Pre season is officially underway and it’s at this time of year when most football fans are understandably feeling as optimistic as ever. I’m especially optimistic because Liverpool’s squad is beginning to look seriously strong, and the best thing about it is that we haven’t yet finished strengthening for the summer.
For the first time in a while, our squad looks very balanced and if you were to try to predict our player of the season for next year, it wouldn’t be as easy as it has been in recent years. In the past few seasons it was all about two men, Gerrard and Torres, but now the candidates stretch across the entire squad. Now when predicting our main man for next season, names such as Meireles, Suarez, Carroll, Kuyt, Lucas, Reina and even Charlie Adam can be thrown into the mix. Steven Gerrard will of course be up there due to the ridiculously high standards he’s set for himself while our brand new acquisition, Stewart Downing has the attributes to be Liverpool’s dark horse next year.
If I have to narrow down the list of potential stars for next season, I’d put it down to two players, Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez. Gerrard himself would admit that he hasn’t been at his absolute best in the past two seasons and after being out injured since March, he’ll be itching to be on the pitch again. I can see our skipper returning to something near his best form next season and if the rest of the squad can keep up with him, Liverpool can definitely surprise a few people during the 2011/2012 campaign.
If Gerrard doesn’t end up being our most influential player next season then I can see only one other man taking that title, Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan is simply mesmerising at times and I can’t imagine what he is capable of doing in a full season in the Premiership. His game intelligence, technique and acceleration are some of the main reasons why he is currently one of the best players in the league, and I believe that in a year’s time, he will have established himself as the best forward in England.
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You mentioned quite a few possibles but missed out Aquilani who could well be the player making things happen.
Agreed Towson, but to be honest, I think we should sell Aquilani for about 10-12m and with his non-squad number I truly think there are teams like Udinese, Napoli and Lazio attempting to get his signature. Our midfield is clogged at the moment and I truly think we shouldn’t stump the development of Spearing (or he could go out on loan till Jan) and allow the option to have Suso in for 1 or 2 games this season to get his feet wet!…Lucas, Adam, Gerrard, Meireles (want to keep), Henderson (may be shifted to RW option in certain formations)…but honestly, I don’t see a better midfield in the Prem right now if we can keep healthy! Suarez, Carroll and Gerrard are key and must stay healthy! Pepe will bounce back and unfortunately it looks like G.Johno will be on in LB role!..Hopefully he cuts inside and laces a few in the net!..
I agree TT. Everyone treats aquilani like he belongs in the 2nd division. No-one treats him with any respect. All the headlines call him a flop. It makes me sick. He is an absolute talent and, we’ve seen what he can do. IMO Benitez killed him and Roy dug his grave. He should never have been loaned out. Just think what he could have given us last season compared to Poulsen. Think of what he could have provided in Gerards absence. No-one sees it like that. All they go on about is the size of his transfer fee and injury. Talk about being narrow minded.
Agree entirely with both TT & DB.
When a player proves himself in the SERIE A he must have potential.
Juve wanted Aquilani but could not afford his wages.
He was never given a good run in the team under both Rafa and Roy.
The lad has potential if given the time to prove his worth.
Suarez will make the biggest impact enough said on the matter.
@TT & DB well said guys couldn’t agree more he shouldn’t have been loaned out he was showing glimpses of his best football just before Rafa left, the guy has tallent he just need beleif n confidence. We should all back him instead of slating him as the media has done, our bench will look even stronger aswell, but if the right price for him comes i wouldn’t mind him leaving either if we can bring in some more players……YNWA
No doubt Suarez will be the creative talent together with Gerard. However, the team is far from complete. We still need a very good LB and we need to bolster our defensive capabilities witha CB and a left-footed defensive mid. Then, we can talk of a balanced and more or less complete team. YNWA
Liverpool plays better football without Gerrard. Charlie Adam is the man to replace Gerrard.
So his saviour missions mean nothing??? Stevie knows his role now..hes not going to score 20 goals like he used to but can play better than anyone when he’s on his game! and if he was the man behind the success of Torres for all these years, just imagine how impt he’ll be with Kuyt, Carroll and Suarez up front!
i disagree i think, over the years of his saviour missions as you have put it has taken its tole on him always having to come to our rescue. But now that the likes of Adam, Downing, Henderson, Suarez and Carroll etc are there the squad looks stronger and theres more players we can rely on, this should take the pressure off Gerrard and bring out the best in him and probably less likely in getting injured……YNWA
Agreed Zahid, but I meant what DY says! When you watch every single game you realize home important Meireles was and the emergence of Lucas, Maxi and Spearing was late last term! Yes, all those players are now valuable to the squad, but Gerrard’s presence makes them click! whether he’s on or off the pitch! ie: look at Dirk’s first goal from the Pen Spot..”points out to his skipper in the stands!)…He joined the fans in the last game…his tid bits of advice to the young players!…He’ll have a different role now, but he’s still the one who wears the arm band and commands the respect!
i personally believe suarez & carroll will grab all the headlines next season but i also believe it will be because of stewart downing’s contribution!
delighted to have him, even at £20m! can you imagine how many crosses would come in were we to grab baines too? and with charlie’s set pieces on top of that, premier league defences are gonna have their hands full this season!
who cares hope they all make a massive impact
no one treats him with respect bcos he has no respect for the club. its not a question of his quality.
He let his agent keep whining all season about how much he would ‘not’ want to return to Lfc and how much he wants to stay in Italy only for him to return (now that he has no choice) and start talking(oh! so he can actually come out n talk now) about how glad he is to be back. Cmon!! is he tryin to insult d intelligence of the fans or wot?.
I think he is quality n should be given a chance.
He has a saintly face and calm character coupled with some excitin creativity which makes most fans (admittedly including myself) to like him but truth be told, he deserves ‘no respect’ and really has to earn the respect of the fans if he stays this season.
waz obviously talkin bout Aquaman
my comment should have been under DB’s own
I’m hearing what you are saying “G” but I disagree. IMO Aquaman did nothing wrong when he signed and he played well towards the end of the season. He was then loaned out with a buyout clause. That meant that we didn’t want him. He merely stated that he would like to stay in Italy and given the season he had with Juve, I don’t blame him. It’s the media who takes his comments out of context and turns the fans against him. He’s a professional and puts in the effort when on the pitch, unlike Torres who didn’t want to be there. Anyway, that’s my opinion and I believe that given the chance, Aquaman will deliver to us the quality we’ve been missing and I think KK knows this. If KK wanted to sell him, he would have lowered the price.
@DY Liverpool were not playin anybeta without captain fantastic.wHo played beta than stevie? Its suarez who change da course of our season in da absence of captain marvel. Luk at da europa leg, they clueless,non creative without suarez n steven gee. Remember the napoli game?@ stop slating aquilani, he was neva a flop. We won all our matches with him n kuyt in attack in 2009 esp against spurs. Honestly he is pass n move. He tried winnig us da match against chelshit dats y rafa substituted him, if not lyk manure wud hav taken their 19th leg title long ago. But i think k.daglish is payin over the odds 4 our signins despite their prowess. Which team are we going 2 scare or intimidate in da champs leg with dis line up. Lol. In kenny we trust. Ynwa