Let’s be objective!

I have always dreamed of LFC having the possibility to pick and choose players the way Chelsea and Manchester City have done in recent history, but I am also an objective person that this is not the Liverpool way and it is also not within our possibility.

The rumours coming from the media and the many players I see on individual wish lists are enticing, but most are highly unrealistic. Players like Goran Pandev or Marek Hamsik would be too illusive for Liverpool. Right now it seems that our only solution seems to be taking players on loan, but there again the players being mentioned are on stratospheric salaries and I am not so sure the Club is in a position to pay such money. I already wrote once, twice and now a third time……van Nistelooy or Heskey will not come to be Torres’ subs. They want to leave their Clubs because they are not playing and because they want to be in contention for a place in next summers World Cup.

I remind my fellow Liverpool diehards of the disappointments we were dragged through last summer, and this January transfer window will be no different.

I also remind my friends of the valid players we have burnt in recent history for some reason or other: players like Crouch, Keane and Sissoko. Yes Momo Sissoko who became the motor of the Juventus midfield and is sorely missed when not available. And how about the loaning out of Cristian Nemeth?

We won’t make big money from the sale of Dossena, Voronin or Babel, and if it boils down to having to send them out on loan it will only lighten the salary burden but this will not generate funds to bring in the quality inserts we need.

I beg everyone not to be misled; the last two victories in the PL do not mean anything, if not 6 points in the bag. We have not suddenly recovered our confidence. We are not back to our full potential. They were two good and much needed results and we should be intelligent enough to take them for that, at least for now.

Last year our battle was with the traditional top three adversaries, this year we are battling 7/8 competitors because even teams like Birmingham and Fulham are coming on strong. So, no joy rides, we are still in a weary situation and our heartbreaks are not over.

We have too many problems to solve with our team. Our defence is leaking goals, our two main midfielders, Lucas and Mascherano, are being asked to do duties that are not within their characteristics. They can win balls and hold a tight midfield but they are not ball distributors or playmakers. Aquilani has potential but needs time. The Italian lad will give the team quality and edge of inventiveness that we don’t have at present. Kuyt is by role a centre forward and is played out on the right; Benayoun is an attacking midfielder and is played out on the left. Both, in my view, out of their natural position! We insist with Gerrard as a second striker to assist Torres but I am adamant in my view that this season he should have been brought back into midfield as our playmaker in place of Alonso. Why Rafa did not go for such a solution (at least until Aquilani was up and running…and fully fit) I honestly don’t know. Torres….well…..50 goals in 72 games (Club record) and not being our penalty taker is no mean feat. What more can we ask from him?

The presence of Alonso called for a style of play which cannot be repeated. We do NOT have a player with his vision and ball distribution that can cut defenses in half with his passing. The ONLY player that could have done that job was Steven Gerrard!

It’s very possible that we have the squad to be competitive, but I feel that somehow the players, or most of them, are not being used in roles that make them bring forth their full potential.