A winning 11?

[Brian78]

If we sign Barry and Keane I would imagine thats the budget more or less gone and so wed have our squad for the new season. If we keep Xabi will this 11 be a wining 11 and is the back up good enough? Given the cost of Barry and Keane should they sign theyll both be shoe ins which could give us this line up

                                                        REINA
FINNAN                 CARRA                             AGGER          AURELIO

GERRARD             ALONSO                         MASCH            BARRY

                         TORRES                        KEANE

And a back up of

                                                CAVALIERI
DEGEN /ARBELOA             HYPPIA                             SKRTEL         DOSSENA/INSUA

PENNANT       LUCAS                               PLESSIS/SPEARING         BABEL

                  KUYT                                     NEMETH/VORONIN/PACHECO

Is there enough class there to put in a serious challenge? is there enough flair to open up tight games? We certainly look very secure at the back but we look weak in wide positions I feel

[Mr Topsy Turvey]

Wheres the naked lady?

[Brian78]

Swapping her as part of the Barry deal 

[Semple]

If we sign Barry and Keane I would imagine thats the budget more or less gone and so wed have our squad for the new season. If we keep Xabi will this 11 be a wining 11 and is the back up good enough? Given the cost of Barry and Keane should they sign theyll both be shoe ins which could give us this line up

                                                        REINA
FINNAN                 CARRA                             AGGER          AURELIO

GERRARD             ALONSO                         MASCH            BARRY

                         TORRES                        KEANE

And a back up of

                                                CAVALIERI
DEGEN /ARBELOA             HYPPIA                             SKRTEL         DOSSENA/INSUA

PENNANT       LUCAS                               PLESSIS/SPEARING         BABEL

                  KUYT                                     NEMETH/VORONIN/PACHECO

Is there enough class there to put in a serious challenge? is there enough flair to open up tight games? We certainly look very secure at the back but we look weak in wide positions I feel

I dont know what it is but I would far perfer Carra on the right with Skrtel and Agger partnering one another in the centre- I think that it could be a match made in heaven

[ayrton77]

I agree with you Brian that it does indeed look like a very solid side, and I don't think we'd lose many games with a line-up like that. The thing is that last season I felt we had a solid side too, and I don't think we took too many goals along the way either. It's all well to reinforce the defence, but as you say the line-up you put does look like it could lack creativity, or that vital spark needed sometimes to unlock a game.

Sadly, that's what I feel we were dsperately lacking last season, and if the new line-up is what you put then I don't see that changing... we'd probably end up with too many draws again!  : I'm going to put my trust in Rafa, as he's nobody's fool and will surely have seen the problems our starting XI had long before I did and is surely plotting something to amend the difficulties we have had.

On another front, I think our second XI looks pretty good. Where do you think they'd finish if we were allowed to play Liverpool 1 and Liverpool 2 in the Premiership?

[Brian78]

I agree with you semple Agger and Skrtel will be a frightening partnership but I think to expect Agger to come back in and be at his best will be hard so it will be good to have Carra beside him more so then skrtel 

[Brian78]

I agree with you Brian that it does indeed look like a very solid side, and I don't think we'd lose many games with a line-up like that. The thing is that last season I felt we had a solid side too, and I don't think we took too many goals along the way either. It's all well to reinforce the defence, but as you say the line-up you put does look like it could lack creativity, or that vital spark needed sometimes to unlock a game.

Sadly, that's what I feel we were dsperately lacking last season, and if the new line-up is what you put then I don't see that changing... we'd probably end up with too many draws again!  : I'm going to put my trust in Rafa, as he's nobody's fool and will surely have seen the problems our starting XI had long before I did and is surely plotting something to amend the difficulties we have had.

On another front, I think our second XI looks pretty good. Where do you think they'd finish if we were allowed to play Liverpool 1 and Liverpool 2 in the Premiership?

Id have no doubt that our second 11 could easily push for a top half finish as there is talent there and maybe the likes of Pennant would step up more and be counted as hed be one of the more senior players

[ayrton77]

Id have no doubt that our second 11 could easily push for a top half finish as there is talent there and maybe the likes of Pennant would step up more and be counted as hed be one of the more senior players

I was thinking about mid-table myself, so more or less the same as you! The only slight worry I had was the number of goals they might get, though I think if both Kuyt and Voronin were to be regular starters (in Kuyt's case, a regular striker's place) that they could flourish.

The defence, however, is excellent. I really think this is close to being our strongest department, rivalling the quality and depth of our midfield, which is saying something! The only doubts would be the (as yet) untested Degen/Dossena duo in the Premiership, which I can't wait to see!

[7-King Kenny-7]

Babel back up, no way! he is 1st team

[AJ]

I dunno really until I see how the new lads play.

[7-King Kenny-7]

be alot better without barry in my opinion, shove silva in their on the wing and choose either villa upfront instead of keane or if you are being realistic then put babel up top.

[andylfcynwa]

As was proved last season even without Agger defending wasnt our biggest problem, and given that TORRES had the best opening season for a foreigner it was turning tight drawn games into wins that ultimately cost us a shot at the title, and I still think we are weak out wide where we need to get quality crosses in ,I havn,t seen anyone in pre season yet who I think could make that position their own and give us that quality.   

[dunlop liddell shankly]

personally if we get Barry, I'd slap him at left back and put Babel on the left wing.

Aurelio, can't see any good in him to be fair, just don't think he's up to it.
Arbeloa, good little player but I prefer him at right back than left.
Insua, wouldn't mind seeing him play as he can only get experince from playing.
Dossenna, haven't seen anything to get excited about as of yet, hopefully that will change.
Carra, was great at left back under Houllier but he's a centre half now and shouldn't be shifted around whatsoever.

If we don't get Barry then I'd put Insua/Dossenna in. Either way Babel should be on the left because he gives you another option when it's needed. If we're on the back foot you can throw the ball long for him to chase an he forces opponents to back off because of his direct nature. He's also got a bullet shot on him.

[7-King Kenny-7]

^^^^
dossena has only just joined so why have you put 'haven't seen anything to get excited about as of yet, hopefully that will change' sounds like he has been here half a season and yet to impress you

[dunlop liddell shankly]

because in the pre-season I haven't been impressed, hopefully that will change. Not difficult to understand mate.

[7-King Kenny-7]

because in the pre-season I haven't been impressed, hopefully that will change. Not difficult to understand mate.

not impressed with dossena or the team in general because imo there have been some really good perfromances from players such as pacheco, darby, spearing and a few others

[dizzy141]

Preseason should be the best you play as you playing to impress so that you can make the first team when the season starts but saying that the new lads are also adjusting to new formations and playing with new players, so we need to give them the benefit of the doubt so far.

[Shandaman]

Here is mine

Finnan        Carra         Skrtel      Aurelio

                        Masch

Kuyt                 Gerrard            Babbel

                                Kean
                    Torres


Bench

Barry
Agger
Pennant
Dossena
Nemeth

[Kopkingo]

Here is mine

Finnan        Carra         Skrtel      Aurelio

                        Masch

Kuyt                 Gerrard            Babbel

                                Kean
                    Torres


Bench

Barry
Agger
Pennant
Dossena
Nemeth

Spine of that team looks unbeatable (and we have Agger, Hypia, Alonso and Lucas to fill any gaps)!  Only worry I would have is Aurelio as he's not the best of defenders imo and will get no support in defence from Babbel.  Maybe put Barry at LB or stick Babbel on the right and Barry at LM to give Aurelio some more defensive cover?  Time will tell whether the new fullbacks are good enough and can get forward like Rafa wants, but I'm still not convinced we have anyone other than Babbel who can be a real threat out wide though.

[dizzy141]

Here is mine

Finnan        Carra         Skrtel      Aurelio

                        Masch

Kuyt                 Gerrard            Babbel

                                Kean
                    Torres


Bench

Barry
Agger
Pennant
Dossena
Nemeth

That looks like a winning line up. I agree Kopkingo lets hope the wing backs do there jobs, support the mids and create some options for goals scoring opportunities. Babel impressed last season playing the wing I know he is a striker but he did a good job for us out wide, and since we have not bought any wings I guess he will be used there again this season.

[The Kopite91]

                        Reina

Dossena    Carragher   Agger    Degen

                            Barry
               Gerrard
Babel                                        Kuyt
                                 Keane
                      Torres




I think Dossena and Degen should start because as Rafa said they're good attackers aswel unlike Aurelio and Arbeloa. I dont think Carragher is as good at right back as he is at centre back.

[ShanerB]

                        Reina

Dossena    Carragher   Agger    Degen

                            Barry
               Gerrard
Babel                                        Kuyt
                                 Keane
                      Torres


I think Dossena and Degen should start because as Rafa said they're good attackers aswel unlike Aurelio and Arbeloa. I dont think Carragher is as good at right back as he is at centre back.

I'd have to disagree with that, I think Aurelio is pretty good going forward, the only bad thing about him is question marks over his long-term fitness but a lot of his injuries have just been bad luck. Saying that I havn't seen enough of Dossena to gather a real opinion, for what we paid I would expect him to be pretty good though once he setlles in.

Basically we have a good all-round squad with real competition for places. We had that last year aswell, a very solid defensive record while also being the top scorers in all competitions. The problem last year, and the one I forsee this season aswell is that we lack the class is wide positions to get a goal from nothing when we could be heading towards a draw, the type of class that we see from Gerrard and Torres. I don't like to go into a season in a negative manner but if you look at Man Utd their class on the wings basically won them the league and CL, unless we buy the right wide players to match them I can't see us overtaking them

[Kopkingo]

                        Reina

Dossena    Carragher   Agger    Degen

                            Barry
               Gerrard
Babel                                        Kuyt
                                 Keane
                      Torres




I think Dossena and Degen should start because as Rafa said they're good attackers aswel unlike Aurelio and Arbeloa. I dont think Carragher is as good at right back as he is at centre back.

I'm hoping you have the left and right sides the wrong way round here?

Difficult to say if dossena and degen should start as it may take time for them to fit in.  Would definitely have to disagree with you on Aurelio's attacking though.  He is probably the best fullback we have going forward.  I don't rate him as highly defensively (he's looked too lightweight at times imo), although that may be down to injuries and the fact that he hasn't had a decent run.

As far as Carra is concerned, of course he is a better centre half, but he is probably the best right back too and our options in the centre would walk into almost every other team out there.  Because of that, I think he would be a decent option on the right against decent opposition.

[solodee]

Well seeing that the transfer market has not yielded much right now, the winning 11 will look more like this


                                        Reina

                      Carragher      Skrtel        Agger

       Dossena              Mascherano                Degen

                 Benanyun       Gerrard       Babel

                                   Torres


Formation will change if we got Barry & Keane

                               

[corballyred]

wouldnt expect degen to be first choice this season, he has struggled to get in dortmund side last couple of years and they were nearly relegated last season(I know he was injured for some of season) finnan arebola and carragher are much better candidates first choice right backs at the moment, I feel even if we got keane and barry we would have the same problems again this season, a chronic lack of width and while this might be good enough against the west broms of this world when we go places like old trafford like last season they will pack the centre of the park and we will have no where to go, to beat utd at old trafford or chelsea at stamford bridge we are going to need width, these teams spines are to strong top just walk through them.