Reading Kenny Dalglish’s new autobiography over the last few days, he spoke about the expectations of him to replace the departing Kevin Keegan. When you lose quality players, you need to replace them with quality if you are to maintain any type of consistency and challenge. If we consider the quality players to have left the club in recent years, it makes uncomfortable reading.
If Christian Poulsen is meant to be a replacement for Javier Mascherano, it says everything about the club’s plight. It would be as successful as trying to replace John Arne Riise with someone like Andrea Dossena! The list is long, including the likes of Peter Crouch and Craig Bellamy, who may not have set Anfield alight but certainly have not been replaced.
The biggest loss has been that of Xabi Alonso, and I would have thought that Meireles is as close as we could get to a replacement for him. He can tackle, pick a pass and can be the key link between the back four and attack. However, he has so far been employed either just off the front man or as a right sided midfielder. Gerrard has dropped into a slightly deeper role, and it is obvious to me that Fernando Torres is suffering as a result, cutting an isolated figure up front bereft of the support with which the captain provides him.
The most startling element is that much of this, if I might be so bold, is not rocket science. Whether in a 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 or 10-0-0 for that matter, it seems pure common sense that your best players play in their best positions and the key players have every opportunity to play together.
The jury is out on Mr Hodgson, and whilst the attentions of many may be averted to off-field difficulties, he is under the intense scrutiny of many supporters who still have a keen focus on what happens on the park. Time will tell, but even those who defended his appointment, could not accuse the Liverpool manager of making an auspicious start.
Whilst not everyone may agree with it, I leave you with my preferred selection for Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Blackpool:
Reina
Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Kelly
Lucas, Meireles
Kuyt, Gerrard, Cole
Torres
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We need to abandon the over cautious aproach from Roy Hodgson,start to play postitive,constructive football with the same settled 11(baring injuries,loss of form)in EVERY game,as the Liverpool teams of old used to.No room for sentiment,players must forget the off field boardroom distractions and start to remember what the `THIS IS ANFIELD`sign above the players tunnel is all about.With that in mind,start.11
Reina,
Kelly,Wilson,Skrtel,Agger,
Johnson,Gerrard,Mereiles,cole,
Torres,Pachecho.
subs=Konchesky,Carragher,B.Jones,Kuyt,Babel,Ngog,Jovanovic.
At the match there is massive discontent with Hodgson’s woeful performance. However, true to the ‘Liverpool Way’, it does not translate into outright anger. No chants, no boos just frustration and disbelief. I’m not sure how long this situation will last, as everything this guy does is simply awful, from team selections tactics, substitutions and interview embarrassments. He had better wake up to which club he’s actually managing, he’s not at some third rate Scandinavian club now.
this is what roy should do
Reina
Johnson Carragher Skrtel agger
Poulsen
Kuyt Cole
Gerrard
Torres Ngog
I wonder how some people analyse this round leather game………..
My question is simple ”Tell me a first class coach dat will be willing to take over the club @ the time RH took over with all d off field rubbish?”
Dee – I’m sure that Dalglish wouldn’t have changed his mind about taking over in the last month, and I’d happily try him out in Hodgson’s place.
In the summer, Riijkaard was my first choice and obviously wouldn’t jump ship now mid-season, but I’m sure that Bilic would be prepared to make that move
Mark – We will be relegated at the end of the season if this inept manager stays in charge – that’s why he MUST go soon. Roy Hodgson is simply not good enough to manage Liverpool. He has taken the spine of a great team that tonked Man Utd and Real Madrid in the same week about 18 months ago and turned them into relegation contenders. That requires a fair amount of ineptitude and Roy has it in abundance. It’s not just the results that worry me – its the performances – they are utterly pathetic. We have been outplayed by West Brom, Birmingham and Sunderland frankly that is a bloody disgrace! Never mind making excuses for Woy!! Rafa would have been slated! Yet Woy is not! Why? Because the media LOVE the fact that he is taking Liverpool towards oblivion. Let’s face it – if this was happening to Man Utd with Hodgson in charge, do you think Woy would be given such an easy ride in the press – NO CHANCE!!!