So, What do you really think of our Squad?

[Tee]

The players we have may actually be good enough but their mindset and mental strength is what is letting us down right now. We need 11 players who play with self belief, collective belief in each other and are not scared to express themselves.

I honestly believe Kenny can get this lot going and it would not surprise me to see us really pushing up the table sooner rather than later. Ideally we could do with 1 or 2 fresh faces to perk things up as well.

[Mattshark]

The players we have may actually be good enough but their mindset and mental strength is what is letting us down right now. We need 11 players who play with self belief, collective belief in each other and are not scared to express themselves.

I honestly believe Kenny can get this lot going and it would not surprise me to see us really pushing up the table sooner rather than later. Ideally we could do with 1 or 2 fresh faces to perk things up as well.

We could do with bringing in some strong leaders into our team.

[banditos]

I tend to think the main problem with our squad is not individual quality but a lack of players who get the best out of one another and a complete absence of intelligent leaders.

It looks like an exaggerated form of what it has been since the summer before last - a squad in transition but without the means to complete the job.

We still have quite a number of the players who got us second in 08/09. Unfortunately, players like Xabi and Sami were the intelligent leader type we really need and losing Mascher has left us withouth a terrier in midfield. Add to that the lack of confidence instilled by Bodge and a decent squad starts to look poor.

I agree we need a few players in, but don't underestimate how much a lack of confidence can make a good player look average.

[Tee]

We could do with bringing in some strong leaders into our team.

TBH I don't think we lack leaders, we just lack self confidence. I would like to see us bring in players whose first instinct when on the ball is to attack, who are direct and not scared to try things on the field.

We just have too many players who treat the football like a hot potato and more often than not pass sideways and backwards. Keeping possession is great but we need to be more constructive and attack minded when on the ball.

[Fernandinho]

I don't think the 08/09 team relates anymore. That team was on the rise and built up to that point. Key players have left and others have aged and are not the players they once were. Momentum was lost at the attitudes have changed. The Liverpool of 2011 is nothing like the time which finished in 2009 and rather than trying to build a team around the few remainding players from the 13 or 14players from that team who played week in week out, when the only players who are still young are Agger and Torres, is never going to happen. We need to build on the young while phasing the older players out...

[saj]

I said it from the second we signed him that he wasn't good enough and he isn't. Terrible signing. He's gutless, can't tackle, no pace and his passing is awful.

Who?

Referring to Agger I think.

Oh, Meireles.

Also, has anyone noticed how Torres gets pissed off at him whenever Meireles ****s up a pass

[Fernandinho]

Do Spaniards and Portugese people get along?

[Reece]

Do Spaniards and Portugese people get along?

No. None of them.

[dww]

TBH I don't think we lack leaders, we just lack self confidence. I would like to see us bring in players whose first instinct when on the ball is to attack, who are direct and not scared to try things on the field.

We just have too many players who treat the football like a hot potato and more often than not pass sideways and backwards. Keeping possession is great but we need to be more constructive and attack minded when on the ball.

I think this is to some degree a question of definition. I think part of what I would call leadership is the sort of players who do the sort of thing you are talking about.

Xabi and Hyypia are the two people I think we miss most. they kept calm and kept playing the same way in bad situations. Xabi also had an excellent tactical grasp of the game - knowing when to push and when to hold the midfield. I think players like that in the squad help people to do the right thing.

In some ways if that type of player has played in most games it seems to generate confidence more generally in the squad, helping players to believe that whoever they pass to will do a good job.

I think we need a Gary Mac or Xabi type player short term much more than we need the pace and width people talk about given our squad.

Our leaders, like Gerrard and Carragher, are all too hot headed, gung ho and prone to feel that the best thing would be if they tried to do everything in their department of the pitch. Also Carraghers more agricultural tendencies tend to be contagious.

[Frog83]

Alonso and Mascherano were instrumental in the successful run in 08/09! Neither were replaced successfully, although Aquilani proved a decent replacement the end of last season. We don't have that type of player anymore, a machine of the midfield that the opposition would struggle to cope with - just look at the number of tackles made on him/free kicks/red cards etc. As good as Lucas is it's a gradual improvement and I'm not entirely sure he's in the Xabi mould. As for Mascherano, we miss the constant 'hounding' of the opposition! A bit like Kuyt he had great stamina and would always press to win possession back. Poulsen is clearly not up to scratch in this area, mainly due to his age, and unless we sort this problem, along with a Xabi replacement we won't be aiming for a top 4 position for quite some time.

[Frog83]

I think this is to some degree a question of definition. I think part of what I would call leadership is the sort of players who do the sort of thing you are talking about.

Xabi and Hyypia are the two people I think we miss most. they kept calm and kept playing the same way in bad situations. Xabi also had an excellent tactical grasp of the game - knowing when to push and when to hold the midfield. I think players like that in the squad help people to do the right thing.

In some ways if that type of player has played in most games it seems to generate confidence more generally in the squad, helping players to believe that whoever they pass to will do a good job.

I think we need a Gary Mac or Xabi type player short term much more than we need the pace and width people talk about given our squad.

Our leaders, like Gerrard and Carragher, are all too hot headed, gung ho and prone to feel that the best thing would be if they tried to do everything in their department of the pitch. Also Carraghers more agricultural tendencies tend to be contagious.

[Fernandinho]

No. None of them.

you are so funny reese

[Drago]

It can't be understated how much we need genuine proper width. Even someone average would improve us no end. Like Riera did.

Also missing mascherano the little bollocks.

[barnes10]

as daft as it sounds, i think poulsen is meant to be xabi's replacement...

[Tee]

Loan Mascher back in anyone??? Do-able IMO.