Newly-appointed Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has stepped into one of the greatest jobs available in club football. Nevertheless, he has also agreed to take charge of a club that is in desperate need of a major transformation. One of the most important aspects for Hodgson to get correct during the early stages of his tenure as boss is his dealings in the transfer market; this includes players coming in and players going out. With little to no money currently available to spend, Hodgson has to accurately select the right players that he sees as surplus to requirements at Anfield and has to accumulate the highest potential transfer fee from each of the buying clubs.
So, with this money, who do we need? What players are within our financial reach? And will these players that Hodgson desires improve on the squad that we currently have? Ever since us Liverpool supporters have had to sit through the uninspiring sight of watching David N’gog lead the line for our team due to an all too familiar spell on the sidelines for Fernando Torres, it was clear to see that a forward was needed to give support for an injury-prone Torres. Milan Jovanovic has been recruited to help out at the top-end of the pitch; however, his favoured position seems to be out on the left wing, leaving the gap for a second-choice out and out striker still intact. There has been recent talk of players such as Diego Forlan and Roque Santa Cruz being eyed up as potential additions to the squad, however, I can only ask myself the question do we have enough in our budget to accommodate an inflated price for a striker who, if Hodgson continues with the formation used by Benitez, will sit on the bench until Fernando Torres is unable to play? I certainly do not believe we do. In my opinion, we need to concentrate on spending the majority of the available budget on players that will strengthen the talent of the starting eleven whilst using the minority of the money to improve the overall squad. It sounds simple and straight-forward but the transfer market is a difficult place to master.
For me, and for the majority of Reds fans, it is clear to see that the spine of Liverpool Football Club is already in place. We have Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel, Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres all playing through the middle and these players give us the quality and strength to beat any team in world football. However, as has been the problem for the past few seasons, the players out wide that accompany the array of talent we have in the middle have been substandard and have produced very little in recent seasons. The acquisition of Glen Johnson went some way to amending this problem, however, with Liverpool being a team built on successful attacking football, the players out on the wings are essential to any possible success. This is why I believe Roy Hodgson should set his priorities on bringing in one, maybe two quality wingers with the money he is provided with, along with any funds generated by the sale of any current players. One of the biggest weaknesses of last season was defending, or the lack of it. Whereas I don’t believe central defence is a problem for Liverpool with 4 assured internationals competing for the two centre-back slots, I worry about the ability of our full-backs in terms of defending, especially that of Emiliano Insua. Although efficient for the squad I believe Liverpool are in desperate need of a superior left-sided defender. With all that said, there is no doubting that Hodgson will have an arduous task if he does identify a left-back as one of his priority targets as there is not a huge amount of quality, reasonably-priced and more importantly available left defenders around at the moment.
Whoever Hodgson decides is suitable for a place in Liverpool’s squad they will be given time to produce as Liverpool fans are renowned for their patience with new recruits, see Peter Crouch, Ryan Babel and Lucas Leiva. However, they will need to gel together with their new team-mates fairly quickly as the period of transition that Liverpool are currently in needs to move from re-building to re-engaging in title tussles before too long as it is where Liverpool, the most successful club in Britain, should be.
Follow us on twitter @live4Liverpool
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at editor@live4liverpool.com
Reina
Johnson, Carragher, skrtel, (needed)
(needed),Gerrard, Aquillani, Babel
Torres, Kuyt
The bones of the team if you like as well as having Agger, and since mascherano has played the wife card I think he is going.
I would buy D.james as a backup old free but I think a good backup (we do need depth,) We desperatly need wingers Babel might come good this season under a new manager so he is in my team, and a left back is also needed. I honestly dont know who is in our bracket for a left back somebody steady, Lets go back to Warnock (home-grown player) and Milner for right wing.
So
Reina
Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Warnock,
Milner, Gerrard, Aquilani, Babel
Torres, Kuyt
James
Agger
Kyrgiakos
Rodriquez
Jovanovic
+25 mill Mascherano
+6 mill Riera
Free James
7 mill Warnock
say the rest on Milner because O’neil is quite stubborn with prices
A good team I think so.
Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger (NEED)
Rodreguez Aquilani (NEED)
Gerrard
Torres Kuyt
Bench-
(KEEPER?)
Kyraigkos
Lucas
Babel
(Stiker NOT N’GOG!!)
Yer I would agree with above that the left side needs sorting, and I like the 4-3-3 but I cant see hodge going with this. suprised with no carragher though I can still see him in the main side (agger was out alot last year with injury)
I think that over all next season will see Liverpool finish alot higher, we were all saying last year about players being played out of position, and squad rotation but the biggest problem was defiantly attitude, (and I feel deflation of the Alonso sale)
so I think we could do quite well next season.
Need a ball winner in the middle…
And Warnock is crap…
I’d like
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger needed(?Kolarov/Taiwo/Ziegler)
Needed (?Javi Martinez)
Rodriguez Aquilani needed(?Turan)
Gerrard
Torres
I agree wht Lewis had say. We do need a good left back… I believe Wayne Bridge can solve the problems and he will come cheap as now Man City is try to buy all star players to fix into their squard like chelsea few years ago. If possible we should try signing Ashley Young as left wing with the sale of Mascherano 25m. And buy steve sidwell or scott paker to replace Lucas who I believe he will do a better job.
Reina
Johnson Agger Skrtle Coentrao (£10m)
Mascarano
Gerrard Aqualani
Maxi Torres Turan (20m)
sold:
Babbel – £8m
Benayoun – £7m
Ngog – £3m
+ aprox £15m transfer budget.
LB/RW/ST is what we need.
if Masch leaves then a holding CM aswell. i think Lw will be ok as i can see Babel and Riera having a good season with Hogson getting them playing well and Jovanovic to play there or ST. but we could also do with a back up RB but thats pushing it.
The needs will have to be addressed on who is getting sold and that we dont know, assuming all the better players stay a quality striker to link up with or take over from Torres and a left back are badly needed.
I would like to see Turan Drenthe and Krkic but that wont happen.
I’d like to see Babbel given a chance to play in his natural position as striker. Sell Lucas, Benayoun, Kyraigkos and Riera.
I agree that James would be a good back up to Pepe. We need to bring in a quality left back and look at Podolski and Klose. Klose and Torres up front would be amazing. I’d love to see Van de Vaart come in too.
Reina
Johnson-Agger-Skirtle-??
Masch
VdVaart Gerrard Podolski
Torres – Klose
James
Maxi
Carra
Aqualani
Jovanovic
Johnson-Carra-Agger-Kolarov*
Maxi-Aquilani-Gerrard-Turan*
——-Kuyt—-Torres——
Bench: Insua, Skrtle, Kyrgiakos, Kelley, Mata*, Gilberto Silva*, Lucas, Babel, Ngog, Jovanovic.
That looks like a side with a shot at winning something. *There are four players here not on the squad- Kolarov/<>, Turan, Mata and Gilberto Silva if we sell the likes of Mascherano, Riera, Benayoun (done) and if we get new owners by this month I see no reason why we can’t sign at least two of those four players if not all four.
Sometimes I wonder what reds fans are thinking, Warnock??? Wayne Bridge there are seriously overpriced. I can’t believe everyone thinks Stevie me is staying either even my mum picked up on his statement in relation to Carra’s, Carra wants to play for him, Stevie me gives the club spin, I think he’s away. I may be wrong but look to Norway, Denmark and Finland as he’s managed there in the past 5 years. Roll on new owners who put some money in ASAP.
Johnson-Skirtel-Agger-?*
Maxi-Aquilani-Gerrard-Jovanovic*
——-?—-Torres——
Everybody agrees this is what we have right now, wtith the exception of Gerrard there are only two positions that will need filling with Quality, left back and striker.
I would love to see this formation given the lack of funds.
Johnson-Skirtel-Agger-Joe Mattock(WBA)
Maxi-Aquilani-Gerrard-Jovanovic*
——-Carlton Cole—-Torres——
I use to think if Stevie G leaves that would be a hard task to fill but in reality that should be done by Aqualani. the problem is in the holding area this position will be vital if the rumors about Mascherano leaving is true. This is where i would concentrate on rebuilding, the ideal candidate would 1st having holding qualities, positional awareness and the eye for a good pass,
(Maybe Michael Ballack or D perez from Uruguay).
I would keep Kuyt,Babel,Carra and Lucas to fight for their natrual positions. With whatever money is left i would invest in the deveolment of the kids.
(just for a treat i’d snap up J Cole on a freebie)