May I dare a little optimism??

As Stuey has said in several topics, the most optimistic scenario at the moment is that wealthy buyers have been found and they have stipulated that they bring in the manager that they want, hence Rafa had to go.

Of course, there are several other scenarios that, quite frankly, I don't want to consider! They've been covered enough by other posters.

So for the sake of this thread, please do not debate whether Rafa was the right man or not. He has gone and it's fairly safe to assume that he will take some staff with him and whoever comes in will have very different ideas of how the team should play / line up.

Let's pretend that the above scenario is happening, new owners are coming in with a new manager before that start of the season.

What changes would you like to see on the pitch? I don't want another Rafa bashing thread, this is not about him but most of us had some things we disagreed with him about.


I'll give you some examples:

I'm a fan of 4-4-2 in principle but I also like to have Masch playing just in front of the back 4.
For this reason, I would probably like to see a kind of 4-1-3-2 formation with Stevie G in front of Masch and 2 up top.
If Masch has (or wants) to go, I personally believe that Lucas can do that job (this is not a Lucas bashing thread either).
It would work like a 4-4-2 but Gerrard would be the more offensive.

For the timebeing, I would keep Gerrard as captain. Having a new manager may reignite him and bring back the Stevie G we all love.
Pepe would be vice captain. Carra is a legend but on the whole, I feel Pepe's opinions have been more positive and he's been more vocal.

Carra would no longer be an automatic first choice. I think he (and the team) would benefit from him having a rest now and then.

Kuyt would play as a striker or not at all (barring an injury crisis).

There's a few starters, some light relief from the sh*t that's going on. Discuss.

Thanks for the ray of hope.

Appreciate your optimism.  Personally I don't believe a buyer is lined up.  I don't believe the owners will install somebody committed to the long term future of the club as manager.

However, for the purpose of the thread I will play along.

I'd give Gerrard another season at most to see if his legs have really gone.  I don't think I would be playing Jamie Carragher and I would buy two genuinely attacking wingers.  Whether I would put Pepe as captain or vice-captain I don't know.  There is an argument for Pepe captain and Torres vice-captain.  They hopefully represent the future of the club.  Gerrard and Carra do not.

With a fit Torres there isn't anything much wrong with our formation.  Our biggest problem is that the likes of Kuyt are not totally offensive and creative wingers.

I agree 110% with this, we need to find a light in dark times.

Lets hope a new manager takes the dressing room by storm and tells the players "if you dont put in the effort then f*ck off"

A nice 4-1-3-2 would be good.

no leaving torres on his own, he will be more effective with some help, or at least a decoy.

bring in a decent left back or play agger there and drop skrtel in with carra.

On paper we have a very strong team, we just need to keep hold of the key players.

I know, chats but the thread is kind of a 'what if' thread. You must have ideas of how you'd like us to play so just go along with the idea for now. I could spend all day reading pessimistic posts on here about the demise of the Club but fancied a bit of a break from it!

There always should be optimism.  We will face a terrible time no doubt, but we will get through this. It's not the end.

Definately

I guess I won't mention any names of players I'd sign.

I'd partner Gerrard in the centre with Mascherano. He's more able to influence games there than he would now in the hole. However if we have someone like Alonso behind him, Stevie can play in the hole. Lucas, will only be cover for any of the midfielders out.

Like JD, I'd have two attacking wingers. If we play 4-4-2, Kuyt can play up with Nando. If we remain 4-5-1, Aquilani goes in the hole. I think it's also an idea to have a couple of formations we can use to have as Plan B or C when the first we set out with isn't workingn in the game.

I would keep Gerrard and Carra as captain and vice for now. Being local lads, their influences can mean more than anyone. Considering they have kept quiet throughtout the whole 2009/2010 season, the probably have their own issues, whether it is with the manager or not, I do not know and perhaps a new manager, we could see some changes.

We have a good set of players in the squad. We need to keep hold of the important players, ring some changes and utilise their abilities as much as we can.

I think it's also an idea to have a couple of formations we can use to have as Plan B or C when the first we set out with isn't working in the game.

Yeah, agree with that.

As Stuey has said in several topics, the most optimistic scenario at the moment is that wealthy buyers have been found and they have stipulated that they bring in the manager that they want, hence Rafa had to go.

Of course, there are several other scenarios that, quite frankly, I don't want to consider! They've been covered enough by other posters.

So for the sake of this thread, please do not debate whether Rafa was the right man or not. He has gone and it's fairly safe to assume that he will take some staff with him and whoever comes in will have very different ideas of how the team should play / line up.

Let's pretend that the above scenario is happening, new owners are coming in with a new manager before that start of the season.

What changes would you like to see on the pitch? I don't want another Rafa bashing thread, this is not about him but most of us had some things we disagreed with him about.

I'll give you some examples:

I'm a fan of 4-4-2 in principle but I also like to have Masch playing just in front of the back 4.
For this reason, I would probably like to see a kind of 4-1-3-2 formation with Stevie G in front of Masch and 2 up top.
If Masch has (or wants) to go, I personally believe that Lucas can do that job (this is not a Lucas bashing thread either).
It would work like a 4-4-2 but Gerrard would be the more offensive.

For the timebeing, I would keep Gerrard as captain. Having a new manager may reignite him and bring back the Stevie G we all love.
Pepe would be vice captain. Carra is a legend but on the whole, I feel Pepe's opinions have been more positive and he's been more vocal.

Carra would no longer be an automatic first choice. I think he (and the team) would benefit from him having a rest now and then.

Kuyt would play as a striker or not at all (barring an injury crisis).

There's a few starters, some light relief from the sh*t that's going on. Discuss.

Sorry mate there's a point where such starry eyed optimism becomes escapism and ultimately self delusion. Some people might want to think nice thoughts and pretend none of this is happening but our club is being raped. Unpleasant as it may be and I’m sorry if reality is poking it’s ugly nose in this is not a time for Reds to stand idly by while our club is being destroyed. Light relief is not what we need.

We know Hicks, Gillett, Purslow and Broughton are all liars.

We know that there is no buyer on the horizon because of the absurd asking price of £800m being demanded by the yanks.

We know that debt leveraged against our club has made it insolvent.

We know that interest payments are driving our club into administration.

We know that we will lose major players this summer who will not be replaced.

We know that we have lost a top class manager who will be replaced by some inferior.

We know that income this year will be lower than that to July 2009 and that group losses will increase substantially.

I think we're all agreed regardless of our opinions about Rafa that the real problem is Hicks, Gillett, Purslow and Broughton. Until that problem has been dealt with there will be no renaissance at Liverpool Football Club and anyone who thinks there will be is deluded.

Now is the time to take action and defend Liverpool Football Club.

No one else is going to do it except us Reds.

That means a summer of protest, of direct action, of flag burning, of boycotts and concentrating on the task at hand:

Getting rid of the parasites that are destroying our club and putting it back together again.

I don’t want my children asking me what I did to save Liverpool Football Club and having to tell them that I was dreaming about a fantasy world and pretending nothing was happening.

What do you want to tell your children?

The only thing that will make a shred of difference is the players and manager, those fat c*nty yanks dont give a sh*t.

Forget the financial issue, there is nothing we can do except hope they get a buyer sorted soon and f*ck off.

Start concentrating on getting through the tough times, if we boycott the club, protest and dont turn up to games, who in the right mind will take that on??? nobody, and the top players will soon jump ship when they see 50,000 angry reds protesting.

Start trying to gee up the players to concentrate (as hard as it may be) on a fresh start next year, bring us in a couple of trophys and wave goodbye to the two pigs who have riddled us with debt.

I cant sit on here and read post after post of the same depressing stuff, as true as it may be.

Rob, I'll be blunt.

Piss off to another thread, eh?

I'm at work with a bit of spare time on my hands. I've contributed to the doom and gloom threads as well as the ones proposing positive action. At this point in time, there is little else I can do.

So, instead of wallowing in self pity and babbling about the potential death of a club that I have loved for as long as I can remember, I've created a 'what if' thread from the notion that there could be buyers lined up, regardless of how infinitely small that possibility may be.

Are you telling me that posting that rant is time better spent? If you didn't like the sentiment of this thread then why have you bothered posting in it? Everyone else seems to have bothered to read through it and appreciate the sentiment, is it that f***in hard to understand?

Sooner or later, one way or another, we will have a new manager. The idea of this thread ('game' if that makes it easier for you) is to simply suggest what you would LIKE to see changed, not what you (pessimistically) THINK will happen.

There are so many threads and plenty or forums for you to go and vent your frustrations in so kindly DO ONE!

I cant sit on here and read post after post of the same depressing stuff, as true as it may be.

Exactly, hence this thread.

If I may make a massive assumption. If we do keep Rodolfo and the rest of our academy staff and we get a continental manager than I would welcome a more attacking 4 5 1 line up, effectively 4 3 3. Built from a squad that we have it would be. . . Pepe in goal and captain. Johnson Carra Skrtel Dagger. . . . Alberto Masch and stevie across the centre. . . . Maxi Torres and Dani up front.

If I may make a massive assumption. If we do keep Rodolfo and the rest of our academy staff and we get a continental manager than I would welcome a more attacking 4 5 1 line up, effectively 4 3 3. Built from a squad that we have it would be. . . Pepe in goal and captain. Johnson Carra Skrtel Dagger. . . . Alberto Masch and stevie across the centre. . . . Maxi Torres and Dani up front.

How would you arrange them?
                 
Gerrard        Masch         Aquilani         ?

Pretty much Rep. The little chief would sit deep allowing our two attacking midfielders to do exactly that

Rob, I'll be blunt.

Piss off to another thread, eh?

I'm at work with a bit of spare time on my hands. I've contributed to the doom and gloom threads as well as the ones proposing positive action. At this point in time, there is little else I can do.

So, instead of wallowing in self pity and babbling about the potential death of a club that I have loved for as long as I can remember, I've created a 'what if' thread from the notion that there could be buyers lined up, regardless of how infinitely small that possibility may be.

Are you telling me that posting that rant is time better spent? If you didn't like the sentiment of this thread then why have you bothered posting in it? Everyone else seems to have bothered to read through it and appreciate the sentiment, is it that f***in hard to understand?

Sooner or later, one way or another, we will have a new manager. The idea of this thread ('game' if that makes it easier for you) is to simply suggest what you would LIKE to see changed, not what you (pessimistically) THINK will happen.

There are so many threads and plenty or forums for you to go and vent your frustrations in so kindly DO ONE!

Put your knickers back on and calm down.

I understand your reasons for starting this thread and I disagree with them.

I've explained why and I'm not going to repeat myself.

I've seen your posts elsewhere on the "Doom & Gloom" threads and "Action" threads and I think they're spot on.

So like I said respect for that and not my intention to get up your nose or anything else.
 

Put your knickers back on and calm down.

I understand your reasons for starting this thread and I disagree with them.

I've explained why and I'm not going to repeat myself.

I've seen your posts elsewhere on the "Doom & Gloom" threads and "Action" threads and I think they're spot on.

So like I said respect for that and not my intention to get up your nose or anything else.
 

I also agree with the posts you've made elsewhere. Why you felt it necessary to post them in this thread is another matter.

                    Reina (C)

              Skrtel         Dagger
Johnson                                Robinson/Silva

                  Mascherano
        Gerrard                Aquilani

      Maxi                            Pacheco
                    Torres

Something like this
Hypothetically speaking of course

That really should be a good enough team, shouldn't it? 

                   Reina (C)

              Skrtel         Dagger
Johnson                                Robinson/Silva

                  Mascherano
        Gerrard                Aquilani

      Maxi                            Pacheco
                    Torres

Something like this
Hypothetically speaking of course

I'd go for this apart from a minor couple of changes. I wouldn't have pacheco as a reg starter just yet, I'd play him more often to get him games. I'd play Babel instead out on left, he was showing very positive signs at the tail end of season. He can also double up as a strike when needs be, which was his natural position.

I'd play the Greek instead of Skrtl, I think He's far more solid.

And I'm not going to speculate on who our left back should be, for now we only have Insua.

I like the line up though, on paper, if we keep the players, still a very strong first 11.

Oh and I'm afraid you can't take captaincy away from Stevie and give it to Reina while Stevie's at club. As long as he's with us, he's my captain and always will be. When and if he leaves, then deffo Baldie

Providing we can keep hold of the majority of our best players, there's no reason to think we should perform worse next season than this one just passed. After the injuries and terrible luck, combined with numerous off the field distractions, it's hard to imagine footballing circumstances to be as challenging for the players.

A new manager, even without transfer funds, could refresh our system. I'd hope we'd see less of Lucas and Kuyt except as replacements in case of injuries, and maybe players could be chosen on form rather than running ability - and here I mean the entire team, not excluding Gerrard, Carragher and even Kuyt, who seemed assured of a spot even when playing hopelessly bad.

The key is holding onto them, something that is out of our hands, and will be made difficult by the WC acting as a shop window.

Even then, I cross my fingers that a new manager would be able to hold out for the right price if a sale was "forced", and that we could at least replace quality with quality.

That's about as far as my optimism can stretch at the moment.

That's about as far as my optimism can stretch at the moment.

A valiant effort, mate