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Liverpool, Others

Liverpool’s Top 10 Best Central Defenders of All Time

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On Saturday September 21, 2013, Liverpool hosted Southampton with a notable curiosity in their starting XI: Out of the four defenders in red at Anfield, all four of them were center-backs.

Kolo Toure was deployed on the right flank over Andre Wisdom in the absence of Glen Johnson, while Mamadou Sakho, also a specialist central defender, was asked to play on the right given that Jose Enrique had picked up a slight injury.

So with Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger, Toure, Sakho, Wisdom, Martin Kelly, Tiago Ilori and Sebastian Coates—eight senior central defenders—currently on Liverpool’s books, let’s look back at the great central defenders in the Reds’ illustrious history.

Here are Liverpool’s top 10 best central defenders of all time. Enjoy, and let us know your picks in the comments below.

 

10. Alex Raisbeck

The first name on our list is probably a name that even the most ardent Liverpool fan might not recognize.

That’s because Alex Raisbeck made his debut for the Reds in September 1898 and was considered the club’s first star player. Signed for a hefty £350 from Stoke City, he led his new side to their first League Championship while also winning successive Second and First Division titles in 1905 and 1906.

He was noted for his speed and skill in the center of defence, and after returning to Scotland following his spell at Anfield, he returned to Liverpool as a scout.

 

9. Gary Gillespie

After arriving from Coventry City for £325,000, Gary Gillespie initially took his time to bed into the squad, given the outstanding form of the Mark Lawrenson-Alan Hansen partnership.

Eventually, though, after three years, he became a mainstay in the Reds first team and became the first-choice partner for Hansen.

A winner of many trophies during his time at Anfield, Gillespie also scored a notable hat trick in a home match against Birmingham City in 1986.

 

8. Mark Lawrenson

Gillespie’s predecessor in the heart of the Liverpool defence was Mark Lawrenson, a Republic of Ireland international who was the strength to Alan Hansen’s beauty.

Starting out as a left-back, Lawrenson was known for his tackling, strength and speed, making him a very versatile defensive player in a title-winning Liverpool squad.

Lawrenson ended his Reds career with five league titles, and is now more recognizable as a football pundit on the BBC.

 

7. Phil Thompson

And Mark Lawrenson’s own predecessor, alongside Alan Hansen (more on him to come) was Red, Phil Thompson, who joined the club as a youngster and made his debut aged 18 in 1972.

Thompson delivered the league title, European Cup, UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup during his time at Liverpool, and was the natural heir to the captain’s armband after then-skipper, Emlyn Hughes, left for the Wolverhampton Wanderers.

After retiring as a player, Thompson returned to Anfield as a coach in Kenny Dalglish’s backroom staff, and also later served as assistant manager and caretaker coach during Gerard Houllier’s reign.

 

6. Emlyn Hughes

Emlyn “Crazy Horse” Hughes, Phil Thompson’s central defensive partner when the latter came into the team, happened to be the captain who lifted Liverpool’s first two European Cups.

Hughes was an integral part of the successful Liverpool teams in the 1970s, brought to the club by Bill Shankly and becoming an inspirational and popular captain under Bob Paisley.

Besides his strength and tackling, Hughes was also known for his skill and technique, and Shankly duly changed Liverpool’s playing style with Hughes and Thompson marshaling the defence: They would now build from the back, which would remain the Reds’ blueprint to this very day.

 

5. Jamie Carragher

When it comes to records, Jamie Carragher is second only to Ian Callaghan, having made 737 appearances in a Red shirt over the years and serving as vice-captain at Anfield for 10 years.

Carragher, a boyhood Everton supporter, made his debut in 1996 and was initially known as a versatile defensive utility man before Rafael Benitez saw his potential as a center-back and moved him inside with great success.

After winning a multitude of trophies, including two FA Cups, a Champions League and a UEFA Cup, Carragher retired in the summer of 2013, legendary status intact, to become a respected television pundit.

 

4. Tommy Smith

“Tommy Smith wasn’t born; he was quarried.” So said Bill Shankly of the Anfield Iron, who was every bit the hard man his name suggested he was.

Smith was a survivor of the first Shankly team, and soon resumed his role as one-half of a formidable defensive partnership with Emlyn Hughes to form a backline in an all-conquering team featuring the likes of Steve Heighway, John Toshack and Kevin Keegan.

He lost the Liverpool captaincy to Emlyn Hughes, with whom he had a difficult relationship despite being such a successful partnership, and in his later years scored the second goal in the 1977 European Cup final, bringing home the Reds’ second triumph in the competition.

 

3. Ron Yeats

Such was the impact and importance of Ron Yeats that legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly later referred to the big Scot as the turning point of the club’s fortunes and the “beginning of Liverpool.”

Arriving from Dundee United, Yeats joined a club that was still in the Second Division. But at the end of his first season, he had led the team back into the First Division and on to greater successes both in England and in Europe.

Known for his formidable size, Yeats was the perfect complement to Tommy Smith in the heart of the Liverpool defence, an inspirational captain and according to Reds goal-scoring legend Roger Hunt, “the best center-half I have ever seen.” Some tribute for some defender.

 

2. Sami Hyypia

Think of the finest ever Premier League center-backs and foreign arrivals, and the finest ever Liverpool defenders, and you’d be hard pressed not to include Sami Hyypia, who wore his No. 4 shirt and served as captain with distinction.

In 10 seasons at Anfield, Hyypia, who cost a bargain-basement £2.6 million, proved an inspirational signing and leader of men, sharing the stand-in captaincy with Robbie Fowler as he delivered the 2001 treble under Gerard Houllier.

While he eventually passed the captain’s armband to a certain Steven Gerrard, Hyypia’s no-nonsense, yet graceful style of play, and the uncanny timing of his headers led to many a memorable moment for the big Finn, who is now making his name as a bright young manager at German club, Bayer Leverkusen.

 

1. Alan Hansen

Eight league titles and three European Cups across three decades as a mainstay in the Liverpool defence, under Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish. Thus stands the record of legendary defender, Alan Hansen.

Cool, calm and collected, Hansen was an important presence in the Reds defence, and his longevity at Anfield was testament to his impressive ability to read the game and shackle an opposition attack. But we’ll let Paisley have the final word on the greatest central defender to ever play for Liverpool:

“Alan Hansen is the defender with the pedigree of an international striker. He is quite simply the most skillful center-half I have ever seen in the British game…I can’t think more than a couple of players who could beat him over 100 meters. He has both the ability and the patience to launch attacks from deep positions.” Bob Paisley on Alan Hansen

 

This article first appeared on Bleacher Report, where I contribute regularly on Liverpool and other Premier League-related matters.

Liverpool, Others

What Brendan Rodgers Must Do Before the Start of the Season

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A week from this Saturday, the 2012-2013 EPL season kicks off—which means that all 20 Premier League clubs only have a week and a half to prepare for their first fixtures.

But Liverpool’s pre-EPL season preparations are by no means over yet.

Here are seven things Brendan Rodgers must do before he takes his Liverpool team to the Hawthorns next Saturday.

1. Go Through to the Next Round of the Europa League

First things first: Liverpool, after a year of complete absence from Europe, are back in the Europa League.

If they take care of business at Anfield against Belarus’ FC Gomel.

No matter how obscure their opponents this Thursday may be, Liverpool only hold a one-goal advantage, and any slip-up could be costly.

Liverpool and European football go together.

While the target for the season is to secure a top-four finish and return to the Champions League next season, they will need to ensure that they aren’t out of Europe this season before a Premier League ball is even kicked in anger.

2. Complete Deals for Joe Allen, Gaston Ramirez

Now onto transfer business.

Supposedly linked with substantial Liverpool bids are Swansea’s Joe Allen (The Independent) and Bologna’s Gaston Ramirez (The Standard); both midfielders would add quality to Rodgers’ midfield.

For a side that requires a metronomic playmaker in the midfield to keep the ball moving alongside a more defensive-minded partner (Lucas Leiva), Allen makes sense as an acquisition to bring more creativity and stability in the midfield, and he would also release Steven Gerrard to play in a more advanced position.

Ramirez would add speed and skill to the wings, which should be a key emphasis in Rodgers’ 4-3-3 formation. With few out-and-out wingers in the squad, Rodgers would do well to address this area by bringing in Ramirez.

The Liverpool squad would look much more complete if these two players are finally brought in—and it would do the squad a world of good if their transfers were secured before the Premier League starts for real.

3. Sign Daniel Agger on a New Contract

Besides bringing in some additional quality players, Rodgers will also need to keep hold of his star players.

Daniel Agger has been strongly linked with a big-money move to Manchester City (The Guardian), whose place at the top of English football, regular Champions League action and riches on offer will certainly be enticing.

Agger is one of the best defenders in England, ball-playing or not, and his passing quality and attacking instincts make him a perfect fit for Rodgers’ system.

To sanction such a move would not only be a PR disaster in Rodgers’ case—branding Liverpool as a selling club—but also a huge blow to Liverpool’s preparations for the Premier League.

4. Resolve Midfield Issues

Moving on to the midfield, where, regardless of whether Rodgers does bring in Joe Allen and Gaston Ramirez, there are still issues that must be resolved.

The first is obviously that of finding a regular partner for Lucas.

Steven Gerrard proved in the European Championships earlier this summer that he is capable of putting in a world-class shift in the center of midfield, but he has without doubt made a much bigger impact in a more advanced role over the years in a Red shirt.

With the departure of Alberto Aquilani, who on paper seemed a good fit in Rodgers’ possession-based system, someone needs to come in and fill that role.

Which then raises the issue of Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson and Jay Spearing.

All three have their attributes—and Henderson seems to have the most potential out of the trio—but at the moment, Rodgers needs to sort out their exact roles in the Liverpool midfield, especially if he will only go with a midfield three.

And that’s not including the futures and roles of Joe Cole and Stewart Downing.

5. Find a Way to Incorporate Andy Carroll into the Side

Rodgers faces some headaches up front, too.

The most notable of which is a £35 million powerhouse headache wearing the No. 9 shirt.

Now that it’s clear that Andy Carroll is vehemently refusing a move away from Anfield (ESPNSoccernet), Rodgers will need to either find a club who will prove enticing enough (Newcastle), or accept that Carroll will be in his squad for at least the coming six months.

Which means that Rodgers will need to find a way to incorporate Andy Carroll into his side.

This after signing Fabio Borini, who seems certain to be Rodgers’ first-choice striker this term.

Find the right mix, though, and he might just be surprised what Carroll can bring to the team.

6. Sort out Player Loans

And after Rodgers sorts out his personnel situation, he will need to go one further and decide which ones to farm out on loan.

The likes of Raheem Sterling, Suso and Jonjo Shelvey all performed well in Liverpool’s preseason games and will likely get further chances to impress in their final friendly against Leverkusen this weekend, but only Rodgers will know how close to regular first-team action they might be.

The recent introduction of the U21 Premier League is a great reason to keep them on for regular action for the Liverpool reserves if they sit out their senior-team games, but conversely, a loan spell might do their Liverpool careers a world of good.

Of course, Rodgers will also pay close attention to the loan market to bring in players who might be made available.

7. Make Sure Luis Suarez Really Does Move on from the Evra Incident

The breaking news this Tuesday was that Luis Suarez signed a new contract with Liverpool (BBC Sport).

The on-field implications of this are all positive: There is no need to go on about the kind of explosive and unpredictable creative play that he brings to the Liverpool attack.

But equally, Suarez brings explosive and unpredictable liabilities off the field, which the Liverpool hierarchy will want to limit drastically.

Only a few weeks ago, Suarez seemed to reignite his race row with Patrice Evra last season—a move that Rodgers was quick to address in the media.

Rodgers suggested publicly that it was in the best interests for all parties concerned that Suarez “move on” from the controversy (The Guardian).

He will want to make sure he does move on and make all the headlines on the pitch, for all the right reasons.

Conclusion

So far, Brendan Rodgers has made a very good impression on Liverpool fans by saying all the right things.

But he will know as clearly as anyone that the ultimate judgment will be his results on the pitch.

To ensure that he gets off to a good start, he still has a lot of work to do this summer—all of which should ideally be done before the Premier League kicks off once again.

 

Original article from Bleacher Report

Liverpool, Others

On Andy Carroll’s Possible Loan Departure

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Since Brendan Rodgers arrived at Anfield, he’s done almost everything right.

Recognize the history of the club, conduct sensible and well-spoken press conferences, appeal to the players and fans.

Almost everything.

Amidst rumors linking Liverpool’s record signing Andy Carroll with a loan move away from Anfield, Brendan Rodgers has also failed to confirm his No. 9’s future at the club.

As West Ham confirm their interest in taking Carroll on loan for the season (via ESPNSoccernet), here are six reasons Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers would be absurd to let Andy Carroll leave on loan—and feel free to have your say below.

1. He’s on a High

The first reason is almost blindingly obvious: Andy Carroll is in a good run of form.

He ended the English Premier League season with a consistent run in the Liverpool first team, and turned in improving performances as the spearhead of Kenny Dalglish’s attack.

His domination over John Terry and Co. in two matches against Chelsea will serve as stark reminders of the aerial ability he brings to the table.

This form was replicated with a few more encouraging displays with Roy Hodgson’s England in this summer’s European Championships, and his goal against Sweden was a classic England center forward’s header.

With a new manager coming in and Carroll’s personal desire to prove himself as a Liverpool player, Liverpool should see an ambitious young striker return to training in a few weeks’ time.

2. Fan Backlash

Because of this encouraging upturn in form for both club and country, Carroll’s place in the hearts of Liverpool fans has risen considerably.

For a fanbase still smarting from Fernando Torres’ exit a year and a half ago, and for a club still looking for a fearsome striker, Carroll represents, to some extent, a possible striking hero in the making.

The potential to see Steven Gerrard start alongside Carroll and Luis Suarez will also be one that fans are looking forward to.

To strip this hope away before a ball is even kicked doesn’t seem too sensible.

Brendan Rodgers will do well to take note that the Kop’s say in the proceedings is usually quite large.

3. Who’s the Replacement?

Liverpool’s well-known Achilles’ heel from the 2011-2012 season was their inability to finish their chances.

In a fluid passing system with a striker capable of scoring and setting up chances aplenty for his teammates, Carroll might offer a clear solution to the Reds’ conundrums.

And if he leaves?

Luis Suarez, while a world-class creative forward on his day, doesn’t finish like a predatory striker can.

And the likes of Clint Dempsey and Fabio Borini—who have been linked with moves to Anfield in recent weeks (via the Daily Mirror and BBC Sport)—while they possess encouraging goal-scoring records, are not one-stop solutions to Liverpool’s goal worries.

4. Every Good Team Needs a Plan B

In Rodgers’ ideal 4-3-3 formation, Liverpool would field players capable of ball retention, control and movement on the pitch to dominate possession of the ball.

The idea is that, just like Swansea last season and aspiring to Spain this summer, there is no need to field a physical striker when technique and passing is all that is needed to win.

All of which sounds well and good, but this is a Liverpool that needs time for Rodgers’ tactics and ideas to work across the board.

When the pundits called for the addition (from the start or from the bench) of a striker and wingers to Spain’s 4-6-0 formation in the Euros, they had “Plan B” in their minds.

If all-conquering Spain, with their footballing philosophy permeating through their national setup, need a Plan B, Liverpool would most definitely need one in Rodgers’ first season.

5. Or a Plan A

And who’s to say that Andy Carroll wouldn’t make a credible option in the starting XI?

While Rodgers has a clear idea of the Spain-inspired system he would like to implement at Liverpool, he has conceded that his formations will be based on the players he has at his disposal.

With a record signing who just happens to be a targetman with some fearsome attributes, Liverpool could have the flexibility to employ a variety of tactical setups.

What about a dual-striker system that requires the midfield to break through and lay on chances (Italy)?

Or a targetman-boasting system that relies on a high-pressure midfield and wingers cutting in (Portugal)?

These are all options that require strengthening in different positions, of course, but nothing that a Rodgers 4-3-3 wouldn’t need anyway.

6. What He Needs Is First-Team Experience at a Top Club

In recent days, Andy Carroll has been linked with newly promoted West Ham (via the Daily Mirror) and Fulham (via the Telegraph), whose Clint Dempsey might be interesting Liverpool.

He might get his (and Rodgers’) wishes of extended playing time, but this is not what he needs.

With all due respect to the Hammers and the Cottagers, Carroll got his sustained first-team action during his breakthrough Premier League season playing for a newly promoted Newcastle side.

Carroll needs constant exposure to the pressures that come with being a striker for a club expected to win week in, week out.

Of course, in the (almost) immediate aftermath of the Euros, Andy Carroll was linked to Italian giants AC Milan (via the Daily Mail).

The abundance of forward options present at the San Siro (Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Antonio Cassano, Robinho, Alexandre Pato) should ensure that Carroll wouldn’t be faring that much better in terms of minutes on Italian shores.

Conclusion

When Kenny Dalglish splashed the cash for Andy Carroll—regardless of how much a panic signing it had been following Torres’ desire to leave for Chelsea—he saw a striker who would be central to a pass-and-move philosophy.

A year and a half on, his successor, Brendan Rodgers, is supposedly already considering Carroll’s future in a similar passing-based footballing style.

Andy Carroll, quite simply, should be given the chance to establish himself at Anfield.

 

Original article from Bleacher Report

Liverpool, Others

On Steven Gerrard’s Euro 2012 Campaign

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England weren’t good enough after all.

As Andrea Pirlo’s audacious chipped penalty sent shockwaves through the mind of Joe Hart (so says the man himself), the lesser-known fact is the nerve and conviction with which Steven Gerrard, England’s new skipper, converted to start England off.

So while Roy Hodgson’s England ultimately showed that they were good but not good enough, Steven Gerrard, with three game-defining assists in three group games, leaves the 2012 European Championships with his reputation enhanced.

What can Liverpool learn from his Euro 2012 campaign?

Here are six lessons from Steven Gerrard’s fruitful summer that new Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers should note—and, as usual, feel free to have your say in the comments below.

1. He’s Still Got It

For the majority of the 2011-2012 season, “unfit” was almost always mentioned in the same sentence as Steven Gerrard.

In and out of the Liverpool side due to injuries, he failed to find any sort of sustained run in the first team until the final weeks of the Premier League season, which led to doubts about his ability to stay fit and on form for a prolonged period of time.

But having finally maintained that fitness in the tail end of the season, Gerrard arrived at the Euros fit and sharp, and his performances reflected a man in top form, both physically and mentally.

2. He Needs to Be Used Wisely

On the flip side, while Steven Gerrard went about his three group games in impeccable form, the sight of him succumbing to cramp after just 70 minutes against Italy in the quarterfinals was surely a reality check to Liverpool fans.

As is the realization that he is, after all, 32.

This is not the Gerrard of old.

The lung-busting box-to-box midfielder who would unleash a long-range screamer one second and arrive in his own penalty box for a goal-saving tackle the next is, unfortunately, no longer.

The key to keeping him fresh and to fully make use of what Gerrard can bring to the Liverpool team, Brendan Rodgers must use him wisely and not be afraid to rest him once in a while.

As Ryan Giggs will testify, this kind of player management will do Gerrard all the good in the world in the long term, as will a reinvention of his role in the side.

3. He Can Be a Central Midfield Option…

But before Gerrard is converted into a full-time No. 10 or even an out-an-out striker for the remainder of his playing days, we have now reawakened to the fact that he can play in the center of midfield after all.

He might have enjoyed his most productive years as an attacking midfielder behind Fernando Torres, but this summer has shown that, when his team needs him, he can deliver in his favored central midfield position.

They used to say that he didn’t have the positional discipline to be a full-time central midfielder.

Scott Parker will no doubt beg to differ.

4. …Or, Actually, a Starting Right Midfielder

Besides central midfield, Gerrard also provided timely reminders of his qualities out on the right.

Rodgers would do well to remember that Gerrard enjoyed his most productive personal season in 2005-2006 playing on the right of an attacking midfield trio.

And Gerrard’s three assists for England this summer all came from deliveries out on the right.

He might not be as explosive as he was before, but he still retains the pace, physicality and crossing to make a top-class right midfielder for years to come.

5. Put Him on Set Piece Duty

Which leads us on to the next point.

Those who lamented David Beckham’s gradual exit from the England international scene surely took into account what he could offer by way of crosses, corners and free kicks.

But any worries that England would lack a strong set piece outlet were fully dispelled after Gerrard’s productive tournament, when he delivered set pieces that were Beckham-esque in execution.

Last season, Kenny Dalglish used Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson et al on corners and free kicks.

Gerrard provided a timely reminder that he remains the best man for the job.

6. He Might Make an Anfield Career out of Andy Carroll Yet

The best players make those around them tick.

With one swing of his gifted right foot, Gerrard delivered a picture-perfect cross against Sweden that was met with precision, pace and power by Andy Carroll.

The result: 1-0 to England, right out of the Alan Shearer tome of headed goals.

A few months ago, the fact that Andy Carroll, Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez were only starting their second ever game for Liverpool together hit the headlines.

If Gerrard is put on set piece duty and becomes the main provider for Carroll, he might make an Anfield career out of Liverpool’s record signing yet.

 

Original article from Bleacher Report

Liverpool, Others

Brendan Rodgers, Dirk Kuyt and Adaptability

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I’ve held out on writing a first piece on Brendan Rodger’s appointment and a last piece on Dirk Kuyt’s Liverpool career, because I’ve wanted to organize my thoughts on both. (That, and I’ve been extremely busy for the last few weeks, but of course that’s irrelevant here. Somewhat.)

So, first, a warm welcome to Brendan Rodgers, and a fond farewell to Dirk Kuyt.

Let’s talk about Dirk Kuyt.

He’s been a staple in the Liverpool side I’ve followed religiously over the past few years. There are endless tributes all over the print media, all over the Internet on Kuyt’s work-rate, his indefatigable stamina, his knack for being at the right place at the right time, his selflessness, his teamwork, his passion towards the Liverpool cause. There’s no need to further extol his virtues, if only because I’d only be beating a (nearly-) dead horse.

To me, Dirk Kuyt will be remembered as who he was – a Liverpool great – because he adapted.

And, while he played at center-forward, second striker, left winger, right winger – no, this isn’t a tribute to his versatility, but rather his mindset. Dirk Kuyt adapted.

When he first arrived from Feyenoord, where he set scoring records as an out-and-out striker, Kuyt adapted to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League.

Then, when Fernando Torres arrived, bringing with him that all-too-rare world-class ability to turn chances in goals, Kuyt was moved to the right wing without even making a noise. He continued to deliver his big game-winning strikers. He continued to defend from the front. He continued to time his runs to help break up the opposition defence. All from the right wing. He adapted.

You see – to me, there is an added mental dimension to adaptability.

It’s like Steven Gerrard, who moved to right-back in Istanbul to shut out AC Milan’s Serginho. He did that with the team in mind. He was moved out to the right side of midfield to facilitate a new tactical approach in the 2005-2006 season. He finished that season with his best ever goals tally. He moved up to second striker just to provide the finishing touch to a world-beating partnership spearheaded by Torres.

Sure, Gerrard is famous for publicly expressing his preference for a central midfield position. But when push comes to shove, Steven Gerrard adapts.

Sometimes this kind of attribute is considered to be at the detriment of the player himself. Kuyt was never considered a world-class right-winger during his time at Liverpool. Gerrard has been used in all kinds of positions and had been overlooked as England captain all these years.

But those of us who step back once in a while recognize this adaptability. And we reserve the highest kinds of tributes for these players.

Enter Brendan Rodgers.

It’s been an impressive first week at Anfield for Rodgers, no doubt. He’s made all the right noises, impressing upon us fans the kind of approach he wants to bring to Liverpool and outlining the fact that he has the experience to take Liverpool up to the top.

All of which is well and good, but ultimately it counts for nothing if you can’t adapt to the job.

Rafa Benitez adapted. He came from Valencia looking for a challenge, and he got it with a sub-par Liverpool squad whose quality was reflected in a fifth-place league finish. Yet he worked with a squad containing the likes of Djimi Traore and Igor Biscan, and took home a Champions League trophy in his first season.

He studied his opponents and adapted his gameplans specifically against them. He brought in new players to add new options to the team, he revamped the youth academy, and he grew as a member of the Liverpool community.

Now, it didn’t always work – how many times were we frustrated when Torres got subbed around the 70-minute mark when Liverpool needed a goal? What about when he publicly pursued Gareth Barry at the expense of Xabi Alonso? What about when he persisted with a yet-to-mature Lucas?

But Benitez adapted. A look back on his record at Liverpool showed that, if anything, given the ownership situation during his reign, Benitez adapted, all right.

Roy Hodgson didn’t. He failed to grasp that Liverpool, hoping to climb their way back up the Premier League table following an underwhelming season, weren’t looking for underwhelming signings clearly not up to Top Four standard. He failed to grasp that a safety-first approach, while it worked at mid-table Fulham, wouldn’t be enough to satisfy the ever-demanding Kop. He failed to grasp that a defensive and conciliatory media personality didn’t fit with the bullish continental profile that a modern Liverpool want.

Kenny Dalglish, too, didn’t. Entering the Liverpool all-time records for Top Five most expensive signings four times in six months wasn’t what we were looking for. Nor was persisting with those same players when more clinical and experienced options were sat on the bench. Nor was adopting a confrontational approach to the media.

Unfortunately, in hindsight, Hodgson and Dalglish’s departures, while under different circumstances, were understandable and inevitable.

Whether or not Rodgers’ appointment is a useful solution depends very much on how he can adapt.

He knows that John Henry’s preference is to build a squad on bargain signings. He did that at Swansea. But while we don’t need an Andy Carroll or a Luis Suarez every transfer window, perhaps free transfers like Mohamed Diame aren’t enough. Look to the capital for a £10-million Lukas Podolski or a £7-million Marko Marin for a perfect example of cost-effective ambition.

He knows that everyone’s preference is to play good football. He did that at Swansea. But during the journey to become England’s answer to Barcelona, perhaps a balance has to be made in view of goals, victories and points. Just because Andy Carroll is a traditional British targetman doesn’t mean he can’t fit into a multi-faceted Liverpool side, as so many pundits are suggesting. Arsenal, whose penchant for attractive football is legendary, hoofed it long to Robin van Persie this season. That’s how they scored both their goals in their 2-1 win at Anfield.

Most of all, Brendan Rodgers knows that ultimately, it’s up to him to do his talking on the pitch. His last stint at a Top Four challenger was as an assistant at Chelsea. He will have to adapt to being top dog at Anfield.

He said in a recent interview that there are three kinds of Liverpool fans: the ones that support the manager regardless of results; the ones that need to be convinced by results; and the ones that can never come round.

I’m a proud, unabashed member of the second club.

All you have to do, Mr. Rodgers, is adapt and show that you can lead Liverpool forward.

It’ll be a hell of task.

Liverpool, Others

Godspeed, King Kenny.

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This is my first post with Kenny Dalglish as a tag. This is also my first time referring to him as King Kenny.

It’s likely to be my last time for both.

As a child of the Steven Gerrard era, I will forever carry with me the notion that Steven Gerrard is the greatest player ever to have played for Liverpool. In that sense, perhaps I am cursed with not ever getting a chance to see Kenny Dalglish in his pomp.

I’ve read endless stories, from both online articles and on the Liverpool boards themselves, about Dalglish’s near-superhuman feats. About how his skills as a striker were second to none. About how he seamlessly took up the managerial reins way back in the late 1980s to oversee a smooth transition. About how Liverpool suddenly found themselves in disarray after he left.

As one of the most successful clubs in history, Liverpool rightly have a fascination and obsession with the past.

Kenny Dalglish came from that past. And what a glorious past it was.

The fairytale ending to the Return of the King would be that the club legend, parachuted from the past into the current hot-seat, would bring about such a change in fortunes that he would be in charge of Liverpool’s return to their glory years. That, having saved the Titanic from sinking, he would restabilize it so perfectly that it would have the momentum to charge on forever.

That was the dream. Of both Kenny Dalglish and the fans that grew up in his time, who learned to idolize Liverpool’s most famous #7.

And so, for merely having the conviction, the passion and the commitment to even contemplate stepping into the breach and steadying the sinking ship at Anfield, Kenny Dalglish must be commended.

The way that he has conducted his exit from the club has been in all the right ways that should have become a hallmark of his second reign, the class, the dignity and the manners. Looking back at the pictures of a fiendishly grinning Dalglish in celebration of a Liverpool goal, and reading Alan Hansen’s sharing of Dalglish’s love for Liverpool, makes one’s heart sink with heaviness.

Why must a club legend, so revered and adored by all Liverpudlians, make way? It just doesn’t seem right.

But therein lies the unfortunate advantages of being a child of the modern era.

The fact that I don’t have a sentimental bond with Kenny Dalglish, with his achievements as a player and then as a manager for Liverpool, gives me an almost alien sense of neutrality when it comes to Dalglish the Liverpool manager of 2011.

Because I’ve always judged him for what he’s supposed to do, and that is manage and bring the best out of Liverpool.

In that respect, Dalglish has sadly not delivered.

The context will always be important when looking back at this particular case, because he was never FSG’s first choice as manager. In fact, judging from their delays in making the announcement of his permanent deal last year, FSG might never have wanted him in more than a caretaker role, to stabilize the club and get everyone on the same side.

But when you have fans calling for his permanent employment in every game and through every possible venue, your ambitions of finding someone you really see fit will have to make way for just the time being.

That Dalglish has stayed in the Anfield hotseat for so long is a testament to his stature and iconic status at Liverpool. It wouldn’t be any exaggeration to say that sacking any other manager with his record this season would be no surprise.

So perhaps he outlived his stay. Perhaps he was only supposed to come in for those 6 months, reinforce his legendary status in Liverpool eyes by turning around a potentially disastrous season, and step down to oversee a transition to a new era.

Those who have been following my blog will know that I have not been a vocal supporter of Kenny Dalglish over the past few months, there was no schadenfreude on my part when I read about Dalglish’s sacking, just sadness that the fairytale didn’t end up happening.

But for all the doom and gloom that is likely to reverberate around the Red half of Liverpool in the coming few weeks, there is actually a huge potential for excitement underneath all the debris.

Liverpool have managed to secure record-breaking commercial ventures and partnerships despite not having been involved in high-profile European competitions for two seasons. And FSG have shown that they can back a manager with the funds needed to build a squad. The club might lack a central managerial spine right now, but the ingredients are there for the next manager to make a splash.

As for myself, while I’m awaiting FSG’s next move with apprehension, I still dream of a fairytale ending where the future is bright, European and silverware-shiny.

If that does happen, I’m willing to bet that Kenny Dalglish will be looking on with pride.

Liverpool, Others

Why the League Should Trump All for Liverpool

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I couldn’t get up for the 2:30am Champions League semifinal between Barcelona and Chelsea last night.

Not that I didn’t want to, but after getting out of work at 10pm, I couldn’t muster the physical stamina to wake up in the middle of the night to watch a clash between neutrals.

I’ve just watched the match highlights.

Before I continue, let me just preface this by saying that, if Chelsea do go on and win the Champions League, thereby securing Champions League football for next season irrespective of where they finish in the Premier League, I will fully retract everything I’ve said about Fernando Torres making a bad decision to leave Liverpool.

Because let’s face it – finishing as champions of the (footballing) world’s most difficult competition, getting another shot at it next season, and a major pay raise: how is that in any way a bad decision?

It’s not nice being on the receiving end of a “I told you so,” but sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and say that you got it wrong.

Now. As I was saying, I just watched the match highlights.

The first thing I noticed was the Champions League anthem playing in the background as the camera did its customary panning of the players from both teams and throughout the pre-match handshake.

I grew up on that anthem.

There was a time when I’d first gotten into Liverpool, when Liverpool, during the early 2000s, weren’t a fixture in the upper echelons of European football, just as Liverpool aren’t now.

But I grew up, as a fan, watching Liverpool in the Champions League.

During all my years abroad in Boston, Champions League action featuring Liverpool in September and February weekday afternoons on ESPN2 was a staple. I proudly strutted my Liverpool jerseys around campus and wore my heart on my sleeve. I left class early and ran back to the dorms to turn on the TV, door open, and crank up the sound.

When Liverpool scored – and boy, did Liverpool score – I ran up and down the hallways, and my hallmates all came to check out the tiny TV screen out of curiosity. I didn’t have to persuade them to stay; they stayed for the rest of the game out of their own accord.

I remember the days when I was proud, so proud to be a Liverpool fan.

Call it glory-hunting if you will – and I will gladly admit that, yes, I do like supporting a team that wins. One that, if it’s not winning, is showing enough resolve and consistency year on year to earn the chance of competing for the top prize in its profession. Is that such a big fault?

For overseas fans like us, who sadly don’t have a strong local club (or league, for that matter) to follow, it’s not any romantic sentiment of a local club for the community, not any family values in the stands, not any domestic and continental domination before our time – though, having grown into Liverpool’s club culture over the years, I have to say that I have gained a massive appreciation for the unique Kop culture. (But it had to start somewhere.)

No – it’s the idea that I’m rooting for an institution that believes in its right to compete at the highest level. That strives to match its opposition, no matter how financially, technically or physically superior. That, in the words of Clive Tyldesley in the aftermath of the 2005 Champions League final, “have been the most wonderful underdogs.”

And for a time, for that period when I became a fanatic, when I fell in love with Liverpool Red, when I exhibited such extreme emotions that I rarely muster, the Champions League became synonymous with my team.

That is of course failing to mention the rich financial windfalls that come with Champions League placings and performances. In both the short and long run, the extra income does wonders in terms of player recruitment amongst other things – but in a reflection of the emotions and the passions that the beautiful game brings about, those come in a distant second.

Sure, Liverpool this season have won a first piece of domestic silverware in six years, and might secure a domestic Cup Double with an FA Cup win over a considerably improved Chelsea side – but Liverpool, even in this season of wretched league results, have always proved to be wonderful underdogs, capable of cranking out a performance when they most need to.

The real challenge is to be able to maintain that consistency and high level of performance in an ever-competitive Premier League – to finish in those much-coveted Champions League spots.

It’s no surprise that Liverpool fans still hold up five fingers when it matters most.

Because once you maintain your game at that level, you earn the right to compete with the very best. And then, only when you get to compete with the very best in the world, your ability to come up with the most extraordinary triumphs become a prized asset, the reason why people become so attached with an institution boasting a never-say-die attitude.

So my overwhelming thought when I watched Torres skip around the keeper like his old days in Liverpool red wasn’t about his decision to leave Liverpool.

It was – and stayed with – that Champions League anthem.

If it was Liverpool standing there with that anthem roaring in the background – preferably barely audible beneath the stirring renditions of You’ll Never Walk Alone – you bet your backside I’d be tuned in at any time of the day to witness the occasion.

Because it’d mean that Liverpool will have returned to the Liverpool I know best.

Liverpool, Others

On Damien Comolli’s Departure

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So Liverpool’s Director of Football Strategy, Damien Comolli, has left Anfield.

Let’s take a look at what this means for Liverpool:

1. This Season Has Not Been Good Enough

In the past weeks, Reds fans have been starting to voice their concerns about this season’s performances, and rightly so.

With a dismal record since the turn of the year, Liverpool have clearly underperformed, and a Carling Cup victory—which was achieved on the back of an unconvincing 120 minutes and required several strokes of luck in the ensuing penalty shootout—requires FA Cup success to be added onto it for 2011-2012 to be considered even slightly successful.

Because Liverpool currently find themselves in the worst position in the Premier League in recent memory.

And Damien Comolli seems to have been the first to pay the price.

2. New Signings Should Feel the Pinch

Whatever the claims of who makes the final decision on player transfers, Liverpool’s signings under the tenure of Kenny Dalglish and Damien Comolli, generously bankrolled by John Henry and FSG, have not delivered.

While Dalglish might still be staunchly backing his charges in press conferences and interviews, even the most blinded supporters would have to recognize that the majority of Liverpool’s signings since 2011 began have been vastly subpar.

Comolli’s departure seems to be an official confirmation of FSG’s realization.

Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Andy Carroll would do well to take note of recent proceedings.

3. Kenny Dalglish Is Under Increasing Pressure

Now that one half of the transfer team has had to leave Anfield, the spotlight will turn unequivocally to the other half—manager Kenny Dalglish.

Everyone will know by now that Dalglish’s return to the Liverpool hotseat hasn’t turned out to be the fairytale that so many envisioned—and Dalglish’s backers, who have been quick to point the finger at Comolli for the poor transfer record recently, have now had their main target for criticism removed.

Kenny Dalglish himself knows this as well. The pressure is well and truly on.

4. Cup Success Is Not Enough

Comolli’s departure also signals loudly to the backroom staff that a Cup Double—even if it can be attained—is not enough.

Way back in August last year, before the current season even started, John Henry sounded out his requirements for a Top Four finish in the Premier League this season, saying that it would be a “huge disappointment” if Liverpool didn’t qualify for the Champions League next season.

Six months later, Liverpool are further from that spot than they could possibly imagine.

Considering that players are signed to perform over the course of a season rather than merely in knockout competitions, Comolli’s exit shows that while silverware is important, league placing is ultimately more important for the competitiveness of the Club in Europe—and for the Club’s coffers.

5. Moneyball Is on the Verge of Failing

When FSG first arrived back in 2010, John Henry brought with him the famed Moneyball strategy that had served him so well in Major League Baseball with the Boston Red Sox, and Damien Comolli was supposed to spearhead a new transfer policy with this in mind.

Signing and picking players based on statistics and numbers seemed to be a perfect strategy in football—except it hasn’t proved so.

Selling players in case of bids over their supposed worth—as seen in Fernando Torres’ whirlwind departure for Chelsea in January 2011—and overpaying for deficient areas—as seen in Andy Carroll’s last-minute arrival as Torres’ replacement—are both seen as important components in Moneyball.

But, as a Sabotage Times article has put it nicely, “perhaps the chalkboard should always come first; the spreadsheet comes second.”

6. There’s More Behind the Scenes Than Meets the Eye

John Henry and his boardroom team have often said that they are still getting to grips with English football.

But, as seen in the sudden turnaround of events during the Luis Suarez racism scandal, when both Suarez and Kenny Dalglish apologized for their controversial contributions in the aftermath of the visit to Manchester United’s Old Trafford, FSG have played their hand in subtle ways.

Some supporters might have been querying the thoughts of Henry across the Atlantic on Liverpool’s current plight.

It seems that FSG have always been paying attention—just that they prefer to go about their business behind the scenes.

7. FSG Mean Business

Which is a good sign for all those involved at Liverpool.

Especially after the tumultuous reign of Tom Hicks and George Gillett, the fans want to see an owner who cares about the immediate fortunes of the Club.

The players want to see a Club who has a clear direction from the top.Dispensing of Comolli might have been a ruthless decision, but it might prove to be an inspired one—a decision that will have been taken for the good of the Club.

FSG mean business—and Comolli found out the hard way.

8. Kenny Dalglish Must Deliver This Summer

With Comolli out of the way, the sole decision-maker in Liverpool’s transfers will presumably be Kenny Dalglish.

Another summer of extravagant spending to no avail will be absolutely not tolerated by either his employers or Reds fans.

If he is still trusted with the Club’s money.

9. Another Revolution Might Be on the Horizon

Will a Cup Double be Dalglish’s only saving grace this season? Or will he ultimately pay the price for failing to lead Liverpool to a Champions League finish?

Only time will tell if Dalglish is still in the job come next season—but regardless of his job status, another revolution might be coming for Liverpool.

Transfer-wise, this summer might be the one where FSG abandon their Moneyball principles and allow signings to be made on a “chalkboard,” rather than “spreadsheet,” basis.

According to the Telegraph, Comolli claimed just a few weeks ago that Liverpool fans should not expect a great deal of summer activity this year—but perhaps we’re in for a ride yet.

10. Liverpool’s Future Might Be Bright After All

One thing’s for certain—John Henry and FSG have shown that they are willing to make big decisions when the situation calls for it.

The players—especially the underperformers—would do well to take heed of this message.

The coaching staff would do well to notice that no one’s job is ever safe. (The Telegraph reports that FSG have already requested an end-of-season explanation of this season’s travails.)

All of which means that, with owners willing to take decisive and calculated action, Liverpool fans should be confident of having a sound team backing their beloved Reds.

Liverpool’s present might be in all sorts of trouble, but Liverpool’s future might just turn out to be bright after all.

 

Original article from Bleacher Report

Liverpool, Others

The Case for 4-2-3-1

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Here’s a list of words that can be used to describe Liverpool at various points this season: thrilling, depressing, frustrating, swashbuckling, infuriating.

In fact, the list is almost as colorful as the number of different formations employed by Kenny Dalglish and his management team.

Since Dalglish took over in January last year, we’ve seen a variety of tactical approaches to games: 4-4-2, 3-5-2, 4-1-4-1, 4-2-3-1, and so on.

While having different options can be beneficial over the course of a season, we have yet to see Dalglish fixate on a first-choice starting 11 and tactical plan.

It’s been a tumultuous year and two months for the Liverpool manager in terms of personnel, to say the least, with Andy Carroll, Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and Lucas Leiva all out of the side at various points during Dalglish’s tenure.

Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson have also underwhelmed since arriving at Anfield in the summer, and the rises and falls in their form have meant that they haven’t had a chance to fully cement a place in the first team yet.

Add in the frustratingly profligate performances up front and the unfortunate knee situation that prevents Craig Bellamy from playing week in, week out, and we have a Liverpool team that has yet to fully gel on the pitch.

After all, Suarez, Carroll and Gerrard only got their first ever start together earlier in 2012.

But provided that this summer’s transfer business is at least as fruitful as last season’s—the only signings last summer that have truly caught the eye have been Jose Enrique and Bellamy—Dalglish will have a bigger and better squad to work with in 2012-2013.

The back five—Pepe Reina, Glen Johnson, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Jose Enrique—basically picks itself, and the considerable strength in reserve means that any additions to the defensive ranks would merely bolster its impressive defensive record.

It’s the midfield and forward lines that need a system suited for Liverpool’s multi-faceted approach, and 4-2-3-1 is exactly that.

Assuming no further additions to the squad, let’s explore how the current team would work best on paper in this formation.

When Lucas returns from injury, he should slot straight back into the defensive midfield position he has made his own. Alongside him would be Charlie Adam, who seems most comfortable in a deep playmaker role akin to that of Xabi Alonso. He might have had an inconsistent season so far, but he remains Liverpool’s most direct threat with long and diagonal passes, and his attacking tendencies would be a decent foil to Lucas’ all-action approach.

There is an alternative to Adam as Liverpool’s regista, of course—forgotten man Alberto Aquilani. Contrary to Dalglish’s assertions that Aquilani is most comfortable in Gerrard’s second striker position, he is equally impressive as a deep-lying midfielder, as his cameos during his only season at Anfield showed. He represents a classy option in the middle and would arguably be a more important component in the first team than Adam—but the key is whether or not Aquilani still has the appetite to succeed in English football.

With Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson also capable of filling in, that’s the “2” solved.

Before we move to the “3” in support of the lone striker, let’s first look at the candidates up front, and there is only one serious candidate within the current squad: Andy Carroll.

It’s been an up-and-down season for Carroll—more downs than ups—but he remains the best option to lead the line. Dirk Kuyt has taken his conversion to the right wing a bit too close to heart to excel as a lone striker, and Luis Suarez’s creativity and relative profligacy makes him a traditional support striker rather than an out-and-out forward.

While Carroll has disappointed in many of his performances, he has the strength, power and aerial ability to be an effective (and even prolific) targetman for the Reds. His shooting and pace, despite underwhelming this season, is underrated. He has all the elements to be one of the best attacking forces in the League, and he should be given the opportunity to spearhead the attack—again, in the context of the current squad. Of course, he also possesses the ability to create chances for the attacking trio behind him, which has been a criminally underused tactic this season.

Now onto the “3.”

Dalglish finds an overwhelming number of options for the three positions behind the lone striker, but the combination that might just work best is Craig Bellamy, Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard.

All three possesses creativity, work rate, pace and finishing ability, and we have seen on various occasions this season that they are capable of combining intricate passing plays—the crux of the much-espoused pass-and-move style.

Bellamy and Gerrard can cross too. Their wing play on the flanks would create ample space for Suarez to exploit down the middle and for an onrushing Charlie Adam or Alberto Aquilani, and they would be able to put in the kind of crosses that Carroll feasts on.

Simply put, this 4-2-3-1 lineup would be a perfect fit for a possession-heavy playing style that Liverpool have exhibited this season—and would also present a considerable threat on the counterattack.

Which should come as no surprise—after all, this was the system that Rafael Benitez tailored to perfection during his reign, and his counterattacking Reds were one of the most fearsome attacking combination during their peak.

That’s not to say that simply adopting a 4-2-3-1 system would shoot them up the league table next season—far from it.

There’s plenty left for the coaching team to do—not least the abhorrent finishing. Kenny Dalglish should strengthen his squad this summer to provide better quality competition for first-team places at Anfield, and to find a productive solution to their at-times scintillating build-up play this season.

But in the long term—if Kenny Dalglish stays on for the long term—there should be a more-or-less established first 11 and a strong bench to provide a game-changing spark if needed.

And in the long term, Liverpool can do no wrong by going with a 4-2-3-1.

 

Original article from the Bleacher Report

Liverpool, Others

ManUtd 02/11/2012: The Disaster

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Well, it just had to be, didn’t it?

Before Liverpool’s trip to Old Trafford, a first in more than a year, there was so much to look forward to. Would Liverpool take their recent good form against Manchester United to them? Would we see a much-awaited front four of Andy Carroll, Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard and Craig Bellamy? And of course, would we finally see the end to the seemingly ubiquitous and never-ending Suarez-Evra quarrel?

With Liverpool taking nothing back to Anfield, there is so much to write about. Kenny Dalglish’s preference for Jordan Henderson over Charlie Adam, and his curious insistence on using Stewart Downing (my take on both cases: absolutely inexplicable, indefensible and ridiculous). Jay Spearing’s inability to cope at the highest level. The depressing and infuriating lack of fight shown from Dalglish’s charges after going two-nil down so soon in the second half.

But it just had to be Luis Suarez who came away with all the unwanted headlines, didn’t it?

With his petulant snub of a pre-match handshake with Patrice Evra, Luis Suarez has made his position at Liverpool Football Club untenable.

Maybe he had a point to make, to show the English media, to show Evra that he really felt wrongly accused by the outcome of the case.

But he chose the entirely wrong way to do it.

Of course, we all recognize that Evra is not a saint himself. The transcript of the case proved this already. And his enthusiastic celebrations after the final whistle in front of Suarez and all around the stadium, trying to take home the plaudits in an emotional game, did not sit well even with his manager. Of course, we also all know that Sir Alex Ferguson is naturally inclined to bias towards United players, that he often is the issuer of hypocritical comments.

But does that mean Liverpool have to take this road in addressing this issue? Can Liverpool not detach themselves from unsavory comparisons and look at how they have reacted from an ideological and moral standpoint?

What happened to being the better man? A professional? Did Suarez have to be so short-sighted in failing to see the big picture? In case he still doesn’t know what the big picture is: it’s the issue of racism in (English) football. No, Luis, the case is not whether or not you feel personally aggrieved about it. It’s also no longer about the language issue. It’s about stamping out racism in English football. Liverpool went their painstaking ways to show their support for him throughout the case, and have come under intense scrutiny and criticism for doing so, and this was the occasion to finally put everything to bed, to settle everything once and for all.

Except Suarez didn’t realize this.

Nobody is saying that a pre-match handshake takes away all the underlying hard feelings, but this was different from the suggestion that got Sepp Blatter into such hot water. In this case, as much as Suarez and Liverpool have attempted to portray themselves as the victim of unfair judgment and a biased punishment, circumstances dictate that Patrice Evra was the victim of racial abuse. At face value, if anything, Evra should have been the one entitled to refusing the handshake, not Suarez.

In what has already been a contentious and emotional affair, continuing to play victim is not going to help Liverpool in the short or the long run.

But most importantly, while Liverpool have had their reasons to support Suarez so wholeheartedly throughout this debacle, Suarez has let even them down.

Perhaps, as a matter of principle, Suarez didn’t want to and was never going to shake Evra’s hand in the first place.

But to override Dalglish’s pre-match comments that Suarez had moved on, that he would shake Evra’s hand, was immature, irresponsible and embarrassing, not to mention a PR disaster. What is Dalglish going to do now that his star player has undermined his authority and his confident claims that this episode is over? Does he make his authority known to Suarez, that this type of public aggravation and this openly undermining of Dalglish is unacceptable? Or does he continue to play the “I didn’t see it” game and act like nothing happened?

Football, at the end of the day, is a game, a show of entertainment for fans who pay to enjoy an event. Is it worth it to make yourself such a polarizing figure just to prove your point? Suarez’s years of experience in world and European football should have been more than enough to teach him that football is as much political as it is tribal, but sadly, he seems to have missed the memo.

Meanwhile, Suarez himself is quickly becoming one of the most unpopular figures in English football. He might bafflingly still maintain his status as a Kop hero after Saturday’s match, but at what cost?

 

EDIT: Suarez has apparently apologized for his handshake snub on Saturday, and the Liverpool hierarchy have expressed their disappointment towards his actions. But while this represents a good start, the underlying issues will still linger for a while yet.