Our next problem

[The Birdman]

First things first, the fact that these youngsters are doing so well is fantastic and huge credit needs to go to Rafa, McParland, Segura, Borrell and Kenny for implimenting and believing in the youth set up.
It's given all of us renewed hope and it is fun supporting the club again but I think a lot of us fans still need to accept that we are nowhere near competing for the top 4 and as good as these lads may become it could still be 3-4 years away.
We are going to have as many infuriatingly frustrating performances and poor results as we are comprehensive victorys

Kelly, Wisdom, Coates, Robinson, Sterling, Shelvey, Suso, Henderson, Borini, Allen, Morgan, Yesil, Sinclair are all 22 or younger. Add in all the others who are younger again like Brad Smith, MacLaughlin, Ngoo, Ibe, Sama

Suso and Sterling won't be in their peak years for another 10 years, 10 ****ing years.
Gerrard is still our best player, the penny seems to have dropped for him with the system as he was excellent against Man U yet he has maybe 2 years left as a top level footballer.

Our biggest problem as a football club now is managing the inconsistant performances of these youngsters because it will happen, not to get overly frustrated if we don't take 9 points from the next 3 games and the single most important thing on the pitch to get right are the players Rodgers signs in January and next summer.

We have a ridiculously promising crop of young players, the reality is not all of them will progress into regular starters year in year out, the best ever Liverpool footballer I have seen is closer to retirement than he is being able to play 40 games a season.

We all know FSG's philosophy of buying young etc... but we are crying out for 3-4 established footballers who can come straight into the side/squad and feature week in week out over 50 games. These types of players are normally 25-30 in age and will come at a premium.
We desperately need a left back, midfielder and 2 forwards/wingers otherwise we will burn Sterling, Borini, Shelvey and Suso out.

These young lads we have are the icing on the top, Rodgers and FSG need to find the pieces to complete the jigsaw otherwise they'll all get picked off 1 by 1 by the likes of City, Chelsea, Madrid and Barca and we'll be back to square one.

Roll on Norwich

[Norbs]

Before our approach was to get 3 or 4 outstanding players and fit an average bunch around them, as this was all our budget could afford. We lacked any long term vision and maintained a hefty reliance on the shear tenacity of Gerrard to drag the rest up. We lacked leadership off the field in my opinion and relied too much on the players to make it happen. For how long have we seen that we seem to batter the opponents yet always lose to a breakaway goal, that we dominate possession and have more chances yet still lose? I think this is a poor structure to our game, we often look disjointed and dare I say clueless.

Watching us this season we've shown a willingness to receive the ball which I've not witnessed before, young players knowing what they should be doing and not needing on the job training (think Carra and Flanagan). We have players who can pass, they just didn't know the positional element so passing was pointless. I'm simplifying it for myself really but if I can see it then I reckon the majority on here who are far more astute than me are being slapped in the face with it.

So in answer to your post, I don't think the personnel are as important now as they were before. We're no longer a '1 man' or '2 man' team. We're an 11 man team and beyond that, we have a interchangeable squad without an over reliance on anyone. That's what's going to stand us on a stronger footing going forward. That's what's going to stop us getting shafted in the future

[Phoenix07]

One of my worries is the mentality issue, some thinking they've made it, and it's up to Rodgers to show them that they haven't.

He said whilst at Swansea that he likes to turnover players regularly, in and out, so I wouldn't worry about us needing to bring in 3-4 established players. I think Rodgers knows that. What is critical is that we ship out the remnants not wanted and ensure they are replaced (Downing, Carroll, maybe Henderson since he was trying to offload him onto Fulham, but I'd disagree with that move, Enrique, Cole, Spearing). Rodgers needs funds in January, but we don't have much left.

For what it's worth, I think we'll spend big next summer. No compensation deals and those above will hopefully be offloaded (bar Henderson).

[red g]

If we get rid of those you mention And promote the likes of Suso/Sterling/Wisdom etc to squad players next season, We will save a fortune and I think you are right, this will let us spend big on a couple of established players yet save a fortune on weekly wages.

[Fosterbloke]

I think we'll be looking at marquee signings assuming we make it to the top 4. Then again even if we don't make it this season, we can appeal to a player's sense of leadership by saying they can help lead and mould the next generation of Liverpool players to make the push.

One only has to watch how we're playing and witness the promise in the squad to see that we're on our way.

[The Birdman]

It's still a worry to me that the players we are talking about stepping up and relying on are 18/19 years old.
These boys, as good as they may end up being should be 20 games a season at that age.

I know he has only played 2 games but if Assaidi continues how he played last night Rodgers has shown he has an eye for a unknown foreign player that suits his system.

I'm really, really hopeful and confident but honestly think we need to add in 3-4 experienced players to allow the youngsters to develop in their own time without over playing them.

[BigChief]

I don't see any problems for our future. Only opportunities.

[~LFCHistory~]

Another positive that I can see from promoting reserve players into the first team is that we won't have to spend any more money on squad players that are often on high wages. This means that hopefully from now we'll only buy genuine first class players who will go into the starting 11.

We still need a striker though, I believe we'll be active in the January transfer window and as I've posted before Llorente, Walcott and Huntelaar will all be down to the last 6 months of their contracts in January, we'll hopefully be in for at least 1 of them.

[yamiedo]

Another positive that I can see from promoting reserve players into the first team is that we won't have to spend any more money on squad players that are often on high wages. This means that hopefully from now we'll only buy genuine first class players who will go into the starting 11.

We still need a striker though, I believe we'll be active in the January transfer window and as I've posted before Llorente, Walcott and Huntelaar will all be down to the last 6 months of their contracts in January, we'll hopefully be in for at least 1 of them.

Unless we show a major improvement with results then I think Llorente and Huntelaar are out of range. Walcott may be possible but I'd even doubt he'd leave

[Fosterbloke]

We still need a striker though, I believe we'll be active in the January transfer window and as I've posted before Llorente, Walcott and Huntelaar will all be down to the last 6 months of their contracts in January, we'll hopefully be in for at least 1 of them.

Any one of them would command decent wages but I guess that's offset against the zero transfer fee. Perhaps only Walcott fits our system right now? I really don't know.

[Norbs]

Unless we show a major improvement with results then I think Llorente and Huntelaar are out of range. Walcott may be possible but I'd even doubt he'd leave

Massive difference between who is available and who we can actually convince to come here. Not bothered about Walcott as we have better prospects already here on far lower wages. Huntelaar will have plenty of better options, Llorente is a pipe dream. I'm guessing that we'll sign someone who BR knows will fit in but who none of us had considered

[baitman]

Unless we show a major improvement with results then I think Llorente and Huntelaar are out of range. Walcott may be possible but I'd even doubt he'd leave

walcott has said he wants to be CF, but i dont think he would cut it for arsenal or us.
would he be better for us on the RW than sterling or assaidi... fee... wages...

i can see us hunting the dutch league for top quality young talent. they will see young lads actually getting game time at Liverpool and want some of that.

we will need to make sure the star youngsters are tied down to tight contracts cos sooner or later the bigger sharks will be coming around. so long as we can get a production line of quality yougsters sorted. we would obviously prefer them to stay, but then if they leave and we recover some massive fee then so be it.

[~LFCHistory~]

Unless we show a major improvement with results then I think Llorente and Huntelaar are out of range. Walcott may be possible but I'd even doubt he'd leave

You doubt Walcott would leave Arsenal ?? Everything would indicate that he's set on leaving - not signing a new contract and complaining to the press about not being used as a striker.

Llorente would be difficult to get granted but Huntelaar is not out of our league IMO.

[Norbs]

You doubt Walcott would leave Arsenal ?? Everything would indicate that he's set on leaving - not signing a new contract and complaining to the press about not being used as a striker.

Llorente would be difficult to get granted but Huntelaar is not out of our league IMO.

Walcott will go to City if he goes anywhere on a free. Not that they need him, nor will he improve them. I know he's said he's a Liverpool fan but I can't imagine him thinking he's progressing his career coming here. He's got a hugely inflated opinion of himself unfortunately

[Mostar]

First things first, the fact that these youngsters are doing so well is fantastic and huge credit needs to go to Rafa, McParland, Segura, Borrell and Kenny for implimenting and believing in the youth set up.
It's given all of us renewed hope and it is fun supporting the club again but I think a lot of us fans still need to accept that we are nowhere near competing for the top 4 and as good as these lads may become it could still be 3-4 years away.
We are going to have as many infuriatingly frustrating performances and poor results as we are comprehensive victorys

Kelly, Wisdom, Coates, Robinson, Sterling, Shelvey, Suso, Henderson, Borini, Allen, Morgan, Yesil, Sinclair are all 22 or younger. Add in all the others who are younger again like Brad Smith, MacLaughlin, Ngoo, Ibe, Sama

Suso and Sterling won't be in their peak years for another 10 years, 10 ****ing years.
Gerrard is still our best player, the penny seems to have dropped for him with the system as he was excellent against Man U yet he has maybe 2 years left as a top level footballer.

Our biggest problem as a football club now is managing the inconsistant performances of these youngsters because it will happen, not to get overly frustrated if we don't take 9 points from the next 3 games and the single most important thing on the pitch to get right are the players Rodgers signs in January and next summer.

We have a ridiculously promising crop of young players, the reality is not all of them will progress into regular starters year in year out, the best ever Liverpool footballer I have seen is closer to retirement than he is being able to play 40 games a season.

We all know FSG's philosophy of buying young etc... but we are crying out for 3-4 established footballers who can come straight into the side/squad and feature week in week out over 50 games. These types of players are normally 25-30 in age and will come at a premium.
We desperately need a left back, midfielder and 2 forwards/wingers otherwise we will burn Sterling, Borini, Shelvey and Suso out.

These young lads we have are the icing on the top, Rodgers and FSG need to find the pieces to complete the jigsaw otherwise they'll all get picked off 1 by 1 by the likes of City, Chelsea, Madrid and Barca and we'll be back to square one.

Roll on Norwich

I disagree.

Imo he is not our best player for sometime now.

Stevie will still have some very good games like vs Manchester United but he is lacking consistency that is expected from the best players.