The future SHOULD be bright, even if the present isn't!

[WrongIslander]

Alright so let's take stock. What do we have?

 

A world class goalkeeper. I hope he doesn't leave, if he does to go abroad he has my thanks and support but again I hope he doesn't.

 

Youth to come through like Kelly, Shelvey, Suso, Coady, Pacheco, Sterling. I see no reason why all of these players can't play some part in the future of this club, in some cases a huge part.

 

A great captain. Steven Gerrard has matured not only into a better player but a better leader. Things arn't quite going for us or him at the moment but I'm telling you that all things settled and the right moves made next season and you will see the best year of his career.

 

Carroll and Suarez. We're yet to see them together or Carroll at all but it was a great statement of intent to get both and I believe they will be a step up on Torres for so many reasons.

 

Squad players. Carra, the Greek, Kuyt, Aurelio, maybe Lucas, N'gog and the youth named above.

 

Most importantly though, we have the man we needed as manager and owners that I believe will back him to the hilt.

 

 

 

What's the problem? Well there is a lack of balance, a lack of stability and a lack of quality. Funny that I should started the thread talking about how bright the future should be with a statement like that?

 

 

Balance is easily solved. Kenny seems to favour the 4-3-3 and only plays the 3-5-2 at the moment because he doesn't have the right personnel for the 4-3-3.

 

This 3-5-2 is trying to turn our weakness into strength. We don't have defensive fullbacks AT ALL. Kelly is a CB playing out of position and Johnson is at best a wing back. Add to that we don't have a recognised CB partnership and it's easy to see why 3 at the back is called for.

 

How to solve this? Clear out and buy young quality players who are hungry and will improve.

 

Carra either takes his place on the bench or he is no use to us. I'm sorry, I love the lad but he's 34 next season and while he still reads the game fantastically, he lacks pace, is not the strongest (though he is the most tenacious) and he's not tall enough or dominant enough aerially. Liverpool turn his weakness into a strength by having him as a squad player, a defender from the bench that others would envy. Even Maldini had to call it a day sometime Carra!

 

The Greek. More than happy for him to stay. Great squad player to have, comes in and does his job when called upon, dominates in the air at both ends of the pitch, can bully players and although lacking in pace still has a part to play in this team. Reminds me a lot of Hyypia and that's never a bad thing.

 

Agger. Will never be the player he should or could have been due to injury. I really had high hopes for him and love especially the way he brings the ball out of defence. He proved in the semi's against Dogbert at Anfield (the game Agger scored in) that he could mix it with the stronger players and that was the last thing he had to prove to me other than consistency. Like Aurelio though he's made out of biscuits, so there's no chance we can build our future around him.

 

Skrtel. At first he was massively underrated after his poor showing against Havent and Waterlooville. Sorry to bring it up but it's true. He was written off straight away and called for everything. Since that time he matured and settled into a good defender capable of the odd excellent display. Like Agger though he's never really become the player that we thought he could be. He's like a jack of all trades master of none and the fact he still doesn't bully or intimidate opponents and that he STILL can't head a ball, well that's enough to see him up for sale for my money.

 

Full backs? Well it all depends on what Kenny wants to do. If he decides Johnson is a left back now then we need a left back, if he decides he's a right back then we need a left back and if he decides that he's neither then we need both. Confused? Yeah me too. We have nothing at fullback unless Johnson decides he wants to defend better. Kelly can play at full back but I'm still of the impression from what I've seen of him in the reserves that he will make a better centre back. I think the only reason he is playing full back at all is necessity given Johnson can't defend and Aurelio is made of biscuits and that constitutes our whole quota of "full backs".

 

On to midfield and what we sorely lack is width. I'd like to see ONE defensive midfielder bought who can challenge Lucas as he's the only out and out defensive midfielder we have at this time. I'm one of those people that likes Lucas and hopes he stays and continues to improve but I'm not adverse to some depth in his position. Coady could bring much needed stability to this position in the future, only time will tell though.

 

If we play the 4-3-3 then all of a sudden width isn't a huge deal, and again that's why we've looked to play this formation before we realised we had no defence.

 

Meireles is quality but needs to learn to stick a foot in and not shy away from tackles. It's the one gripe I have about his game but I believe it's a legitimate one.

 

Gerrard is Gerrard. When fit he can be a role player or a match winner but whatever he is there's nothing more we need from him or his position. I personally prefer Gerrard just off the forwards but with Meireles' lack of tackling that means he's better employed for now in the heart of midfield.

 

Those are the three and with players like Suso, Shelvey and Coady coming through who can play in those three positions respectively I think we're better off than people give us credit for.

 

Up front we've got Suarez and Carroll (though we're yet to see it) with Kuyt and N'gog as back ups.

 

If you're going to play 4-3-3 then you need the width to come from your fullbacks and you need a front 3 that has guile, movement and creativity. We don't have that and that's why we need to sign players in this position as well. N'gog is given a lot of stick but I like the way he's developed and I think in a more settled balanced side he's going to be an important squad player, just like Pacheco could and should be.

 

4-3-3 just makes sense for where we are, where we're going and where we'd like to be.

 

Sign players who have versatility (lack of squad depth means we need it), quality, youth and improve not only the squad but the first team first and fore most.

 

Sanchez could be world class under the right manager in the right setup and I believe we can give him that. He could play all 3 positions up top and add pace, skill, creativity and movement as well as goals.

 

Suarez/Sanchez/Pacheco/Stering - Carroll/N'gog/Kuyt - Sanchez/Suarez/Pacheco/Sterling

 

In midfield we need an M'Vila type player as for the 3 in midfield you tend to find the best teams have one holding player (Lucas/M'Vila), one battler with passing ability/creativity (Lucas/Gerrard/Shelvey) and one creative player who can chip in with goals and is comfortable off the front 3 (Meireles/Gerrard/Suso).

 

 

Defensively is where we need to start again, we've got nothing and the sooner people realise it the better. We basically should be looking at buying 3 defenders this year.

 

So 3 defenders, a defensive midfielder and 2 attacking creative players that can play a variety of position (hoping the other is marveaux on a free as reported)

 

That's 6 players (5 if one is free). Five players to rebuild a squad is not a lot when you think about it. If we get these players then we are challenging for CL places at a bare minimum and back on the road to where we belong.

 

Let's hope we get them whoever they may be.

[The Tott]

Lost credibility when you said skrtels good.

[Wor Horse]

tl;dr

[WrongIslander]

Lost credibility when you said skrtels good.

 

He's clearly the whipping boy at the moment but he's put in some good performances for us in the past. Like a few others I believe he's lost confidence in his own abillity and I've always maintained he is too "nice" to be the strong no nonsense CB we crave. Hyypia was nice but he'd dominate you on the deck and in the air without a care in the world.

[silverlining]

We need a LB, a CB, a CM who can tackle and add some snap and bite, and one attacking player who can function out wide.

 

This has been a requirement for years

[Xherdan]

Have a wank there lad.

[Bobby Hundreds]

We need a LB, a CB, a CM who can tackle and add some snap and bite, and one attacking player who can function out wide.

 

This has been a requirement for years

 

One attacking player who can function out wide? is this what we have been reduced to saying because winger has become a bad word.

[zico]

Lost credibility when you said skrtels good.

 

He lost me when he said Gerrard has matured into a better player....

[Hades]

One attacking player who can function out wide? is this what we have been reduced to saying because winger has become a bad word.

 

Political correctness has taken over TLW. :D

 

Whatever happened to signing good players with bottle and then playing them in their right positions?

 

Walk before you run etc.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Political correctness has taken over TLW. :D

 

Whatever happened to signing good players with bottle and then playing them in their right positions?

 

Walk before you run etc.

 

Its PC overboard, Positional correctness gone mad.

[WrongIslander]

He lost me when he said Gerrard has matured into a better player....

 

How has he not? Playing off Torres when we should have won the title he showed exactly the player he can be. Injuries, shit management and the realisation of a crap team around him have sent him back a bit but he's still matured into a better player if we can get the players around him and keep Kenny here.

[silverlining]

One attacking player who can function out wide? is this what we have been reduced to saying because winger has become a bad word.

 

Hahahaha. It did come across a bit like that didn't it?

I suppose I meant I wanted a player who had attacking instincts, can score and create goals, and can operate in more than one position.

 

Like a Pires. Or at the moment Ashley Young.

 

But yeah, winger has become a dirty word, but only because some dull cunt will start quacking on about them being 'an inside forward' instead, and I can't be arsed having that argument all over again.

[Unrighteous]

Hahahaha. It did come across a bit like that didn't it?

I suppose I meant I wanted a player who had attacking instincts, can score and create goals, and can operate in more than one position.

 

Like a Pires. Or at the moment Ashley Young.

 

But yeah, winger has become a dirty word, but only because some dull cunt will start quacking on about them being 'an inside forward' instead, and I can't be arsed having that argument all over again.

 

Lazy fuck. You know this forum was built so we could have the same arguments over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over... etc.

[emryscb]

We need a LB, a CB, a CM who can tackle and add some snap and bite, and one attacking player who can function out wide.

 

This has been a requirement for years

 

 

i agree with this and add possibly a no.3 striker if Ngog continues his recent form.

[Megadrive Man]

Ideally our squad would look something like this next season.

 

Reina, Jones,Gulacsi

 

G Johnson, Kelly, Flanagan

J Enrique Aurlio, Insua

 

Cahil, Carragher, Ayala

Agger, Kyrgiakos, Wilson

 

Diarra,Lucas,Spearing

Meireles, AdamShelvey,

 

Gerrard,J Cole, Pacheco

 

Suarez,Kuyt,A Young

Carroll, N'Gog

 

This means selling Skrtel, Konschesky, Poulsen,Maxi,Jovanovic,Aquilani, Degan and El Zhar.

 

Rougly this would mean a net spend of around £50 million

[WrongIslander]

Ideally our squad would look something like this next season.

 

Reina, Jones,Gulacsi

 

G Johnson, Kelly, Flanagan

J Enrique Aurlio, Insua

 

Cahil, Carragher, Ayala

Agger, Kyrgiakos, Wilson

 

Diarra,Lucas,Spearing

Meireles, AdamShelvey,

 

Gerrard,J Cole, Pacheco

 

Suarez,Kuyt,A Young

Carroll, N'Gog

 

This means selling Skrtel, Konschesky, Poulsen,Maxi,Jovanovic,Aquilani, Degan and El Zhar.

 

Rougly this would mean a net spend of around £50 million

 

I wouldn't say no to that, but I'd still like to see a holding midfielder bought instead of Diarra (despite the fact I think he's a quality player). I think that Agger has to go as well sadly. Joe Cole has till the end of the season to do ANYTHING.

[Il Fenomeno]

How has he not? Playing off Torres when we should have won the title he showed exactly the player he can be. Injuries, shit management and the realisation of a crap team around him have sent him back a bit but he's still matured into a better player if we can get the players around him and keep Kenny here.

 

So he hasn't matured into a better leader, then?

[WrongIslander]

So he hasn't matured into a better leader, then?

 

Of course he has, but Baresi couldn't deal with the shite we've had recently.

[GATESEYRED]

The future would be a lot brighter if we got rid of players like Kuyt and Lucas who depsite their best intentions are clearly not good enough to play the amount of games they do, Kuyt doesn't play as a striker for us because he's not good enough, Lucas can't tackle so how can he play DM.

If we demanded quality over 'hard work' then maybe just maybe we might get back to where we belong... AT THE TOP

[RSM]

We need a LB, a CB, a CM who can tackle and add some snap and bite, and one attacking player who can function out wide.

 

This has been a requirement for years

 

Opta: Lucas makes a sucessful tackle every 17mins 36 seconds, more than any other Premier League player.

[WrongIslander]

Opta: Lucas makes a sucessful tackle every 17mins 36 seconds, more than any other Premier League player.

 

You're wasting your time, he's shit and as for facts, well they can prove anything can't they ....

 

Lucas is boss.

 

A reason why he has to make a tackle so often is because of the lack of bite in the midfield other than from him. I keep telling people that Meireles needs to put a foot in but apparently I know nothing because he scores goals.

 

No prem player is carried in the centre of midfield successfully, none.

[Il Fenomeno]

Of course he has, but Baresi couldn't deal with the shite we've had recently.

 

Look at the shite Scott Parker has to deal with at West Ham, yet he's still a great leader, his head never drops, he's always encouraging everyone around him to improve, which is what a great captain does.

 

I really don't understand your point about Gerrard, he's been a top player for years now, he hasn't matured all of a sudden into a great player and he's never been a great captain either, so I'm not sure how the fact that he hasn't been playing well because of the players around him reflect the fact that he's a great leader.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Opta: Lucas makes a sucessful tackle every 17mins 36 seconds, more than any other Premier League player.

 

How does that stat apply to players whose sides keep possession. I'll be honest I hate stats. I'd rather form my opinion from watching a match.

[GATESEYRED]

Do the opta statistics tell you how many times he gives the ball away, or how many times he gets knocked off it, or how many times he gives away a silly free kick in dangerous positions? How about how many games have we won since he's been a regular starter?

[WrongIslander]

How does that stat apply to players whose sides keep possession. I'll be honest I hate stats. I'd rather form my opinion from watching a match.

 

It isn't a completely accurate assessment of the player but it does disprove idiotic comments like "Lucas can't tackle", if he couldn't tackle then regardless of how many chances he got he wouldn't be winning the ball back as often as he does.