What is Liverpool’s best XI?
According to many observers, Rafael Benitez does not know his best eleven. Well, perhaps we as the Liverpool fans we should put forward our suggestions and see which one is the most popular.
In my opinion, 4-4-2 with these players is the most balanced side Liverpool can put out.
If it is played consistently and its a big IF then Liverpool just might finish second and close the gap with the leaders to between 6-9 points come the end of the season.
So, with that in mind, here’s my best XI for Liverpool:
Torres Babel
It should be noted that with Benayoun, Kewell, Gerrard, Torres and Babel, we have players who can score goals. Pennant is, in my opinion, not only a better player than Benayoun but the more orthodox winger. However, what stops him from being a truly top class winger is his lack of goals. In Benayoun, Liverpool have a tricky player who gets into the box and knows how to finish.
Playing Babel up front consistently with Torres may help to develop a good understanding between the pair and who knows, we may see Babel realise his awsome potential.
Aurelio and Arbeloa are our best full backs, without a shadow of a doubt. Aurelio unfortunately, is very injury prone. However, whenever he has been fully fit and with a run of games behind him, he has shown his class. PSV, Arsenal at Anfield 06-07 and Man City few weeks back anyone?
So with that in mind, lets have some of your opinions – who do you think should be in Liverpool’s starting XI?
Topics: English Premier League, Fernando Torres, Liverpool, Rafael Benitez
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Where’s Riise he’s quality and i’d have peter up with torres hes to underrated GERRARD IN CENTRE MID!!!!
January 9th, 2008 @ 15:07…………….reina……………………..
…..carragher…..agger……….hyppia……………
……..mascherano……..alonso………………
,,,pennant…….gerrard………..kewell(babel)
…………..torres……….. crouch……………
January 9th, 2008 @ 15:17Liverpool’s best XI? ha ha…
January 9th, 2008 @ 15:17they suck!
a lot of people drool over babel 4 nuthing.give him time, then yes he would become a world beater.
January 9th, 2008 @ 15:19————-Reina————
TINRB—–Carra—–Agger—–Aurelio
Benayoun—Gerrard–Xabi Al—-Riise
————-Babel
—————-Torres
TNRB=There is no Right Back=Finnan
January 9th, 2008 @ 15:19As you can see Rafa Benitez did not spent correctly.
also a ‘best’ eleven is nothing if the players do not fit a system.
January 9th, 2008 @ 15:20With the current squad, Rafa’s best XI in my opinion has to be
reina
January 9th, 2008 @ 15:47finnan carragher agger aurelio
benayoun mascherano gerrard babel
crouch torres
I still believe we should be aiming for the title i dont think SG will be lifting the premership trophy in 2008 but we can not give up we need to show our never die attitude if we get a good winning run between 6-9 games which is a very big ask but if we can then we are back in the race i still dont think we can win but we have to aim for 1st. 2nd place is not the ambitions of a title winning team.
January 9th, 2008 @ 16:16There is rumours coming directly from anfield of a new mystery manager already been signed by Liverpool and he plans to rebuild the entire team building it Around Gerrard, Mascherano, Torres, Carragher and Reina. I think this is bull shit and the media might have a field day with this.
January 9th, 2008 @ 16:20Riena,
January 9th, 2008 @ 16:20finnan(arbeloa), carra, agger(hyypia), aurelio(riise), alonso(pennant), sissoko, gerrard, babel,
torres, crouch
rafa must go
January 9th, 2008 @ 16:23Best XI,
Reina,
Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Arbeloa
Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Kewell
Crouch, Torres
Babel is great off the bench for now. He needs to play Crouch and Torres consistently up front to develop a chemistry and momentum. Pennant is terrible and should go. Riise and Kuyt are not bad players, but they have not been mediocre at best this year. Sissoko should be transferred to allow them some freedom to land a big player.
January 9th, 2008 @ 16:38Reina
January 9th, 2008 @ 18:27Finnan Carragher Agger Riise
Bennayoun Macherano Gerrard Kewell
Kuyt Torres
Liverpool best XI
Formation: 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1
January 9th, 2008 @ 20:11Reina
Carragher Skrtel Agger Arbeloa
Pennant Mascherano Gerrard Alonso Kewell
Torres
I actually think you’re right thats a pretty balanced squad.
January 9th, 2008 @ 20:35liverpool need to smile a bit more…like a right bunch of misery arses
January 9th, 2008 @ 22:15IN MY MIND IT IS A 4-4-2 ALL THE WAY
REINA goal
ARBELOA right
CARRAGHER centre
AGGER centre
AURELIO/RIISE left
PENNENT/BENNYOUN right
ALONSO/MASCHERANO centre
GERRARD centre
BABEL left
TORRES forward
CROUCH forward
SUBS;
January 9th, 2008 @ 23:22ITANJIE goal
AURELIO/RIISE left
PENNENT/BENNYOUN right
ALONSO/MASCHERANO centre
KYUT forward
———————Reina————————-
Finnan—Carragher—Agger—Aurelio
——————Mascherano——————
Pennant——————————Kewell
———————Gerrard———————-
————–Torres——–Babel————–
Bench:
Itanjie
Skrtal
Benayoun
Alonso
Riise
SELL SISSOKO & KUYT & GET A QUALITY RIGHT WINGER AND ANOTEHR WORLD CLASS STRIKER!!!
January 9th, 2008 @ 23:36The opinion of a Man Utd supporter…
Reina
Riise
Agger
Carragher
Finnan
Kewell
Alonso
Gerrard
Benayoun
Kuyt
Torres
I think Benitez should use Alonso more often than he does simply because he adds a whole range of attacking options to Liverpool’s play and so many times they fall foul of playing a bit one-dimensionally through Gerrard and Torres.
In the big big games only then should they make the more defensive/counter-attacky changes like Mascherano for Alonso, Pennant for Benayoun and Crouch for Kuyt.
If he wants to win the premiership, he should have confidence in his vast array of creative players and allow them to attack teams, rather than have a ‘defence first’ policy.
January 9th, 2008 @ 23:58Reina
Arbeloa Carragher Agger Aurelio
Mascherano
Gerrard Alonso
Pennant Babel
Torres
January 10th, 2008 @ 00:35Reina
Finnan Carragher Agger Riise
Pennant Gerrard Alonso
Kuyt
Torres Babel
stevie g can do anything
January 10th, 2008 @ 04:10Reina (although he makes too many mistakes and needs to improve)
Finnan – Carragher – Agger – Riise (Aurelio & Arbeloa have not
adapted to the English game)
Mascherano – Gerrard – Alonso (the only playmaker LV has) – Benayoun (Pennant is very mediocre and has to go; he can’t
even cross the ball, Kewell is way past
his prime, Sissoko has terrible control, very bad passer
and tackler, has not made any progress).
Babel – Torres
(Kuyt, Crouch are good enough to provide coverage for the
January 10th, 2008 @ 04:47strikers, Voronin has not shown much so far).
4-2-3-1:
——————–Reina———————
–Finann——-Agger——-Carragher——Arbeloa
————-Mascherano—-Xabi Alonso———–
——–Pennant/Benayoun—Gerrard———-Babel
————————Torres——————–
January 10th, 2008 @ 05:56Sell Kuyt and Sissoko , i hate Dirk Kuyt the most , he cant play football at all..
Reina
January 10th, 2008 @ 06:03Arbeloa Caragher Agger Risse
Pennant Alonso Gerrard Kewell
Crouch Torres
Reina
Arbeloa,Carragher,Agger,Riise
Gerrard,Mascherano,XabiAlonso
Torres,Crouch,Kuyt….
This is my fifa 08 Liverpool’z Line-Up
January 10th, 2008 @ 07:42First of all, I think Liverpool have a long way to challenge Arsenal and Man Utd. for the title. The difference is not only stronger squads but also a stronger starting 11.
Imo you’ll have to wait quite a while for Babel to break through – if he ever does so. His technical abilities are simply not good enough yet. In Holland it didn’t matter that much, but in England there’s no room for a bad touch, and he has plenty of those.
Claiming that Benayoun knows how to score goals is a bit exaggerated, isn’t it? He’s only scored in 2 games this season, a hattrick in one of them. To me Pennant is the better choice for the right wing for you, because he can actually cross the ball. Along with Kewell, Pennant is the only player you have that crosses the ball from out wide. Every other player playing on the wings move inside (Gerrard, Babel, Benayoun). Especially in England it is extremely important that the game is mixed up with crosses and wide play (unless you play like Arsenal, which Liverpool don’t), and you have very little of the latter. But even if Pennant and Kewell are you best choice wingers, they’re not good enough as first choice in a team hoping to win the league. You simply need better wingers. You hoped Babel was the answer, but I seriously doubt he is.
For defenders, you’re not that bad off. I think you have players, who do the job. And when Agger is fit, you have someone to pass the ball from your defensive ranks, which is very important. If you don’t, there’ll be a lot of long balls, and that’s not the way to win the title either. But in terms of defensive abilities, your first choice backline is good enough – you only need stronger cover (maybe this Skrtel guy can provide that).
In central midfield, there’s no doubt, Mascherano and Gerrard are your strongest bet. To me, Alonso is overrated these days. It’s been a long time, since I saw him put on a crack performance. His long passing doesn’t seem as strong anymore, and his ball winning abilities are not as good as Mascherano’s.
In attack you only really have one player good enough. Torres has the quality you need, but none of the others do. Kuyt runs his ass off but never scores. Voronin has good off-ball movement, but he rarely comes to finish them off. Crouch is decent at receiving the ball, but all his moves from then on are backfield. Please notice this the next time you watch him play. The only players he ever beat are players running back to defend, not players already behind the ball. He can’t turn on defenders, and he often works his way so close to the centerline that he never gets in the box, which is where a player of his height should be – to finish off the crosses that Pennant and Kewell should provide.
Your keeper is good enough.
Manager wise, you have one of the worst buyers in the league imo. A lot of his signings have been rediculous, and he still makes poor signings.
To me, your best starting lineup is this:
Reina
Finnan – Carragher – Agger – Arbeloa
Pennant – Masch – Gerrard – Kewell
Torres – Crouch
Positions to strenghten: 1 Striker, 2 winger (one each side). If you get real quality for these positions, you’ll have a shot. Ohh, and do remind that Liverpool don’t own Mascherano… it’ll take quite a war chest to built up this team imo.
uhh that was long, sorry.
January 10th, 2008 @ 11:19From a Gunners POV:
(3-5-2)
GK:25.Reina
RWB:3.Finnan
CB:17.Arbeloa
CB:23.Carrangher
CB:5.Agger
LWB:6.Riise
RCM:11.Benayoun
CM:8.Gerrard
LCM:7.Kewell
ST:9.Torres
ST:19.Babel
Subs:
Itanjie
Hyypia
Voronin
Aurelio
Alonso
— Crouch
— Pennant
the two extra subs for euro matches
reasons for choice: firstly 3CB to allow their wing backs to attack, support the midfield. and the CB can snuf out enough threats should the midfield not hold.
in kewell,gerrard and benayoun they have the licence to attack without any worries! and my idea of attack is down the flanks, the wing backs, kewell, benayoun and babel can always stretch defences with their running and with a high cross or a lay off down the middle, any midfielder or striker can have a shot at goal. any with that i am sure there will be goals.
should teams play defensive or clog the midfield, i am sure the trio can break any team up. babel prolly could pull
January 10th, 2008 @ 14:52opposing CB out to the flanks before releasing torres.
I agree our squad still isnt strong enough the blame doesnt rely on Benitez let him build the squad!! if you sack Rafa you’ve sacked liverpool YWNA
January 10th, 2008 @ 16:47Tho i dont support the team here is my outlook:
January 11th, 2008 @ 00:20———–Reina———-
Finnan-Carragher-Agger-Riise
———–Alonso———-
—–Gerrard—–Mascherano
Benayoun—————Babel
———–Torres———-
o by the way the previous comment had a 4-3-3 formation
January 11th, 2008 @ 00:21play a 4-4-2 with torres and babel up front with gerrard jus behind the front men havin mascherano as the defending midfielder on the wings kewell and pennant having arbeloa and leto in agger and carraher cb rafa out after transfer market if he dont do ote decent
January 11th, 2008 @ 12:29Reina,
January 11th, 2008 @ 13:50Finnan/arbeloa Carragher, Agger, aurelio/riise
Benayoun/pennant, Gerrard, Mascherano, Kewell
Crouch/babel Torres
Against Average teams
Reina
Finnan Agger Carragher Arbeloa
Pennant Gerrard Xabi Benayoun
Torres Babel
Against Good Teams
Reina
Finnan Agger Carragher Arbeloa
Mascherano Xabi
Gerrard
Pennant Babel
Torres
Realistically if Liverpool want to win titles there going to have to contain a team of footballers rather than workhorses. PS Kewells Rubbish
January 11th, 2008 @ 23:07Oh right now mann..give kewell a break will ya? the guy is injury prone in for that matter he has performed excellently imo..and when he is on form he is one of the best left wingers in the world right there under giggsy..i just hate the fact that he cant stop getting injured
January 12th, 2008 @ 13:42My team will be
GK-REINA*
RB-FINNAN
CB-CARRA*-AGGER
LB-RIISE
RM-BENAYOUN
CM-ALONSO*-GERRARD*
LM-KEWELL (BABEL)
CF-CROUCH(BABEL)-TORRES*
*= THE MUST HAVES
January 17th, 2008 @ 17:07GK- Reina
LB- Riise
CB- Charager
CB- Agger
RB- Finnan
LM- Kewell
CM- Gerrard(cpt)
CM- Alonso
RM- Benayoun
ST- Torres
ST- Kuyt
Sub
GK- Carson (if returns)
S2- Arbeloa
S3- Pennant
S4- Crouch
S5- Hyypia
CPT means captain by the way.
January 18th, 2008 @ 21:03By the way why are you leaving out Alonso? He is a great player.
January 18th, 2008 @ 21:06For me, its gotta be:
Reina
January 19th, 2008 @ 23:13Arbeloa Carragher Agger Aurelio
Mascherano Alonso
Babel Gerrard Benayoun
Torres
Keith Kaira II has got it right!
January 19th, 2008 @ 23:16———————Reina————————-
Finnan—Carragher—Skrtal—Agger
——————Mascherano——————
Benayoun——————————Riise
———————Gerrard———————-
—————Torres———Babel—————
January 23rd, 2008 @ 22:16If 4-4-2
——————–Reina——————–
Finnan——Carragher——-Agger——-Riise
Benayoun—-Gerrard—–Mascherano—–Kewell
(Alonso) (Babel)
—————-Crouch—-Torres————-
(Kuyt)
If 4-2-3-1
——————–Reina——————–
Arbeloa——Carragher——-Agger——Riise
————-Mascherano—-Alonso————
Pennant———–Gerrard———–Babel—-
(Benayoun)
——————Torres———————
(Crouch)
As regards transfers I think that Benitez has a brilliant squad and only lacks really attacking and threatening left footed players — summer signings should be Martin Petrov or Arjen Robben and Gabriel Heinze (just to p155 of man u
January 26th, 2008 @ 17:52riise, kewell, and kuyt are useless sell them
February 2nd, 2008 @ 22:01i think liverpool should spend some money to buy some superstars to win the title in coming seasons.
Liverpool lineup after buying some superstars:
reina
sergio ramos carragher skrtel aurelio
pennant van der vaart gerrard robben
torres kanoute
On the bench:
February 15th, 2008 @ 09:55Itandje
agger
alonso
benayoun
babel
Liverpools best team is :
Reina
Finnan carragher Agger Riise
Pennant Gerrard Mascherano Babbel
Torres Crouch
March 28th, 2008 @ 09:30——–Reina———-
Arbeloa Carraghr Hypia Aurelio
Mshrano Alonso
Gerrard
Kuyt Babel
Torres
April 9th, 2008 @ 14:00Reina
May 8th, 2008 @ 16:31Finnan-Carragher-Agger-Riise
Mashcerano-Alonso
Benayoun -Gerrard – Babel
Torres
3-3-4(old school i.e.)
January 17th, 2009 @ 12:23Reina
Carragher skrtel agger
alonso mascherano gerrard
Kuyt keane torres babel
liverpools best formation is definatley 4-2-3-1 it gives balance to the squad with the qualitry we have in gerrard and torres.
GK – REINA
RB – ARBELOA
CB – SKRTEL
CB – CARRAGHER
LB – INSUA
DM – ALONSO
DM – MASCHERANO
RW – BENAYOUN / BABEL
LW – RIERA
AM – GERRARD
ST – TORRES
dirk kuyt is not a striker hes definatly not a midfielder. to be honest he is more suited for fishing.
February 6th, 2009 @ 11:00Goalkeeper: Reina
October 24th, 2009 @ 13:35Right back: Johnson
Centre back: Carragher
Centre back: Aurelio
Left back: Riise
Right midfield: Kuyt
Centre midfield: Gerrard
Centre midfield: Lucas
Left midfield: Riera
Striker: Torres
Striker: Babel
Reina Agger Varmalan G.Johnsen A.Cole Mascherano Fabergas Gerrard Ireland Torres D.Villa subs Arshavin Messi Rooney Kaka Alonso ronaldo Xavi Nani Benazam Tevez milner Diamanti Owen S.Given Babel Benayoun sell lucas and insua there usless
March 21st, 2010 @ 19:45