KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Just how attacking will our line-up be..?

So bringing in a more direct winger would not solve our problem that we don't have another guy in the box at all times?! I'm confused...

Suarez and Sturridge together is something we rarely tried last season. Add a non-Downing, suddenly that improves exponentially to me. While 1 has the ball, the other 2 can make in roads into the box, while Coutinho and Lucas/Gerrard can support from deeper, with both full-backs pushing up?! I don't get how Sturridge has to change his game... More about support in my eyes.

You've never played as a winger have you jj...

You can't expect someone playing on the side of a front 3 to be the man attacking the near post, or tapping-in in front of the keeper, it doesn't matter how good he is.

Since reading your posts i think i've seen all of Yarmo's goals from the last 3 seasons - hardly any are tap-ins. In fact, they're nearly all starting with him out wide right, cutting in on his favoured left and finding the corner of the net from just inside the box.

Watch a clip of Jackson Martinez' goals last season - you'll see the difference.

Sturridge always drops off for a pull-back even when he has Couts and Hendo charging in behind him. It's why we didn't hit Stoke for 6. Go back and watch the whole game - you'll see what I mean, honestly.

If the deals are completed tomorrow, Liverpool may well have finished their dealings. There is still a chance Given will come in. A few youngsters are almost certain. There is also still a chance that another marquee will follow but I'm not posting this to feed hysteria or proclaim FSG, or Rodgers, or anyone...

I'm posting this to discuss my feelings on our potential squad.

As things stand, Mignolet is our No. 1 Keeper. Jones our back-up, until Given potentially joins. Mignolet has proven useful already. With a lack of character towards the end of the game leaving every 2nd half display this season a little more edgy than necessary, he has done well in covering for some inconsistencies. Reina may have been our old hero, but Simon is already accepted as a good replacement in most quarters. Greatness, we hope, will come with time...

Our right back options still seem a little light, but no doubt first-choice option Johnson is a long-serving and accepted great player in the team. He may get questioned by some for defensive duties. Anybody that watches him regularly knows that when he does defend well, nobody wants to mention it! Kelly is second-choice. Most will expect him to improve and keep fit. Skrtel can cover, but more on him later on.

At left back, our problems seem to have been resolved. Cissokho and Enrique both competing to start, and a fair chance that Sakho and Ilori can both cover.

At centre-back, the latter two are most definitely options. Sakho is most definitely a high-calibre name. Whether he is worthy of being a "marquee" signing is down to each and every fan. I see him as one. Ilori has a lot of potential (according to the reports) but it appears his chances will all depend on him pushing hard. Both Toure (who looks like a real coup right now) and Agger are at the club too. There was a suggestion that Skrtel will stay too, but to me that seems unlikely.

DM is a position a lot of fans voted as top priority. Interesting then that Rodgers doesn't see it that way. Few people have been linked. Lucas is most definitely first choice, Toure can cover, so can Gerrard and Allen... Gerrard is better, right now, further forward. Allen and Henderson are also fighting for this middle berth. AM is a position we all want to see Coutinho commanding. Alberto was signed to play here too, replacing the underwhelming Shelvey. There a rumours a young Hocko may be added here too, alongside Danilo (though unable to join until February).

Now we move on to the main event...

Moses is looking likely to join tomorrow. It'll mean that Liverpool will have, Sterling, Ibe, Moses, Aspas, Sturridge, Suarez and Borini competing for a place in one of 3 positions... A lead striker (which Suarez, Sturridge, Aspas, Borini and Moses can play, a Second Striker, where the 5 can also play (with Sterling), and as a winger, where (to me) it appears Moses, Suarez, Ibe and Sterling can play. Coutinho and Henderson could cover. Zivkovic appears like a young prodigee that could join from Groningen, and there is still hope that we might still sign another, like Konoplyanka, Yarmolenko, Dzudszak... Someone.

So what that leaves me thinking, is that our front 3 is fast becoming purely alternative types of strikers. All of those aforementioned have played in a striking role (even Ibe as a second striker I believe) and none of them appear likely to run to repeatedly attempt to put in crosses (unlike Assaidi and Downing),,,

This pure winger has made way for an aggressor, much like Suarez could be in my eyes...

So how attacking are we becoming..?

The club was already creating chances galore. The problem, lied in the lack of players to clinically finish. One of Suarez' weaknesses is his ability to convert regularly. Sure, he had little help for extensive periods, but other top PL players (like RVP) find a way to score even when they have been loosely utilised for extensive periods of games. If he dropped into a position a la Coutinho last season (as the wide man), then Sturridge could continue to lead the line, and another second striker could be signed (in time)...

If Suarez drops in behind Sturridge, and the club do actually sign Yarmolenko (or an equivalent), we may be one of the most enforcing, high-pressing, chance creating AND clinical teams in the PL. Lots of these players have the ability to interchange positions in the game. Lots of these players can alternate attacks, create space, create chances from nothing, and with Coutinho potentially playing centrally permanently, our creative midfield of Gerrard and Coutinho may just be able to pick any of the 3 out on the break. We already have 2 very attack minded full-backs integrated in the formation as well, even if some fans hope Cissokho proves better than Enrique. There is potential for this team to make real headway this season. Other competitors appear to fear us, have commented on how difficult games against us have been, and few bad words have come from journalists working abroad in the countries that we've signed players from. Aspas, Alberto, Cissokho, Ilori and Sakho have all come with pedigree, lets hope they're given the time to settle!

Lets not get ahead of ourselves and think we're world-beaters... Lets not fall below ourselves and think we're mid-table... Even Moses, Suarez and Sturridge doesn't look that bad on paper... We may well have witnessed one of the most mind boggling transfer windows to date... Not just ourselves, but many teams signing lots of players, and others little to nothing. Irrespective of a late marquee signing, this window, to me, has been a success. Time will tell whether all the deals become better than just good on paper, but the squad is certainly beginning to look a lot more like a BR team. It increases pressure on him, but he at least can rely on players he sees have quality... plus... many of the underwhelmers are now gone. Time for the club to press on.

I am not sure we will be signing any marquee player, Sakho is not marquee, can become very good because he is still young, but, he is leaving PSG because he cannot get games, Moses neither is marquee, is he? They are both good players who would improve us though.