Why Roy Hodgson shouldn’t even consider these options…

One of my greatest fears for Liverpool going forward is that we might buy the wrong players. For the most part it can boil down to affordability but I hope that LFC stick to the basic principles of logic and just let common sense prevail. If what we need to challenge for the title is a ‘triple threat’ of more creativity and more goal scoring options combined with an improved conversion ratio then I wouldn’t bother to look at these players:

1) Carlton Cole: This player has strength and some quality but he doesn’t score enough. I think he can hold up the play positively, but he seems to overdo it more often than not and fails to pass the ball accurately in tight situations. This is not to disrespect any club but playing for Liverpool is not the same as playing for West Ham…We simply need a more crafty and clinical finisher. Furthermore, the reported value of £20 million is a ridiculous price tag for this player.

2) Peter Crouch: We don’t need to turn back the pages on this one. Peter couldn’t even score ten league goals in any one season for us and with such an aerial advantage he still sent too many of his headed chances over the bar or straight to the keeper…simply not impressive enough to wear the Liverpool shirt again. Incidentally, I won’t bother to mention the details of the scandal brewing around his recent vacation, but this obvious ‘no-go’ is as clear as crystal…naughty Peter.

3) Craig Bellamy: Another former Reds who we can do without. Craig has seemingly lost favour with Mancini or is, for one reason or another, just surplus to requirements at Manchester City. The real reason for the ‘fallout’ is neither here nor there but this is another one of my so-called misfits who scored only 7 league goals for us in 27 appearances and that again is just not good enough in my books.

Admission of inadequacy?

Its one thing to know your problem but then finding the appropriate solution is certainly another story. Hodgson admitted that the team was far from ready even days before the league opener against Arsenal:

“After seven training sessions with what I regard as the key players, it is pretty obvious to all that we are a long, long way from being a team like Manchester United, Arsenal or Chelsea.”

I think Hodgson at least understands the priorities with regards to his inadequate list of goal scorers and all the other aspects that would classify a team as world class. The message seems to be that we need not lift our expectations too high, at least not just yet. Nevertheless, I would encourage him to look outside of the names I listed earlier as there is no value in simply trying to achieve only the required quota stipulated by the new ‘home grown’ rules at the expense of bringing in any more potential ‘misfits’ to this football club. Liverpool must also never make it a habit of going for past players that were never good enough to keep in the first place. There are many young bright talents out there so all we have to do is just continue to be patient and hope we find the most suitable new owners soon. Transfer funds will most likely become available and we would only need to be prudent enough to bring in the right quality players which the fans of this great club so truly deserve.

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