Liverpool’s only signing to date has indeed been Roma’s Fabio Borini who is more than familiar with Brendan Rodgers having spent time with the new Reds manager at Chelsea, where Rodgers was Borini’s youth team coach, and at Swansea where, again, a player-manager relationship was had. Still, though, Liverpool’s expenditure was barely low key. Borini, who left Chelsea 13 months ago for a compensation package of €360,000, cost The Reds £10m.
Little can ever be read into preseason friendly results, but Liverpool have also had the Europa League third-round qualifier first leg already and, although Pepe Reina didn’t feature due in large to his later return to preseason training having been on Euro 2012 duty with Spain, Liverpool’s starting line-up held many clues to who would comprise their 25-man squad next season. Raheem Sterling has featured at length throughout preseason and he was handed another run out in Liverpool’s 1-0 win away from hoem against Gomel and Joe Cole, who has played a significant part of the new season preparations found himself among the starters. The goal was grabbed by Stewart Downing who, alongside Cole, supported Borini up front. Liverpool fans can be buoyed by the gradual return of Lucas Leiva, also.
Prediction
With transfer activity at a minimal at current, a prediction of 8th place – a repeat performance of last season if you wish – can be expected. Brendan Rodgers will be facing his first season under the weight of expectation and with only one signing made in the shape of Borini, little advantage over the side Kenny Dalglish led to the Carling Cup final and an eight-placed finish is held. The return of Joe Cole and Lucas Leiva may play its part in bettering last season’s performance.
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Some sections of The Kop have already voiced dissatisfaction over many of the alleged transfer activities of Rodgers, with the media often linking the former Swansea manager with his former players, such as Joe Allen, Ashley Williams and Gylfi Sigurdsson, before he moved to Tottenham Hotspur. More keen are Liverpool fans to secure the services of Clint Dempsey and Gaston Ramirez, who have also been speculated to be Anfield-bound.
With Alberto Aquilani, Dirk Kuyt, Fabio Aurelio and Maxi Rodriguez all having departed, with the latter three playing a supporting part in Liverpool’s campaign last year, Reds fans can expect more transfer activity. It also leaves Liverpool with a very young-looking side with only four outfield players the wrong side of 30. If Manchester City’s pursuit of Martin Skrtel has any substance, The Reds will also be left with a limited experience in depth at central defence with Jamie Carragher playing less and less football each season.
For Liverpool to better their prediction, not only must they keep hold of the likes of Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel, but they must also make numerous astute signings. At current the team lacks depth and experience in key areas of the field. Central midfield and central defence are two areas that could benefit from immediate attention, whilst a winger would not go amiss down the flanks at Anfield.
One thing that is poignant, especially considering the ilk of players linked as replacements for Agger and/or Skrtel should they leave, is that Liverpool are no longer the dominant European force they once were, with Rodgers even talking of loan deals – something hardly synonymous with top-four candidates: “I have also looked at one or two loan deals from abroad. There are some quality players in that market that I have enquired about and spoken to the European managers on. The make-up of the group will change before the season starts and that will change the dynamic of the team also.”
Prediction: 8th
Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit
I think you’ll find that Kenny already managed to do that!!!!!
yeah and what an amazing job he did didnt he!!!!!!!!!!!! this transfere window has been borring to say the least but at least the manager isnt throwwing money away on flops unlike kenny.
daglishs flops as you call them all have potential the last year was a transitional period with to many changes with the right staff will all come good but hawking our best players for 20 mil then trying to buy Dempsey and Allen for similar amounts dosent bode well for the future or that Brendan knows what he doing I hope im wrong but i think we should stop thinking of Liverpool as a mid table club and be aiming to get back were we should be
Honestly I doubt it….look at the calibre of our players, the lack of time to gel into his new system,…we be seeing LFC vying with swansea to break into the top 10 in the EPL.
However, I wouldnt mind to be proven so very very wrong 🙂
BR is fairly impressive going on his stats. The only downside is that defensively his sides do concede goals. Swansea let in 58 last season and 51 the season before. So how will Br fair at LFC? well LFC have had a decent defensive record past few seasons and goals scored have proved elusive. The danger here is that LFC become a possesion side and concede too many or get too many nil all draws. In conclusion BR cannot get complacent in getting the LFC job. Delivering results must be central to his preoccupations, sharpening the offensive profile has to be the number 1 priority.
i think that they should hire top coaches as we have struggled since Rafa left it is not just the managers job to get results it is the responsibility of everyone at lfc including players and backroom staff but mostly the board by keeping hold of best players and not hawking them around in transfer windows Toress left because he felt like he had been misinformed about lfcs future,I think we all have, reading recent articles coming out of anfield, it feels like we are back in the hicks and gillette era Liverpool board crying poverty but all reports state that they made 300mil+ in usa last week alone. Are the board looking out for Liverpool or just trying to line their own pockets after all where is the new or updated stadium we were promised when they took charge Kenny went for not reaching champs league but recent noises coming out of anfield if true we will be lucky to avoid relegation liverpool could not find the net last year some of their play was fantastic We need coaches not another year of transition go out buy a right winger of proven quality who knoes how to cross and an out and out playmaker, keep players already there and use coaches to bring out their true potential
We made 300million in the US last week?
I have a bridge to sell you mate..can we meet?
I would prefer that he had more passion for the team rather than his “ideas”. Still do not think he is the man for the job…..