12 Aug 2025 13:20:44
Away from the transfer window malarkey for a minute Ed001.
I found myself watching some old clips of Torres at Liverpool earlier (I was but a teenager when he was with us), and I don't think I fully appreciated just how good an all round player he was, I always remember him as nothing but a lethal striker, but looking back there seems to have been much more to his game.
Just how good was Torres at his peak with us and where would you rank him against Liverpool strikers before and after him? Cheers in advance, love the site.
{Ed001's Note - he was fantastic but I grew up with Fowler breaking through, and the tail end of the Dalglish era, so he was a bit overshadowed for me. Also, he wasn't really with us long enough and left us under such a cloud that his legacy was ruined. It makes it very difficult to rate him. Having said that, other than the little sewer rate Suarez, Fowler, Dalglish and Rush, I can't think of any other striker we have had in my time that could compare to him as a player. So I would have to put him top 5. Length of service and what they won puts Dalglish and Rush at the top, but Fowler's ability to do anything to a very similar level to Suarez to be fair, puts him 3rd. Then it would have to be Torres 4th. Suarez sadly 5th, as I would rather not count him at all, but on pure play alone he has to be in the list. If only he hadn't caused so many issues within the club and been such a pos, he would have been further up, but he was detrimental to LFC despite his extreme talent.}
12 Aug 2025 13:45:10
Agree with everything there. Rush was a one off. even though I adored Keegan, he wasn't like Rushie. King Kenny is just. well . the king. ?.
{Ed001's Note - Kenny is still the goat.}
12 Aug 2025 14:03:48
Ed, where would you rank Mo mate based on what you have seen? Would you put him top 3 or 5. Interesting to know your stance on where you think he ranks with the likes of Kenny, Rush, Gerrard and so on.
{Ed001's Note - you mean overall? Kenny is top and clear by a margin. After that, I really don't know. I mean Hansen would have to be in there, but it is hard to pick from all the rest. Barnes, Rush, Hansen, Gerrard and Salah would be the group that comes next to choose between. Longevity at the club puts those 5 above anyone else we have had in my time. I think it comes down to the mood you are in at the time which order you would put them in. Salah has the advantage of at least one more season to put himself above the others as well and Virgil has to be close to joining the group too. If pushed right now I would go:
1. The King
2. Hansen
3. Salah
4. Gerrard
5. Rush
6. Barnes
Though it is really tough, on pure skill Barnes should be higher, but this is overall on their positive effect on the club.}
12 Aug 2025 14:04:35
I remember Torres’ last season for us being terrible he was looking for the move and didn’t seem interested in being with us. Prior to that though a hell of a player, seemed to have a telepathic understanding with Gerrard.
Was a shame how it ended as would have loved to have seen both Suarez and Torres as a partnership. Torres left same month Suarez signed.
Would have been truly devastating as a pair up front for us with Gerrard behind them supplying.
{Ed001's Note - he had injury problems and was finished as a top class forward by his last season for us to be fair.}
12 Aug 2025 14:04:39
Sorry Ed Suarez is a far better player than Torres, the man literally elevated everyone around him. Regardless of his off field antics and biting, unlike Torres he didn’t walk around moping feeling sorry for himself.
{Ed001's Note - why you saying sorry? He tried to destroy the club and did nothing for anyone but himself. No elevating anyone, let alone everyone, he tried to drag the club into the gutter. Maybe you are apologising for not having morals and supporting a gutter rat that got the greatest man ever at LFC sacked? Yeah, really elevated everyone that prick. Torres was injured, but he still played through pain, harsh to say he was moping.}
12 Aug 2025 14:15:31
Firmino is ahead of Torres and Suarez for me for what he won and what he contributed to the team. I had the pleasure of watching Bobby twice Liverpool vs Villareal 2016 when Bobby made Soldado look like a fool and my first time ever seeing him I was in Hamburg for work and went to Hamburg vs Hoffenheim and watched him get 2 goals and 3 assists was and still is a magical footballer.
{Ed001's Note - I actually forgot about Bobby. Oh bollox. Scrap that list then.}
12 Aug 2025 14:51:55
Tris seriously how could you forget Bobby? Now stand in the corner and think about what you did.
{Ed001's Note - I forget my own name at times mate, I spend half my life trying to figure out why I went into a room as I have forgotten, forgetting Bobby is nothing!}
12 Aug 2025 15:04:12
Sorry Tris but I can’t see how Gerrard gets above Barnes and Rushie. Digger was just fantastic, absolute genius and Rushie is Rushie.
{Ed001's Note - length of service.}
12 Aug 2025 15:11:42
This’ll offend some but I’d personally have Mane ahead of Bobby.
All down to personal opinion though.
12 Aug 2025 15:33:04
Longevity and titles is also key for me and also how old you are as I don’t remember pre 1980’s so can’t comment on Hughes, Thompson and Neal etc. I loved Barnes (my era) but he was only really at the top for us from 88-90 and no champions leagues given we were banned. I also loved Beardsley, McMahon and Aldridge but wouldn’t make the top as no longevity albeit as much as Torres and Suarez. My top would be. King, Hansen, Gerrard, Salah, Rush (albeit after 1990, he wasn’t great), then next level down would be Fowler, VVD, Barnes, Souness, Allison, then next level down Beardsley, Aldridge, McMahon, Torres, Suarez, Mane, Robbo.
{Ed001's Note - I don't remember pre-80s either. Barnes was a good leader for the young players in Evans' side, though his performances weren't as great. To be honest though, his performances were just that good during his early years, I mostly tend to just see them when I think of him and then add up all the years he was with us. It is easy to forget how average he was in central midfield as a player in later years. One thing he was supreme at though, heading the near post balls away from corners.}
12 Aug 2025 15:52:52
Had a double take their ed. pos is obviously an anagram, it is also very close to an Afrikaans slur I think is an accurate description of Mr Suarez.
{Ed001's Note - sorry pos = piece of sh**.}
12 Aug 2025 16:16:38
Nando was an absolutely ridiculous player, I don't think I've seen anybody look that hungry to score in my life (besides maybe the racist biter) . He was stronger and faster than any center half he was up against, plus he was so powerful when he was running with the ball, he wasn't just a bulldozer carrying the ball, either, he could weave his way through defenders and nutmeg them too. He had every kind of finish, was great in the air, could smash or dink or chip the ball, bend it in the far corner from long range, hit an overhead kick, hit it on the half volley, the man was an absolute menace in the final third.
Unfortunately physicality was such a massive part of his game that his injury took him from being a generational player to merely an above average player. He was still a skillful, intelligent and technical player with great movement when he went to Chelsea but was no longer in the discussion when it came to elite attackers in world football.
12 Aug 2025 16:22:58
Ed01- I never remembered his constant near post ball heading from corners until you mentioned it. As he got older and played more central, I remember how good he was at shielding the ball making it almost impossible to get the ball off him. Def a legend and gets the left wing position in our best 11 for those 3-4 years and his collection of wonder goals; QPR for dribbling, Arsenal for free kick and can’t remember the team may have been Watford when he scored a header from way out spring to mind. And he came across as a humble good guy.
{Ed001's Note - he could be a nice guy but you wouldn't want to leave your burd alone with him!}
12 Aug 2025 16:24:26
Mad Graeme surely should be up there, Mr Ed? I don’t think I have seen a finer central midfielder play for us. Just a shame that he was such a poor manager, but I did find his obvious emotion when we won the league extremely touching.
Torres was in that weird era when we seemed to burn out centre forwards by their mid twenties: Robbie, Owen, even Heskey. None of them lived up to their huge potential (though I never totally understood why Heskey was so highly rated early on) .
{Ed001's Note - best central midfielder I remember for us, but I only really remember his last couple of years and then he left. I used to watch videos of him all the time and tried to play like him. I forgot that he had been with us for so long, as I only remembered 2 or 3 years.}
12 Aug 2025 17:30:12
ED001.think you're missing Souness from your top 5 . hard as nails, great passer of the ball, could rocket a shot n was a true leader on the pitch.
{Ed001's Note - yeah another I forgot.}
12 Aug 2025 17:40:38
Fair play, Ed1 - that’s some list you’ve put together. I couldn’t do one myself, there have just been too many legends over the years. One thing’s for sure though, like you, I’d definitely have the King in the number one spot, and Alisson would have to make it into my top list somewhere.
{Ed001's Note - Ali is a great shout.}
12 Aug 2025 18:41:31
Top 5 is near impossible! Top 10 bit easier, I'd go :
1. Kenny
2. gerrard
3. Vvd
4. Rush
5. Hanson
6. Salah
7. Barnes
8. Ali
9. Nicol
10. Mane
That's my top 10 from 1986 onwards going on longevity, ability and how crucial they where to the team.
12 Aug 2025 19:10:32
As I've often said, had Klopp been here, there is NO way we sign Suarez esp. after biting Othman Bakkal of PSV to get a move to LFC. No way, he comes here under Klopp, IMO.
13 Aug 2025 01:49:01
It's so difficult after King Kenny and Gerrard, imo the two best in that order. Torres amazing, Rush amazing, Souness amazing, Xabi amazing, Bobby amazing etc etc etc Can just go on and on. You have to take away the horribleness about him but as a football player Suarez is up there with the best players in the world of all time, absolute quality football player if you only look at that point, the rest well, shame.
13 Aug 2025 11:47:21
What about Souness, clemence
Cally, crazy horse briliant footballers and all won trophies for LFC.