Liverpool Preview/Prediction - 2014/2015 season
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
A look Ahead... Liverpool 2014/15
Depending on how I feel, this preview on Liverpool may/may not be the last of the 'A look Ahead' series so don't be alarmed if I don't post at least one more after this one. So Liverpool, what a ten years they have had in terms of success and failure. That statement alone for me anyway, represents Liverpool in this day of age. Sure I know if any Liverpool fans come and read this, they will slate my opinion directly by saying that Liverpool have always been great ever since the 70's. Don't forget that I'm only 19 years of age; the Liverpool that I have been brought up with have yes, been bred with some success ending enough in 2005, but ever since then, it's arguable to state that Liverpool have been a team that have had their ups and downs.
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| Bye PAC-MAN!!!.. |
So as per usual from Goalkeeper up to the other positions, I'll be going through each of the positions and giving you my thoughts on them and whether they are strong/weak. Starting off with the goalkeeping situation and I think looking at what Liverpool have got, they are pretty much settled in the goal. Mignolet for Liverpool last season had a fairly consistent season being near the top when it came to goals not going in and making some good saves. I think it was wise of Rodgers to send Pepe Reina on his way again as he is someone who is reaching his peak with being older than he used to be and I really do think there other goalkeepers that Rodgers can rely on when ever they are playing in one of the domestic cups against the lower teams.
The defence for Liverpool for me at least remains kind of the same with just a few signings. This isn't a bad thing of course due to how Liverpool last season had a good streak of no defensive errors. That was all done to pretty much Skrtel at the end of the day being that he is the main pick for Liverpool to place at Centre-Back. I think all Liverpool fans will be dissaponted with Sakho's performance last season being that he was previously with a very successful team and that experience surely would of helped them defensively which of course wasn't the case for some matches. Toure fit's nicely with this factor as well being that he did make created mistakes for himself which is embarrassing considering his brother Ya Ya is doing far more for his successful team. The addition of Lovren from Southampton just one of a few signings Rodgers has made that were from Liverpool, frankly in my books is over-rated; one good season with a now mediocre team last season doesn't prove that he's a solid defender. If Lovren is this 'Solid' defender Liverpool have been looking for, than consistently he has to put himself out there and become one of the main leaders like how Vidic did at Man Utd. Daniel Agger I thought had a quiet season last year so it could be safe to assume that he might leave elsewhere for a new challenge perhaps just like Kelly has done moving to Crystal Palace having not being part of the first team. However Liverpool's replacement for Kelly, Moreno who plays Left-Back is the smart of behalf of Rodgers due to the fact that there is potential for the future with this young Spaniard. As for the other side of the defence, being that Glen Johnson is really reaching his peak playing reguarly at Liverpool, I think this is the perfect opportune moment for young John Flanagan to really make a statement to everyone that he is the regular full back for both club and country.
The midfield of Liverpool is where the bigeest change has happened in terms of signings that is. Another Southampton jig-saw piece that Rodgers has collected him-self with is Lallana which I think in time over the season, will serve to be a benefit for all Liverpool fans. There's no mistaken that Lallana's play-making skills are indeed superb being that statistically last season, he made more passes than Iniesta could you believe it so certainly it is a smart signing. The addition of Lallana has also created this good England link that has now blossomed in this England Midfield. The likes of Henderson, Gerrard, Sterling and Lallana in that Midfield is actually in retrospect something to be fearful of, especially for underachieving England players are in need of getting back in the England squad. Speaking of the other England players, I don't think this will apply to Gerrard but to Sterling and Henderson, they are surely in good positions to really stake the p positions for club and country now. More so I think with Sterling since his attacking flare is something new and radical for everyone to watch and certainly for me as a Man Utd fan, gets me excited when he runs at 3 to 4 people with pace and nearly scoring. For Henderson I would like him to emulate what Ramsay has done over the pat year with Arsenal and really put himself out there as a scoring/creating midfielder. What is actually incredible being that they did sell Suarez and are in the Champions League, is the amount of spendage they can dosh out on other players that are questions marks at this point in time. A lot has been said about the likes of Emre Can Lazar Markovic and how respectively, they have been exceptional for their previous teams. However it's like I said about Lovren before, These two players specifically will have to prove themselves on a consistent rhythm that they are what other people say they are. This upcoming season I do want to see the unknown players reach for their own stars and limits, I surely want to be surprised of what Markovic and Can can do, but for that to happen, they have to make a real statement.
Last but not least is the Striker position which to be fair is that bad. Obviously the letting go of Suarez is huge and know one at Liverpool could possibly come close to the skill he was perfected every game last season. The only real striking candidate that comes close is of course Sturridge who has proven that in time, he will reach a capacity where he'll become unplayable to play against. The obvious but true factor is of course, Sturridge has to perform like he did last season. Whenever he has a chance at goal, he must consistently but the ball at the back of the net. Being that Sturridge is to be fair the only 'killer' Liverpool have got, if he let's up even once without scoring in a number of games, than his side drop down simple as. I don't think the likes of Lambert and Borini can reach the level Sturridge is at which is why either this summer or this upcoming winter, Rodgers has to devote his time to get a prolific striker.
Overall than, I think Liverpool will be up their with the likes of Arsenal and Man Utd fighting for 3rd and 4th place finish. It really depends on how Liverpool balance themselves with the amount of games they now have. There's no question that these games will really test the fitness levels of some of the players and will decide whether these fitness/injuries will come to cost them at the end of the season. I know some Liverpool fans will have massive hissy-fits when I say this but it surely is fact that, in a number of games they will struggle even if it's against a side that isn't expected to win against them. The only real player in that Liverpool squad who can contend with all this on some level is Gerrard being that he has been in this type of situation 10 or less years ago. While this is what Liverpool fans have been wishing for some time now, they should all be wairy for what they wish for, in the end it could end up biting every-single one of them in the ass.
My Liverpool team using 4-2-3-1:
Mignolet
Johnson Lovren Sahko Moreno
Gerrard Henderson
Lallana Coutinho Sterling
Sturridge
Subs: Brad Jones, Flanagan, Lambert, Skrtel, Can, Markovic, Jordan Ibe
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| Can he do it again? |
The defence for Liverpool for me at least remains kind of the same with just a few signings. This isn't a bad thing of course due to how Liverpool last season had a good streak of no defensive errors. That was all done to pretty much Skrtel at the end of the day being that he is the main pick for Liverpool to place at Centre-Back. I think all Liverpool fans will be dissaponted with Sakho's performance last season being that he was previously with a very successful team and that experience surely would of helped them defensively which of course wasn't the case for some matches. Toure fit's nicely with this factor as well being that he did make created mistakes for himself which is embarrassing considering his brother Ya Ya is doing far more for his successful team. The addition of Lovren from Southampton just one of a few signings Rodgers has made that were from Liverpool, frankly in my books is over-rated; one good season with a now mediocre team last season doesn't prove that he's a solid defender. If Lovren is this 'Solid' defender Liverpool have been looking for, than consistently he has to put himself out there and become one of the main leaders like how Vidic did at Man Utd. Daniel Agger I thought had a quiet season last year so it could be safe to assume that he might leave elsewhere for a new challenge perhaps just like Kelly has done moving to Crystal Palace having not being part of the first team. However Liverpool's replacement for Kelly, Moreno who plays Left-Back is the smart of behalf of Rodgers due to the fact that there is potential for the future with this young Spaniard. As for the other side of the defence, being that Glen Johnson is really reaching his peak playing reguarly at Liverpool, I think this is the perfect opportune moment for young John Flanagan to really make a statement to everyone that he is the regular full back for both club and country.
The midfield of Liverpool is where the bigeest change has happened in terms of signings that is. Another Southampton jig-saw piece that Rodgers has collected him-self with is Lallana which I think in time over the season, will serve to be a benefit for all Liverpool fans. There's no mistaken that Lallana's play-making skills are indeed superb being that statistically last season, he made more passes than Iniesta could you believe it so certainly it is a smart signing. The addition of Lallana has also created this good England link that has now blossomed in this England Midfield. The likes of Henderson, Gerrard, Sterling and Lallana in that Midfield is actually in retrospect something to be fearful of, especially for underachieving England players are in need of getting back in the England squad. Speaking of the other England players, I don't think this will apply to Gerrard but to Sterling and Henderson, they are surely in good positions to really stake the p positions for club and country now. More so I think with Sterling since his attacking flare is something new and radical for everyone to watch and certainly for me as a Man Utd fan, gets me excited when he runs at 3 to 4 people with pace and nearly scoring. For Henderson I would like him to emulate what Ramsay has done over the pat year with Arsenal and really put himself out there as a scoring/creating midfielder. What is actually incredible being that they did sell Suarez and are in the Champions League, is the amount of spendage they can dosh out on other players that are questions marks at this point in time. A lot has been said about the likes of Emre Can Lazar Markovic and how respectively, they have been exceptional for their previous teams. However it's like I said about Lovren before, These two players specifically will have to prove themselves on a consistent rhythm that they are what other people say they are. This upcoming season I do want to see the unknown players reach for their own stars and limits, I surely want to be surprised of what Markovic and Can can do, but for that to happen, they have to make a real statement.
Last but not least is the Striker position which to be fair is that bad. Obviously the letting go of Suarez is huge and know one at Liverpool could possibly come close to the skill he was perfected every game last season. The only real striking candidate that comes close is of course Sturridge who has proven that in time, he will reach a capacity where he'll become unplayable to play against. The obvious but true factor is of course, Sturridge has to perform like he did last season. Whenever he has a chance at goal, he must consistently but the ball at the back of the net. Being that Sturridge is to be fair the only 'killer' Liverpool have got, if he let's up even once without scoring in a number of games, than his side drop down simple as. I don't think the likes of Lambert and Borini can reach the level Sturridge is at which is why either this summer or this upcoming winter, Rodgers has to devote his time to get a prolific striker.
Overall than, I think Liverpool will be up their with the likes of Arsenal and Man Utd fighting for 3rd and 4th place finish. It really depends on how Liverpool balance themselves with the amount of games they now have. There's no question that these games will really test the fitness levels of some of the players and will decide whether these fitness/injuries will come to cost them at the end of the season. I know some Liverpool fans will have massive hissy-fits when I say this but it surely is fact that, in a number of games they will struggle even if it's against a side that isn't expected to win against them. The only real player in that Liverpool squad who can contend with all this on some level is Gerrard being that he has been in this type of situation 10 or less years ago. While this is what Liverpool fans have been wishing for some time now, they should all be wairy for what they wish for, in the end it could end up biting every-single one of them in the ass.
My Liverpool team using 4-2-3-1:
Mignolet
Johnson Lovren Sahko Moreno
Gerrard Henderson
Lallana Coutinho Sterling
Sturridge
Subs: Brad Jones, Flanagan, Lambert, Skrtel, Can, Markovic, Jordan Ibe