An overview of what the Anfield side need to do to have a successful transfer window.
Players they should sign:
Callum McManaman – The Wigan midfielder would be a fine addition to any number of squads in the Premier League and one may get their chance to take him on board as it’s unlikely he will stay with the Latics following their relegation. Furthermore, he’s an exciting winger the likes of which Liverpool fans know about all too well over the years. He is good on the left or the right, and while he may not be a little bag o’ tricks like some wide men, his direct style and approach has wrong-footed numerous top flight defenders. He has also proved that he can perform on the big stage too, with a man of the match performance coming during the FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Diego Capel – Where McManaman would cover the right wing, the speedy Spaniard would cover the left, finally dispossessing the hapless Stewart Downing. Downing may have improved slightly last term, but he’s still not come anywhere near to matching the £20 million that Liverpool paid for him two years ago. Capel is vastly experienced at just 25-years-old. Having made his Sevilla Debut at 16, he was a key part of the side that won the old Uefa Cup twice in succession and his Euopean adventure has continued at Sporting. Injury may have hampered his career in Portugal, but they are thought to be willing to listen to offers to ease their crushing financial difficulties.
Christian Eriksen – The young Danish international could be just the right player to fill that number 10 role, and with Luis Suarez potentially on the move his signature would help soften the blow considerably. He is thought to want to move on from the Dutch champions this summer, clearly feeling that he’s outgrown Amsterdam. There’s no doubt that Liverpool are still regarded as one of the biggest names in Europe, but there’s one thing they can’t offer right now; European football. He may decide to plump for someone like Real Madrid instead, so fans will be hoping Brendan Rodgers can convince him that Anfield is the right choice.
Ashley Williams – Although he’s been linked extensively with a move to Arsenal, Liverpool hold the advantage as the Welsh captain knows the manager very well, having both worked together at Swansea. Furthermore, the need for defensive cover at Anfield is greater than it is at the Emirates. They may have just signed Kolo Toure, but Jamie Carragher has left some mighty big shoes to fill and Martin Skrtel hasn’t exactly been setting the world on fire with his recent form either. Williams is powerful, quick and knows the system Rodgers likes to use, however he is approaching 30 and has yet to test himself with a top club meaning that he is still somewhat of an unknown quantity.
Areas of weakness
Transfer policy – This has been a sticking point for sometime; paying a combined £40 million for Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing has backfired and the less said about the loss on Andy Carroll the better. But Brendan Rodgers appears to have fixed that now, somewhat. He’s dipped into the market early and done some good business, following the trend Swansea City and Aston Villa have started by buying cheap, unknown players from continental Europe. His acquisition of Philippe Coutinho seems astute, and with plenty of time left to conduct business with a substantial war chest, he will be able to address the squads problems and set about remedying them. There are still caveats, Fabio Borini for one, cost Rodgers the best part of £11 million, and though he’s been injured for much of the season, when fit he’s not made the impact that a £11 million should.
Transition – As we all know, last season saw the last stand of veteran chatterbox Jamie Carragher, who finally hung up his boots after a long and colourful career with the club. And as difficult as it is to hear; Steven Gerrard won’t be too far behind either. At 33, the skipper doesn’t have long left to continue doing what he’s been doing so well for all this time, and his recent injury record only seems to back that up. What’s worrying is that the club are yet to buy, or develop anyone capable of replacing them and being the face of the club. The Reds have a tendency to look a little lost without them, and where they’ve gone wrong is to not offer Carragher a staff role, like Manchester United have with a number of their old stars. Letting Carragher join Sky Sports could be one of the biggest mistakes the club could make, his experience and influence around Anfield are still invaluable no doubt, and his input around the club would have been huge.
Lack of experience – Even though a lot of good work has gone on recently to revamp Liverpool’s youth policy there is still a distinct lack of experience running through the squad. Of all the players the Rodgers has signed during his tenure only three have been 25 or over (Toure, Aspas and Mignolet) the rest have been aged between 17-23. That’s all well and good, planning for the future is essential, but it more often than not foregoes the present. “As John Lennon said; Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” The calibre of youngster that Rodgers has brought in has been better than what predecessor Kenny Dalgleish spent his money on, but experience is a key component of success.
Kit – Good God what is wrong with that away kit? It even has odd socks.
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.
Who should be sold:
Fabio Borini – A player Rodgers knew well from his time at both Chelsea and Swansea, the young Italian was signed for his positional ability in the opposition’s penalty area. Sadly, he’s seen his chances limited by injury but only two goals in 20 appearances this season suggest that perhaps he isn’t worth the £10.5 million they paid Roma for his services. It’s not that he’s a bad player, far from it, but it’s unlikely he’ll force his way into the side ahead of Suarez, Sturridge and Iago Aspas, so they should look to offload him now whilst his resale value is still relatively high.
Jordan Henderson – Hype surrounds certain players naturally, whether they’re worth it or not, but if a club spends £20 million on a player then they’d better be worth it. So far he hasn’t justified his price tag contributing just six goals in 44 appearances this season. Henderson seems to be the poster boy for over valued young British talent, which is a shame because he could have been (and still could be) the genuine article.
Jay Spearing – Another highly lauded academy graduate who has failed to make a meaningful impact. He spent the bulk of the season on loan at Championship side Bolton; and he’d made more league appearances for them last season (39 in total, scoring two goals) than he has in five years at Liverpool. Used mostly in cup competitions (and in fact, only cup competitions before his move in August,) he could still turn out to be a handy player for someone, but it won’t be Liverpool as rumours of a move to Blackburn Rovers are now doing the rounds, his tough tackling and neat passing will be better utilised in the second tier.
Stewart Downing – Aston Villa were laughing all the way to the bank after receiving £20 million for the England winger – £8 million more than they paid Middlesbrough for him. He was largely considered a laughing stock in his debut season as he failed to make a single goal or assist for his new club. Last season saw a slight improvement in his fortunes, as he ended chalking up four goals and five assists but he’s still a long way off justifying the price tag and earlier this season seemed to be so out of favour that he was told that he may have to play at left-back if he wanted to be a part of the squad. Some have accused him of collecting England caps by being connected to the club, and on they evidence available – they could be right. However, he still has something to offer somebody, but there’s a feeling that Liverpool may have been a step too high for him.