Positional Analysis:
Goalkeeper:
Reina is rated as the league top keeper. I am not sure if he is the league best as he is still too short for catching high crosses in English league, but he is certainly the quickest, most agile keeper as well as world's no.1 penalty stopper. Hodgson seems have no trust in back-up GK Cavalieri and thinks Hungry GK Gulcasi is too young. Middlesbrough Australian GK Brad Jones should soon join LFC as the no.1 back-up keeper.
Central back:
LFC has 4 key central back with different strength and weakness. Vice-captain Carragher has the experience and durability, but is getting slower every year and remains a liability in defending header. Slovakian CB Skrtel is quick and aggressive, but like Carragher, he needs a big presence to partner him for defending header. Danish CB Agger is versatile and possess good ball control with a powerful long-range shot, but is prone to injury and careless mistakes. Greek CB Kyroiakos is big and strong and is a ariel threat at both attacking and defending ends, but is slow on his turn and could face porblem against quick strikers. Therefore, it is crucial for playing the right combo against different teams. Against teams with small and quick strikers, Carragher and Skrtel is the preferred pair. Against teams with two tall and big central forwards, Agger and Kyroiakos can be an effective pair. However, most teams tend to possess a quick forward and a big striker, the most logical combo is either Carragher and Skrtel partner with Agger or Kyroiakos, depending on their forms. Young Scottish CB Danny Wilson and Spanish CB Ayala can also help out in CB when the team is in big injury crisis, but should be featured mostly in less important Cup games to earn experience.
Right back:
Glen Johnson is England no.1 RB due to his attacking ability, but he still has great room for improvment at defending. Although he is one of the top class attacking wing-backs in the league, he could face fierce competition from young local defender Martin Kelly. Kelly is a natural CB but can play as both RB and LB. He is big and strong at 6'3', atheletic and could trun out to be rising younster in the club.
Left back:
At the moment, LFC is still looking for a starting LB. For now, Brazilian Auerlio and Danish CB/LB Agger should compete for the starting LB spot, although Danny Wilson and Martin Kelly could also be in contension. Auerlio had a great 2008/2009 season, but never could stay injury-free throughout his LFC career. He is an intelligent player with good positional sense, passing skills and a better free-kick taker in the team despite his lack of presence and strength. left-footed CB Agger has been used as a LB near end of last season and has done an adequate defending job, especially improving the team ability in defending high crosses and headers.
Defensive midfield:
With Argentina captain DMF Mascherano soon joining either Inter Milan or Barcelona, Danish veteran DMF Poulsen, Hodgson's favorite, is signed as a direct replacement. Poulsen is slower and older, but he is taller than Mascherano and do have better passing abilirty than Mascherano. He is very familiar with Hodgson as he has played for him 10 years ago in Danish league as he started his football career. Brazilian DMF/CMF Lucas will be used as a reserve DMF/CMF this year instead of starting 90% of LFC game least season. Although Lucas is small as a DMF in English league and never earns his trust from majority of LFC's faithful, he has shown steady improvement. Although I believe LFC should try to sell him for transfer funds, but I won't be too unhappy if he stays as a substitute as he is a high energy and hard working player.
Central midfield:
With Joe Cole joining the team and given a more central role, captain Gerrard could drop back as a CMF in a deeper role similar to his early football career instead of playing as a AMF, a role he gets familiar for the past 2-3 seasons. Without Xabi Alonso, LFC needs a midfield general to connect the defense and attack. As a complete footballer, Gerrard has great ability in short pass, long pass, defending and shooting. Although playing a further deep role could reduce his scoring, this scraifice cold actually benefit the team as a whole. The Italian injury-prone CMF/AMF Aqualini had a disappointing debut season at LFC last year, but should play a key role this year. He is creative playmaker with great passing ability, but was wrongly used as Alonso's replacement in a deeper role by Benitez last season. Aqualini could still have trouble in the physical English league, but he should have a much improved 2nd season either as a back-up CMF for Gerrard or back-up AMF for Joe Cole. 18 year-old English CMF Shelvey is an all-around midfield who can play in both defensive and attacking role He has shown maturity beyond his age with good passing ability and he could turn out to be the surprising player of the year for LFC in his young debut season.
Right wing:
Kuyt has been transformed as a RMF under Benitez and now has been playing winger role for club and country. Kuyt is slow as a winger and doesn't have the dribbling ability, but he is one of the most durable and diligent players in the World. He rarely gets injury and tired and is an ultimate warrior and team player. Assigning him to play as 3rd star attacker to support Gerrard and Torres could be a tough task, but he now can play his part in the team with less creative and scoring pressure with Jole Cole and Jovanovic joining the team. Still, Kuyt should play more as a back-up forward or reserve-role to provide energy from the bench. Against most teams sitting deep in their own half, LFC should start Argentina veteran RW Maxi Rodriquez, as he is more of a natural winger. Maxi is not quick but he is very intelligent with great attacking movement. Maxi had a respectful debut season with LFC and should provide Torres more support as the right wing thanks to his understanding with Torres back in the days when they played in Madrid together.
Left wing:
Serbian LW Jovanovic has joined for free as a replacement for Riera. Jovanovic is not a natural winger but he has been a great scoring LMF with great ball control and scoring ability. Jovanovic has won several personal honor in Belgium league, but may take some time adapt to the fast-pace English game. LFC may still need a natural left-footed winger to support Jovanovic. Although Maxi, Kuyt, Babel, Joe Cole can all support LMF role, none are left-footed. Ryan Babel is used as a LW by Benitez, despite described himself as a nautral striker. It's hard to tell what role will Hodgson assign to the disappointing Babel yet. At the moment, the versatile Maxi should be Jovanovic's primary 1st choice back-up.
Supporting striker/Attacking midfield
Joe Cole was used as a winger in Chelsea and England team for majority of his career. However, in an interview with Joe Cole, he revealed that his preferred and natural role is central attacking role, a position he hasn't been playing much since his West Ham days. The key reason why Joe Cole has choosen LFC instead if Arsenal or Tottenham could be due to Hodgson's agreeemnt with him to provide him the freedom to play in the central attacking role. Joe Cole's performance and health will be the decisive factor for LFC's fate this year. Hodgson is a big fan of small creative supporting striker in support for a natural no.9 central forward. Although Jovanovic and the unselfish Kuyt can also play as a 2nd striker, Spanish young sensation ST Pacheco could be given fair amount of playing chance in this role. Pacheco is agile, skillful and talented. He has been the top scorer for Spanish under 19 team in under 19 European Championship this summer. Although many Spanish teams want to take him back home, Hodgson has given a no.12 shirt to Pacheco and it could mean a role promotion for the Spanish youngster. In away game, when LFC wants to play more defensively, either Gerrard or Aquilani could also play as a AMF/ST to support the lone striker.
Central striker:
Every LFC players, coaching staffs, fans is looking for a injury-free season for Torres. When in-from, there is no doubt tha Torres is the no.l striker in the league along with Chelsea's Drogba. Howevere, there has been heavy criticism in the team for relying too much from Torres. Whenever Torres out injury, LFC has lost countless due to lack of fire-power up-front as Keane and Crouch has both been wrongly sold by Benitez while Kuyt, Voronin, Babel and N'Gog have all failed to provide scoring quality for the team due to various reasons. One of the key objectives for Hodgson is to come up with a back-up plan in case of another Torres' injury disaster. With the team still has to wait for funds to get in a quality scoring back-up or scoring partner for Torres either from the sale of Masherano or the investment from new owners, French young CF N'Gog is now playing a key role as a temporary starter for Torres as Torres still needs time to get back to full-fitness or a key back-up scoring threat. While N'Gog still has to learn to hold up the ball and stay on-side, he has shown steady improvement in finishing chances as shown by his 3 goals scored in Europa League qualifier during the summer and his sensational goal vs Arsenal in the season opener.
Starting line-up:
<4-4-1-1>
Reina
Johnson
Carragher Agger AurelioKuyt
Gerrard Poulsen Jovanovic Torres
Other key back-up:
CB Skrtel, CB Kyrgiakos, CB/LB Wilson, CB Ayala
CMF/AMF Aqualini, DMF/CMF Lucas, CMF Shevely,CMF Spearing
WG/AMF Maxi
CF N'Gog, ST Pacheco, FW Babel
Prediction: Top 3!!!!!
