There is a credible argument to be made for pace being the most valuable asset in the modern game. It is certainly a crucial ingredient for any successful side, and is an attribute that immediately gives a player a significant advantage over many of his peers. There is not a more apt illustration of this fact in football today than Theo Walcott. Despite being hugely technically limited, his absolute lightning speed has made him a regular on the right wing for both club and country, and, for the most part, justifiably so. Without going to deeply into the technicalities and limitations of Liverpool’s possible summer transfer funds (or lack thereof), I believe that any attacking players that are brought to Anfield before the start of next season badly need to possess some real pace.
While Liverpool have Fernando Torres and, as his understudy, David Ngog, both of who are genuinely quick, I think that this focal point of our attack lacks the necessary pace in the supporting attackers that would bring a greater degree of potency and intimidation to our attacking and counter-attacking play. The ‘3’ behind the striker in the 4-2-3-1 formation Benitez has instilled are, as it stands, some combination of Babel, Benayoun, Riera, Gerrard, Maxi and Kuyt (with Aquilani also being tested, fairly successfully, in the central ‘Gerrard role’ in the final few games of this season). Of these players, while Gerrard is certainly no slouch, the only one who possesses genuine pace is Ryan Babel, who for me does not utilise his athleticism nearly as well as he should, and whose touted value of around £10 million for me represents a hugely persuasive means through which to raise much needed transfer funds in the coming months. With Riera almost certainly on his way, and Benayoun also looking likely to be offloaded to increase the summer kitty, reinforcements in the wide attacking areas seem certain. While Maxi and Kuyt are both hugely valuable and effective attackers in their own right, neither of their respective games are based on speedy, direct attacking play – Maxi’s is geared around guile and intelligent off-the-ball movement, while Kuyt relies on high-intensity closing down as well as a penalty-box goal-scoring instinct.
So, we can see that our attack is clearly lacking in pace, but why is it such a necessity to bring some in? Well, a quick wide player would make our counter-attacking threat infinitely more potent. While the current Gerrard/Torres combination does pose this threat to a certain degree, it means that an effective Liverpool counter-attack is reliant on both of these players to be a) fit and on the pitch, and b) in the necessary positions to exploit wherever the attacking opposition may have over-committed. The fact that Gerrard’s speed is not quite as frightening as Torres’ also means that while this existing tandem is an effective one, is unlikely to produce the sort of devastating counter-attacking goals that the Rooney-Ronaldo duo produced against Bolton and Arsenal last season. Furthermore, a quick winger also makes the opposing full-back think twice before bombing forward (as they are less likely to get back and catch their man if their side’s possession brakes down), and thus can often operate as an valuable defensive resource without having to display a Kuyt-esque willingness for tracking back. Antonio Valencia successfully nullified Ashley Cole in this manner – simply through possessing pace and staying wide – in the game at Stamford Bridge in November. I also feel that one of Torres’ under-exploited strengths is his heading ability, and his capacity to engineer space inside the penalty box as a cross is coming in (illustrated by his goal at Old Trafford in March), and thus a ‘proper’ winger who can get to the byline and whip a cross in, as opposed to the Babel/Benayoun/Maxi/Kuyt tendency to drift inwards, could result in yet more goals for Torres. This would hardly be at the expense of such inward-inclined creativity and goal threat, as such a player would most likely be operating on the other wing, it would simply offer a better balance between the two styles of wide player. This improved balance was apparent when Riera played wide on the left, but he lacks the necessary pace to be a top-class winger, and will be leaving in the summer regardless.
So, although I have a huge fondness and appreciation for subtle, technical attacking players in the Modric and Benayoun mould, I do feel that as far as this summer’s targets are concerned, the threat of genuine pace should be an absolute prerequisite for any potential signings.
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i might be wrong but it seems as though the REALLY quick players often lack technical ability and intelligence. e.g. lennon, walcott. i’d rather get someone who is quicker than kuyt and maxi but still technically gifted. arda turan looks ideal from what i’ve seen.
arda turan, should be able to do this.. Joe Cole for free..decent pace….or Milner..if we can..
I stopped reading this nonsense when i read that David Ngog has ‘Genuine Pace’ have you EVER seen him play?
its true we need more pace, people do not realise why quick mascherano is at running with the ball or closing down a striker to make a block tackle. torres is more then quick, gerrard is not very fast but he is very quick over 15- 20 yards, agger is not slow nor is glen johnson.
we do need more pace through the team and for me, riera has quickness over short distance and babel just doesnt use his pace well enough.
players with pace do not often amount to much, but for me players like jesus navas use it, so do ronaldo at real, ribary at bayern, silva at valencia, simao at atletico, but more wingers use pace they use it in the right areas of the pitch, for me id rather have a wide player that is not a true winger who is quick but uses it well then a theo wallcott who for me is just so over rated,
for me if liverpool could add a james milner or mata down the left or even a arda turan or a phillip lahm then we would have better balance.
pace in all areas in the team is vital to the way the old rafa valencia team use to press teams, thats want rafa’s to do this again. joe cole is not what we need, he come in to the middle, that we have already got with maxi, yossi and kuyt and for me id rather have turan than cole, but the one i really want is silva, if not then mata
Villa have been linked alot recently with Yossi. If there is a real interest, why not try to sign Ashley Young? He ticks all the boxes you mentioned and I really do think we could get him.
Guys some of you need to take a reallity check. Villa,Ashley Young and Arda Turan. Where the f**k do you think we are getting the cash from and why would they want to come to liverpool? WE ARE SKINT! We have a manager who has lost the dressing room because of his stubborn attitude and s**t style of football. If he stays then Gerrard and torres will go. For all you raffa fans 4 years no trophys and s**t football.
pace, power, consistency is what we need. torres is our only threat up front who has all three of these in adequate supply. Kuyt should be his striking partner and I have long felt rafa has missed out on this opportunity to play 4-4-2 with kuyt and torres up front b/c torres would devistate with his pace and skill and kuyt would be a threat in the air as well as on rebounds, heck he even could split the odd d-pairing and finish a through pass, he has the talent. put gerrard behind this pair let masch guard the back four and fill in the wings and you have a formation that scores goals and defends well.
We need two full backs (at least one left-footed), a class striker (in addition to Jovanovic), a center half, a class winger, and maybe another midfielder. We’re getting Wilson, Jovanovic, and maybe Banega, for est 15 million quid. We’re selling riera, 9 mil there, one of: Benayoun Babel either would get us 12 mil easy, let’s be desperately hopeful and say new ownership gives us a 10 mil kitty, we miraculously convince j cole to sign a four-year. that leaves 16 mil for a striker and a left back. Spend most of it on the left back either Taiwo or some other. Hope we have no injuries between transfer windows, sign turan and a striker in the winter, assume torres and gerrard are on form and maybe, just maybe, we have a chance at top-four and a europa league cup to give our trophy case some fresh sparkle. sigh. if only I had money and no soul…
Elmo, he wasn’t saying David Villa has been linked, he was saying Benayoun has been linked with a Villa move (ie going to Aston Villa).
And with player sales, getting Turan wouldnt be difficult, or Benayoun plus a bit of cash for Young.
Certainly not both but one would be doable.
Samuel Charles, that is a lot of “wanting” from you. You are always “wanting” this, if you cannot have it, you “want” that… Why don’t you go fly a kite. Now, that would be something I definitely “WANT” from you.
Yes Guys I agree we can buy the players mentioned and some top world class players , but we have stubborn Rafa who will get his tactics all wrong at every game.I believe next season , since seen we are not in the Champions league we should concetrate in winning the League and F.A Cup as the Europa Cup is going to be a huge distraction because we have to play Europa games on Thursdays & League on Sundays which will tire the players. Rafa can use the youngsters for the Europa & Carling Cup.
news bot, i know more about whats going on at lfc then you will ever know, its funny how you are getting so personal, but yet can not talk or back up your comments you mug you…. and as for ashley young, no thanks,, he has an attitude, his positional play is dreadful, hs is not as good with the ball as even lennon and he is not as quick as walcott and for me milner is the better all round player, and buy the way why pay 20 mill for this player when you can have mata or turan for less,, er..?
the editor ,needs to go home look in the mirror,and have a serious word with himself,nngog is fn s***e,handed the striker role in front off everyone,for a long time,lucas,in the sewer,fn rubbish,yer elmo,i hear ya
I would love to see J.Cole{I know hes not the fastest but hes quick enough} come in for the right and Ashley Young for the left granted unlikely as Young would cost around £20million but if we sell Babel{£10m},Benayoun{£9m} and Reira{£6m} and we get Jovanovic and J.Cole on free we could splash the cash on Ashley Young,3 wingers out, 3 faster and more natural wingers in for no real difference in cash.I would also love to see Carlton Cole come in as he can be world class at a top club in my opinion and Stephen Ireland to replace Aquilani who it seems is bound for Juve unfortunatley even if we stick with 5 in midfield which I assume Rafa will think about how many more goals Nando could get with two decent wingers in J.Cole and Young and two goalscoring and very creative midfielders in Gerrard and Ireland who would both be playing just in front of Mascherano and if Rafa wanted to play 4-4-2 at home against weaker sides C.Cole would be a perfect partner for Nando,but all in all I unfortunatley cant see the Young one happening the rest are possible but im not sure I reckon we are most likely to see Stephen Ireland and/or Carlton Cole at Anfield nex season,Babel needs to step up to the plate next year he reminds me of Young just not as good and I cant believe the likes of Heskey and SWP got in the world cup squad ahead of C.Cole and Young.
25 million for Mascherano and money from Benayouns and Rieras sale.
They should try and get Ozil as he would be a great player for Gerrard to work with and Ashley Young. Both have pace and both are very technically gifted. They both can cross and take on defenders, good first touch and link up play is brilliant.
Ozil made Johnson look like a snail in the Germany vs England game.