Now that Charlie Adam has all but completed his protracted move to Liverpool, manager Kenny Dalglish has provided himself with a number of possibilities when it comes to picking his starting eleven for the 2011/2012 Premier League opener against Sunderland in just over five weeks time.
It would be fair to say that the central midfield position is well stocked at Anfield with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Raul Meireles, Lucas, Jordan Henderson, Jay Spearing, Alberto Aquilani, Christian Poulsen, Jonjo Shelvey and now Charlie Adam all able to play there.
Whilst it is expected that not all nine of those players will still be at Anfield come the start of the season, King Kenny has a major decision on his hands when it comes to picking a midfield four or even five.
It is likely that Dalglish is looking to move on both Aquilani and Poulsen and that he would also like to send Shelvey out on loan so that the midfielder can gain some valuable experience. After coming on leaps and bounds last season Kenny will almost certainly be looking to further the Liverpool career of Jay Spearing rather than ending it. There has been talk of an impending exit for Raul Meireles but, for me, the Portuguese midfielder should stay as he has a lot to offer whether it be from the start or off the bench.
Steven Gerrard, when fit, starts. That has been the situation for over ten years now. So it is a case of Gerrard plus one in the centre of midfield. Whether it be 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 or even 4-5-1 there is going to be a central midfield partner to go alongside the skipper. It is almost certainly one out of Lucas, Adam or Meireles.
Having a few options to choose from can only be seen as a positive aspect to the Liverpool squad. If you closely analyse Manchester United’s success in the Premier League over the past few years it is because they haven’t necessarily always had a great first eleven but they have always had a great squad. Their squad was able to accommodate injuries, suspensions or even loss of form. It’s fair to say, Liverpool’s hasn’t.
Either 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 are the likely candidates for the chosen formation come August 13th. However, who starts remains to be seen. For me, Lucas and Adam will be rotated throughout and if Gerrard is injured or in need of a rest they will both play. Meireles and Spearing will provide back-up and will ultimately be used as squad players.
There is faith in Kenny. Faith that he knows who to sign and faith that he knows that team to pick when it comes to matches. If Kenny gets a few important decisions right then I can see the 2011/2012 season being a promising one for the Reds in their challenge to get back to the forefront of English football.
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I think everyone seems a tad too concerned about the fact we have too many “central” midfielders and by definition not enough wingers. The fact is we now have enough midfielders. We now have options in picking any 4 (or 5) out of those available. I can see us playing Adam/Gerrard/Lucas/Maxi as much as Meireles/Gerrard/Henderson/Kuyt, perhaps even Shelvey/Aquliani/Spearing/Cole. We now have options, which in midfield is priceless.
btw Shelvey will not be going on loan, I think he may well get a fair amount of playing time next season.
I don’t think either Meireles Or Aquilani will leave the club in this window, both are quality players that I think canny Kenny will want to see in action for at least a season as both would be just as saleable this time next year.
Where is Hendersons natural/best position anyone?
i think the formation will be 4-3-3
Reina
Johnson Carragher Dann? Cissokho?
Gerrard Lucas Adam
Suarez Carroll Mata?
You could pick a second team from
Doni
Kelly Skrtel Agger Insua
Henderson Spearing Meireles
Kuyt ChuYoung? Maxi
and still have fantastic youth players coming through after that
I like the overall look of your team WC, aside from the fact that Agger is our best CB, Dann isn’t good enough to warrant a transfer, Downing is almost definitely coming instead of Mata, Meireles is good trade bait (and not a better CM than Aquilani for me), I don’t know who this Chu Young guy is and Maxi just needs to clear off along with Cole, Poulsen, Jovanovich etc.
Reina
Johnson-Carragher-Agger-Cissokho(Bastos)?
Gerrard-Lucas-Adam
Suarez-Carroll-Downing
Doni
Flanagan-Kelly-Ayala-Aurelio(Insua)
Henderson-Coady-Aquilani
Pacheco-Kuyt-Elia?
I forgot about Pacheco, I would have him in ahead of Maxi for sure. I know the Downing deal is most likely going to happen but I don’t see why because with Gerrard and Adam in midfield there is no need for him and a more flair player like Mata is needed but I wouldn’t complain if Downing signs either. Chu Young is captain of South Korea and plays for Monaco, he looks decent enough to have as back up and having an Asian player would be good for the commercial side of things, he also said Liverpool is the club he wants to play for whether this is true I don’t no
IRT Spearing, Coady is already a better DM than him (from watching them in the reserves last year), and Henderson is a big money young English signing in his preferred box to box role so I don’t see how he would continue to get proper gametime – as such it would be best for all if he moved on now while his stock is still high, and he can get a move to another Premiership team
lets no get ahead ot it all, after all we have signed a good young kid in henderson, and a fairly good footballer in adam, – thats it.
1, gerrard needs to get fit and stay fit.
2, carroll needs to get on with it, and get fit and play games.
3, we need much more qulaity on par with our best player which is suarez, did you watch him last season he set us alight and thats the facts. – suarez has to be given more quality around him and like when torres was on fire we mostly let gerro and nando do it???
we can not fall into the same trap and we need much more quality in this team yet and players like mata etc are vital for us to be seen as a attractive club not just for british based players but other players from around the world.
Make no mistake we are not there yet and for me unless we get some star quality around suarez
then it is all for nothing,
3 players are needed, I would certainly agree that Mata should be 1 of them with Cissokho at LB and a new CB
if we want any ideas of being at the top then for a start raul would not be sold and it would be that show pony aquilani – he has showed a total lack of respect for us and this club about the constant stream sof crap form his agent and himself about wanting to stay in italy..
reina, doni,
flanno, johnson, kelly, carragher, aggger, skrtel, soto, aurelio, robinson, cissokho, lovren,
gerrard, lucus, raul, adam, maxi, spearing, shelvy, mata, henderson,
suarez, kuyt, carroll and forlan
From what i see , we can have 2-3 Diffrent teams to play against Diffrent types of teams .
Against Top 4 Teams / European SuperHouse :
Reina
Carragher/Agger-Skrtel-Johnson/Kelly
Lucas/Henderson
Mata/Downing Kuyt/Maxi/NewWinger
Gerrard/Meireles
Suarez
Caroll
Against middle table teams :
Reina
Aurelio/New LB-Skrtel/Agger-Carragher-Johnson
Maxi-Henderson-Downing-Joe Cole
Gerrard
Caroll
Against Last 5 teams :
Doni
Flanagan/Insua – Skrtel/Wilson – Kyrgiakos – Kelly
Adam – Spearing – Shevley – Maxi/Kuyt
Gerrard/Suarez/Henderson
Pacheco
I hope liverpool will line up like this next season if there is no more additional signings , but i think there will be 2-3 more signings like Juan Mata & Downing , Baines/Enrique , Or maybe even Aguero
United also always had great wingers as they have now.
Liverpool seriously must stop deluding themselfs and replace Cole with quality winger.
Having signed Downing for the left, we could use N’Zogbia on the right side.
Having too many players in midfield can only mean one thing, somewhere along the season some of them will be played either on left or right wing and that’s not good.
Liverpool should sell Spearing as I dont see him being able to get any chances next season.
Shelvey maybe has time, Spearing not so much, II say cash in now and go for what the club needs, one right winger.