Crisis at LFC?

Good, but could be better. That would be what most Koppites would say of LFC’s steady, if unspectacular, start to the season. Eight points dropped at home already, with two draws in a row against newly promoted teams; hardly top four from never mind the title challenging some deluded fans predicted pre-season. So, with November being a crucial month with Liverpool facing off against Manchester City and Chelsea twice I decided to use the International break as a time to reflect on the season so far and look toward what lies ahead.

Signings

One of the main criticisms of Rafa Benitez’s reign was the amount of flop signings he brought in while at the helm, however I would argue that Rafa spent much of his time shifting through the bargain basement of the football world trying to find a diamonds in the rough. And that whenever given the chance to flex his financial muscle he brought in a winner or a player who was sold at a profit, Torres, Mascherano, Alonso, Kuyt, Reina, Crouch, Sissoko, Reira, Bellamy, Agger, Lucas, Johnson, Garcia and Benayoun all fall into at least one of these categories with only Keane, Aquilani, Babel, Dossena, Pennant and Morientes failing to impress after being brought in for any serious amount of money.

The same bargain basement argument cannot be said of the current LFC manager Kenny Dalglish, who has been given a large amount of financial backing even if a large portion was generated through player sales, so let’s take a look at his signings so far.

Luis Suarez

A great addition to the LFC family; skilful, full of pace, and eye for goal and with a child like passion for the game. The signing of Suarez was already long mooted before KK took back the helm and as such I feel cannot be attributed to him.

Andy Carroll

The most expensive British player ever, a title that may just crush the young man under its weight of expectancy. Carroll has shown glimpses of his massive talent but will most likely only ever mature to a steady 10-15 goal a season striker; something that the media and fans will not accept given the amount he was brought in for. Had he been brought in during the summer for a fee of roughly £15 million it could all have been very different.

Charlie Adam

A tidy player who some fans and people in the media wrongly compared to the departed Alonso; Adam will never be as polished a player as the Spanish Maestro but given his dead ball ability and undoubted eye for a pass he is exactly what was need at Anfield this summer, an improvement on current players for a relatively small price who may continue to develop. Some sections of fans have called into doubt his ability and performances of late, ignore them as they were fooled by the hype surrounding him during last season and the summer. Adam has performed as expected.

Jose Enrique.

I must admit I had worries about Enrique; these lasted around ten minutes into his debut, good on the ball, attack minded while taking care of his defensive duties and skilful to boot Enrique looks at home in the LFC back four and if he can add goals to his game will have a place there for years to come.

Jordan Henderson

I feel a great deal of pity for Henderson: England U21 captain with a good season behind him, gets a transfer to LFC during the summer and is invariably played wide right a position which is not his natural best and he is unsuited to. The argument goes that young players need game time to develop but this is flawed; you don’t play a keeper up front to keep him sharp so it should also go you don’t play centre midfield players as wingers.

It must be hard on the boy getting criticised when asked to do a job for the team, couple this with the large transfer fee and the expectation that brings and this young man’s career may be being needlessly hampered. Henderson has however looked a very accomplished player when given the chance to play in centre midfield. More of this please.

Stuart Downing.

A natural English left winger who can barely get into a England Squad, this sums up Stuart Downing. How anyone thought he would be a success at Anfield is baffling to me and the fee paid is extortionate, Chelsea purchased Mata for roughly the same.

Everyone knows what Bellamy can do and is all about and it is too early to comment on Coates but the evidence is clear, thus far, Dalglish’s signings working out when paying above the £15 million pound mark stand as one out of four.

I am aware it is early days in many of their careers especially Henderson and Carroll but for many years LFC’s problem was wasting money at the high end of the table, Collymore, Diouf, Heskey and Cisse were all once our most expensive players and in quick succession, none really worked out as planned. Rafa seemed to sort this for a time making sure more often than not when we parted with serious money we got something of value, will the same be said of Dalglish?