Liverpool side 2013-14 v 2016-17 - Who wins?

Question that most of us have probably been thinking about. 

I've compiled the average teams from both seasons based on highest appearances:

2013-14

Mignolet
Johnson - Skrtel - Toure/Agger* - Flanagan
Gerrard - Henderson
Sterling - Coutinho - Suarez - Sturridge

* Agger and Toure played the same number of games

2016-17

Karius
Clyne - Matip - Lovren - Milner
Henderson - Wijnaldum
Mane - Coutinho - Firmino - Lallana

Suarez - undeniably world class and arguably the best player in either team.  But Sterling was far from the finished article - still is.  Mane's a better player IMO and a better goalscorer.  Coutinho now v then - far better player.  Firmino v Sturridge?

Defence? I'll take our current back four.

Gerrard at his peak would walk back into our midfield though.

How many of the current side would you put in the 2013-14 team?  It's definitely more than six for me.

Difficult one, i suppose on form i would choose the current back 5 with the 2013/14 front 6.
A Suarez, Sturridge, Sterling and Coutinho playing with current manager would make for some devastating football.

As well as we're playing at the moment, if we came up against our 13-14 team then we would lose in my opinion.

The 13-14 team, apart from the hiccups right at the finishing line, was the best Liverpool team I've ever seen. It was one of the best footballing teams I've ever seen and I genuinely think had we played anybody in Europe at that time we would have beaten them. 

For me it comes down to which attack is better.  Now at present we have a lethal attack but I think the pairing of Luis-Danny was truly special, they were so deadly. They had the quality of Steven supplying them with passes and then of course Raheem and Coutinho chipping in from wide areas too.    So because of Luis & Danny, 13-14 team wins which is weird because when you match player to player we are probably better off now as the OP suggests.

Our current side would wipe the floor with that team, remember how shocking the defence was back then. For sure Suarez would probably score a few but the current team would score a lot more. Plus I reckon Klopp would completely out think Brendan on the tactics and strategy side.

Plus I reckon Klopp would completely out think Brendan on the tactics and strategy side.

That's true. Klopp knows how to win 'must win' or big matches. Brendan didn't unfortunately.

As well as we're playing at the moment, if we came up against our 13-14 team then we would lose in my opinion.

The 13-14 team, apart from the hiccups right at the finishing line, was the best Liverpool team I've ever seen. It was one of the best footballing teams I've ever seen and I genuinely think had we played anybody in Europe at that time we would have beaten them. 

For me it comes down to which attack is better.  Now at present we have a lethal attack but I think the pairing of Luis-Danny was truly special, they were so deadly. They had the quality of Steven supplying them with passes and then of course Raheem and Coutinho chipping in from wide areas too.    So because of Luis & Danny, 13-14 team wins which is weird because when you match player to player we are probably better off now as the OP suggests.

Sorry but with all due respect that is crap, that same team, minus Suarez were utter crap in the champions League the following season. Of course the loss of Suarez made a difference but if the team was really that good then they should still have been potent without him.

Neither, it'd be the highest score draw in the history of the game

13/14 simply because of Suarez. He is just ridiculous.

The main difference is not on the pitch.

Jürgen Klopp

so, 16/17 wins easely 

The main difference is not on the pitch.

Jürgen Klopp

so, 16/17 wins easely 

Aye i think you have nailed the big difference between the two teams.

Sorry but with all due respect that is crap, that same team, minus Suarez were utter crap in the champions League the following season. Of course the loss of Suarez made a difference but if the team was really that good then they should still have been potent without him.

You've mentioned it yourself, Suarez wasn't in the team. Sturridge was injured too for virtually the whole season. So that has wiped the 13-14 attack clean out. Go back to my post and read it again - I said it all comes down to the attack for me.

But while we're on topic, I can say that Gerrard wasn't the same player either. I think going so close to a title and then missing out at the final hurdle with his infamous slip of all things just completely finished him. Once Luis left he knew he wouldn't win a title with Liverpool which is something he has worked his whole life for. Then lets move on to Sterling who was being a c**t over a new deal, purposely putting in dog sh*t performances acting like a spoilt little brat.

You say it was the same team? Well from my recollection it was a completely different team. We sold Luis for 75m and spunked it on Can, Markovic, Lallana, Lovren, Lambert, Moreno, Manquillo and F***ing Balotelli.  We went from having the worlds best front pairing to having Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert. Our style of play completely changed, we had no movement in the final third because our front line was so static, Coutinho suffered as a consequence and in the end we had to play Raheem as a no.9 who didn't even want to be here. So with all due respect, it isn't crap at all.

Our 13-14 team beats our current side because of Steven, Luis and an in form Sturridge.

If we're to take it player for player then I think more of the 13/14 side get into it. As a team though, I think this current side is better. So as football is a team game, I'd say the current side wins.

Perhaps we should wait until later on in the season, to make a proper judgement. Although the Liverpool side, having players like Suarez and Gerrard, did not have a manager of the quality of Jürgen Klopp, who seemingly, brings out the best in all his players.

2016-2017...by some considerable margin.

For sure we might not have any one individual player as outstanding as Luis Suarez (we probably never will have a player as fine as him).

You don't win Premier League titles with Flanagan, Skrtel and Johnson leading the way in defence. In hindsight I think it was remarkable we got that close with those players in the defence because they are, to put it kindly, not good defenders. Klopp comes in and converts Milner to left back. He buys a world class defender for free and a handy deputy for a couple of million much better than Skrtel and Toure. As for Karius - I have no doubt that he is and will be a better keeper than Mignolet. So already we have a back line that is supremely better than the one of 2013/2014.

Gerrard over Henderson? I'd take Henderson right now. You'd think given Gerrard's legs had pretty much gone in 2013-2014 that you'd take Hendo any day. But that would be to underestimate the sheer quality of Gerrard's world class penalties and set piece deliveries. I have never seen a better more consistent season of quality dead ball deliveries and world class penalties as I did from Gerrard but at the end of the day I'd choose Hendo because his mobility and ability to recycle attacks this season has been a key reason why we are scoring so many goals, currently at a rate higher than when Gerrard played the deep role in 2013.
 

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/15117/10649175/how-Jürgen-klopps-liverpool-compare-to-brendan-rodgers-premier-league-runners-up

This might help...

                 Reina

Finnan  Carra  Agger  Arbeloa

       Alonso Mascherano

Kuyt        Gerrard        Benayoun

               Torres

         

                 Reina

Finnan  Carra  Agger  Arbeloa

       Alonso Mascherano

Kuyt        Gerrard        Benayoun

               Torres

         

Don't go there bro.....go on then

                           Reina

Clyne          Matip        Agger        Milner

               Alonso       Mascha

       Gerrard       Coutinho    Suarez

                         Torres



Current team is the one with the added bonus of Klopp.

Gerrard over Henderson? I'd take Henderson right now. You'd think given Gerrard's legs had pretty much gone in 2013-2014 that you'd take Hendo any day. But that would be to underestimate the sheer quality of Gerrard's world class penalties and set piece deliveries. I have never seen a better more consistent season of quality dead ball deliveries and world class penalties as I did from Gerrard but at the end of the day I'd choose Hendo because his mobility and ability to recycle attacks this season has been a key reason why we are scoring so many goals, currently at a rate higher than when Gerrard played the deep role in 2013.

You can't believe that surely?

You think that Gerrards only contribution in the 13-14 season was from set pieces? That's horse sh*t.  He was brilliant throughout. One of his best seasons for us actually.

In the 13-14 season Stevie played in a much deeper role which we aren't used to seeing him in but his passing was as good as ever. His legs hadn't gone either, watch some of the games from that season again - he was hardly a slow coach. Stevie managed 13 goals and 13 assists that season which suggests you're talking from your arse pal.

Don't go there bro.....go on then

                           Reina

Clyne          Matip        Agger        Milner

               Alonso       Mascha

       Gerrard       Coutinho    Suarez

                         Torres



Current team is the one with the added bonus of Klopp.

My only issue with that team is player positioning, pushing Gerrard, one of the greatest players this club has ever seen who plays as a CM, out wide for Coutinho, a player who plays out wide currently?

Blasphemy I tell you

How Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool compare to Brendan Rodgers' Premier League runners-up

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/15117/10649175/how-Jürgen-klopps-liverpool-compare-to-brendan-rodgers-premier-league-runners-up

Apologies on the phone so can't load page...

There's no doubt that the 2013/14 season was a blast but it was really only that 14 game run we went on where everything went right and we blew teams out of the water.  The frailties were always there, something I don't think is an issue with this team.

When a lot of us oldies are comparing this team to the 1987/88 team there's really only one winner for me and that's the 2016/17 team.  I know we've won nothing yet but the signs are there that it's a sustainable team/squad that can go on to great things.

You can't believe that surely?

You think that Gerrards only contribution in the 13-14 season was from set pieces? That's horse sh*t.  He was brilliant throughout. One of his best seasons for us actually.

In the 13-14 season Stevie played in a much deeper role which we aren't used to seeing him in but his passing was as good as ever. His legs hadn't gone either, watch some of the games from that season again - he was hardly a slow coach. Stevie managed 13 goals and 13 assists that season which suggests you're talking from your arse pal.

You need to go to the opticians. Most of those goals and assists were from the spot and from the dead ball. Shhhhh. Don't let your arse do the talking in future. Thanks.

You need to go to the opticians. Most of those goals and assists were from the spot and from the dead ball. Shhhhh. Don't let your arse do the talking in future. Thanks.

He scored something like 10 penalties & 2 free kicks didn't he? Insane set piece taker!