Improving Liverpool
Liverpool have endured a rollercoaster of a season since Brendan Rodgers took over in the summer, and the results have been so inconsistent leaving the club way off the pace for a top four finish. But this season was always going to be a transitional period.
Liverpool lost a lot of experience in the summer for one reason or another and Brendan Rodgers had to turn to youth to fill the gaps in his team. Players like Andre Wisdom, Suso and Raheem Sterling have stepped up to the plate for Liverpool and Liverpool are now starting to reap the rewards of their youth system with many others showing great quality and who will be challenging for a first team place in the not too distant future.
Jordan Ibe looks the pick of the bunch of talented youngsters but Connor Coady, Yesil, Ryan McLaughlin, Sama, Morgan, Flanagan, and Jack Robinson who is out on loan at the moment are a few worth mentioning.
New managers come to a new club and try to install their ideas and methods of how they want their team to play and Brendan Rodgers is no different, Rodgers likes to play a passing style including pressing the opposition high up the park. This has took a while to implement with signs of it working in some matches and many mistakes especially in defence costing the team dear in others.
To qualify for European competition next season would be high on the agenda at the start of the season, but with so many changes at the club the most important thing should be that the team is showing signs of improvement, and I believe that they are.
OK so the defence has been a bit more vulnerable than in recent seasons, but by playing a passing game from the back does put extra pressure on defenders and as the season has progressed I feel they are learning that there are still times when you have to just clear your lines when under pressure, when earlier in the season they would pass their way into trouble. There is still the odd mistake like Carragher’s the other night but individual mistakes do happen and I’m sure they will clear up soon.
The amount of chances Liverpool are creating has to be encouraging although the conversion rate is poor, but it is more of a problem when you are not creating chances and to produce 35 shots at goal in one game is quite remarkable and the conversion rate will improve.
The reliance on Suarez for the most part of the season has been a problem but he has been immense regarding Liverpool’s lack of striking options. But with the addition of Sturridge to the team Liverpool look far more threatening and a more attacking team. Lucas coming back from injury has freed up Gerrard to get forward more and the resurgence of Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson has been a great addition to the team.
The performances against Swansea and Zenit were very encouraging with the team playing some great football but more importantly playing with a desire, passion and high tempo that we have not seen enough of this season. So hopefully this style of play and attitude will continue as opposition teams will struggle against a Liverpool team playing this way.
There is a lot to play for in the remainder of the season for Liverpool and if they can continue to show improvement then the future will be bright for the Anfield side.
I totally agree!!!…………We are 4th in the PL scoring charts this season, yet early on we couldn’t score for toffee. We are free-flowing and great to watch, yet with youngsters you expect inconsistency. The business in January made a huge difference to the team, Imagine that business being done last August instead???
Im sure we will continue to entertain and score goals, next season should be a very good one for us. FSG will allow BR to buy some players to add to what we have, Suarez can see the quality in the squad now so no need to worry at all…….It is coming together.
Its a strange time to be a Liverpool fan.
Some great games and some very poor ones, but we have a bright future with the academy coming on and some group of young even home grown talent that might come into the 1st team in the future.
However its the 1st team that has to take care of itself!!.
Rodgers is still learning about his players and the systems that he uses and he is still hit and miss in the transfer market and this needs to change and we need to have a very, very good market this summer?
While the core of the group of the 1st team is now in place there are some dreadful players and some players that are not that poor but just are not needed and upgrade on the players that are not giving the club much.
Over rated players are a big problem also, depending on what money is ready to spend, there is no point in ripping
through the whole team and not then being able to replace with better quality of player.
In my view id would sell these players if we could the go out and buy better replacements and keep the depth of the squad not take away the depth at all, selling to buy is risky and it needs to change, we must replace and add what we sell with much better quality.
SELL.
SHELVEY – 4 MILL, would be lucky to get more.
SPEARING – 2.5 MILL, probably take 2 mill for him.
CARROLL – 12.5 MILL, get rid for all those thinking a team is going to pay more, not a chance, id snap your hand of for this price, what has he done?
COATES – 5.5 MILL, brought him for around 7 mill, but he is just to slow, every game he plays he looks very poor, could be ok for future but can we keep waiting.
ASSIADI – 2.7 MILL, ok he has hardly had a chance but we need much better player on the flanks, he is just not a good enough quality for depth of squad, recoup the money we paid and move on.
WILSON – out of contract(thank good) this guy is just crap, yes i have watched in at rangers and up close in the reserve side, he is a dreadful player, get his wages gone.
PACHECO – 1.0 MILL, love his attitude and he loves the club but can he hang around in the youth set up for ever or getting bounced around in the reserve side? free up another wage resource and team number and make space to use elsewhere.
LOAN OUT
ROBINSON,FLANAGAN,SUSO,
we need-
x1 left back – wing back
x2 centre backs
x1 creative mid
x1 defensive mid
x1 wide forward – link man striker.
Id love to sell downing and replace with a better player, however with what we are like in the market there is no chance that we will be able to bring in better and look at the above and bring in better players with more quality for those roles within the team, but if money is more ready to be spent then downing goes, however he is better then other wingers we have bar countinho and he has only just got going?
if we can use downing sale to bring in better and still have a downing type to have as depth and cover then fine, but there is no point in getting downing out if we have only sterling as the next winger?
REINA
JOHNSON HOWEDES AGGER ENRIQUE
GERRARD LUCUS ALONSO
SUAREZ STURRIDGE A, LOPEZ
Liverpool may buy ananidze or el sharaawy in the summer window. They can also go for hummels after retirement of carragher
Totally agree with you, but I still don’t believe the season Is yet over. Lfc have the chance to get a europa spot(not what we want but something we need under the current situation) atleast its going to show our strenght next season. Lfc need to buy two good and experienced defenders during the summer, get another classy and experienced striker and attacking midfielder (say gomez(lyon) and arda turan(atletico) are very good and available options). We also need another DMF who could show physical presence within the midfield against physical team (stoke, wba)for example. Those good additions will make suarez believe more that lfc wants to progress and win titles faster. YNWA!!!