Liverpool Fans. Five years on from Istanbul; would you rather have the squad from then or today's squad?

today's by miles - and that is testiment to Rafa's achievement on a net budget of no more than £6m per transfer window.

looking through that season's players with most appearances..

1 Riise - Aurelio is miles better but unfortunately now on his way out - replacement needed this summer

2 Carragher - still here

3 Finnan - Johnson miles better and gives us much more going forward

4 Hyypia - was missed last season but when fit Agger/ Skyrtl can give just as much

5 Baros - Torres infinitely better

6 Garcia - Benayoun does pretty much the same thing

7 Gerrard - still here

8 Hammann - Mascherano probably better now

9 Traore - played most of that season as CB - see Agger/Skyrtl above

10 Dudek - Reina undoubtedly better

11 Biscan - much as i loved him - Lucas is far better

12 Alonso - Barry would have been a good replacement. Aquillani may yet be that person

13 Kewell - er what can i say. even Riera and Babel are better

14 Warnock - Kelly looking more promising as a junior defender

15 Nunez - er again what can i say. Kuyt much better

16 sinama-Pongolle - Pacheco better in my opinion

17 Cisse - had 2 broken legs. Ngog has done better

18 Josemi - Kryakos better without doubt

19 Mellor - Maxi a significant improvement

so there you go - better now

Liverpool are far stronger now but back then were playing as more of a team unit and an average team on the same wavelengh can beat a superior team that is uneasy and uncomfortable with each other.

Liverpool aren't stronger all over the pitch either I personally think Lucas isn't good enough to wear the Jersey and say whatever stats you like about him most of his tackles are poor and his passing short range and side ways alonso is a far superior player.

Gerrard hasn't been as good as he was in 05-06 and is missing Alonso badly for the service and freedom he provides.

A lot of players are still needed like back up strikers etc but the team is a lot stronger now no doubt but I fear Rafa's over defensive tactics over usage of the mediocre/poor Lucas and players being played out of position will continue Liverpool on the slippery slope they are on.

truthfully this may be a stable Liverpool line up however the perfect ever nicely i could wait and spot what they win to choose that. United's line up is robust yet they did no longer win the Treble like in ninety 9 so fact is the United's ninety 9 line became the perfect ever so except this pool line up can take the prem and CL and doubtless yet another cup or fairly win the Prem. they might't be suggested as no longer something yet in simple terms yet another pool group

thats a humdinger of a question bucko!!

been a liverpool since i can remember and my opinion is this squad just shades it. i think most liverpool fans would admit we were the worst team ta win a champs league apart from porto but they had mourinho!! reina is a world class goalie now the best in the league! from the old squad id take finnan hyypia riise hamann alonso...now we have torres aquilani johnson and some potential in babel pacheo and insua...if i could combine the 2....reina johnson hyypia carra riise finnan alonso gerrard torres hamann babel kuyt not a bad line up!!

Some of the players we had in that squad in Istanbul were shocking. Josemi,Nunez,Traore but in fairness 5 years on and we have a shite bench. Pacheco is the only 1 i rate on the subs bench after that they're all pi$$ poor..but that's just my opinion.

well either they were better then in which case hes spent a shed load of money and five years making the side decline or they are better now and he has taken a squad that is better than european champions and turned them into 7th best in the premiership.

i think both lead to the same conclusion,benitez has ****** up

Today's squad, obviously. Reina/Agger/Johnson/Gerrard/Aquilani/ Mascherano/Rodriguez/Torres is a magnificent spine of any team, far better than what Rafa had to win the Champions league with. You'd be a fool to think otherwise.

I would have today's squad. It just shows how much the league overall has improved in quality but also how much the current squad has underachieved. I would much rather have Reina-Carra-Agger-Mascherano-Gerrard-Torres than Dudek-Carra-Hyppia-Hamann-Gerrard-Baros any day!

Today's squad off course.

Anyone in their right mind would rather have the squad they had then

Benitez won that trophy with Houlliers team.....he's been found out ever since with the pathetic excuse of a team he's built now