AS some will have seen already (and if you haven’t please search out and read!), I have started to write season reviews for our squad initially with the latest arrivals, and next up is Charlie Adam.
This is a transfer that dragged itself out from the previous January one way or another, and a signing I had mixed feelings about during our pursuit. For sure he was doing well for Blackpool at the time and clearly thriving as a lynchpin in Ian Holloway’s ‘no fear’ approach to Premier League football, and his performances were certainly turning heads.
Now I have a friend who is a big Aberdeen fan and a font of knowledge in all things SPL and Scottish football generally, and his attitude to Adam in general has never been overly flattering, consistently pointing to him never starring at Rangers and having to seek a move elsewhere, and whilst he admitted that Adam was playing well for Blackpool and the positive effect that could have on the national team, as soon as the links to Liverpool gathered pace he was (and still is) of the opinion that Adam would not cut it at Anfield.
My friend certainly believes that Adam is a big fish small pond type player out of his depth in deeper waters. So with this in mind I must admit our interest seemed underwhelming to start with but felt that a different option being added to the squad would certainly help us and may even free Gerrard to link better with Torres akin to the Alonso days. It wasn’t until the very realistic possibility of Spurs stealing in for him at the last minute did I feel put out and really gear up for him to make his way to Melwood. Was this a case of although I’m not too fussed nobody else is allowed him? I can’t say for sure, but after the Spurs bid failed to materialise I accepted that he was probably destined for a red shirt and if I’m honest I was probably surprised it took so long in the summer for him to sign, but sign he did, and from the moment he completed his signature on that LFC contract he gained my full support and a large amount of patience as any new arrival on or off the pitch at Anfield should have from the fans.
I think it is best that we assess his attributes and what he brings to the squad to gain an understanding as to why he was pinpointed by the club. It has been painfully obvious for anyone to see that as a side we have seriously struggled since losing Alonso. A lack of anybody to play in that ‘Quarterback’ role disrupted not only our midfield but also our offensive threat. Yes, Stevie could play that role but that meant we lost his partnership with Torres who also struggled as a result. If Stevie remained higher up the pitch we would often seem him dropping back (just like the cup final this year) to get involved as playing two holding midfielders who lack the distribution Alonso brought, meant the gap between midfield and attack grew ever wider.
Whilst not being in the same league as Alonso, Charlie Adam is very much a rough diamond quite capable hitting Alonso-esque passes, lacked the composure and consistency of the Spaniard. However, considering the position the club found themselves in, in terms of no European football and a club finally starting to make headway into picking itself up following the cowboys as well as competition from other parties (Spurs mainly), his signature was quite a coup. Of course it doesn’t compare to the likes of Aguero or Mata for example, but Liverpool were not in position to attract that level of player.
The abilities that Adam has are clear to see, he has that ability to pick a pass and the creativity to dictate a game and make chances. His delivery at dead ball situations for Blackpool was second to none and although less well recognised he is also skilled at carrying the ball forward, and whilst this will not look as majestic or beautiful as some of his counterparts it can nonetheless be as effective. Now where does all this fit in with Liverpool?
Well as discussed, we were crying out for that ‘Quarterback’ and Adam certainly has the ability to fill that role, especially if his rough ages can be smoothed out by the LFC coaches. Dead ball delivery has been a real pet hate for me with Liverpool for a number of years, and I am never confident of our ability to convert corners or free kicks. It is not as if we don’t have the personnel with the likes of Kuyt, Skrtel and Agger, also now joined by Carroll, to really worry defences and cause problems. Also with the responsibility of delivery taken off the shoulders of Gerrard he can either lurk on the edge of the area or even get in the mix as I have always been impressed with his aerial ability.
[ad_pod id=”unruly-video” align=”center”]
Finally, being able to carry the ball successfully is vital for any team. It can allow the defence time to move out with the play, alleviating any pressure the opposition is building and by committing defenders you will be creating space for colleagues, and creatively speaking this has not been an area covered in too much glory by our central midfielders recently.
So as we can see Charlie ticked a lot of boxes prior to his arrival, but as everyone knows it is not as simple as that. Things started reasonably well as our goal against Sunderland was as a result of his delivery, but in all I felt he took a while to settle, which is understandable as the expectations and requirements a club like Liverpool has on its players is a million miles from those from a club like Blackpool, and this burden has played an effect as even the staple of his game, set-pieces, were not of a standard he would have been happy with.
It will have been a big culture shock which can be argued will affect the majority of new signings at big clubs. To his credit though he never shirked his responsibility at any point and if I’m honest I think his biggest failing to date in a Liverpool shirt is for trying too hard to impress, too hard to shed the shackles and accusations made against him by certain sections of support and the media. There were numerous occasions this season when he had the opportunity, or created the opportunity himself, to make a killer pass or other such telling contribution, but instead he more often than not chose the wrong option, an option which if it had come off would have result in a more personal glory.
To be clear, I am in no way shape or form calling him a selfish player, or a glory hunter, just a man trying too hard to prove himself, when playing it simply would have been much more effective. It is this decision making that has caused the problem, whether it be him choosing to shoot after driving forward with the ball and beating players despite others being in a better position or trying the Hollywood pass when again playing it simply would have been much more effective. Whilst this remains a problem it’s not a disaster as he has shown in glimpses his ability and what he can bring to the party, the decision making aspect can be worked upon, it’s not as if you are trying to teach an old horse new tricks. In all fairness to Charlie though, I felt that November/December time he and Lucas were building up an understanding and starting to gel as a pair, which was beneficial to the team and crucial in driving forward, and just as Adam was getting better and better Lucas got crocked at Stamford Bridge, coinciding with Adam and the team losing a lot of confidence and suffering a deterioration in performance, and for all Spearing’s qualities, he isn’t Lucas, so Adam couldn’t regain the same level until ultimately his season was cut short.
So in conclusion what does this all mean? Well, as with any player I think it is particularly cruel and unjust to judge them on a season particularly if that player has made a step up like Adam made. I do believe that he has shown in patches that he can deliver for Liverpool but in order for him to stay and be a success at the club, especially with new management coming in to play he really needs to find a level of consistency and improve on his decision making, especially in the final third.
If he can regain that partnership with Lucas and really build on it there is every chance he can be a success story in a red shirt, but that really falls at his feet. It will be tough for Adam next season as the people who brought him to the club are no longer in place and this is his second season so there will be an increased expectation for him to hit the ground running and really deliver, and pull the strings offensively while Lucas does what Lucas does.
Does Adam deserve more time? Of course he does, but that window of opportunity is getting smaller and smaller and he doesn’t have youth or investment that Carroll and Henderson have had so he needs to make a strong start to the next season or he could struggle.
Love to chat footie and meet fellow reds so get in touch on twitter @timdibs
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at live4liverpool@snack-media.com
Follow us on Twitter here: @live4Liverpool and ‘Like’ us on Facebook
This is a load of carefully sewn together rubbish. I was no expert on SPL nor on most footballers yet after seeing him play I screamed that he was an absolutely useless buy for us! Typed my fingers to the bone in condemnation but still the “experts” went ahead and wasted hard cash on the piece of rubbish! Nothing good would come of it I said and as yet NOBODY as proved otherwise. A useless waste of time that Fergie hyped and chortled over our waste of money as he conned us into buying him – not to mention Holloway had a percentage ownership in him so he came out in pocket!
ADAM? the worse player ( used loosely ) LFC ever bought. We are in the position we are from buys like that!
Thank you… this site is basically saying that all the crap need another season. i don’t…he is an imposter of a decent player’
and i wish more fans would wise up about fergie and LFC. he called rafa the worst lfc manager and that he was destroying the club…really? C adam corners alone cost 10 million…really? then why didn’t you buy him etc etc …
He hasn’t done well but neither have our other signings. Im of the opinion it will improve next season. It has to cos last season was an embarrassment. League is number 1. With a good finish in that comes champions league. So they go hand in hand.
I couldn’t agree more with Chambers!
Adam is the worst buy since Josemi.
Even though I felt sorry for us buying Downing and Downing really doesn’t deserve to be at Liverpool, Downing isn’t close to same level of failure as Adam is!
Adam should never have been bought, he has performed utterly rubbish (he had two games where he performed quite well), and should be the first one (before Cole) to be sold!
Liverpool have made a monumental mistake in getting rid of King Kenny! How can we be talking of bringing the likes of Martinez to Anfield, all he has done is barely avoid relegation. Does that tell you of the owners mind set, Kenny was our best option. To me he was the best British player ever and i think he was about to get this team moving in the right direction. So please mark my word when i say it will be 5-6 years now before we are in any way competitive in the EPL and we may never have those famous euro nights again.
Wigan, with a small budget ended up just nine points behind Liverpool. king Kenny, asfter spending a huge amopunt of money ended up 37 points behind the top team. Liverpool were going backwards under Dalglish. Great player, poor manager
If King Kenny were to manage Wigan FC, the club would have been relegated a long time ago. It is almost close to being blasphemous to compare the clueless, outdated, woeful Dalglish with a decent manager like Martinez.
8 assists and 2 goals from 28 games played which is not a bad return. contributed to more goals than any other player other than suarez. You guys talk some rubbish like.
Nonsense. His season was absolutely awful – summed up by the penalty at Wembley we all knew he’d miss. Since when was 2 goals ‘not bad’? ( Why have you put the word ‘like’ at the end of your comment, just out of interest? )
Think Real, Barca, Bayern, Milan or the likes of Ajax would ever want him? Do u think Chelsea, Arsenal or either of the Manc teams rate him?
Need to see things for what they are not look at them out of hope… General consensus is that Charlie Adam is plop.
Get the hell outa liverpool,this pond is to big for small fish.
we need to face it. it may take a few years to settle but while we change managers year on year we will continue to underperform. we need a consistent method and philosophy of play established (eg barca ajax) a blueprint throughout the club at all levels, for all future managers to follow. this will take time. we need patience. in the long term we will have the success we crave.
Adam’s entire season was, for me, summed up in the penalty he took at Wembley: blasted hopelessly over the bar. Incidentally, he scored twice last season but also missed two pens and put through his own goal, so as far as I’m concerned he’s minus one for the season. Although I was quite pleased when they bought him, I very soon realised my mistake. The only thing I could possibly say in his favour, slight as it is, is that he’s better than Henderson.
In short, a very poor buy and unlikely to improve. In other words, like most LFC players.
Adam is plop, FULLSTOP…
Dead ball specialist MY AR$E.. Can’t score penalties, can’t deliver pin point crosses – it was pure luck at Blackpool, where he had ample opportunity to hit and hope, most of his corners didn’t clear the first defender, ball was knee high and lucky to have bobbled into the goal….
His movement is non-existent.. We play pass and move and not ‘ take an eternity to pass and then hang around the centre circle ‘…..
He always tries dropping the shoulder, and when he fails to beat the defender he tends to dive and make out he got fouled…
He has no pace….
He cannot tackle….
Blackpool have not missed him, they would have if he was any good…
Nobody else wanted him, the Spurs rumours were bull, just another of Fergies cronies (Harry), making sure we buy plop….same as all those who made out Heskey and Konchelsky etc were good enough for us and now stick up for Downing.
Nice to see people getting behind individuals in our squad! Didnt realise that nowadays people had such a limited time to settle and perform! Good job its not always been like that! Didnt rush take over a year to get his first goal for Liverpool? just saying
Like Kyle Walker, or Phil Jones or Ramires or Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or Danny Rose or numerous other youngsters playing in the Premiership haven’t performed when required, they all makes excuses about needing time to settle don’t they?
U could name Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck, Aaron Ramsey loads more that have scored, performed whether on loan, at new club bit part player or whatever… Look at the even younger players abroad..example: Athletico Bilbao Vs Manc Utd…
I think Carroll and Henderson will come good… U honestly believe Adam and Downing are capable of playing against the cream of Europe? The pinnacle of their careers should have been blackpool and Villa…
We are a GIANT of a club, we should have players that can compete with players other European giants have, they should want to covet our players… Look at Xabi Alonso, Madcherano, Arbeloa, Dudek, Aquilani, even Joe Cole is with current French Champions Lille,Pacheco went to Athletico…… Who is lining up for Downing or Adam, if they were any good but victims of a poor season, teams would be lining up, thinking they can get them on the cheap… But we haven’t heard a peep!
Wake up please, I love LFC, always have, always will – does not mean I should accept any Tom Dick or Harry ( Yes u Mr Kewell who was amazing at Leeds but did NOTHING for us ).
I’ve been a Liverpool fan since the mid 1960s. Charlie Adam is without a doubt one of the worst players I’ve ever seen in a red shirt. I doubt if the club could give him away now. Talk about pass and move, his style is more hoof and plod.
Truly, truly, awful player.
For a fleeting moment, I was so darn sure you were referring to Jamie “Hoofer” Carragher.
that ws hw u guys spoke abt lucas when he came 2 liverpool, he ws a big star in brasilian league before liverpl bought him, he played many games and still ws fans topic of failure aftr each game.. Now Adams is the new flop.. Dat guy ws havin a nice game at d start when he ws paired with lucas but seems to lost his flair when lucas got injury…. £8m wit more assist and goals dan d £20m and £16m who even played more game dan him.. Players lose do lose form,we have seen it in silva,modric,gerrad,bale talk more of adam. Lets build on long term.
Having read all the comments about Adam’s performance over the season, I can’t help but think that most of them aren’t exactly fair or accurate. Adam one of the worst ever Liverpool signings? When we’ve had the likes of Ngog? Josemi? even Joe Cole’s done very little for us so we shipped him off! Morientes was poor, Babble was a donkey. Adam’s come in and tried to adapt to life in a big club where the football attitude is completely different to Blackpool’s and OK he hasn’t had the best of starts but he’s not done too bad. He’s a better midfielder than Spearing – we only love him because he’s Liverpool through and through, and for the most part of the season he was better than Jonjo and Henderson, it’s only because they started to pull their socks up that Adam looks worse. Give him a chance next season and then we can judge him. But if Andy Carroll can improve and because somewhat of a key player towards the end of the season surely any one can now?