Liverpool’s starting XI changes all the time, due to injuries, fitness, tactics and Jurgen Klopp’s rotation.
So there’s never any way of stating 100% what our ‘best team’ is.
In fact, it’s only in the last few months of the season where you can confidently predict the starting XI before matches.
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So as a result, you shouldn’t take this too seriously, but without a match until the weekend, we thought it was interesting nonetheless.
This summer, we believe Liverpool are going to try and sign the following players:
- A replacement keeper for Simon Mignolet (not Loris Karius, who’s proven himself)
- Another centre-half to compete for the place alongside Virgil van Dijk
- A no.6, someone who can sit deep in midfield and control possession / screen the defence
- Naby Keita, who’s already signed and sealed
- A versatile attacking midfielder, like Coutinho, who can play in the front-three or the middle three
We have no idea who the new keeper will be, as it’s likely to be a backup option who comes in for the cup matches, with Klopp clearly impressed by Karius’s resurgence. As a result, the German stays in goal.
At fullback, there’s nothing wrong whatsoever with Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold who are both young enough to get better and better. The likes of Alberto Moreno and Nathaniel Clyne provide adequate depth, too.
Virgil van Dijk is basically the first name on the team-sheet for next season, but it’s yet undecided who’ll partner him. Dejan Lovren has done well, but we’ve a suspicion Joe Gomez will start to develop into a central defender come 2018/19 rather than a right-back. He’s an England international and it’s time he starts playing his favoured position. There’s no concrete evidence as to who’ll we sign, either.
But in midfield, we can already see changes. Jorginho wants to come and Liverpool are desperate to bring him from Napoli [Echo]. He’ll provide a superb no.6 option in rotation with the often injured Jordan Henderson. Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain provide running, dynamism, chances and goals either side.
The front-three naturally picks itself, with Sadio Mane and Mo Salah flanking Roberto Firmino.
We think we’ll enter the market here to strengthen our bench, with players such as Nabil Fekir, Christian Pulisic, among others, highly sought after.
Still, none of them are automatic starters ahead of potentially the best front-three in world football.
Could this side win the title, Reds?