Your Starting 11

Cy and Sparky, i think thats the great thing about this forum, everyone has a different idea of how to play yet we support the same club.

Personally im tired of having all our CM's used as holding mid's while Gerrard is the only out and out CM. I dont think this is the year for us to win it but its a sign of how much we need to improve. A new LB CB CM LM RM ST is what we need to really be a force. Plus we need to get rid of afew players while clubs want them such as Crouch Riise and Hyypia plus the Yanks kitty. Plus maybe letting go of some players that we dont need like Momo and Carson . Maybe even start to blood some new players because all this talk of bringing up our youth players has failed! Not one youth player besides Leto has been used in the Prem. Hobbs, El Zhar and Spearing (might be out on loan already, not sure) all deserve a chance. Anderson should have stayed along with Guthrie this eason to play with the first team. Sending them out on loan doesnt solve everything. Guthrie was sent out to Bolton and has played one league game, surely he would be far better off with the first team here learning from the best.

i wouldnt get rid of riise yet, he's the only left footed winger we got...

reina
finnan carra agger arbeloa
pennant gerrard alonso riise
kuyt torres

would also love to see youssi play in the middle, i think he can do the job.

Brian i think that would be a good idea. when you think about it they could snap back to 442 quikly with no effort during ne period in the game. use the 424, score some goals then snap back to 442 and start defending, then do it again.

yeah it is great to see every ones ideas of how we should play, and every one knows that the circumstances would change things as far as the game and team we are versing. but what about our "second" best players, the players that dont always get first team. how do they compare to the "seconds" of our rivals? im not expecting rafa to sign a hell of alot more players but to be honest i think we need more back up behind our starting 11

Reina
Finnan   Carra   Agger   Riise
Gerrard Mach Alonso   yossi
Torres   Kuyt

in need of wingers in a bad way.. babel yossi don't seem 2 fit the pool team. maybe it's rafa's changing the side every game...  and wat does every1 tink of arbeloa i really don't like hin think's he makes the back four very nervous looking

Reina
Finnan - Carra - Agger - Aurelio
Mascherano - Alonso -Babel
Gerrard
Torres - Kuyt

Subs:

Arbeloa for Finnan or Aurelio,
Hyypia or Jack Hobbs as cover for Centre-back,
Pennant for Mascherano,
Risse for Babel or even Kewell if he ever sets foot on the hallowed turf!
Gerrard for Alonso -
Crouch or Yossi for Gerrard
Veronin for Torres or Kuyt...

Something like that!...

3-4-1-2 is one that could work too.

                    Reina

Finnan   Carragher / Agger  Arbeloa

Pennant  Gerrard  Alonso  Babel
       
                 Benayoun

           Torres   Voronin
 
Subs : Itandje Carragher/Agger  Mascherano  Crouch  Kuyt

Babel could easily go into Yossi's position and Yossi drop to the wing. I think Gerrard doesnt fit in the gap between midfield and striker so maybe a CM role. Easily could beat Portsmouth or Birmingham!         

My starting XI

Reina (clearly the best keeper at the club)

Finnan (reliable) - Carragher (great vision of the game) - Agger (strong and pacy) - Arbeloa (a revelation)

Pennant (promising couple of months) - Gerrard (obviously) - Mascherano (great ball winner, great defensively and frees up SG) - Babel (needs to be given games)

Torres (class) - Kuyt (thrives on confidence - needs to play often)

Bench: Itandje, Hyypia (cover), Voronin, Alonso, Riise (covers both wing backs and wingers)

My starting XI

Reina (clearly the best keeper at the club)

Finnan (reliable) - Carragher (great vision of the game) - Agger (strong and pacy) - Arbeloa (a revelation)

Pennant (promising couple of months) - Gerrard (obviously) - Mascherano (great ball winner, great defensively and frees up SG) - Babel (needs to be given games)

Torres (class) - Kuyt (thrives on confidence - needs to play often)

Bench: Itandje, Hyypia (cover), Voronin, Alonso, Riise (covers both wing backs and wingers)

I'm not against rotation, but as i've stated in other threads i think that there should be a core of first team regulars in the competition deemed as the most important to the club... Those core players are Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Gerrard, and Torres IMO... Although Mascherano is becoming more prominent due to the poor form of Momo Sissoko.  For certain games i'd use a 4-5-1 formation...

                                                       Reina
   
                        Finnan             Carragher     Agger          Arbeloa 

                                                   Mascherano
 
                        Pennant                   Alonso                   Gerrard

                                                                 Benayoun

                                                   Torres

I think that Benayoun would provide the sort of passes that Torres would thrive on if he were played behind him, or i would go with a 4-4-2.....

                                                         Reina

                         Finnan             Carragher       Agger          Arbeloa

                         Benayoun        Alonso           Gerrard         Kewell (if fit!)

                                                 Torres       Kuyt

Obviously Benitez will rotate, and rightly so, because players such as Voronin, Babel, Riise, Crouch, Sissoko, Pennant, Hyypia etc can play their part.

My starting 11 would be

               Reina

Finnan    Carra    Hyypia Agger

Pennant  Masch  Gerrard Kewell

             Torres     Babel

Assuming none of these players are not injured that is but at the mo it looks like half this team are.  It's hard even as a fan to pick your best 11 so god knows how tuff it is for Senior Benitez week in week out.  I would like to use Babel as a striker as I feel we have seen a hint of what he is capable of and he needs to be let loose, midfielders need an strong play maker to push forward and Gerrard and Masch seem a good choice for this kind of attacking play with service on both wings from proven players as Pennant and Kewell. 

Defense needs to be kept tight and with Carra forming the foundations to which Finnan and Agger strengthen and Hyypia is like a wall that they all play alongside.  Reina in goal as he's the best we have.

                  Reina
Finnan  Carragher  Agger  Riise
              Mascherano
Pennant                       Babel
                Gerrard
           Torres  Crouch
GOALS GOALS GOALS GOALS
and defensive steel the best we have
no disrespect to all the people who picked kewell but hes always injured but an amazing player. Realistically this is our best starting 11