04 Jul 2026 13:06:40
Hi all.
This might have been asked before, if so then I apologise.
If you could pick any retired Liverpool player from any era (at their peak) and put them into the current squad to make the biggest impact, who would you pick and why?
Can only be one player but any position which you think would instantly improve us.
I'd start off with Alan Hansen simply because I think he was the best defender we've had (close call with him and VVD).
04 Jul 2026 13:31:36
Graeme Souness. Proper hard as nails midfielder and could do everything. Probably the greatest all round midfielder ever. Would show our bunch of soft lads up.
04 Jul 2026 13:35:02
Has to be Steven Gerrard for me. I think he would transform our midfield and add some very much needed leadership.
04 Jul 2026 14:08:06
Souness, he was everything we miss in midfield.
04 Jul 2026 14:08:06
Steven Gerrard or Graeme Souness makes the most sense right now.
With Mo and Sadio still playing, John Barnes would be the next shout.
04 Jul 2026 14:21:43
There is only the one player from the past to call on for the future and that's the king himself KD.
04 Jul 2026 14:44:46
Prime Gerrard, he would sort our midfield out and give this team heart and fight.
Or one of (prime of course) Barnes or Mane.
04 Jul 2026 14:52:12
Crazy Horse.
04 Jul 2026 15:16:48
Ian Rush - someone to finish the chances we create and hassle other teams' defenders.
04 Jul 2026 15:40:16
So many of the top players from the 70s & 80s would walk into our current side, but I'll go Souness, very closely followed by Kenny & Hansen!
Liver_La mentioned Emlyn - he'd be close.
04 Jul 2026 15:57:33
Agree with Hunter64.
04 Jul 2026 16:32:26
Gotta be the King. Dalglish.
04 Jul 2026 16:51:03
Gotta be Gerrard, he is exactly what our team is crying out for, then Fowler or Rush.
04 Jul 2026 16:56:16
Slightly controversial, but I think Suarez - strictly speaking in terms of the modern game here and because I've little faith in our frontline at the moment. I think everyone else would be inspired to step things up a gear with somebody as relentless as Suarez banging goals in every week.
I also think Wirtz would shine along with him. I would love nothing more than to see Souness out there breaking players up, but let's be honest, in the modern game he'd probably get banned for life within a month. ?
04 Jul 2026 16:56:24
Some excellent suggestions and can't argue with any of them, to be honest, as too many to choose from.
Thanks for the responses. I enjoy reading them.
04 Jul 2026 17:00:46
Could Souness cut it in the modern namby-pamby era of Premier League football?
If you remove the biting tackle, the down-right nastiness, what's left?
Probably still more than your average PL footballer, but he'd still have to play 'shackled!'
04 Jul 2026 17:09:11
Chewy, you would say that given your moniker.
04 Jul 2026 17:34:59
Even given the nature of football today, I'd go Souness.
No-one is giving half-arsed performances in a side he's in.
04 Jul 2026 17:39:50
Personally I think Souness would cut it. He was exceptionally intelligent on the pitch and his was controlled aggression within the rules. He'd still dish it out but within the rules and you know that opponents would be absolutely terrified of him, that's the kind of presence we lack, a midfielder who can actually defend and who opponents are absolutely petrified of.
04 Jul 2026 17:42:06
Great question. I would go for John Barnes as he could be the rw to fill Mo's boots. He played lw for us, but in those days left footed wingers played on the left wing.
Curious: when did coaches start playing left footed wingers at rw? Was Mo the first?
Souness a close second, obviously. Though some fans might think him too small.
04 Jul 2026 17:42:42
Henderson, tbh. He was a brilliant captain and leader, and would be a massive upgrade on Mac Alligator.
04 Jul 2026 17:42:56
Got to be Souness. He would have adapted his game enough for the namby pamby current game. Imagine his reaction to McAllister's antics!
04 Jul 2026 17:55:32
The thing with Souness is that he often described himself as a glorified sweeper / third cb. He is, I think, incredibly generous in saying Stevie G was a better midfielder.
I would say that Stevie was our greatest creative midfielder, but Souness was the best deep-lying and all-round midfielder.
Jordan is third best for me. Will always be underrated, but he never knew when he was beaten, and was capable of a fine through ball.
04 Jul 2026 18:09:07
Great players from years back will still be great players in this modern day - they’re great as they adapt to what’s needed.
Souness was one of the all time great midfielders and he had far more to his game than just being a nasty piece of work and in the era he played you had to have that in your game.
All the suggestions are justified, but Souness is the stand out one for me.
04 Jul 2026 18:09:54
Not so much retired.
But an ex Liverpool player, 100% Luis Suarez for me.
Him in this current Liverpool side.
We'd win everything.
Cheers.
04 Jul 2026 18:39:10
I don't think Dalglish would change the current team as much as Souness would. The bite in midfield is something we need more than anything, however, he would get sent off every game, without fail.
So, for that reason, I would have to go for Hansen or Rush. Last season we needed Hansen more, so I am going for him.
04 Jul 2026 18:54:14
Robbo, I hear you when it comes to Suarez: closest I have seen at Anfield to Maradona at Napoli.
He was a genius, but he did some beyond appalling things on the pitch. For that reason, his time at the club is tarnished, and I doubt anyone would have him back.
What makes me furious with him, is that Kenny was moved to put on that ridiculous t-shirt in his defence.
He was, by all accounts, a nice chap off the pitch - but Kenny would have had another season if he had not backed someone accused of racism.
04 Jul 2026 18:54:42
This question gets asked a lot and there is only one answer, and it's King Kenny, the greatest player the club has ever had.
Then after him there is a queue of players: Souness, Hansen, Keegan, Rush, Barnes, Gerrard and so on.
04 Jul 2026 18:59:14
At the moment it would be Barnes to fill the Mo void. He was as good as Mo, if not better. Whether he could play right side as well as he did as an out and out left winger, I don't know, but these days he would play there.
Souness predates me in terms of watching live, so for centre mid it would be Gerrard.
04 Jul 2026 19:24:47
Dalglish improves any team.
04 Jul 2026 19:27:53
Gerrard all day and every day with Souness second.
04 Jul 2026 21:50:03
The question wasn't who improves the team.
The question was which player would make the greatest impact, was it not?
04 Jul 2026 22:16:04
It was the question Sea, however, love the comments and would agree with Suarez based on talent alone.
Could take it a step further and go for one single player from any generation and nationality who would improve the current squad.
I'd go Zidane.
Also, I'm full of beer and steak, so may change my mind in the morning after reading your comments.
04 Jul 2026 22:27:19
Maradona - the greatest ever.
05 Jul 2026 07:08:25
R9 out of everyone. He's a one-man low-block wrecker.
But Souness or Barnesy from ex LFC.
05 Jul 2026 15:59:11
I'm with Ron - Maradona all day long, the goat.