Best XI and stick to it or different selection depending on opponent?

Just read through the Chelsea post match thread and there were a few posts saying Benayoun shouldn't of started because Riera gives us more cover down the left (apparently), but should we pick our side based on who we're playing or just stick with our best XI no matter who or where we play? And if it is just stick to our best XI, do we know what that is?

Also with a pretty much free injury list now with Agger and Aquilani returning in the near future will certainly be in some people's best XI.

For me, I would like us to stick to our best side and let our opponents worry about us. But then again that always raises the question of form and what happens when injuries/suspensions hit. So it's always gonna be impossible to keep your best side throughout the season but I do think we should just try our best side for a sustained period over the coming weeks. Again though it begs the question what is our best side because Aquilani has never kicked a ball in the Premiership so how can he figure in our best side at the moment? Carragher has looked out of sorts for a while this season but surely he'd be in our best XI? As would Gerrard who hasn't looked anywhere near his best this year.

But I'd still like to Rafa pick his best side and give it a run for a few games.

How would you go about it?

If our best players are fit, they should always play. We have such players in that other teams wil have to worry about us. Reira giving more cover than Benayoun is rubbish. Benayoun works 10 times harder than Reira and tracks back a lot.

Our best team

                               Reina
Johnson          Skrtel           Carra            Aurelio

Kuyt              Aquilani         Masch           Benayoun

                  Gerrard            Torres

The only position I would change is probably aurelio's depending on the match. Insua does well against lesser teams so I'd play him there to get experience. If we want maximum points we have to use our best players.

Strongest possible line up at all times in the League and Champions League rotation in the Cups, i've always said that and will always maintain it.

tricky one this. i do love to have a starting XI, or at least a core of the team in place. However, sometimes you have to expose the oppositions weakness or change for a different type of match. For instance, for a tight game like Chelsea i would have dropped Steven back into midfield and had Yossi in his position because he is good in tight positions compared to Steven who is deadly when given a bit more room. i like a settled defence no matter what the occasion.

My way of thinking? if it ain't broke don't fix it ! if you have a winning team that are all playing well leave it be ,use substitutions to ease tiredness and assess the substitutes then ,if a player is having a mare of a time then yes use a change but i feel you must have a 'first team' to start every game and this will encourage players to work hard to break through the ranks ,we should ,given the players and the funds be able to field two teams of quality .

we havent got 11 players who a certs.Thats the problem if we added Villa and Silva then we might get close but I think only 7 postions are certs.

I think Agger is the best CB that we have now, and it's arguable who is the second one, Skrtel or Carra? anyway, I would like to choose experience. Aquilani may not get used to the premier league very soon, so he and Lucas should stay on the bench. But I insist that we should play Kuyt next to Torres, we need to be strong against the strong and it showed against Chelsea...

                              Reina
Johnson          Agger           Carra            Aurelio

Benayoun              Gerrard         Masch           Babel

                  Kuyt            Torres

I think it all depends who we are playing, and whether we are playing in the Premiership or Europe.

Rafa likes to tinker about with the team depending on the opposition.

I do think we should keep the backbone of the side all the time, injuries/suspensions permitting of course, the thing is if you play the same team every game, the fringe players are never going to get a game, and they will get frustrated at not getting a chance and will want to leave.

Hard to please all of the people all of the time.

Wouldn't want Rafa's job though would you 

Got to go with te strongest players for all prem games! No question - I like the rotation policy as it gives players a chance, and it keeps them fresh come May. However, if it was Football Manager I would start with this...                             

                                 Reina

Johnson          Agger           Carra            Aurelio

                              Masch
            Benayoun                       Babel             
                             Gerrard                   

                  Kuyt            Torres

Subs - Skirtel, Insua, Ngog, Riera, Cavalieri

We have wingbacks so use them - have Masch hanging back as cover when they go marauding forward. Beni and Babel cutting in or sitting on the edge of the box as Johnson or Aurelio attack to provide crosses. Gerrard free role - full creative licence. Kuyt feeding on rebounds (great at this, backing up the play - made his name in Holland in this role) - Torres, world class - need I say more! Bench allows for a cahnge incase of injury, if its Masch drop Gerrard Back and bring on Riera to center and play with a straight 3 in midfield - others are straight forward changes.

Got to go with te strongest players for all prem games! No question - I like the rotation policy as it gives players a chance, and it keeps them fresh come May. However, if it was Football Manager I would start with this...                             

                                 Reina

Johnson          Agger           Carra            Aurelio

                              Masch
            Benayoun                       Babel             
                             Gerrard                   

                  Kuyt            Torres

Subs - Skirtel, Insua, Ngog, Riera, Cavalieri

We have wingbacks so use them - have Masch hanging back as cover when they go marauding forward. Beni and Babel cutting in or sitting on the edge of the box as Johnson or Aurelio attack to provide crosses. Gerrard free role - full creative licence. Kuyt feeding on rebounds (great at this, backing up the play - made his name in Holland in this role) - Torres, world class - need I say more! Bench allows for a cahnge incase of injury, if its Masch drop Gerrard Back and bring on Riera to center and play with a straight 3 in midfield - others are straight forward changes.

Where would you put Aquilani?

Where would you put Aquilani?

Remove Babel and replace, drop Babel to reserves and transfer list, when Aquilani is avaliable that is. Harsh but how I would handel the situation with a great player underachiving. Something we cannot afford...

The midfield is based on Babel / Aquilani and Beni intercahnging, making man marking difficult and confusing defences. I know Aquilani is a center mid player, but his shot / crossing is very good. Passing on the counter will allow Gerrard to move forward supporting. Defending Gerrard will always track back so he can sit in the center for a counter.

How does it sound?

Surely you pick a team on a variety of factors, the main ones being:

1. Form and fitness of own players - as has been said already, there aren't 11 definite starters out there.

2. Strategy that your going to employ - so the champions league we often play much more defensive than we would against some of the lower prem league opposition.

3. How your opposition is set up - I think the only time it would be acceptable for a coach to not thoroughly research his opposition and adjust accordingly would be if they played so low down the leagues that there were no tapes available. Of course rafa looks at the opposition, and change his tactics and the people he plays. And of course he is quite right to do so, it would be horribly schoolboy if he didn't.

On a slightly different note. A few people have babel in our strongest 11. Can't see it myself. And i really can't see him at left mid, where you've put him. I don't know why rafa persists with using him there, and i think he's finally realised that its at right mid where he'll be most effective. Thinking back to the past couple of games where he's been most effective, its been putting in crosses from the right hand side, he actually looks something of a threat there, whereas on the left wing, he looks so uncomfortable because he really has no left foot. Its no good saying that he'll cut inside, because thats all he's able to do and its far too predictable.

I dont think this can really be answered because it all depends on the type of team we are playing against.

Also i dont think it can even be slightly answered until Agger and Aquilani are back from injury because them 2 could make a massive difference.

(Babel) Thinking back to the past couple of games where he's been most effective, its been putting in crosses from the right hand side, he actually looks something of a threat there, whereas on the left wing, he looks so uncomfortable because he really has no left foot. Its no good saying that he'll cut inside, because thats all he's able to do and its far too predictable.

thats why I put him interchanging with Beni - I just dont see Babel being the next 'Henry' or any where near being a world class player (I want to be wrong here - i really do!).

I don't think we really have the luxury of Picking a strategy based on our opponents. We just do not have the strength in depth. Only our starting 11 are on a really high level, whereas as our subs are average or below. We cannot choose our squad based on our opponents. Because of the lack of decent subs we have, we have to make our opponents choose their team according to ours and we have to learn to play unpredictabily so that we can counter any strategy they are using up to counter us, such as having Gerrard and Aquilani interchanging if Gerrard is man marked, or attacking from the wings with our full backs if the midfield is crowded. We have to learn to be more dynamic while using the same players.

Sorry Guys - But I disagree with the idea of changing more than 2 players depending upon who we are playing.

Look at it this way;

Are there any 'easy' mathes in the EPL? Proably not anymore... Do we always need a decent / best defencive line up - proabbly yes. Are we scoring 6 a game, well no. So if the best team can beat anyone why would it not beat a bottom 3 side? Putting 2 holding midfield players against a decent team slows down the attack and makes us weaker at set peices - putting an all out attack against a team playing a 'park the bus' style of team will leave us on the wrong end of a 1-0 score line.

the best team wins more often than not. How many changes did Mourino make week in week out in his first two seasons, same with wino nose!. Put out your best 11 and play our way - were not bloody Stoke, were Liverpool FC. Give me one reason why we should worry or change our style of play for anyone!

As per my analysis this may be the strongest team

                                                      REINA

JOHNSON                    AGGER                     SKRTEL                    INSUA

                           MASCHERANO            ACQUILANI

                 KUYT            GERRARD                            BABEL/BENAYOUN

                                                          TORRES                               

I think we have to start with the strongest available team in any match and if all going well and winning games then substitutions can be made to give players a bit of a rest.

I think you have to play your stongest XI as often as you can, barring injuries and bans. We simply cant afford to drop too many more points. Its definatly no time to panic right now , but in a month's time it could be. We have some huge matches comin up after the break , EPL and CL

Johnson  Carra  Skrtel  Aurellio
               Masch
               Aquilani
Kuyt                          Yossi
               Gerrard
               Torres

Use Agger(when he's fit) to step in for Carra/Skrtel as needed. Eventually taking over for Carra.(as much as i love Carra he hasnt been on top form this season)
Insua gets some matches from time to time so he can develop
Lucas plays when either Masch or Aquilani cant
I think we need to keep Babel and use him as cover/sub for Kuyt. To me he looks like much more a threat on the right.
Riera has been too inconsistant to start every game, so he backs up Yossi on the left.
    
Id say let the other team worry about who we put out there instead of us changing for them.

I have always believed you need your spine in there, regardless of form. In saying that, Reina/Carra/Steven/Fernando are in there regardless. It's preference from there on IMO. On paper, this is my side:
 
                                 Reina

Johnson        Carragher         Agger         Aurelio

                  Mascherano        Lucas

     Kuyt                                             Benny
                          Gerrard
                              Torres

I haven't seen Aquilani kick a ball for us so i don't know how he'd be in the starting side already.

             pepe
johnson carra agger aurelio
kuyt aquliani masch benny
             stevie
             nando

I haven't seen Aquilani kick a ball for us so i don't know how he'd be in the starting side already.

Very good point actually

Trying to be optomistic

Agger and Aquilini have both been out for some time, so the team thats our best = Riera,Johnson,Carra,Skrtel,Insua,Lucas,Mascha,Kuyt,Benayoun,Gerrard and Torres..

A amanager for whetever team should always pick the team for the specific game. But since we are a top club, and are expected to come out with a win against almost all opponents, we should be playing the team that is most likely going to get us the win.

How about a 4-1-4-1 when Aquilani gets back.

                                Reina
Johnson          Carra            Skrtel           Insua
                           Masch
Kuyt         Gerrard             Aquilani         Benayoun
                           Torres