An in-depth review about Brendan Rodgers’ first season at Liverpool split neatly into three episodes – Transfers, squad development and matches.
It’s been a topsy-turvy sort of year for Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool FC. From getting knocked out of the FA cup to Oldham, to having the second best away scoring record in the league. Consistency isn’t something you would associate with Liverpool this year, but it is certainly something they can work on for future seasons. This season is definitely not what some Liverpool fans were hoping for and is far from the standard that football fans all over the world have come to expect from Liverpool, but the signs are there that things are improving and Rodgers has used his first season effectively to lay down a base for progress in the coming years.
Transfers
In this episode I would like to identify and analyse the signings Brendan Rodgers has made this year and what kind of impact they had.
Here are the significant changes in personnel within the Liverpool squad and the money Liverpool spent/gained:
Bought:
Samed Yesil - £1 million
Oussama Assaidi - £2.3 million
Philippe Coutinho - £8.5 million
Fabio Borini - £10 million
Daniel Sturridge - £12 million
Joe Allen - £15 million
Total - £48.8 million
Sold:
Craig Bellamy – Free Transfer
Joe Cole – Free Transfer
Doni – Free Transfer
Fabiano Aurelio – Free Transfer
Maxi Rodriguez – Undisclosed
Dirk Kuyt - £1 million
Alberto Aquilani - £3 million
Charlie Adam - £4 million
Total – £8 million
Before talking about the players Rodgers has bought this season, I would quickly like to talk about the ones he’s sold. Although the net spend was just over £40 million you can see that Rodgers has decided to offload the older players such as Kuyt, Bellamy and Joe Cole so that the squad represents the owner’s view of looking to the future (which Rodgers has further addressed by not signing a player over the age of 24). Also Liverpool have offloaded more players than we’ve bought which allows more flexibility with the wage budget. But by far the best thing about the players Liverpool have sold is that Liverpool haven’t sold any key players, but only fringe players who aren’t important in the future of the club, these are great steps to improving the Liverpool squad as a whole: Keeping your good players, selling the not so good and buying even better ones. These first two steps are much more under the club’s control than the latter. No one knows how a player is going to fit into a club and we’ve seen many examples over the years of how players, signed for huge amounts of money, ‘flop’. Players such as Shevchenko at Chelsea, Fernando Torres at… Chelsea and Robinho, who famously thought he was going to Chelsea, at Man City. So now I will analyse each of Rodgers signings individually and come to a decision on whether any of them ‘flopped’.
Samed Yesil
Signed on the last day of the transfer window from Bayer Leverkusen for £1 million, this player looked promising. At the age of just 18 (when signed) he had already scored 57 goals from just 71 youth matches for Leverkusen. He also scored 6 goals in 2011 for Germany in the U17 World Cup which earned him the Silver Shoe. However for Liverpool he hasn’t made any sort of impact with only 2 appearances, both in the League Cup. I went to watch him in Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat to Swansea and he had nothing more than a few touches and got subbed at half time. It got even worse for Yesil in February when he was ruled out for the rest of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament on international duty for the U19’s. But even though his first season wasn’t a success I think he is definitely one to look out for in the future and can easily become at least a decent player for Liverpool FC.
Oussama Assaidi
When Assaidi signed for Liverpool I was genuinely excited. The 24 year old was only signed for £2.3 million from SC Heerenveen and from what I saw from YouTube compilations this player looked like he had a bit of class. I was hoping for Assaidi to stun the Premier league with his silky skills and become one of the bargains of the season. Unfortunately his performances were anything but stunning and he only managed 12 appearances (6 as a sub) with just 4 coming in the league. He didn’t score and only provided 1 assist against West Brom in the League Cup. But although his stats don’t shine, in certain matches he did show the quality I had been expecting, namely against Anzhi in the Europa League. It looks like Assaidi is heading for the door this summer though and out of all the Liverpool players this season, in my opinion, he has been the most disappointing.
Philippe Coutinho
If I’m honest, excluding Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho has been the first quality player Liverpool has signed since Luis Suarez. Liverpool fans shouldn’t have to wait 2 years before a player like that comes along! But there aren’t words to describe how glad I am that he is a Liverpool player right now. If they didn’t sign him in January I can easily see Liverpool finishing even lower than they did. He has played 13 times this season, all in the Premier League and has 3 goals and 7 assists. He was named MOTM in the drubbing of Newcastle with 2 assists that day. After playing against Southampton, Mauricio Pochettino compared him to Messi and Ronaldo, all this at the age of 20! Now I wouldn’t go as far as to say he’s like Messi, but I would certainly say that he is a definite for my Fantasy Football team next season. Out of this world!
Fabio Borini
Borini has been another one, like Assaidi, to not impress me this season. Things started out well for him when he scored on his Anfield debut in a 3-0 win against Gomel in the Europa League qualifying rounds and it looked like Liverpool might have another name to cheer but with 20 appearances (10 as a sub) and only 2 goals, Borini is looking more like a ‘flop’ than a star. However his season has been plagued by injury with a broken foot from October to January and a dislocated shoulder from February to April. Also he has shown signs at the end of the season to be making some sort of comeback by scoring a tidy goal with his first touch against Newcastle and thundering the post with his first touch against Fulham. Borini for me isn’t a top class player but fans will see if he can improve on this season’s performance next year.
Daniel Sturridge
Much like Coutinho, Sturridge made an immediate impact at Liverpool and now looks like an excellent piece of business by Brendan Rodgers. At first I was apprehensive about Sturridge before he was signed; he was on the fringes at Chelsea and had a lot of critics about his greediness. I wondered how he would fit in with Suarez at Liverpool and when Sturridge did play without Suarez he scored 6 goals in 5 appearances. But then again, when they did play with each other they created some nice link up play, especially against Chelsea where they assisted each other’s goals. Anyway, he silenced my worries after 7 minutes against Mansfield town with a cool finish. Then he went on to do something that hadn’t been done since 1974, he scored on his debut, his league debut and his home debut. And with those three goals in three matches Sturridge silenced any doubts I had in my mind that he would not adapt and slot in to the squad. By the end of the season the 23 year old had scored 11 goals, including a first senior hat-trick against Fulham, and 3 assists in 16 appearances, making me ponder who I shall have on the back of my shirt for next season.
Joe Allen
Renowned for his passing ability at Swansea, Allen was signed for, in my opinion, an over-priced £15 million. Perhaps this figure was this large due to sentimental value as Rodgers had become very close with Joe at Swansea. This might also have been the case with Borini as Brendan had worked with him at Chelsea reserves and at Swansea in the championship. And like Borini, Allen’s season was cut short by injury in March when he needed to have an operation on his shoulder. At the start of the season all was going well for him, he was MOTM in his second Liverpool match against Manchester City and was named Liverpool’s player of the month for August. However this bright start didn’t continue, over the whole season Joe only managed 2 goals (one in the Europa league, another in the FA cup) and provided no assists. And as I noticed throughout the year, especially when I went to see him play against Swansea and Zenit, he seemed to be complacent on the ball and allowed himself to get tackled to easily. Maybe these types of performances were because of the expectation Rodgers placed on him by paying such a fee for him. Overall I recognise Allen as only a substitute and wouldn’t be able to break into the starting line up with Gerrard, Lucas and Henderson all fighting for positions.
Although I don’t feel that any player necessarily ‘flopped’, I think that in the summer transfer window Rodgers didn’t bring in any players who would start in a full strength squad. But the signings he made do add depth to the squad which needed to be made. Contrary to this, in the January transfer window, he brought in two players of excellent quality who were instrumental in the relative success of the second half of the season. If Brendan makes more signings like this in the summer then I think Liverpool have a great chance of qualifying for Europe.
In this episode I would like to identify and analyse the signings Brendan Rodgers has made this year and what kind of impact they had.
Here are the significant changes in personnel within the Liverpool squad and the money Liverpool spent/gained:
Bought:
Samed Yesil - £1 million
Oussama Assaidi - £2.3 million
Philippe Coutinho - £8.5 million
Fabio Borini - £10 million
Daniel Sturridge - £12 million
Joe Allen - £15 million
Total - £48.8 million
Sold:
Craig Bellamy – Free Transfer
Joe Cole – Free Transfer
Doni – Free Transfer
Fabiano Aurelio – Free Transfer
Maxi Rodriguez – Undisclosed
Dirk Kuyt - £1 million
Alberto Aquilani - £3 million
Charlie Adam - £4 million
Total – £8 million
Before talking about the players Rodgers has bought this season, I would quickly like to talk about the ones he’s sold. Although the net spend was just over £40 million you can see that Rodgers has decided to offload the older players such as Kuyt, Bellamy and Joe Cole so that the squad represents the owner’s view of looking to the future (which Rodgers has further addressed by not signing a player over the age of 24). Also Liverpool have offloaded more players than we’ve bought which allows more flexibility with the wage budget. But by far the best thing about the players Liverpool have sold is that Liverpool haven’t sold any key players, but only fringe players who aren’t important in the future of the club, these are great steps to improving the Liverpool squad as a whole: Keeping your good players, selling the not so good and buying even better ones. These first two steps are much more under the club’s control than the latter. No one knows how a player is going to fit into a club and we’ve seen many examples over the years of how players, signed for huge amounts of money, ‘flop’. Players such as Shevchenko at Chelsea, Fernando Torres at… Chelsea and Robinho, who famously thought he was going to Chelsea, at Man City. So now I will analyse each of Rodgers signings individually and come to a decision on whether any of them ‘flopped’.
Samed Yesil
Signed on the last day of the transfer window from Bayer Leverkusen for £1 million, this player looked promising. At the age of just 18 (when signed) he had already scored 57 goals from just 71 youth matches for Leverkusen. He also scored 6 goals in 2011 for Germany in the U17 World Cup which earned him the Silver Shoe. However for Liverpool he hasn’t made any sort of impact with only 2 appearances, both in the League Cup. I went to watch him in Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat to Swansea and he had nothing more than a few touches and got subbed at half time. It got even worse for Yesil in February when he was ruled out for the rest of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament on international duty for the U19’s. But even though his first season wasn’t a success I think he is definitely one to look out for in the future and can easily become at least a decent player for Liverpool FC.
Oussama Assaidi
When Assaidi signed for Liverpool I was genuinely excited. The 24 year old was only signed for £2.3 million from SC Heerenveen and from what I saw from YouTube compilations this player looked like he had a bit of class. I was hoping for Assaidi to stun the Premier league with his silky skills and become one of the bargains of the season. Unfortunately his performances were anything but stunning and he only managed 12 appearances (6 as a sub) with just 4 coming in the league. He didn’t score and only provided 1 assist against West Brom in the League Cup. But although his stats don’t shine, in certain matches he did show the quality I had been expecting, namely against Anzhi in the Europa League. It looks like Assaidi is heading for the door this summer though and out of all the Liverpool players this season, in my opinion, he has been the most disappointing.
Philippe Coutinho
If I’m honest, excluding Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho has been the first quality player Liverpool has signed since Luis Suarez. Liverpool fans shouldn’t have to wait 2 years before a player like that comes along! But there aren’t words to describe how glad I am that he is a Liverpool player right now. If they didn’t sign him in January I can easily see Liverpool finishing even lower than they did. He has played 13 times this season, all in the Premier League and has 3 goals and 7 assists. He was named MOTM in the drubbing of Newcastle with 2 assists that day. After playing against Southampton, Mauricio Pochettino compared him to Messi and Ronaldo, all this at the age of 20! Now I wouldn’t go as far as to say he’s like Messi, but I would certainly say that he is a definite for my Fantasy Football team next season. Out of this world!
Fabio Borini
Borini has been another one, like Assaidi, to not impress me this season. Things started out well for him when he scored on his Anfield debut in a 3-0 win against Gomel in the Europa League qualifying rounds and it looked like Liverpool might have another name to cheer but with 20 appearances (10 as a sub) and only 2 goals, Borini is looking more like a ‘flop’ than a star. However his season has been plagued by injury with a broken foot from October to January and a dislocated shoulder from February to April. Also he has shown signs at the end of the season to be making some sort of comeback by scoring a tidy goal with his first touch against Newcastle and thundering the post with his first touch against Fulham. Borini for me isn’t a top class player but fans will see if he can improve on this season’s performance next year.
Daniel Sturridge
Much like Coutinho, Sturridge made an immediate impact at Liverpool and now looks like an excellent piece of business by Brendan Rodgers. At first I was apprehensive about Sturridge before he was signed; he was on the fringes at Chelsea and had a lot of critics about his greediness. I wondered how he would fit in with Suarez at Liverpool and when Sturridge did play without Suarez he scored 6 goals in 5 appearances. But then again, when they did play with each other they created some nice link up play, especially against Chelsea where they assisted each other’s goals. Anyway, he silenced my worries after 7 minutes against Mansfield town with a cool finish. Then he went on to do something that hadn’t been done since 1974, he scored on his debut, his league debut and his home debut. And with those three goals in three matches Sturridge silenced any doubts I had in my mind that he would not adapt and slot in to the squad. By the end of the season the 23 year old had scored 11 goals, including a first senior hat-trick against Fulham, and 3 assists in 16 appearances, making me ponder who I shall have on the back of my shirt for next season.
Joe Allen
Renowned for his passing ability at Swansea, Allen was signed for, in my opinion, an over-priced £15 million. Perhaps this figure was this large due to sentimental value as Rodgers had become very close with Joe at Swansea. This might also have been the case with Borini as Brendan had worked with him at Chelsea reserves and at Swansea in the championship. And like Borini, Allen’s season was cut short by injury in March when he needed to have an operation on his shoulder. At the start of the season all was going well for him, he was MOTM in his second Liverpool match against Manchester City and was named Liverpool’s player of the month for August. However this bright start didn’t continue, over the whole season Joe only managed 2 goals (one in the Europa league, another in the FA cup) and provided no assists. And as I noticed throughout the year, especially when I went to see him play against Swansea and Zenit, he seemed to be complacent on the ball and allowed himself to get tackled to easily. Maybe these types of performances were because of the expectation Rodgers placed on him by paying such a fee for him. Overall I recognise Allen as only a substitute and wouldn’t be able to break into the starting line up with Gerrard, Lucas and Henderson all fighting for positions.
Although I don’t feel that any player necessarily ‘flopped’, I think that in the summer transfer window Rodgers didn’t bring in any players who would start in a full strength squad. But the signings he made do add depth to the squad which needed to be made. Contrary to this, in the January transfer window, he brought in two players of excellent quality who were instrumental in the relative success of the second half of the season. If Brendan makes more signings like this in the summer then I think Liverpool have a great chance of qualifying for Europe.
Squad Development
In this episode I would like to address the improvements of certain individuals within the squad as well as how Rodgers has given opportunities to youth players who have shown that the future is bright for Liverpool.
Much like Kenny Dalglish, Rodgers has made youth players an important part of squad rotation, with the introduction of multiple young talents. All of them have impressed me; some more than others and the contribution of many of them has shown how well Rodgers can identify talent at a young age and know whether they are ready for first team football. Here I’m going to identify how well each player performed and whether it’s likely that they will have a role at Liverpool in the coming months and years.
Raheem Sterling
At the age of just 17, Raheem Sterling was given his first start under Brendan Rodgers in the Premier League against Manchester City ahead of internationals such as Downing and Henderson. He shone throughout the game and has received plenty of plaudits since. This season he managed 36 appearances (14 as a sub) and within these appearances he scored twice, both goals coming in the premier league. He even was given MOTM against Sunderland in 2012 for his assist in that game. As a result of such a glittering start to his Anfield career he was called up to the England squad twice (Sterling has already picked up 27 appearances for various England youth teams) and made his senior debut against Sweden in November. Although, in the second half of the season, he featured less due to the signings of Coutinho and Sturridge and an injury which kept him out for the last 6 matches, dribbling and composure from such a young player is impressive to see and bodes very well for his future at Liverpool.
Jesus Fernandez Saez (Suso)
A similar ‘flair’ player to Sterling, Suso was also given his opportunity to shine by Brendan Rodgers this season and took it well, first appearing against Young Boys in Switzerland and went on to make 19 more appearances as he continued to impress. 3 days after his debut he made his Premier League debut at the age of just 19 against Manchester United where he completed all his passes. Unfortunately, much like many other youth players, he was kept out of the starting XI because of Sturridge and Coutinho in the latter stages of the season. But, like Sterling, he has shown the quality and potential of a great player and I look forward to seeing him more and more in the coming seasons and I wish him well at his loan spell at Almeria.
Jonjo Shelvey
In the 2011/12 season Shelvey featured a lot more than expected under Kenny Dalglish with 16 appearances and he even scored two goals. But this season he played a much bigger role in Liverpool’s campaign as he played 33 matches and amassed 2 assists and 5 goals, 4 of them coming in the Europa league and a dramatic winner against West Ham (who cares if he didn’t touch the ball?). But his improved stats don’t paint the whole picture, he was sent off, wrongly in my opinion, against Manchester United in a 2-1 loss for a reckless challenge and each time I see him playing I wonder which Jonjo Shelvey will turn up, the one who produces delightful flicks in the Europa league or the one who gives the ball away with stray passes? Despite his inconsistencies he was given his first England cap against San Marino in an 8-0 win in March.
Andre Wisdom
At the age of 20 Andre Wisdom made his debut, like many other young players, against Young Boys of Bern in a 5-3 win in which he also scored his first senior goal for Liverpool, heading in from a corner. Immediately he looked solid and his strength looked similar to Jose Enrique. Playing as a full back, but sometimes in the centre of defence Wisdom shows why he was the Liverpool reserves skipper under Kenny Dalglish. But under Rodgers first team football called and he made his Premier league debut against Norwich early in the season. He made 20 appearances over the whole of the season with 2 assists to his name. With Carragher, Coates and perhaps Skrtel on the way out of Anfield, Wisdom might play a bigger role next season than he first anticipated. Liverpool fanswill just have to see if Brendan Rodgers is successful with his transfer targets, certainly Papodupolous looks a great buy.
Jordon Ibe
Even though Jordon Ibe only made his senior debut on the last game of the season I would like to include him in this piece to not only show why he is promising, but to show the abundance of talented young players Liverpool have within their ranks. During his only game so far, Ibe has shown a great turn of place and the ability to beat players and track back effectively. He even managed an assist for the only goal of the game, this and more at just 17 years old. Potential oozes off this player.
These five players aren’t the only ones who contributed to the cause this season; names like Jack Robinson, Jerome Sinclair and Conor Coady come to mind. But these are the players, in my opinion who have shown the most quality and have made the biggest impact. They have been the ones making me excited for their performances next season and I can’t wait to see them putting in performances in the first team next year to see how they’ve improved and grown.
Next I want to talk about two players who have been controversial because of their hefty price tags and somewhat lacklustre performances. However, I’m sure many of you will disagree with this, this campaign, definitely in the second half, they have shown vast improvements on their first season and may have earned themselves a place in the starting team because of some of their performances. I am, of course, talking about Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing. Here I’m going to compare their past season statistics with their present to hopefully show you why they’ve made me think again about labelling them as ‘useless’.
Jordan Henderson - £16 million
2011/2012 Stats:
Age: 21
Apps: 48 (7)
Goals: 2
Assists: 3
2012/2013 Stats:
Age: 22
Apps: 44 (14)
Goals: 6
Assists: 6
Stewart Downing - £20 million
2011/2012 Stats:
Age: 27
Apps 46 (10)
Goals: 2
Assists: 2
2012/2013 Stats:
Age: 28
Apps 45 (6)
Goals: 5
Assists: 9
Jordan Henderson
Some people forget how young Hendo is. He’s only 22. He lead the U21’s in the European Championship in Israel this summer and for me has been by far the most improved player this season. At the start of the season he looked nervous on the ball and gave the ball away too easily, but with the introduction of Coutinho and Sturridge he came much more alive, with his efforts culminating in a spectacular performance against Newcastle where he grabbed 2 goals and assisted another. More importantly, 95% of his passing found its target that day, showing how much he has matured in 9 months. His determination to succeed is great to see and hopefully he gets the opportunity to carry on endeavouring in the future because I think that he might surprise some fans after the summer break.
Stewart Downing
Infamous for his 0 goals and 0 assists in the Premier League last season, Downing started his road to redemption straight away by scoring Liverpool’s first senior goal of the season against Gomel in the 67th minute with a strike from 25 yards. He continued to impress me throughout the season and, like Henderson, produced an excellent performance against Newcastle providing 2 assists. He scored 3 goals in the Premier league with 5 assists, proving he doesn’t just perform against weaker teams. Downing had a hard time to start off with as well, being placed at left back by Brendan Rodgers as a warning to ‘up’ his performances (Similar was done to Henderson at the start of the season) and at one point he looked certain to move on in January. But by the end of the season Downing was starting in almost every match in his favoured wing position even with Sturridge and Coutinho in the team.
They have got a lot of stick over the past seasons but this year they have started to overhaul the doubters and they have begun to state their case for why they should be in the starting line up. Don’t get me wrong, they are far from giving a case for why they had such a heavy price tag in the first place and are not the sort of players Liverpool will be looking to sign in the summer, but they have impressed me with their reaction to their respectable miserable seasons and, in my opinion, don’t deserve some of the abuse they are inevitably going to receive.
In this episode I would like to address the improvements of certain individuals within the squad as well as how Rodgers has given opportunities to youth players who have shown that the future is bright for Liverpool.
Much like Kenny Dalglish, Rodgers has made youth players an important part of squad rotation, with the introduction of multiple young talents. All of them have impressed me; some more than others and the contribution of many of them has shown how well Rodgers can identify talent at a young age and know whether they are ready for first team football. Here I’m going to identify how well each player performed and whether it’s likely that they will have a role at Liverpool in the coming months and years.
Raheem Sterling
At the age of just 17, Raheem Sterling was given his first start under Brendan Rodgers in the Premier League against Manchester City ahead of internationals such as Downing and Henderson. He shone throughout the game and has received plenty of plaudits since. This season he managed 36 appearances (14 as a sub) and within these appearances he scored twice, both goals coming in the premier league. He even was given MOTM against Sunderland in 2012 for his assist in that game. As a result of such a glittering start to his Anfield career he was called up to the England squad twice (Sterling has already picked up 27 appearances for various England youth teams) and made his senior debut against Sweden in November. Although, in the second half of the season, he featured less due to the signings of Coutinho and Sturridge and an injury which kept him out for the last 6 matches, dribbling and composure from such a young player is impressive to see and bodes very well for his future at Liverpool.
Jesus Fernandez Saez (Suso)
A similar ‘flair’ player to Sterling, Suso was also given his opportunity to shine by Brendan Rodgers this season and took it well, first appearing against Young Boys in Switzerland and went on to make 19 more appearances as he continued to impress. 3 days after his debut he made his Premier League debut at the age of just 19 against Manchester United where he completed all his passes. Unfortunately, much like many other youth players, he was kept out of the starting XI because of Sturridge and Coutinho in the latter stages of the season. But, like Sterling, he has shown the quality and potential of a great player and I look forward to seeing him more and more in the coming seasons and I wish him well at his loan spell at Almeria.
Jonjo Shelvey
In the 2011/12 season Shelvey featured a lot more than expected under Kenny Dalglish with 16 appearances and he even scored two goals. But this season he played a much bigger role in Liverpool’s campaign as he played 33 matches and amassed 2 assists and 5 goals, 4 of them coming in the Europa league and a dramatic winner against West Ham (who cares if he didn’t touch the ball?). But his improved stats don’t paint the whole picture, he was sent off, wrongly in my opinion, against Manchester United in a 2-1 loss for a reckless challenge and each time I see him playing I wonder which Jonjo Shelvey will turn up, the one who produces delightful flicks in the Europa league or the one who gives the ball away with stray passes? Despite his inconsistencies he was given his first England cap against San Marino in an 8-0 win in March.
Andre Wisdom
At the age of 20 Andre Wisdom made his debut, like many other young players, against Young Boys of Bern in a 5-3 win in which he also scored his first senior goal for Liverpool, heading in from a corner. Immediately he looked solid and his strength looked similar to Jose Enrique. Playing as a full back, but sometimes in the centre of defence Wisdom shows why he was the Liverpool reserves skipper under Kenny Dalglish. But under Rodgers first team football called and he made his Premier league debut against Norwich early in the season. He made 20 appearances over the whole of the season with 2 assists to his name. With Carragher, Coates and perhaps Skrtel on the way out of Anfield, Wisdom might play a bigger role next season than he first anticipated. Liverpool fanswill just have to see if Brendan Rodgers is successful with his transfer targets, certainly Papodupolous looks a great buy.
Jordon Ibe
Even though Jordon Ibe only made his senior debut on the last game of the season I would like to include him in this piece to not only show why he is promising, but to show the abundance of talented young players Liverpool have within their ranks. During his only game so far, Ibe has shown a great turn of place and the ability to beat players and track back effectively. He even managed an assist for the only goal of the game, this and more at just 17 years old. Potential oozes off this player.
These five players aren’t the only ones who contributed to the cause this season; names like Jack Robinson, Jerome Sinclair and Conor Coady come to mind. But these are the players, in my opinion who have shown the most quality and have made the biggest impact. They have been the ones making me excited for their performances next season and I can’t wait to see them putting in performances in the first team next year to see how they’ve improved and grown.
Next I want to talk about two players who have been controversial because of their hefty price tags and somewhat lacklustre performances. However, I’m sure many of you will disagree with this, this campaign, definitely in the second half, they have shown vast improvements on their first season and may have earned themselves a place in the starting team because of some of their performances. I am, of course, talking about Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing. Here I’m going to compare their past season statistics with their present to hopefully show you why they’ve made me think again about labelling them as ‘useless’.
Jordan Henderson - £16 million
2011/2012 Stats:
Age: 21
Apps: 48 (7)
Goals: 2
Assists: 3
2012/2013 Stats:
Age: 22
Apps: 44 (14)
Goals: 6
Assists: 6
Stewart Downing - £20 million
2011/2012 Stats:
Age: 27
Apps 46 (10)
Goals: 2
Assists: 2
2012/2013 Stats:
Age: 28
Apps 45 (6)
Goals: 5
Assists: 9
Jordan Henderson
Some people forget how young Hendo is. He’s only 22. He lead the U21’s in the European Championship in Israel this summer and for me has been by far the most improved player this season. At the start of the season he looked nervous on the ball and gave the ball away too easily, but with the introduction of Coutinho and Sturridge he came much more alive, with his efforts culminating in a spectacular performance against Newcastle where he grabbed 2 goals and assisted another. More importantly, 95% of his passing found its target that day, showing how much he has matured in 9 months. His determination to succeed is great to see and hopefully he gets the opportunity to carry on endeavouring in the future because I think that he might surprise some fans after the summer break.
Stewart Downing
Infamous for his 0 goals and 0 assists in the Premier League last season, Downing started his road to redemption straight away by scoring Liverpool’s first senior goal of the season against Gomel in the 67th minute with a strike from 25 yards. He continued to impress me throughout the season and, like Henderson, produced an excellent performance against Newcastle providing 2 assists. He scored 3 goals in the Premier league with 5 assists, proving he doesn’t just perform against weaker teams. Downing had a hard time to start off with as well, being placed at left back by Brendan Rodgers as a warning to ‘up’ his performances (Similar was done to Henderson at the start of the season) and at one point he looked certain to move on in January. But by the end of the season Downing was starting in almost every match in his favoured wing position even with Sturridge and Coutinho in the team.
They have got a lot of stick over the past seasons but this year they have started to overhaul the doubters and they have begun to state their case for why they should be in the starting line up. Don’t get me wrong, they are far from giving a case for why they had such a heavy price tag in the first place and are not the sort of players Liverpool will be looking to sign in the summer, but they have impressed me with their reaction to their respectable miserable seasons and, in my opinion, don’t deserve some of the abuse they are inevitably going to receive.
Matches
In this episode I would like to analyse the actual performances from Liverpool throughout the whole season and identify areas Liverpool will need to improve. I have also included a stats and ‘Goal of the Season’ section as an added bonus.
There is no denying that in the second half of the season Liverpool were a completely different team. Infact, at the half way stage of the season Liverpool were 12th, not only this but the red men were in the bottom half of the season for the first 17 games and were in the top half of the season for the whole of the last 17 games. Such a turnaround can only be credited to the remarkable signings Brendan Rodgers made in January. But 17 consecutive games below 10th is unheard of for a team of Liverpool’s high expectations. Yes, it’s true that you don’t win the league in September, but by that time Liverpool had dropped 13 points, were in 14th position and their hopes of winning the league had more or less vanished. So why was our start so appalling? Here are a couple of possible reasons:
Summer Signings
I’ve already talked about this previously in my Liverpool Season Review so I’ll just briefly address this once more. It is definitely fair to say that the players such as Allen, Borini and Assaidi did not make a significant impact to Liverpool’s start. Whereas in other teams, (Carzola at Arsenal, Michu at Swansea etc.) their players boosted their respective clubs at the start of the season. So already Liverpool were at a disadvantage compared to others due to the lacklustre signings they made. But this effect also worked in Liverpool’s favour in January, when they did considerably better than any other club in the transfer market and this can also explain the change in form for the team.
Young Squad
Although yes, the introduction of so many youth players at the start of the season has allowed us to see their progress and judge their potential, but ultimately it might have cost the reds European football. Youth players such as Sterling, Suso and Shelvey have really surprised a number of Liverpool fans but in the second half of the season they were eclipsed by Sturridge and Coutinho so much that they barely got any game time. This lack of experience against some of the better teams in the league probably caused a ton of dropped points in the early hours of the campaign. Youth players should be given their chances against weaker teams not against the top dogs of the Premier league. I’m not saying this was the fault of Rodgers for picking an inexperienced team, but that it’s because of the lack of squad depth. If you look at our bench for each match you can see how shallow and inexperienced our squad is, this amplifies any injury or ban very severely. This has to be something Rodgers will be looking to continue rectify in the summer.
Key Matches
Here I would like to talk about the specific matches and key moments that defined and moulded Liverpool’s success/failures in the Barclays Premier league. But first I will give my views on their performances in the various domestic competitions and of course in Europe.
League Cup
The League Cup got under way with a deserved win against West Brom, as Liverpool ruthlessly exacted revenge for the disappointing 3-0 defeat a month earlier. But fan’s hopes for a Capital One Cup defence were cut short in the next round by the eventual winners, Swansea. This was my first of two trips to Anfield this season and I was bitterly disappointed by what I saw. The ease at which Liverpool crumbled was shocking and my only consolation to take away from the night was the experience, atmosphere and a Luis Suarez header.
FA Cup
I was even more disappointed at our shameful FA cup campaign however. Even though West Brom and Swansea were replaced by a Blue Square Premier and a League One side the outcome was still the same. In the first game Liverpool should have seen the early warning signs to buck up our attitude and take each game as serious as a League match. Liverpool only just managed to scrape through with a helping hand from substitute Luis Suarez. Against Oldham must have been the low light of the season. Our team wasn’t a sea of youngsters either. Suarez, Sturridge and Gerrard all played. In the end, I believe Liverpool underestimated them, and they wanted it more. It’s hard to play against a side that are fighting for every ball like their lives depended on it. It’s even harder when there is so much pressure on your shoulders because the whole world expects you to win it. Liverpool choked, simple as that.
Europa League
The Europa League was a mixed bag to be honest. It provided some great matches (The second leg against Zenit particularly) and gave opportunities for some youngsters to get some game time. But I can’t help thinking our season as a whole would have been more successful without it. Liverpool breezed past qualification to the group stages apart from a nervy night at Anfield against Heart of Midlothian where Suarez rescued the reds from an embarrassing upset with a superb goal from an incredibly tight angle. Coming top of our group was expected but this challenge did cause some considerable trouble as well. From the first 5 group matches Liverpool only managed two wins against respectable underdogs. This included surprising losses at home against Udinese and away at Anzhi Makhachkala. It rested on Liverpool’s final match and winning was the only way to guarantee safe passage through to the knockout stages. Henderson’s first goal in Europe beat the Italians but not before Di Natale fired a jackhammer of a shot just over the bar which would have dumped Liverpool out of the competition due to Young Boy’s winning in Switzerland. Liverpool’s journey would go no further than the round of 32 as they came up against more Russian opposition in Zenit St Petersburg. The away leg couldn’t have gone much worse with Zenit triumphing by a 2 goal margin. Liverpool also failed to score to give themselves an away goal which would prove to be crucial to Zenit’s survival. In the home leg a thrilling European night was set up when Carragher’s mistake sent Hulk away to score at the Kop end. Liverpool would now have to score 4 goals to proceed. Challenge accepted. By half time Liverpool had clawed 2 goals back courtesy of a rare Joe Allen goal and a classic Luis Suarez freekick. 15 minutes after half time Luis Suarez gave us something something special: A curling freekick that earns itself a nomination in my ‘Goal of the season’ award. I was lucky enough to witness it first hand and the way the stadium erupted will stay with me forever. Everyone thought the team were going to find that 4th goal which would complete a famous comeback as any to grace the pitch in L4. Unfortunately this 4th goal eluded the red men despite efforts from Gerrard and a 3rd Suarez freekick. A disappointing end to a great night but looking over the competition as a whole it was little more than they deserved. Poor defending and a lack of clinical finishing punished us in games against sides that Liverpool should have beaten. Next season though I think fans shall see the difference in performances in the league improve due to the rest on Thursday nights.
Premier League
Immediately new season optimism was killed in the first 5 matches where Liverpool failed to win and lost 3 times including a shameful 3-0 defeat at West Brom. The 5-2 win at Norwich saved many Liverpool fans from a nervous breakdown. This victory started a hollow 8 match unbeaten run. I say hollow because Liverpool only won 3 times in this period with 2 of the wins coming against now relegated teams (Wigan and Reading). The next part of the season really showed inconsistency with 10 games that took the pattern of: an emphatic win followed by an abysmal loss followed by a fantastic victory and then a disgraceful defeat et cetera, et cetera. Things brightened up after January with just 2 setbacks (3-1 against Southampton and 0-2 against West Brom at Anfield). This impressive turn of form gave a +16 goal difference and 26 points until the end of the season. If we compare this to the first 14 games (0 GD and 16 points) we can see the dramatic change in results between the first and second half of the season and this shows vast improvement. They are currently on an 8 match unbeaten streak (not including pre-season results). This begs the question: Can Liverpool carry this form through to next season and challenge for 4th place? This all depends on how Brendan Rodgers strengthens and improves his squad. Squad depth is imperative.
Statistics
Liverpool had the biggest away win of any team last season: 6-0 Newcastle
Second highest top scorer: Suarez 23 goals (Van Persie 26)
Joint highest amount of hat-tricks in the league: Suarez 2, Sturridge 1
Second highest amount of clean sheets of a goalkeeper: Reina 14 (Hart 18)
Joint highest amount of yellow cards for one player: Suarez 10
Liverpool won neither manager of the month nor player of the month for the whole season.
Liverpool had one person picked in TOTY: Suarez
Liverpool scored more away goals than any other club: 38
(They also broke their own personal away goals record in the Premier League)
They named 3 teenagers in their starting XI 6 times. No other team did this once.
Liverpool scored more BPL goals since the start of January than any other club: 39
Liverpool dropped 13 points in their first five matches (GD -6)
Liverpool dropped 4 points in their last five matches (GD +9)
Went on two 8 match unbeaten streaks between 23/9/12 – 28/11/12 and 16/03/13 – Now
Finished 12 points above 8th place but only 2 points off 6th place
McQuarrie’s Goal of the Season Award
We’ve had some beautiful goals this season but which one was the best? Here are a few possible winners of the highly coveted ‘McQuarrie’s goal of the season award’:
Steven Gerrard vs. Manchester City:
“Vintage Steven Gerrard!” A 30 yard classic from the skipper at the Etihad that brings the score to 2-1. The control from the clearance on his chest was the thing that set him up for a great right footed strike. But it was far more than great. We all know from years past how strong he can hit a ball. His right foot is like a thunderbolt. And he unleashed it in Manchester with a dipping shot that beat Hart to the corner of his net. You can call it fluky but Stevie G has shown he can do it again and again. His strike against Norwich in the same season shows his consistency.
Jordan Henderson vs. Norwich City:
For me Jordan Henderson is by far the most improved player of the season. He scored 6 goals all season and this was his first in the Premier League. And what a way to open his League account for the season! Suarez is doing what Suarez does best, wriggling out of tackles, when he is eventually stopped and it falls to Jordan Henderson who lets loose a stunning half volley that slams into the back of the net. Still a flop?
Jose Enrique vs. Swansea:
A simply magical goal conjured up by the wizards of Liverpool. The move involved 4 players (Suarez, Coutinho, Sturridge, and Enrique), 7 passes, 1 back heel and this all took place within a 25 yard radius from the corner flag. It was football at its finest. Clever footwork, world class touches and flicks everywhere to manoeuvre the ball in the tightest of spaces. One touch passing throughout not to mention the fantastic finish from Jose Enrique (of all people) to complete the best team goal of the season.
Glen Johnson vs. West Ham:
On a day when two ex-hammers put goals past their old clubs, Johnson opened the scoring with a goal out of the top drawer. Just ten minutes had past when Johnson went on one of his marauding trademark runs from the right side to the edge of the penalty area and unleashed an unstoppable strike that flashed straight into the top left corner of the net. I think his reaction was the best indication of the quality of his goal. He turned away, not looking to celebrate against his old team, but fans could see him trying to hold in a smile and, sure enough, just as Liverpool players engulfed him, he let go and released a grin stretching from ear-to-ear.
Daniel Sturridge vs. Chelsea:
A beautifully executed move that split apart one of the best defences in the league. As the commentary suggested, it was easy as 1, 2, 3. First of all Downing brought down a long ball with the perfect touch (increasing his transfer value by at least 300%) straight into the path of Suarez who pings an orgasmic dink pass right over the heads of helpless Chelsea defenders to meet ex-blue Daniel Sturridge who coolly slots home without mistake. First touch football. Bish, Bash, Bosh. 1-1. Game on.
Luis Suarez vs. Zenit St Petersburg:
Excerpt from my article ‘Does the Europa League really matter?’:
“You are at Anfield. You just conceded a crucial away goal that means a miracle must happen and Liverpool has to score: not just 1 or 2 or 3… but 4 goals. And you start thinking to yourself: ‘Typical Liverpool, getting you geared up for another ‘fantastic’ European night and then bang! They shoot themselves in the foot. Why are Liverpool in this lousy competition anyway? Oh yeah, that’s right. Liverpool won a different lousy competition last season just to qualify for an equally miserable tournament this year. All the Europa league is good for is making players tired for a weekend of premier league action and making stacks of money for UEFA and…’ And then suddenly you find yourself 2-1 ahead with Suarez lining up an inviting free kick just outside the box. He runs up. He hits the ball. GOAL! And instantly there are 43,026 reasons for the Europa league being great, jumping up and down and waving their scarves in the air like mad men.”
All of these were fantastic goals, but by a very close margin, my goal of the season for Liverpool has to be:
Luis Suarez vs. Newcastle:
In my eyes it was the best technical goal of the season. Better than Van Persie vs. Aston Villa or Lowton vs. Stoke. Yes, those goals were more spectacular but the sheer control and composure from Suarez makes it a better technical goal. First of all the pass from Enrique was inch perfect and the way Suarez held off Collocini while cushioning the ball was simply amazing. Then the touch around Krul was perfectly weighted so that it wasn’t overrun yet wasn’t too weak. Finally a touch of class as Suarez rolls the ball into the back of the net and catches it as he wheels round in celebration. Pure Genius!
Next Season
A mixed campaign with plenty of highs and lows was my general conclusion of last season, but now let’s look to the future and see what’s in store for Brendan’s men in his second season in charge.
The fixture list next season shows that Liverpool have a mild start to the season with some ‘winnable’ games to kick things off. I say ‘winnable’ in a loose fashion. If Liverpool can improve on our consistency next season then I believe that any match is ‘winnable’. When Liverpool were playing at the top of their game last season they destroyed teams. You only need to look as far as Swansea at home and Newcastle away to realise this. The transfers Rodgers make this summer are also of paramount importance. We’ve already seen the impact signings can make last season when Sturridge and Coutinho were brought in.
I’m happy with the business Liverpool have already made this summer. There are some exciting prospects in the shape of Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas. I see the Mignolet deal as a good way for the changing of the guard (Reina to Mignolet). There is still an element of the baton being changed hands relatively slowly as to settle Mignolet into the No. 1 spot as goalkeeper even if Reina has gone on loan to Rafa’s Napoli. I’m a fan of the Kolo Toure move as well. A very sensible and intelligent move by Rodgers. He’s still got a few years left in him and the experience of 429 senior games is priceless. And on a free? Very tidy business Mr Rodgers.
Carroll and Shelvey leaving seems a good decision initially. I suppose we’ll wait and see where they are in 5 years time. It’s not likely we’ll regret selling them. In terms of players to bring in, I think Liverpool needs a solid CB and an AM. Papa and Alderwield are good suitors for the defence and I would love to see Eriksen in a Liverpool shirt in September. Maybe a LB is also needed to cover Enrique.
Anyway, if Liverpool are consistent and Rodgers makes the right signings it’s very probable that the team could be playing Champions league football next year. However realistically my prediction is 5th-6th position. And finally I will end on a thought about Luis Suarez. Do I think he will be at Liverpool in September? No. Do I want him to be? Yes.
In this episode I would like to analyse the actual performances from Liverpool throughout the whole season and identify areas Liverpool will need to improve. I have also included a stats and ‘Goal of the Season’ section as an added bonus.
There is no denying that in the second half of the season Liverpool were a completely different team. Infact, at the half way stage of the season Liverpool were 12th, not only this but the red men were in the bottom half of the season for the first 17 games and were in the top half of the season for the whole of the last 17 games. Such a turnaround can only be credited to the remarkable signings Brendan Rodgers made in January. But 17 consecutive games below 10th is unheard of for a team of Liverpool’s high expectations. Yes, it’s true that you don’t win the league in September, but by that time Liverpool had dropped 13 points, were in 14th position and their hopes of winning the league had more or less vanished. So why was our start so appalling? Here are a couple of possible reasons:
Summer Signings
I’ve already talked about this previously in my Liverpool Season Review so I’ll just briefly address this once more. It is definitely fair to say that the players such as Allen, Borini and Assaidi did not make a significant impact to Liverpool’s start. Whereas in other teams, (Carzola at Arsenal, Michu at Swansea etc.) their players boosted their respective clubs at the start of the season. So already Liverpool were at a disadvantage compared to others due to the lacklustre signings they made. But this effect also worked in Liverpool’s favour in January, when they did considerably better than any other club in the transfer market and this can also explain the change in form for the team.
Young Squad
Although yes, the introduction of so many youth players at the start of the season has allowed us to see their progress and judge their potential, but ultimately it might have cost the reds European football. Youth players such as Sterling, Suso and Shelvey have really surprised a number of Liverpool fans but in the second half of the season they were eclipsed by Sturridge and Coutinho so much that they barely got any game time. This lack of experience against some of the better teams in the league probably caused a ton of dropped points in the early hours of the campaign. Youth players should be given their chances against weaker teams not against the top dogs of the Premier league. I’m not saying this was the fault of Rodgers for picking an inexperienced team, but that it’s because of the lack of squad depth. If you look at our bench for each match you can see how shallow and inexperienced our squad is, this amplifies any injury or ban very severely. This has to be something Rodgers will be looking to continue rectify in the summer.
Key Matches
Here I would like to talk about the specific matches and key moments that defined and moulded Liverpool’s success/failures in the Barclays Premier league. But first I will give my views on their performances in the various domestic competitions and of course in Europe.
League Cup
The League Cup got under way with a deserved win against West Brom, as Liverpool ruthlessly exacted revenge for the disappointing 3-0 defeat a month earlier. But fan’s hopes for a Capital One Cup defence were cut short in the next round by the eventual winners, Swansea. This was my first of two trips to Anfield this season and I was bitterly disappointed by what I saw. The ease at which Liverpool crumbled was shocking and my only consolation to take away from the night was the experience, atmosphere and a Luis Suarez header.
FA Cup
I was even more disappointed at our shameful FA cup campaign however. Even though West Brom and Swansea were replaced by a Blue Square Premier and a League One side the outcome was still the same. In the first game Liverpool should have seen the early warning signs to buck up our attitude and take each game as serious as a League match. Liverpool only just managed to scrape through with a helping hand from substitute Luis Suarez. Against Oldham must have been the low light of the season. Our team wasn’t a sea of youngsters either. Suarez, Sturridge and Gerrard all played. In the end, I believe Liverpool underestimated them, and they wanted it more. It’s hard to play against a side that are fighting for every ball like their lives depended on it. It’s even harder when there is so much pressure on your shoulders because the whole world expects you to win it. Liverpool choked, simple as that.
Europa League
The Europa League was a mixed bag to be honest. It provided some great matches (The second leg against Zenit particularly) and gave opportunities for some youngsters to get some game time. But I can’t help thinking our season as a whole would have been more successful without it. Liverpool breezed past qualification to the group stages apart from a nervy night at Anfield against Heart of Midlothian where Suarez rescued the reds from an embarrassing upset with a superb goal from an incredibly tight angle. Coming top of our group was expected but this challenge did cause some considerable trouble as well. From the first 5 group matches Liverpool only managed two wins against respectable underdogs. This included surprising losses at home against Udinese and away at Anzhi Makhachkala. It rested on Liverpool’s final match and winning was the only way to guarantee safe passage through to the knockout stages. Henderson’s first goal in Europe beat the Italians but not before Di Natale fired a jackhammer of a shot just over the bar which would have dumped Liverpool out of the competition due to Young Boy’s winning in Switzerland. Liverpool’s journey would go no further than the round of 32 as they came up against more Russian opposition in Zenit St Petersburg. The away leg couldn’t have gone much worse with Zenit triumphing by a 2 goal margin. Liverpool also failed to score to give themselves an away goal which would prove to be crucial to Zenit’s survival. In the home leg a thrilling European night was set up when Carragher’s mistake sent Hulk away to score at the Kop end. Liverpool would now have to score 4 goals to proceed. Challenge accepted. By half time Liverpool had clawed 2 goals back courtesy of a rare Joe Allen goal and a classic Luis Suarez freekick. 15 minutes after half time Luis Suarez gave us something something special: A curling freekick that earns itself a nomination in my ‘Goal of the season’ award. I was lucky enough to witness it first hand and the way the stadium erupted will stay with me forever. Everyone thought the team were going to find that 4th goal which would complete a famous comeback as any to grace the pitch in L4. Unfortunately this 4th goal eluded the red men despite efforts from Gerrard and a 3rd Suarez freekick. A disappointing end to a great night but looking over the competition as a whole it was little more than they deserved. Poor defending and a lack of clinical finishing punished us in games against sides that Liverpool should have beaten. Next season though I think fans shall see the difference in performances in the league improve due to the rest on Thursday nights.
Premier League
Immediately new season optimism was killed in the first 5 matches where Liverpool failed to win and lost 3 times including a shameful 3-0 defeat at West Brom. The 5-2 win at Norwich saved many Liverpool fans from a nervous breakdown. This victory started a hollow 8 match unbeaten run. I say hollow because Liverpool only won 3 times in this period with 2 of the wins coming against now relegated teams (Wigan and Reading). The next part of the season really showed inconsistency with 10 games that took the pattern of: an emphatic win followed by an abysmal loss followed by a fantastic victory and then a disgraceful defeat et cetera, et cetera. Things brightened up after January with just 2 setbacks (3-1 against Southampton and 0-2 against West Brom at Anfield). This impressive turn of form gave a +16 goal difference and 26 points until the end of the season. If we compare this to the first 14 games (0 GD and 16 points) we can see the dramatic change in results between the first and second half of the season and this shows vast improvement. They are currently on an 8 match unbeaten streak (not including pre-season results). This begs the question: Can Liverpool carry this form through to next season and challenge for 4th place? This all depends on how Brendan Rodgers strengthens and improves his squad. Squad depth is imperative.
Statistics
Liverpool had the biggest away win of any team last season: 6-0 Newcastle
Second highest top scorer: Suarez 23 goals (Van Persie 26)
Joint highest amount of hat-tricks in the league: Suarez 2, Sturridge 1
Second highest amount of clean sheets of a goalkeeper: Reina 14 (Hart 18)
Joint highest amount of yellow cards for one player: Suarez 10
Liverpool won neither manager of the month nor player of the month for the whole season.
Liverpool had one person picked in TOTY: Suarez
Liverpool scored more away goals than any other club: 38
(They also broke their own personal away goals record in the Premier League)
They named 3 teenagers in their starting XI 6 times. No other team did this once.
Liverpool scored more BPL goals since the start of January than any other club: 39
Liverpool dropped 13 points in their first five matches (GD -6)
Liverpool dropped 4 points in their last five matches (GD +9)
Went on two 8 match unbeaten streaks between 23/9/12 – 28/11/12 and 16/03/13 – Now
Finished 12 points above 8th place but only 2 points off 6th place
McQuarrie’s Goal of the Season Award
We’ve had some beautiful goals this season but which one was the best? Here are a few possible winners of the highly coveted ‘McQuarrie’s goal of the season award’:
Steven Gerrard vs. Manchester City:
“Vintage Steven Gerrard!” A 30 yard classic from the skipper at the Etihad that brings the score to 2-1. The control from the clearance on his chest was the thing that set him up for a great right footed strike. But it was far more than great. We all know from years past how strong he can hit a ball. His right foot is like a thunderbolt. And he unleashed it in Manchester with a dipping shot that beat Hart to the corner of his net. You can call it fluky but Stevie G has shown he can do it again and again. His strike against Norwich in the same season shows his consistency.
Jordan Henderson vs. Norwich City:
For me Jordan Henderson is by far the most improved player of the season. He scored 6 goals all season and this was his first in the Premier League. And what a way to open his League account for the season! Suarez is doing what Suarez does best, wriggling out of tackles, when he is eventually stopped and it falls to Jordan Henderson who lets loose a stunning half volley that slams into the back of the net. Still a flop?
Jose Enrique vs. Swansea:
A simply magical goal conjured up by the wizards of Liverpool. The move involved 4 players (Suarez, Coutinho, Sturridge, and Enrique), 7 passes, 1 back heel and this all took place within a 25 yard radius from the corner flag. It was football at its finest. Clever footwork, world class touches and flicks everywhere to manoeuvre the ball in the tightest of spaces. One touch passing throughout not to mention the fantastic finish from Jose Enrique (of all people) to complete the best team goal of the season.
Glen Johnson vs. West Ham:
On a day when two ex-hammers put goals past their old clubs, Johnson opened the scoring with a goal out of the top drawer. Just ten minutes had past when Johnson went on one of his marauding trademark runs from the right side to the edge of the penalty area and unleashed an unstoppable strike that flashed straight into the top left corner of the net. I think his reaction was the best indication of the quality of his goal. He turned away, not looking to celebrate against his old team, but fans could see him trying to hold in a smile and, sure enough, just as Liverpool players engulfed him, he let go and released a grin stretching from ear-to-ear.
Daniel Sturridge vs. Chelsea:
A beautifully executed move that split apart one of the best defences in the league. As the commentary suggested, it was easy as 1, 2, 3. First of all Downing brought down a long ball with the perfect touch (increasing his transfer value by at least 300%) straight into the path of Suarez who pings an orgasmic dink pass right over the heads of helpless Chelsea defenders to meet ex-blue Daniel Sturridge who coolly slots home without mistake. First touch football. Bish, Bash, Bosh. 1-1. Game on.
Luis Suarez vs. Zenit St Petersburg:
Excerpt from my article ‘Does the Europa League really matter?’:
“You are at Anfield. You just conceded a crucial away goal that means a miracle must happen and Liverpool has to score: not just 1 or 2 or 3… but 4 goals. And you start thinking to yourself: ‘Typical Liverpool, getting you geared up for another ‘fantastic’ European night and then bang! They shoot themselves in the foot. Why are Liverpool in this lousy competition anyway? Oh yeah, that’s right. Liverpool won a different lousy competition last season just to qualify for an equally miserable tournament this year. All the Europa league is good for is making players tired for a weekend of premier league action and making stacks of money for UEFA and…’ And then suddenly you find yourself 2-1 ahead with Suarez lining up an inviting free kick just outside the box. He runs up. He hits the ball. GOAL! And instantly there are 43,026 reasons for the Europa league being great, jumping up and down and waving their scarves in the air like mad men.”
All of these were fantastic goals, but by a very close margin, my goal of the season for Liverpool has to be:
Luis Suarez vs. Newcastle:
In my eyes it was the best technical goal of the season. Better than Van Persie vs. Aston Villa or Lowton vs. Stoke. Yes, those goals were more spectacular but the sheer control and composure from Suarez makes it a better technical goal. First of all the pass from Enrique was inch perfect and the way Suarez held off Collocini while cushioning the ball was simply amazing. Then the touch around Krul was perfectly weighted so that it wasn’t overrun yet wasn’t too weak. Finally a touch of class as Suarez rolls the ball into the back of the net and catches it as he wheels round in celebration. Pure Genius!
Next Season
A mixed campaign with plenty of highs and lows was my general conclusion of last season, but now let’s look to the future and see what’s in store for Brendan’s men in his second season in charge.
The fixture list next season shows that Liverpool have a mild start to the season with some ‘winnable’ games to kick things off. I say ‘winnable’ in a loose fashion. If Liverpool can improve on our consistency next season then I believe that any match is ‘winnable’. When Liverpool were playing at the top of their game last season they destroyed teams. You only need to look as far as Swansea at home and Newcastle away to realise this. The transfers Rodgers make this summer are also of paramount importance. We’ve already seen the impact signings can make last season when Sturridge and Coutinho were brought in.
I’m happy with the business Liverpool have already made this summer. There are some exciting prospects in the shape of Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas. I see the Mignolet deal as a good way for the changing of the guard (Reina to Mignolet). There is still an element of the baton being changed hands relatively slowly as to settle Mignolet into the No. 1 spot as goalkeeper even if Reina has gone on loan to Rafa’s Napoli. I’m a fan of the Kolo Toure move as well. A very sensible and intelligent move by Rodgers. He’s still got a few years left in him and the experience of 429 senior games is priceless. And on a free? Very tidy business Mr Rodgers.
Carroll and Shelvey leaving seems a good decision initially. I suppose we’ll wait and see where they are in 5 years time. It’s not likely we’ll regret selling them. In terms of players to bring in, I think Liverpool needs a solid CB and an AM. Papa and Alderwield are good suitors for the defence and I would love to see Eriksen in a Liverpool shirt in September. Maybe a LB is also needed to cover Enrique.
Anyway, if Liverpool are consistent and Rodgers makes the right signings it’s very probable that the team could be playing Champions league football next year. However realistically my prediction is 5th-6th position. And finally I will end on a thought about Luis Suarez. Do I think he will be at Liverpool in September? No. Do I want him to be? Yes.