Finally, Liverpool hit the headlines for the right reasons!
In recent weeks, Liverpool have been greeted with optimism throughout the English press. This is a far cry from only a few months ago when, at every possible opportunity, Liverpool Football Club would be dragged through the mud and slaughtered for the way in which their 2009/2010 campaign unfolded. Some would argue that the club deserved every ounce of their criticism, nevertheless, with the new Premiership season fast approaching the woes of the previous campaign seem to have been placed on the back burner and a wave of optimism has struck everyone associated with Liverpool. As we enter a new era under the guidance of boss Roy Hodgson you would envisage, after the debacle of last year, that the only way is up. Roy’s reign so far has done nothing but suggest that, under his control, the team can once again produce the football that the fans know they are capable of.
Under pressure and with a second-string squad full of youngsters, Roy and his team, in the manager’s first competitive game in charge, managed to secure a vital result against FK Rabotnicki whilst putting in a comfortably impressive performance in the meantime. Many Liverpool fans have, in the past, had to endure the painful experience of having to watch Liverpool struggle away from home in Europe, often with a full-strength squad. So to watch the team comfortably defeat our Macedonian opponents with a starting 11 packed with players unfamiliar to first-team football was an inspiring and encouraging sight to behold. There is a strong, refreshing sense of positive change at Liverpool since the start of Hodgson’s tenure as manager and, although the boss indeed had his critics when first appointed as Liverpool manager, he has, with what he has achieved so far, proved most of his doubters wrong. A winning start to competitive life is always the perfect way to kickstart a successful campaign and that is what us fans will be hoping Liverpool can produce this season.
For me, this feeling of optimism surrounding Liverpool Football Club really started when it was announced that we had secured the signature of England international Joe Cole. A signing of that quality can only be a positive thing for the club and after we were able to beat off the competition from other high-profile clubs, even without the opportunity to offer Champions League football, it sent a clear message of intent to the rest of the teams in the Premiership; a message that Liverpool were down but they are right back up again. In terms of transfers in and out of the club, Roy Hodgson has put players up for sale that the fans have been crying out to be sold in recent months only for Rafa Benitez to keep faith with these underachievers. Names such as Phillip Degen, Damien Plessis and Emiliano Insua spring to mind. Overall, with the transfers that have been completed so far Hodgson has ticked all the boxes for the type of players that the fans want to see coming through the door at Anfield; quality to improve the first-team, strength in depth for the squad and players for the future.
With the domestic campaign set to begin in only two weeks, Hodgson is shaping together, piece by piece, a squad capable of challenging for top honours. I, for one, am relieved that, finally, as a Liverpool fan, I can look forward to watching the team and fill my thoughts and expectations with optimism rather than the all too familiar pessimistic viewpoint. It’s fair to say Roy Hodgson has done no wrong since walking through the doors of Melwood at the beginning of the month and may his successful first few weeks as boss be a sign of things to come for the future and give us fans something to cheer about after suffering a dismal twelve months.
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Newcastle News 24/7
August 1st, 2010
All this positivity and we’ve only spent a couple of millions
!!
August 1st, 2010
biscan next for mash. bill is right roy is a yes man he won’t kick off like rafa when club is stripped ov players what about danny murphy for when stevie goes and hesky for when torres goes god oh mighty ” do one roy the kop want kenny “
August 1st, 2010
I agree with the main point of the article: with a win in a football game, it’s good news for football reasons, not politics (at which we always seem to lose.)
I disagree with the statement Benitez persisted with Degen, Plessis and Insua. Insua played because of Aurelio’s injuries, Degen was only used when Johnson, Kelly and Carragher were unavailable at right back, and Plessis hasn’t been sighted for years.
August 1st, 2010
Many Liverpool fans have, in the past, had to endure the painful experience of having to watch Liverpool struggle away from home in Europe, often with a full-strength squad.- Really???????? Whatever Rafa did, in spite of his stubborn tactics and absence of good man management skills… he made us a force to be reckoned with in Europe.. with 2004-2008 being the peak years…
Too early to say my uncle Roy has started to turn the screws in the right way… the win against the Macedonian side was with a team of youngsters ( Who were signed under Rafa’s reign).. a few months in the prem will reveal the path… YNWA
August 1st, 2010
Reina JOhnson Carra Agger Aurelio Aquilani Cole
Gerard Maxi Jovanovic Torres
August 1st, 2010
big time rubbish with liverpool management.those idiots who call themselves owners are very stingy.we were told before benitez left that there will money to spend but all we’ve seen is little dany and jonjo who was paid for which do not even amount to 4mil together.yet we are still like a million miles away from geting linked to any top class player not to talk of signing any.but all the same i hope we dont lose el nino.
August 1st, 2010
I agree with the main article, but I am getting fed up with reading comments on here by, so called, LFC supporters. The comments being left on here are worse than you read in the Sun.
Get a grip all you experts and get positive behind your team.
I am glad that one dimensional Benitez has gone and look forward forward to watching some real football under Roy.
August 1st, 2010
Though i think Roy might be the right man i ask is there no transfer money at all?
The signing of Aurelio is a desperate move he is ok but always injured.
The thing is the side looks a lot weaker than 2 years ago and Aquilani should be sold.
I am still waiting for world class player that isnt free these signings arent making up for the losses.