Topic: A novel thought in recent times, let's talk football and footballers...

[Fat Scouser]

Here's the first team squad as printed on the official site...
    1. Jones
    2. Johnson
    3. Enrique
    5. Agger
    7. Suarez
    8. Gerrard
    9. Carroll
    11. Maxi
    14. Henderson
    16. Coates
    19. Downing
    20. Spearing
    21. Lucas
    22. D Wilson
    23. Carragher
    25. Reina
    26. Adam

    30. Suso
    31. Sterling
    32. Doni
    33. Shelvey
    34. Kelly
    35. Coady
    36. Eccleston
    37. Skrtel
    38. Flanagan
    39. Bellamy
    42. Gulacsi
    47. Wisdom
    49. Robinson
    - Aquilani
    - J Cole
    - Pacheco
 
Who'll go? Who'll stay? How will Rodgers line em up and play?
Remember, football is a simple game for simple people like me. So, just pass and move, and keep it simple... No-Level-42-Money-nomics-ball and no added FSG.

[lfcshaunod]

                    Reina

Kelly      Skrtel  Agger        Enrique

            Lucas
                            Gerrard

Johnson       Cole             Suarez

                   Carroll


I would love to see this lineup at some point. Just out of interest.

[Fat Scouser]

                    Reina

Kelly      Skrtel  Agger        Enrique

            Lucas
                            Gerrard

Johnson       Cole             Suarez

                   Carroll


I would love to see this lineup at some point. Just out of interest.

To be honest mate, I'm sick and tired of all the cack. I just thought it would be nice to have a thread where people could just talk about football, the new manager and how he'll use the players... anything about LFC and actual football without all the added bollocks.

[iamrobk]

To be honest mate, I'm sick and tired of all the cack. I just thought it would be nice to have a thread where people could just talk about football, the new manager and how he'll use the players... anything about LFC and actual football without all the added bollocks.

I honestly have no idea what you want people to discuss.

[Fat Scouser]

I honestly have no idea what you want people to discuss.

You haven't forgot already have you? Here's a clue... it's called LFC. It plays football and it's just got a new fella in charge.

[lfcshaunod]

To be honest mate, I'm sick and tired of all the cack. I just thought it would be nice to have a thread where people could just talk about football, the new manager and how he'll use the players... anything about LFC and actual football without all the added bollocks.

Well yeah thats why i put a lineup i would like to see him try out

[geoffstrong]

I often thought we should have Glen in front of Kelly on the right! Not happened yet but i would like to see it tried.

[Cochise]

Boss thread FS. Look forward to seeing it continue in the way you intend.

                        Reina

Johnson      Skrtel    Agger     Enrique

                  Lucas
                              Gerrard

Suarez                                    Maxi

                    Carroll

[Upinsmoke]

Be interesting if nobody left (obviously dirk has gone already) and nobody came. Course there would be uproar amongst some rawkites, anyhow, given that squad listing you posted from the site I reckon this would be our best team and the one Rodgers should/would hopefully choose.....



 
-------------------------------------- Reina --------------------------------


Johnson----------------Skrtel-------------------Agger----------------Enrique




------------------------------Lucas------------Aquilani--------------------


 
---------------------------------------Gerrard-------------------------------


-------------Suarez-----------------------------------------Maxi-------------


-----------------------------------Carroll------------------------------------



Of course there will be outgoing and incomings (striker and a defensive midfielder) but the personel (bar aqua) isn't so different to the one kenny selected at times just the system (a formation similar to one he had at swansea) might suit the lads above better IMO. Ideally I'd want joe off the wage bill and maxi to stay but both are doubtful eh.


I'm looking forward to his reign, I have absolutely no clue if he will be successful but I know he will try to be and try and play the right way, all I can ask for at this stage.

[lfcshaunod]

I just really want Joe Cole to be given a chance in a more central role in pre season.

If he is shite then fair enough fuck him off if we can, but I really think he still has sometging to offer behind the striker(s).

[Fat Scouser]

There's a million threads out there. They all end up going the same way. That's understandble with the way things have been, but I thought some people would just like a place to talk football and nothing else. I end up arguing politics and bollocks all the time. But I'm still a Liverpudlian, and I actually like the look of Rodgers. I think he can do a job. I thought it would be nice to discuss that, a sort of all encompassing thread for matters LFC and our football without the politics.

[vishy01234]

Great thread lol

I will match the originality of this thread with an original opinion. I would like to see Aquilani in the team for the whole of next season, or at least until he injures his little toe and is out for the rest of the season.

[Fat Scouser]

Boss thread FS. Look forward to seeing it continue in the way you intend.

I thought it was a bit naff meself, but needed.

[Billy The Kid.]

I'm actually quietly optimistic about next season. I'm looking forward to seeing how we fair out playing under Rodgers. His methods were very effective at Swansea to be fair, and I think our players could flourish playing such a style. Especially Henderson and Lucas. Both are very good at picking their next pass before they've even received the ball thus can move possession around quickly. If Rodgers can get Downing performing consistently and get Carroll to continue improving on his form, then I think we could well put in a challenge for 4th. As far as the back 4 goes, I think it picks itself at this stage

[Fat Scouser]

Great thread lol

I will match the originality of this thread with an original opinion. I would like to see Aquilani in the team for the whole of next season, or at least until he injures his little toe and is out for the rest of the season.

I reckon he'll be given some sort of a chance, but I'm not to sure about the thread going the distance.

[IamSpartacus]

                    Reina

Kelly      Skrtel  Agger        Enrique

            Lucas
                            Gerrard

Johnson       Cole             Suarez

                   Carroll


I would love to see this lineup at some point. Just out of interest.

Thing is Cole and Agger are injury prone. Gerard is no longer there as he used to be. Enrique just dipped in form second half of season and Kelly is one for future. Suarez cant score much with us and for all Carrolls huffing and puffing there is no end product.

so, Reina, Skrtel, Johnson, Lucas, Kelly, Coates we could perhaps see play the full season. The rest, I am not convinced.

[vishy01234]

I reckon he'll be given some sort of a chance, but I'm not to sure about the thread going the distance.

[Fat Scouser]

Thing is Cole and Agger are injury prone. Gerard is no longer there as he used to be. Enrique just dipped in form second half of season and Kelly is one for future. Suarez cant score much with us and for all Carrolls huffing and puffing there is no end product.

so, Reina, Skrtel, Johnson, Lucas, Kelly, Coates we could perhaps see play the full season. The rest, I am not convinced.

In my reckoning... just get Cole off the wage bill. Agger, fit on top of his game, the best in the league, same goes for Steven. Please gods of all kopites keep an eye on them. We need someone in front of Enrique who doesn't expect him to do their job for them, but I can't see anyone being bought for that job. Don't worry about Suarez. He'll score plenty. The big fella, well, let's hope he comes back from Poland the monster we thought we'd bought.

Reina, Skrtel, Johnson, Lucas, we defo need a big season from all of them. I think Rodgers can get a tune out of them. Kelly, Coates, 2 great prospects without a doubt. The rest... well, I know who I'd get shut of and who I'd keep. I'm just wondering what Brendan will do with them.

[Vulmea]

I've tried looking at it a number of ways -

how would I line up if nobody new arrived (Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique, Lucas, Henderson, Gerrard, Suarez, Carroll, Bellamy);

how will we line up if he's allowed to bring players in - I think we'd sign a couple of centre mids,  a left sided forward and a striker but a couple of those would be squad players not first team. I've seen others suggest we need a left back and a centre half.....

whats he gonna do with the kids - we have a lot of talent that could play some part this season especially in the europa -  is he the type to build them up or will he protect them and use them sparingly

whats he gonna do with the lads coming back from on loan.........not sure you can forget about the $$$ there but........

so much depends on whats going on inside the players heads - will they play without their ego's - hard graft, team ahead of themselves - he's got a  great opportunity to build something special - he'll have an idea of what he wants but I dont know how he'll know until he looks  them in the eyes

there's so many bleedin possibilities and without having the inside track its impossible to guess what's going to happen next

should be exciting times ahead footie wise

[Fat Scouser]

I'm a bit stoned. I was just sitting here thinking it was ages since I'd just talked about football on here. I've got the aul arse thread to escape into. It's like God's waiting room, we all sit round drooling, walking down memory lane and trying to remember why we came in and what we're doing there. But there's nowhere to just generally talk football. So, I thought the gaff needed one.... NURSE! NURSE! Get me out of here.

[El Ninos Black Eye]

We've got one of the best spines in the division. Not many have got better than Reina, Skrtel, Agger ,Lucas, Gerrard and Suarez.  We just need to get some quality out wide, a goalscorer and the balance of the team right. If we can get this sorted I don't think we will be far of fourth and we can then push on from there. 

[Not A Scouser]

I think little change in the squad this summer.  Adam and Maxi out (age and wages, sorry FS).  I think everyone else has the technical ability and style of play to get a chance under Rodgers.  carroll may struggle, but could also thrive because the team will play much closer to the opposition's goal.  I think Aquilani and Cole are two players who could fit and they'll at least get a look in pre-season.

I think team will be set up in the manner discussed in depth in the "transition to a structured playing style" thread.  A much more structured, positionally rigid team that passes the ball more than any team Liverpool has ever seen.  Ideally the games will be played almost entirely in the opposition's half.

[Fat Scouser]

should be exciting times ahead footie wise

Love it mate. I think I joined RAWK just before Athens. I can't remember, but, like most people, I just read for a while without commenting. Before I knew it, it was all boycotts and protests. And threads on single players usually just end up locked after loads of handbags. In fact, sometimes it feels like folowing LFC has fuck all to do with football nowadays. I think we need a little thread to just talk footy.

[lfcshaunod]

In my reckoning... just get Cole off the wage bill.

I think he needs to be give a chance playing in the hole.

We have only seen him play for is on the left and he just doesnt have the pace for it. Hes not that type of player. I think he could potentially link up well with Suarez.

Cole in the hole. It rhymes. So its clearly right.

[thekremlin]

I just hope Brendan gets us playing the way he's said he want us to. If he can do that, I'm not bothered in the slightest which players are in the team. I'd just like to see the team playing good football, Anfield bouncing and us storming into grounds around the country, taking the points and sitting pretty in a respectable league position. This idea of relentless attacking football is totally mouthwatering. This could be the dawn of a new era... very exciting times.

[hedger]

I think skrtel and agger, if fit, are a great pairing. Johnson will really suit brendans tactics. The jury is out on enrique, strong and quick but to me once on the ball in advnaced positions he mightnt have the quality needed - will be interesting to see how he plays this season. Midfield really needs to improve. Lucas hopefully returns strong but may take him some time to recover fully. I think we need a defensive midfielder. Adam will struggle with Rodgers high pressing game. Henderson will hopefully improve. Gerrard needs to stay injury free and maybe be used for the bigger games. We need new wide men and a ball playing central midfielder. Up front suarez will continue torturing defences, andy will hopefully start as he ended the season. We need a goal scorer who has real pace. The signings are crucial and the speed at which brendan can implement his ideas. Lookin forward to it

[R.A.La]

I think we'll play pretty much like Rafa's team. Compact, posession based high tempo footy.
We might surprise a few.

Anyway it's a new start.

Quietly optimistic.

[Fat Scouser]

I think little change in the squad this summer.  Adam and Maxi out (age and wages, sorry FS).  I think everyone else has the technical ability and style of play to get a chance under Rodgers.  carroll may struggle, but could also thrive because the team will play much closer to the opposition's goal.  I think Aquilani and Cole are two players who could fit and they'll at least get a look in pre-season.

I think team will be set up in the manner discussed in depth in the "transition to a structured playing style" thread.  A much more structured, positionally rigid team that passes the ball more than any team Liverpool has ever seen.  Ideally the games will be played almost entirely in the opposition's half.

All I ask from any of them... work yer bollocks off, don't hide.

Talking football and our personel, nothing else, it's a clean slate. It's down to them. Keeping everything else out me own head, I'm excited by what could be ahead. I just hope we can add a bit of quality and cut a bit of deadwood. I go into every season believing we can win every game, but expecting and demanding nothing. I'll be no different next season. I'm not trying to be Uber fan. I'm an armchair now and I very nearly gave it up for good. I'm just trying to look at Rodgers as the clean start and hoping it becomes a laugh again.

[Fat Scouser]

Cole in the hole. It rhymes. So its clearly right.

But then so does Dole... and 90k a week is a bit much for doing fuck all.

[AnyGivenSunday]

I'm interested to see if and how Carroll will fit in with Rodgers' style. Traditional thinking says whip the ball into him early and throughout last season he seemed to demand that from his teammates, even though it was often not forthcoming. I don't see hopeful crosses being a part of the expected tika taka style, considering that ball retention is the key trait. Whenever I've seen Carroll join in the build up play he's seemed to slow things down, which will not be conducive to a swift passing game. Assuming he is asked to adapt his game, whether he can do it or not will go a long way to determining his future with us imo.

[Fat Scouser]

I just hope Brendan gets us playing the way he's said he want us to. If he can do that, I'm not bothered in the slightest which players are in the team. I'd just like to see the team playing good football, Anfield bouncing and us storming into grounds around the country, taking the points and sitting pretty in a respectable league position. This idea of relentless attacking football is totally mouthwatering. This could be the dawn of a new era... very exciting times.

I don't know about new era. I think you've feel into a time warp 20 odd years old. But it would do for me, an all.

[BIGdavalad]

If it was down to me and as simple as just deciding to sell a player and a club magically comes in willing to take them on and assuming that no-one in the squad wants to leave.

Carragher, Spearing and Cole have all played their last game for the club.

Adam, Aquilani and Downing are on their final chance to show what they've got.

I'd considering selling Brad Jones purely because we don't really need three 'grown up' keepers (yes, I know we did once this season but it's not really something that happens often enough to really worry about). I like the fella but I think he's the weakest of our three keepers and he's taking a spot that could be used to give a youngster a chance to step up.

We badly need at least two new centre mids - proper cover/competition for Lucas has to be the highest priority for us this summer and if Adam/Aquilani can't show their worth we need at least one more attacking/creative player. I'd probably bring in a striker if we can get one too - we've only really got Suarez and Carroll who you'd say were 'first team' strikers at the minute. Unless we've got at least two in the reserves good enough to step up for a few games, we'll need to bring in at least one more and possibly two depending on how many he's planning on playing in his 'usual' formation.

Let some of the youngsters start stepping up and filling squad slots if they're good enough. There's no point having three or four 'first team' choices in each slot because it means the young lads never get a chance to play. From the older youngsters (the likes of Ecclestone, Pacheco, Wilson etc), either put them in the squad or sell them. There's no point keeping them on the payroll and loaning them out every season if they're never going to make it at Anfield.

[Gitsy606]

Next year id love...

1. Carroll, Henderson and Downing to consistently show what they showed in glimpses last year and with their previous clubs
2. Gerrard , Agger and Bellamy to be available to play majority of games
3. Reina to show the form of  previous years
4. Lucas to come back and play like he did before his injury
5. Youth to get a proper run
6. For us to play a decent brand of football
7. Brenden Rogers to be given time if results dont go our way

The squad at the moment has so much potential, theres a great mix of youth and experience, last year the pressure and negativity grew as the season went on, if Brendan Rodgers can get rid of that and can get the best out of the squad, we could do very well.

[Upinsmoke]

I think Carroll can adapt. Under Kenny I feel like players were told to play here or there and just do your own thing. Some days we battered teams doing that other days we didn't. There was a lot of freedom but maybe Kenny was too generous with that side of it with this group of players, just an observation of course. Back to Andy, these last few months he was a monster, before that I doubted him (hold my hands up) but after seeing him turn it around I'd be willing to believe he can operate under Brendan. He's a big fella, he's not lightning quick but he doesn't have to be, he just needs to operate higher up, be a bit more clever and he can do that in my opinion.

[Shady77]

 Agree with Vulmea above, so many ideas going through my mind that it changes day to day, do we stick with same squad with a couple of signings + bring the youngsters through + hope that Rodgers can change their confidence + effectively make them into the players that they were bought to be or do we get rid of a few of the team maybe downing, maxi, Cole ,aqua, to go with Kuyt, + then send some of the youngsters out on loan, guess we will just have to wait + see. Mostly I just want the players to go out there + enjoy playing for Liverpool football club instead of looking like they have the weight of the club on their shoulders, it seems to happen a lot lately, for instance Suarez aside I can't remember the last time a signing just hit the ground running, just to give us fans something to look forward to walking up to anfield instead of fearing the worst most if the time. And last ,I want to win the opening game for fucking once

[Tony18:5]

I'm actually quietly optimistic too.

I think we completely underperformed in the P.L. last year, but the talent is there hence the two cup finals. (I think I'm right in saying we beat all of the teams who finished above us except Spurs)

Towards the end of the season Carroll was beginning to show the form which made us buy him. Most people were fawning over Enrique up to around Jan / Feb time before his form dipped.

Henderson played it too safe for me and was rightly criticised - I'd like to see performances like the cameo against UTD in the league, he needs to come out of his shell. He's had a season to bed in, now its up to him to prove we were right to go in for him.

Gerrard and Agger will be two big players for us next season both are fantastic players but their injury records are unfortunately not the best.

Add in Reina coming back to his best and Skrtel performing as he did last season and I haven't even mentioned Suarez, Bellamy, Johnson.

Hopefully Lucas will return and show us the form of 2010/11

Ins I think maybe 3 players in to freshen things up, with a few youngsters coming through
Outs Maxi, Kuyt (gone already) Cole (Wages) and possibly Downing ?

The key for me though is mentality.

[Not A Scouser]

While I think Lucas is probably the player who fits the Rodgers system the best I also think he will be less vital to the team, less irreplaceable.  The whole team will have to be able to recycle the ball, when previously Lucas did the majority of this, and secondly defensively the team will do defending as a collective, closing down on a player as a group to take away the ball.  Previously Lucas would sit in front of the defence and have the primary responsibility to break up attacks.  Hopefully the defensive system will be more Skrtel and Agger competing with a centre forward for the long ball than Lucas breaking up passing attacks through midfield.

[Fat Scouser]

If it was down to me and as simple as just deciding to sell a player and a club magically comes in willing to take them on and assuming that no-one in the squad wants to leave.

That's the whole idea of the thread. I can't go out. I'm stuck indoors. I'm sick of behind the boardroom door politics. This is meant to be like sitting in the alehouse with yer mates, talking about LFC, like RAWK used to be.

[Not A Scouser]

But then so does Dole... and 90k a week is a bit much for doing fuck all.

FS, you're talking wages.     However, since you brought it up, Cole's got a contract, we either pay him to play for us, or pay some less to play for someone else.  There's a lot of games next year, we're going to need everyone who can play as Rodgers wants.

[Not A Scouser]

As for a signing, I'd be quite happy to only buy one guy, a quality, flexible forward.  A player who can play as the main striker but also coming in from a flank.  If Rodgers "only" has 20 million to spend I'd prefer to spend that on one guy.  I think Suarez is better coming in from the right and I don't want to absolutely rely on Carroll as the main striker, but be able to play our three best forwards if he is knocking the ball in for fun.