Our (lack of) width

[Buddha]

A good performance yesterday and sterling effort after Cole's unfortunate sending off. In particular, in a situation that played to his strengths, Kuyt worked tirelessly for the cause (is there any better defensive right winger around?) On the other flank, Jovanovic endeared himself some more to the Anfield faithful with his desire and strong tackling. He's not unlike Kuyt in that way, more pacy perhaps but lacking the Dutchman's awareness.

The problem is, with Kuyt and Jovanovic on the flanks we're still seriously lacking any real width on the flanks except for Johnson's forays into the opponent's half. With Agger at left back, we're even more narrow. We simply haven't a wide player capable of beating his man on the outside (through pace or trickery) and whipping in a decent cross for Torres and the onrushing Gerrard/Cole.

We only need one (and finances dictate that's all we could go for) but the side would be more balanced (and less predictable) should we have a genuine (left-footed) winger on the left to complement the Kuyt/Johnson axis (that works very well in the main) on the right.

Should Masher go, I'd argue the money would be best spent on just such a player, rather than at left-back/striker. With Aurelio/Agger/Kelly covering LB, Johnson/Kelly/Darby covering right-back, and N'gog starting to look capable of being understudy for Torres, I'd be in the market for a 15m quality attacking winger and cheap promising striker to give N'gog some competition.

Don't ask me who though.

 

[kingjulian]

We need one of that type. I agree.

Shaun Wright Phillips on the cheap?

 

[Buddha]

[quote author=kingjulian link=topic=41462.msg1155623#msg1155623 date=1281967914]
We need one of that type. I agree.

Shaun Wright Phillips on the cheap?

[/quote]

They wouldn't sell to us (see Bellamy).

I'd want someone left-footed.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=Buddha link=topic=41462.msg1155619#msg1155619 date=1281967731]
A good performance yesterday and sterling effort after Cole's unfortunate sending off. In particular, in a situation that played to his strengths, Kuyt worked tirelessly for the cause (is there any better defensive right winger around?) On the other flank, Jovanovic endeared himself some more to the Anfield faithful with his desire and strong tackling. He's not unlike Kuyt in that way, more pacy perhaps but lacking the Dutchman's awareness.

The problem is, with Kuyt and Jovanovic on the flanks we're still seriously lacking any real width on the flanks except for Johnson's forays into the opponent's half. With Agger at left back, we're even more narrow. We simply haven't a wide player capable of beating his man on the outside (through pace or trickery) and whipping in a decent cross for Torres and the onrushing Gerrard/Cole.

We only need one (and finances dictate that's all we could go for) but the side would be more balanced (and less predictable) should we have a genuine (left-footed) winger on the left to complement the Kuyt/Johnson axis (that works very well in the main) on the right.

Should Masher go, I'd argue the money would be best spent on just such a player, rather than at left-back/striker. With Aurelio/Agger/Kelly covering LB, Johnson/Kelly/Darby covering right-back, and N'gog starting to look capable of being understudy for Torres, I'd be in the market for a 15m quality attacking winger and cheap promising striker to give N'gog some competition.

Don't ask me who though.
[/quote]

You can argue all you like Buddah, but if we don't get a striker stronger, more direct and more consistant than N'gog, we will be doomed to failure, like I told everyone we would be last season and I was right, as was everyone else that saw the glaringly obvious, which was actually less than I felt comfortable with.
We can fudge our way through the left back situation, we can manage without this wide player we have for a decade or more, but we need serious cover for Torres.
If you want a bit more width play Maxi instead of Dirk, and play Jovo in a wide position, he was obviously under instructions to support N'gog where he could yesterday.
Fortunatley Roy has already identified what some of us have known since Keane went, and even when he was here, we are short, very short in viable Premiership standard options up front.

regards

 

[TheBunnyman]

I've said this before, but the ideal LB signing for me is someone who can also play LW. Someone on the lines of Michel Bastos (Brazil and Lyon). The one I'd suggest is Benoit Trémoulinas (Bordeaux and France). He plays LB for both, but he's definitely better going forward: fast, skilful, left-footed, and a very good crosser of the ball. He'd be fine at LB against the weaker teams at home, but you'd probably want someone more solid defensively in away matches and against the better teams. He could certainly provide a good LW option against those teams though. I think he'd cost about £10m, though I doubt whether Bordeaux would want to sell.

 

[kingjulian]

I'm not entirely convinced we need one more striker, especially considering we play one up top most of the time.

If we get one, then one has to leave. Anyone in exchange for Babel is ok for me.

 

[Woland]

The lack of width is more of an issue than the quality of striker. Yesterday in the first half we were stupidly predictable as the only option was through the middle.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

SWP would be nice but we have so many players who can play in wide positions and I can't see any of them leaving..

Jova, Babel, Maxi and Kuyt will all want games.

Signing another wideman is foolish without getting rid of one of the above.. Babel out for me..

 

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

Additionally, when Aurelio is back to match fitness I fully expect him to start at LB, overlapping Jova giving us lots of width and pinging in crosses.

 

[Frogfish]

Jova stays wide more often than not, has a turn of pace and can whip a good ball in. As Vlad said, and I warbled on about all last season too, without better than N'Gog we will struggle again this year. One semi decent match from N'Gog and people start thinking we don't need a striker. We do. And more to the point Hodgson has said we do.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=kingjulian link=topic=41462.msg1155635#msg1155635 date=1281968827]
I'm not entirely convinced we need one more striker, especially considering we play one up top most of the time.

If we get one, then one has to leave. Anyone in exchange for Babel is ok for me.
[/quote]

Babel out and someone else in is fine with me.
We don't know if Roy's style will be to play with one up front, it's just that he has had no other option yet, but if we go into the season with N'gog playing on his own up front when Torres is out, we can certainly wave farewell to any hopes of improving last years position

regards

Exactly FF,

 

[localny]

[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=41462.msg1155655#msg1155655 date=1281969830]
[quote author=kingjulian link=topic=41462.msg1155635#msg1155635 date=1281968827]
I'm not entirely convinced we need one more striker, especially considering we play one up top most of the time.

If we get one, then one has to leave. Anyone in exchange for Babel is ok for me.
[/quote]

Babel out and someone else in is fine with me.
We don't know if Roy's style will be to play with one up front, it's just that he has had no other option yet, but if we go into the season with N'gog playing on his own up front when Torres is out, we can certainly wave farewell to any hopes of improving last years position

regards

Exactly FF,
[/quote]

Even my Mum knows we need another striker. And she gave up watching football in the 60's.

 

[Mistadobalina]

That Jova looked crap to me. There was one point when he could square the ball to Cole for a tap in, instead he opted to blast it miles off target. Poor technique and the wrong option.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=Mistadobalina link=topic=41462.msg1155665#msg1155665 date=1281971081]
That Jova looked crap to me. There was one point when he could square the ball to Cole for a tap in, instead he opted to blast it miles off target. Poor technique and the wrong option.
[/quote]

I think that's a bit harsh. Fortunately everyone at the match saw he has some good qualities. Christ if we hung everyone for taking the wrong option once in a game we would have no one including Torres, Gerrard and anyone else you could name.

regards

 

[Frogfish]

I think the standing ovation he got from the crowd when he came off - and the pat from SG - said it all. He made an excellent debut.

 

[Mistadobalina]

[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=41462.msg1155674#msg1155674 date=1281972378]
[quote author=Mistadobalina link=topic=41462.msg1155665#msg1155665 date=1281971081]
That Jova looked crap to me. There was one point when he could square the ball to Cole for a tap in, instead he opted to blast it miles off target. Poor technique and the wrong option.
[/quote]

I think that's a bit harsh. Fortunately everyone at the match saw he has some good qualities. Christ if we hung everyone for taking the wrong option once in a game we would have no one including Torres, Gerrard and anyone else you could name.

regards
[/quote] I know I was just going over the top. It would be harsh to write off his entire Liverpool career off the back of one wild shot.

 

[Buddha]

[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=41462.msg1155631#msg1155631 date=1281968560]
[quote author=Buddha link=topic=41462.msg1155619#msg1155619 date=1281967731]
A good performance yesterday and sterling effort after Cole's unfortunate sending off. In particular, in a situation that played to his strengths, Kuyt worked tirelessly for the cause (is there any better defensive right winger around?) On the other flank, Jovanovic endeared himself some more to the Anfield faithful with his desire and strong tackling. He's not unlike Kuyt in that way, more pacy perhaps but lacking the Dutchman's awareness.

The problem is, with Kuyt and Jovanovic on the flanks we're still seriously lacking any real width on the flanks except for Johnson's forays into the opponent's half. With Agger at left back, we're even more narrow. We simply haven't a wide player capable of beating his man on the outside (through pace or trickery) and whipping in a decent cross for Torres and the onrushing Gerrard/Cole.

We only need one (and finances dictate that's all we could go for) but the side would be more balanced (and less predictable) should we have a genuine (left-footed) winger on the left to complement the Kuyt/Johnson axis (that works very well in the main) on the right.

Should Masher go, I'd argue the money would be best spent on just such a player, rather than at left-back/striker. With Aurelio/Agger/Kelly covering LB, Johnson/Kelly/Darby covering right-back, and N'gog starting to look capable of being understudy for Torres, I'd be in the market for a 15m quality attacking winger and cheap promising striker to give N'gog some competition.

Don't ask me who though.
[/quote]

You can argue all you like Buddah, but if we don't get a striker stronger, more direct and more consistant than N'gog, we will be doomed to failure, like I told everyone we would be last season and I was right, as was everyone else that saw the glaringly obvious, which was actually less than I felt comfortable with.
We can fudge our way through the left back situation, we can manage without this wide player we have for a decade or more, but we need serious cover for Torres.
If you want a bit more width play Maxi instead of Dirk, and play Jovo in a wide position, he was obviously under instructions to support N'gog where he could yesterday.
Fortunatley Roy has already identified what some of us have known since Keane went, and even when he was here, we are short, very short in viable Premiership standard options up front.

regards


[/quote]

A good enough back-up striker is certainly a priority Vlad, but I'm not as convinced as you are that N'Gog won't prove an adequate back-up this season. You can't simply judge him on last season's raw performances, he's at the right age to improve markedly from year to year and seems to be doing so. I'm not saying he's there yet, but with a 5m young promising attacker to provide competition, between them I'd gamble on Torres staying fit long enough (and N'Gog + other providing backup) to be adequate.

On the other hand, we're woefully short of width on the flanks despite the sheer number of support attackers we have inthe squad. Perhaps Babel can provide pace and width if Roy can spark him into life, but I don't want to sit through another season of watching our "wide" players cut inside at every opportunity.

If you're argument holds sway, any ideas on who'd you want realistically?

 

[IGotALuvlyBunchOfCoconuts]

Didn't Gerrard play some lovely balls.
I much rather him play CM then AM.

 

[StevieM]

I'm pretty much with Vlad on this.

Except, with Maxi, we might be ably to deploy Kuyt in a forward role and we know that Jovanovic is able to play up there as well - he looked strong and fast - if he can get his shooting boots on then maybe.

I'd like to see us add another striker in for another reason though - "Plan B" - we plan with 1 up front most games and the attacking threesome operating in behind - but we have to be able to change it around a bit - Gerrard & Cole would seem to be the ideal choice for the central role in the bank of 3 behind the lone striker - but they're not really ideal to push on further upfront or act as more of a target man for another striker to feed off.

I'd rather we sold Babel and replaced him with someone else in any case, but we really need another striker as well.

 

[Hansern]

For what it's worth Roy said recently in an interview that he is looking for big strong target man type striker. Which mean that we are probably looking at a Crouch/Carlton Cole/Toivonen/Gignac type player. My money is still on Crouch, and even more so if Remy signs for Spurs.

As for width I agree Buddha, we really lack that classical winger type with pace that can beat the full back and create some sort of havoc in the opponents defence. The type of winger that makes the opposing full back a bit nervous about being to attacking minded as there is an arse raping a head if getting caught out. Jova gives us a bit more pace, but Aurelio will never be able to overlap like Johnson as he just isn't that pacey. Still he's a good attacking option regarding crosses.

I'd like to buy Ashely Young. And if we get new owners, I'd put a decent chunk of cash infront of Villa.
Saw him against West Ham on saturday and he is exactly what we need on that left flank.

As for the right, I'm guessing Cole can play there on occasion, and the Maxi/Johnson partnership looked promising last season.

Oh, and Roy said that Stevie is regarded as a central midfielder.

 

[manwithnoname]

Fucking Crouch

 

[Rosco]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=41462.msg1155739#msg1155739 date=1281980124]
Fucking Crouch
[/quote]

Everyone is, if you believe the tabloids

 

[kingjulian]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=41462.msg1155740#msg1155740 date=1281980409]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=41462.msg1155739#msg1155739 date=1281980124]
Fucking Crouch
[/quote]

Everyone is, if you believe the tabloids
[/quote]

Everyone is fucking Crouch?

 

[Squiggles]

I really, really want Gareth Bale.

And Ekkoto.

Spurs' left side was brilliant against City.

 

[Stulikesdrums]

Bale does look awesome alright.
He'll be a top player for years to come.

 

[keniget]

I read an article that Eljero Elia is staying at Hamburg this season after Juve had a bid rejected. He might have been worth a punt... although that would've required actually having some money to spend.

 

[Buddha]

[quote author=Buddha link=topic=41462.msg1155619#msg1155619 date=1281967731]

The problem is, with Kuyt and Jovanovic on the flanks we're still seriously lacking any real width on the flanks except for Johnson's forays into the opponent's half. With Agger at left back, we're even more narrow. We simply haven't a wide player capable of beating his man on the outside (through pace or trickery) and whipping in a decent cross for Torres and the onrushing Gerrard/Cole.

We only need one (and finances dictate that's all we could go for) but the side would be more balanced (and less predictable) should we have a genuine (left-footed) winger on the left to complement the Kuyt/Johnson axis (that works very well in the main) on the right.

Should Masher go, I'd argue the money would be best spent on just such a player, rather than at left-back/striker. With Aurelio/Agger/Kelly covering LB, Johnson/Kelly/Darby covering right-back, and N'gog starting to look capable of being understudy for Torres, I'd be in the market for a 15m quality attacking winger and cheap promising striker to give N'gog some competition.

[/quote]

I still think Kuyt and Jovanovic played together leaves us hopelessly narrow and one-dimensional.

 

[Buddha]

In fact it's the anti-width partnership.

Absolute no chance of winning anything with those two on the wings.

Bollocks all.

 

[Buddha]

The cunts.