Liverpool - The Past, Present and Future

After dozens of abandoned articles, where the conclusion of hope and optimism, was left in tatters through one after another of Liverpool’s recent insipid performances. I felt the need to put my thoughts on paper, on the turbulent and traumatic season that’s just past. Partly as a sense of closure, but also to try and understand what we hopefully have learnt, which we can embrace moving forward. For the sake of avoiding this becoming War and Peace, I’ll leave the subject of Rodgers for another day. Many of the problems caused last season were of his own making, but I’ll focus on player recruitment until next time.

It’s fair to say last season hurt! After the now distant season (before last), final hit of adrenaline (which coursed through the veins of even the most disenchanted of Liverpool supporter) began to fade, we’ve been dealt a somber and sobering 12 month rehabilitation programme, to restore our mindset back to normal state of the perpetual underachievers. Thus creating a group of divided, uninspired and frankly pissed off set of supporters.

How quickly can one team fall in just one year? The simple answer is 22 points and 4 places, but we’re discussing Liverpool football club, so it’s far more complex than simple figures. We’ve devolved from a team with a devastating mix of electric pace, unpredictable movement, tenacious desire and a killer instinct (only witnessed in the very special); to a team of laboured pace, static movement, little to no desire and a side who seem so robotic that natural instincts are all but gone.

In losing Luis Suarez Liverpool lost more than goals, they lost a symbol of hope and identity, which others simply haven’t been able to live up to. He wasn’t just the best player on the pitch, for me he was the best man on it to. Yes he’s flawed, nearly all the special footballers are. Perhaps that transcends from the weight of the spotlight, the expectation of the supporters or just fear losing that much, that it drives them to extreme lengths. But in Luis, Liverpool had a player who would give his true all for the cause. He genuinely inspired players to follow him, not just through his unparalleled ability on the pitch, but his infectious, passionate nature. He inspired a young inexperienced manager to play to his strengths, to allow Luis to dictate the tempo and unleash his undeniable ability. He crucially inspired supporters to believe again, which I’m not sure at the time was fully appreciated. When he left, the inspiration left, not hope or belief, but the elements that made those feelings equate to success on the pitch. I still miss Luis, but I’m proud of his achievements, which he more than earn’t the chance to play for.

Luis Suarez causing havock. Source: liverpoolfc.com

It’s difficult as a supporter to admit you’re wrong. Everyday I see so much front displayed to save face and I’m the first to admit I’ve done it. I thought that Markovic would light up the league, when others warned me of a longer settling in period. I expected Moreno and Manquillo to settle quickly and cement their status as consistent and commanding full backs. I expected Lambert to be a good alternative to our starting strikers. I had high hopes for Lallana and was expecting that he would not only replicate his goals and assists figures from Southampton, but enhance upon them. Lovren I expected a player capable of playing football, little did I know the man has the brain of an Ostrich. Can, I had little expectation of, which makes it all the more satisfying to witness his developing and encouraging talent. Finally Mario, the underserved pantomime villain. I hoped with Balo that the circus wouldn’t come, but that hope wasn’t expectation. Will his talent ever truly be harnessed, certainly not at Liverpool football club, but their was and will remain that opportunity if (it’s a big one) he can engage a manager who from day one he clearly wasn’t chosen by, but that’s another subject altogether.

At the time it was 7 signings of optimism, with more than a little trepidation but an overwhelming sense of hope. They wouldn’t all have been my choices, but I never proclaim to be an authority, so I had trusted those in power. I’d been swept up in the expectations brought with a second place finish and the return of Champions League Football. I hadn’t blindly ignored the subject, but viewed Suarez’s departure, however damaging, as an opportunity to expand upon Sturridge and Coutinho’s relationship, with the emergence of Raheem, to bare fruit and cement our top 4 status. I had also hoped that our full backs and centre half signed would bring some much needed solidity to our defence, allowing us to hold a lead, rather play the outscore technique, which was always unsustainable.

Source: liverpoolfc.com

We all know what followed and it wasn’t pretty. Two cup semi finals combined with a short but successful spell in the league, almost hid the horror show, but two periods of relegation form, combined with a shocking UCL and EPL campaign almost nailed shut the coffin on Brendan Rodgers. We’d lost any sense of logic and identity. The players looked lost, like strangers playing with each other for the first time on the pitch. Leadership was all but gone, ego’s burst and the cold hard reality of the situation seemed to break even the most resilient of supporters. After the defeat against Stoke, I’d argue that we’d hit rock bottom, for me there is only one way moving forward, onwards and upwards.

I believe it’s a misconception that the club isn’t evolving or learning from certain past mistakes. The committee has had successes from a wider market than those would like you to believe, Sturridge (EPL), Coutinho (Serie A) Can (Bundesliga), Sakho (Ligue 1) are the standouts, with plenty of positive hope for Markovic (Primeira Liga), Moreno (La Liga), Ilori (Primeira Liga) and Origi (Ligue 1). There is talent there to be developed, which will shine through.

The crucial issue however, is when the committee and manager clash. However speculative, it’s becoming clear to see Lallana, Lovren, Lambert, Allen and Borini are all preferred Rodgers signings. I don’t doubt all the above could have added depth to a squad, but when you consider a combined fee of roughly £75 million was paid, you have to imagine quite much better that could have been spent elsewhere.

Are we learning from these mistakes? On one hand a decisive move in the market to do business early, whilst skipping the monitoring period implies that we’re. On the other Benteke. With Ings and Bogdan, many feared a sense of déjà vu. But in Milner, Clyne and most notably Firmino I see great reason to be hopeful once more. We acted with purpose and didn’t sit back as targets were taken one after another. Without Champions League football we have had to overpay, particularly on wages on Milner. But I see those latter players, positively effecting the first 11 and partly some redemption being made after last summers failings. There feels a stronger sense of purpose and logic to sign players who add energy and drive, but also crucially an end product.

Liverpool at times are a conundrum of a football club. Do the owners have a clear plan of what they want to achieve under their stewardship? Does Brendan Rodgers have a preferred style and philosophy? What’s the goal, the end game and what can make us successful. For me it starts with consistency. A transfer policy that is focused, purposeful and can be easily measured. A manager that trusts in his players ability, playing them in positions and under a formation that enhances their strengths, not exposes their weaknesses. A team that is unified, which will compete in each and every game. That displays hunger, desire and a will to not only excel and develop as individuals, but also as a collective.

Am I asking too much? For me that’s the basic requirements of a competitive football club. Those factors may not equate to titles, cup finals and regular top 4 finishes, without the required quality on the pitch, but it’s a pretty damn good start. We need to want it more than the opponents, you saw that with Suarez and it inspired others. A tone needs to be set from top to bottom that we’re serious about our return to compete at the top, not some half hearted attempt.

Do I believe we’ll win a title in the near future, no. Do I believe we can become a fixture in the top 4 and win trophies, yes. Whether that’s under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers, is more than a little debatable. Call me naive, but with the quality in the squad, which has only been reinforced this summer, the academy talent chomping at the bit and the re-development of Anfield to make us more financially competitive; I do have faith that we will rise again.

I for one am excited about the forthcoming season. I’m cautiously optimistic that we’ll be a much more competitive force, whilst revelling as the underdogs once more.