The full list, 14 as of this moment:
Raul Meireles
Steven Gerrard
Joe Cole
Milan Jovanovic
Rodriguez Maxi
Dirk Kuyt
Leiva Lucas
Jay Spearing
Christian Poulsen
Jonjo Shelvey
Albert Acquilani
Charlie Adam
Jordan Henderson
Stewart Downing
Jovanovic, Poulsen, Acquilani and Cole are likely to be sold or loaned, Maxi is on the bubble and if I had to guess if any of those five stay Shelvey or Spearing will be loaned. That brings us down to nine or ten.
Which seems like a lot when you consider that when healthy every one except Spearing/Shelvey will expect to start and the Reds play a 4-4-2, not a 0-10-0.
Even if a player or two will always be missing through injury, suspension or the like but discounting that who are the four starters?
Gerrard still has to be the first name.
Lucas I think earned the defensive midfield spot as the team”s most dependable player last season.
Dirk Kuyt is the most important creator of goals the last few years and my favorite Red, starts on the right.
Downing probably offers the best supply from the left. That’s four.
Adams deputizes for Lucas. One intriguing idea floated a week or two back is to play Charlie as a central defender alongside Skrtel; Adams himself said that might be his best position.
Henderson can spell Dirk as he works his way into a starting position, especially if Downing gives consistent width from the left.
Mereilles seems the big loser in the three signings and if a deal can’t be made for Acquilani he might have to go instead.
The transfer window has six weeks left. Let’s see what Kenny, Comolli and John Henry get up to!
BillSaysThis 