Liverpool FC Forum

by **stmichael** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 2:50 pm

I am of the firm belief that the best teams - the champions in all the major competitions - have an average age of 27-30: the same age as an individual players' prime. (Some players will peak earlier, others later in their careers, but that is the age when, all being well, a player should have a fit body and an experienced mind - any younger, and the maturity or experience is lacking, any older and the legs or hunger are often on the wane).

The average age of the Arsenal team that last season won the league (I counted all first team players and five first-choice reserves) was 27.5. If you look at the Man U side which won the league with 'kids' in 1996, there was a whole host of late 20s and early-30-somethings to balance things out. If you look at the experience and maturity of our great sides from the mid-70s to mid-80s, it was rife with players in their prime. In the early 80s, Rush and Whelan were added to the team, but to play alongside Dalglish, Souness, Hansen, Neal et al. Arsenal have experience all through the spine of their side, too: Campbell, Vieira, Henry and Bergkamp.

Who has left Liverpool this summer? Owen, Heskey, Murphy, Diouf, Babbel, Cheyrou (Le Tallec's loan is more developmental). That's an average age of 26. The five new arrivals have an average age of just 24. Which, incidentally, remains the average age of our first team squad (based on the 16 players most likely to be involved, and including Warnock, another young player to enter the equation this season).

The first three names on that list are very experienced players, with approaching 1000 career games between them, including internationals. That's a lot of experience, and all of the league experience was in English football. Babbel, meanwhile, was a hugely experienced player, but it's hard to gauge how close he was to the wonderful player of 2001.

Of the players released by choice of the club (therefore excluding Owen), I don't think there was anyone who will be sorely missed. All of the 'flops' had a fair crack of the whip, and all of those who failed to rise above mediocrity for the majority of their Anfield careers, can have no complaints.

Of those arriving, Alonso is a very mature 22-year-old, and plays in a calming, assured manner. Garcia brings a much needed spark of creativity. Cisse only has to settle in - he is more than mere potential, after scoring so many goals in a major league over the last three seasons, and was unlucky not to have a brace of goals against West Brom. And Josemi, one 'skinning' by Pedersen of Bolton aside, has looked extremely solid and strong. (Nunez remains an unknown quantity at this stage). I think if you replace weaker older players with better younger ones, it's hard to complain. But you cannot field an entire team of 'young' players. Experience is so telling, especially when it comes to avoiding silly mistakes, and controlling a match.

It seems to be the experienced players whose places are under most scrutiny, and who most fans want to see rid dropped. Dudek, you will hear, needs replacing by Kirkland; Hyypia by a quick centre half (the names people propose are rarely older than 25); Hamann by Alonso. Henchoz, another 30-something player, has rightly been removed from the equation - for all his tenacity and defensive nous, his lack of pace and tendency to retreat too deep have been irritating me for a long time now.

Despite all they have to offer, there are valid cases - i.e. younger players with greater potential - for dropping Hamann and Dudek; although I'd never drop Hyypia in place of a quick centre back, as his reading of the game and his aerial ability are essential (if we lose the latter, we get bombarded with long balls again, and it's back to the bad days under Evans, when we conceded so many goals via this route), but would instead find another role for Carragher (although of course it would be preferable if this season proved we could get away without needing reinforcements). There may be more to the surprise selection of Steve Finnan on the right, and of Hamann over Alonso, against West Brom - apart from balancing the side, it also increased the average age. If all the older heads were replaced with their younger equivalents, then the average age would dip to around the 23 mark - at that rate, we'd be close to fielding an U-21 team.

Does age really matter? Discuss

by **dawson99** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 2:56 pm

i think that age matters, but you dont want all young kids
we need some youthful tenacity in the team but we also need the calm heads around to sort out the 'kids'
hamman is playing well this term and i think he is haviong a good influence on the younger players. I would also never get rid of hyypia but would put someone younger beside hikm who can learna lot more.
the average age thing you looked into is very good. must havetaken a while to work it all out.
I thjink we have a ncie mixture but even now i think we could use a touch more experience for this term or we will have to wait that little bit longer... again

by **stmichael** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 3:00 pm

you can't win anything with kids!

lol

no seriously it is very important to get the right blend. when you consider that we only really have three main players who are over thirty in hamann, dudek and hyypia it tells you that we have a relatively young squad who are nevertheless experienced.

it all points well for the future!

by **dawson99** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 3:03 pm

the only annoying thing nwo is that its been pointing well for teh furure for the past 6 years

by **Fat Controller** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 4:09 pm

All teams need a mixture of youth and experience in their ranks but to ask if age matters I would say no because if you are good enough and have proved you are good enough then no matter how young you are then you deserve your chance and the same would go for say a player in his late twenties or early thirties in that if he is still good and fit enough then he still deserves a chance.

by **106-1093504160** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 4:48 pm

if your good enough your old enough, and if your old then you still can be good enough - Terry Venables

Liverpool FC Forum

The age factor - Is it important?

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