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Will Rodgers Splash The Cash For West Brom Striker ?

27 Oct

Will Rodgers Splash The Cash For West Brom Striker ?

 

Reports at the weekend are suggesting that Liverpool are considering a January move for West Brom striker Saido Berahino. The England Under 21 international starlet has already been targeted by Tottenham Hotspur and there has been a £15 million offer mooted by the north London club.

 

The offer was well below the Baggies’ valuation and it is believed that Liverpool may have to pay in excess of £25 million to land the striker, in what could see a bidding war with Spurs.

 

The form of Balotelli is prompting the Reds into making a move for another striker even if they can’t offload the Italian in January.

 

I believe Liverpool need to add another quality striker to their squad regardless of Balotelli’s situation because they can’t depend on the fitness of Daniel Sturridge.

 

The England striker’s injury worries have been a major blow for Liverpool this season and manager Brendan Rodgers has been left with few options in the striking department.

 

Berahino looks to be a very good striker and one that would suit Liverpool’s style of play but I can’t see the Reds paying that kind of money after spending so much in the summer.

 

But Rodgers must bring in another striker in January if Liverpool are to challenge for a top four place that is so important after qualifying for the Champions League last season.

 

 

 

Four Key Points from Liverpool’s Draw With Hull

26 Oct

Four Key Points From Liverpool’s Draw With Hull

 

Liverpool completed another difficult week to their season with a disappointing scoreless draw against Steve Bruce’s Hull City to follow up their hammering by the European Champions Real Madrid last Wednesday.

 

Here are four key points we can take from Liverpool’s draw against Hull City:

 

  1. Mario Balotelli – The Italian striker is low on confidence, highlighted by his missed opportunity in the final minute that could have made him a hero, and the style of play Rodgers is playing is not suiting the former Manchester City striker. Balotelli worked hard against Hull but didn’t start to look threatening until Rickie Lambert came on in the second half to support him. Rodgers has to play Balotelli with a strike-partner and hopefully the Reds’ boss realises this after seeing the Italian and Lambert combine against Hull.
  2. Best Team – Rodgers must select his best team unless he is forced into making changes because he needs to get some consistency and fluency in his team’s play and the constant changes are having a negative effect. Rodgers made three changes for the game against Hull and Henderson’s energy was sorely missed.
  3. Coutinho – Must play more often, the little Brazilian is such a clever player that can open up a defence and Liverpool rarely threatened Hull’s defence until Coutinho’s introduction. Rodgers is trying to fit the likes of Markovic and Lallana into his team but he needs to play Coutinho more often.
  4. Glen Johnson – With Manquillo coming in for the England defender, it looks like the writing is on the wall for Johnson and he could be on the way out of Anfield soon.

Rodgers Should Bring Carragher Back To Sort Out Defence

24 Oct

Rodgers Should Bring Carragher Back To Sort Out Defence

 

Liverpool continue to have defensive problems despite bringing in two new full-backs and a centre half in the summer. Dejan Lovren was heralded as a leader that could martial the Reds defence and prevent Rodgers’ defence from conceding too many goals, but the goals are still being leaked at the back and this is bigger concern than last season because Liverpool are struggling to score goals with Luis Suarez no longer at Anfield and Daniel Sturridge constantly injured.

 

Sturridge and Suarez helped paper over the cracks with their goals but ultimately Liverpool’s defensive record cost them the Premiership title. Rodgers tried to explain the defensive problems at a recent press conference when he said:

 

“Our problem and the issue we have which we need to find the solution for is our lack of coaching time. Take this week, we played Wednesday night , the players physically recover on Thursday, and that leaves us with only a short period of time on the training field before we’ve got the game on Saturday.”

 

Rodgers excuse doesn’t make sense when his side only played one game-a-week last season and Liverpool still conceded too many goals and he had all week to coach his players.

 

Rodgers needs to have a serious look at his current defensive coaching methods because it is not working and maybe he should ask Jamie Carragher to come back as a coach, to coach the defence, because the former Liverpool defender has been sorely missed since retiring and I think he would be the best man to sort out the Reds’ defensive problems.

 

Papers Making Mountains Out Of Molehills Regarding Balotelli

6 Oct

Papers Making Mountains Out Of Molehills Regarding Balotelli

 

Certain tabloids are highlighting Mario Balotelli’s relegation to the substitute’s bench for Liverpool’s win over West Brom on Saturday. The Italian was replaced by Rickie Lambert in the Reds’ attack and Balotelli’s exclusion inspired experts to write about Brendan Rodgers not being satisfied with the Italian’s attitude.

 

Rodgers has admitted to taking a gamble on Balotelli and he has struggled to find the back of the net with his new team and after starting on the bench in Saturday’s win, maybe the Reds’ boss is giving the Italian international a reality check that he needs to do more for his new team or he will be replaced.

 

Balotelli’s performance in the defeat by Basel last Wednesday was loudly criticised and Rodgers was probably making a statement to his new signing that there are no superstars at Anfield and there are no ‘egos’ in his team.

 

I don’t think Rodgers is making a ‘park your ego or your out’ message to Balotelli, I think he was making a clever managerial decision to give the Italian a wake-up call.

 

Rodgers has improved so many players at Anfield during his time and he will be patient and work with Balotelli to mould him into a Liverpool player by using his own methods.

 

There is no way that Rodgers is sick of Balotelli and threatening to show him the Anfield exit already, it’s just the tabloids stirring things up as per usual.

 

Rodgers Was Wrong To Play Sterling

25 Sep

Rodgers Was Wrong To Play Sterling

 

Liverpool scraped past a stubborn Middlesbrough side at Anfield on Tuesday night in the third round of the Capital One Cup. The Reds were taken to penalties after Bamford converted a penalty in the last minute of extra-time before the drama of the penalty shoot-out.

 

The 120 minutes football was thrilling enough with 17-year-old debutant Jordan Rossiter giving the hosts the lead before Adam Reach levelled. Suso put Liverpool ahead again in extra-time before Bamford’s last minute leveller.

 

But no-one could have anticipated what was to follow with Liverpool finally winning the penalty shoot-out 14-13 in dramatic fashion.

 

Liverpool were relieved to scrape through to the next round of the competition but with Everton next up on Saturday they could have done with a less dramatic and shorter night.

 

My biggest concern was Rodgers starting Raheem Sterling in a competition that should be the least of Liverpool’s priorities. It wasn’t so long ago that Rodgers felt the need to rest Sterling in a league game against Aston Villa, yet he played the 19-year-old for the full 120 minutes against Middlesbrough.

 

Sterling is arguably Liverpool’s most important player right now and last night’s game was energy sapping enough but the England international also was on the receiving end of a very tough challenge near the end and hopefully he is fine for Saturday’s massive game.

 

Rodgers needs Sterling at his best and Tuesday night was the ideal opportunity to rest him.

 

 

 

Liverpool Have A Squad To Deal With Injury Crisis

12 Sep

Liverpool Have A Squad To Deal With Injury Crisis

 

Brendan Rodgers counted the cost of the international break that left him with a few injury worries that he could have done without. Daniel Sturridge could miss the next three weeks after picking up an injury to his thigh, whilst Emre Can injured his ankle playing for Germany under-21s when they were leading 6-0, Joe Allen was also injured playing with Wales.

 

Martin Skrtel, Jon Flanagan and Glen Johnson are also unavailable through injury for this weekend’s match against Aston Villa. Rodgers’ lengthy injury list is unfortunate but if it was this time last year it would have been a crisis, but with all the summer signings and the nucleus of players already at the club, Rodgers has the strength in depth to cope with such troubles.

 

Sturridge is the biggest blow but his absence gives new signing Mario Balotelli the chance to shine, although Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini are other striking options.

 

Skrtel’s injury will allow Mamaduo Sakho and Dejan Lovren to play together again at the heart of Liverpool’s defence.

 

There are also plenty of options in midfield with Joe Allen and Emre Can unavailable with the likes of Coutinho and the fit again Adam Lallana hoping to feature with Markovic another option to play alongside Henderson, Gerrard and Sterling.

 

No manager wants to hear of any of their players being injured but Liverpool’s injuries might just make Rodgers’ job of picking a team that little bit easier, but now he has a squad capable of dealing with the demands of all four competitions.

Sturridge Injury Just What Balotelli Needs

7 Sep

Sturridge Injury Just What Balotelli Needs

 

Everyone connected at Liverpool are disappointed with the news that Daniel Sturridge has been injured on international duty but his absence could be just what new signing Mario Balotelli needs to kick-off his career at Anfield.

 

Surridge is now Liverpool’s main striker after Luis Suarez left for Barcelona in the summer, but the England international isn’t as resilient as the Uruguayan and has been plagued with injuries since joining Liverpool but his latest injury gives others a chance to step up to the plate and it presents a great chance for Balotelli to make his mark at Anfield.

 

Brendan Rodgers has options with Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini as other recognised strikers and he may also play with a lone striker with Sturridge’s absence.

 

Rodgers played with Balotelli and Sturridge up front in the 3-0 win over Spurs last weekend and he will probably play two up front again next week against Aston Villa but with all eyes on Balotelli I expect him to relish the opportunity to be Liverpool’s main striker in Sturridge’s absence.

 

Rodgers has been clever in taking a gamble on Balotelli after losing Suarez and he knew he needed to sign a top class striker because of Sturridge’s injury record.

 

The stage is set for Balotelli next week and there is no better man to thrive on this opportunity and responsibility.

 

Liverpool Show Why They Are Still Title Contenders

1 Sep

Liverpool Show Why They Are Still Title Contenders

 

Liverpool were given a reality check last week as they suffered a 3-1 loss to Premiership champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, The Reds produced a good performance but were undone with City’s ruthless and clinical finishing.

 

Another away fixture, this time to White Hart Lane to face a Spurs side that had made a good start to the season would be another test for Brendan Rodgers’ men.

 

It was very important for Liverpool to take a positive result away from London after last week’s loss and they did just that. Liverpool produced a performance similar to many witnessed last season as they convincingly beat Spurs 3-0.

 

Rodgers was forced into making a couple of changes to his defence with injuries to Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson, so he brought in Sakho and new signing Manquillo in to shore up his defence.

 

All eyes were on new signing Mario Balotelli as he made his debut for Liverpool with the unfortunate Coutinho relegated to the bench.

 

Liverpool won the game convincingly despite so many changes as they played with a high-tempo pressing game that forced Spurs into errors and Liverpool’s defence looked more solid under pressure with industrious full-backs Manquillo and Moreno complimenting Sakho and Lovren.

 

Liverpool looked a threat every time they went forward with Sterling, Sturridge and Balotelli being supported by the energetic Allen and Henderson that resulted in a 3-0 result through goals from Sterling, Gerrard (penalty) and a superb individual goal by Moreno.

 

Liverpool proved they still have the credentials to be title challengers with this performance against Spurs.

Rodgers Has Depth To Make Liverpool Challengers Again

18 Aug

Rodgers Has Depth To Make Liverpool Challengers Again

 

The Premier League is one of the toughest leagues in the world to win and the most successful teams have squads, rather than teams and Liverpool have been busy strengthening their squad this summer after manager Brendan Rodgers looked to build on the success of last season.

 

Rodgers is starting his third campaign as Reds’ boss and this is the first season at Anfield that he is going into a season with squad with depth.

 

Liverpool’s first game of the season was not the barnstorming start Anfield had anticipated, but winning is winning and this victory owed much to Rodgers’ use of substitutes.

 

Liverpool were struggling against a stubborn and organised Southampton in the second half but this time Rodgers had options on his bench with Jordan Ibe, Emre Can, Brad Jones, Rickie Lambert, Kolo Toure, Joe Allen and Mamadou Sakho to call upon.

 

Rodgers still had a strong bench despite not being able to call upon Jon Flanagan, Daniel Agger and new signings Lazar Markovic and Adam Lallana who are unavailable through injury.

 

Rodgers summoned Allen and Lambert from the bench to try and inspire Liverpool, and both made a difference and contributed to the important victory.

 

Although Rodgers didn’t need to call upon his substitutes to change things too often last season his stronger squad will give him the important option when things aren’t going to plan like yesterday’s game against Southampton.

 

Rodgers’ depth of squad just might take Liverpool that extra step up this season.

 

 

 

 

 

Rodgers Builds A Team That Doesn’t Rely On One Player

12 Aug

Rodgers Builds A Team That Doesn’t Rely On One Player

 

It was only a glamour friendly Liverpool won yesterday but there were plenty of encouraging signs that proved that Brendan Rodgers has a team that plays for each other as a team, and they all understand what is expected of them.

 

The pessimists are all predicting Liverpool to struggle after losing their world class striker Luis Suarez, but Rodgers and his team are evolving and with his crop of new summer signings the Reds’ boss has assembled a pretty strong squad with competition for places in every position in his team.

 

But on the evidence of yesterday’s hammering of Borrussia Dortmund Rodgers has a team that is not reliant on any one player and that is so important after relying on the likes of Gerrard and Torres and more recently Suarez for too long.

 

The way Liverpool worked for each other was superb and their desire to help each other defend was mirrored by their energy to attack when in possession, highlighted by four different goal scorers.

 

I don’t think the worry of injuries and suspensions will be such as big a concern as last season with the squad Rodgers has built this summer and the team spirit he installs in his players will make Liverpool a force again this season.

 

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