In the end we (LFC fans) can all sit back and be very negative about this season and at times we have been really poor.
Make no mistake about it, there has not been all that much to cheer about in certain games but there has also been bright some spots worth mentioning.
Verdict on playing staff that have been in the first 11 on a scale from 0-10.
Reina -5 - poor finish to the season. Looked strong at the start but has really fallen apart a bit here the last 10-15 games of the season.
Kelly - 7 hasnt gotten enough opportunities in my book. Think he could have started more games at right back and Johnson could have been pushed to right mid since Henderson is more of a central midfielder and Kuyt is getting older and needed rest at times (as opposed to previous season when he played virtually every game).
Coates - 6 - Still adjusting to the game in England. Should be given more chances next season. Lacking pace but loads of other qualities. Should be 3rd choice before carra and after Agger and Skertel next year and work on understanding, tactics and positioning with Carragher. Agger is going to get injuries as well so he will get a decent amount of chances.
Glen Johnson - 7 - At times suspect defensively but has improved in that area. Good going forward.
Enrique - 6.5 - Terrific start to the season (first 20 games or so) but always suspect defenisvely. Do not trust him and seems to switch off here. Tapered off a lot towards the end of the season. Along with the team disapointed as the going got tough. Got a lot of praise but I think he is too much of a liability defensively and we could do with more of a competitor on the left back should he be injured. Jack Robinson has not got many games this year and Glen Johson has deputised at times there so it is not first priority but I think there are better left backs out there...mainly due to his defenisve frailties. (probably feel differently there from others). I never think we should have let Emiliano Insua go. He was still young and talented.
Agger - 7.5 - Think he has been great for most of this season when he has not been injured. Even played well at left back the times he has been used there. He is a football playing and a passing centre back and is very comfortable on the ball. Hope he stays injury free going forward and that if not Coates comes in and really develops into a Hyppia type player. Agger and Skertel was first 20 games part of the best defence in the league. Set pieces and poor concentration along with poor protection in front of the two centre backs after Lucas got injured made sure that defensive record slowly disapeared.
Skertel - 8.5 - Player of the year for me. 95% of games he has been teriffic. Has become a leader back there. He does not organise the defence I dont think but he leads by example. Got a few more goals than previous years as well which bodes well for the future. Him and Agger should continue.
Carragher - 6.5 -getting older and slower. Relies on winning most of the challenges he goes in for. He did today and then it works but done at the highest level. Coates should be preferred and have him take on a coach/player role.
Shelvey - 7.5 - Showed a lot of promise. Thought he deserved more chances when the likes of Spearing, Henderson, Adam and Gerrard did not deliver against assumed weaker opposition (Swansea, Fulham, and a lot of others below top 10 in the table).
Gerrard - 6.5 - overall. Was poor with odd exceptions where he was great. Everton hatrick stands out in that respect and games against big sides early in the season
Lucas - 8 - When he was around he was amazing. Exceeded everyone's expectations and then some... and was a big miss as spearing was our our only specialist backup in that position. Personally I think Gerrard can take up that position or even right mid as I have spoken of earlier but motivation against weaker opposition is an issue. Shelvey, Henderson can cover that position as well but they have some development to go before they can claim to be good enough for a top 4 side.
Henderson - 6.0 - mainly because in my eyes he has been played out of position for most games this season. The man is not a winger. Maybe an emergency one but I would much rather have a player that can beat a man on the wing. Believe he is best at central midfield, either at defensive mid or central mid. He has not impressed this season. I think we overpaid for him and I am not that sure he is a better player than Shelvey who we signed for £1.5M. That 16M should have been spent elsewhere in my opinion. Suggested signings to come... Has not scored enough goals.
Hoping he can have a turnaround like Lucas but it is a long shot.
Hoping he can have a turnaround like Lucas but it is a long shot.
Spearing - 5.5 - Proven once and for all he is not up to the standards of Liverpool football club. Needs to go. Could possibly improve on loan to a squad player but I think there are better scousers out there if you want a local lad.
Adam - 6.5 - started ok then went a bit downhill before he got injured. Never the player he was for blackpool last season. Benefitted from Gerrard being out early in the season and from playing with Lucas. Lacked protection and class when spearing took the spot behind him.
Maxi - 7.5 - Given too few chances. Especially when Downing did not perform. Still scored many goals. Techincal player that I am afraid we wlil lose in the summer because of lack of chances this year. Could have gotten a lot more chances as many didn`t perform. Looked like he waived goodbye to the Anfield crowd as well when he left the pitch today.
Downing - 7 - Has been a bit unlucky and could have performed better as well. If I am not mistaken along with Suarez he will in the duo of the players who have hit the post most this season. A couple of those go in and his confidence would have been higher. I think he has suffered by the fact that Carroll and himself has not got a decent run in the team together as well. I do no think we played 442 often enough this season.
Got an impression that he has suffered more than most under the fact that the team has not succeeded at home this season. A bit of an odd statement but I actually think he has been a bit unlucky. Lacks confidence often. Needs to believe in himself. Another two in the post tonight. Penalty and a great volley. On Sportsnet World Don Hutchinson and Craig Burley spoke about his run at the start of the season against Sunderland in the first game where he took on 5 guys and hit the bar with a canon. The game ended in a draw like many of our home games this season. I wonder how much better Downing would have done if that went in... Believing in oneself is a funny thing.
Hopefully he comes good all the way next year. He certainly has the ability.
Kuyt - 7 - Getting older. suffered under the fact that Henderson was preferred on right wing. As menitoned above Henderson is not a ring wing and Kuyt has made himself into a good one or at least a better than average.
Suarez - 8 - Competes with Skertel for player of the season but his antics, diving, comments relating to race which lost him lots of games this season, his ugly side (bergkamp-like temprament), frusterates a lot more than myself. He also did not finish a lot of his fantastic work this season and should have more than 25 goals for the season.
It says it all then when he still gets an 8 of a 10. Has the potential to be world class. Many would argue that he is.
Wonder if Kenny, Carra, Gerrad and Steve Clark can sit down and analyse the season and get rid of his negative antics and tendencies. I would surprised if he would.
Carroll - 7.0 - has missed a lot of huge chances. Has lacked confidence but finished the season better than most of the players. Gives me real belief for next season. Needs to learn. Pundits tonight mentioned he was raw and I agree. Running onto the ball in the box instead of being stagnant I have talked about at lenght in the past on this blog. It has to do about movement. I think he can improve his right foot finishing as well.
He has good technique and good power and is never going to be fast but he can work on a few things through the summer and get even better and make a great partner for Suarez.
It is a shame the season is ending for Carroll now that he is coming into form. Perhaps he can get a place in Hodgson's line up for the Euro's and do great. We will see.
If anyone listen to the Football Ramble podcast I think they made a great point on England and Carroll this week. If England realise that they only are average... they can go as far as semi's potentially. Quarters would be a success. Anyway enough tangent....!
Bellamy - 7.5 - great first 20 games. Struggled with bad knees and have lost a bit of pace. Unfortunately past his best. I think he would have played more and scored more if it was a year or two ago. We need a new 3rd striker. Matt Phillips and Scott Sinclair would be able replacements me thinks with many of the same qualities, maybe apart from the defensive part of their games. Faded a bit like most of the team towards the end of the season due to reasons mentioned above.
Signgings
Matt Phllips at blackpool showed signs and promise of anther world when he was in the PL more than a year ago. He did not get that much playing time but it was clear to see that he had bags of potential. That year he played primarily right winger but this year he has because of his pace and promise been given more and more of a chance up front for blackpool.
I believe he has been Blackpools top scorer this season and has come a long way since last season and certainly if memory serves since he was signed from Wycombe as a talented youngster.
I would be inclined to sign him but with a condition to lend him to blackpool for another season to continue his development. That could give us the edge over other clubs trying to sign him. (Many top clubs are interested after the season he has had).
Along with Kevin Phillips and Thomas Ince they may be on the verge of yet another playoff final if they beat birmingham.
By the way, does anyone know how Danny Simpson has done this season at blackpool? Has he played regularly at centre back next to the ledgend that is Ian Evatt?
Scott Sinclair - been teriffic for Swansea this season. Would be a man worthwhile going for. Just look at his performances this season. He would give Downing a run for his money and could compete for a striker spot.
I also believe we need to sign a defensive mid that can compete for Lucas`spot should he get injured again or not do as well as he has in the past. I still believe Essien has got it and he could be a servant for a few years and is currently likely undervalued due to struggles with injuries and poor form recently. Would he be worth going for? would he be avaiable?
Do you have any suggestions for other defensive mids that are avaiable for less than 16M and are worth going for?
Do you have any suggestions for other defensive mids that are avaiable for less than 16M and are worth going for?
FA Cup game on Saturday
Says it all. Was disappointed in team before 60min and impressed after. Spearing proves again why he shouldn't be in this squad. He is simply not good enough.
Future and team conclusion
It is easy to say in hindsight but what I do not understand is why we spent 16M on Henderson when guys like Gylfi Sigurdsson or Dempsey likely would have been available for the same money.
As I have menitoned at nausea now, Henderson was played out of position and may come good as well. He played well tonight and has shown glimpses but it is rare and needs to keep getting chances. With Lucas and Shelvey back and even Adam before him in the cue I doubt he will at centre mid.
We need to sign quite a few players to get into top 4. 3 signings mentioned above could do it but a world class defensive mid would be preferable.
Perhaps Tiote could be avaiable. Question is if he would want to leave Liverpool after the season Toon have had. He is also injury prone and has probably shown his best level this season.Therefore maybe he is not the right man.
Investment is needed and some difficult decision must be made. Hoping FSG will step up and deliver.
Spearing should be let go. Jon Flanagan and Raheem Sterling should be sent on loan to improve.
We have at times this season played very well but our stability, consistency and finishing has been poor.
Game today at least gave me a bit of hope.
We need to sign quite a few players to get into top 4. 3 signings mentioned above could do it but a world class defensive mid would be preferable.
Perhaps Tiote could be avaiable. Question is if he would want to leave Liverpool after the season Toon have had. He is also injury prone and has probably shown his best level this season.Therefore maybe he is not the right man.
Investment is needed and some difficult decision must be made. Hoping FSG will step up and deliver.
Spearing should be let go. Jon Flanagan and Raheem Sterling should be sent on loan to improve.
We have at times this season played very well but our stability, consistency and finishing has been poor.
Game today at least gave me a bit of hope.
Let's hope for a much better season next year with similar cup runs and top 4 at least in the league. Investment in playing staff is needed if that is to happen.
YNWA,
Stian
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