It’s a little premature, but lets talk transfers

WITH the January transfer window rapidly approaching, the manager has to decide whether he wants to make a major move for first place, ensure finishing in the top 4, or building a team for the future.  The first is a pipe dream, the second a distinct possibility, and the third a sure way to see a lynching outside the gates of Anfield.

I will put forward some ideas but leave the actual names on the wish list to both serious fans and Football Manager devotees.

The season so far has shown us that we need cover in a number of positions, starting in goal.  Brad Jones seems a likeable bloke but will not win games for us.  He has a bad case of the dropsies and has not had sufficient first team time to step into the fray in an emergency.

Every team needs a strong right side and ours is competent as long as Johnson is a) healthy, and b) on his game.  Since he is often either a) or b), we need reliable cover at right-back. 

There is Martin Kelly.  According to Brendan Rodgers, the young English fullback/centre-half is not very far away from featuring with the first team again which will give us some cover on the right.

At left-back, the same comments made about Glen Johnson could as easily apply to Jose Enrique who is a terror when he is fit and in form but lately has been neither.  We have seen that Jon Flanagan is capable of replacing his defensive side but lacks the imagination of the Spaniard in attack.

Our fullbacks are probably least in need of shoring up, but the club should put aside some money to allow Jamie Carragher to teach them how to marshal the other players at the back.  Agger and Skrtel are both bright lads and can be taught to organize the phalanx when the pressure is on.

I’ll leave it to someone else to look at the midfield.  Our current contingent is such an enigma with a virtual army to choose from.  Unfortunately, the seeming depth in the midfield beyond the starting four is high on quantity and indeterminate on quality. 

In the derby we saw the devastating effect of taking Lucas out of the side.  One thing I do know is that Brendan Rodgers has bought too many cannon fodder players for the midfield and needs to bring in a marquee player a la Alonso or Mascherano to keep us in the mix.

At the top, although the strike partnership of Sturridge and Suarez is arguably the best in England, we could use a top notch backup, perhaps an ageing star who could play a game or two if need be.  The desire of Iago Aspas to do well is almost palpable when he gets a chance to play.  Unfortunately, desire without results is wholly trumped by results without desire.

Our place in the standings at this point should give us more credibility than we had in the summer.  The only fly in the ointment – and it would be a ‘flyzilla’ – would be the departure of Suarez.  If that nightmare scenario doesn’t rear its ugly head then £70,000,000 should buy us all we need to see the season through to a European place.

So bring on the candidates and try to refrain from slagging either current team players or each other (you can direct all your vitriol at the columnist instead).