What’s our best 11?

[rurikbird]

At the risk of of incurring @Ryan's wrath, I think it's time to try to assess where this team is going into the final stretch of the season. I feel this season has been a compelling story, no matter how it ends, and the way we navigated the injury stricken middle of the season with young players already feels epic. Now that the big guns are coming back, what is actually our best team?

Goalkeeper
Alisson is probably the best goalkeeper in the world, but... is he still the best goalkeeper in Liverpool? Kelleher has done absolutely nothing to deserve to be dropped and I love watching him play; his calmness is contagious and teammates trust him. It will be interesting to see how Klopp will handle this – perhaps give Kelleher Europa League from now on? For sure Irish Kevin's status in the team is very different now compared to a couple of months ago.
1-2. Alisson
1-2. Kelleher
3. Adrian etc

Centre-backs
Jarell Quansah has passed every test in front of him, including the trial by Haaland. At this point, I would say Konate is only marginally ahead of him – I would be comfortable with either one partnering Van Dijk. Gomez is a solid 4th choice.
1. Van Dijk
2-3. Konate
2-3. Quansah
4. Gomez

Left-backs
I think the selection of Gomez at LB against City signifies a shift: Robertson can no longer be considered an automatic starter. Now we can think of Gomez as defensive option (against stronger opponents, particularly against tricky wingers who like to cut in) and Robbo as attacking. It will be horses for courses until the end of the season.
1-2. Robertson
1-2. Gomez
3. Tsimikas

Right-backs
Much like the Kelleher and Alisson situation, Bradley has done absolutely nothing to deserve to be dropped. However, Trent's attacking skillset is too unique to pass up. This is a good problem to have – Klopp will find use for both and both will routinely invert into midfield (as will Gomez when he plays).
1-2. Trent
1-2. Bradley
3. Gomez
? Bajcetic

Midfield
Our best midfield 3 in the first half of the season was Macca at #6, Curtis at LCM and Szobo at RCM. I am not sure that is the case anymore. The way Endo-Macca-Szobo/Elliott outplayed City's best midfield has to mean this is our best combination going forward. Curtis and Gravvy will of course try to win their place back and will get their minutes as we compete on 3 fronts, but for big games no one is shifting Mac Allister or Endo on this form. Now in Clark there is yet another competitor for the LCM/RCM position and he very much looks the part. A special mention to Elliott – he has grown leaps and bounds in the last 2 months; this is no longer an early-season Elliott. He has just as much claim to that RCM spot as Szobo.
DM:
1. Endo
2. Mac Allister
3. McConnell
? Bajcetic

LCM:
1. Mac Allister
2-3. Jones
2-3. Szoboszlai
4. Gravenberch
5. Clark

RCM:
1-3. Elliott
1-3. Szoboszlai
1-3. Mac Allister
4-7. Jones, Gravenberch, Clark, Bajcetic

Forwards
It's very much Nunez + Salah + 1. Young Danns played himself into contention for certain games.
1-2. Nunez
1-2. Salah
3-4. Jota
3-4. Diaz
5. Gakpo
6. Danns

If I had to choose our team for a big game right now, with all players fit, it would be close in several positions, but...

---------------Alisson---------------
------Konate-----Van Dijk----------
--Trent-------Endo----------Gomez
------Elliott-------Mac Allister------
Salah-------Nunez------------Jota-

 

[binomial]

Alisson Bradley Konate Virgil Robbo Endo Szobo Mac Salah Nunez Diaz

Closest for me would be Matip for Konate, best v best at 100% I think Matip could shade it.

Otherwise natural fullbacks who are solid defensively first and foremost, allowing the wingers to come inside more and link up closer and more frequently with our star man.

 

[Frogfish]

No question. Quansah isn't close to Konate. Elliott isn't close to Szobo.

---------------Alisson---------------
------Konate-----Van Dijk----------
--Trent-------Endo----------Gomez
------Szobo -------Mac Allister------
Salah-------Nunez------------Jota-

 

[Frogfish]

Alisson Bradley Konate Virgil Robbo Endo Szobo Mac Salah Nunez Diaz

Closest for me would be Matip for Konate, best v best at 100% I think Matip could shade it.

Otherwise natural fullbacks who are solid defensively first and foremost, allowing the wingers to come inside more and link up closer and more frequently with our star man.

Matip is done done done. Thank you for your service.

 

[Stevesquash]

Excellent thread. Prefer Nunez on the left, jota through the middle.

Matip I love, but I think we can discount him.

There's no way elliot equals szobo surely?

Full backs so tricky. Always on edge when trent plays, and robbo has been rubbish.

Alisson all day long...

-----------alisson----
Trent. Ibou. VVD Gomez
----------endo----------
Szobo. Macca
Salah. Jota. Nunez

Cant wait to see that team, with jones, robbo, Diaz, bladders to come on.

Amazing how 95% of us have gone from thinking we didn't have the depth, to struggling to fit everyone into the team.

 

[Modo]

A fit Matip would be ahead of Konate. He and Van Dijk are almost symbiotic on the pitch.

And poor Trent, where does he fit in?

Honestly, without Konate on the pitch I don't want Trent at RB.

Also a toss up between Jota and Diaz

 

[rurikbird]

An argument in favour of Elliott over Szobo is that we have dominated City with him in the midfield 3 more than when Szobo was on the pitch. Of course he was not 100%, I get that, but in the form Elliott is in, I don’t think Szobo walks straight into the team.

One thing I will concede is that when Trent is playing, I would feel safer with Szobo. Whereas Bradley and Elliott combine very nicely together.

One other (last one, I promise!) consideration is that the lack of width provided by Gomez at LB is mitigated when Jones plays at LCM (as he is more willing to overlap than Macca, for instance). So there is also a potential Endo-Jones-Mac Allister midfield to consider.

I feel like this when thinking about all the permutations:

 

[jan]

Ali
Trent Konate Virgil Gomez
Macca Endo Jones
Salah Nunez Jota

Szobo unlucky to miss out but Curtis was our best midfielder before his injury and Macca seems better on the right

 

[Brizzle]

The hardest piece for me is midfield. Endo has to be DM for me, unless we’re playing a low block.

If Endo is DM it’s 2 of Macca, Jones & Szobo. Hard to pick, I’d probably go in that order but i think Szobo combining on the right with Salah is good.

I’m looking forward to seeing Trent back and how he plays now that Endo is fully settled. Will he return as a more direct right back? If he doesn’t, surely our left back needs to over compensate and that suggests Robbo at LB.

Will be a nice problem to have, once people are back.

 

[Red Astaire]

Here's my 1st 11

Ali

Konate. VVD
Trent Robbo
Endo
Macca Szobo
Salah. Jota
Nunez

Robbo might have lost a smidge of pace but he still works his tits off. His distribution is still there and can score a goal or two (unlike Gomez). Plus he brings genuine aggression to the team. I can't see Robbo getting slapped by Sterling and getting away with it do you? 😉

 

[LarryHagman]

When people are fit:

Ali

Trent
VVD
Konate
Robbo

Slob
Endo
Jones

Salah
Nunez
Diaz

I would have had Jota over Nunez but Nunez form is spot-on at the mo. MacA is in great form but Jones is a better player.

 

[peterhague]

Alisson

Trent
Konate
Van Dijk
Robertson

Mac Allister
Jones
Szobozslai

Nunez
Jota
Salah

 

[Farkmaster]

These more recent suggestions look a little narrow.

 

[Frogfish]

Here's my 1st 11

Ali

Konate. VVD
Trent Robbo
Endo
Macca Szobo
Salah. Jota
Nunez

Robbo might have lost a smidge of pace but he still works his tits off. His distribution is still there and can score a goal or two (unlike Gomez). Plus he brings genuine aggression to the team. I can't see Robbo getting slapped by Sterling and getting away with it do you? 😉

If we are worried about Trent going into midfield and losing defensive strength then surely Gomez is the better choice (because Robbo has the propensity to dive in and leave himself stranded behind play). If we are worried about losing width and a couple of goals (seriously - with our current forward line and midfielders?) then Robbo is a far better attacker.

Personally I'm more concerned with defensive strength (see Gomez nullifying Foden) than adding further to the attack.

 

[Frogfish]

When people are fit:

Ali

Trent
VVD
Konate
Robbo

Slob
Endo
Jones

Salah
Nunez
Diaz

I would have had Jota over Nunez but Nunez form is spot-on at the mo. MacA is in great form but Jones is a better player.

Macca has a shout at Player of the Year and on current form is possibly the best midfielder in the country at the moment (inc. Rodri). It's between Jones and Szobo for the 3rd slot. Personally I'd play Szobo because of the ground he covers and he is far better at pressing and defending our RB position than any other midfielder we have.

Worth reposting this from Binny :

 

[Dreambeliever]

Becker
Bradley
Matip
VVD
Robertson
Endo
Alexi
Dom
Salah
Nunez
Diaz

Great to have such a strong bench.

Kelleher
Trent
Konate
Gomez
Jones
Jota
Harvey

 

[Frogfish]

Why are people including Matip? He's done, cooked, will be 33 by the time he's fit again (and is injury-prone) ... and will be out of here in the Summer. So obviously no longer one of our best CBs.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Forgot Thiago til I heard this song


View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1b6bP8t-YD/?igsh=MTFpdDFqajA1YmM0bw==

 

[juniormember]

It’s amazing to see Endo in all but one person’s best eleven. Couldn’t have imagined that 3-4 months ago. Well done Endo!

---------------Alisson---------------
------Konate-----Van Dijk----------
--TAA--------Endo----------Robbo
------Szobo-------Mac Allister------
Salah-------Jota------------Nunez-

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

Alisson

Bradley -- Konate -- Van Dijk -- Robertson

Trent -- Endo -- Mac Allister

Salah -- Jota -- Nunez

 

[Frogfish]

Alisson

Bradley -- Konate -- Van Dijk -- Robertson

Trent -- Endo -- Mac Allister

Salah -- Jota -- Nunez

Oh you didn't go there! You did!!!

 

[juniormember]

Haha, yeah. @Dirty Sanchez you really think he'd make it in midfield? He just seems too switched off at times to be able to be effective in our organized pressing system when we don't have the ball.

 

[StevieM]

Haha, yeah. @Dirty Sanchez you really think he'd make it in midfield? He just seems too switched off at times to be able to be effective in our organized pressing system when we don't have the ball.

Isn’t the conundrum about Trent is he’s best when he’s facing the opposition and has time and space to hurt opposition with his passing.

You lose that even by dropping him in a DM where he receives the ball with his back to play, let alone further up the pitch, where space is tighter - you only have to look when he’s playing and he’s clearly moving about to find space - including in between the CB’s.

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

Haha, yeah. @Dirty Sanchez you really think he'd make it in midfield? He just seems too switched off at times to be able to be effective in our organized pressing system when we don't have the ball.

Just wanted to put the cat amongst the pigeons really but also … somehow I think while he isn’t missed defensively he offers us an extra dimension going forwards. Seems a waste to leave him out and Szoboszlai is the obvious one to make way

 

[LMG]

Not gonna include Matip and Thiago because I doubt either will ply for us again, but absolute best 11 when fully fit, both would get in

Ali

Trent
Konate
Virg
Robbo

Endo
Mac
Jones

Salah
Darwin
Diaz


There is a case for Bradley, Sozbo, Jota (in two positions) and maybe Even Elliott, but despite how good Kelleher has been, Ali is the best there is, and Gomez has deputised nicely but doesn't bring near what Robbo brings to the right side.

Diaz is a constant threat and work horse, and gets overlooked too often, IMO.