Liverpool FC Forum

[account deleted by request]

We seem at the moment to have a few disagreements going in various threads about just how good some of our players are, and whether player "a" contributes more than player "b" etc etc and even whether player "c" should even be at our club at all.

I thought we could try and explain our reasons why we think the way we do about the different players, and which category we see them as fitting best into.

World class (Would get on most teams in the world)

Reina, Mascherano, Gerrard, Torres.

Top class (Would get in most teams squads )

Carragher, Alonso, Hyypia (was but maybe not now)

Good player (good enough for a title winning team)

Skrtel, Agger, Riera, Arbeloa(?) Keane(?) Aurelio(?)

Decent squad player 

Kuyt, Lucas, Insua, Cavelieri

Would prefer to see sold

Voronin, Pennant, Benayoun, Degan, Dossena, Ngog


No doubt I have missed someone out and offended people by not putting their favourite players in the "right" category. This is my view of the players and even then I have questions about quite a few.

To explain a couple of my more controversial decisions.

I put Masch as world class and Alonso as "only" top class because I think there are quite a few better players than Alonso in his role, and I don't believe there is a better player than Masch at what he does. Like it or lump it thats my view.

Arbeloa , Keane and Aurelio, I was torn between them being squad players and good players but decided to be happy clappy for once and put them in possibly a higher category than maybe they deserve.

Benayoun, is no doubt good enough to be a decent squad player alongside Kuyt etc etc, I think he tends to narrow the pitch too much when he plays and I think we could get better for similar money to what we would get for him.

[GYBS]

World Class

Reina,Torres,Gerrard

Top Class

Masher,Xabi,Carra,Agger

Good Player

Reira,Kuyt,Arebloa,Yossi(sometimes),Lucas(Potentiallay),Skrtel,Sami,Babel,Keane

Decent Squad Player

Aurelio,Insua(Potentially better),Ngog(Potentially),Caverellia

Would Prefer to be sold

Dossena,Pennant,Voronin.

Unable to judge

Degen(due to the guy never played yet)


So overall think we got a very decent squad with possibly just the right mid needing sorted as a priority

[Santa]

I will persist with N'gog and see how he develope for another season or two before passing judgement...also I would keep Benayoun as I think he is a decend squad player

[Zidane]

We seem at the moment to have a few disagreements going in various threads about just how good some of our players are, and whether player "a" contributes more than player "b" etc etc and even whether player "c" should even be at our club at all.

I thought we could try and explain our reasons why we think the way we do about the different players, and which category we see them as fitting best into.

World class (Would get on most teams in the world)

Reina, Mascherano, Gerrard, Torres.

Top class (Would get in most teams squads )

Carragher, Alonso, Hyypia (was but maybe not now)

Good player (good enough for a title winning team)

Skrtel, Agger, Riera, Arbeloa(?) Keane(?) Aurelio(?)

Decent squad player 

Kuyt, Lucas, Insua, Cavelieri

Would prefer to see sold

Voronin, Pennant, Benayoun, Degan, Dossena, Ngog


No doubt I have missed someone out and offended people by not putting their favourite players in the "right" category. This is my view of the players and even then I have questions about quite a few.

To explain a couple of my more controversial decisions.

I put Masch as world class and Alonso as "only" top class because I think there are quite a few better players than Alonso in his role, and I don't believe there is a better player than Masch at what he does. Like it or lump it thats my view.

Arbeloa , Keane and Aurelio, I was torn between them being squad players and good players but decided to be happy clappy for once and put them in possibly a higher category than maybe they deserve.

Benayoun, is no doubt good enough to be a decent squad player alongside Kuyt etc etc, I think he tends to narrow the pitch too much when he plays and I think we could get better for similar money to what we would get for him.

I agree entirely except with Yossi, I think he's fine as a squad player but he did complain about not having enough playing time I believe so I wouldn't mind selling him too.

My mistake I forgot about the Masch/Xabi thing.  I don't think Masch is world class yet but he can be in a couple of years he is still very young.

[metalhead]

World Class:

Torres, Reina and Gerrard

Top Class:

Alonso, Mascherano, Hyppia( agreed s@int, he was before), Carragher

Good Players:

Keane, Riera, Insua, Skrtel, Agger

Decent Squad Players:

Bennayoun, El Zhar, Kuyt, Aurelio, Arbeloa (has many faults, think he would be a great backup.).

Need to be sold:

Lucas (time will tell if he keeps putting the same performance against newcastle), Dossena, Ngog, Voronin, Degan.

------------

Both Alonso and Mascherano are Top class players in my view, I don't think Mascherano is world class, maybe in his role as a DM he is, but he isn't a great footballer like Alonso or Gerrard. I'm liking Insua, so I put him in the good player list, someone who is solid and able to do the job properly.

[Cool Hand Luke]

World class (Would get on most teams in the world)

Gerrard - Doesn’t need justifying
Torres - Doesn’t need justifying
Alonso - His defensive game is superior to that of Gerrard’s, Mascherano’s and Lucus’. He may be more immobile than the other three central midfield players but they simply don’t read the game as well when we don’t have the ball. He can absolutely control the tempo of the game when he is playing like he is this season and at the same time provide the best cover to the back four.

Top class (Would get in most teams squads)

Reina - His distribution, speed of thought, footwork to get into position, starting positions, handling – all world class. One thing he does lack though is pure physical presence when coming to catch a ball.
Mascherano - If he read the game like Makelele or Alonso do I would have to consider putting him in the world class category. His engine, commitment and passion is what helps him get the most of his abilities but he can’t control the tempo of games and gets drawn to the ball more than he should.
Carragher/Skrtel/Agger/Hyypia - This was the hard one for me. All four centre backs are of a similar level, certainly none of them are world class and you could easily put a case forward for all 4 being more than a squad player. For me they are all somewhere between being top class and good players. All could easily be caught out in other teams as they all have deficiencies that would be a lot more visible if they were playing in a less drilled unit.

Good player (good enough for a title winning team)

Aurelio - It’s a shame he has never been able to stay injury free because he could be a decent left back.
Riera - Good player who can mix it up and provide varied service for the strikers and now starting to score a few goals.

Decent squad player

Keane - Out his depth as a first team player at this level but if you ignore his fee then he would be a very good squad player.
Benayoun - Decent squad player who will get assists and goals if played regularly.
Arbeloa - Reliable player who has his limitations. Could also be put in the “good player” category that could be part of title winning team if he had better players around him.
Lucas - Glimmers of talent but unable to put it all together into a string of strong performances. Not a bad forth choice though.

Jury still out

Insua - Done O.K in the last couple of games but will need to prove himself over a longer period as he has no previous record.
Degen - Hasn’t had a chance to play.
Cavalieri - Not looked too good so far but many had similar feeling about Reina in his first few appearances

Would prefer to see sold

Dossena - Cr@p
Pennant - Simply not that good and a total waster
Kuyt - Good bloke and hard worker but simply not good enough no matter what way you look at it.
Babel - Was tempted to put him in the decent squad player/jury still out categories but the truth is if we you offered me the £11 million we paid for him I would snap your hand off. If he looked remotely interested in playing for this club then he could easily step up a category of two.
Ngog - Will never be good enough to make the first team or even a good back up.

[7_Kewell]

personally i would keep Kuyt unless a large offer came in for him. He's played well this season and got some useful goals.

As for Babel....he's f**king useless

[Madmax]

Ngog is another young lad you cant judge him straight away give him some time.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Ngog is another young lad you cant judge him straight away give him some time.

This forum would be a pretty boring place if everyone sat on the fence and made no early calls.

I simply don’t see what Ngog would do with time. Would exactly would he get better at with time that would make him a good player?

He is pretty weak in a lot of areas and I just don’t see any attributes he has apart from the fact he is tall.

[roberto green]

World Class:

Torres, Reina and Gerrard

Top Class:

Alonso, Mascherano, Hyppia( agreed s@int, he was before), Carragher

Good Players:

Keane, Riera, Insua, Skrtel, Agger

Decent Squad Players:

Bennayoun, El Zhar, Kuyt, Aurelio, Arbeloa (has many faults, think he would be a great backup.).

Need to be sold:

Lucas (time will tell if he keeps putting the same performance against newcastle), Dossena, Ngog, Voronin, Degan.

------------

Both Alonso and Mascherano are Top class players in my view, I don't think Mascherano is world class, maybe in his role as a DM he is, but he isn't a great footballer like Alonso or Gerrard. I'm liking Insua, so I put him in the good player list, someone who is solid and able to do the job properly.

Agree with you but for Alonso, the way he has been for us this season I would put him in the world class section.

At least you have saved me writng all of that out

[account deleted by request]

Bloody knew I had missed someone out ...... Babel. I would sell him if we could get anything like what we paid for him.

[neil]

another positive pie eating post from the wigan no match bulb, er I mean clown.

[account deleted by request]

AWWWWW is the little chap upset because I defended Bad bob and not him

[neil]

no

[DanAn]

World Class:
Torres, Gerrard, Reina, Alonso (just)

Top Class:
Mascherano, Carragher

Good Players:
Keane, Riera, Hyppia, Agger, Insua, Skrtel, Kuyt

Decent Squad Players:
Arbeloa, Bennayoun, Lucas, Aurelio, Babel, El Zhar, Ngog, Pennant, Cavelrie

Not good enough:
Dossena, Voronin, Degan

Need to be sold:
Pennant - Attitude
Babel - More opportunity
Dossena- He's bollox
Voronin - Attitude/Not good enough
Degan - Injury Prone/probably not good enough
Aurelio - Injury prone

Needed:
Left Winger - Young player to support Riera
Rightback - Young player to support Arbeloa
Left Back - Starting left back
Targetman - Sub option