English Football Weekly

English Football Weekly: Hello, New Season! Predictions, Teams and Players to Watch

Leave a comment

Top Four Watch: A Reality Check for Manchester United

Manchester United won the Premier League at a canter last season, but 2013/14 won’t be so easy for them, especially with Sir Alex Ferguson having retired in the close season. So it’s a dilemma for David Moyes: Does he want the SAF effect to wear out, or can it keep papering over the cracks? Regardless, this is not a strong United squad—Robin van Persie is arguably the only world-class player in the team, and there should be upgrades to the defence and midfield at the very least. Both of which haven’t happened.

Across town, the noisy neighbors are about to crank the volume and heat up. Manchester City ruthlessly dispensed of Roberto Mancini, and brought in Manuel Pellegrini with eyes on bigger prizes. And they’ve provided the financial backing to ensure it happens. It might not sit well with some, but the splurging done on the likes of Fernandinho, Jesus Navas, Stevan Jovetic and Alvaro Negredo has ensured that City start the season with a formidable squad. They’ll take some beating—and might still bring in more players before September.

But there’s Chelsea to deal with, and Jose Mourinho has been building an encouraging team. Contrast their buying policy this summer with his first year in 2004, and it’s clear that there’s a much stronger emphasis on youth this time around. There’s been plenty of movement in the forward lines, but like United, not as much in the middle and at the back. Can Mourinho reestablish Stamford Bridge as a fortress with a less convincing backline? If he does—and adds Wayne Rooney and/or Samuel Eto’o—Chelsea would take the fight right down to the wire.

Every year, Arsenal get written off as the team to drop out of the top four, but this year, Tottenham Hotspur look the real deal. Regardless of Gareth Bale’s destination, Andre Villas-Boas has already ushered in a new forward line: Roberto Soldado, Paulinho and Nacer Chadli are hugely impressive additions that will ensure goals and excitement up top. This is a squad that could well finish third—and if Bale stays and carries his form from last season, might be dark horses for the title outright.

As it stands, my top four picks (in order from 1st): City, Chelsea, Spurs, United.

Relegation Watch: Underachievers and Disappointments

As in any early-season relegation predictions, let’s look first at the promoted clubs. Cardiff City, backed by an ambitious Malaysian owner, have been the most aggressive, and their big-money signings Andreas Cornelius, Steven Caulker and Gary Medel bode well. Hull City and Crystal Palace don’t look as confident on paper though. Steve Bruce has added a contingent of Premier League players who he’ll be hoping can contribute something more than just experience, but Crystal Palace in particular look in trouble. Their biggest summer signing? Dwight Gayle from Peterborough. For £8.5 million.

Newcastle United have had a worryingly weak summer window, especially when compared to other sides around them. Only Loic Remy has arrived as a first-team player, and with the backroom turmoil involving Joe Kinnear’s appointment as Director of Football, they look more likely to underachieve further than to get back to mid-table mediocrity. Sunderland, despite their busy summer, also look shaky. Their summer activity seems more quantity than quality, although the same was said last year, of course, of Aston Villa (more on them later).

Southampton and Villa move from relegation candidates to top-half contenders in my book, so we’ll finish this list with Stoke City, who managed to finish six points clear of the relegation zone last season. After a few years of stagnant progress and luxurious spending, Stoke have replaced Tony Pulis with Mark Hughes, but while he hasn’t gone on a ridiculous QPR-style splurge, he’s only signed two players. Decent players, Marc Muniesa and Erik Pieters, but the overall squad may not have the quality to sustain their Premier League status for another year.

As it stands, my relegation picks (no particular order): Crystal Palace, Hull, Stoke.

Teams to Watch: It’s All Happening in Wales—and Maybe the Midlands?

We touched on Cardiff a bit in the previous section, so let’s start with that. Here is a team led by an ambitious owner and a young and talented manager, Malky Mackay, and with the exception of three big-name signings, a squad that they’ve taken largely from the Championship up to the Premier League with them. But further additions look likely before the transfer window shuts, and in Kim Bo-Kyung, Cardiff might just possess one of the unsung heroes of the season. And—he’s 34 now—but we can’t afford to forget about Craig Bellamy.

But Cardiff will be no match for the slick and classy unit that will take to the field at the Liberty Stadium this season. In their third year in the Premier League, Swansea City look closer to European qualification via league finish than ever dropping out, such is the success that they’ve enjoyed. Michael Laudrup has strengthened brilliantly this summer, with Wilfried Bony, Jonathan De Guzman and Jonjo Shelvey his most high-profile signings. The challenge for them now is to push on—and balance their Europa League campaign while they’re at it.

Southampton are a curious case. They finished just five points above the relegation zone last season, but the mood at St. Mary’s is optimistic, as well it should be. Mauricio Pochettino has fashioned a young, energetic side specializing in pressing and counterattacking football. That there’s not been much transfer activity this summer suggests that he has confidence in his squad rather than the lack of player availability: After all, their two additions, Dejan Lovren and Victor Wanyama, provide enough pedigree and suggest that they too will be looking at the top half.

Let’s round this off with Aston Villa, who went through a dangerous slump midway through last season. Paul Lambert’s gamble with his young signings paid off in the end—we all know how Christian Benteke turned out, but Ashley Westwood and Matthew Lowton were inspired signings as well. This summer he’s added another contingent of young prospects, but as Villa march on comfortable in this new philosophy and system, the likes of Jores Okore and Antonio Luna could have just as big an impact.

Players to Watch: AKA Fantasy Picks

Now that we’re done with our team to watch, here are some players that are either very interesting signings or ones to pay attention to this season. Fantasy picks? You’ll be sure these aren’t your Robin van Persies or Gareth Bales, so there might just be a bargain or two to be considered here.

First, a trio wearing Liverpool red. You’ve probably heard enough of Philippe Coutinho by now, but the rave reviews are worth the while and do him justice. He’ll be looking to turn that productive and exhilarating half-season partnership with Daniel Sturridge into a prolific one over the course of the season. And helping them do that will be Iago Aspas, signed from Celta in the summer. He’s had an encouraging preseason for Brendan Rodgers, and his brand of football, mixing technique and aggression, reminds of a certain wantaway No. 7.

If you’re new to this column and missed out on last season’s episodes, you’ll come to realize my admiration for Swansea and Michael Laudrup. Michu was the unquestionable bargain buy of last summer, and this year he’ll be back in his support striker role he started in, following the exciting acquisition of Wilfried Bony. Michu enjoyed his most prolific spell in a Swans shirt when he played behind a strike last season, and Bony blew Malmo FF away with a competitive debut double after a thrilling 31-goal season with Vitesse Arnhem. Watch this space.

What about that most maligned, big-money, ex-Liverpool duo now at West Ham United? Well, soon to be at West Ham anyway, given that Stewart Downing’s move hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, but for a combined sum of Downing’s Liverpool transfer (£20 million), Sam Allardyce will be bringing in Downing and Andy Carroll. That’s a crossing and heading partnership that Kenny Dalglish failed spectacularly to harness at Anfield, but could be right up Big Sam’s alley. And they’ll be looking to impress in a World Cup year.

Our final pick belongs to the team that might gatecrash the top three in spectacular fashion: Tottenham Hotspur. Bale’s contribution may be sizeable as always, or the signings that his transfer fee brings in could well take the squad’s overall quality up a notch. Where am I going with this? Well, Villas-Boas has chosen Roberto Soldado to spearhead his attack as a lone striker. With Chadli, Aaron Lennon, Paulinho and Mousa Dembele supporting him already, Soldado looks to enjoy a Premier League goals feast.

 

This piece was my first instalment of English Football Weekly for the season for SoccerWithoutLimits.com.

Elsewhere

Relaunching as VinceTalksFooty.com

Leave a comment

My last post was almost a year ago, just as the 2012/13 season started. Soon after, work and personal commitments took over, I just didn’t have the capacity to write Liverpool-specific pieces exclusively for TheRedArmchair.com.

But that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped writing in general.

In fact, in the year that’s passed, I’ve written – and learned – more than ever before on Liverpool and the English Premier League in general, and expanded my writing interests to cover teams like Manchester City, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea. I’ve also taken a keen liking to Swansea and everything that goes on at the Liberty Stadium. Last but not least – I’ve become enamored with football as an industry with all its exciting potential in business, technology and grassroots development.

So naturally, TheRedArmchair.com – a Liverpool-specific site – became just a tad too narrow for my interests and opinions.

A year on, I’m relaunching this blog as VinceTalksFooty.com, where I’ll be covering much more than just Liverpool.

I’ll be syndicating my articles from Bleacher Report and columns at SoccerWithoutLimits.com – all of which cover multiple topics in football – and if I have the time, I’ll also post a few updates and rambles. There will be pieces on how my Fantasy squad is doing, for sure, and a few Fantasy tips as well.

It’s an exciting year ahead – and I hope the site relaunch is just the beginning.

 

Thanks as always for the support.   -Vince

Liverpool, Premier League match reports

Manchester City 08/26/2012: The Glass is Half Full

5 Comments

Martin Skrtel and Luis Suarez got the goals for Liverpool—and what brilliant goals they were—but Brendan Rodgers’ side were culpable for the two goals they conceded to Manchester City in a pulsating 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.

This was far removed from last Saturday’s calamitous showing at West Brom, with Liverpool exhibiting some impressive build-up play throughout the encounter with the Premier League champions.

But the old problem resurfaced again—that of Liverpool being the better team but failing to get all three points.

And now: the positives and negatives from Sunday’s matchup from Liverpool’s point of view:

Just the One Point to Show for It…

Once again, as so often was the case under Kenny Dalglish last season, Liverpool spent most of the 90 minutes as the better team.

But once again, we didn’t come away with the three points to show for their performance.

This time it wasn’t for a lack of Liverpool goals, but rather two uncharacteristic gaffes at the back.

Either way, Brendan Rodgers will have to work on setting a balance between an efficient attack and an efficient defence.

Otherwise, for a sloppy defensive error to once again take away almost all the good work Liverpool did in the midfield and up front would be a massive shame.

And it would contribute to them falling further behind in the league table.

…But the Passing Play and Closing Down Were Very Encouraging

But no way was this draw as hard to take as the opening-weekend defeat at West Brom, because the silver linings were that obvious.

If Rodgers and his squad wanted to prove that last Saturday was just a “one-off,” they put in a collective display that went lengths in doing just that.

Minus the Hawthorns collapse, Liverpool have seemed to take to Rodgers’ system very quickly.

Overall, the crisp passing play and tenacious closing down exhibited all over the pitch should bode very well for the future, even if they have only yielded the one point in two games.

Even when Carlos Tevez pounced on Martin Skrtel’s back-pass to equalize for City, Liverpool never looked settled for a point.

It’s this desire—if not the profligacy—that Rodgers and we hope will bode well for the future.

Defensive Lapses Cost Liverpool Two Points…

Back to the defence, because it deserves a portion of the limelight in the post-match wake.

There has been a vicious cycle at work at Anfield for the best part of a year now.

The lack of goals is being compounded by some glaring defensive lapses that are costing Liverpool points simply because of a relative lack of concentration from the back.

Given the eye-gorging scoreline at West Brom, this was exacerbated and seared in recent memory by the tireless running and pressing of Shane Long, but this goes back to last-gasp goals like that conceded to Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez last season.

Rodgers declared after the City game that Skrtel had the right idea in passing back to Pepe Reina for the Tevez goal, and that punting it forward would have been the simple option.

Except that the right idea was not accompanied by the requisite awareness, and that the simple option could have brought him two more points.

…But We Now Have a Real Third-Choice Central Defender

Martin Skrtel enjoyed an otherwise productive day against City, not least because of his frankly brilliant header to open the scoring.

But enough of him for now—some credit should be paid to his central defensive partner for the day, Sebastian Coates.

For all of his lack of match fitness, and for all of Daniel Agger’s classy defensive play, Coates showed on Sunday why he should absolutely have climbed over Jamie Carragher in the pecking order of center-backs.

To be sure, Coates did show moments of hesitation, including one in the first half that allowed Mario Balotelli to nip in and steal the ball, forcing Martin Kelly to concede a free kick.

But Coates put in enough well-timed tackles and good linkups with Kelly, Skrtel and Reina to show that all the hype surrounding his arrival at Anfield might not be unjustified after all.

No Goals from Open Play Yet…

The other side to the 2-2 draw, the other side to the two goals scored by Liverpool, is that we still haven’t notched from open play yet.

Perhaps this had to do with Fabio Borini’s narrow miss after Raheem Sterling’s brilliant cross from the left wing.

Or maybe to do with Luis Suarez’s still-profligate finishing in open play.

Or maybe, still, to do with Suarez’s poor decision making from the flanks, often leading to mishit crosses or mistimed passes.

The fact remains that, with Andy Carroll seemingly out of favor under Rodgers, Liverpool’s strikers just aren’t clinical enough at this stage.

…But Finally Some Set-Piece Threats

There’s a new-found set-piece prowess, though, that finally brings some variety to Liverpool’s goals.

Against Manchester City, Steven Gerrard delivered a picture-perfect corner that was met with a picture-perfect bullet header from Skrtel to open the scoring.

And, just minutes after conceding to Yaya Toure, Luis Suarez delivered a picture-perfect free kick that Joe Hart couldn’t do anything about.

This on the back of an inventive piece of set-piece play that Liverpool showed in a preseason friendly against Bayer Leverkusen, which was supposed to set Suarez up for a goal, but ended up leading to the rarity that is a goal from Lucas.

All without the £10 million left foot of Charlie Adam.

Lucas Got Injured…

Speaking of Lucas, Rodgers will be hoping that his injury troubles don’t resurface.

Having worked so hard back to full fitness—and indeed making it back to first-team football a couple of months before he was scheduled to fully recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury—Lucas pulled a muscle just minutes into Sunday’s game.

The loss of Lucas back in November last year and its impact on the rest of Liverpool’s 2011-2012 season has been retold countless times.

While this muscle pull might not and should not be on the same scale as his injury last season, Lucas has become such an integral part of the Liverpool midfield that his loss would be felt all the same.

…But Joe Allen and Jonjo Shelvey Fit Right In

Of course, all this might sound a tad melodramatic, especially given the way Joe Allen performed having been moved into Lucas’ sitting role and Jonjo Shelvey’s encouraging shift in center midfield as Lucas’ substitute.

To say they equipped themselves well would be an understatement.

Allen, with his pinpoint passing, classy distribution, decision making and closing down, showed all of Anfield why Rodgers went all out for his signature this summer. He looks to be Liverpool’s best passer of the ball since Xabi Alonso.

Shelvey shelved his enthusiastic attacking instincts and the rawer side of his physical game to fit in perfectly with short, crisp passes, as well as good positional awareness.

With new loan signing Nuri Sahin looking on from the stands, Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson will have every reason to fear for their first-team places this season.

Early Nerves from a Young, Young Liverpool Side…

For all of Liverpool’s excellent display against the reigning champions, we started off nervously, and the stray passes in the midfield showed their nerves.

It might have been a sign of the players still taking to Rodgers’ ideas, but it probably had more to do with the fact that Liverpool played their youngest starting XI since 2003.

The average age of the Liverpool players that took to the Anfield pitch on Sunday was 24 years and 364 days.

This could have backfired spectacularly against an experienced, world-class City team.

But in the end, it almost brought Rodgers three points, and indeed heralded the beginning of a new Liverpool era.

…But for Once, Some Young Talents to Really Get Excited About

A new Liverpool era that will be spearheaded by the likes of Allen, Coates, Shelvey and Borini.

And Raheem Sterling. (You were wondering when his name would be mentioned, weren’t you?)

For all those who weren’t aware of Sterling’s burgeoning reputation, this was a warm welcome to this exciting young talent.

Chosen rightly (or should that be leftly?) in place of the continually hapless Stewart Downing, Sterling stayed on for the full 90 minutes on his first league start for Liverpool; a sign of his stamina and energy, yes, but also a sign of his maturity.

And it was a maturity that saw some exquisite first touches, good linkup plays with Glen Johnson down the left and, perhaps most importantly, a continual drive to stay on his man and close down on the opposition.

He won’t be starting for Liverpool every week, but he will be one to watch this season and for years to come.

Conclusion

All in all, a good performance from Rodgers’ charges, but still plenty of work to do to turn performances into points.

The glass has suddenly become half full.

 

Original article from Bleacher Report

Liverpool, Premier League match reports

West Brom 08/18/2012: What Went Wrong?

3 Comments

After the opening weekend of the English Premier League season, Liverpool find themselves third from bottom in the league table, courtesy of a 3-0 loss against West Brom at the Hawthorns.

Perhaps equally memorable for Zoltan Gera’s long-range strike as it will be for Liverpool’s double-penalty farce, the game marked Liverpool’s worst-ever start to a Premier League season.

The saving grace is that Brendan Rodgers has time to turn it around, but in an increasingly cutthroat Premier League, the Reds must rebound quickly.

Hindsight is 20-20, but let’s now consider five things that Rodgers got wildly wrong in an embarrassing result for his new club.

1. Failing to Set Up His Defence Against Shane Long

The first error was made painfully obvious even from the opening whistle.

Shane Long has been known for his industrious work rate leading the West Brom line, and the partnership of Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger just didn’t do enough to contain his threat up front.

Taking their time on the ball and not being mindful of Long’s presence, Skrtel and Agger were at fault for the goal that secured West Brom’s eventual victory and for Agger’s sending off.

Whether the red card and the two penalties would not have been given in an alternate universe remains up for debate, but if Skrtel and Agger had so much trouble against a harrying Shane Long, how can they be expected to contain the likes of Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli for Manchester City this coming Sunday?

2. Throwing Lucas Back into the Deep End

Last Saturday marked Lucas’ return to the starting lineup in a Premier League game for the best part of nine months.

Which in itself is commendable on Lucas’ part—but in hindsight perhaps Rodgers could have done more to ease him back into the team.

That Rodgers had no qualms about slotting him straight back into his starting XI was perhaps a testament to his faith in Lucas and Lucas’ own ability. While his partnership in central midfield with Joe Allen had plenty of encouraging signs, they were ultimately overrun by a physical duo of Youssuf Mulumbu and Claudio Yacob.

The argument for Lucas’ extensive gametime is perhaps that he has featured all throughout Liverpool’s preseason, but the EPL is a whole different beast.

3. Playing and Sticking with Stewart Downing

Stewart Downing was rewarded for his fine preseason displays with a starting berth on the right wing in a front three; only for Downing to reward Rodgers’ faith with a typically anonymous performance with no end product.

If there is one thing that Rodgers should take away from his opening-day loss, it should be that Downing only delivers in games against lower-league opposition (see his dazzling cup performances last term) and those with little to no implication (see his preseason displays and that in Belarus against FC Gomel, with whom a second leg at Anfield beckoned).

Time and again the ball fell at Downing’s feet, only for him to waste crossing chance after crossing chance, or to halt the play completely while he switched back onto his favored left foot (also known as his only operable foot).

Perhaps his replacement after Agger’s sending off—Jamie Carragher—could’ve done a better job.

4. Switching Luis Suarez and Fabio Borini’s Positions

After an eye-catching display against FC Gomel, Fabio Borini emerged as a decent goalscoring option for Liverpool, and his dovetailing with Luis Suarez seemed to be an encouraging prospect.

The Suarez-Borini partnership was going swimmingly until Rodgers decided to tinker with it by switching their positions.

Previously granted the freedom of the left wing, Suarez was utilized in a central striking role against West Brom, which allowed the opposing defenders to focus their attentions on him.

While his trickery and unpredictability still ensured that they had to endure an uncomfortable night, he failed to display the finishing composure that should be expected from a central striker.

By contrast, Borini, who previously excelled at finding the space that a predatory striker thrives on, was shunted out to the wing, where he, with lesser dribbling and outright pace, failed to trouble the West Brom defence.

Together with Downing, Borini formed an anonymous wing partnership and a toothless alliance with Suarez.

5. Delaying Andy Carroll’s Introduction

The nature of a Plan B is that it should be used if Plan A doesn’t work out.

But in the case of Andy Carroll, he might not even have taken to the Hawthorns pitch if it weren’t for Joe Cole’s hamstring injury just minutes after Liverpool’s No. 10 came on as a substitute himself.

In delaying Andy Carroll’s introduction, Rodgers seemed to tread in Kenny Dalglish’s footsteps, and that hesitancy and reluctance in making key substitutions will not augur well for both the Liverpool fans and for Carroll himself.

There is perhaps a case against sending on a striker—and a big targetman at that—when you are 3-0 down, but had he been introduced early, he would have given the West Brom defence something else to worry about against a 10-man Liverpool—and an extra outlet for the Reds attack.

The Silver Lining…?

The silver lining in Saturday’s cloud, of course, is that it was Brendan Rodgers’ first league game in charge of Liverpool.

The Rodgers revolution was always going to take time, and if anything, the West Brom result perhaps served to bring expectations down to earth, albeit in an extremely sobering manner.

Perhaps it will have taken such a result for Rodgers to realize some of the points made above.

Hindsight is 20-20, but retrospect is only useful when you act on your mistakes to tackle problems in the future.

The 3-0 loss against Steve Clarke’s side will have been for nothing if Rodgers doesn’t make changes accordingly in the games to come.

 

Original article from Bleacher Report

Liverpool, Others

What Brendan Rodgers Must Do Before the Start of the Season

1 Comment

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

Leave a comment

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

2 Comments

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

4 Comments

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.

Leave a comment

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.

Cup competitions, Liverpool

Thanks, Steven Gerrard.

2 Comments

The title of this piece seems a bit premature, given that Steven Gerrard hasn’t ended his career, and a bit inappropriate, given that Liverpool just lost the FA Cup to Chelsea last night.

But rather than putting out a match reaction on the final itself, I thought a tribute to Steven Gerrard should be in order.

After all, he is the main reason I started following Liverpool in the first place, and the main reason I’ve stayed with the Reds all these years.

I’ll spare all the unnecessary obsessive touting of his skills, experience and superhuman feats, because everyone who knows football will know what a force of nature Gerrard has been for Liverpool, in the Premier League and in the Champions League.

I’d rather comment on the issue of loyalty.

Perhaps Gerrard is a soft-spoken guy. His interviews are normally quite bland, and while he affords a smile once in a while if an interviewer mentions the 2005 Champions League or a great goal he scored in a man-of-the-match performance, he often puts on a poker face in interviews even after the best of celebrations.

But seeing the unbridled joy he exhibits when he celebrates a win on the pitch, and having read his perhaps-too-hastily-published autobiography, we see that this guy is Liverpool through and through.

Set aside that public flirtation with Chelsea in 2005 that is still often reminisced upon (usually by supporters of other teams). To think that a young captain of 24, barely approaching his prime and with the world at his feet, shouldn’t be tempted by untold riches on offer and an ambitious team in the country’s capital is to be naive and utterly unrealistic about being a professional athlete. (In that respect, although my heart tells me to think otherwise, Fernando Torres’ departure for Chelsea made sense, especially considering the circumstances then. And the circumstances now.)

No, the fact that he chose to stay (where Michael Owen once left, remember) should speak volumes about this man’s integrity, commitment and loyalty.

And the fact that he still puts on the Liverpool shirt week in, week out (when his fitness allows) as often the only fighter on the pitch says everything we need to know about this man.

As a mere spectator (and one from an overseas armchair at that), I can’t even begin to count how many rebuilt teams he’s had to work through. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to win a Treble, then having to play with the likes of Salif Diao and El-Hadji Diouf. Then to win the European Cup and the FA Cup, and then to return to reality alongside Nabil El Zhar and Jermaine Pennant. And then to hit heady heights with Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres, only to wake up year after year to see their departures.

Then to wake up with the prospect of playing alongside Paul Konchesky, Christian Poulsen. And now Jay Spearing and Jordan Henderson.

For years, I tried to mirror that sort of unwavering loyalty by putting on my own #8 shirt whenever Liverpool had a game to play that day. And for an extended period of time, this coincided with a run of Champions League games in which Liverpool went unbeaten whenever I watched them live with my Gerrard top on.

Then that run finally came to an end – and when you’re working a full-time job like I am now, it’s hard to sport a Gerrard shirt on match-days. Times have changed.

Yesterday, I set aside all the presupposed characteristics of a working man and retrieved my Gerrard shirt from my shelves. And for a brief two hours last night, I returned to my heart-on-sleeve instincts, shouting my voice coarse for a team that has become part of my life, courtesy of a man who has made that much impact on it.

But the hard fact is that Liverpool are no longer what they used to be, and Gerrard is no longer what he used to be.

Still, until Andy Carroll came on and changed the game, Gerrard was the only person on the pitch to not be overawed by the occasion, to still put on the fight he’s done so often in his illustrious career.

Maybe, when he hit a Carroll knock-down into the stands, it was all too reflective of an erstwhile powerhouse whose finishing prowess have deteriorated to that extent.

But for the last 20 minutes of the game – even towards the last 5 – I was hoping, yearning, straining for that loose ball to fall to his feet outside the area, so he could, much like he did 6 years ago, be the hero again. So that Stevie G could once again save the day. So that his smile would be plastered across the front pages with the familiar Roy of the Rovers, Captain Fantastic, Super Stevie G headlines again.

Alas, it wasn’t to be.

And so, rather than the outright anger at Kenny Dalglish for his time-and-again incompetent tactical approach and personnel selection, rather than the outright depression that Liverpool couldn’t cap a terrible season with the scant consolation of a Cup Double, the overriding emotion I felt was the heartbrokenness that Liverpool have not done justice to the loyalty of their captain all these years.

I was told after I left the bar that the cameras showed a Steven Gerrard in tears.

I’m glad I didn’t witness it.

It might’ve been too much.

Liverpool, English Premier League, Football Business