Next season

[mark1975]

If this is our squad, assuming Johnson & Aspas are moved on, Moses and Cissokho are given a "thanks, but no thanks" and a few others depart. What/who do we add/sell?

Mignolet
Jones - Could go
Reina - Will go

Johnson - Could go
Flanagan
Skrtel
Agger - Could go
Toure
Sakho
Ilori - Loan?
Enrique
Wisdom - Could go/loan

Lucas
Henderson
Allen - Could go
Gerrard

Coutinho
Suso
Texeira
Alberto - Loan?

Suarez
Studge
Sterling
Borini - Could go
Aspas - Will go

A few other lads might push up from the reserves, a couple of this years loan outs may return that bit more experienced. But by and large I see that as our squad, before additions. I don't see us keeping all of our defenders, a few will go.

 

[SummerOnions]

Nice how little 'deadwood' we have

 

[peterhague]

I think we definitely need to sign a left back, a striker, and a winger (hopefully Konoplyanka).

A right back would probably be the next priority, and if a top class keeper was available I'd happily replace Mignolet.

Sell:

Reina
Borini
Assaidi
Aspas

 

[Fallon]

I'd be very tempted to leave RB to Flanno and Wisdom. I'd also prioritise a ball playing CM over a winger, as with the emergence of Sterling and our system it seems much less of a priority going into this summer.

 

[dantes]

Poor the Kelly.

 

[Mersey86]

It will be a task to find the right balance. It has seemed, since the middle of the last window, that BR is happy enough with his squad, and only looking at strong first-team-quality additions. For the full back positions, Flanagan has done well, and I'd be interested to see whether Robinson/Wisdom/McLaughlin/Smith get the chance to do the same. Will Coates be sold? I'd be OK with selling Agger and looking at Ilori as the backup central defender.
Does Borini have a role? I suspect we'd be better trying to sell now while he has some currency. Assaidi back for Moses? We picked a couple of good'uns last summer - Mkhitaryan and Costa - shame they wouldn't come to us. Hopefully we identify well again, and have a CL spot as further inducement.

 

[TheRedCrusade]

No Kelly in the list

 

[keniget]

Poor the Kelly.

Heh. Indeed.

We need a new RB if Johnson is going to be sold or persist with being a bit rubbish. Flannagan has come in and done well enough to change some peoples opinions but I think we need better than what he or Wisdom for that matter can be offer right now.

Ilori and Wisdom probably need another season out on loan given that they're unlikely to get enough game time no matter who comes or goes. Kelly too unless he gets sold.

We need to decide what we're doing with Suso, Texeira and Alberto and that will dictate how much work the midfield needs. All three ideally need game time at this stage of their career but we'll (hopefully) need a bigger squad next season and if one or two of them can make the step up proper it'll be a big help in saving some money for other areas.

In attack, Aspas surely has no future at the club, Borini can go if we get a decent offer as far as I'm concerned and Moses can jog on. That leaves us needing to buy a couple attackers. Ibe to go on loan.

 

[Glock21]

We need to sign 2 forwards, a right back, a centre back, a keeper and 2 central midfielders

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

The most interesting decisions will be at the back, not just because of the number of players we have there, but also the contract situations. Based on transfermarkt figures:

expires Jun 2016: Agger, Skrtel and Enrique
expires Jun 2015: Johnson and Toure

Fullbacks:

If these numbers are right, I expect Johnson to be sold in the summer for a small fee (if we're lucky, given his wages), or sign a pre-contract with his next club at the end of this year or beginning of next year, and leave free in the next summer.

I don't think Enrique's contract will be renewed so he might actually be moved out in the summer. Rodgers uses him as he has to, but I somehow think he doesn't really trust him or like how he trains. Carra's comments about Enrique may just be a reflection of how Rodgers regards the Spaniard.

Kelly, I think, is a goner. Either that, or he's going out on loan to show he can play again, and then getting moved out. Flanagan has jumped in front of him in the pecking order, and with a new full back to replace Johnson/Enrique, as well as Wisdom and to a lesser extent, McLaughlin, returning from loans, it's going to be quite a feat if he manages to retain a place in the squad given his fitness issues.

Centrebacks:

Coates is a goner, and as one of Skrtel or Agger will be sold because of the contract situation. I don't think we'll be renewing both; probably one, just to keep an experienced and familiar hand around. I expect Skrtel to be retained and Agger to be sold.

I expect Toure to finish his contract here and retire. Old head in the dressing room for the season; useful when/if we're in Europe next season, both for his experience and relief minutes, given the very young team we have.

It might seem crazy that we would go out and buy another centreback given the number we currently have, but I think that's exactly what we should and will do, with an eye on the future. Remember that Ilori is still only 20, and new to the league when he returns from loan, and Wisdom, while more senior, will still be inexperienced at the CB position in the league (and still only 21). If Agger leaves, a left-sided CB will probably be added. Sama and Sokolik (is he still around even?) aren't good enough, and Lloyd Jones is still just 19 so none of these U-21s will be involved much (if at all) in the next 2 seasons.

TL;DR version - my projections:

2014/2015:
FB: < LB >, Johnson, Flanagan, Wisdom, [ McLaughlin, Smith ]
CB: Skrtel, Sakho, < LCB >, Toure, Ilori, Wisdom

2015/2016:
FB: < LB >, < RB >, Flanagan, Wisdom, McLaughlin, Smith (< RB >: depends on how the young FBs perform)
CB: Skrtel, Sakho, < LCB >, Ilori, Wisdom, [ Jones ]

 

[Frogfish]

Whatever we on this forum want or don't want Ming/Jones will remain, and I'm OK with that. Ming has time to improve and coaching to come for crosses etc. He's a great shot-stopper. I think a new/better goalkeeping coach would improve him no end. Jones is a decent keeper and it's not often you get better than that as reserve keeper (Arsenal the exception perhaps).

FBs. New RB is more a priority than LB as both Flanno and Johnson are good at LB too and Enrique is a fine 1st choice. Wisdom has never impressed me wherever he has played so I'd sell him.

Gerrard & Lucas cover DM between them but I wouldn't be averse to selling Lucas and bringing in a new player with a wider range of passing skills. Gerrard will be good there for the next 2-3 seasons so it's not an imperative.

Hopefully the Ukrainian 'Plank' will complete his move in the Summer to strengthen our LM. Allen continues to be disappointing and I'd be happy to see strengthening at CM.

We need to add a 3rd attacker. I'm not so sure Borini is lost. He seems to be gaining a lot of confidence at Sunderland and he's scoring goals and it would be good to have 4 strikers rather than have to shuffle the team each time Suarez/Sturridge is injured. A lot depends on whether Suarez stays or goes. This will be the key decision of the Summer.

So that's 4 players in and 3 of those are to strengthen not replace. If we are letting Johnson, Agger, Aspas, Moses, Cisshoko & Alberto go (from the current matchday squad and excluding loanees and reserves) then we will need at least 10 .... that seems too much to me and I doubt we'll see anything like that sort of turnover.

 

[Hyena]

We need:
1. Goal scoring 2-footed Winger
2. Monster LB (& RB if possible)
3. an Attacking mid who can cover as Striker for SAS.
4. defensive -minded CM

In that priority.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I expect Borini to be given another chance, and that we'll persist with Aspas or loan him out and see if he can reap the same benefits as Borini did, simply because we just can't go out and spend like our rivals. Assaidi, I think, we'll let go, because we've got several emerging young players in the position he plays.

Assuming Suarez stays, I don't think anyone should expect more than three arrivals for the senior team, given the limits of our spending power. A full back (left or right), a centreback and an attacking player are probably what we'll aim for, with the main spending probably on the full back and the attacking player.

My full projection:

2014/2015:
GK: Mignolet, Jones, Ward
FB: < LB >, Johnson, Flanagan, Wisdom, [ McLaughlin, Smith ]
CB: Skrtel, Sakho, < LCB >, Toure, Ilori
CM: Gerrard, Lucas, Allen, Henderson, [ Rossiter ]
AM: Coutinho, < AP >, Alberto
WF: Sterling, < AP >, Suso, Ibe, [ Teixeira ]
CF: Suarez, Sturridge, Borini, Aspas

< AP > being the attacking player; could come in as an attacking mid or a wide forward, basically just means we have the option of buying him for one spot and shifting others around him, or he's a versatile type who can play in either spot.

I'm quite happy with our CM options, though it's always a bit tricky given Gerrard's age and Allen's fitness. We might try to pick up a good, young CM for the U-21s and groom him. Or who knows, Alberto could drop down and be a backup to Allen and Henderson, assuming he's settled into the league and get his workrate up.

ps. Having said all that, got a sneaky feeling we'll probably end up with the 2 players at the back and pipped to the line for the attacking player again.

 

[Hyena]

I think Borini will stay only because we don't forsee keeping three World-class strikers happy.

 

[SummerOnions]

Aspas and Assaidi to be sold

Kelly, Wisdom, Ilori, Ibe to be loaned out

 

[Glock21]

We need:
1. Goal scoring 2-footed Winger
2. Monster LB (& RB if possible)
3. an Attacking mid who can cover as Striker for SAS.
4. defensive -minded CM

In that priority.

We don't need an attacking midfielder with Countinho in the team. Plus Gerrard can also play there. Why waste?

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

If this is our squad, assuming Johnson & Aspas are moved on, Moses and Cissokho are given a "thanks, but no thanks" and a few others depart. What/who do we add/sell?

Mignolet
Jones - Could go
Reina - Will go

Johnson - Could go
Flanagan
Skrtel
Agger - Could go
Toure
Sakho
Ilori - Loan?
Enrique
Wisdom - Could go/loan

Lucas
Henderson
Allen - Could go
Gerrard

Coutinho
Suso
Texeira
Alberto - Loan?

Suarez
Studge
Sterling
Borini - Could go
Aspas - Will go

A few other lads might push up from the reserves, a couple of this years loan outs may return that bit more experienced. But by and large I see that as our squad, before additions. I don't see us keeping all of our defenders, a few will go.

Good assessment there.

I think Allen and Wisdom will be safe, Wisdom done allright last season for a young player getting his first shot at it, add to that he has done really well at Derby this season then surely he will get a chance to make it here.

Agger will go i reckon, we have an 18 million quid player for his place who will be first choice when fit.

Coates, Aspas, Reina should be the first ones out of the door in the summer, Alberto is such a strange one, really don't know what to make of him and his situation, wouldn't be fussed to see Johnson, Assaidi and Borini go either.

 

[Mors]

I'd be happy to see Reina, Agger, Cissokho, Wisdom, Moses, Aspas go, but that's be 4 out of an already thin squad this season and we'll have europe to deal with next season.

I would:
Sell Aspas, not loan him
Sell Assaidi
Sell Reina
Send back Cissokho and Moses the shitcunts
Bring back the loan players Borini, Wisdom, Suso, Illori, McLaughlin

5 out, 5 in.

Then buy another 2-3 quality players in the summer.

 

[gkmacca]

I suspect Dunn and Trickett-Smith will join Rossiter and Teixeira in the first team squad next season.

 

[Glen C]

I'd be happy to see Reina, Agger, Cissokho, Wisdom, Moses, Aspas go, but that's be 4 out of an already thin squad this season and we'll have europe to deal with next season.

I would:
Sell Aspas, not loan him
Sell Assaidi
Sell Reina
Send back Cissokho and Moses the shitcunts
Bring back the loan players Borini, Wisdom, Suso, Illori, McLaughlin

5 out, 5 in.

Then buy another 2-3 quality players in the summer.

We'll need a lot more than 2 or 3 players if we want to challenge for trophy's next season. We need 2 good players for every position otherwise we'll struggle in the league if we do well in the cups. Don't think we need to bring back Illori if agger stays as Illori doesn't look anywhere near ready for the 1st team yet.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I suspect Dunn and Trickett-Smith will join Rossiter and Teixeira in the first team squad next season.

On Dunn - I'm still not sure what his best position is to be honest. When I saw him for the U-18s, he was a CM, a second striker, a striker, and he did well in all of the roles. At the U-21 level, I think he plays out wide mostly? When the LFC youths were in Singapore, I thought he was the best and most mature performer, ahead of the likes of Peterson, Yesil, Morgan and Ibe. However, he seems to have had his minutes trimmed for the U-21s this season, and at one point, there was a tweet that some took to mean he was throwing in the tunnel or looking for a loan out due to a lack of playing time at the U-21 level.

By the way, I like him and I hope he makes it. His versatility might help him shift around and slide into a spot that's easiest for him to make his breakthrough, though at the same time, it's a risk that being a jack of all trades would affect his mastery in any of the positions.

 

[Brizzle]

Have highlighted those I think are candidates to leave and a + where I think we need to strengthen:

---------------------------------------------Mignolet/Jones----------------------------------------------------
Johnson/Flanno/+----------Skrtel/Toure----------------Agger/Sakho-------------Enrique/Cissokho/+
------------------------------------------------Gerrard/Lucas---------------------------------------------------
------------------------------Hendo/Allen/+---------------Coutinho/Suso/Alberto------------------------------
Sterling/Assaidi/+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Suarez/Moses/+
---------------------------------------------Sturridge/Aspas--------------------------------------------------------

Basically, where someone is likely to leave, we will need to replace but as I see it, these are those actual potential first teamers.

I don't think anything will happen to the central defense other than Rodgers working out a preferred back line and hopefully sticking to it!

The Central Midfield - I think we might see another CM come in but when all fit, I think we are actually very well covered here.

Up front gets tricky to illustrate as Suarez can move across all 3. Also - the + on the wings could cover both. As stated - a back up striker would have to be happy to be very much that - would be much better if we had a young'un like Yesil ready to step in when needed but I don't think Aspas will be here past the summer.

 

[Pesam]

I've got high hopes that next season we'll see a big influx from the junior ranks that will enhance the first team squad. I'd sell.......

Agger (too many injuries)
Wisdom (not sure he'll ever make the grade)
Kelly (as above)
Robinson (as above)
Brad Jones (not good enough)
Lucas (if we get an offer over £7m)
Alberto (not needed)
Aspas (not needed)
Coates (face doesn't seem to fit although he looks a decent player)
Assaidi (decent but not good enough)

I'd sign Darlow (GK) from Forest and Ings from Burnley as well as hopefully Konoplyanka a top left back and a midfield enforcer. I've mentioned Gundogan below but doubt we'd get him but if we say £20m for a DM'er that means our outlay would be about £58m and we'll get about £30m for the players we're selling (including Reina). The squad below would have a serious chance of success on all fronts next season.


Goalkeepers
Mignolet
Darlow
Ward

Defence
Glenjo
McLaughlin
Illori
Sakho
Skrtel
Toure
??? (new first team left back)
??? (u-21 left back if he's any good)

Midfield
Konoplyanka
Coutinho
Gerrard
Henderson
Teixera
Sterling
Ibe
Allen
Suso
Gundogan (in my dreams but some similar tough CM'er)


Forwards
Suarez
Sturridge
Ings
Borini
Yesil or Jerome Sinclair (whoever is deemed most ready).

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Up front gets tricky to illustrate as Suarez can move across all 3. Also - the + on the wings could cover both. As stated - a back up striker would have to be happy to be very much that - would be much better if we had a young'un like Yesil ready to step in when needed but I don't think Aspas will be here past the summer.

You can rule out Yesil - he won't be in the senior squad for at least another season, due to his second ACL injury. Also don't think we have any strikers in the U-21s ready to step up. You've left out Borini as well.

I think we'll keep the strikers intact instead of replacing one or both of them. We just don't have the ability to go out and restock in as many places as folks have identified we need to. I'd think keeping both Borini and Aspas for another season is the logical thing to do, given that we play with one central striker, and Suarez plays now mainly because he's too good not to be playing.

If one of Sturridge or Suarez gets injured, the other starts in the centre, and the two wide forward places will then be covered by Sterling, Suso, Tex, perhaps Borini, etc. So the current group of 4 strikers will suffice. If disaster strikes and we lose both Suarez and Sterling, then maybe we'll go for an emergency purchase in January. Maybe.

It perhaps also explains a bit why we've been looking at wide forwards lately, as our players in the wide areas are still very young and inexperienced in Europe.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

According to a few people, we should sell Suarez. For rebuilding purposes obv.

Think along the lines of Spurs.

Oh.

 

[SummerOnions]

Sell Suarez for like a gajillion buy a new stadium, buy Pedro, Konoplyanka, Richards, Coentrao, Koke, Turan

 

[Fallon]

Some people seem to have very unrealistic expectations on the business we're going to do, let's not forget it's a world cup year and the crappy effect that will have on transfers (price, speed of deal etc).

Oh and while I'm personally indifferent on whether Johnson stays or goes, I think a few people are being very harsh on his understudies, particularly Wisdom who has come on leaps and bounds at Derby. Do people think Gibbs just turned up as a ready made fullback for Arsenal? Or Shaw for Southampton?

We need our spine sorted first and foremost, which means a quality CM and another CB if Agger goes, and if there's a good goalie about, at the right price, then someone to really challenge Mignolet would be good.

 

[Red Bird]

Although, I think the most people are looking at the centre-halves, I think there are more pressing areas. That ought to mean neither Agger and Skrtel will be sold. Agger's "injury-proness" is grossly overstated in my view-- by the way, is Sakho already injury-prone? Coates is a goner-- pity because we never had the chance to see him play for an extended period. But the cautionary tale of the season is the amount of playing time that Kolo Toure has had. Next season we are [hopefully] going to play far more games and a higher level.

For me the areas for improvement are a decent goal-keeper (Mignolet definitely needs a challenge), both fullbacks with left-back being the more urgent (Robinson still has a year or so to go), and another attacker who can preferably operate on the flanks and scores goals. We also need to make hard, prudent decisions on whether Aspas, Assaidi and Borini (too much of a so far ordinary muchness), and also Suso are good enough to stay. Two of those will probably stay, I reckon. Alberto will probably go on loan.

I'm hoping our decision-making-- who to get rid of-- has improved with time as I still shudder at the failed effort to swap Henderson for Dempsey.

 

[Markeh]

• Buy the Ukrainian
• Keep Skrtel, let Agger go and Coates too I suppose
• Rodgers seems to like Johnson, not like Enrique and Cissokho is shite
• I can see Aspas/Alberto going, maybe they haven't had a fair chance but their impact has been minimal and Rodgers prefers others now
• What to do about Borini? I don't think he's that good but he looks a lot better when getting regular games and he won't get that with us.
• Decide on whether players like Suso/Ibe/Teixeira are able to play a part or go for a loan to a decent side.

There's not a lot of upheaval there involving regular starters from the current season. We need a few fullbacks though and ideally a young centre half, which could mean the return of Andre Wisdom and a decent left back. Hopefully there's a place in the champions league waiting for us next season and the promise of Suarez staying.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

According to a few people, we should sell Suarez. For rebuilding purposes obv.

Think along the lines of Spurs.

Oh.

I don't think anyone has said that.

People have said if the right offer comes in we should sell, the same goes for any of our players. I'd be delighted if we got a Bale fee for him. We could potentially buy 10 players of the Sturridge and Coutinho level.