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"What Liverpool need to do"

I've been wondering if Liverpool stand a chance of winning the Premiership now that there's been a few changes. I mean, there's always an air of optimism when a new manager comes in. (Looks at Spurs - Jacques Santini and Sean Davies and suddenly it's time for the trophy to be won at White Hart Lane for another season. They're talking of Europe. Here's a tip boys, don't make any tackles. You'll get relegated, but still qualify for the UEFA through Fair Play. Seriously).

It's a bit different with the Pool though, right? All this fuss about £24 million for Didier Drogba and Liverpool have bagged a younger, more internationally experienced striker who's consistently outscored Drogba in the French League for almost half that. You see Real Madrid making any offers for Drogba? No, they've got Raul and Ronaldo, of course. Yet they felt compelled to try and prise Cisse away from Auxerre when he'd given his word to Liverpool. But Djibril's a man of his word, good lad. So we've got him up front. And England's best striker isn't on the blue side of the Mersey. Michael Owen is faster and more clinical than Rooney. He doesn't try and bundle every shot in with a piledriver. He has finesse. He can also control his weight. He doesn't sulk when he gets subbed. He's a better striker. It's a strike partnership equal to Henry and Berkhamp, if you ask me. As for United, Saha wouldn't even have got in the French squad if Cisse hadn't been banned. Alan Smith? Mikey outclasses him in every way. Van Nistelrooy wouldn't score nearly as many if the ref spotted all his 'gamesmanship'. Liverpool are looking good up front. And it's not bad to have the Golden Boot winner sitting in the bench, telling Diao how Karel Poborsky can drink with the best of them.

In net, I'm not sure Dudek, our first choice, is the equal of Howard or Cudicini. But Chris Kirkland is the future England No 1. If he stops injuring his wrist through too much exposure to Stevie's wife, then he'll peform.

I also reckon Sami is one of the best defenders in the Premiership. Stevie Finnan and Riise are superb attacking full-backs. Riise in particular has, I believe, the best scoring ratio for any full-back playing in Britain (correct me if I'm wrong here).

I don't really need to say much about Stevie. Gerrard is better than Viera. And he's loyal, look at Chelsea throwing lots of rubels at him. He's Scouse, through and through, although I reckon it was Carragher sneakily sending those death threats because he needed a drinking buddy and Mikey's mum still doesn't let him out after 9, and Harry Kewell is always diving on the way down to the local.

Can we win the Premiership? No, unfortunately. I've got a lot of respect for Jamie Carragher, but we need a better partner for Sami than him. The midfield needs bolstering too. Didi Hamann would be better limping off back to Bayern Munich while anyone still wants him, and Kewell's too unpredictable. It looks like a good midfield, sure, but another good signing is needed. Benitez needs to do a Mourinho and start nicking players from his old club. Ayala would do the job nicely.

But then again, who knows? If Ant prays nice and hard, Kewell might remember that he was quite good at Elland Road, and then we've got a brilliant attacking winger. If Stevie can replicate last season's form with Cisse and Mikey up front, if Hamann realises that he can still tackle, if Diouf is never ever played, then we've could break into the top 3.

I certainly wouldn't shed a tear for Roy Keane getting munched by Stevie, or Cisse nutmegging Campbell on the way to a hatrick. Could happen...

Anyone got any thoughts bout Liverpool's chances?

I hate to butt into this conversation, but I thought I'd give my opinions on the Pool for this season (as fun as it is to have you two arguing about who is going to "be" Stevie ;-p)

First, I think that this last season has seen the start of the end for Mr. Hyppia. I agree that he was immense two seasons back, but I think he lacks the pace now to contain the top strikers. In my opinion Liverpool need at least one, if not two World-class centre-backs. If you look at the other top three:

Arsenal - Campbell
Chelsea - Gallas, Terry
Man U - Rio

I don't think Liverpool have any centrebacks to match these four.

Keeper: well, as Stryke says, if Kirkland can keep himself fit it'll be interesting to see who comes out on top between him and Robinson. At the moment I'd put Robinson first, but I'm not sure playing for Spurs is gonna be the greatest advert for him ;-)

Midfield - Stevie = God. The rest = ordinary. On a good day. With a following wind. Running down hill. Murphy is too slow. Kewell is a diving fancy dan. Hamann is past it (whatever "it" was), Diao? Don't even go there. And Biscan? (Yes, he was originally a midfielder, until they realised he was slow, couldn't pass, tackle or beat a man) God only knows....

Up front - I, too, have worries about Cisse adapting straight away. Even Terry Henry had a few probs in his first season. But a good long term buy. Owen, injuries aside, will still bag you 20 goals a season. You've got rid of Heskey, which can only help, and Baros is still a good player.

Don't know much about Benitez, but he obviously knows what he's doing. This will be a building year for you. And an important one. If it goes well, and he brings in some good wide players and a couple of decent centrebacks, then next season you might be able to challenge for the title again. But not this year :-(

GL

Hehehe, Djibril and Gerrard tearing up the Forums, defeating any person or Chelsea striker who dare to oppose them.

Excellent :) He'll have stiff competition from Carlton Cole and Forssell for that treasured first choice striking spot.

I can see our posting partnership is going to go far.

He'd have to go with a big "Willing to play Up-Front" note on his back for them to accept him ;)

Very gracious. I reckon we should snare Ashley, shave his head and send him back to the Bridge in a Danny Murphy shirt.

How gracious of you sir :)

In recognition of your humble yet highly admirable approach, I too shall vest in me, the powers of Djibril Owen, on to you.

:D

Less of that, less of that. Here's what we'll do. I'll call Stevie, and you call Stevie, and we'll see who he comes to, eh?

But I'm willing to be benevolent. Stevie shall be you.

I shall take a mix of Mikey/Cisse. Djibril Owen, I shall be. I'll look exactly like Mikey, but I'll be black with bleached hair :D

Stryke wrote:

I'll toss a coin for it. I called tails. And, would you look at that? I won. Bad luck, Igor Biscan ;)
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Heads - Gerrard, Tails - Biscan.

We forgot to mention that :D

You won the highly influential Biscan to prop up the table, ..providing it ever falls below 4 legs, that is ;)

Virtuoso wrote:
> In regards to who gets Gerrard; I think I'm best suited, he was born
> and lives closest to me :D

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I'll toss a coin for it. I called tails. And, would you look at that? I won. Bad luck, Igor Biscan ;)

He's awesome on Pro Evo 3, so I watched him all through Porto's campaign. He scored two awesome volleys in the quarter final.

Yeah, Madrid were going to move for him if the other guy had won the presidential elections, but Perez won and is very kindly going to take Viera off Arsenal's hands :) If Liverpool can afford it and Maniche wants to come, it should be done. He's one of the best.