This pre-season is underway for Liverpool Football Club and it once again brings about the excitement of a new Premiership and European Campaign. How will the new Benitez signings fit in to the Liverpool first team? Well, I think that is a question all of us want to figure out.
As most Liverpool supporters can point out right now, Rafa has an absolute plethora of central midfielders fighting for spots in the starting XI. Currently, there are 5 of them on the team- Alonso, Mascherano, Gerrard, Sissoko, and Lucas Leiva. Rafa surely will have selection headaches with this problem, though it is evident that he prefers a defensive minded central midfield to allow Gerrard to roam free on the right. Gerrard will most likely be pushed out to the right again allowing Alonso and Mascherano to stop all attacks down the middle of the park. Stevie G, though he prefers to not play on the wing, can still do a very good job there under Benitez's guidance as he is allowed the freedom to wander all over the pitch to do his job and bring inspiration to the team like he has done so many times before. Jermaine Pennant will give Rafa some problems on who to play on the right because he finally hit his stride about half way through the year, and he can give full backs nightmares out on the right flank. On the left of midfield, a fit Harry Kewell should be starting every game, but Liverpool fans haven't seen one of those in about 2 years. If Kewell can play like he did at Leeds he will be an automatic selection for Rafa because he can consistently beat his man almost every time and whip some some good crosses into the box.
The back 4 has surely been worked out already with Stevie Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, and John Arne Riise making up one of the toughest units to crack in all of European football. Mr. Finnan, even at the age of 31, is without a doubt the most consistent right back in the Premier League as he effectively gets forward to provide quality services into the penalty area, while containing even the best wingers on the defensive side of the ball. John Arne Riise might actually be moved up to the left wing to allow Fabio Aurelio to get some games as he was hitting golden form before he tore his achilles against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League Quarter-Final. Riise is a must-starter, be it at left back or left mid because he can provide moments of genius from his long strikes that is rarely seen anywhere. In the center of the defense, a Kop Legend already, Jamie Carragher anchors a unit that even the best teams in the world ( i.e Barcelona) fail to trouble, and he provides the leadership and determination lifts the team. Daniel Agger became first choice to Sami Hyypia during the middle of the year as the second center back, and class just oozes out of this young Dane. At 23 years of age he has the brain of a 30 year old veteran and reads the game without a problem.
A new look Liverpool strikeforce has been assembled for the 07/08 season with the additions of a club record fee 20 million pound Fernando Torrres, and the free transfer Andriy Voronin to the strikers Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch. Liverpool hero Robbie Fowler has been released, and Craig Bellamy has been sold to West Ham, leaving LFC with 4 strikers, enough I think for the many Premiership, Cup, and European games. Torres has got to be an automatic selection with his price tag- Rafa won't let him rot on the bench, and he needs to adapt to the English game. The second spot is open to Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch with Kuyt being the obvious favorite of Benitez as shown in his selection in the Champions League final pick to be the lone striker, despite Peter Crouch being Liverpool's top scorer. Kuyt likes to drop deep and link up with the midfielders to start attacks, while Peter Crouch is a target for crosses into the box at his height of 6'7". Crouchie is also capable of absolutely jaw dropping goals (link will be provided at end of article), and can get a goal out of nothing at the right time.
Spectacular Peter Crouch goal : vs. Galatasaray http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ANahEB3S2M
As most Liverpool supporters can point out right now, Rafa has an absolute plethora of central midfielders fighting for spots in the starting XI. Currently, there are 5 of them on the team- Alonso, Mascherano, Gerrard, Sissoko, and Lucas Leiva. Rafa surely will have selection headaches with this problem, though it is evident that he prefers a defensive minded central midfield to allow Gerrard to roam free on the right. Gerrard will most likely be pushed out to the right again allowing Alonso and Mascherano to stop all attacks down the middle of the park. Stevie G, though he prefers to not play on the wing, can still do a very good job there under Benitez's guidance as he is allowed the freedom to wander all over the pitch to do his job and bring inspiration to the team like he has done so many times before. Jermaine Pennant will give Rafa some problems on who to play on the right because he finally hit his stride about half way through the year, and he can give full backs nightmares out on the right flank. On the left of midfield, a fit Harry Kewell should be starting every game, but Liverpool fans haven't seen one of those in about 2 years. If Kewell can play like he did at Leeds he will be an automatic selection for Rafa because he can consistently beat his man almost every time and whip some some good crosses into the box.
The back 4 has surely been worked out already with Stevie Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, and John Arne Riise making up one of the toughest units to crack in all of European football. Mr. Finnan, even at the age of 31, is without a doubt the most consistent right back in the Premier League as he effectively gets forward to provide quality services into the penalty area, while containing even the best wingers on the defensive side of the ball. John Arne Riise might actually be moved up to the left wing to allow Fabio Aurelio to get some games as he was hitting golden form before he tore his achilles against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League Quarter-Final. Riise is a must-starter, be it at left back or left mid because he can provide moments of genius from his long strikes that is rarely seen anywhere. In the center of the defense, a Kop Legend already, Jamie Carragher anchors a unit that even the best teams in the world ( i.e Barcelona) fail to trouble, and he provides the leadership and determination lifts the team. Daniel Agger became first choice to Sami Hyypia during the middle of the year as the second center back, and class just oozes out of this young Dane. At 23 years of age he has the brain of a 30 year old veteran and reads the game without a problem.
A new look Liverpool strikeforce has been assembled for the 07/08 season with the additions of a club record fee 20 million pound Fernando Torrres, and the free transfer Andriy Voronin to the strikers Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch. Liverpool hero Robbie Fowler has been released, and Craig Bellamy has been sold to West Ham, leaving LFC with 4 strikers, enough I think for the many Premiership, Cup, and European games. Torres has got to be an automatic selection with his price tag- Rafa won't let him rot on the bench, and he needs to adapt to the English game. The second spot is open to Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch with Kuyt being the obvious favorite of Benitez as shown in his selection in the Champions League final pick to be the lone striker, despite Peter Crouch being Liverpool's top scorer. Kuyt likes to drop deep and link up with the midfielders to start attacks, while Peter Crouch is a target for crosses into the box at his height of 6'7". Crouchie is also capable of absolutely jaw dropping goals (link will be provided at end of article), and can get a goal out of nothing at the right time.
Spectacular Peter Crouch goal : vs. Galatasaray http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ANahEB3S2M
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