Our Team for Next season and the Squad in general

[Daffy Duck]

He is a squaddie nothing else. Every time I have seen him I have never thought he lived up to the sort of standard expected.

Im all for having my opinion altered though.

That's probably true, but it would be nice having squaddies from our own academy for a change, rather than paying 15-20m for them

[Doc_Piptorious]

If we want to be considered a top side, we need to invest heavily. I really don't think we have a single player that could be considered one of the top 50 players in Europe at the moment. The closest we've got would have to be Sterling and Coutihno, and Sterling may be off this Summer (after having a pretty average season).

Its not just about improving the team either. This Summer more than most we need to send a message out that we're still able to share a table with the big boys, even if it is the chair squeezed in against a radiator at the end of the table which nobody else wants.

To be fair I think if a list of the top 50 players in Europe was made right now, probably close to 30 of them would come from the four CL semi finalists.


I agree that genuine quality is needed, but there are a hell of a lot of quality players that don't make the top 50 lists.


Guys like Lacazette, Abameyang, Pjanic, Nainggolan, Kovacic, Inigo Martinez, and Kondogbia have all been linked to us, and none of them came within an asses roar of the Top 50 list that was published at the start of the current season, but I think they are all players who would add much needed, and genuine, quality to our first team.

[tanner]

To be fair I think if a list of the top 50 players in Europe was made right now, probably close to 30 of them would come from the four CL semi finalists.


I agree that genuine quality is needed, but there are a hell of a lot of quality players that don't make the top 50 lists.


Guys like Lacazette, Abameyang, Pjanic, Nainggolan, Kovacic, Inigo Martinez, and Kondogbia have all been linked to us, and none of them came within an asses roar of the Top 50 list that was published at the start of the current season, but I think they are all players who would add much needed, and genuine, quality to our first team.

My point was more in setting the scope of where we are as a club at the moment. Even though we haven't been winning the league for way too long, we've always had one of the top players, Suarez, Gerrard, Torres, Alonso...

This is the first period I can remember where this hasn't been the case and I think its very significant.

[Alex]

That's probably true, but it would be nice having squaddies from our own academy for a change, rather than paying 15-20m for them

Thats a good point

[Doc_Piptorious]

My point was more in setting the scope of where we are as a club at the moment. Even though we haven't been winning the league for way too long, we've always had one of the top players, Suarez, Gerrard, Torres, Alonso...

This is the first period I can remember where this hasn't been the case and I think its very significant.

If Sturridge had not been made of biscuits this season then he may well have been one of the top players. He certainly showed the potential to be one last season.

And maybe someone we buy this summer will go on to be our next top player afterall none of the four players you mentioned were anywhere close to being a top player when they first were put into our first team and they all developed into top players during their time with us.


The end of the summer window will tell us where we stand in terms of quality or rather potential quality, and at that point we will be better able to gauge whether we have cause to be optimistic or pessimistic about the coming season.

[DannyMan2006]

On Andre Wisdom, been jettisoned by Pulis because he went to a "back to basics" approach with regards defending. They also became assured of safety quite early on under Pulis, makes sense to not play loan players at that point unless they are far superior to what you have.

Have to say that when Andre was originally in our team he did quite well, just seemed to lack a little experience. I think with our priorities lying elsewhere this summer, its right to give our own young players a chance.

He likely gets half a season to nail down a first team spot, come January Flanno will be close to coming back and then we will have a bit of competition for the full back slots. I imagine that after signing Moreno it was thought that Flanno would take the RB slot.

It probably wouldn't be the best use of £12m to get a decent RB if we have two right backs on our books who in a years time will be good premiership players. Plus of course we have Manquillo, who again looked decent early doors and only really lost his place when we reverted to a back three.

And thats without mentioning whoever we have in the Academy. If our squad was overflowing with quality elsewhere i would say we need a RB. But after thinking on it, i think this a role that can wait for 6-12 months and then have another look.

[Doc_Piptorious]

On Andre Wisdom, been jettisoned by Pulis because he went to a "back to basics" approach with regards defending. They also became assured of safety quite early on under Pulis, makes sense to not play loan players at that point unless they are far superior to what you have.

Have to say that when Andre was originally in our team he did quite well, just seemed to lack a little experience. I think with our priorities lying elsewhere this summer, its right to give our own young players a chance.

He likely gets half a season to nail down a first team spot, come January Flanno will be close to coming back and then we will have a bit of competition for the full back slots. I imagine that after signing Moreno it was thought that Flanno would take the RB slot.

It probably wouldn't be the best use of £12m to get a decent RB if we have two right backs on our books who in a years time will be good premiership players. Plus of course we have Manquillo, who again looked decent early doors and only really lost his place when we reverted to a back three.

And thats without mentioning whoever we have in the Academy. If our squad was overflowing with quality elsewhere i would say we need a RB. But after thinking on it, i think this a role that can wait for 6-12 months and then have another look.

Thought Flanagan was a free agent come the summer?

[Maxiedge]

On Andre Wisdom, been jettisoned by Pulis because he went to a "back to basics" approach with regards defending. They also became assured of safety quite early on under Pulis, makes sense to not play loan players at that point unless they are far superior to what you have.

Have to say that when Andre was originally in our team he did quite well, just seemed to lack a little experience. I think with our priorities lying elsewhere this summer, its right to give our own young players a chance.

He likely gets half a season to nail down a first team spot, come January Flanno will be close to coming back and then we will have a bit of competition for the full back slots. I imagine that after signing Moreno it was thought that Flanno would take the RB slot.

It probably wouldn't be the best use of £12m to get a decent RB if we have two right backs on our books who in a years time will be good premiership players. Plus of course we have Manquillo, who again looked decent early doors and only really lost his place when we reverted to a back three.

And thats without mentioning whoever we have in the Academy. If our squad was overflowing with quality elsewhere i would say we need a RB. But after thinking on it, i think this a role that can wait for 6-12 months and then have another look.

But then, if we signed a player like Seamus Coleman, he would add so much the team in an attacking sense too. Not going to happen but just saying that I'm all for improving the first team if and when a player becomes available.

[DannyMan2006]

If Sturridge had not been made of biscuits this season then he may well have been one of the top players. He certainly showed the potential to be one last season.

And maybe someone we buy this summer will go on to be our next top player afterall none of the four players you mentioned were anywhere close to being a top player when they first were put into our first team and they all developed into top players during their time with us.


The end of the summer window will tell us where we stand in terms of quality or rather potential quality, and at that point we will be better able to gauge whether we have cause to be optimistic or pessimistic about the coming season.

I don't think there is any doubt that in the short term we will have some real quality players. The challenge for this club is to keep them at the club whilst they wait for other arrivals to take us to the next level.

I think the club has shown they will pay big money to those deserving of it so as long as the agents of players don't get outlandish views on a players worth, we have the ambition to keep them.

I do not think this club is a million miles away from being a real competitive club. We just need a bit of loyalty & faith in the short term and we need a couple of big buys to come right.

I know we blew a big opportunity this season, but the beauty of football is you are only ever one good summers business from being a force again.

[DannyMan2006]

Thought Flanagan was a free agent come the summer?

The press suggest he will be retained & i cant imagine he wouldn't sign a new deal. He was never going to leave anyway, was just haggling over more money. I cant see him turning down a contract now.

[DannyMan2006]

But then, if we signed a player like Seamus Coleman, he would add so much the team in an attacking sense too. Not going to happen but just saying that I'm all for improving the first team if and when a player becomes available.

And i am in full agreement with you. But as you know, we don't have champions league money and we need to prioritise a couple of other positions over RB. A top class striker in an rubbish side keeps them in the league, a top class RB would still see them relegated.

Its well known where we need to look at. In addition, you have to say it is a big boost to our young players to see that they will get the opportunity. I don't want to overload our squad with average players who are a similar level to what we already have.

Ideally I'd have Moreno, Flanno, one of Andre/Manq and sign a top class RB. But needs must.

[Nicey]

repost from the now defunct Fix our Club thread ....
liked the idea of this thread ... heres my thoughts

We need versitlity, we need stars, we need character and we need shot of the deadwood (how many times have we said that over the years)

The Manager
1 Keep, Unless we can get Klopp as hes an obvious upgrade. Otherwise I think we stand to get more out of Brendan by backing him at the point in his liverpool career. This season was not good enough, lessons will have to be learnt and he will go into next season with renewed confidence of being backed and also motivatd to succeed.

Players to Sel / Release

1. Mario Balloteli - 10,000.000
2. Iago Aspas - 7,000,000
3. Glen Johnson - Release
4. Jose Enrique - 2,000,000
5. Fabio Borini - 8,000,000
6. Brad Jones - Free
7. Sebastian Coates -4,000,000


Player Sales - 31,000,000

Players to Buy

1. One of these 3 Jackson Martinez / Paulo Dybala / Icardi - Jackson Looks like Arsenal have signed him …. Joy !!! 23.5 Million Wished we had broken the bank for him last year, just goes to show you have to strike while the Iron is hot, or better put before the Iron becomes the number 1 target in Europe.
Paulo Dybala looks a perfect signing for us, probally another player who will be elevvated to Jackson Martinez status at the end of next season so the time is now to sign a player like this, and he is versitle, which is what we should be looking for in all our signings
Icardi – Fits the profile – Young – product of the barca academy – just had a great season in the Italian Lg - so up to 40 Million for a striker
2. Dani Alves –Free – We need Stars …
3. Dimitri Payet - 11,000 We’ve scouted him extensively, top assists in the french lg can play across the pitch, can score goals, can beat a man – perfect signing
4. Fábio Coentrão – Been after him for years ( Mentally I have) Moreno would be a perfect understudy – 15,000,000
5. James Milner – Highly under rated player – would fit into a 433 in the middle of the park. If youn are going to play a true 433 your 3 need to be very solid 8s hes that - Free
6. Andre Ayew - Winger who is big liverpool fan, available on a free, performed strongly in the French Lg - involved in 16 goals
7. Javier Hernandez - I like him, weather we could get him or not is another thing – 10,000,000
8. Robert Green – This is the kind of Number 2 we need – Give him the cup games
9. Will Hughes - Lets do this deal now – loan him back to Derby for a season, send another kid down as part of the deal 15,000,000
PLAYER PURCHASES roughly 80,000,000

NET SPEND - 50,000,000



Team for next season

4-3-3

--------------------------STURRIDGE/DYBALA-----------------------------

STERLING/PAYET----------COUTINHO/LALLANA---------------IBE/MARKOVIC

-----------------MILNER/ALLEN----------E CHAN/ HENDERSON---------------

MORENO/COENTAO---LOVERN/SAHKO---SKIRTEL/WISDOM--ALVES/FLANNO

--------------------------------MIGNOLET/GREEN---------------------------

[Corndog]

Without dreaming about the future transfers that could but probably won't happen, I think this side is already quite strong if the players play to their potential in positions they are used to.

----------------studge/origi--------------

---lallana--------coutinho---------Markovic/Ibe

-------------hendo--------Can-----------

----moreno-----sakho----Skrtel-----manquillo

---/----------------mignolet----------

The squad doesn't need an overhaul and experience has shown us fans that it never works like that. I can't remem a club going out buying 5 new starters and then being beasts all of a sudden. Two really quality additions would be perfect. One really quality addition to starting XI would be good. Can't see much more than that.

Could Rodgers make that team finish top 4- doubt it, could klopp? Who knows

I feel a decent manager would love to work with these players because as individuals they are far more talented than they have shown as a team. Except for coutinho who was quite simply a beast this season.

[Nicey]

The Squad absolutely needs 2 First team players, those players need to be top of the foodchain players, we have no star names anymore, we need a couple of lightening rods at the club ... We just Lost Suarez and Gerrard, they need to be replaced otherwise its just going to become harder and harder to attract future players to the club and we will go the way of a lot of those Italian giants

Manquillo whilst is decent can be improved on greatly so we should
Moreno whilst very good, again can be improved on or another way to look at it he needs competition, there is none at the club, that needs to change.
We need Goals, we need another 20 a season striker
Milner is available we should go after him he better than most of our players
Alves is available we should be in for him

[Corndog]

The Squad absolutely needs 2 First team players, those players need to be top of the foodchain players, we have no star names anymore, we need a couple of lightening rods at the club ... We just Lost Suarez and Gerrard, they need to be replaced otherwise its just going to become harder and harder to attract future players to the club and we will go the way of a lot of those Italian giants

Manquillo whilst is decent can be improved on greatly so we should
Moreno whilst very good, again can be improved on or another way to look at it he needs competition, there is none at the club, that needs to change.
We need Goals, we need another 20 a season striker
Milner is available we should go after him he better than most of our players
Alves is available we should be in for him

Whilst i don't disagree with any of that, its obviously much easier said than done.

There are only 3 strikers in the entire league who hit over 20 league goals this year. across all competitions maybe add Austin and Sanchez to that list. Not 100% certain as haven't checked, but three of those would cost 40 mil minimum and a tonne in wages.

Austin and Kane had great seasons but aren't consistent performers like costa, aguero and sanchez. Those types of players are incredibly hard to find.

I hope Manquillo stays, he has been unlucky with the system that was changed and i reckon he can become an excellent right back. Moreno i am less enthusiastic about but replacing him shouldn't be a prority this summer.

I'd definitely take Milner. The team needs experienced pro's to take some pressure off the likes of Origi, Markovic Ibe etc.