With the new season almost upon us, and the prospect of avenging that horrendous 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Stoke City on the final day of last season, there is a renewed sense of optimism among most Liverpool fans. It’s a clean slate for Rodgers and the players to make amends for a thoroughly disappointing campaign in 2013/14. With a raft of new signings once again, what can we expect from this new-look Liverpool side? Many players have a point to prove, some will be looking to continue their upward trajectory, whilst for others this season could be last chance saloon. Let’s take a look at what we can expect from the senior first team players who are likely to play a significant role this season.
Simon Mignolet
Source: liverpoolfc.com
For Mignolet, this season is all about consistency. Throughout the second half of last season, he was superb for the most part, dominating in the air and making important saves on a regular basis, only narrowly missing out on the Golden Glove. It showed great character to respond in this manner after a torrid, error-strewn first half of the season. We know Mignolet has the ability to be a very good keeper- now he has to show this week in week out.
Nathaniel Clyne
Clyne already looks like one of the bargains of the summer. £12.5 million for the PFA Team of the Year right back, aged just 24, Clyne is exactly what we needed to solve this problem position where neither Manquillo, Johnson or Emre Can convinced last season. With Premier League experience, playing alongside many of his England team mates, Clyne should settle straight in. He offers balanced full back play, with well timed forward runs, quality delivery into the box and most importantly, defensive solidity and positional understanding. Clyne just needs to continue his consistently high performance level and the right back spot will be his for the foreseeable future.
Martin Skrtel
Recently rewarded with a new long term contract, Skrtel is Rodgers’ first choice centre back and the second longest serving Liverpool player in the current squad. I’ve never been his biggest fan, because despite Skrtel’s ability to be terrific on his day, he too frequently makes sloppy decisions- poor positioning, ball-watching and shirt tugging are his worst habits. Nonetheless, he is a dominant presence in the air and this season he needs to minimise the errors whilst contributing a few more goals from set pieces as he did 2 seasons ago.
Mamadou Sakho
Source: liverpoolfc.com
The man who splits opinion. In my eyes, the Frenchman should be the first defender on the team sheet. He may look gangly and uncoordinated, but Sakho’s crisp, accurate passing from the back and his highly intelligent reading of the game make him our best defender. Rodgers, however, appears much less convinced and judging by pre-season it would be a surprise if Sakho starts vs Stoke. This would be a poor decision given Lovren’s disastrous first season at Liverpool- but all Sakho can do is keep working hard, and when given the chance to play, put in the type of classy performance we saw in the period after Christmas last season in order to regain a starting spot and prove the doubters wrong.
Dejan Lovren
Where do I start? Surely it cannot get much worse for Lovren after a torrid first season at Liverpool with mistake after mistake costing far too many goals. He looks like a £20 million mistake, but miraculously it would appear that Rodgers will put his faith in the Croat to come good as he looks likely to start alongside Skrtel. Quite what he has done to deserve that I have no idea. Essentially, this is make or break time for Lovren. He must regain the form from his Southampton days which earned him so much praise, or else his future as a Liverpool player is likely to be short-lived. Can he do it? From what I’ve seen so far, I’m not convinced he can.
Alberto Moreno
Another player with a major point to prove. There was much excitement following the long-awaited signing of the Spaniard from Sevilla last summer, and after a promising start including that goal at White Hart Lane, Moreno endured a wildly inconsistent debut season in England, ranging from the fantastic to the calamitous. Some fans have suggested he simply isn’t good enough to be our first choice left back. Personally I disagree, as Moreno has the qualities to become a very good player. He’s lightning quick, composed on the ball and full of energy. He does need to seriously improve his positioning, but that I feel is a problem that can be corrected. Now he has had time to adapt to life in England and the pace of Premier League football, it’s time for Moreno to step up and prove his worth, especially in defensive areas.
Joe Gomez
When we signed Gomez from Charlton for £3.5 million, I fully expected him to be sent out on loan for a couple of seasons to continue developing with regular game time. Yet with a couple of days until the opening game vs Stoke, Gomez looks set to make his Premier League debut having impressed with some superb performances in pre-season, jumping ahead of Moreno in the pecking order. For an 18 year old coming to such a big club, that’s quite a rapid progression. We can’t place too much pressure on him too early- we haven’t even seen him play a competitive game yet. But from Gomez’ perspective, it’s a fantastic opportunity to compete with Moreno for the left back spot, and above all to be gaining top level experience at such a young age is invaluable. With Flanagan injured and Wisdom having joined Norwich on loan, he may also deputise for Clyne at right back, as well as being a potential centre back option if the chance arises. Exciting times await for the youngster.
Joe Allen
Allen’s Liverpool career has ebbed and flowed. At times he’s looked like a classy player- some fans might suggest The Welsh Xavi- whilst niggling injuries have been a constant issue. Allen is never spectacular, but he does his job well- keeping possession, playing it simple and breaking up play. His role this season will be as a squad player, finding himself near the bottom of the midfield pecking order. He won’t start often but may be useful to bring off the bench to see out a game from a winning position. Dependable when called upon is all he needs to be.
Lucas Leiva
For a long time I’ve wanted us to sign a powerful, imposing defensive midfielder. Once again, we end up with Lucas as our only recognised option for this role. Much like Allen, Lucas can put in a solid shift when called upon. He adds steel and balance to the midfield and reads the game better than any of our other midfielders, but his lack of mobility and physical stature mean he can bee too easily bypassed by pacy opposition. In tough away games, he could be a useful player, but increasingly he will face competition from Emre Can for a spot in the starting XI and I can see his importance becoming less significant if the big German impresses in this role.
Emre Can
Source: liverpoolfc.com
Having spent the majority of last season in defence, either at right sided centre back (where he was often excellent) or as a makeshift right back (never again), Can will be relieved to move into his preferred position this season having shown his class in the European U21 Championships this summer. With his technical skill and powerful running, Can has the attributes to succeed in a midfield role. However, he has his work cut out to find a place in the starting XI. With Milner and Henderson nailed on as starters, this leaves one place in the midfield which could be filled by Lucas, Can or even Coutinho if Rodgers chooses a more attack-minded set up. This competition should drive Can to earn his place, and as he admits himself, it’s time to start adding some goals to his game as he plays further forward.
Jordan Henderson
A player who just keeps on improving season after season, Henderson begins the new campaign as Liverpool’s skipper and one of the most crucial players in the squad. With 7 goals and 14 assists from central midfield last season, Henderson underlined his considerable attacking quality to go with his renowned work rate. Taking on greater responsibility, I fully expect Henderson to step up in Gerrard’s absence and progress even further as a leader and as a player. He is also likely to be on set piece duty for corners, free kicks and possibly penalties (unless Benteke is given that job). If he can add a few more goals to take him into double figures and if he can maintain his assists record, Henderson will surely have to be considered as one of the top all-round midfielders in the league (if he isn’t already).
James Milner
An absolute bargain on a free transfer, we all know exactly what we’ll get from Milner. He’s been on a long journey through the English game and has now been playing at the top level and winning titles for several years now. Assured of a starting berth alongside Henderson in central midfield, Milner will help form the bedrock of the side. Much like Henderson, Milner is a relentless runner and model professional who also contributes in the final third. As we’ve already seen in glimpses during pre-season, Milner can chip in with a fair few goals and is also a prime creator of chances. He will be one of our most important players this season and I fully expect Milner to play the vast majority of matches in all competitions.
Philippe Coutinho
Coutinho was one of the few shining lights from the misery of last season. Having added a series of spectacular long range goals to his repertoire, Coutinho announced himself as one of the most gifted and exciting players in the league, earning a place in the PFA Team of the Season. Having signed a new long term deal back in January, Coutinho will be integral to our side this season, whether he plays in front of Milner and Henderson as part of a midfield trio, as a number ten or cutting in from out wide, he is our most creative player and he now has to continue improving to reach that world class bracket. He’s still some way short, but with the likes of Benteke and Firmino to play with instead of Balotelli and Lambert, Coutinho should be aiming for double figures in both goals and assists this season to add consistent productivity to his undoubted ability.
Adam Lallana
Source: liverpoolfc.com
It’s a big season for Lallana. After a frustrating first season at Liverpool in which he struggled to fulfil his £25 million price tag, Lallana will be raring to go this time round with a full pre-season under his belt. When fully fit, I maintain that Lallana is a quality player, and he has shown that during pre-season and at points last season. Once he gets a run of games, he can be a highly effective creative force, both scoring and setting up goals from midfield. With significant competition for places in the attacking midfield positions with the likes of Coutinho, Firmino, Ibe and Markovic all vying for a place, Lallana will have to prove his worth when he gets the chance. I don’t expect him to start every game, but he will have an important role this season and if he can avoid injury I expect him to silence a lot of doubters. Having hit 6 goals in an injury-disrupted first season, Lallana should be looking to get closer to 8-10 goals this time round.
Roberto Firmino
Probably the player most fans are most excited to see in action, Firmino’s stats for Hoffenheim make for impressive reading- 32 goals and 27 assists in the past 2 seasons. That should go some way to helping restore the firepower we lacked so sorely last season. On top of this, Firmino is renowned for his work-rate which will be crucial for adapting to the pace of English football. Able to operate from the left, behind the striker or as a false nine, Firmino offers great versatility and although he may take a month or two to get going (he is likely to be on the bench vs Stoke), I expect Firmino to be a hit this season. A realistic target would be to get close to double figures in both goals and assists.
Jordon Ibe
Rodgers is expecting big things from Jordon Ibe this season and so are the fans. After the departure of Sterling, the stage is set for Ibe to step up for a break through season. He was impressive at wing back when recalled from loan last season, but this season we can look forward to seeing Ibe’s searing pace and direct dribbling further forward. In pre-season he already showed an excellent understanding with Clyne down the right wing, and although he won’t play every game, I would expect to see Ibe starting over half of our league fixtures, fitness permitting. He has heaps of potential and this season he could do with adding 4 or 5 goals to his game in order to ensure there is an end product to his marauding runs.
Lazar Markovic
Unfortunately for the Serb, he finds himself on the fringes of the squad ahead of the new season, way down in the pecking order. In flashes we saw the talent that supposedly warranted a £20 million price tag, but on the whole last season was a major disappointment for Markovic, unable to nail down a regular starting role and only contributing 3 goals in all competitions. Playing at wing back hardly helped, but the jury is out on Markovic and apart from in early round of cup fixtures, it is hard to see how he will force his way back into the side. If he does get a rare chance to impress, he must take it and show the best of his ability or else doubts will emerge over his long term future at Liverpool.
Divock Origi
Source: liverpoolfc.com
After a frustrating season at Lille in which Origi netted 8 times, he finally arrives at Anfield a year after making a name for himself at the World Cup in Brazil and signing for the Liverpool. He managed to score twice during pre-season, and at times looked sharp and lively. However, his finishing remains erratic and Origi appears to be somewhat raw in his development. Nonetheless, he has a certain spark about him and as a 3rd/4th striking option this season, he will be a valuable asset off the bench and in cup games. Expectations are low, so he has little to lose. The lack of pressure could help the Belgian surprise a few.
Danny Ings
Many fans were underwhelmed by the signing of Ings from Burnley, and as is the case with Origi there is relatively little pressure on Ings which could work to his advantage. 11 goals for a relegated Burnley side is a decent record, and importantly Ings has the pace, work rate and will to make runs behind defences which Rodgers looks for in a striker. Again, he will most likely be limited to an impact sub role, but he is a capable backup and with the service of Coutinho, Lallana, Firmino and co. he should be able to find the net regularly when given the opportunity.
Christian Benteke
The big man himself. Will he be a £32.5 million mistake or could he fire Liverpool back to the Champions League? These are the questions many fans have been pondering- the answer is, who knows? Benteke’s record of 49 goals in 101 games for Aston Villa is exceptional. Playing alongside higher quality team mates you would expect he can match or even improve on that. Benteke is an all round striker, not just a target man- powerful in the air, technically gifted and he also has decent pace, scoring a wide variety of goals. At that price tag he represents a gamble which Rodgers has to ensure pays off. Given the severe lack of goals from our strikers last season, Benteke should be a significant improvement. A realistic target would be 16-20 goals in all competitions. If he manages more, then brilliant.
Daniel Sturridge
It’s very hard to predict how Sturridge will fare this season. After missing almost the entire 2014/15 season through injury, he has missed all of this pre-season but looks set for a comeback at some point in early-mid September. Whether he can stay fit thereafter is impossible to say, but he certainly shouldn’t be rushed back too early. If we can get a fully fit Sturridge, possibly in partnership with Benteke, we all know how good he can be. The target for Sturridge has to be primarily about fitness, rather than a target of goals. If he can get a run of games going, he will go a long way to helping the side achieve their ambitions of top 4 and a trophy this season. When he plays, more often that not, he scores.
Red Regista
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