After talking about Liverpool’s central midfield problems yesterday, I thought it would be logical to extend the discussion to our problems on the wings. Some Reds fans would say that the club hasn’t had a true winger since John Barnes, and I would agree with them. The sale of Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera with the arrival of only Milan Jovanovic has however highlighted these problems further in my view. It leaves Roy Hodgson pretty short of choice on both sides.
Finances certainly have a big part to play in limiting our options in these areas in recent years but it has definitely also been the blind spot of recent managers to not prioritise the need for a fast pacey winger. If we look at our current line up of players playing on the wings, it becomes quickly apparent that there is very little variety for Roy to choose from. Three of them, in Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel and Milan Jovanovic are converted from striker positions in their early careers, while Maxi Rodriguez lacks the required the pace to truly play on the touchline and stretch opposition backlines.
Just like the central midfield area, Roy has chopped and changed the players who have been picked due to either injury problems or for tactical reasons. He started off the season with Dirk Kuyt and Milan Jovanovic in wide areas, and he persisted with the tactic in a 4-4-2 formation in the away defeat to Manchester City. The convincing 3-0 loss should have persuaded Roy never to play in such a way again, if that is, Dirk and Jova are his first choice wide midfield players. Neither will really threaten opposition full backs in such a formation and both rarely deliver threatening crosses to provide a supply line to the two main strikers.
An injury to Kuyt gave Maxi Rodriguez a chance to shine in the team; an opportunity which he duly failed to capitalise on. After subdued performances in both the Premier League and Europa League, Hodgson hastily recalled Kuyt after his early return to fitness. I was actually glad to see Dirk return to the side as though he may not be an ideal wide player; he does contribute his fair share of goals, including his controversial one versus Sunderland on Saturday. I still have a nagging desire to see Ryan Babel on the right hand side though to see if he can finally realise his promise in a more comfortable position, away from the dreaded left wing where he has invariably played in recent campaigns.
The left hand side has been equally troublesome. Jovanovic started the season brightly but it clear to most Reds fans it will take him time to adapt. He does have pace and he loves running at defences, but he has a penchant for coming in field and clogging up an already over-crowded central midfield area. Jova has therefore been given opportunities to start in the Carling Cup and Europa League instead while Joe Cole has been given the nod in his position in the last two Premier League outings. Just like in central midfield, I am sure that Roy does not really know who best to play on the left wing. Jovanovic is really a striker while Ryan Babel has always felt uncomfortable in the position.
So could Joe be the solution to the left side problem? After all he played the position enough times for Chelsea and he had many successful years at the London club. In my opinion I don’t see it working. Hodgson brought Joe to the club to play a central creative role in midfield, and as shown against Steaua Bucharest when he played the role, you can really get the best out of him playing in the hole behind the striker. Although there is less space in the Premier League than in Europe, he would be afforded even less space on the left hand side, and he will always come in field looking for the ball to get involved in play rather than stretching the player and providing crosses into the box.
Money of course, to spend on wingers, would be the ready made solution to the problem, but without that, the manager really has very little to work with, unless he decides to raid the reserves and youth levels for young, vibrant talent. Look at the success of Marc Albrighton at Aston Villa, could we do the same?
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Its PATHETIC honestly – I will swear on my life that Paisley and Shanks would be totally pissed off with the fact that we have not had a winger of note for ten years which speaks volumes for the managers weve had. PATHETIC IS THE ONLY WORD.
Until the January transfer window re-opens, Joe Cole should operate as a left winger and as for the right Kuyt is our best option.
Though, this doens’t mean our problems are solved. We still need new owners to give Hodgson a shopping budget of 60M for the January transfer window to bring in :
David de Gea for 6M – Young and could be Reina’s understudy like Jones. Then, we can be rid of Itandje. Looking at his performances, I can see him as the next Pepe.
Fabio Coentrao for 8M – He is a superb left-back, full of pace and is capable of running pass defenders. He’s like a left-footed Glen Johnson who loves going forward with the ball and getting shots on goal as well as supplying good balls into the box. We can get Mereiles to persuade him to sign for Liverpool.
Javi Martinez for 15M – Young, has a great eye, really fast, good in the air(excellent for set-pieces), could be the next Xabi Alonso(a void that couldn’t be filled since Xabi left) and at 21 he is a heck load better than Lucas.
Juan Mata for 14M – He’d be the solution to the lack of depth on the left-wing(something that has been missing for quite sometime now). He has the pace, the ability and a great mind . He is one talented young man. Plus he will cope well with Torres. It’d be fantastic to see him in play for Liverpool.
Patrick Helmes for 17M – Forget Carlton Cole, N’gog is almost as good as him. If we want a quality striker, I would say Helmes is what we’re looking for. Torres and Helmes would be unstoppable. No defence can destruct the partnership of this two huge talents(considering he can adapt to the PL and that they can work together).
• By purchasing these players, the chances of keeping Torres in a Liverpool jersey are more likely.
After bringing in all the players above, we can then concentrate on offloading :
– Charles Itandje for 0.5M
– Sotirios Kyrgiakos for 2M
– Fabio Aurelio for 2M
– Lucas Leiva for 6M
– Maxi Rodriguez for 4M
With Pepe in goal and both Skrtel and Agger leading the back row. Leaving the right and left flank to be dominated by the English duo of Johnson and Cole and Coentrao and Juan Mata. In addition, the partnership of Gerrard and Meireles in midfield would make Liverpool a very threatening side. With Torres and Helmes up front, Liverpool might just be on their way to a twentieth Prem League victory since 1990.
we have only ever had
Peter Thompson
Steve Heighway
& John Barnes on the wing
WE NEED A CTR FORWARD TO PLAY ALONGSIDE TORRES
Central Role – We can leave this job to Gerrard and Meireles.
RW – Love to see Ryan Babel in this position if Dirk Kuyt not available. Dirk Kuyt is the 1st option for now.
LW – Since we already have Gerrard and Meireles at the center, Joe Cole will be able to play on the left. BUT we need to buy natural winger during this January transfer. My option : Shaqiri, Arda Turan
CF – If Roy decided to play 2 upfront, with current squad I suggest we play Torres & Jovanovic. Jovanovic has physical advantage. See when we play against Arsenal on the 1st game..
i totally agree with juez, stop playing Jova in the wide left position, he is a striker, i would prefer seeing 2/3 guys up front instead of just Torres. He’s great and all, but lets face it, he needs all the help he can get right now and Jova is the solution