Another game for Liverpool in 2012,
and another defeat for Liverpool. That’s been sequence this season for Liverpool.
Their defeat in the FA Cup final against Chelsea
was the defeat which confirmed Liverpool’s season as a devastating
disappointment.
And let’s be honest, Liverpool at
times this season have been lacklustre, woeful and embarrassing to the clubs
faithful supporters.
But it’s been an odd season for Liverpool
supporters.
Indeed, the club reached two cup finals and they did break
the club’s trophy drought which had covered a shadow over the club and
symbolised Liverpool’s decline.
But at the same time, it’s been a forgettable season for Liverpool
fans. It’s been a season which has left them with more questions than answers
as the season has progressed.
One of the most pressing unanswered questions is that of the
King Kenny Dalglish.
Do Liverpool stick or twist?
Do Liverpool keep him on his throne,
or do the club attempt to remove him from his beloved palace.
Indeed, there are a lot of rumours circulating than Dalglish
will be ‘moved upstairs’ as it were
given the vacant director of football role, while others feel he maybe shown
the door as a whole.
The money men at Anfield face some tough decisions this
summer.
But the situation at especially at Anfield is abundantly clear.
Liverpool have been poor, utterly poor. I mean 6 wins at
home at Anfield is unacceptable. No wait, it’s not even that, it’s an offensive
record for one of Europe’s greatest clubs and what has
been before and what the club stands for.
But the poor record at home tells you a few interesting
things.
It tells you some of the players especially the new boys,
have struggled to deal with the expectations, culture and demands of playing
for a club where it expected you have to win each week.
Instead of Anfield being a fortress, it’s become a ground
where all the opponent has to do is virtually turn up, defend reasonably well
and pick up the point on their way out.
It’s been as simple as that for Liverpool
fans.
In fact, Anfield has become a points shelter for Premier
League clubs.
There is saying amongst football fans that, you know you’re
having a bad season, if Liverpool beat you at Anfield.
But coming away from performances on the pitch, Liverpool’s
performances in the transfer market have been even worse.
Whether Liverpool keep Dalglish, or
someone else comes in, Liverpool must be more rational
and shrewd in the transfer market.
This season, thanks to the likes of Newcastle,
the big boys in the Premier League have learnt a humble lesson.
They’ve learnt of the best things in life can be cheap and
cheerful. Newcastle spent a net of
around £15mill. Yet the northern club now find themselves with two fantastic
and profilc strikers in Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba. While in midfield, Newcastle
boast the technically gifted creator Yohan Cabaye. All of whom, cost
collectively less than Andy Carroll.
While Liverpool with their best of
British transfer policy, spent hugely on distinctly average players who haven’t
really added much to the side. In fact, they’ve made Rafa’s signings at Liverpool
look all the more allusive and crucial to the side.
It seems a majority of Liverpool’s summer signings, bar
Craig Bellamy and perhaps even Seb Coates, have all fallen for the big club –
little club syndrome.
Yes, that syndrome. The one where the players are amazing
for the respective smaller clubs, but when the big fish goes to the big pound
he is nowhere to be seen.
Yeah, that one.
But you can’t argue, the crazy valuations placed on top of
their heads has not helped either. I mean, if you splash £19million on a
winger, you expect a few goals and a few assists. But it’s not happened. At
all.
The price tags on these new players have been like big rocks
being placed on their backs in the blazing sun. They can try their best, but
everyone will point out, ‘that isn’t £19million worth of quality.’ The fee that
brought them to Anfield is constantly reminded to not only them but to the
coaches and directors.
It seems Damien Comolli paid the price for splashing out
insane figures for average players. Perhaps this is a sign, the powers that be
at Anfield don’t want the same mistakes to happen again.
There has been a lot of talk amongst Liverpool
fans of whether Liverpool should sell the likes of
Downing, Henderson and the other new buys. I firmly believe the new players
deserve another chance. Sometimes, a second season can do the players the world
of good.
The pressure of not being the ‘new kid on the block’ could
take away some of the pressure on them, also more importantly, chopping and
changing will not help Liverpool move up the table.
If you look at the Liverpool team of
08/09, when they finished second, the spine of the team had been at the club
for three years or more. It takes years to build a great competitive team, ask
Fergie, ask Arsene Wenger and heck as Pep Guardiola too.
Liverpool are in the stage of forming
and developing. And they won’t move out of that stage if they keep changing
managers and players.
That’s also why I think Dalglish should stay, so long as the
players still believe in him. For me, Liverpool seem to
be trying to implement a pass and move type of game. And for most of the
season, it hasn’t worked for them. But when it has, Liverpool
have at times been unplayable and if the finishing had been better, Liverpool
would certainly be higher up in the table.
But with astute additions, Liverpool
have a good chance of making progress. But it is imperative Liverpool
get their signings right this summer. Liverpool are
currently feeling the consequences of selling very good players and replacing
them poorly. Is it really surprising Liverpool have
struggled to dominate midfields without people who can effectively play
in-between the lines like Raul Merieles?
Success does not happen over night. Ask Man
City, ask Chelsea.
After years of heavy investment, Man City
now only find themselves on the brink of winning the Premier League title.
While Chelsea after 10 years of the
Abramovich era find themselves only in their second CL final in their history.
Liverpool need to be patient,
stability is the clubs best answer. And the club are fortunate in the sense
they have a man who is undeniably just as determined as the fans to be
successful. While some managers may get their heads turned by offers elsewhere,
Dalglish isn’t one of them.
He has unfinished business at Anfield. And if anything, this season has given him
even more unfinished business.
But he must get it right this summer not only in his
transfers, but his tactical decision making, in another summer of change for Liverpool.
The team need carry on playing with the same methodology and
the players must look to further establish a greater understanding. The cup
final against Chelsea was a prime
example. The reds played with little cohesion and struggled to even get into
the Chelsea half in the first 60
minutes.
Liverpool had no penetration, no idea
and no connection between the midfield and attack. Meaning their most threatening
player Luis Suarez was left to feed off scraps.
This summer is huge for Liverpool.
The club is at a cross roads. The right decisions could see them move right up
the table next season. While the wrong decisions could see the club fall even
further behind.
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To me the Kenny is the 15 x more good than him. so lets wait for the betterment.
ReplyDeleteSoccer Tipster