smeatontwovegThis is a stupidly attacking XI and would never work. But then that's not really the point is it? And I never claimed to be tactical genius.
Iker Casillas - I have a man crush on Casillas. I'nt 'e gowjuss?
Lahm - Quick, good with both feet and and good with both feet. Made the WC2010 All Star Team, as did a few of my other choices I have since discovered. Possibly one of the least unlikely of my picks to go to Liverpool, which actually shows up just how ridiculously unlikely they all are rather than how likely it is.
Vidic - Perhaps not so much now, but definitely a couple of years ago. Liverpool were set to buy him before Man U usurped the deal. Had no idea, never heard of him, and couldn't give two shits at the time but in retrospect quite gutting.
Maicon - If only for his sublime goal v. Korea DPR from an angle beyond Suarez's v. Sunderland.
Giggs - Even more so than Vidic, it's more that I envy what Man U have had from him than I'd like to see a transfer now. But he's still playing so it counts. Consistent quality, hard work and value over an almost unfathomable number of seasons and total loyalty to his club, if not his wife (or, indeed, his mistress).
Modric - Creative and useful, it comes as no surprise that he appears to be in demand this summer.
Alonso - Selling him was utterly retarded; the most ridiculous transfer I've seen at Liverpool in recent years including the purchase of Paul Konchesky. He's not really been replaced since either, hopefully Adam can do something of the kind but I doubt he'll be at the same level of brilliance.
Sneijder - A standout player for runners-up Holland last summer and in Inter's 2010 CL-winning run. With this in mind it seems doubtful, but at 27 he potentially has his best years just ahead of him.
25.07.2011
nvrDidn't Alonso want to go himself? Keeping a player who wants to go never works well. See Fabregas' performance last year.
28.07.2011
Joe423They shot themselves in the foot in 08', publicly going after Gareth Barry to replace him. Then they couldn't get him and had to use Alonso, who played amazing that season and left in the summer basically because Liverpool undervalued him and there were offers coming in.
I may be wrong but I think that was the jist of it.
28.07.2011
mbillington10You're pretty much spot on Joe423. Rafa wanted to sign a left midfielder (Jovetic), but was told that he had to sell to generate the cash. After assessing Liverpool's saleable assets, he decided that Alonso could be sacrificed on the basis that his sale value (£30m) would raise enough cash to replace him with Barry for 12m, and then use 16m to buy Jovetic. The reason for that this didn't work out was Aston Villa asked for 18m, and refused to lower their valuation, meaning not enough funds would have been left to buy the primary target, Jovetic.
Benitez also had a deal in place to buy Dani Alves from Sevilla, 6 months before Barcelona bought him, but Hicks didn't feel he was any better than what Liverpool already had. Tragic.
So possibly Dani Alves, Barry and Jovetic could form a second XI.
28.07.2011
