Squad Depth

[Gibbo]

Isn't it refreshing to have it?!

We've had a bit of injury trouble but when everyone is fit we have a very strong squad - without trying to be kneejerk I think our squad is very capable of challenging for the top 4, I wasn't sure at first, ill be the first to admit it, but fair play to Rodgers and everyone involved.

[Gazzla]

Other than goalkeeper we have 2 very competent players for each position.

Central defense we have 4 genuine first team CB's in Agger, Toure, Sakho and Skrtel plus young players like Ilori, Wisdom and Coates which is as strong as we've ever been in that position.

Enrique and Cissokho for the left, Johnson and Kelly for the right with make shift fullbacks in wisdom, Toure and Agger if needs must.

Exciting forwards with Coutinho, Suarez, Sturridge and Moses plus the young talents of sterling, Ibe and unknown quantities like Aspas (who I have my doubts about) and Alberto although I haven't seen anything of him to know where his best position is. Plus we have the likes of Suso who will come back a better player and a talent in Texeria who is waiting to break through

Midfield is where I think we are still a bit light, Henderson has boundless energy and does a brilliant job for the team but doesn't seem to fit centrally into this formation which is where I think he will eventually flourish, Lucas and an aging Gerrard who are being very disciplined but maybe not capable of what they could do a couple of years ago and Allen who just seems very lightweight. Not too many options in there to change things around and that is what I would concentrate on in the January window

If we can get the balance right we have a great squad of players, compare this squad to the ****e Hodgson left us with and the state of the squad Rodgers inherited just over 12 months ago its like night and day

[baitman]

so much for squad depth

[poorscousertommy]

I would say we are lacking strong squad depth tbf.

Compared to the clubs we are challenging.

However, we are in a much better position than we were last year.

[Darkon]

We defo have a stronger squad than last year and more options coming off the bench. It's nice to be less reliant on youngsters.

Besides our center backs I however don't think the competition for a place in the starting 11 have become much stronger. We are still struggling to say there is genuine competition for most places. Gerrard, Lucas, Mignolet, Johnson, Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez are pretty much guarenteed a starting place no matter what. I almost assume it's the samme for Agger as well being promoted to vice-captain.

Stonger squad, but need more competition for the first 11.

[danperkins]

I would say we are lacking strong squad depth tbf.

Compared to the clubs we are challenging.

However, we are in a much better position than we were last year.

Agree with this, stronger squad than last season but still lacking in quality when compared to rivals. First 11 wasn't massively improved but sure still positive enough

[Muddled]

I agree with Darkon.

Although I'd very much like another goal threat from the bench ... a Hernandez or a Defoe* for example. Perhaps my want for a striker will ease when Suarez when returns.

* Not particularly those players as I don't rate Defoe, but that kinda option.

[calvoboy]

We are in a bit of a mini injury crisis at the moment though. What we learned last week is that if you take out our first choice left back, centre half, right back, number 10, and centre forward*, we're not strong enough to batter teams like Southampton and Swansea. I'm sure that goes for most of the league though, including one or two who finished above us last year.

Add in to that the fact that when they've been able to play in those games a few others have been carrying knocks or trying to gain match fitness - Sturridge, Moses, Sakho. Plus the fact that some of our squad players have also been injured - Kelly, Cissokho, Allen. We've done well to get to 10 points from 5 games in these circumstances.

There's a wider question about why we've picked up so many injuries, and why we tire so much in games. I remember a quote from Gerrard that this pre-season had been the toughest ever. Maybe we overdid it in a push for fitness and it left the squad too tired and injury prone? Who knows.

Overall our squad is definitely improved, but we're not a guaranteed top four side without a bit of luck on the injury and suspension front. Let's not underplay how unlucky we've been in that respect so far though.

[calvoboy]

That Gerrard quote:

Liverpool have been undertaking double training sessions for the majority of the days on their 2013 tour of Asia and Australia.

Gerrard acknowledges it's been tough going under the watchful eye of head of fitness and conditioning Ryland Morgans, but he's convinced the Reds will reap the benefits.

"It's been one of the toughest pre-seasons I've been through so far," he said. "Ryland joined us halfway through last season and I knew straight away when he come in he was a tough fitness coach - a really good fitness coach who gets as much as he can out of the lads but does it in the right way.

"So far, it's been brutal at times, but I am feeling the benefits at the moment of what is already in the bank.

"Hopefully we'll be that little bit more fitter in the coming weeks and we'll all be ready and raring to go against Stoke because that's the most important game."

[I, Ravel Morrison]

Sounds like Rodgers is following Rafa's approach to season-long fitness, overloading the training which tires them out in the second half of matches but we'll be in better shape for the long haul.

So it's about keeping up with the pack till Jan where we can get the desired reinforcements and reap the benefits of the overloading.

[Arn]

Sounds like Rodgers is following Rafa's approach to season-long fitness, overloading the training which tires them out in the second half of matches but we'll be in better shape for the long haul.

So it's about keeping up with the pack till Jan where we can get the desired reinforcements and reap the benefits of the overloading.

I don't think a young squad as ours can cope train that way. Then you also have to consider that we have a few players like Gerrard, Agger, Johnson, Kelly and Sturridge that have a bad injury record and because of that shouldn't train more than they need to.

[I, Ravel Morrison]

I don't think a young squad as ours can cope train that way. Then you also have to consider that we have a few players like Gerrard, Agger, Johnson, Kelly and Sturridge that have a bad injury record and because of that shouldn't train more than they need to.

I think while the overall training plan is overloading, each player will have their own unique programme tailored to their individual fitness goals. Believe Rodgers mentioned something to this effect in an interview.

[Arn]

I would also add that if you overtrain then it could set you back a lot and can take a long time to recover from.

Many top class sportsmen/women had that problem and it took years to fully recover.

[Arn]

I think while the overall training plan is overloading, each player will have their own unique programme tailored to their individual fitness goals. Believe Rodgers mentioned something to this effect in an interview.

So far it looks like we got the pre-season traing totally wrong and trained way to much but as you mentioned we will have to wait and see a few months if it will pay off later.

[PTP]

shame we've had so many injuries so quickly plus the suarez ban for 6 games.

think i am correct in saying,

Kelly
Wisdom
Coates
Agger
Toure
Enrique
Cissokho
Allen
Coutinho
Sturridge

That's 10 players with some sort of fitness/injury issue, plus Suarez banned - and we are only 5 league games in especially as they are mostly what you would call first teamers

i think any team would struggle with that.

Overall, i still believe, as we don't have the extra european games, then with luck on injuries we have enough quality for the season

but i do feel a couple injuries/suspensions or a couple players not in form in key areas could be very costly.

Also - i know it's early days but Alberto/Aspas I just can't see contributing anything - whilst personally i wasn't expecting much from either so didn't have as high hopes as some, i did still think they'd be good enough to give some decent cover over the season

Alberto - i won't be so critical as he is young, however my worry is for me our midfield is where we lack the most strength in depth, and i don't think he really covers it enough.

Aspas - he just looks like he's won a competition to spend time with us.


Overall - i feel we lack 3 players.

1 - a decent back up keeper

2 - a very good centre mid

3 - another good attacking option.


if we can get through the next month or so, without more injuries and get everyone back fit - then i don't think we will have a problem

but, lets say, lucas gets injured/gerrard gets suspended and we miss them for 3 games

i think we'd be ****ed. A midfield trio of Allen/Henderson/Alberto - **** the bed. Even if coutinho was moved in there instead of Alberto, if we are playing a decent team with strong midfielders we'll be ****ed over

Same up front - Sturridge/Suarez both out for a few games - ****ed.


We are better than we have been for a while, in fact as strong a squad we have had in a while and encouragingly all bar gerrard are the right side of 30.

Personally though, i think an experienced midfielder and goalscorer, decent quality, not too expensive, would do us a lot of good.