Reds will do brilliantly to even match their second placed finish this season…
SEE ALSO: The Best Liverpool goals.
5) No Luis Suarez…
It seems pretty obvious, but the Reds are surely going to struggle to deal without their talismanic maverick forward. The Uruguayan topped both the goals and assists charts in the Premier League last term, bagging and creating 31 and 13 respectively. That’s 44 goals he was directly involved in. Suarez swept up the Player of the Year awards, and has since moved to Barcelona for £75m. Any team will struggle to deal with the absence of such a phenomenal footballer, regardless of his intense unlikeability.
4) The ‘Tottenham Style’ transfer activity…
Instead of replacing Suarez with one or two huge names, Liverpool very taken the same approach Tottenham did last summer when they sold Gareth Bale, and signed a heap of players instead. Despite bringing in Emre Can, Rickie Lambert, Lazar Markovic, Adam Lallana, Divock Origi and Dejan Lovren, only Croatian centre-back Lovren automatically walks in the starting lineup. We think the Reds have missed a trick, in this aspect.
3) The fact they’re in the Champions League this term…
Part of Liverpool’s success in 2013/14 was based on the fact Brendan Rodgers could consistently pick the same side every week. They got lucky with injuries, and ended up riding the crest of a wave in the second half of the campaign, narrowly missing out on title glory in the final few weeks of the season. With most of the Liverpool side getting ready for their first Champions League experience however, Rodgers will need to rotate his options, and the unequivocal focus on the Premier League will naturally dwindle.
2) The defensive instability…
Last term, the Reds conceded 50 Premier League goals, which is far too many for a side aiming for title glory. Glen Johnson is arguably a liability at right-back, doubts still remain over the ‘keeper, a new left-back has yet to arrive, and there’s no telling which of the countless centre-halves will be partnering Dejan Lovren at the back. It’ll likely improve, but combined with Liverpool’s ultra offensive style, they’ll continue to succeed.
1) The creative players are very young…
The players charged with making things happen at Liverpool next term are ferociously talented, but very young. Raheem Sterling is 19, Coutinho is 22, and new signing Lazar Markovic is only 20. While new signing Adam Lallana is 26, in terms of experience, he’s never even played in Europe – while Sturridge is about to embark on his first ever season as a club’s first-choice forward. While the ability of those mentioned isn’t questioned, their ability to consistently win matches against seasoned winners like Manchester City and Chelsea probably is.
