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      The past decade - what is your best XI?

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      CoutinhoRed
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      The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Sep 02, 2014 01:56:16 pm
      A decade has now passed since the departure of Gerard Houllier. This saw the arrival of Rafael Benitez from Valencia, who went on to win us the Champions League in his first season in 2004/05. Rafael's system contrasted significantly to Rodgers system, but what both managers managed were to bring in top class players to this club. Over the past decade, if you could get every player in their prime whilst with us, what would your starting XI and bench look like?

                       Reina
       Finnan Hyypia Carra Riise
                 Mascherano
             Alonso       Gerrard
                    Sterling
              Sturridge  Suarez

      Bench: Mignolet, Moreno, Lovren, Henderson, Coutinho, Kuyt, Torres.

      Torres vs Sturridge - this was a tough one. I have gone with Sturridge simply because I'm incredibly impressed by the attitude he has shown here. I also believe he is a better rounded player than Fernando was and as far as goal scoring goes, he has netted 32 in 46 which equates to 0.69 goals per game - so predictably 69-70 goals once he has played 100 league games (given he continues this goalscoring form). Fernando Torres got 65 in 102 games which has a similar goal to game ratio, but his best link up play came from Steven Gerrard who I wouldn't play in that advanced role.

      Suarez is an automatic pick for me - first on the team sheet given what he achieved in 13/14 season. 31 goals in 33 games = 0.93 which is basically a goal a game. Over the long term he scored 69 in 110, but under Rodgers he developed his game immensely and became the joint leading goal scorer amongst the top European domestic leagues.

      What is your best IX?
      BostonScouse
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #1: Sep 02, 2014 03:42:59 pm
      Good topic cooter.
      I'm going to add a heaping teaspoon of nostalgia, and let pragmatism take a backseat here:

                      Reina

      Arbeloa-Carra-Masch-Moreno

                Gerrard-Alonso

                      Sterling
      Sturridge                   Maxi
                        Luis


      Subs: Dudek, Flano, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Hendo, Benayoun, Torres
      « Last Edit: Sep 02, 2014 03:54:19 pm by BostonScouse »
      CoutinhoRed
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #2: Sep 02, 2014 03:46:20 pm
      Good topic crouchy.
      I'm going to add a heaping teaspoon of nostalgia, and let pragmatism take a backseat here:

                      Reina

      Arbeloa-Carra-Masch-Moreno

                Gerrard-Alonso

                      Sterling
      Sturridge                   Maxi
                        Luis


      Subs: Dudek, Flano, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Hendo, Benayoun, Torres

      Nice team - forgot about Arbeloa.

      Oh, I'm CoutinhoRed, not Crouchy ;D
      Fowler#23
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #3: Sep 02, 2014 03:53:39 pm
      Reina

      Arbeloa   Carra   Sami   Riise

      Masch Alonso
      Gerrard

      Sterling    Torres    Suarez

      Only real decision was left back Moreno has immense promise but it's too early to put him in so went with JAR.
      Fowler#23
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #4: Sep 02, 2014 03:55:37 pm
      Good topic cooter.
      I'm going to add a heaping teaspoon of nostalgia, and let pragmatism take a backseat here:

                      Reina

      Arbeloa-Carra-Masch-Moreno

                Gerrard-Alonso

                      Sterling
      Sturridge                   Maxi
                        Luis


      Subs: Dudek, Flano, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Hendo, Benayoun, Torres

      No Sami?? Not even on bench!!! Kyrgiakos shocking decison ;D.
      BostonScouse
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #5: Sep 02, 2014 03:56:22 pm
      BostonScouse
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #6: Sep 02, 2014 04:57:19 pm
      No Sami?? Not even on bench!!! Kyrgiakos shocking decison ;D.

      You're right, Sami deserves a spot. Loved sotos even though he was a bit of a joke!
      Brian78
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #7: Sep 02, 2014 06:03:05 pm
      In 4 2 3 1

              Reina

      Finnan Carra Sami Riise

          Masch Alonso

      Sterling Stevie Sturridge

                 Suarez

      4 3 3

      Reina

      Finnan Carra Sami Riise

        Hendo Stevie Alonso

      Sturridge Torres Suarez
       
      HUYTON RED
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #8: Sep 02, 2014 06:22:26 pm
      Reina
      Arbeloa
      Carragher
      Hyypia
      Aurelio
      Mascherano
      Alonso
      Gerrard
      Garcia
      Suarez
      Torres

      Fowler#23
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #9: Sep 02, 2014 06:25:07 pm
      Reina
      Arbeloa
      Carragher
      Hyypia
      Aurelio
      Mascherano
      Alonso
      Gerrard
      Garcia
      Suarez
      Torres


      Garcia ahead of Sterling controversial ;D
      billythered
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #10: Sep 02, 2014 06:26:48 pm
      Good topic, Coutinhored,very interesting,

      Can't see past your X1, have to agree,

                                    Pepe
          Finnan. Carragher Hyppia Riise
                            Mascherano
                     Gerrard           Alonso
          Sterling.                              Suarez
                                Sturridge

      Bench: Dudek, Arbeloa,  Henchoz,  Hamman,  Henderson,  Kuyt,  Torres

      If only we could turn this into reality eh!,
      Here's a spanner in the works,  who manages, Rafa or Brendan ?

      YNWA
      HUYTON RED
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #11: Sep 02, 2014 06:31:11 pm
      Garcia ahead of Sterling controversial ;D

      Really? The number of important goals Little Luis scored for the Redmen, means he'd be in straight away.

                         Reina

       Arbeloa Carragher Hyypia Aurelio

                Mascherano Alonso

                      Gerrard
       Suarez                       Garcia
                       Torres
           
      Brian78
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #12: Sep 02, 2014 06:32:47 pm
      Just thinking of who I didn't pick in either team. Honourable mention for Dirk Kuyt
      Fowler#23
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #13: Sep 02, 2014 06:42:54 pm
      Really? The number of important goals Little Luis scored for the Redmen, means he'd be in straight away.

                         Reina

       Arbeloa Carragher Hyypia Aurelio

                Mascherano Alonso

                      Gerrard
       Suarez                       Garcia
                       Torres
           
      Give you it on his goals, but was a very frustrating player imo. We're only 2 players apart in agreeing on same side so I'm sure we'd give each other a decent game. Hope you've a decent full back on yr bench for Aurelio he's bound to pick up a knock (brilliant full back, but probably most injury prone player I've know us have).
      lester76
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #14: Sep 02, 2014 07:10:58 pm
      Ah, memory lane.
      Great topic.
      Some positions are easier than others to fill.
      Enjoying reading others selections.
      I would go with:

      GK: Reina
      LB: Riise
      RB: Finnan
      CB: Carra
      CB: Hypia
      DM: Mascherano
      CM: Alonso
      CM: Gerrard
      LW: Sterling
      RW: Suarez
      ST: Torres

      Bench: Mig, arbeloa, Sturidge, coutinho, kuyt, hamman, Lovren.
      Magillionare
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #15: Sep 02, 2014 07:18:01 pm
      ---------------------Reina

      Finnan-----Hyypia-----Carragher------Arbeloa

      ------------Alonso-------------Gerrard(c)


      Suarez------------------------------------Sterling
            |                                                       |
            v                                                      v
      --------------Sturridge----Torres

      HUYTON RED
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #16: Sep 02, 2014 08:04:48 pm
      Give you it on his goals, but was a very frustrating player imo. We're only 2 players apart in agreeing on same side so I'm sure we'd give each other a decent game. Hope you've a decent full back on yr bench for Aurelio he's bound to pick up a knock (brilliant full back, but probably most injury prone player I've know us have).

      To be honest Moreno would be a shoe-in really seeing as he looks like he can defend as well as he can go forward, which means he's above Riise, but seeing as we're looking back at the last ten years I'd have Aurelio, who on his day and he doesn't break, has probably been our best left-back.
      5timesacharm
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #17: Sep 02, 2014 08:43:32 pm
                      Reina
       Arbeloa Hyypia Carra Riise
                 Mascherano
             Alonso       Gerrard
                    Sterling
              Torres     Suarez

      When I put Torres I clearly mean Torres in his prime, not Torres the sulky little girl. Great Topic by the way.
      Frankly, Mr Shankly
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #18: Sep 02, 2014 08:52:47 pm
      GK - Reina

      LB - Riise
      CB - Carragher
      CB - Hyypia
      RB - Finnan

      DM - Mascherano
      CM - Alonso
      CM - Gerrard

      AM - Sterling
      ST - Sturridge
      ST - Suarez

      I've replicated the defence Rafa had in 05/06 where there was a period where we didn't concede for 10 games late on in 2005 which I thought was an outstanding period from us.
      CoutinhoRed
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #19: Sep 02, 2014 10:26:35 pm
      Really? The number of important goals Little Luis scored for the Redmen, means he'd be in straight away.

                         Reina

       Arbeloa Carragher Hyypia Aurelio

                Mascherano Alonso

                      Gerrard
       Suarez                       Garcia
                       Torres
           

      That's actually a very good team coming to think of it. I like the idea of Garcia who always scored decisive goals in some of the biggest games we have played in the past decade. Torres and Sturridge is interesting, but personally I couldn't see them being as dynamic as the SAS duo. In my opinion Torres is more instinctive than Sturridge and probably a better finisher too, but Sturridge can do so much more when it comes to providing for his team mates. The only player in your team who didn't play under Benitez is Suarez. Personally I feel we had the most devastating attack under Rodgers, so my front three would obviously be Sterling, Sturridge and Suarez.

      Nice team anyway!

      That aside, I thought under Benitez what we always lacked was a very potent attack. I felt our attack was undermined by the likes of Pennant, Riera, Crouch etc with the only real attackers worth getting excited about being Gerrard as an AM and Torres as our ST. Benitez was always decent when spotting talented central midfielders - Mascherano, Alonso, Sissoko.. We had the best midfield in the world ;)
      RC9
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #20: Sep 02, 2014 10:35:07 pm
      Great topic.


                                           Reina

      Arbeloa         Carragher         Hyppia           Riise

                                      Mascherano
                   
                      Gerrard                           Alonso

                                        Sterling

                        Torres                    Suarez

      That has the perfect balance of defence and attack.

                           
      mcarz
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #21: Sep 02, 2014 10:40:13 pm
      Reina

      Finnan Hyypia Carragher Riise

      Mascherano

      Alonso      Gerrard

      Suarez                             Garcia

      Torres

      srslfc
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      Re: The past decade - what is your best XI?
      Reply #22: Sep 02, 2014 10:54:01 pm
      Reina

      Arbeloa  Carra  Hyypia  Aurelio

      Mascherano

      Alonso       Gerrard

      Kuyt         Torres         Suarez

      Raheem just misses out for me but if this was a couple of years from now I'd imagine he'd be straight in.

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