3 Positions Liverpool Need To Strengthen + Suggested Targets

Guest post submitted by o-posts

Liverpool have been disappointing in the league this season. Although the Carling Cup success might give a better picture of our season so far, the truth is the team has struggled for much of the season.

We haven’t struggled to perform well, like we did in the last 2 seasons, but we have struggled badly to convert the opportunities we create.

With the summer fast approaching, Liverpool are hopefully already making plans on who will leave the club and who the club will try to buy. Damien Comolli, the Director of Football at the club, has hinted that there will be no lavish spending, but I think he knows our weaknesses and is making plans to fix them.

Here are three positions i feel Liverpool need to strengthen in the summer, and a few suggestions on who they could buy:

Striker

The most obvious position Liverpool need to strengthen. Too often this season Liverpool have created chances, but failed to convert them. With Luis Suarez in the team, Liverpool already have a creative player, who can rip defences apart with his brilliant touched and dribbles.

What Liverpool need is an out-and-out goal-scorer, someone who has a natural goal-scoring instinct. The problem is that Liverpool, if we want to get back to the top, need a world-class striker and that’s not the sort of player you can get on the cheap.

My suggestions: Gonzalo Higuain, Luuk de Jong, Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Ricky van Wolfsvinkel, Iker Muniain, Fernando Llorente.

Playmaker

While Liverpool have struggled to put the ball in the net, the team has also struggled to create clear-cut chances at times this season. Charlie Adam has been largely disappointing since his summer move. His short passing is good, but he often fails to spot the ‘killer-ball’ and often gives away needless free-kicks which put unnecessary pressure on the defence.

Liverpool require a playmaker who can thread the ball through the eye of a needle, control the tempo of the game and play long-range passes as well. Basically, we need to replace Xabi Alonso!

My suggestions: Gaston Ramirez, Shinji Kagawa, Yoann Gourcuff.

Right Wing

The right wing position has been a problematic position for Liverpool for years now. Under Rafa Benitez, Dirk Kuyt was converted into a winger, and now under Kenny it is either Henderson or Downing playing there, both failing to impress in that position this season.

Kuyt has also been drafted back in in recent games but we need a long-term solution to the right wing area.

My suggestions: Adam Johnson, Jesus Navas (not going to happen, I know), Santi Cazorla.

If Liverpool strenghten the three positions above, a top 4 finish next season is more than achievable and if things really click, a title challenge could even be on the cards.