The 30 Year Wait

[Tony Moanero 14,093]

6 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

This team, with this system/manager? No. Those are names for a hypothetical Greatest 11 side.

 

Did any of them ever play in a midfield 3 at the top level? I would give you Gerrard in for Henderson on the right.

Souness for Fabinho, hands down.

[TheHowieLama 10,731]

1 minute ago, aRdja said:

They could be.... Salah played in a 4-2-3-1 for Roma as a right winger and Mane played loads for us last season in the same formation. I’m envisaging Suarez dropping deep loads anyway

I don't believe you. Plus it doesn't matter - you need to pick a side without them AND you are losing 4 of your back 5.

[Ronnie Whelan 806]

11 minutes ago, aRdja said:

My greatest XI from when I started supporting us (1997).

 

Alisson; Trent, Carragher, Van Dijk, Robertson; Salah, Gerrard, Hamann, Mane; Suarez, Torres

 

Some team that. Sami for Carra though?

[TheHowieLama 10,731]

5 minutes ago, Tony Moanero said:

Souness for Fabinho, hands down.

Maybe - it is a specialty the way our system works now - not something he did really, he could but I don't think it is a gimme. Gerrard on the right is.

[aRdja 2,662]

1 hour ago, Ronnie Whelan said:

Some team that. Sami for Carra though?

I prefer Carra as a defender to Hyypia, but much of muchness. Both great defenders.

[Alex_K 837]

“System” as a singular concept is over-rated. Quality of Players make teams. Systems are flexible. Right now we have 6 players likely the very best in the world in their position and a full complement of very good players alongside them. You could change the way we play and those 6 would still be incredible. Likewise you can take them out and the system doesn’t win us anything. Mane and Salah in a 4-4-2? They’d still fuck every team up that dares to come out against them.

[Bob Spunkmouse 2,342]

11 hours ago, lifetime fan said:

You need to pick Rush, Kenny and Barnes so yes you are going to change the formation. 

Which means it’s no longer putting them into this team, it’s become picking a team with players from past and present.

[TheHowieLama 10,731]

10 hours ago, Alex_K said:

“System” as a singular concept is over-rated. Quality of Players make teams. Systems are flexible. Right now we have 6 players likely the very best in the world in their position and a full complement of very good players alongside them. You could change the way we play and those 6 would still be incredible. Likewise you can take them out and the system doesn’t win us anything. Mane and Salah in a 4-4-2? They’d still fuck every team up that dares to come out against them.

Nah man. These players were assembled specifically with Klopp's system in mind. Their talents shine brightest in it.

 

Do you think TAA is racking up assists in a 442? Taking one of Hendo or Wiji out of the middle and adding a forward does not affect our pressing?

[Ronnie Whelan 806]

15 hours ago, aRdja said:

I prefer Carra as a defender to Hyypia, but much of muchness. Both great defenders.

Fair enough. I reckon Sami shades it but not much in it.

[Bobby Hundreds 7,937]

Annoying as fuck that we win it and all the financial rewards that come with it which we could use to further cement and build upon are fucked up due to a pandemic. Meanwhile the mancs even If they don't get top 4 could get champions league through city being banned or winning  the Europa. 

[Bjornebye 24,984]

Its still not properly sunk in. 

[dockers_strike 1,965]

2 hours ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

Annoying as fuck that we win it and all the financial rewards that come with it which we could use to further cement and build upon are fucked up due to a pandemic. Meanwhile the mancs even If they don't get top 4 could get champions league through city being banned or winning  the Europa. 

I think Leicester are trying their damnest to give united all the chance they need of getting in the top 4. If Leicester lose a couple more matches, I dread to think......

[TheHowieLama 10,731]

5 minutes ago, dockers_strike said:

I think Leicester are trying their damnest to give united all the chance they need of getting in the top 4. If Leicester lose a couple more matches, I dread to think......

5th place will get into the CL -- it is between Wolves and Leicester for that.

[VladimirIlyich 7,405]

18 hours ago, Ronnie Whelan said:

Fair enough. I reckon Sami shades it but not much in it.

I think Sami is well ahead but that doesnt mean Carra wasnt excellent himself. Sami was absolutely superb in my eyes. Hansen,Sami and VVD are all magnificent centre halves to have at your club.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA 7,882]

On 01/07/2020 at 00:04, aRdja said:

I prefer Carra as a defender to Hyypia, but much of muchness. Both great defenders.

Nah mate, Sami was superior.

[M_B 764]

I'd go for

 

Clemence, Kennedy, VVD, Hansen, Neal, Gerrard, Souness, Salah, Dalglish, Liddell, Rush

 

Never saw Liddell play, but by all accounts he dominated matches to such an extent that the club was nicknamed Liddellpool, so he gets my vote.

[Ronnie Whelan 806]

27 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

I think Sami is well ahead but that doesnt mean Carra wasnt excellent himself. Sami was absolutely superb in my eyes. Hansen,Sami and VVD are all magnificent centre halves to have at your club.

I'd have Sami in fourth. Hansen, then Virgil, then Lawro. I'd probably have Thommo ahead of Carra but not much in it.

 

Lawro might play the village idiot as a pundit, but he would have been a world 11 candidate for a number of years and that was when there was when more world class centre halves than now. 

 

I think a lot is made of Jurgen's system, but really it's a team of world class players under a world class manager. No different to the 70s and 80s. I have no doubt he would have found a way of tweeking things to get Kenny or Johnny Barnes in as I don't think he is that rigid. Great players can adapt to different systems and great managers can recognise what is needed to get the best out of what is at their disposal. 

 

Kenny, Hansen, Barnes, Gerrard and Souness remain untouchable, but I could see an argument for not having Rush in a greatest eleven. Personally, I would have Rush and Kenny all day every day and I love our current front three.

 

I think Trent, Virgil and Ali probably make my greatest eleven of the current team but in time a few more might. I never thought someone would break up Lawro and Hansen in the centre of a defence and then Virgil comes along. 

 

 

[aRdja 2,662]

1 hour ago, VERBAL DIARRHEA said:

Nah mate, Sami was superior.

I disagree. They both complemented each other, but you could make an argument for either player.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA 7,882]

4 minutes ago, aRdja said:

I disagree. They both complemented each other, but you could make an argument for either player.

Carragher was quicker without being quick, Sami was better at everything else. They did however compliment each other well as you say.

[Moo 664]

On 30/06/2020 at 22:43, Tony Moanero said:

As good as the current team obviously is, Souness, Gerrard and McDermott would improve it.

McDermott, and Kennedy, are the debate for me in a midfield three with Souness and Gerrard.  Mouthwatering, but too attacking? Should there be a more pragmatic choice?

 

Up front a three of Mane, Kenny and Johnny Barnes playing the Salah role from the right. Digger would be on another planet playing from there, imagine the screamers from that beautiful left foot cutting in from the right.

 

Back four swap Gomez for Hansen.

And I'd stick with Alisson in goal over Clemence as he suits the system and style better.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA 7,882]

On 30/06/2020 at 22:53, TheHowieLama said:

Salah and Mane are not 442 wingers.

 

Replace all those off the current team with your second picks and we may have a game - but I think your back 4 would get shredded.

Mascherano and Alonso both ahead of Hamann for me .

[Bjornebye 24,984]

3 minutes ago, VERBAL DIARRHEA said:

Mascherano and Alonso both ahead of Hamann for me .

Lets hope the ref doesn't notice