What is our biggest need?

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

I know this kind of belongs in a transfer thread, but I thought it would be interesting to take a poll and see what our supporters think we need in this upcoming transfer window.

The choices I picked are striker, right winger, left back, other, or nothing. I also gave the choice of not being able to afford to go into the transfer market.

We are particularly thin up top right now. Torres has been struggling with injuries. Keane and Babel have been struggling with form. Which leaves Kuyt as our only healthy, in-form striking option. I don't count Ngog as he has neither experience or anything that shows he will be of great help this season. If we go for a striker it should be someone who has Premiership experience, but not necessarily a huge name.

Now, we aren't necessarily thin at right winger, but we are thin at different options. Benayoun cuts inside, Pennant is out of favor, El Zhar is seen as a substitute, and Dirk Kuyt is a different breed all-together. Sometimes it seems that we are in need of something different than what Benayoun and Kuyt offer. That option was supposed to be Pennant, but obviously that is no longer the case. If we go for a winger, it should be someone who provides the width that Benayoun lacks, the effort that Pennant lacks, the experience that El Zhar lacks, and the touch that Kuyt lacks.

Again, at left back, we aren't necessarily that short of players. We have Aurelio, Dossena, and Insua as left backs. Aurelio continues to struggle with fitness during parts of the season. This is a bit dangerous. Especially given Insua's lack of experience at the top-level, and Dossena's struggle with settling in at the club and in England. If we go for a left back, we should look for someone who is a Premiership proven player that can be plugged in without a ton of trouble.

I am not quite sure what we should bring in, I am torn between all three options, and I don't think we will bring in more than one major player, if we bring in any at all. Right now, I am going to vote for a striker.

What are your views?

Please vote and share your opinions. This isn't necessarily which exact player we should bring in, but rather what position we should bring in.

[Grinners89]

I cant imagine any need for a left-full back.

Not many teams in the world have as much depth in this position as we do with Aurelio, Dossena and Insua. Most other teams' 3rd choice LB are not capable of coming into a game away at freezing Blackburn and fitting in with such ease.

Insua will become a great LB in the future and he has two high quality players to learn off and both provide different things on the pitch.

Insua is probably the most complete young FB in the world at the moment, defensively and offensively and the comparison the Lahm, while very outrageous, does have some merit.

Lahm is at a standard that no other FB in the world can match or will match in the next 3-4 years and he is someone that Insua should look up to.

The other important position that we need to fill in the summer is CB. Sami will probably retire at season's end and hopefully help Pellegrino in his duty as defensive coach.

While Agger and Skrtel are the future pairing of Liverpool's defence with Insua also alongside them, Carra will only be around for another 3 years maximum IMO. We need a 4th choice CB to come in and replace Sami...but the problem is that our reserve CB's are not of high enough quality to come in. Unless Jack Hobbs starts improving (he's currently stalled) then Rafa will need to look somewhere else.

Fernando Amorebieta is my pick...an underrated CB who has fairly good skills on the ball and is known for his very tough tackling. This season he has started to limit the number of cards that he was accumulating over previous seasons which shows some greater maturity and development.

With him in the squad, we would have 2 right footed and 2 left footed CB's, Amorebieta can also play LB comfortably, more in the defensive Carra mould.

[Red Bird]

Confidence in front of goal.

[Grinners89]

Confidence in front of goal.

Good point but confidence can also be mistaken for composure, luck etc.

We have always been creating chances, even in games when our passing was off. As Agger said in his interview, as long as they keep working hard, everything else comes along.

[newterp]

owners to sell?

[el-capitano]

I don't think we need a new striker- Torres will come good, and push Keane to the bench for the one up top games, I don't think we need to spend any more money just for them to sit on the bench next to Keane! ;)

[usscouse]

F***ing someone who can F***ing kick the F***ing ball into the F***ing back of the F***ing net...!

I'MMMM BAAA AAACK...!!!

[poopoobigelow]

my vote is for a right winger... god bless kuyt, i can't help but think that a right winger that can take players on could turn those west ham, stoke and fulham draws into wins and we'd have a more legitimate shot at the title... again, not a knock necessarily on kuyt, but a proper right winger would add so much to our attack, and we wouldn't have to rely on aimless crosses from the right to one guy in the box... i respect what kuyt does, and he's had a helluva season, but a world class winger can do so much more...

i think that keane will come good and insua will be a star...

[AussieLFCfan]

owners to sell?

Yep!

[AussieLFCfan]

Kuyt is our right winger. He's been our best this season and I don't see Rafa moving him for anyone.

[Grinners89]

Kuyt is our right winger. He's been our best this season and I don't see Rafa moving him for anyone.

We arent talking about selling Kuyt. A young right winger with good potential, such as Jakub Błaszczykowski would be a great addition to the squad and be a much better option that Yossi or Pennant. Jakub also has 6 years on Kuyt, meaning he has plenty of time to settle into the team.

[bayern is god]

We arent talking about selling Kuyt. A young right winger with good potential, such as Jakub Błaszczykowski would be a great addition to the squad and be a much better option that Yossi or Pennant. Jakub also has 6 years on Kuyt, meaning he has plenty of time to settle into the team.


I have been screaming out the Polish kid's name since the summer began!..Absolute gem!..Definitely better than Pennant and Benayoun put together..Very Creative with a eye for that elusive killer pass in the final third..I would personally like to have someone in the 'Diego'(Bremen) mold to slice open teams on the road(err..And at Home!:p)

[TheLaughingMan]

Skrtel and Agger are our future at CB. No real question about that. But if we want to win now, we make a grab for Martin Laursen.

[TheLaughingMan]

such as Jakub Błaszczykowski
Will his name even fit on the jersey?

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Skrtel and Agger are our future at CB. No real question about that. But if we want to win now, we make a grab for Martin Laursen.

Yeah, and I would like to pick up Abonlahor, Barry, and Young, but it's not like MON will be wanting to deal with us anyways.

[usscouse]

Will his name even fit on the jersey?Only the long sleeve version..:)
Start at the left cuff.....

[liverbird]

Only the long sleeve version..:)
Start at the left cuff.....

But think of the money the club would make at the kit shop-- they charge by the letter for names:D

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Will his name even fit on the jersey?

Doesn't he wear "Kuba" on the back of his jersey?

[Grinners89]

Doesn't he wear "Kuba" on the back of his jersey?

The knowledgable one does it again :)

http://dortmund.theoffside.com/files/2007/07/kuba_1183293036.jpg

[Twenty26Six]

Doesn't he wear "Kuba" on the back of his jersey?

The knowledgable one does it again :)

http://dortmund.theoffside.com/files/2007/07/kuba_1183293036.jpg

Stop telling him how awesome he is. His big, ginger head will float away!