This article will not discuss positions which we all agree needs to be strengthened left back, and both the wings. However I will try to point out a few personnel who I’d like to see come in and about a few currently on the books of LFC. We can all agree that the following players will be offloaded by the club come summer and we will hope to raise the maximum amount possible from these sales.
- Joe Cole
- Milan Jovanovich
- Christian Poulsen
- Paul Konchesky and a few others who are on loan like El Zhar, Emiliano Insua and may be even Nathan Ecclestone.
Left back: Of the above mentioned players I’d like for Insua to be given at least a year more at LFC. He was very good last season for Liverpool and was a real assist provider from the left back position; the season would have been different with his as a cover for Aurelio rather than the woeful Konchesky. There are a few question about his defensive capabilities and positional sense but all the available statistics show that he’d been better than Konchesky. So I’d want him to be given another season if not as a first team starter then definitely as a second choice left back. If he were to stay the defensive options for liverpool at right and left back will be
RB: Glenn Johnson-1, Martin Kelly-2 and John Flannagan-3.
LB: New first team player-1, Insua-2 and Jack Robinson.
Center back: I do not think that Liverpool needs to purchase a new center back as I’d keep Soto as a 4th or 5th choice CB for a year and also Daniel Agger, as injury prone as he is, for a year also. We have two young central defenders in Danny Wilson and Daniel Ayala, one who is a full Scottish international, a champion’s league player with rangers and the other one with solid performance at Derby where he is on loan and everyone who’s seen him is raving about him. They can be 3rd and 4th choice CB defenders, although, i wouldn’t mind a Sami Hyppia kind of a defender for his kind of price.
Left Winger: The one winger who I had in my mind and who is also experienced at the premier league level is Adam Johnson. He is an all round winger, can hug the line, can cut in and has pace and trickery to beat his man and a good shot. Manchester city are reportedly interested in a big money move for Alexi Sanchez we just might be able to get him for 10- 2 million price tag, with the only potential problem being man city may want to keep him just to comply with home grown rule and that might drive his price up.
Right Winger: Don’t have any real name for a Right winger with kuyt doing spectacularly there and Glen Johnson bombing down the touchline, the person selected would have to be exception to take kuyt’s place.
Striker: Liverpool has two exciting strikers in Suarez and Carroll and if need arises Kuyt can also take on the role of a central striker. Does Liverpool really need a striker?? In my opinion David N’gog deserves another season at Liverpool. This season he started really well with a very well taken goal against Arsenal in the opening game and continued his form to score a total of 7 goals in the season. He’s has in past been criticized for his lack of upper body strength and suffered mostly due to direct comparison with ‘El Sulko’. This season he has improved his upper body strength, his hold up play is good and he can score pass well, although his positional sense, heading abilities needs improving and he the ball entangled in his feet which needs to be improved too. I think he is as good a 4th Striker as any and will give him one more season at LFC to see if he improves or not.
Alberto Aquilani: The most controversial name on the list, Liverpool fans want him, he wants to play in Italy and Juve don’t want to pay up. I am a big fan of his and hated that Roy Hodgson sent him out to loan in Italy just as he was fully fit and ready to give his best for LFC. He’s a playmaker and can unlock defenses with his passing and movement. Imagine the passing of Aquaman with the positioning and movement of Luis it’d be great to watch. He can shoot and make amazing passes. In his first season with LFC he was coming out of a major injury and near the end of the season what he could do. In my opinion King Kenny is the perfect man to bring out the best in him. His man management skill is better than either Rafa’s or Roy’s and thus he will be better at “handling” Aquilani. His biggest weakness is that he is lightweight and is not prepared for the physical aspect of the English game. My response is David Silva. He is not the biggest or the strongest but he has been successful at Manchester City. I think Aquilani can play a similar role for LFC. The final reason to bring him back being why sell a creative player for a cut price and go buy one at a higher price.
Please post your views.
YNWA fellow Reds.
Bhaskar.
Twitter @bhaskarb