Strengths
Firepower – If there’s one thing Liverpool does have; it’s excellent strength up front. For the time being Luis Suarez is still a Liverpool player, and he is one of the deadliest strikers in the league. Alongside him is Daniel Sturridge, who is finally starting to fulfil his potential under Rodgers (and what a bargain too!) and just behind them there is Philippe Coutinho and Steven Gerrard, who both know where the back of the net is. What’s more, they have just signed an unknown striker who’s goals kept Celta Vigo in the Primera Division last season. Iago Aspas may have only scored 12 goals, but that was in a team largely tipped to go down just a season after they’d arrived – with a stronger squad and greater supply line around him he’s bound to find the back of the net more often.
Youth – Contrary to what’s written on the previous page; Liverpool boast an impressive array of young and exciting talent that will take the game by storm over the coming years. The likes of Jerome Sinclair, Andre Wisdom, Jon Flanagan, Martin Kelly and Raheem Sterling all have international caps at various youth levels, whilst Kelly and Sterling have already made into the full side, meaning there is not just a bright future for the club, but for the country too. Couple that with the exciting foreign players the club had, and you’ve got a generous mix of talents and skill sets all mingling to progress each others game.
Competition in goal – Many had assumed that the signing of Simon Mignolet was due to put an end to Pepe Reina’s time at the club, however, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Reina had been lined up as a replacement for Victor Valdes at Barcelona, but his cohort for the national team now looks set to stay put in Catalonia, meaning Reina is probably going to stay now too. Last season wasn’t Reina’s finest, a dip in form saw him lose his place to Brad Jones and Doni at various points in the campaign. That could be complacency – neither of his understudies were particularly breathing down his neck for a starting spot, whereas Mignolet will be much more capable of applying some pressure. Both will want to make into the respective national squads for next year’s World Cup, so the pressure to keep the other out will be immense and only one can be successful.