Next season Liverpool may be introduced to a variety of new styles and formations, with players adopting different roles, accommodating new recruits and eliminating current weaknesses (such as set-pieces), with an emphasis on versatility and mobility.Fans have welcomed three new faces to Anfield in Degen, Dossena and Cavalieri, which have collectively cost £10million and are designed to contribute positively to our attacking options on the wing and of course also as a stopper in goal. They will be thoroughly initiated into the club via pre-season training and hopefully be selected to represent us in the first team on the 16th August away to the Black Cats.
A recent interview with Benitez has provided a clear insight to his plans for our team and his methods to extract the optimum amount from our players and his financial budget. Below is the excerpt of his interview and following this are my ideas for the realistic player additions and the formation that I think will be successful for the club and fans for the upcoming season.
We want to use two or three systems during the season. The key isn't the system itself, but how the players adapt on the pitch. It doesn't matter if it's 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, it's the role of the players that counts.Additional developments are envisaged to propel the team offensively, with incoming transfers and resident players shifting in position and tactical duty. It has been postulated that Liverpool will employ a strategy of fluidity of our main attacking threats and therefore create a front three, and veer away from a direct Torres/Gerrard partnership, which itself could be also be used as an alternative which the team could revert to and be one of the 3 possible formations.
At the beginning of last season we were doing well with 4-4-2, so if the players can read the game and understand things, then it's easier to change the system.
Now we have more options at full-back, with Degen, Finnan and Arbeloa on one side and Dossena, Aurelio and Insua on the other. We have players with different qualities.
You can't use too many systems - two or three maximum - and the key is to teach the players how to adapt to each system.
We will continue looking for good players but not necessarily a 'proper' winger. We'll look for good players and maybe adjust the system. Don't forget, we have some very good players here already, players we have signed over the last 12 months.
We knew we were creating a lot of chances last season but everybody was talking about the wide areas. If you go to the market and want to sign a top-class right-winger, they will be in the top sides and the price will be crazy. To sign two full-backs with an offensive mentality can give us more quality out wide.
However, there are a series of factors that will disrupt our current pre-season operations, hindering the fitness and mentality of our players and any formation experimentation be severely rudimentary with key components missing. Firstly the Spanish players account for 4 members of the squad still away on their 3-week summer holiday after Euro 2008 (ending in around 10 days time). Secondly, our build up is being further undermined with Mascherano, Babel and Lucas leaving for the Beijing Olympics from 6th - 24th August, missing important Premier League matches and UCL qualifiers, not to mention fears of injury during the tournament. And thirdly, with long standing rumours of expensive imports coming to Liverpool FC, transfer dealings have not been finalised and their prepatory time is constantly being diminished, which will be to the detriment projected of our team and the players themselves.
The most prominent of transfer gossip circulating Anfield concern Gareth Barry (Aston Villa) and Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur).
Developments on the Barry situation remain at loggerheads as both clubs continue to haggle over the eventual price of the player. Another bid has been rejected with the Midlands club remaining firm in their valuation of £18million, and have issued stern terms, wanting ½ the money up front and the remainder over the following 12 months. Liverpool are considering including right-back Steve Finnan in the next offer, but valuation of the player could be problematic. Meanwhile, Barry himself sent scathing remarks towards his manager (who in turn responded in defiance and banning him from the training ground) commenting on his time in punditry away in Austria and criticising O'Neill's proactive words in relation to his stagnant actions. Villa have acquired a new central midfielder in Steve Sidwell from Chelsea for £5million, while the latest story is Arsenal's entry into this Barry saga, who see him as a replacement of Mathieu Flamini.
Less acrimony surrounds the possible move for Keane, but some hostility still resonates with the London club as with Benitez has publicly stated his wish for him to join in media broadcast. The player himself has been reported to have been a Liverpool FC fan as a boy and been encouraged to move from his international manager Giovanni Trapattoni, who sees it as a positive move for the player and will benefit the Republic of Ireland team. Last season he scored several sensational goals with a collection of 15 in the league and 23 in total. However there are multiple barriers that could prevent the transfer, mainly concerning money. The Tottenham hierarchy seem to have diverging views, but what is clear is the management team are unwilling to sell their vice-captain. This could be compounded by the speculation that Manchester United are considering a bid for Dimitar Berbatov, which if successful would dramatically reduce the chances of both of their first XI strikers leaving White Hart Lane. Simultaneously there is speculation that Spurs are closing in on the acquisition of striker Luis Garcia from Spanish club Espanyol, who could pair up with £16.5million worth Darren Bent. The other major factor is Liverpool not being able to generate enough funds to buy Keane who will no doubt warrant a hefty fee. An indicator of a club having a small transfer kitty are player exchanges, which Liverpool have employed in many of their deals this summer, and Tottenham have reportedly rejected a bid from Liverpool to send Crouch in the opposite direction, who has subsequently moved to Portsmouth. The prospective exit of Xabi Alonso to Juventus would have produced a large sum of revenue of approximately £16million, which could have been diverted towards strengthening the squad elsewhere. But with the bargaining style again coming under scrutiny the deal seems to be off as the Italians seemed to have opted for Christian Poulsen from Sevilla. Therefore the capture of Robbie Keane is going to be very difficult, whereas the Barry transfer is more of a 'when and not if' situation.These two additions seem to be the quality signings that could push us towards a title tilt. Although expensive, Benitez has earmarked the players he thinks can enter his system and supplement the already established team. I believe the much used cliché of a jigsaw could be coming together and be completed if these transfers are concluded. I am fully optimistic of our chances for the top spot, and would personally be satisfied with a concerted and sustained challenge.
Strategically, I feel Liverpool have 5 instrumental and guaranteed places for the starting XI who represent the literal spine of the team: Reina, Carragher, Mascherano, Gerrard and Torres. To expand from these five, I will introduce the new wing-backs to the team, who provide an attacking dimension on the periphery and influence the dynamics further up the pitch. The next two players to be included are expected to have a significant bearing during the upcoming season, with their potential and constant improvements being witnessed last season. Assuming they are injury free, Agger and Babel have been highlighted to produce impressive performances for Liverpool and their roles to be changed accordingly. The final duo for this team to complete the 11 are the players not currently at the club, but mentioned above. Barry would act as the fulcrum in the team and line up alongside Mascherano in the less advanced position in midfield, but not have such a subdued role and alternate between attack and defence, with a license to link with Gerrard as with England. He will provide balance with 'El Jefecito' with his left foot and could be used to take free kicks and also contribute as a penalty taker as he was with Aston Villa. Keane would take up the place vacated by Kuyt, and both share a penchant for an industrious work ethic and constant attacking sense. He would be, as Kuyt has been, converted to a right sided forward and contribute to a new fluid forward line, interchanging throughout the 90 minutes. Thus a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 (Torres at the point) formation would be used. There will be slight change in position for Gerrard, who will stay as an attacking midfielder but be less advanced, and also Babel who would remain on the left. Even though he has looked suspect with an unproductive left foot last season and continually cutting inside, his crossing ability would be required less and focus would be on his pace, availability and technique. His previous faults would be negated as there wouldn't be a role for classic wingers, and progressive touchline play will be provided by the new full backs.
But all football clubs have a squad of players and I think this season will be a period of transition, for certain players beginning to retire and conversely others being promoted from within the first team squad and reserves. The older custodians of Hyypia (35), Finnan (32) and Carragher (30) have been gradually phased out with fans giving honest appraisals and criticisms of them as they have passed their peak and are waning. The most prominent of the 3 is the long serving, Kop legend Hyypia, who has been given another 1-year extension to his contract and will probably end his career at Anfield. He has already been usurped by Agger (23), with Skrtel (23) rising in the defensive pecking order, plus Lucas (21) and Insua (19) are also performing well and impressing the fans and Benitez.One factor that may been have missed by fans due to our reserved movements in the transfer market is the solidity of our team with no dissenting voices within the ranks. Quite the opposite with many players hailing the skill and advice given by fellow players, the manager and his staff, which exudes a sense of unity and a close-knit camp. We may be the only top tier side who will have kept their core starting XI in place for next season, as Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are constantly linked to losing Ronaldo, Lampard/Drogba and Adebayor/Hleb respectively. Transfer news surrounding Liverpool has either seen us as the aggressor (Barry, Keane) or the term-setting sellers (Crouch, Alonso), with varying degrees of success. This can reflect well on our management and administrative groups, but the fact remains that we have limited funds and need to purchase two vital and expensive players to consolidate a championship worthy team.
