It’s hard to believe that we have been discussing the complete overhaul of the Liverpool Football Club squad, especially after Sunday’s resounding victory over old foes Man Utd. So strange to think that only a week early I wrote an article in which I slammed the Reds for a despicable game away to West Ham: and they bloody well deserved it!
Whether the Reds need high profile encounters to rise to the occasion is hard to verify, but two recent games, one against Chelsea and this last one against Man Utd make it hard to believe that the same team (add Torres/delete Suarez) was languishing in the relegation zone just a couple of months ago. However, when playing against teams of a lesser caliber, the Reds have repeated lost the intensity and drive to steamroll their way through.
The Reds however are poised to undergo a significant overhaul this summer as the new ownership prepares the foundations for another golden era of success. If something needs changing it’s certainly not the man in the management seat. Kenny Dalglish has had the same effect on the Club as the day a meteor struck the earth and extinguished all pre-historic beasts. John Henry seems to be a person that believes in value and legacy so the confirmation of Kenny at the helm is well and truly a no-brainer.
Now let’s go back to rebuilding the Bastion of Invincibility so dear to Bill Shankly. I have asked you in a previous article to send in your views in the form of a list of two players per position, reflecting how you would like next year’s squad to present itself. Though many went down the road of computations and market valuations which were both unnecessary and uncalled for, the majority sent in their list and this is what transpired:
The most voted were today’s first team players, which within itself, gives the current squad a vote of confidence. Notwithstanding the fact that the comments came in prior to the game with Man Utd, the most voted player was Luis Suarez, followed on level votes by Gerrard, Meireles and Carroll, again Carra, Kelly and Johnson just behind, with Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Kuyt and Lucas following closely and all on equal votes. The players that are non-regular starters that got the most votes and were actually not far behind the above were Cole, Aurelio, Wilson and Pacheco, with Gulasci getting the most votes to be our reserve keeper.
The most voted player currently not wearing the Liverpool shirt was Charlie Adam, followed by Coentrao, Ashley Young and Arda Turan. The remaining votes were spread amongst the more than 80 different contenders you wish to see playing for the Reds, many of which seemed to be quite improbable arrivals. This is how it stands at present:
GK: REINA/GULASCI
RB: JOHNSON/KELLY
CB: CARRA/SKRTEL – AGGER/WILSON
LF: COENTRAO/AURELIO
DM: LUCAS/M’VILA
CM: GERRARD/MEIRELES
RM: KUYT/COLE
LM: YOUNG/PACHECO
ST: SUAREZ/BOJAN – CARROLL/BENZEMA
The above are the two players per positions as voted by you, and remember, the scope here is to have two quality selections per position. Six different goalies were mentioned, but no international keeper would come to Anfield to be Reina’s sub. Let us have more lists as the one above and we will keep you updated on what the fans of EOTK are saying. One final observation: from the twinned list shown above (22 players total), there are ONLY five players that are currently not Liverpool players!
Send your lists!
Here’s my list:
GK: REINA/GULASCI
RB: JOHNSON/KELLY
CB: CARRA/SKRTEL – AGGER/WILSON
LF: DAVIDE SANTON/AURELIO
DM: LUCAS/CATTERMOLE
CM: GERRARD/MEIRELES
RM: KUYT/J.COLE
LM: ADAM JOHNSON/PACHECO
ST: SUAREZ/NEYMAR – CARROLL/NEGREDO
My List:
GK: Reina/Neuer
RB: Johnson/Kelly
CB: Carra/Gary Cahill – Agger/Wilson
LB: Coentrao/Jack Robinson
DM: Lucas/Moussa Sissoko
CM: Gerrard/Meireles
RM: Kuyt/J.Cole
LM: Adam Johnson/Marko Marin
ST: Suarez/Alexis Sanchez – Carrol/Connor Wickham
My List:
GK: Reina/Ochoa
RB: Johnson/Kelly
CB: Carra/Sakho – Agger/Wilson/Otamendi
LB: Coentrao/Jack Robinson
DM: Lucas/Moussa Sissoko
CM: Gerrard/Meireles
RM: Kuyt/J.Cole
LM: Javis/Honda
ST: Suarez/Pacheco – Carrol/Necid
Liverpool badly need a few defenders and I still dont know why glen johnson has never been given a go at right midfield,Kuyt should never play there again( he’s far better up front)so heres mine
GK: REINA/GULASCI
RB: KELLY/G JOHNSON
CB: CARRA/CAHILL/AGGER/SKRTEL/WILSON
LB: COENTRAO/TAIWO
DM: L DIARRA/J BARTON/LUCAS
CM: GERRARD/MEIRELES
RM: G JOHNSON/OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN
LM: YOUNG/MARVEAUX
ST: SUAREZ/CARROLL/KUYT/LUKAKU
Re. cyril
You’ve definalty been playing football manager too much, this is real life were talking about
GK: Reina/Jones
RB: Johnson/Kelly/Flanagan
CB: Carragher/Agger/Skrtel/Cahill/Wilson
LB: Enrique/Robertson
DM: Lucas/Adam/Spearing/Coady
CM: Gerrard/Meireles/Shelvey
RM: Kuyt/Wijnaldum
LM: Young/Sterling/Cole
ST: Carroll
FW: Suarez/Barrios or Lavezzi/Pacheco
OUT: Konchesky, Insua, Kyrgiakos, Poulsen, Jovanovic, El Zhar, Degen, Aquilani, N’Gog and Maxi
IN: G.Cahill, J.Enrique, C.Adam, A.Young, G.Wijnaldum, L.Barrios/Lavezzi
16 from 25 will be British players and with these players we can challenge everyone…we will have squad depth and fiercy attack. Also wholes in deep midfield and left back will be solved.
My list:
GK:REINA/GULACSI
RB:JOHNSON/KELLY
CB:CARRA/SKRTEL-AGGER/KYRGIAKOS/WILSON
LB:ENRIQUE/AURELIO
DM:LUCAS/M`VILA
CM:GERRARD/MEIRELLES
RM:HONDA/COLE
LM:YOUNG/ADAM JOHNSON
CF:SUAREZ/KUYT-CARROLL/ROBERT ACQUAFRESCA
My list…
GK: Reina/Gulasci
RB: Johnson/Kelly
CB: Carra/Kjaer
CB: Agger/Wilson
LB: Coentrao/Insua
RM: Sanchez/Kuyt
CM: Gerrard/Aquilani
CM: Meireles/Lucas
LM: Turan/Pacheco
ST: Suarez/Carroll/Lukaku/Kuyt
Mentioned Kuyt twice as he can play both… highly unlikely squad but im confident we can sign one or two of these players (including the younger lads as well)
My list-GK=reina/de gea RB=kelly/glen CB=carra/cahill CB=agger/wilson LB=enrique/taiwo/coentrao RM=honda/sanchez CM=sg/nuri sahim CM=raul/lucas LM=turan/adam johnson/pacheco ST=carrol/lukaku ST=suarez/lavezzi/lisandro. ONE LOVE LFC OBINNA 4RM NIGERIA.YNWA
If Adam and Turan were among most voted buys then why are they not in the 22 you listed?
Hi Nick. The answer is simple. Because although they were the most voted, they did not get enough votes to oust the player/s currently playing in that position.
Nick, then again, relax friend, because it is highly probable that Charlie Adam WILL be a Red next season.
I really like the idea of putting together lists of what our ’11-’12 Reds will look like, but I think we should be realistic.
#1 – We just destroyed the (current) top of the table club. Give our current squad, with Suarez and Carroll, some time under Kenny and the consistency will come.
#2 – How much of an investment will FSG realistically make? 50M plus or minus sales?
With this in mind:
GK: Reina/Jones – with Lloris if Reina leaves
RB: Johnson/Kelly
CB: Carragher/Agger/Skrtel/Soto/Wilson – But not adding here worries me
LB: Coentreo/Aurelio
CM: Gerrard/Meireles/Lucas/Shelvey/Spearing
RM: Honda/Marveaux
LM: Cole/Maxi
ST: Carroll/Suarez/Kuyt/Pacheco
well my list would be as such….
GK:REINA/GULASCI
RB:KELLY/JOHNSON
CB:AGGER/CARRA MERTESACKER/COADY
LB:TAIWO/WILSON
RM:SANCHEZ/STERLING
CM:GERRARD/LUCAS MEIRELES/COLE
LM:TURAN/PACHECO
ST:SUAREZ/KUYT CARROLL/WICKHAM
well,this is a mixed up list of first teamers,young bloods and a few new signings and we are all good for next season i believe..YNWA..
I, for the life of me cannot understand why almost everyone here wants Joe Cole have a part to play next season.
He brings nothing to the team, and he’s not getting any better or younger. Even as a backup player all he’s doing is taking up space on the bench that could be used for one of our reserve lads, like Ince or Suso next season.
GK-REINA/JONES
RB-JOHNSON/KELLY
CB-AGGER/CARRA
CB-KJEAR/SKRTEL
LB-CONCENTRAO/INSUA
DM-DE ROSSI/LUCAS
CM-GERRARD/MEIRELLES
LM-YOUNG/COLE
RM-TURAN/SUSO
CF-SUAREZ/BOJAN
CF-CARROLL/PACHECO
GK: Reina/Jones
RB: Johnson/ Kelly
CB: Kjaer/Carra
CB: Agger/Wilson
LB: Coentrao/Taiwo
DM: M’Villa/Lucas
CM: Gerrard/Meireles/Adam
LM: Young/Turan
RM: Sanchez/Lavezzi
CF: Carroll/Suarez/Bojan