross and cross and cross some more,apart from babel this season on the left there has been no-one(carra when he played right back did it more than anyone else lol)....

if like people are saying we are gonna stick to the same formations as we have used this season then signing decent full backs and sticking with babel and kuyt as our wingers then we may aswell sit back and wait for a re run of this season

I think, as far as Rafa is concerned, the day or true wingers is over. Players like are not so much wingers, but more like a typical wide forward in a 433. It's become clear by the way we play and the players we have signed that Rafa likes his forwards to cut inside and get numbers into the box. That's only been of limited success as we've not been able to stretch the defence before heading infield. That's where the FB/WBs come in. I think we can make it work and indeed most of the big teams in europe have gone this way.

Whether Kuyt is of the required quality to perform in the forward role, is another matter entirely.

[PTP]

I really don't care where our width come from, if Rafa is looking at this:

Reina
Degen Carragher Agger Dossena
Mascherano Barry
XXXXX Gerrard XXXXX
Torres

Then I don't mind the definition the X's falls into. We're over complicating things sometimes. I want those two to have pace, be able to beat their man and cross, possess good technique and have the ability to score goals on a consistent basis. If that's what wingers are, fine, if that's what wideattackingmidfielderswhodonthugthetouchline are, fine. We have Babel who can grow into the role, but he's not enough. Kuyt's not good enough and Benayoun's a better alternative for Gerrard's role rather than the wide role.

Whoever they are, this is where most of our transfer budget should be spent. If we sign top quality players for those spots, we'll be challenging. If we end up signing decent players who can do a job, we'll be looking at those two positions once again next summer.

I agree with that - with degen signed and many seem to think we will get this left back dude, those two positions are now vital!

if you take the team you have picked

Reina
Degen Carragher Agger Dossena
Mascherano Barry
XXXXX Gerrard XXXXX
Torres

and have the following as back up/rotating etc - I'd be happy

-----------experienced gk----------

Arbeloa ---Sami---Skirtel----Aurelio/insua

----------alonso---lucas/plessis------

Kuyt---------------------------Babel

------------Yossi/lucas----------

--------A new class striker/-------
plus a youngster coming through(nemeth?)


So if this Dossena is a done deal for £8m -

I'd like to see us spend £15mish on two wingers and say £10+ on another striker.

With the dead wood to be cleared out we could get say
£2m for finnan
£5m Riise
£10m Crouch
£6m Pennant
£6m Carson(probably tied in with a deal for barry)
A banana for Voronin
plus kewell's wages being freed up

our net spend shouldn't be too bad and i'd be quite happy with that! -ah well enough of the footnall manager dream posts!

[lfc1394]

An overlapping FB will allow the forward to cut into the box and hopefully be in a better poisition to score than if they'd hung out to provide the width.

I see what you are saying but I can't remember too many games where we haven't created decent goal scoring opportunities, I do remember a distinct lack of finishing. I would dearly like us to sign someone who will get goals, be it wide or a central player. In an ideal world I’d like us to sign a forward who can play either side of Torres and a creative playmaker who can play where Stevie does (obviously in addition to the full backs).

[El Jefecito]

I see what you are saying but I can't remember too many games where we haven't created decent goal scoring opportunities, I do remember a distinct lack of finishing. I would dearly like us to sign someone who will get goals, be it wide or a central player. In an ideal world I’d like us to sign a forward who can play either side of Torres and a creative playmaker who can play where Stevie does (obviously in addition to the full backs).

Me too. It's still early in the transfer season so hopefully we'll see some movement in that direction soon.