There’s not long to go until the season kicks off, and the team is really starting to take shape now that everyone is arriving back from their holidays and the new transfers are settling in.
There are still a couple of areas we could arguably do with strengthening, but we’ve got a lot more strength and depth than we had last season.
It’s been a pretty successful transfer window so far, and in the list below we’ve taken a look at exactly how much strength in depth we have and where all the new players will fit in.
Goalkeepers:
First Choice: Loris Karius
Back-Up: Simon Mignolet, Alex Manninger
Mignolet will be hoping to keep his starting spot when the season starts, but the general consensus is that Karius has been brought in to displace the Belgian.
Manninger is unlikely to get too much of a look in, with Jurgen Klopp revealing that the former Arsenal man was simply brought in as a fail-safe and to provide experience (via Liverpool FC).
Conclusion: It’s fantastic that we’ve finally got some real competition for Mignolet, and hopefully both keepers push each other and both are kept on their toes.
Right-Back:
First Choice: Nathaniel Clyne
Back-up: Joe Gomez, Connor Randall
Nathaniel Clyne is unquestionably one of the best right-backs in the league, and we can feel safe knowing we’ve got him racing up and down the flank. Our other options in that position are a little more questionable, as they are either unproven or have struggled with serious injury.
Conclusion: Our first choice is phenomenal, but if something were to happen to Clyne then we’d be in pretty uncertain and potentially worrying territory.
Left-Back:
First Choice: Alberto Moreno
Back-Up: Brad Smith, Ragnar Klavan, Joe Gomez
Arguably our weakest position at the moment, and unfortunately one that badly needs addressing. Alberto Moreno gets a lot of criticism from pundits and fans alike, but he’s certainly our best option at the moment. Klavan can play left-back, but it’s certainly not his best position and probably not what he’s been brought in for. Smith seems likely to be sold (via ESPN), so our options in that department are pretty limited.
Conclusion: If Klopp isn’t working very hard to sign another left-back this summer then there could be problems, especially if we were to suffer an injury.
Centre-Backs:
First Choice: Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip, Mamadou Sakho
Back-Up: Ragnar Klavan, Joe Gomez, Andre Wisdom
With the arrival of Ragnar Klavan we’re actually looking pretty solid in this department, with our options pretty plentiful. Mamadou Sakho and Joe Gomez are currently nursing injuries, but hopefully both will be back soon to give Klopp a plethora of choices.
The regular pairing should be two out of Lovren, Matip, and Sakho, while Gomez and Klavan cover while needed. Wisdom doesn’t seem likely to get too much game time, but what the future has in store for him remains to be seen.
Conclusion: For once we’re looking very solid at the back, and hopefully we’ll see a far more watertight defence this season.
Defensive Midfield:
First Choice: Emre Can
Back-Up: Lucas Leiva
Emre Can is the undisputed first choice, and rightfully so. We’re not left with many other options in that department, so any injury to the German could result in a less orthodox midfield pairing or a younger player getting a call up.
Conclusion: Can is a fantastic player, but where would we be left if he were to suffer an injury?
Central Midfield:
First Choice: Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum, Marko Grujic
Back-Up: James Milner, Cameron Brannagan
Jordan Henderson is still the captain, so naturally many expecting him to keep his starting spot. With the talent we have available in midfield it’s far from guaranteed though, and Grujic has certainly been putting his name in the hat with his performances in pre-season.
Conclusion: We really have no idea who will be starting regularly in midfield alongside Can, and pre-season performances and early season games could go a long way towards deciding.
CAM:
First choice: Georginio Wijnaldum, Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho
Back-Up: Marko Grujic, Ovie Ejaria
Arguably our strongest position, with the No.10 spot overflowing with talent at Anfield.
Roberto Firmino should get the nod when he’s not being pushed further up the field, but Coutinho and Wijnaldum are both excellent options.
Conclusion: We could suffer three or four injuries and still have plenty of options in this position, so it just remains to be seen who will be the undisputed first choice.
R/LAM:
First Choice: Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum
Back-Up: Adam Lallana, Divock Origi, Lazar Markovic, Georginio Wijnaldum
We’ve tended to field less orthodox wingers out wide recently, and that has sometimes been to our detriment. The addition of the likes of Sadio Mane should go a long way towards remedying that, and Klopp now has different options depending on the opposition.
Conclusion: It will be a different look from last season, but hopefully a more effective one.
Striker:
First Choice: Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi
Back-Up: Danny Ings, Christian Benteke, Mario Balotelli
Klopp hasn’t always looked entirely convinced by Sturridge, instead preferring to utilise Firmino as a False 9. Benteke and Balotelli don’t look like they have much of a future at Liverpool, but for the moment they’ve been included anyway.
Conclusion: Different options for different teams, but Firmino seems the favourite.
SEE MORE:
Liverpool transfer news
Overall we have much more strength in depth than we have done in previous seasons, and there’s a real air of confidence floating around at the moment. There are still a couple of problem areas, but there’s still time for them to be fixed. We’ll get a better idea of who will be starting the season as first choice, but this is the team we expect to see: