Next season - which position do we fill?

[peterhague]

Ours reads:

Suarez - 30
Sturridge 11 (half a season)
Gerrard - 10
Henderson - 6
Downing - 5
Shelvey - 5
Agger - 3
Coutinho - 3 (half a season)
Allen, Borini, Johnson, Enrique, Skrtel, Sterling - 2 each

Yes, I think this is a good point. One of my bugbears is that when a new attacking mid or winger is linked you'll invariably see people complaining that they 'don't score enough goals'. I think people underestimate just how rare a non-striker getting more than 10 a season is. There are very very few Gareth Bales out there - and even he's only done it recently. Generally the goals a team scores are dominated by a couple of players, with the rest shared out in nearly equal quantities between around 10 other players.

 

[DHSC]

I dont think Coutinho will get many goals; but he will assist many.

We need Downing+ to step up.

 

[Rosco]

Its up there with the "only 20m" complaint for me. total lack of perspective

 

[Rosco]

I dont think Coutinho will get many goals; but he will assist many.

We need Downing+ to step up.

I don't know, Coutinho can strike a ball and he gets in plenty of good positions. He could easily hit double figures in the league regularly

 

[mark1975]

I don't know, Coutinho can strike a ball and he gets in plenty of good positions. He could easily hit double figures in the league regularly

I think so too, perhaps 10 is pushing it, but I think he can get in the upper regions between 8-12 dependent on form, fitness etc. He's got 3 so far and an abundance of assists in 4 months, so..

 

[DHSC]

He's been good this season; but my concern is that the league will figure him out next season. If he still displays the form he has been showing now next season, then I think he can hit double figures. We need to get him to take our corners, he almost scored from one yesterday. Hopefully he can take some free kicks too.

 

[RolandG]

Spurs and Arsenal aren't going to spend more than £20m, in fact probably less than that. Also we just spent a 'miserly' (it really isn't, btw: look at what other teams actually spend net, other than the completely unmatchable duo of Chelsea and City) in January which seemed to come from nowhere. I really think we need to be grateful if a £20m net spend materialises - we've no right to expect even that much IMO.

So £20m, plus hopefully £15m for Carroll. That's £35m to add to the squad that just finished the season. I think that over a full season this squad, including Coutinho and Sturridge, and now that Rodgers is settling into his role, is good for 66-72 points. £35m on top of that should be enough to push very very hard for a CL place.

I never considered the net spend or the funds for outgoing players because we simply don't do well in the transfer market when buying or selling with a few exceptions.
Let's see what comes in first.

We have no right to anything but winning takes investment. Spending is necessary to win. BR is bearing the brunt of King Kenny's spend unfortunately.
Spurs and the Gooners have stronger squads than us so don't need to spend as much.

Look at the table. Once again behind Everton and no Europe after consistently being rated no.1 in Europe. We have fallen somewhat and that's a bitter pill to swallow.
We're in transition and building but must strike the right balance. BR is settled and we're on the up. Let's hope that we bring in the right players and have another sensational transfer window like January.

 

[mark1975]

I think what Peter was saying is that we've been invested in quite well, which is true. I think we've had more per transfer window over the last two years than most have. £20m is a reasonable base to start with before sales, I'd wager that's probably more than everyone bar Chelsea, City and United will have to spend this Summer. We have enough to compete, we just need to spend it well, we've had enough to compete for a long time, in terms of being able to go out and buy a good bracket of player in the £10m - £20m region. We've spent less than £20m on Coutinho and Sturridge (combined) and look what that's got us. We've got a young, healthy and promising squad that really can go places with the odd tweak, I don't think we need to go all out, it's just about better research and being clever, Spurs, Arsenal and Everton have done it in recent years and it's given them good squads to work with. I think it's a bit of a myth that you have to have a billionaire owner to compete, it helps of course, but working within our budget is healthy enough to generate sustained competitiveness.

 

[carlv]

I know Arsenal & Spurs finished above us but why would you consider their squads are stronger. They have a couple of 'Star players' each as do we but beyond that I would say we are fairly evenly matched and would argue stonger.

 

[Mamma Mia]

I think that Wisdom, Sterling, Coady, Kelly, Robinson and Suso are all ready to provide not just cover, but also competition next season. Ibe, Yesil, and a few others can be emergency cover.

I'd spend whatever we have on the best defender we can get, and if there's anything left over, save it for the next window.

 

[Judge Jules]

I think what Peter was saying is that we've been invested in quite well, which is true. I think we've had more per transfer window over the last two years than most have. £20m is a reasonable base to start with before sales, I'd wager that's probably more than everyone bar Chelsea, City and United will have to spend this Summer. We have enough to compete, we just need to spend it well, we've had enough to compete for a long time, in terms of being able to go out and buy a good bracket of player in the £10m - £20m region. We've spent less than £20m on Coutinho and Sturridge (combined) and look what that's got us. We've got a young, healthy and promising squad that really can go places with the odd tweak, I don't think we need to go all out, it's just about better research and being clever, Spurs, Arsenal and Everton have done it in recent years and it's given them good squads to work with. I think it's a bit of a myth that you have to have a billionaire owner to compete, it helps of course, but working within our budget is healthy enough to generate sustained competitiveness.

The thing about having billionaire owners is that they give you a margin for error. But you're right - if we get the majority of our choices right, not having such an owner shouldn't be a barrier to success.

 

[peterhague]

The thing about having billionaire owners is that they give you a margin for error. But you're right - if we get the majority of our choices right, not having such an owner shouldn't be a barrier to success.

But something most fans don't realise is that you soon get major diminishing returns from spending on a squad. A lot of it just goes on hugely inflated fees for squad players like James Milner. You see that time and again at clubs like Chelsea, City, and Real Madrid. And not just in terms of quality per £m, but also what that quality you do glean brings: often a dissatisfied bench warmer.

10 really good first teamers, 10 squad players, and 5 good youngsters is about all you need to challenge for the title, IMO. What might we have if we spend as I'd like?

first teamers: Reina, Johnson, Agger, new CB, new DM, Gerrard, Coutinho, new attacker, Suarez (9)
squad players: Jones (not really good enough), Kelly, Enrique, new CB, Lucas, Allen, Henderson, Shelvey, Borini, Sturridge (10)
youngsters: Robinson, Wisdom, Suso, Sterling, Ibe (5)


I don't think we're all that far away from a really good squad.

 

[BlitzAce]

We're really not far from being great IMO the current squad can go from strength to strength next season. Couple of centre halves, centre midfielder, wing foward and a striker and we're there I think.

CB's - Alderwield* SP and young british talent.

CDM/CM - Axel Witsel offer cash plus Skrtel for him.

WF - Eriksen Should be our main target if not Belhanda or Ben Arfa

ST - Lukaku if Chelsea spend big he could be available or Benteke this guy has it!

Probably bit dilerious with some of those but I can dream 🙂, been to watch LFC a lot this season and the best player to come to Anfield for an away team I've seen this season was Axel Witsel for Zenit, that guy can play such a talent and is the link missing in our midfield IMO. Closely followed by Benteke and Lukaku being the best players to come to Anfield. Probably dont need a ST but I just thought if those 2 become available we'd be fools to not at least try for them!

 

[Fallon]

I dont think Coutinho will get many goals; but he will assist many.

We need Downing+ to step up.

I think he could develop a Lampard-like eye for goal soon. He's who I'm reminded of when I see Coutinho's shots.

 

[Silver Sean]

I would imagine 5th or 56th, maybe 7th. Or did you mean what players do we need?

 

[Judge Jules]

I would imagine 5th or 56th, maybe 7th. Or did you mean what players do we need?

Fortunately I don't think we can get relegated that far all at once. 😉

 

[red_maradona]

let's dispel this myth a bit that United have goal scorers capable of 5-10 or more goals all over. Not much more than we do or are potentially capable of, the main difference is a third 15+ striker, the rest is much of a muchness, and your Young, Valencia and Wellbeck point doesn't hold water - they got 3 goals in all comps between them this season, that's dire for players of their capabilities (Cleverley only got 4 aswell).

RVP - 30
Hernandez - 18
Rooney - 16
Kagawa - 6
Giggs - 5
Cleverley - 4
Evans - 4
Evra - 4
Nani - 3
Da Silva - 3
Carrick - 2
Butner - 2
Anderson - 2
Wellbeck - 2
Valencia -1
Young - 0

That's in all comps this season. I think Coutinho is capable of 10+, Suarez and Sturridge are capable of matching at least what two of the three United forwards get, then we are also getting goals from Henderson, Gerrard, and have players like Sterling and co coming through. We will no doubt add to the front line, probably to replace Downing which should again see us add a few more.

That is a HUGE difference. goals win you games. We need another attacking player as a matter of priority.

On another point, how many assists did they all get?

 

[StevieM]

But only Utd scored significantly more goals than us - and we has 2 key forwards (Sturridge & Coutinho) only joining in in January & another (Borinni) injured for large parts.

It's not out with the realms of possibility that those 3 could contribute the 15 goals difference that Utd scored.

The bigger problem as I see it, is only Spurs, of the teams above us, conceded more goals - and we've just list our best defender to retirement.

You can practically be assured that Man Utd under Moyes will be tightened up at the back.

We need to gave the ability to "shut up shop" and grind out results when we need to - which we currently don't.

 

[Silver Sean]

Fortunately I don't think we can get relegated that far all at once. 😉

Ha!

 

[Insignificance]

We need CMs. We haven't controlled the engine room for a few seasons now, and we need to start dominating the game from CM.

 

[RolandG]

We need a dominant, athletic CB and CM with a pacy goalscoring RW

 

[Oncy]

End of season results.
W
W
D
W
D
D
D
W
L
W
W
W
We failed to score in 3 of them.
Goalless draws with
EVERTON
READING
WEST HAM

We kept 7 clean sheets in them
EVERTON
READING
WEST HAM
SWANSEA
WIGAN
NEWCASTLE
QPR

I dont know what you can deduce. Probably that we arent far off where we need to be. We score a lot and can keep clean sheets against the lower ranked teams.
Arsenal H - LOST
Man Utd H - LOST
Everton A - DREW
Everton H - DREW
Chelsea A - DREW
Spurs A - LOST
Man Utd A - LOST
Arsenal A - DREW
Chelsea H - DREW
Spurs H - WIN

One win against the teams above us is fucking terrible.
So as usual what we need is better players.