Some wishes for transfers and an analysis of the team

cyke SG

I think this is how it might work out for next season.

Strikers
Cisse out (I know he scored 2 last night, but he's still too inconsistent and I think he doesn't fit into Benitez's game plan most of the time)
Pongolle back from loan
Fowler contract extended
So Strikers would be from the quartet of Crouch, Fowler, Morientes and Pongolle
Doesn't seem like Liverpool is gonna be able to sign the right strikers for the right price and knowing Benitez he'll say "Don't sign any then"

Right midfield
Gonzales in
Simao in
Simao would be first choice for right midfield. Gonzales would be back up to both Simao and Kewell in injuries or rotation
I still think area is still a bit short so I won't be surprised if another right midfielder (maybe Giuly on a free?) would be signed as well.

Left Midfield
Kewell is first choice of course.
Zenden when fit again would be the other option for injuries and rotation.
Riise would also be another option if we have the luxury of fit left backs and the game needs Riise in left midfield

Central Midfield
Sissoko first pick for holding role
Hamman as back up for holding role with perhaps Jack Hobbs being groomed as replacement in that position
Gerrard-Alonso first pick central partnership
Zenden may also be another option as an attacking central midfielder should anyone be injured

Now for the defence. One thing to note is that any good manager does not rotate the defence unless he has the luxury of great players to rotate amongst which also means he has spent money on them which is a DAMN LUXURY to have that probably only Chelsea can afford! Also defenders don't get injured as often and as likely as attacking players in midfield or strikers by nature that the other players don't tackle defenders! All this means that you don't need to have that many defenders as there is little variation and less injuries.

Right back
Finnan first choice
Kromkamp second choice
Antonio Barragan to make his debut at some stage next season

Left back
Riise first choice
Fabio Aurelio in from Valencia on a free transfer 2nd choice
Stephen Warnock 3rd choice back up. If he doesn't like it, he'll be sold
Traore to be sold in the summer

Centre backs
Carragher-Hyppia partnership to start next season and see if Hyppia still has it in him
Agger to be back up for Hyppia and for any injuries.
Paletta signing in from Argentina will be another prospect. To be groomed as replacement for Carragher.

Goalkeeper
Who else? Reina DA MAN!
Carson to be reserve keeper.
Dudek to be sold after World Cup

If this really happens, and there are no major injuries to key players I think Liverpool would be challenging for EPL championship and CL finals at the end of next season.

RSP SG

I pretty much agree with what you think of Cisse's situation. I also agree that Fowler will probably get a 1 yr extension. What i don't think will happen is Sinama Pongolle staying at Anfield. I think he's on the way out as well and I won't be surprised if Morientes leaves too. Rafa will probably bring in 2 new faces upfront to partner Crouch and Fowler.

Gonzales is coming but the problem is that his preferered position is on the left wing. I don't think Simao is a good idea. After the transfer fiasco, I doubt he is the right player for the club. The right wing pretty much will be LFC's trouble position and I still feel pity that Rafa pulled the plug on Luis Figo at the last minute.

No problems with the left. Kewell's coming back on song. We've got Zenden. Gonzalez. Risse does a good job there. So there's plenty of choices.

Same thing with the central of midfield.

I expect another defender to join. Possibly Gabriel Paletta. That'll make it 4 CBs. A healthy number.

As for keepers, yeah, I agree that Dudek could be sold after the world cup. We've got Carson and David Martin on healthy standby.

Medicated Oil SG

Players to be OUT:

Cisse, Fowler, Hamman, Sinama, La Tellac, Dudek, Kirkland

Players I hoped to be OUT:

Nando, Zenden, Traore, Diao

The midfield and defence of Liverpool is pretty united.

Only problems is strikers.

RSP SG

Sorry to dissapoint you but Hamann already signed a new deal.

Fowler.........I don't think he'll leave la...it's just a gut feeling..

Poolman SG

After that injury , Zenden could well be on the way out , and the new inclusion ? Victor free from Deportivo ....... free , why not ?

Since some claimed we have some striker crisis , why Fowler out ?

Morientes ? Trust me , his UCL experiences can scared off many of our new players , he will stay , unless he's French !

Cisse could well be on the most doubtful choice to go out , anyway , we shall see , again , we have a striker crisis , why not keep him ? Unless we have a ready made striker that can perform automatically at this highest level ? Who ?

Why Traore out ? Who can do a similiar job both at centre of defense and left side of defense and tall ? That new Argentine ? Mind you , we haven't seen him play , how sure are we ?

One man sure to go - Dudek ! And i am sorry to see him go .

Patrik SG

Joaquin,Simao and Vicente.
My top 3 most wished players to come.
Very Happy

R3SsH|n SG

lol...don't be greedy la...i guess the chairmen is a very stingy person...only 1 will come in...joaquin might be possible...he says he wanna leave betis...simao is too expensive for liverpool...

cyke SG

Well I certainly hope that we can sign some new good strikers. But from the way the market looks, it doesn't even look like we have any suitable players as targets! And then there's always the question of price. Unless Benitez has some relatively unknown who he sees great potential in.....but again is next season the one to gamble on potential?

Also a new striker would need time to settle especially if they are not from the EPL. So all signs point to Benitez signing a suitable centre foward from the EPL. But who? I'm not convinced Defoe is the best choice and there is the issue of the fiasco with Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy.

Craig Bellamy has a lot of problems in the dressing room and off the field, although he seems the right choice on the field.

So will Liverpool sign any new strikers? Maybe not. It might be better on the balance of things to stick with the strikers we have and hope they have a better turn of luck or something. I still think Morientes can succeed in the EPL. Cisse needs to accept he will only play in certain matches and not in most as he does not fit into Benitez's starting game plan in most matches. Fowler is a good option with his experience and intelligence. And frankly if Crouch can avoid injury and new right midfielders like Simao and Giuly come to Liverpool, I think Benitez will start with 4-1-4-1 a lot more next season.

cyke SG

The fiasco with Simao last summer was Benfica's doing. Not Simao's. Simao wanted to join Liverpool and was rumoured to be already on the plane. And then Benfica upped the price.

I think he's the right player but it's just the administrative problems with Benfica that make the deal unlikely.

Newspapers say he's injured recently and may miss the start of the World Cup.

R3SsH|n SG

yea..ankle injury...but he will be there...by hook or by crook... Cool

edi_77777 SG

just wonder y bellamy was not mention at all.. i believe he would do well feeding of crouch... n fowler to be retain as backup..

as for right wing. dun tink simao will be coming.. mayb we can get SWP to come.. afterall he is rotting in chelsea..

def is good enough.. we done enough for the backup as well..

Poolman SG

If you does observe those players selected to sign for Liverpool , they not only know how to kick , they kick with brains .

Benitez want players that has more football brains than skills .

That's why he signed Fowler , Garcia , Alonso , Morientes , Crouch and maybe Reina .

Not that those players he discarded doesn't have brains , it's how you generate your football initiative into the game .

I had observe those players wanted by Benitez , those like Simao , Victor , Joaqim , SWP ..... these players has football brains .

edi_77777 SG

well mayb ballemy may not really is those what u call 'intelligent ' player but his scoring records shows it all.. ever since he join blackburn and play in the centre forward position, i tink he is 1 of the few strikers who cause alot of headache and cant stop scoring.. n he wasnt doing too bad as well along side shearer.. anyway he is an option(esp if he did have the 6M clause in his contract, he does come cheap)..

i believe the biggest headache will still be filling up the right midfield.. mayb we really can sneak SWPto anfield.. simao is an option but an expensive 1 esp after benfica's run in the CL.. Gonzales mayb can solve the prob but we shall see how well he adpat to EPL..

ch0i SG

dun forget hor
speedy gonzales comin back aso
this season rite, he more influential
than than Sickening Son of a Simao
hehe but ch0i aso wan to warn opposition
Paul Anderson now hor
just waiting time for 1st team
Choi see him play b4 and he damn good u noe

edi_77777 SG

bro how u managed to see the reserve team play?
can to share? i wun might looking at the future of anfield stars! Mr. Green

SBS9828X SG

can not pull cisse down to right meh? and also luis garcia?

cyke SG

I think the problem with the right is that we want a solid right Midfielder who is either adept and attack and defence on the right OR has such great ball control that when he gets the ball on the right, it is unlikely he'll lose it and thus allows the right back to have confidence to do overlapping runs (just like how Kewell and Riise operate).

At the moment Finnan rarely moves up. The only time he did this often enough was when Gerrard was played as an outright right midfielder.

Cisse's ball control is terrible. Garcia does stupid things and tends to lose the ball a lot.

So that's the problem with the RM position and the players we currently have in the team.

I always wondered why doesn't Rafa play Kromkamp more in the right Midfield position? I suspect he doesn't seem Kromkamp having enough attacking nous for that position.

Poolman SG

Marky Gonzales ...... what a guy , he's showing why Benitez are keen to sign him even without the work permit in England .

Real Sociedad will be sad to let him come back .

Marky The Speedy ..... left side for me .

Kewell to the right .

Maybe , just maybe , bring back Sinama , to understuday Fowler , absorb as much as possible , and learn from Fowler .

ch0i SG

ch0i last time go there see
no la
u can go see at youtube than search koptalk or wadeva
go try