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A Bit of Wild Optimism to Start the Season Off…

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AND why not indeed, in mid-August? Of course we all know that optimistic targets are bound to be undershot. But, in the aftermath of the Olympics, where both athletes and organisers did better than we’d ever dared to hope, why shouldn’t a man dream? It’s not as if the dreams are entirely baseless.

We haven’t seen any spectacular signings so far, but that doesn’t worry me much. Brendan Rodgers doesn’t seem to be the man for marquee signings, and FSG are pretty hard-headed too. After all, recent spectacular signings, such as Torres and Carroll, haven’t really set the world on fire. I’d rather the management got on with making sure we get the right people to build for the future, rather than splashing out on whoever might be the current flavour of the month.

And the pre-season started modestly, with a complete lack of wins in the North American tour, but has got better. Gomel ought to have been dealt with, and they were dealt with, in an unspectacular but competent and matter-of-fact manner. If we polish off all the teams we ought to be beating in such an accomplished manner we’ll make the top four. And then Leverkusen. Yes, it was only a friendly, and Sami Hyypiä certainly didn’t come to Anfield to trample all over his old club, but there was plenty of good stuff on view.

I thought that the list of goalscorers was particularly conducive to optimism at the start of a new season. 1) Raheem Sterling. OK, let’s not load the lad up with expectations, he won’t be the finished article for a year or so, but what a goal! The moves, the interactions, and the eye for goal all looked terrific, and he plays in an area where Liverpool have chronically fallen short. 2) Lucas. Bloody hell we’ve missed him. OK, he’s not really a goalscorer, and he’ll never have an easier tap-in than that if he plays till he’s 90 – but how many of our players were missing or rattling the woodwork from that sort of range last season? There’s another man burdened with the weight of expectations – but if he can step up to the plate to shoulder them, we could be in for a very good season.

3) Carroll. The eternal enigma, though anyone looking less enigmatic than big Andy is difficult to imagine. For a start, is he going to be with us at all? My reading of the Carroll transfer saga is that, though Rodgers is clearly prepared to offload him for the right price, he doesn’t actually want to go. Which has got to be a good sign. He still needs the ball teed up for him to a greater than ideal extent, but at least he’s getting the message as to what to do with it when it appears in the right spot. And, anyway, if he goes we’ll just get someone better, won’t we, Brendan?

At any rate (this is the optimism speaking again) we’re all geared up for an explosive start to the season. A decent result at West Brom, then wham-bam into the triple jump: Man City, Arsenal, Man Utd at home. Let’s hope we encounter some early-season fragility – and don’t display any ourselves. (Now that is optimism.) A slow start and we’ll be miles off the pace by the end of September. Don’t let it happen, guys.

And I myself have been handed a glorious slice of luck to start the season with. I live in Edinburgh, and haven’t been able to see the Reds live for ages. Imagine my feelings on reading that we’ve been drawn against Hearts in the Europa League qualifier on 23rd August. Now the life-or-death struggle to get my hands on a ticket….

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6 comments

  • jason says:

    im very dissapointed to have read that liverpool is not chaseing dempsy its horrible he must be a must sign for liverpool and if they dont they can fluss their champions league dreams down the drain its a fact we neeeeeeeeeed clint dempsey to progres

  • steve says:

    If Sahin signs:
    Reina
    Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique
    Gerrard Lucas Allen
    Downing Borini Suarez

    or

    Reina
    Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique
    Allen Lucas Sahin
    Gerrard
    Borini Suarez

    Subs:Jones Kelly Coates Carragher Robinson Henderson Shevlvey J.Cole Assaidi Sterling Downing/Sahin(depending on lineup) Carroll

    YNWA Reds

  • Elias says:

    If big andy goes for the reported price £ 17 million .. Then rodgers should sign a proven goal scorer and 4 million for adam we can add some and bring in dempsey

  • ody says:

    Reina
    Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique
    Gerrard Lucas Allen
    Assiadi Borini Suarez

  • Red$4eva says:

    The extra advantage that LFC have is BR. Takes unknown players and makes em shine. Think what he can do with decent players. Already Caroll and Downing have netted in the few minutes allowed them. More sign to make there’s a distinct sense of urgency that wasn’t there before.

  • alex says:

    Can’t wait for the season to start.

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