A New Era Has Begun

It has been a little over a year since Kenny Dalglish took over as Liverpool manager for the second time in his career, a choice he made because he had 'unfinished business' with Liverpool football club. During this time Dalglish and his team have faced mixed reviews from the media, up to even some Liverpool fans. Despite this divide of opinion, few can deny that after Sunday's Carling Cup victory over Cardiff, and another trip to Wembley on the cards with the F.A Cup, the club are showing signs that they are moving in the right direction on to bigger and better things.

Although yesterday's performance is not something any Liverpool fan will want to remember, Steven Gerrard lifting the clubs first trophy in six years is something they will savour for a long time. A lot of people say the first trophy is always the hardest, and this will be the first trophy for what is a new Liverpool team, in a new era. Gone are the dark days of Hicks and Gillette dragging the club down almost into administration. No more selling players, (and important ones too) to buy new players. For the first time in years Liverpool have the right owners who will back the club all the way, and by that I mean, will give money for players when it is needed.

Without looking at this in solely my rose tinted glasses I must remind everyone that Liverpool currently lie in 7th place in the Premiership. Also, the lack of finishing shown throughout the season almost costing us a trophy is a big issue that needs to be addressed. As amazing as Luis Suarez is, he is no finisher, more the creator who will chip in with some goals but cannot be relied upon solely for goals. Andy Carroll still needs to do more to win over the majority of Liverpool fans, but his performances since the turn of the year do show signs that he is slowly progressing with us. For me though, I will not be able to sleep easily until we buy ourselves a fox in the box, someone in the Javier Hernandez mould who can be in the right place at the right time. To get players of this calibre, we may have to be in the Champions League by the end of the season. Right now, it isn't looking great for us but with the fixtures we have coming up compared to our rivals and a trophy under our belts I see no reason why we cannot make it if we finish strongly.

Putting my rose tinted glasses back on, I have to stress that the team is a lot closer to being complete than many will think. The defence, including the goalie, have been arguably the best in the Premiership this season. Martin Skrtel has had his best season for Liverpool, possibly being our best player and has flourished under Dalglish and Steve Clarke. Skrtel has been arguably the best centre back in the league this year with only Kompany really matching some of his performances. Lucas although injured for over half a season has proved to everyone that there is no player who does his job better than him. He was top tackler in the Premiership last year and this year until his injury against Chelsea. Jose Enrique has came in and produced performances of the highest quality. With Evra and Ashley Cole regressing, it is a breath off fresh air to know our left back has his best years ahead of him. He has proved to be a key part of this defence and has also been one of our best players this season.

Another area I believe has done well is our creativity. I remember reading a while back that, we had created the fourth most chances in the Premiership this season. As I said it was a few weeks ago and we may have slipped up, or down that table since then, but it is still encouraging nonetheless. It is hard to believe because we have scored so few goals, but as shown in almost every game this year, Liverpool create chances, enough chances to win the majority of our games, it's simply whether we take them, and unfortunately we struggle to do so.

The final point I would like to stress is that we have a young team, and bright future. As mentioned earlier, there have been a lot of new players brought in. It takes time for players to gel with each other. Look at Manchester City last year, swap Tevez for Aguero and it is the same team really, however they have got an understanding together and now look at them. As for the age of our squad, apart from Reina, there is nobody part of our defence over Twenty-seven. They all have many years left in them, and have all shown improvements over the last year. Also players like Shelvey Kelly and Coates are Nineteen and Twenty-one and have already played in big games for us and have shown they have quality to get into the team in the future. The midfield is relatively young also. Obviously Gerrard at Thirty-one is not the same player who volleyed home that famous goal against Olympiacos but still is one of the first names on the team sheet, the captain of the club and will be around for a few more years. Bellamy also has a season or two in him. Some will argue he's on the form of his life at the moment, and few could argue. Suarez and Carroll are both under Twenty-five and are yet to hit their peak. 

Also players like Sterling, Suso, Adorjan and Wisdom look as if they are close to getting loan deals and hopefully sub appearances over the next year or two. The Under 19s Nextgen tournament they're participating in has seen them reach the Semi finals against Ajax proving they can match some of the best youth teams in the world. Also there seems to be a new youngster the club has scouted and signed every month, with Jordan Ibe, Joa Texeira and Marc Peolsi joining the already fantastic youth squad.

To sum up, this team is not yet completed, and wont be until Dalglish and Comolli do their homework and pick the right players that we need. A Champions League place is achievable despite what the league table says. However it is imperative that we finish strongly and hope our rivals slip up, and reviewing their fixtures it is definitely plausible. Winning the League Cup is a big step in the right direction, for Liverpool six years without a trophy is too long, and winning a trophy with this current team can do wonders for some of the players confidence.

With many draws being Liverpool's problem at Anfield this year, they are still the only side in England to be undefeated at home. Call me OptaAlbi. This is a key stat going into the Arsenal game next week; a win against them and one against Chelsea at the end of the season could be enough to get the club where they belong, in the Champions League battling it out with the very best. If we fail to achieve this, then don't be fooled, building a team takes time, the clubis going forward and will start afresh next year with new players capable of doing more than just challenging for top four but hopefully challenging for Mr Nineteen himself over the next few years.

Neighbours Just Got Noisier

The Manchester derby last weekend will be one to remember for all the City fans. On the other side of Manchester, United fans will very quickly want to forget their most humiliating defeat in the Premiership. It's fair to say that had Man United had 11 men on the pitch the entire game, we would be looking at a very different scoreline, however the end result would have been the same. Man City were simply superior to Man United in every department, and that includes tactics.

Quite clearly Mancini's risky move to play Balotelli in one of the biggest games of the season paid dividends, as well as choosing the rejuvenated Milner ahead of Nasri. This along with the very fluid 4-2-3-1 formation caused Man United all sorts of problems. While Ferguson on the other hand stuck to a rigid 4-4-2 albeit with Rooney swapping positions in midfield and attack. Like last week against Liverpool Man United were overrun in midfield, this time by the power of Yaya Toure and surprisingly Gareth Barry. These two as well as the help from the ever impressive Silva and Milner on the wings helped break up United's play on several occasions. Usually Ferguson's wingmen cause enough trouble so that their two centre midfielder's don't have to be world class shall we say. However Nani and Young (despite an energetic start) were kept quiet by Clichy and Richards. I'm sure Everton will be watching the tapes of this game as they may have found United's weakness.

It is clear that United started the brighter team, however Balotelli, who was teed up by Milner after he had linked with Silva, struck the first of many blows. These three were involved in the first three goals all fairly similar with Silva at the heartbeat of the attack. Although these 3 Musketeers were fantastic throughout, it has to be said that Man United's defence (and not just yesterday) was very poor. Evra over the years has been argued as being the best left back in the world but recent for suggests otherwise. Evra could not handle the fluidness of Richards and Milner/Silva on the right and had a horrid game. Rio Ferdinand one of Fergy's most trusted players has also looked out of form the past year, and I would not be surprised to see the impressive Jones take his spot for good. As for Evans, it has to be said he has improved but quite clearly is out of his depth at United and showed this by bringing down Balotelli on the edge of the box and getting himself sent off. Norwich had shown the fragility of United's defence as well as Liverpool, however Man U managed to escape both games unscathed. When you have Man City's quality however, it is much harder to get away with defensive faults.

Towards the final 20 minutes of the game Balotelli was substituted for Dzeko, and Aguero for Nasri. These substitutions show just how far Manchester City have come as they can so easily replace fantastic footballers for fantastic footballers. Although Man United too have a strong bench, the magnitude of their bench cannot live up to City's. So many times we have seen Man U bring on a super sub in a time of need and it has helped them win the game, Tevez in previous seasons, Hernandez last year. However it may have turned the other way. Dzeko came on and bagged a brace, albeit it in stoppage time. Although he could have easily had a hat trick.

For City next week  they host Wolves at home after their midweek game ironically at the Molineux. After thumping United for six it is very difficult to see them not cruise through this match against a side in very low form. As for United they travel to Goodison where Everton have shifted themselves out of their bad form after an impressive win at Craven Cottage. Last year United struggled and dropped two points on the road here and if the same were to happen again they may leave themselves seven points behind City. Of course City wont get ahead of themselves especially after seeing Chelsea's implosion last year. However, if they were to maintain this five point gap or even add to it by Christmas, then they will have very much put themselves in the driving seat to winning the Premier League.

What to expect in Liverpool's 2011/12 Season

Liverpool saw their disastrous start to the 2010/11 season end on a high. Kenny Dalglish had signed up for another 3 years and despite two late losses to Aston Villa and Tottenham, Liverpool still managed to finish 2nd in the league table for the second half of the season. An interesting stat considering Kenny was without Carroll and Gerrard for large parts.
Liverpool's heavy spending in January which saw them sign Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll for 57.8m continued straight away as Kenny Dalglish swooped in and bought Sunderland's own Jordan Henderson for an estimated 16m.This fee caused much debate but at a young age of 20, it cannot be argued that Henderson's future does look very bright and should prove good value for money. A month later Kenny bought his second player, a less surprising signing in set-piece specialist Charlie Adam for a bargain of 7m. Shortly after that Liverpool once again showed their intent for next season and forked out 20m for Aston Villa's player of the season Stewart Downing.

With these signings made so far, and hopefully more to come I expect Kenny Dalglish to have a headache in picking the first 11 for the Sunderland game. To get the best out of Carroll, Downing must play. Steven Gerrard although injured at the moment, will almost definitely have a spot open for him when fit and Charlie Adam surely has to play as he was one of the best midfielders of last year. However, Lucas deserves a spot as he was Liverpool's best midfielder last year. Lastly Henderson, who Dalglish spent 16m on wasn't bought to be just a bench warmer was he...? Aquilani and Meireles are also contenders but sadly in my honest opinion one, or maybe even both of them, will leave this year so I shall not raise an argument for them. Although this sounds like it'll leave Dalglish in a struggle to pick the players, and may cause one or two of them to be unhappy this has to be seen as a happy headache for Dalglish to have. This vast amount of options is exactly what Kenny wants and it shall prove highly beneficial when Liverpool show up with an unpredictable starting 11 and also a strong bench.

In terms of what formation do I expect Liverpool to use, again I think Dalglish will have a few to choose from. Dalglish used a 4-3-3 very effectively last year as shown in our big wins against Birmingham and Fulham. This, in my view would see Downing and Suarez on the left and right of Carroll who are in front of most likely Gerrard (when fit) Adam and either Lucas or Henderson. They would be in front most likely, Johnson, Carragher Skrtel and hopefully a new left back (Enrique maybe), who of course are in front of Doni...just kidding, that spot will always belong to Reina. As well as this I believe an interesting 4-2-3-1 formation could suit us very well, the back 5 would be the same, and I see Adam and Lucas/Henderson playing in the holding positions as Downing (Left) Gerrard (Middle) and Suarez (Right) play behind Carroll. Another formation Dalglish used effectively was 5-4-1 against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge where Liverpool managed a tight 1-0 win.

Where will Liverpool finish next season I hear you ask? At the moment I think that Liverpool will definitely make it into that illusive 'Top Four'. More specifically I believe 3rd is a realistic target, as long as Dalglish is able to find himself a quality left back (once again Enrique maybe?). If we fail to secure a quality left back I still very much think the upcoming season shall be a successful one. Firstly, because the players unlike the majority of last year, have a smile on their faces and that hunger to do well. This is something Kenny has achieved magnificently with his second to none man management skills. Secondly Andy Carroll. In January when  Dalglish bought Carroll he had bought himself a shotgun roaring to fire, however he had forgotten to buy the ammunition, and now he has that in Stewart Downing, so i fully expect Andy Carroll to prove his worth next season. Lastly, I may be going for the obvious choices, but fresh from a Copa America win Luis Suarez will be hungrier than ever to win another trophy. His performances last season and in the Copa America have been beyond anything anyone would have expected and I personally cannot wait to see those big teeth light up the Premiership again as Liverpool look to embark on a season with a potential to challenge for that top spot.

Who needs a Sir when you've got a King?

I as well as many football pundits out there was skeptical when Kenny Dalglish was appointed caretaker manager following Hodgson's reign. Naturally the majority of the fans and players were delighted to have their King back at the club which he served so well in the past, however being away from the game for over ten years did cast doubt over Dalglish' managerial abilities. Four months on and Liverpool fans are simply pleading with Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group to give the King the contract he has rightfully earned.

In his short time as manager Dalglish has had to deal with a number of obstacles in his way such as the torrid Torres situation and finding his replacements, to trying out new and innovative formations instead of a simple 4-4-2 and finally dealing with his talismanic captain being out for the majority of his reign. As well as this he's had to get the smile back on the Liverpool player's faces and reignite their passion for the game following the clubs abysmal first half of the season. It's safe to say that Kenny has not only overcome all these obstacles but completely revitalized the team while even managing to make young and fringe players into first team regulars in Spearing and Flanagan.

Who would have thought four months ago Liverpool a team lying 12th in the Premier League struggling to get back to back wins would end up where they are now, 2nd in the League table. Did i forget to mention that table is only taking into account games since Dalglish' reign whereby Liverpool have snatched up 35 points out of a possible 48 only to be outdone by Chelsea? Anyway, Liverpool lie 5th in the Premier League but the stats do not lie, Liverpool are currently playing not just like a 'Top Four' team but like real title contenders. If you watch a Liverpool game you will see that they play to win, and that they play with their hearts on their sleeves busting their guts for the club.

This is where Kenny has shown his best talents, his man to man management. Players who were commonly under criticism, like Kuyt and Lucas, have turned into Liverpool's best performers of the season, seeing Kuyt in the best form of his life with 9 goals in his last 8 games. As for Lucas he has turned into a controlled competent battling midfielder and has the accolade as top tackler in the League with. As well as this Kenny has also shown the world his talents for eying quality. When Torres left Liverpool and Suarez and Carroll were brought in as replacements, people laughed at Kenny's business. Now people are quite simply in awe of a young world beater, Luis Suarez who as Kenny says has 'graced the pitch every time he's played'. From goals to assists to a tevezesque work rate Suarez has lit the prem alight. As well as this we have seen a reassuring performances by Andy Carroll to see that his future at the club is very bright. With these additions it cannot be argued that Kenny knows the right players for Liverpool and if he is given the job it's very likely that we shall see more of the same quality added to Liverpool's squad.

It will only be a matter of time before the King officially has control over the club he loves and one can only dream of what he can achieve if he is given the right funds. Liverpool may be knocked of their perch but don't be surprised if that record is short lived, Kenny isn't a King for nothing. 

Terryfic Captain Back For Good

As I'm sure you know, last night John Terry was reinstated as permanent England captain. Capello had this to say on the matter , "After one year of punishment, Terry will again be the permanent captain. I think one year's punishment is enough." Some people will say that one year punishment isn't enough and quite simply, why bring Terry back as captain as it may upset Rio and other England players in the dressing room. On the other hand many people will be very pleased to see Terry back as captain. There are many things you can say about Terry, good and bad, but one thing is for sure, he is a leader. A lot of people, noticeably Chelsea fans, were shocked with Capello's decision to remove Terry's captaincy, especially in the lead up to the biggest tournament in sport. Some say this decision ruined morale in the dressing room and was a contributory factor towards England's embarrassing World Cup exit.

From what Capello has said on the matter it seems to me that he never wanted to take the captaincy from Terry but maybe got forced to because of the involvement of the Media and some of the England players. During Terry's absence from captaincy Rio took over. It must be said that Rio was injured for much of this time and this left Gerrard as captain for many of the occasions. Clearly this would have helped Capello's decision to remove Rio from captain. However maybe it wasn't just his injuries. Many people were very upset to see Rio as captain as he is failed to turn up to a drugs test claiming he had "forgotten"...Sure we believe you Rio. Either way his performances over the last year have been questionable, and even when he does come back from injury, with the bright performances from young talent Smalling, it would not surprise me if he struggled to get back into the United side.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand, at the end of the day who knows how this decision will effect the England team. We all hope that this is a step in the right direction and will help the nation forget about the poor performances during the World Cup, which i'm sure like me, still has nightmares about.

A Gem Found In Luis ?

Liverpool fans across the world will still be on a high after seeing their team dismantle their fiercest rivals Manchester United in a 3-1 victory secured by Kuyt's seven yard hat trick. The victory was Liverpool's third successive victory over Man Utd at home, something they have not been able to achieve in over thirty-five years. It will be no surprise to see Dirk Kuyt taking all the headlines, however there is another man who left the Anfield faithful licking their lips at the performance they saw.

Luis Suarez came to Liverpool on the final day of what was a very exciting deadline day for 22.8m. This fee is starting to look like a real bargain (if there ever was one at such a price). In just three starts Luis looks like he's been playing in what is widely known as the greatest league in the world for a long time, with a goal and three assists to his name already. His determination, skill, work rate and deadly finishing leave him as an even more promising player than the star that Liverpool let go of in January.

Many people across the world were heavily critical of Liverpool's business in January. The decision to let go of arguably the world's best striker and bring in Suarez, a player who at the time was unproven in the big leagues and Carroll, a young lad with many off the field problems who could have been out for the remainder of the season seemed ludicrous. However, Liverpool fans are starting to reap the rewards of the deals done in January. For a long time Liverpool relied on one striker Fernando Torres and over the last two years it has to be said that Fernando looked like the shadow of the player Liverpool fans know he is. With the transfer to Chelsea you would have thought Torres would be firing on all cylinders again, however it is Suarez that is making the headlines while Torres on the other hand also makes the headlines. The only difference is, Suarez will be happy to see what is being written about him while Torres will not want to read "past his peak" ever again. I do not want to be too critical of the player because what he did for Liverpool is beyond magnificent, and quite clearly he is still a fantastic striker. It cannot be argued though, that he is past his glory days of 30 goals in one season, and 3rd world player of the year.

Suarez on the other hand, has the world at his feet, and after yesterdays performance, when something's at his feet, it seems near impossible to take it away from him. Suarez gave Man United something to fear, and i don't just mean his teeth. Yesterday we saw glimpses of the new Liverpool hero as he danced his way with ease past Rafael, Carrick and Brown, before putting it across to Kuyt for the easiest goal he'll score...until later that same game. His second contribution, a fine cross leaving Nani's misjudged header to fall into the path for Kuyt to simply poke home. Assist number two came not long after the break when a swerving free kick left Van Der Sar fumble the ball out of his arms for Kuyt to grab the easiest hat trick seen in the Premier league ( not that he'll mind ). It is not just his contributions for the goals that will stay in the Liverpool fans' memory for a long time. His skill was second to none as he constantly gave Man Uniteds defence a run for their money like nothing they've experienced before. Everytime he had the ball, Smalling and Brown tried their hardest to close him down, many times resulting in them eating his dust as he skipped away. A goal would have been a perfect end to a perfect performance however it was not to be. Suarez i'm sure will not mind as he has already won the love of the Anfield faithful and with nine games to go i'm sure he'll add plenty more goals to his name.

As for Liverpool fans, they will of course know their team is unlikely to grab that Champions League place, and will have to be content with Europa League again next year. However, with a new manager in  'King Kenny' and new investors who seem determined to bring them back to the top, it looks like a very bright future for Liverpool.