Liverpool’s nightmare 2010-11 season officially went into the books about two months ago and even though it left painful lasting memories, all of that is history nonetheless.
For now, the Red half of Merseyside is preparing to bounce back next year under their fearless leader, Kenny Dalglish. To his credit, Dalglish nearly turned the aforementioned nightmare into a Europa League spot, which further increases the optimism surrounding the coming season.
Upon replacing Roy Hodgson, Dalglish brought forth a mini-revolution that included the departure of prolific Spaniard Fernando Torres in January, while Uruguay’s World Cup hero Luis Suarez and England international Andy Carroll arrived at Anfield to fill the void.
In addition to revitalizing the club’s previously one-dimensional attack that revolved around the often injured Torres, Dalglish also integrated youthfulness in other positions as young Jay Spearing impressed in the midfield and Martin Kelly showed flashes of brilliance in the defense.
Most importantly, he brought the huge roster of players together in a manner that bolstered morale and allowed the Reds to end the season strongly with a run that included a comprehensive win over champions Manchester United.
With that said, it is fair to believe that Kenny’s strategies have alerted rivals about the true potential of Liverpool as the new season approaches. In fact, the following five reasons suggest that this could very well turn out to be the Reds’ year to celebrate the title glory that has evaded them for over two decades:
5. A balanced attack:
Chelsea has Didier Drogba and Torres while Manchester United boasts of the lethal trio of Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez, and Dimitar Berbatov. Yet, neither of last season’s top two sides have a duo of young starlets with completely different skill sets. In Suarez and Carroll, Liverpool have actually discovered a partnership that could deliver for years as the Uruguayan’s mobility complements the former Newcastle striker’s presence. While Suarez has already scored four times in his 13 appearances for the Reds, Carroll also proved his mettle with two goals in six appearances last season. One must keep in mind that this was all accomplished without extensive preseason training. Starting with the Liverpool’s tour of China, both Suarez and Carroll will have plenty of time to get in sync with each other as well as the other members of the offense.
4. Incredible midfield depth:
If a player of Joe Cole’s caliber becomes a forgotten man as quickly as he has, then it is clear that we are talking about a world-class midfield. It must be noted, though, that rather than simply stacking up the players, Dalglish has created a unit of players who can establish a rhythm playing together. While newboys Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam can create plays down the middle, Lucas Leiva and Christian Poulsen can battle hard in the holding role. The likes of Raul Meireles and Maxi Rodriguez can prove to be a handful for any defense on their best day. Last, but not least, the return of Steven Gerrard is poised to shake up the Premier League. The Reds missed the leadership of number 8 throughout his spell on the sidelines last year and now that the skipper has promised to be back in better condition than ever, don’t be surprised if Lionel Messi has trouble retaining his crown as the continent’s best player.
3. First full season for Kenny:
If you thought that Mr. Dalglish proved to be quite the tactician by calmly guiding he club to some level of respectability amidst massive chaos last season, just think how much he will benefit from a summer of nothing but planning. Bright minds like Kenny only need time to be on their side and with an entire off-season to solve the puzzle that last season turned out to be, expect his Reds to arrive into the new season as one of the most prepared teams in the league.
2. Stability has replaced unrest:
There is no secret that everyone associated with the club last season had to endure their share of frustration as uncertainty off the field hindered the team’s performance in the opening weeks of the campaign. Distraction lingered around the locker room as Hodgson’s doomed spell in charge of the club went from bad to worse with each passing week until the club’s ownership issue was settled. The new owners brought a new lease of life and thanks to several changes that followed, the Reds now appear to be stable again with silverware being the only object of their focus.
1. No European commitment:
The disappointing defeat to Tottenham Hotspur towards the end of last season not only took Liverpool out of the running for Europa League qualification, but it also dented their momentum in a big way. Nevertheless, looking back at that loss, the Reds might as well think of it as a blessing in disguise. Any Scouser will tell you that Premier League glory means far more than 10 Europa League titles put together, which is precisely why it is favorable for Dalglish’s men to dedicate all their effort towards the domestic front this year.
At the end of the day, saying and doing are two very different things. Looking at the promising development of this Liverpool squad, no one can have difficulty saying that they are likely to be contenders. However, it remains to be seen whether or not they can lift their first Premier League trophy since 1990 when the coming season ends up in the books next May.
No comments:
Post a Comment