FOR a season that started with such promise, it is now about to come to a shuddering halt and the stark reality is about to set in: Liverpool Football Club could have finished in its worst league position since 1948. Which is the season that we were relegated from England’s top flight. Over £100m has been spent in 18 months, Lucas Leiva was out for the season and Luis Suarez was suspended for 9 successive games for various incidents.
But where did it all go wrong for Dalglish and his side?
Last summer, Dalglish and Comolli pursued British based players to help regain the much coveted top 4 spot that has eluded the club since the 2008/2009 season. When Andy Carroll was purchased on the January Deadline Day of 2011, it was widely thought that a winger was needed to supply the big man with bullets to score. And this is what happened; Stewart Downing was bought from Aston Villa for a pricey £20m.
Unfortunately, this hasn’t been a success and his lack of creativity has been one of the main reasons why only 6 games have been won at Anfield this season. And whilst Downing has provided good service in some games, he has hidden in some and not shown the mentality, or bottle to play for a club with the expectations that playing for Liverpool brings.
The other three main summer signings were Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Josè Enrique. Dalglish had been chasing Adam since he got his job back and it was clear for a few months that he would be plying his trade at Anfield come the summer. After the first two months, it looked as though he was a shrewd signing. £6m looked like a snip as he chipping in with vital goals and assists. However, after the injury to Lucas (which I’ll come onto later) his form dropped off and he didn’t look like the same player who performed so well for Blackpool the previous season.
Henderson was the most interesting of the summer signings. He was one of the most highly rated youngsters last season and it seemed a good signing, if a little pricey. After scoring his first goal against Bolton, he hasn’t really hit it off despite having some good moments in a red shirt. He will be one to watch next season.
Perhaps the most impressive summer signing was Josè Enrique. In the first half of the season, the Spaniard was arguably the best full back in the league. The left back berth that had dogged the club for 3 years seemed to have been filled. But, after 6 months of constant games no other regular left back to rotate, his form suffered and so did the team. Surely not a coincidence?
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When Lucas Leiva broke down after a clash of knees during the League Cup quarter-final against Chelsea, the midfield at the club went into freefall. Steven Gerrard was out until the New Year with a knee injury, Charlie Adam was beginning to lose form and Jordan Henderson wasn’t trusted to play in the middle. It was a recipe for disaster and that disaster was cooked up in no time as results (and performances) dropped quicker than a prostitutes knickers.
Jay Spearing immediately came in as a replacement and was ridiculously sent-off in his first game against Fulham, thus, meaning a 3 game ban. Short on numbers in the midfield, a post Christmas slump ensued with only 4 games being won since the turn of the year. Lucas’s loss was definitely a major factor in the drop of form, and whilst a short term replacement could have been signed in January, but we’ll always have a sense of ‘what if’ about what Lucas would have contributed to the team in 2012.
Now to arguably the biggest controversy in English football history. When Luis Suarez was banned for 8 games (wrongly in my view) for the apparent ‘racial abuse’ of Patrice Evra when Manchester United visited Anfield in October his form dipped considerably. The Uruguayan only scored 2 goals in 4 months after the incident and after the ban had ended, the rot had firmly set in on the Reds league season.
It took him nearly a month to get his mojo back and by then, there was nothing to play for bar the FA Cup. It was a sad state of affairs, because prior to the incident, the former Ajax man was in superb form. Regardless of whether it was the inconsistent evidence on Evra’s part, the bad handling of the case by Ayre and Co. or the bias of the FA, it had a massive impact on our season and was without doubt the reason as to why the goals dried up from October onwards.
So, how do we rectify these mistakes? Well, whoever the manager is next season, will have to have a near perfect transfer window. The type of window which helped Gerard Houllier restore the club’s European pedigree at the start of the millennium. A holding midfielder and two forwards who can put the ball in the back of the net are a must. Either way, we will look let to remain mid table for the foreseeable future.
You can find me on twitter @Robbie_OR or you can also read more of my work at http://ballsoutinpublic.wordpress.com/category/robert/
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All those who are heavily involved with LFC (owners, coaching staff, players, and fans) should be seeking for the well comprehended interest of our beloved club. We do not hold the right turning a blind eye in front of the raw reality we went through this season and which is that Kenny Dalglish was proved incapable to correspond up to the high expectations of the owners, players, and fans. Kenny Dalglish had a first class opportunity to get things right. He was provided with sufficient funds and had all the resources in his disposal to do that. But instead, his old fashioned managerial approach/style guided him to poor transfer and tactics decisions. This season’s failure was based on the following Kenny Dalglish’s milestones:
1. Kenny Dalglish’s inability to persuade Fernando Torres to remain at least until the end of last season and then if he was still not happy to let him go
2. Kenny Dalglish’s poor decision to spend an amount of 35,000,000 to buy Andy Carroll instead of spending that amount to sign Kun Aguero
3. Kenny Dalglish’s poor decision to spend an amount of 28,000,000 to sign two unrated midfielders (Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson)
4. Kenny Dalglish’s poor decision to spend an amount of 20,000,000 to buy a 27 years old average AM (Steward Downing) instead of spending that amount to sign Juan Mata
5. Kenny Dalglish’s poor tactic knowledge which led him not being able in the majority of our games to present a disciplined team in the pitch
6. Kenny Dalglish’s poor tactic knowledge which led him setting up inefficient formations and not being able exploiting each player’s capabilities
7. Kenny Dalglish’s poor perception of what real progress in modernized football means and how it is achieved
8. Kenny Dalglish’s poor perception that he is untouchable which made him thought that whatever he says is a reason divine and whatever he does is a divine decision
It is that simple and as soon as we face it the much better: KENNY DALGLISH CANNOT GET THINGS RIGHT AND TURN AROUND THE FORTUNES OF THIS HISTORIC CLUB; A NEW WORLD CLASS MANAGER SHOULD BE APPOINTED FOR THE NEW SEASON!
kenny deserves next season top 4 or bust.
Costasy…
Soooo, to be clear the good stuff over the last 18 months wasn’t down to Kenny but all the bad stuff is?!?!?
I see.
First cup in 6 YEARS come via Kennys awful management and tactics…
He staved off serious low table placement last year even tho he lost torres in January and lost most of the first team including Gerrard to injury or suspension…again, pure luck.
He turned over man Utd, man city, Chelsea (5 times out of 6 since coming back), everton, arsenal, Newcastle and every other decent team in the league, again, flukes…
Reached the FA cup final…damn flukes
Yessss, ok then.
Kenny Dalglish has done more for Liverpool fc since 1977 as Both a player and manager than most other people alive today. The very LEAST he deserves is the rest of his contract to get the players playing (who have ultimately let him/us down since they joined us and some we already had.
KK at all cost???,get real. You as a Liverpool fan should be supporting LFC, and not through your sentimentalism KD.
Anyone, working. in any industry and not doing his job, to the required standard will always lose their job, isn’t that a fact?.
Agree with you Costasy!
We need a dynamic manager who can build a team capable of challenging on all fronts and to the end of each competition. We had that King Kennys days but sorry to say that KD is out of touch with what’s required now. The football played now compared to his days has changed – before the league was full of British players playing against British players with overseas talent scattered here and there, NOW is a totally different story which KD needs to grasp quickly if he is to succeed. Gone are the days of buying British as its proven that the players are over rated when you can buy more quality and proven talent from overseass. Just look at our main rivals!!!!
Get rid of the rubbish we purchased last season and prepare for the PL and European comp next season with proven overseas talent otherwise it’s another season of failure……which apparently this season KD has stated has been a success. I disagree – this is LFC and only the big prizes will do. If the owners have set a target and you fall well below that target the that is failure in my eyes regardless of league cup victory.
Bring back Rafa or get the Special One.
YNWA
Annoyed LFC fan
No disrespect but Liverpool’s chances of getting the Special One are laughable. He’s not going to move to a club that can’t even offer him champions league football for the foreseeable. Think before you post. I agree with the author that next season’s manager will have to do the best he can largely with the current squad. Liverpool can’t count on FSG bankrolling another 100 million shopping spree. And Dalglish won’t get a decent return on his acquisitions if he tries to sell them (I’d say about a quarter of what he spent per player with the exception of Suarez, who no one wants to be sold) With all this in mind, the fans would do well to be realistic with their transfer targets, Cavani, De Jong and Mourinho are unrealistic given Liverpool’s current state.
There is nothing wrong with KD besides a few bad line ups. Not much mind you.
The genuine critics all agree that this was a horrid season with just about everything that could go wrong, going wrong. As a manager KD could not answer our failings when we should have buried so many teams. It’s one of those things. It happens sometimes.
This sometimes happened to ManU too, losing a season when they should have won it or winning when they should have lost it.
The thing is that the tables will turn, that is the law of averages.
Have faith…
LFC4ever!
Making it to the final in both domestic cups and winning one put them in Europa league and maintains LFC’s status as the most successful English club (take it or leave it).
Next season there are 4 opportunities for more silverware and their league position will hopefully improve to qualify for Champions league. LFC still take it to the top teams and always show up to win. Champions league is quite possibly one season away.
If everything falls into place, LFC fans will be very happy. King Kenny can definitely field cup winning sides and can no doubt win the league (he already has).
There are also other ways to make money in this sport and there is every indication Fenway has made many changes to keep this club financially sound. There is no indication they will not purchase more players, sell or loan others, and continue to build on the youth system. Changes have already been made and Kenny was not one of them. Spending more money on another manager is silly and it is time to lock the turnstile, this club traditionally sticks with managers and I like that.
We need players back from injury, a little more depth, a little more confidence and experience from the players on the pitch. Those are variables that can change. This club has no problem attracting talent, the players always arrive.
Cheer up and get ready for the competitions next year, if you don’t like the league cup or Europa that is your problem. I like watching LFC in all competitions, the power of this club authenticates each one!
I really do support KD. I have seen almost every match, we were just superb in most of them except in front of goal. The players are missing clear chances is that KD’s problems? I have seen we were playing superb as compare to past 2 or 3 seasons. If some of the fans are not enjoying league cup or FA cup that’s their issue. Yes we need to qualify for CL and should be competing for EPL but you can not degrade other competitions. Look at arsenal they were amazing but still they are without a trophy fro 6 years, mancity yet to win league after so much money.
Yes hendo,downing,and adam are average and KD should get excellent players. Some fans are shouting KD is dosent have a clue of modern football but still we out played arsenal, beat man city, man u and chealsky. These teams have manager who are very well aware of modern football. Let me be clear we do not qualify to teach KD about football. Its in his blood.
I request to all of you to be patient,he will lead us to glory.
Liverpool always will be a very powerful team in contrast with others Opportunist team where some are pessimistically against Kenny and players .i will always Optimist for Liverpool team YNWA