The (Near) Past and Future of Liverpool Football Club (Part 2)

IN the first part of this article, I looked at the vision of FSG for Liverpool Football Club and the foundations on which they are looking to rebuild the club – which essentially were laid during the reign of Rafa Benitez.

I then considered how Brendan Rodgers has fared in his first season at Anfield – and here I pick up with the closing paragraphs of the first instalment, before I set out on the rather more challenging task of discussing what lies in store in the months to come.

Liverpool under Rodgers clearly have potential, with several brilliant displays of attacking football earning compliments from neutrals describing the team as the most attractive in the EPL. On the other hand, the tactics have lacked the sure touch of a Rafa Benitez and consistency has been missing all season, as defeats to teams in the bottom half o the table (Aston Villa, Stoke, Southampton) have marred Brendan’s record.

The killer instinct seems to be a crucial missing ingredient of Rodgers’ team, as Liverpool have failed to capitalise on dominance on the pitch to win games against Man United, Man City and Everton. Overall, performances suggest that Liverpool are on the path of recovery, with youngsters like Sterling, Suso and Wisdom becoming integral parts of the first team squad, smart acquisitions in the January transfer window (Coutinho, Sturridge) providing a sharper edge in attack, Suarez and Gerrard playing formidable football in most games, and players like Henderson, Enrique and Downing demonstrating the benefits of Brendan’s man management.

The Anfield club currently stands in 7th position in the EPL, five points behind Everton in 6th and with only four games to play and ten points behind Tottenham (who also have a game in hand) in the last European place; while our run in the last cup competition (Europa League) came to an end in February.

Barring a total meltdown on the part of Everton and Tottenham, the season is essentially over. Unsurprisingly, the gaze of both fans and management has turned firmly towards the upcoming summer’s transfer window, with Liverpool linked with the likes of Christian Eriksen, Tom Ince, Kevin Gameiro and Loic Remya, as well as a host of defenders.

While progress restructuring the first team is patent, the question remains as to whether Rodgers can inject the steel, resilience and never-say-die attitude for which Liverpool became known under Benitez – including the killer instinct to turn dominant performances into wins.
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Key to achieving these objectives is belief among players but also among fans – belief in the manager’s tactics and belief in the ability of the squad as a whole. The latter aspect depends on the club bringing in the right players to complement existing talent and, equally importantly, the coaching staff moulding the players into a coherent, balanced unit.

Belief in the manger, on the other hand, depends on his ability to select the best team and strategy to win each game; having the tactical nous to make appropriate substitutions to turn things around when the team is behind (or maintain supremacy following tactical changes by the opposing manager); and motivating players to give their all in every game.

Brendan Rodgers has improved the team in most areas since the exit of Kenny Dalglish, with the notable exception of the defence (which has looked less organised and confident than last season). Although the jury is still out on two key transfers (Borini and Allen), there is little doubt that the acquisitions of Coutinho and Sturridge have enhanced both the creativity and bite of the Liverpool attack, allowing fans to gaze at the coming window with positive expectation. More importantly, Rodgers has shown that he has a vision for the team that has perhaps been lacking ever since Rafa’s departure, with the Liverpool team showing promise and potential to rival most teams since the January transfer window.

At the same time, the Liverpool manager has been less convincing on the tactical front, which is probably the single most important reason for the fragile confidence of a Liverpool team that often appears incapable to convert dominance into points (e.g. in the recent draws against West Ham and Reading) or, on other occasions, fails to take the final step towards victory after clawing its way back from a disappointing beginning (the game against our eternal rivals at Old Trafford comes to mind in this respect).

Although the jury is still out on Rodgers, a strong end to the season should be enough to earn Rodgers the opportunity to finalise his restructuring of the team. The objectives are clear enough: building a team to earn qualification to the Champions League and, at the very least, challenge for the title on his second season at Anfield.

Should Liverpool find itself off the pace come Christmas 2013, however, FSG should take stock and consider whether the next major step (return to the Champions League) would not be served best by a proven manager of the ilk of Rafa Benitez.
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