The Best XI

WNRH

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 Oct 2010
Messages
7,725
I think if you were to ask the fans and managers of Liverpool, Bayern, Madrid, PSG etc even the likes of Lyon and Liepzig, they would be able to tell you their best/strongest XI pretty consistently.

Us, I think we would have various combinations and I suppose that is the beauty of having a really strong squad and one of the reasons why over a space of two years we got 198 points in the PL.

But Liverpool in that same time span have won the PL and CL and finished runners up in both by virtually playing the same XI week in week out.

We go on about how crap our defence is after spending £325m on it but how many times have they all played as a back unit of 5 on a consistent basis? With Pep one game you could have a different CB partner, a midfielder next game, the next a different full back and then you could not play yourself the next game.

Tonight then through up another new challenge, with a different formation.

Is it not time to cement our best XI, play them in the biggest games, have the same formation and style of play and let the game be decided on individual player performances? If we cannot dictate the outcome of the game after all the money we have spent, when will we ever?

Based on what we got now and what is potentially to come, the best XI imo would be.

Ederson

Walker
New CB
Laporte
Ake

KDB
Rodri
Foden

Mahrez
Aguero
Sterling

If any of them are injured, need resting or out of form then the following replace them.

Stefan

Cancelo
Garcia
Stones
Mendy

Bernardo
Gundogan
New CM

Torres
Jesus
Braaf

Maybe it’s a simple way of looking at it but you know that if Liverpool need to win and everyone is available the you know what the team will be.
 
Ederson

Walker
Stones/Ota
Laporte
Mendy/Cancelo

Rodri

De Bruyne
Bernardo

Sterling
Jesus
Mahrez

Something similier to that would have got us through tonight.We’ve played so well since the restart playing that system, baffling or rather predictable that Pep would tinker so much. Gutting.

Also I really don’t get starting Garcia over Stones or Otamendi who usually are decent playing alongside Laporte.
 
We don’t have one. Ederson, Walker, Laporte, Kdb, Sterling and Aguero is our current core that play when they’re fit, the rest battle for the remaining places and to fill in for any absences.

Fernandinho and Bernardo were part of that core 2 years ago but a positional change/age and being moved around too much/a drop in form have demoted those two from the core for now. I’d say we are probably 1/2 certainties light, either current players improve/regain form (Foden/Bernardo) or we buy in players to up that number. Overall I wouldn’t say not having a clear beat 11 hinders is in any way but provides us with big advantages.
 
Probably 11 players that he hasn't spent money on. Aguero, KDB, Sterling, Foden and 7 other academy players,
 
Anything bar the 11 that started tonight and don’t ask me the formation as not sure there was one.
 
what I’d like to see next season:
Ederson

walker
ake
Laporte
ait Nouri

Rodri
de bruyne
foden

Sterling on the right!
torres
jesus
 
Based on this season I think we should face this transfer market with everything we've got:

Ederson/ NEW GK (another sweeper keeper like Eddie, who's willing to only play in cup games for now but who can keep the brazilian on his toes)

Walker/ Cancelo (we're all set here, but should start to look for options next season)
UPAMECANO/ Stones / Harwood-Bellis (I'd rather spend 80M on Upamecano than 70M on Koulibaly, Stones would be a decent back-up)
Laporte/ Aké (all set here)
ALABA/ Mendy/ Zinchenko (Alaba is a must, Mendy is great when fit and Zinchenko is a great utility player that never causes trouble in the dressing room and can play in 3 or 4 different roles)

Rodri/ RUBEN NEVES / Tommy Doyle (Fernandinho should be moved either now or in January to Brazil, a De Jong-type DM should be signed; Kimmich would be perfect, but rather improbable)
De Bruyne/ THIAGO (Gundogan out, a new one is needed; I don't know if Aouar is the best option, I'd rather sign Thiago in the meantime)
Bernardo/ Foden (all set on left-footed CMs, David Silva is out as we know)

Mahrez / Sterling/ Torres / NEW WINGER (I have no clue who else we could sign, but it'd always be expensive: Sancho, Coman, Gnabry, Bailey...)

Aguero/ Jesus/ MBAPPÉ (Aguero should play his last season this year, Jesus is great in more ways than one, Mbappé is also a must; spend big on this kid, plus he can play on the wings)

We should spend big if needed, but not stupidly. I think we can all agree that players like van Dijk, Jorginho and De Jong (all of which we failed to sign) would've been quite useful this season.
I honestly hope Pep stays since the only other coach I could imagine replacing him is Naggelsman, who might be too unexperienced (outside of Germany) for us.
I think should, every three years, spend big money. Last two seasons we only signed Mahrez, Cancelo and Rodri and the aging squad is starting to show. Waiting until now to replace Bravo, Kompany, Fernandinho, David Silva and Aguero has proven to be a big mistake.
 

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