IT seems one minute I’m reading about how winning the Carling Cup is going to put Liverpool on the map and make Liverpool more attractive to top quality players but then I read statements from Damien Comolli stating that it’s unlikely there’ll be any major signings in the near future.
Naturally, I’m hoping it’s the former as the reality is the current squad isn’t good enough to achieve the one goal that goes before all others and that’s winning the Premiership. It’s not about a top four place; it’s about winning the most coveted of trophies that clearly delineates a team as being the finest in England. Just ask John Henry what the goal of the Boston Red Sox is each season. It’s winning the World Series. Nothing less will do. And Liverpool have to get into the same mindset that nothing but the Premiership title is what each seasons target has to be. We cannot accept that finishing in the top four is the new measure of success. It isn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Champions League, seeing Liverpool play amongst Europe’s elite and savouring those fantastic European Anfield nights. I also understand it’s critical for revenues to fund the squad but it’s not the ultimate prize.
The thinking has to focus on having the best manager, the best support staff and the best squad. Tough decisions have to be made, especially by recognizing that some of the latest buys haven’t been good enough and some likely never will be. We don’t need to look any further than the home loss against Arsenal. Arsenal were there for the taking and Liverpool didn’t have the quality to put them away. It’s been the same story throughout this season and for too many previous seasons. Even though £100m was spent on new players over the past 12 months it doesn’t mean they’re the right players and not accepting this fact is going to cost Liverpool dearly next season.
There needs to be carefully thought out changes and Comolli needs be scouring the planet to find top quality players. If he isn’t, why have him there at all? Now it may be well be that the statements being made about there being no major new signings on the horizon are not exactly true. Perhaps the thinking is with only a few months left in the season and with there still being an outside chance of making the top four it might not be the brightest idea to start announcing there will be big changes in the summer as it will undermine the confidence of the current team. On the other hand, players need to know they are performing for their Liverpool careers and that if they don’t deliver then they could be on their way. That’s how football works. What I do expect though is the acceptance that some players will need to be sold and replaced with better quality even though they were recently bought. Is Adam really good enough? Can Henderson develop into the new Gerrard? Will Downing sustain his current improved performances? Can Andy Carroll start scoring goals on a regular basis? If there’s any doubt then changes have to be made.
I feel for Dalglish at times. When you see your team dominate games but fail to take chances, hit the woodwork countless times (not always down to bad luck) miss penalties and show lack of creativity, it’s the players that need to be questioned. Yes, you can be critical of Kenny’s tactics and team selections, which he seems to want to over-complicate, but once out there out on the field it’s the players who have to take the responsibility to perform at the highest level.
Whichever way the management team at Liverpool decide to move forward it’s going to be a very interesting summer.
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You may feel for Dalglish at times BUT remember it is HE who picks the team and the tactics. These are his men and they are not the right men. We all, as fans, knew before the January window that what we had was rubbish and nothing was done about it where it matters. I have no doubt that little if anything will be done about it come Summer. We , the fans , see them as rubbish but they , the managerial staff , see them as top quality! We cannot both be right – simple!
spot on man sack the lot and bring in Frank rijkaard as manager now and if he took over now adams downing henderson carrol woulden be in the team.
Rijkard, are you joking?
Tried writing an article about this recently… who cares if you finish in the top 4 only the press will have you believe it is the most important thing in the world. No difference finishing 2nd-17th. 1st is the place Liverpool want. PROGRESSION>>>>
I have been a liverpool fan all my 40 odd years and i agree with all the points in this article,the players we have at the club now are simply not good enough end off! now i want to know who thought that Adam,Downing,carroll and Henderson were fit to wear the famous liver bird on their chests,was it Kenny?or was it comolli?
either way they bought crap!now if you look at it
another way what are our expectations? i want to be going for the league title and champions league
this is what our club should also be aiming for,but with crap players we will remain average at best and at this moment in time thats sadly all we are,as much as i love kenny and i know he feels the same as we fans do i dont think he can do the job if he thinks these players are right for the “project” and if comolli bought these players he needs to be sacked right now.
dalglish bought that crap so he should feeel responsible
if your talking about players not good enough to wear the shirt, please don’t forget suarez
6 league goals this year, hit the post far too many times for it to be bad luck, he just ain’t good enough
we need one and probably two goalscorers this summer, 30 goals in 27 games and all must take responsibility
what planet are u on suarez is our best player you deluded fool he would get into barcelona team he that good,how can he score goals with donkeys around him are u taking the p***…
CAN WE SWAP OUR PLAYERS WITH THOSE OF BILBAO’S? IF NOT CAN WE GET OUR PLAYERS TO WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE MATCH AGAINST MANURE , OVER & OVER- FED UP WITH ALL THESE EXCUSES. PLAYERS’ PAY SHOULD BE BASED ON PERFORMANCE AND NOT JUST TURNING UP LIKE THEY DID ONCE AGAIN AGAINST SUNDERLAND OR BOLTON.
WHAT THE HELL HAS COMELLI ACTUALLY DONE SO FAR!
Bilbao’s triumph versus ManU was down to the tactics and spirit instilled by Bielsa. Not so long ago a Liverpool manager celebrated an even greater triumph at Old Trafford for the same reasons. The manager’s name – Rafa Benitez.
Good piece Barry, I have been saying for ages that fans are being hoodwinked into thinking Champs League is the be all and end all…..it is not, The Title is.
Shame some banjo playing idiots feel the need to once again hijack a piece for their own ends.
bring in david silva, angel d maria, aron lennon or adam johnson, modric or tevez…liverpool need are good winger and midfielder to supply ball to striker. kick out or sell charlie adam, hendo,spearing,…that will make liverpool back to glory..YNWA
i was very optimistic about the start of the season, and i gave the new recruits plenty of chances. but i’ve had enough of it! all of them except enrique and bellamy are duds! not only that, i’m sick of kenny’s excuses. for example he blamed the sunderland loss on a stroke of bad luck with the ball ricochet off the post into bendter. it seems like he’s in denial. we were so awful. for all our pass and move talk we don’t know how to pass sometimes. midfield are always too deep- theres noone in the box to support a play such as a cross or whatnot, its just suarez/carroll stuck in there by themselves with the next closest player on the edge of the box. our chance conversion is AWFUL and too often we make the wrong decision on the final pass. they’ve had enough time to gel and sometimes there is no structure in the attack at all. kenny needs to make tough decisions. give the youngsters a go. i want to see sterling and those kids. im sick of the talk we always dish out. ‘we’ll make top 4’, ‘goals will come’, “suarez lifts the team”, “kenny is fantastic”, “we’re not done yet”. YEAH RIGHT- 2 straight losses after the final! i wish we could just play like man utd- they’re fluid, sublime, precise, creative and clinical. we only tick half of those boxes when we want to!
not only that, man utd can actually control the ball. we’re the opposite too often. kuyt is a prime example. everytime kuyt gets the ball it rolls 2 metres in front of him or flicks up in the air and he turns it over!i really respect kenny, but if we arnt in the top 4 at the end, he needs to go. and so do the dud signings. 120 million worth of players are expected to carry us to champions league at least. we cant even get results at home. the argument ‘kenny got us out of relegation and look at us now compared to last year’ is bullsh!t. everyone over performed after kenny came last year.