On Newstalk, John Giles is picking his all time XIs for major clubs Some folks may want to listen to them before knowing so don’t scroll down if you want the suspense.
First up was LFC last night Defence surprised me a bit to be honest 4-4-3 Clemence Tommy Smyth Van Dijk Hansen Robertson Gerrard Souness Barnes Dalglish Rush Keegan Next week he is going United
Hard to argue against it. Also hard to argue against the current team. Giles was picking based on positions and roles, he said Fabinho was the only challenger to Souness.
I'd certainly argue for Phil Neal over Tommy Smith at RB and tbh theres several players I'd have ahead of Keegan in a 3 man front line.
Giles did make the point that Keegan was one of the catalysts for Shankly first great team, probably the most important player. Also thought he would go with Neal at RB. The one that surprised me the most was Robbo. Mad that just two and half years ago Moreno was ahead of him in the pecking order and now he is being picked in best ever XIs. Gilsey is proper old school so for him to pick him says a lot.
Moreno only befitted from being there long before him and Andy taking the usual amount of time to click with the Klopp requirements. Am I dreaming or was there a suggestion at one point that he might leave if he didn't start to get first team football?
I think we underestimate how good Keegan was. 2 Ballon Dor's speaks for itself and he actually got more first preferences than the winner in 77.
they were talking on the anfield wrap the other day about a player from the past that would get in to the current team and keegan was a shout for the front 3, king Kenny or Gerard weren't mentioned
Not surprised at Kenny with style of play but Stevie would easily get in either of the non holding midfield positions. Madness to suggest otherwise
With current formation, I think Stevie and Firmino would be a savage link up, however doubt Stevie would match Salah’s goal return. Stevie would walk into the two midfield positions in front of Fabinho and could even edge TAA out at Right back.
I’d go with Giles’s XI except I would have Neal for Smyth at RB and I’d have Suarez in ahead of Keegan
Rush was a better striker than any of our front 3 but I dont think he'd suit how we play,at least not as well as the current front 3. Mane and Salah are both well suited to playing wide,Rush not so much and while he'd be a bigger goal threat than Firmino I think the team would suffer as a whole if you asked Rush to do that job,he didn't have Firminos touch and vision.
Rushdie would so much fit into current team and style of play. Bob Paisley was once asked who was Liverpools best defender. He answered. Ian Rush. As he constantly pressed and harried defenders playing out from the back
I'm not saying Rush didnt have great work rate mate,I'm saying he's less suited to other aspects of the game that our current front 3 excel at. He was better but a different type of player to all 3. He wouldn't be as good a wide player as Mane or Salah,and we'd get less out of other players with him playing instead of Firmino. It's not meant as a reflection on how good a player Rush was but more an assessment of our system and what works best in it. I've never seen a Liverpool team as good as this one so I'm thinking the attributes of the players in those roles are what's best for this system.
Just a different view. I do agree with some of your points. Perhaps my liking of Rushies workrate and eagerness to get possession has influenced my thinking. Rushie didnt score many goals from out side 6 yard box. So perhaps that aspect of his game wudnt suit.