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Stage One of Liverpool’s rebuilding process or just a minor triumph?

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The purchases of Luis Suarez, Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam, Jose Enrique and Sebastian Coates, all since Dalglish took over, have reaped their first trophy in their first full season together and calling it a minor triumph would discredit Cardiff, but as it is the League Cup, seen as secondary by most, I imagine some will do so. However, is it right to call it a minor triumph or is it indicative of the progress Liverpool are making?

If this is all the current Liverpool team achieve, then yes it is a minor triumph: however, Kenny Dalglish has made a marked improvement on the successes of Liverpool. When he took over from Roy Hodgson, a man whom he helped Liverpool to appoint, their league position was abysmal by their standards: they were 12th, below Everton, they’d conceded more than they’d scored, lost more than they’d won and after 20 games, they were already 19 points away from the top.

Kenny came in and things dramatically changed: Liverpool were hoisted up to a 6th place finish, 22 points adrift of league champions Manchester United, meaning – bar their first game under Kenny – Liverpool matched the Champions point for point; Liverpool’s concession rate dropped by 33% and all the while, their goal-scoring exploits increased by more than half at an increase of 62%, from 24 goals in 20 games under Hodgson to 35 in 18 with Dalglish.

Liverpool are on the up: a return to a top four finish, something which has alluded them since the 2008/09 campaign in which they finished second pushing Manchester United all the way finishing just four points adrift, looks out of the question this season. However, it was always going to be a tall order considering the number of new personnel in through the doors at Anfield and therefore the success of the League Cup, with the F.A. Cup still to play for, deems this season a success already, providing Liverpool go on to perform how they’ve done to date.

The Cup win can only serve Liverpool well. Under other managers, Liverpool may’ve crumbled as the game progressed and Cardiff were still leading – although their cup successes in similar circumstances against Birmingham and West Ham show an undying trait of determination lives long in the veins of Liverpool. Yet the win will galvanise them and with an impressive defensive record in the league, with only Manchester City conceded fewer, Liverpool continue to go from strength to strength in the second coming of King Kenny and with a transition underway, success with delicate changes and altercations in playing staff is a credible effort.

The Carling Cup final wasn’t just a minor victory – it’s a sign of things to come.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

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Budding Football journalist who blogs at www.maycauseoffence.com/ daily as well as writing here for ThisisFutbol and on www.onehellofabeating.com/ the England fan's page. Outside of writing is more football. I work at Southampton F.C and I manage a men's football team on Saturdays.