Liverpool Winter Transfer Needs

It seems Liverpool supporters have been counting the hours until the first of January ever since the dreadful end to the summer transfer window. Simultaneously, they also have found themselves counting lost points as a direct result of poor summer business.

Although able to secure purchases of Joe Allen, Fabio Borini, lesser-known Oussama Assaidi, along with Nuri Sahin arriving on loan from Real Madrid, the summer ended in calamity.

With the club discarding Craig Bellmay, Dirk Kuyt, and Andy Carroll, it was crucial that they signed enough attacking reinforcements to compensate. But an inept 24 hours on deadline day saw the club fail to bring in a forward, and was left looking foolish. And are further reminded of their folly with every glance at a lackluster bench.

The squad has been left incomplete and dangerously thin with just a single fit striker for well over two months!

The manager has hinted that few signings will be made, but that thinking fails to take into consideration the vast areas of the squad that are lacking. A forward or two must arrive in January, that is certain, but there are other obvious holes in the squad too.

Here is a look at the needs of the present squad and potential targets.

Striker – It is all but official that the club will sign Daniel Sturridge in a 12 million pound move. However supporters and pundits alike have reservations that the move will be successful. Another ominous sign - Chelsea couldn’t be happier to offload the player.

Although a striker is definitely needed, and the club does need a young talent with potential. It might be wise to sign a player that sometimes sees the field, or even better, plays without an individualistic inefficient streak.

Should sign: Stephan El Shaarawy, Christian Benteke

Will sign: Daniel Sturridge

Winger/forward – A greater goal threat and potency is required on the wings. And if Downing is to leave the club, then even more strain will be burdened by the young Sterling. So a signing is desperately needed to aid the long-term development of Raheem, and to protect him from over-playing; as he has made 27 app in 34 games.

The rumours mention Tom Ince, and of course the fact that he was on Liverpool books 18 months ago says a lot. But that was consequence of a previous regime. Now, the youth friendly Rodgers has overhauled the first team.

Ince looks a real player with bright movement, fantastic touch, clever skills, great work rate, and best of all, a deadly eye for goal. He would be a great addition to the team.

Should sign: Tom Ince, Lewis Holtby

Will sign: Tom Ince

Defensive Midfielder – Last season immediately fell apart when Lucas Leiva went down injured. Liverpool were out of sorts without their Brazilian metronome ticking over play and breaking up opposition attacks.

But the summer came and went without signing cover; so Joe Allen has had to try his best to emulate the combative midfielder, but he is much better suited as a foil.

An inexpensive signing would help protect the club if there was another unfortunate injury set-back.

Should sign: Radja Nainggolan, Mohamaed Diame

Will sign: No one, or worse, Jay Spearing will return from loan

Center-back – The Reds are in need of a capable third choice center-back to support the Agger- Skrtel partnership. The pair are vulnerable to aerial attacks; notably exposed by Stoke. So a strong physical presence that is also comfortable on the ball would do.

Jamie Carragher has openly talked about retirement, but before he slowly (very slowly) walks away from the game, a younger center-back would help stop the team leaking goals.

Should sign: Angelo Ogbonna,

Will sign: No one

Goalkeeper – Pepe Reina was once a model of consistency on Merseyside, but he is becoming stale and increasingly error-prone. With frequency of injury rising, and the number of spectacular saves dwindling, it could be time to part ways while he might still command a suitable fee from a rival.

Although his best might be able to be coaxed out of him still.

Should sign: Jack Butland, Ron-Robert Zieler

Will sign: No one

For all their failings at the end of the summer window, the redeeming quality of the apprehensive recruitment campaign at Anfield is in the ability to keep the most promising and talented squad members.  Luis Suarez, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger, Suso, and now Sterling (with an extension for Steven Gerrard also reportedly in the works) have added years onto their existing deals in the past few months, which is a rare tribute to the work done by those behind the scenes.

With many gaffes to atone for, January represents the chance for the club directors, owners, and even the manager to redeem themselves for the woeful summer transfer window. And hopefully this window closes without the need for supporters to countdown days until summer, or worse, count more lost points.

Liverpool Half-term Report

Five months and eighteen league games into the Rodgers era, and Liverpool have managed to reach the half-way point of the Barclays Premier League in eighth place. It seems clear that the year of transition alluded to by the manager during pre-season is well under way at Anfield.

Ironic that Rodgers had secured the club the same number of points through seventeen games as the hapless Roy Hodgson; yet the pulse of the club seems much more upbeat.  Just last week there was extensive coverage and talk of Liverpool making a real challenge for 4^th place. Considering the evidence that the last 12 games have seen Liverpool amass the 4^th most points of any team in the league, the talk seem justified. And the large sample size suggests the team have recovered after a poor start, and should be higher placed.

But just how has Rodgers squad compared to last seasons?

Well any comparison to previous seasons would be incomplete without considering the expectations charged to the squad.

Right or wrong, seasons gone by have seen greater significance placed on league position. As the lure of Champions League money was prioritized by the owners over any trophy haul.

Through eighteen games, King Kenny had the team battling in 6^th with a total of 31 points. And it seemed his expensive players were producing, while Steve Clark had the defense looking formidable: surrendering only 14 goals.

Dalglish ended the year collecting silverware for the club in the form of the Carling Cup, yet suffered embarrassing league form; finishing well below the demanded fourth place.

Seemingly harshly dismissed, but he should have been aware of the demands of the owners. 

Conversely, it is difficult to judge Rodgers’ performance of the season thus far, because the current manager’s job must be defined by more than results. Liverpool have been a club without any semblance of consistency or stability amongst owners, managers, and players. The club has truly been a mess since it has last appeared in the Champions League three years ago.

The appointment of Rodgers was to improve the club as a whole. He was tasked with lowering the wage bill, promoting youth, and adapting the style of play to the pass and move possession football demanded by the Kop.

All with the limitations of a transfer policy dictated by finances rather than the quality of players. The budget afforded to Rodgers has been next to nothing considering the departures from the club have removed 25 million pounds from the books; the exact sum of the transfer fees paid for summer arrivals.

Rodgers has demonstrated a quality to revive certain players. Where on the pitch, tangible evidence of positive impact from tactics and coaching can be seen. Turning profligate Suarez, into persistent scorer, and Henderson from lost on the right, to impact-sub. Youth players: Sterling, Suso, Shelvey, and Wisdom, have been introduced into the first team and granted valuable experience.  

So true that compared to last season, Rodgers is short of the mark judged solely on points. But this season began without a required league position, instead with the demand that the structure of the club be improved top to bottom. Health and sustainability is the obligation. But a template for the future takes more than five months.

That is not to say that league should be written off this year.

The season seems to be on the cusp of either being mired in steady transition or with the potential to string a few wins together and demonstrate the class to compete for honors in the future. But for that to happen the team needs to battle some trends that have been the prevalent flaws of the season. All too often, crisp passing falls apart in the final third, or chances are unable to be converted when dominating play.

For now, The Kop has demonstrated patience with the manager, being able to witness the endeavor and appreciating the attacking verve on the pitch.

Hogdson was an appointment born from flawed conservatism, while Dalglish from desperation, but Rodgers is the remedy.

Why Gerrard needs to play on the wings

Euro 2012 gave hope and credence to the idea of a disciplined Steven Gerrard deployed as a conventional center midfielder could not only be successful but inspired. However, playing for Roy Hodgson and Brendan Rodgers are two different prospects entirely.

Maligned of late, Gerrard has been exposed in the possession orientated style demanded by Rodgers. He has been guilty of erratic performances:  

Against Tottenham, it was his poor turnover from being caught sluggish with the ball that conceded an easy opener…a tap in that was woefully covered by an inept Downing at left-back. The game was ultimately lost by one goal.

Nevertheless the veteran responded with a man-of-the-match performance against Southampton.

However, his season continued to be plagued with inconsistency with another indifferent performance against West Ham in which he was overwhelmed by the dynamic Diame (a shame the Liverpool pursuit of the player stalled after the dismissal of Dalglish).

While his own-goal that game seemed a product of unfortunate happenstance, his regular mistakes throughout the season are inexcusable.

A true measure of consistent failings: pass percentage. Gerrard has managed around an 80% pass completion for the season, while midfield partner Joe Allen has outperformed him significantly; boasting a completion rate around 90%.

He is still very capable of producing the sublime, and spotting a killer defense-splitting pass; he played the ball for Glen Johnson’s opener. But his style is much more suited for an advanced position.

A return to the right wing/support striker, the position in which he flourished with 20-goal seasons under Rafa Benitez, is needed. Reports of loss of pace and stamina have been greatly exaggerated.  Touch, skill, and finishing ability still reside in his boots. Gerrard can still consistently provide a goal threat up front.

Further making the case, is the dearth of advanced options available for Rodgers. Sterling faces inevitable burnout having appeared in 27 games (24 starts) before his 18^th birthday. Albeit receiving plaudits for his play so far this season, Sterling has scored only twice. Gerrard is needed to supply the goals Sterling is unable to contribute, to lessen the burden on Suarez.

A move away from midfield for Gerrard wouldn’t leave the Reds vulnerable either. Safe in the knowledge that Jonjo Shelvey can easily fill the void.

Rodgers is clearly a fan of Jonjo Shelvey, and the moment between the two of them during the documentary series ‘Being: Liverpool’ in which the manager talks about the young midfielder's future in a midfield three with Joe Allen and Lucas whilst having Steven Gerrard in a wide role is an exciting proposition.

It's also easy to see where Suso fits moving forward under Brendan Rodgers. With the manager speaking positively about the "arrogance" the young midfielder has in possession, a quality that is critical in a possession-based style. His duties as a winger may continue while the club waits for reinforcements, but he seems most comfortable and effective through the middle; capable of spreading play and linking up with the forwards from an advanced position. He's already shown signs of a terrific understanding with Luis Suarez, playing the striker into space with perfectly-weighted and timed through balls and providing the support that the Uruguayan's so desperately needed.

 

It is not long until January and presumed attacking signings, but even with new arrivals, a switch of position will benefit Gerrard’s play. It is clear that the transition of the marauding Captain Fantastic to strict deep-lying pass master has been difficult, it has also mirrored the measured transition of the club.  

Regardless of form and position, it would be wise to never write off Gerrard.