The 'as it stands right now' starting 11

                 Reina
Johnson   Skrtel Lovren  Enrique
 
               Gerrard
                       
                   Henderson

              Coutinho
Sterling                   Markovic
              Sturridge

You're probably right S@int. Sturridge to me is a player who would appear to play well with a partner upfront - don't know if I'd opt for Sterling though. 

But that was my sacrifice for the team if you like. Trying to get more players into their better positions, having sufficient defensive cover in midfield while still having the attacking options in attack. It's not ideal though, Lambert would probably be suited to that lone role or Bony I presume, but as you say, until we get a striker in the side who has the quality and game characteristics to play alongside Sturridge it's a bit of a conundrum IMO. Lambert may do, but I don't think I'd leave out any of the other players in that side to make way for Lambert.

I agree mate Sterling is not ideal .... but the best I could come up with. Hopefully Brendan can give us better options before the season starts.

My eyes are like  looking at that. 

Midfield is a tough one.

Mignolet

Flanagan
Sakho
Lovren
Johnson

Gerrard
Henderson
Coutinho

Sterling
Markovic

Sturridge


Subs
Reina
Skrtel
Enrique
Can
Lallana
Ibe/Suso
Lambert

Johnson at left back for a month and if he's sh*te then Enrique comes in. Always felt Glen plays better on the left so whack him there.

Very tough to leave Can on the bench, too. As well as Lallana.

Very tough to leave Can on the bench, too. As well as Lallana.

Just looking at your team Crouchy and (whilst slightly off-topic) it sparked a thought.

Only two of our new signings actually start in that XI. "As it stands right now" you have made only two changes to the team which played most games last season - Lovren for Skrtel and Markovic for Suarez.

It could be argued that both lads were our best players - Luis, our best striker: Martin our best defender but setting that aside, for now... do you reckon that we have improved on 'the First XI' enough, with the signings we've made, to win the title?

Sorry for straying off-topic mods.

Just looking at your team Crouchy and (whilst slightly off-topic) it sparked a thought.

Only two of our new signings actually start in that XI. "As it stands right now" you have made only two changes to the team which played most games last season - Lovren for Skrtel and Markovic for Suarez.

It could be argued that both lads were our best players - Luis, our best striker: Martin our best defender but setting that aside, for now... do you reckon that we have improved on 'the First XI' enough, with the signings we've made, to win the title?

Sorry for straying off-topic mods.

Hand on heart, I don't. We need a lot to go our way to be competitive but I think we will at the very least maintain top four.

Still a month to go and I'd love to see a striker and two fullbacks come in. If we do that then I think we could push for the title a little better. As it stands now I think Sturridge has to be way more consistent and our young lads to develop earlier than I would guess Brendan hoped for us to get close to the same amount of goals as last season.

The positive is we actually have depth for the first time I can remember. All the depth in the world couldn't replace Suarez but that's the situation we are in and in the hands of someone I trust immensely to get the best from this team.

At the end of the day if the one signing he makes for defence in Lovren helps cut out the sloppy goals then we will be hard to stop but like I said earlier we need a lot to go our way there including Johnson and Enrique remembering what football is.

Bit of a messy post but hopefully gets my view across.

Hand on heart, I don't. We need a lot to go our way to be competitive but I think we will at the very least maintain top four...


... Bit of a messy post but hopefully gets my view across.

It does mate.

I think what you're saying is what most people are thinking to a greater or lesser degree: some 'out loud', some 'quietly into themselves'. 

It does mate.

I think what you're saying is what most people are thinking to a greater or lesser degree: some 'out loud', some 'quietly into themselves'. 

I think the full backs most of us think we need and the other forward are the signings we're waiting for Mouse and the signings I think we need to really strengthen the first 11.

Mignolet

Flanagan  Lovren  Sakho  Enrique

Gerrard

Henderson  Can

Sterling  Sturridge  Coutinho

I really couldn't decide between Lovren and Skrtel and changed it a couple of times before posting but I think Brendan sees Lovren as that 'voice' and leader at the back so he just about gets the nod although I don't think Skrtel done anything to lose his place so at least, in my view anyway, the CB position is stronger than last season.

I think the full backs most of us think we need and the other forward are the signings we're waiting for Mouse

I can see that mate.

The thing is; after having spent the good part of £85m, the team "As it stands right now" still isn't 'there' for most people - something which is being reflected in a lot of posts in this thread. There are very few teams, if any, which include the majority of our new signings.

I just thought that was telling in some way but maybe I'm reading too much into it. 

I can see that mate.

The thing is; after having spent the good part of £85m, the team "As it stands right now" still isn't 'there' for most people - something which is being reflected in a lot of posts in this thread. There are very few teams, if any, which include the majority of our new signings.

I just thought that was telling in some way but maybe I'm reading too much into it. 

No I agree that it is telling but I do think we have strengthened the squad and as a core of 18 or so players now we are stronger without there being the massive increase in quality in the first team.

I think we have players in Lovren, Can and Markovic who you could argue are as good as the players they replace in the side but maybe not noticably better.

As I said I think if we add a full back who is better than what we have and another top quality forward both the first team and the squad will be greatly improved from last season apart from the obvious loss of Luis.

The thing is; after having spent the good part of £85m, the team "As it stands right now" still isn't 'there' for most people - something which is being reflected in a lot of posts in this thread. There are very few teams, if any, which include the majority of our new signings.

You've got to take a few things into consideration as well though.

While we've spent a bomb on five players, Lallana is currently injured and therefore shouldn't be in anybody's "as it stands right now" XI. Lambert was bought as a stop gap forward and I don't think anybody, including himself, is expecting him to be a regular starter. Can, I assume, was bought as a potential star. Sort of bed him in this year. And he also has the misfortune of playing centrally which is an area where we've got three almost nailed on starters (Gerrard, Henderson, Coutinho)

So really, "as it stands right now" only Lovren and Markovic would be seriously considered. Can, in my opinion, should be but like I said because of his age, experience (or lack of) and the position he plays, it's easier to leave him out - though I did have him in my team.

You've got to take a few things into consideration as well though...

... While we've spent a bomb on five players...

... So really, "as it stands right now" only Lovren and Markovic would be seriously considered. Can, in my opinion, should be but like I said because of his age, experience (or lack of) and the position he plays, it's easier to leave him out - though I did have him in my team.

I've taken everything into consideration mate (and even, like you, I put Can into my team). None of it changes the fact that, for most fans, only the minority, for whatever reason are deemed good enough to be playing in their idea of our best XI... "As it stands".

I thought that a telling insight to our 'collective' confidence of the signings so far. As for Lallana, (setting aside his injury); I've been trying to put him into a few different line-ups and to be honest the only player I can see him 'replace', in my original XI, is Markovic.

Bringing it back, sort of, to the topic: Pretend Adam is fit Billy - where are you playing him; who is he replacing in your XI? 

Ridiculous how many times Johnson is mentioned here.

Piss poor player who needs shipping out ASAP

No I agree that it is telling but I do think we have strengthened the squad...

Oh I've no doubt, what so ever, that most people agree we have strengthened the squad Si. The point is; that most people really don't think (even if they won't say it aloud) that we have improved the starting XI... even after having spent the guts of £85m [As it stands].

I might be missing something but... wasn't that ["Improving the first XI"] the objective?

Still... we have a month (or 18 days, to kick-off) for that to change. It'll be nice to see how this thread unfolds as new players come in.

Oh I've no doubt, what so ever, that most people agree we have strengthened the squad Si. The point is; that most people really don't think (even if they won't say it aloud) that we have improved the starting XI... even after having spent the guts of £85m [As it stands].

I might be missing something but... wasn't that ["Improving the first XI"] the objective?

Still... we have a month (or 18 days, to kick-off) for that to change. It'll be nice to see how this thread unfolds as new players come in.

It's all about the big name up top mate.  I think we get that, and a couple additions to the back line then we are good to go.

It's all about the big name up top mate.  I think we get that, and a couple additions to the back line then we are good to go.

Three, new, first XI starters before kick-off (if not 31 August) might be a push Andrew but like I said; it'll be good to watch how 'our' idea of the first XI, as it stands, change between now and then. 

I might be missing something but... wasn't that ["Improving the first XI"] the objective?

It was and I think it still is mate.

I also think that in a way we have strengthened the first 11 as we now have 3 players in Lallana, Can ans Markovic who are potentially just as good as the players they might replace so if we have injuries or change the side we aren't playing 'weaker' players but more like for like in terms of quality.

I've taken everything into consideration mate (and even, like you, I put Can into my team). None of it changes the fact that, for most fans, only the minority, for whatever reason are deemed good enough to be playing in their idea of our best XI... "As it stands".

But putting the majority of our signings this summer in would be including three (or more). Which takes me to the point that Lambert wasn't bought as a regular starter, Lallana is injured and Can is in a position where our first choice is probably our strongest area on the pitch. Even Lovren will rightly have a difficult time getting into the team because Skrtel was arguably our best defender last year and Sakho is, supposedly, the best thing since slice bread.

I think that's why it's difficult to fit the majority of new signings into the first team "as it stands right now".

Bringing it back, sort of, to the topic: Pretend Adam is fit Billy - where are you playing him; who is he replacing in your XI? 

I'm not playing him and he's replacing nobody mate. I don't particularly rate Lallana all that highly. Though I will give him a clean slate because he's yet to perform in a Liverpool shirt.

But putting the majority of our signings this summer in would be including three (or more). Which takes me to the point that Lambert wasn't bought as a regular starter, Lallana is injured and Can is in a position where our first choice is probably our strongest area on the pitch.

Yeah... I know; which is why I said what I said - it's really very simple: even after spending £85m there are few new players we [the fans] believe will be an improvement to the starting XI this year. I'm not sure (but I may be missing something) if any of that is untrue, inaccurate or needs challenging. 

I'm not playing him and he's replacing nobody mate. I don't particularly rate Lallana all that highly.

It sort of defeats the purpose of mentioning him being absent, because of injury, originally but furry muff mate.

I also think that in a way we have strengthened the first 11 as we now have 3 players in Lallana, Can ans Markovic who are potentially just as good as the players they might replace

Call it what you want Si... what you've described is still a strengthening of the squad. I'm bogging down this thread with my musings but I've had my speak so I'll leave it there. 

Oh I've no doubt, what so ever, that most people agree we have strengthened the squad Si. The point is; that most people really don't think (even if they won't say it aloud) that we have improved the starting XI... even after having spent the guts of £85m [As it stands].

I might be missing something but... wasn't that ["Improving the first XI"] the objective?

Still... we have a month (or 18 days, to kick-off) for that to change. It'll be nice to see how this thread unfolds as new players come in.

I would consider our first 11 from last season as more than adequate, the problem last season was a lack of quality on the bench.  If we can bring in players that force some of those starting 11 on to the bench, and promote healthy competition for places,  then we'll be very strong this time round.

Just thinking about Sakho and how if he is given a consistent amount of games I think he will outshine Lovren and Skrtel.

I feel this season he will be instrumental to our defensive performances, he plays with his heart on his sleeve and won't bottle out of anything and at the same time keeps the ball well when needed and as uncomfortable he looks on the ball his always playing positive forward passes.

I would consider our first 11 from last season as more than adequate, the problem last season was a lack of quality on the bench.  If we can bring in players that force some of those starting 11 on to the bench, and promote healthy competition for places,  then we'll be very strong this time round.

i think we've had such a piss poor weak squad for so many years that the idea of fighting for places is so alien to us!

Yeah... I know; which is why I said what I said - it's really very simple: even after spending £85m there are few new players we [the fans] believe will be an improvement to the starting XI this year. I'm not sure (but I may be missing something) if any of that is untrue, inaccurate or needs challenging. 

To be honest mate, I think most will agree that we had one of the best starting XI's in the League last year but it was the squad that let us down. So I'm not too surprised that many find it difficult to include the new signings into the first choice, especially since the problems in the first XI (last season) was the defence. Probably why Lovren gets into almost everybody's team "as it stands right now"

I know Brendan saying we want players who will go straight into the first 11 got people excited but for me that was just the typical manager saying.

It sort of defeats the purpose of mentioning him being absent, because of injury, originally but furry muff mate.

I was using the Lallana injury as a reason to why some might not be picking him, not for me. He wouldn't get into my 11, injury free or otherwise.