World Class?

I've been thinking recently about our team, especially over the past five to ten years when we seemed to be pressing for the Champions League final every season and almost landed the Prem in 2009. We had some world class players back then. Torres, Gerrard, Alonso, Masch... since then, Stevie has deserved the label, but precious few others have. Suarez is one, of course. Back when we were bossing everything, in the '70s and '80s, we had a string of world class players. Who now, though? I reckon Sturridge is on the fringes, and Sterling, given another couple of years hitting the heights, could stake a claim. Coutinho maybe... Anyone else? How many world class players do you need in a team to make you contenders for the big titles? if you're an efficient, well-oiled team do you even need worldies in your side?

I've been thinking recently about our team, especially over the past five to ten years when we seemed to be pressing for the Champions League final every season and almost landed the Prem in 2009. We had some world class players back then. Torres, Gerrard, Alonso, Masch... since then, Stevie has deserved the label, but precious few others have. Suarez is one, of course. Back when we were bossing everything, in the '70s and '80s, we had a string of world class players. Who now, though? I reckon Sturridge is on the fringes, and Sterling, given another couple of years hitting the heights, could stake a claim. Coutinho maybe... Anyone else? How many world class players do you need in a team to make you contenders for the big titles? if you're an efficient, well-oiled team do you even need worldies in your side?

interesting concept, I won't reply right now, because it will involve things that I might be premature in saying.

Depends upon how you define 'World Class'. I define it as being able to walk straight in to the first team of any of the biggest clubs in Europe (including the Premier League). If you share that perspective then there isn't a single Liverpool player that is world class.

How many world class players do you need in a team to make you contenders for the big titles? if you're an efficient, well-oiled team do you even need worldies in your side?

How many world class players played in the Greek team that won Euro 2004? How many world class players did Atletico Madrid have when they won La Liga and finalists of CL? How many did Man Utd have when they won the prem during the last couple of years under Fergie? How many did we have when we won CL in 2005 or when Porto won their CL?

I genuinely believe that if you are efficient & well-oiled, you are capable of beating anyone, whether that's with 0 world class players or 1, it doesn't matter, as long as you have that world class manager!!

Depends upon how you define 'World Class'. I define it as being able to walk straight in to the first team of any of the biggest clubs in Europe (including the Premier League). If you share that perspective then there isn't a single Liverpool player that is world class.

I may have over exaggerated on what world class was in the past, but now, for me, It is a player that is capable of making a huge impact or difference to a team at a consistent & highest level. And I agree, I do not see any world class players for us at this moment

You don't have to have a clutch of world class players to win things (although it helps).

We currently do not have a world class player in our squad albeit Daniel Sturridge, Mamadou Sakho, Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling are very good players who could certainly feature for the top teams in Europe.

We had so many world class players during the Benitez reign and we really should have won more than we did and it was perhaps our best chance of lifting the Premier League to date. Reina, Alonso, Gerrard, Mascherano and Torres were all world class (or close enough to it) during the 08-09 season.

You don't have to have a clutch of world class players to win things (although it helps).

We currently do not have a world class player in our squad albeit Daniel Sturridge, Mamadou Sakho, Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling are very good players who could certainly feature for the top teams in Europe.

We had so many world class players during the Benitez reign and we really should have won more than we did and it was perhaps our best chance of lifting the Premier League to date. Reina, Alonso, Gerrard, Mascherano and Torres were all world class (or close enough to it) during the 08-09 season.

Yes, i agree with you.. no class player. After suarez leaved Liverpool. We dont have any good player in striker position.

Yes, you need world class player to win trophies. All PL winning teams have had at least 1 world class player.

Some good responses here... I'd define 'world class' pretty much as you would, 5Times... although I'd also add that they need to be able to perform on the global stage too (in a major Euro/international tournament), and not just in the Prem.

BTW, I missed Reina out of my initial list. I'd consider him to have been world class. And if world class players were judged on passion and hard work alone, I'd sneak Kuyt into that list too!

Maybe Hendo has what it takes to be at that level in another four or five years... and there's a lot of promise around Origi too. Keeping them when they get to that level... that seems to be the problem for us.

Difficult using the term world class, I mean Torres was world class when here in a particular team that didn't win the title, he went to another side with a glut of world class players and became pants. For me players become world class playing in a position that suits them eg Macherano was world class as a midfield destroyer playing for us he's now just a very good defender playing for Barca.

Matic and Toure are world class playing that midfield destroyer but they also can add a goal threat and create, the manager plays them in their correct position and allows them to blossom.

Onto our team, for me Henderson has the qualities to be a world class centre mid, but just because the lad has an engine like a stallion he's used wide and all over the place, I have no doubt if Mourhino was here he would be starting ahead of Stevie in that position.

Sterling is a winger, he's shown time and again he cannot finish show play him wide and let him develop into the player he's meant to be.

Danny is world class and we are missing him.

World class players in the past mainly stayed playing in the leagues of their origin. A few south Americans ventured into europe, and a few eastern block players also. Two worldies in a side was a luxury, three very rare. Now with the freedom of movement, the mega rich team scan just buy up everything between them. Therefore you have 5 or 6 sides, with 7 or 8 worldies. These are the sides that compete in the top comps with a fair chance of success.
The rest I'm afraid, are the also rans. And that currently includes us.
With the likes of Rush, Barnes, Souness, Dalglish, Grobbelar, we were blessed, and that was the nucleus of a side envied world wide.

We've had our share over the years for sure. In the last 10-15 years, I think Stevie, Masch, Xabi, Torres (for his first two years), Der Kaiser, Sami and of course Suarez were right up there. 

In the current crop, I think we've got three who are pretty close:  Sturridge, Coutinho and Sterling.

For Sturridge, fitness is the key. When fully fit, he is a player who can win a game by himself. The lad can do everything.

For Coutinho and Sterling, I think its now about maturing and developing consistency. Both can be a little hot and cold. But when they are hot, they are dazzling.

I think most clubs in the world would take those three in their squads of 25, if not to start.

To me there can never be more than 20 world class players playing at any given one time or it loses value as a saying. And I don't think we have any of those.

Depends upon how you define 'World Class'. I define it as being able to walk straight in to the first team of any of the biggest clubs in Europe (including the Premier League). If you share that perspective then there isn't a single Liverpool player that is world class.

I don't mate, I think Sterling will get there. That there are rumours of Real wanting him is enough to make me believe he will become world class, not yet but he will get there. Apart from that, can't think of anyone else. Coutinho is a possibility and I can't help think he will be a much better player with better players around him. He absolutely thrived last season with Studge, Luis and Sterling around him.