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Liverpool 08/09 & 18/19 Combined XI


aRdja
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Two of the best Liverpool sides I’ve seen with a number of world class players in both squads. Tell us the manager and players you’d pick to play against a United XI. Here’s mine:

 

Manager: Klopp. 

 

GK: Alisson

CB: Van Dijk

CB: Carragher

RB: Trent

LB: Robertson

DM: Alonso

CM: Henderson

CM: Gerrard (c)

RW: Salah

LW: Mane

CF: Torres

 

Comments:

1. Picking the manager was the toughest call for me as there isn’t much between the two. However I want the side to play 4-3-3, with two attacking full backs, so it’d have to be Klopp.

 

2. Alonso and Gerrard are locks. I don’t really rate Masch very highly. I’ve picked Henderson because I want the third midfielder to provide plenty of running to complement the two midfield stars. He’s well rounded enough to be able to contribute both going forward and defensively.

 

3. Torres over Bobby as at his best he was the best striker in the world however brief.

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3 minutes ago, viRdjil said:

Two of the best Liverpool sides I’ve seen with a number of world class players in both squads. Tell us the manager and players you’d pick to play against a United XI. Here’s mine:

 

Manager: Klopp. 

 

GK: Alisson

CB: Van Dijk

CB: Carragher

RB: Trent

LB: Robertson

DM: Alonso

CM: Henderson

CM: Gerrard (c)

RW: Salah

LW: Mane

CF: Torres

 

Comments:

1. Picking the manager was the toughest call for me as there isn’t much between the two. However I want the side to play 4-3-3, with two attacking full backs, so it’d have to be Klopp.

 

2. Alonso and Gerrard are locks. I don’t really rate Masch very highly. I’ve picked Henderson because I want the third midfielder to provide plenty of running to complement the two midfield stars. He’s well rounded enough to be able to contribute both going forward and defensively.

 

3. Torres over Bobby as at his best he was the best striker in the world however brief.

Mascherano was an excellent defensive midfielder, and probably better at that than Hendo is a box to box midfielder.

 

But I agree if we’re going 433, the base of the midfield is the best spot for Alonso, so no real room for Masch. Can’t disagree with the rest of the team either.

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On 25/06/2019 at 10:23, viRdjil said:

Two of the best Liverpool sides I’ve seen with a number of world class players in both squads. Tell us the manager and players you’d pick to play against a United XI. Here’s mine:

 

Manager: Klopp. 

 

GK: Alisson

CB: Van Dijk

CB: Carragher

RB: Trent

LB: Robertson

DM: Alonso

CM: Henderson

CM: Gerrard (c)

RW: Salah

LW: Mane

CF: Torres

 

Comments:

1. Picking the manager was the toughest call for me as there isn’t much between the two. However I want the side to play 4-3-3, with two attacking full backs, so it’d have to be Klopp.

 

2. Alonso and Gerrard are locks. I don’t really rate Masch very highly. I’ve picked Henderson because I want the third midfielder to provide plenty of running to complement the two midfield stars. He’s well rounded enough to be able to contribute both going forward and defensively.

 

3. Torres over Bobby as at his best he was the best striker in the world however brief.

What a side

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1 hour ago, Johnny Utah said:

Was just looking at Torres career stats the other day after he retired and didn’t realise how little he played in 08-09.Only played 24 league games.I wonder how many of the 0-0s would have been different if he could have stayed fit.

Didn't Gerrard and Torres only start 18 or 19 games together that season?  Managed 13 home games and car burnt out and caught fire - the perils of being an OOT.

 

Also had the same feeling as this year - we should have fucking won it!

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GK: Reina

CB: Van Dijk

CB: Carragher

RB: Trent

LB: Robertson

DM: Mascherano

CM: Alonso

CM: Gerrard (c)

RW: Salah

LW: Mane

CF: Firmino

 

I have put Reina over Alisson because Reina was the undisputed best in the league at that time and had done it for 2 or 3 seasons. He would start to fade away after that season though, got complacent and lazy. I think he is a better goalkeeper than Alisson, but Alisson is a better footballer and exudes confidence. I could accept either/or here.

 

For me, the 09 midfield was better because it had one of our greatest ever in Gerrard, Alonso was superb and I reckon that if Klopp could clone a player and bring them into our team now, Mascherano would be towards the top of the list. He is without a doubt the finest defensive midfielder I've seen play for us. He had everything.  

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It depends what you're basing it on. Is it Rafa's style and system or Klopp's?

 

If it's Rafa's then it wouldn't just be Stevie and Carra getting in, but my criteria was more about how many of the 09 team would get in the current side. Just the two, although it's close between Fabinho and Mascherano.

 

I suspect in a year or two it won't be though, as Fabinho is going to be one of the best we've ever had.

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I’m terrible at this sort of thing. In a situation like this, where one team is demonstrably better than the other, I’d be loathe to put a single player from the lesser one in there. Player for player, would Gerrard make the team? Definitely, but I’ve just seen this 2019 side accrue our highest points total ever & win the Champions League by being - at worst - the second best team in Europe (and, frankly, I’d say that the CL more than overhauls a single point and a couple of now-lightly regarded domestic cups), which we hadn't truly been able to say since the 80s.

 

So I’ll go for the CL winning team with Reina, Carragher, Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso and Torres among the subs, but even then I’d be concerned they’d upset the balance of the squad or something stupid. 

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9 hours ago, Joey8FrogsLegs said:

For me Gerrard and Alonso would obviously be in from the 08/09 team. Torres as well, at least the peak version of him, which I believe was still there on quite a few occasions that season.

 

No one else even close in my book, even though Reina was a brilliant keeper back then.

Mascherano is the best defensive midfielder I have ever seen play for the club, when he was on the park the likelihood of the opposition scoring dropped immeasurably, the amount of ground he covered tracking back, interceptions and great tackles he made was ludicrous and that was combined with a decent passing range and fantastic leadership skills. I think Klopp and the team now would love to have him anchoring the base of the midfield. There's a reason why he was Argentina's captain for years on end.

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Midfield three would be Mascherano, Alonso, and Gerrard. As much as we wouldn't be pressing in the same way they have so much quality that I think we'd adapt and be even better than we are.

 

Torres or Firmino is a tough choice, and Torres would be phenomenal off the bench whilst Firmino often isn't. However, I think prime Torres was the best on the planet for about 18 months so he'd just get the nod.

 

Alisson

TAA VVD Carragher Robertson

Alonso Mascherano

Salah Gerrard Mane

Torres

 

Reina

Gomez

Arbeloa

Fabinho

Benayoun

Firmino

Origi

 

The bench has left out some players that are arguably "better", but I went for balance.  And frankly the Div couldn't be left out.

 

The team wouldn't be as destructive as the current team but we'd win 3-0 every week. 

 

Sorry Dirk.

 

 

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8 hours ago, Moctezuma said:

Mascherano is the best defensive midfielder I have ever seen play for the club, when he was on the park the likelihood of the opposition scoring dropped immeasurably, the amount of ground he covered tracking back, interceptions and great tackles he made was ludicrous and that was combined with a decent passing range and fantastic leadership skills. I think Klopp and the team now would love to have him anchoring the base of the midfield. There's a reason why he was Argentina's captain for years on end.

 

Mascherano probably covered more ground than Fabinho. And was definately more visible, due to his extremely energetic style. But I think Fabinho is doing a lot of what Mascherano did, only in a more quiet and composed way. Far less last ditch tackles, because his positional awareness mean they are very rarely required.

 

On the ball I think Fabinho is better. Better passing range and decision making. Also a lot better in the air.

 

For me it’s pretty close, I was a big fan of Mascherano, but I actually think Fabinho is better. 

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