The OFFICIAL Liverpool Supporters thread

[stevo-08]

Keane would be a great addition. Lets just hope the Barry saga gets wrapped up this weekend one way or another. And then focus on other players.

I see Babel is back to full training which is great but also means Holland could take him to the olympics. Our midfield will be well stretched if Masch, Lucas & Babel all go to the olympics and Alonso heads to Italy. 

[corn02]

Team for next year?

                          Reina

Carragher   Skertl Agger  Dossena

                 Mascherano
          Silva      Gerrard    Barry
                 
                Keane Torres

[AZOffaly]

Lads, I just read an interesting article in 'Kop' paper that may explain some of Benitez's transfer positioning, and targets.

Apparently, for the 2008-2009 Champions League season, all teams must include at least 8 'home grown' players in the 25 man squad.  'Home grown' means that the player, of any nationality, who have, between the ages of 15 and 21, trained for at least 3 years in the COUNTRY in which the club plays in.

In addition, 4 members of the 25 man squad, must have trained at the club's own academy for 3 seasons before they were 21.

So, from Liverpool's perspective, the squad last year had exactly 8 players 'hown grown'. Steve Finnan, Harry Kewell, Stevie G, Peter Crouch, Jermaine Pennant, Jamie Carragher, Stephen Darby and David Martin.

If we had those 8 next year, we'd be okay for the first criterium. However with only Gerrard, Carragher and Darby eligible under the acadamy rules, we would have been 1 short there.

With Kewell, Crouch, Finnan and maybe Pennant on the way out, Rafa will probably have to sign 4 'home grown' players this year.....

If he doesn't we could have Gerrard, Carragher plus 6 young lads. As it stands, he will have to add someone like Nemeth or Threlfall or someone like that to make up the 4th spot of the acadamy players.

It helps understand why Barry is such a target, and Keane rather than Villa. Expect another 1 or 2 low level players to make up the squad, or else the likes of Pennant to stay.

[EC Unique]

Can't understand why Liverpool would sell Crouch and then buy Keane. Both of equal worth to the team. Maybe Crouch did not want so much bench time but would Keane be happy?

[The Real Laoislad]

Team for next year?

                          Reina

Carragher   Skertl Agger  Dossena

                 Mascherano
          Silva      Gerrard    Barry
                 
                Keane Torres

Not sure about Carra right back for the full season,Don't think he has it in him to get forward now and again. Would prefer to keep him in the centre,I would hold on to Finnan to be honest i think he has another few years left in him..
Does yer man Dossena play left and right or is he primarly left? I like Aurelio to be honest and i would play him left back and if Dossena can then i'd put him on the right.
I would play Carra instead of Skertl in the big games

[Uladh]

I think those have been the champions league requirements for a few seasons now az

[Mentalman]

Not sure about Carra right back

Would agree, but fullstop not suitable at right back. Can't get forward and back anymore, only hoofs the ball forward, only suitable there as a stop gap - the number of times Kuyt saved his blushes in the big games towards the end of last season was unreal. As a centre half he's a completely different proposition, his reading but more so his commitment to winning the ball is second to none, and he can find an easy pass to the deep lying midfielder in front of him, rather than wasting hard won possesion kicking it away.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Can't understand why Liverpool would sell Crouch and then buy Keane. Both of equal worth to the team. Maybe Crouch did not want so much bench time but would Keane be happy?

Well that's only true if you view both of them as being similiar. Which they aren't. Crouch can only play right up the top where Torres likes to play while Keane can play right up the top, he can play in behind a front man and he could play as part of a front three. As well as being more versatile than Crouch he has a better goalscoring record than him in the league.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Team for next year?

                          Reina

Carragher   Skertl Agger  Dossena

                 Mascherano
          Silva      Gerrard    Barry
                 
                Keane Torres

Not sure about Carra right back for the full season,Don't think he has it in him to get forward now and again. Would prefer to keep him in the centre,I would hold on to Finnan to be honest i think he has another few years left in him..
Does yer man Dossena play left and right or is he primarly left?

Dossena is a left-back.

[The Real Laoislad]

Team for next year?

                          Reina

Carragher   Skertl Agger  Dossena

                 Mascherano
          Silva      Gerrard    Barry
                 
                Keane Torres

Not sure about Carra right back for the full season,Don't think he has it in him to get forward now and again. Would prefer to keep him in the centre,I would hold on to Finnan to be honest i think he has another few years left in him..
Does yer man Dossena play left and right or is he primarly left?

Dossena is a left-back.

Right so that rules out that.
I don't like Arbeola,I know he played right back a few times last year instead of Finnan and could probaly play there if needed but he reminds me of another Kromkamp or Josemi
We seem to have loads of options at left back Arbeola,Aurelio,Insua,Dossena but not very many for right back

[Mentalman]

Team for next year?

                          Reina

Carragher   Skertl Agger  Dossena

                 Mascherano
          Silva      Gerrard    Barry
                 
                Keane Torres

Not sure about Carra right back for the full season,Don't think he has it in him to get forward now and again. Would prefer to keep him in the centre,I would hold on to Finnan to be honest i think he has another few years left in him..
Does yer man Dossena play left and right or is he primarly left?

Dossena is a left-back.

Right so that rules out that.
I don't like Arbeola,I know he played right back a few times last year instead of Finnan and could probaly play there if needed but he reminds me of another Kromkamp or Josemi
We seem to have loads of options at left back Arbeola,Aurelio,Insua,Dossena but not very many for right back

Not convinced by Arbeloa either, couldn't believe he was in the Spanish squad for the Euros, then again I suppose someone like Oleguer would neither be picked, nor indeed play, for Spain.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

Arbeloa is a tremendous right-back

[GalwayBayBoy]

Team for next year?

                          Reina

Carragher   Skertl Agger  Dossena

                 Mascherano
          Silva      Gerrard    Barry
                 
                Keane Torres

Not sure about Carra right back for the full season,Don't think he has it in him to get forward now and again. Would prefer to keep him in the centre,I would hold on to Finnan to be honest i think he has another few years left in him..
Does yer man Dossena play left and right or is he primarly left?

Dossena is a left-back.

Right so that rules out that.
I don't like Arbeola,I know he played right back a few times last year instead of Finnan and could probaly play there if needed but he reminds me of another Kromkamp or Josemi
We seem to have loads of options at left back Arbeola,Aurelio,Insua,Dossena but not very many for right back

Degen is a right-back.

Don't know if he's any good but he's a right-back.

[Mentalman]

Arbeloa is a tremendous right-back

Is he? Have we just not seen it because he's been moved around so much?

[Mentalman]

Degen is a right-back.

Don't know if he's any good but he's a right-back.

Well he couldn't get his place on a poor enough Swiss side, but it remains to be seen I suppose.