Although the application of “never say never” holds very true to the game of football, it is safe to say that in all probability, Liverpool are going to finish outside of the top 4 at the end of the season. While this looked like a given back in November and early December, Liverpool’s terrific performances in 2015 which saw them go on a 13 game unbeaten run got back hopes of a top-4 finish amongst the Kop faithful. However, in what many people have regarded as two worst performances in two most important games of the season, the Reds have put themselves out of the running for Champions League football next season. Manchester City’s recent run of disappointing results has given Liverpool some hope but the Citizens have a run of easy fixtures coming up and it would be extremely difficult for the currently not-so-deft-looking Reds to fill the gap. There is already a sense of disappointment amongst them since they can’t see their own team performing, even against weaker oppositions.
Many are saying Liverpool should finish in the seventh place and without the Europa League football next year. That, according to me, is bizarre. Even though the unattractiveness of the competition and visible repulsion with Europa League is a known fact by now, playing in the Europa League is important for Liverpool because it just doesn’t make sense to have another season of overachievement without playing plenty of games, followed by a season of gross misgivings, bad performances and inability to cope with the flurry of games that European competitions coupled with all the domestic games bring. Next season should be targeted by the club as something of a run-through for the 2016-17 season. The benchmark for a successful season shouldn’t be trophies at this stage for Liverpool, a club which is looking to rebuild for success since Rodgers took over. Consistently finishing in the top 4 and getting to the latter stages of cup competitions should be the yardstick for success at Merseyside now.
What Liverpool really need is astute dealings in the upcoming transfer window(s). FSG’s ‘Moneyball’ model of getting rough diamonds is not a bad idea, but it looks like an extremely naïve method right now. Brendan Rodgers’s comments on various occasions this season have given the indication that the Northern Irishman is not entirely happy with the transfer approach of Liverpool’s American owners. Make no mistake, Rodgers is the right person to work with young players, he has already proved that. But every manager wants a mix of experience and youth and any successful team will have that. There is a lot of emphasis on investing in young talent with potential but that has left Liverpool too short of both experience and leaders. The game against Arsenal, where Liverpool were without Gerrard and Skrtel, showed the young Liverpool team had no spine. You need some leaders in the team to inspire a comeback. Of course, moments of brilliance get you there, but you need inspirational figures within the team. The young Liverpool players looked like they had given up after just the first goal so coming back in the second half and magically rescuing the game after being 3 down looked absolutely out of the question. There was no one taking responsibility on the pitch. The “character” Rodgers is always talking about was missing in its entirety. Rodgers had his fair share of blame for the result- why play Henderson as a wing-back; why not tweak the system again after it was wonderfully exploited by Van Gaal’s men just three weeks ago? But what Rodgers couldn’t be blamed for was the clear lack of responsibility by the team together. Liverpool looked out of sorts from the beginning of the game, but they could have inspired a result had there been some encouragement from somewhere.
The Liverpool owners need to revise this approach in the summer. Without Champions League football, they will not be able to attract most top names. But loosening their purse strings over the wage budget, something that has been reported to have cost them Alexis Sanchez among others, might help matters. The Reds don’t need to go full-on Manchester City. Pellegrini’s preference for experience is well documented through his signings of Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo, who were almost 28 when they were signed. Fernandinho was already 28 while Willy Caballero and Martin Demichelis were both in their 30s. After getting the result in the first season, City have shown this season that experience is as vital as youth and only a mix of the two can yield consistent results. Suggestions that James Milner might be on his way in the summer are encouraging for Liverpool supporters. The 29 year old’s experience, energy and reputation will be a good influence on Liverpool’s young players.
Don’t get me wrong, the likes of Jordan Ibe, Emre Can, Philippe Coutinho, Alberto Moreno can have a huge impact on Liverpool’s near future if they fulfil their potential, which looks likely. But you can’t rely on 20-22 year olds to turn around results and it isn’t fair on them to do so as well. The pressure can also halt their growth. Liverpool fans can be left thanking their American owners in the near future when the likes of Can and Moreno start delivering consistently and become part of a team competing at the highest level. But proven quality and experience within the side is of equal necessity.
Liverpool need sustained success from here on. From next season, they need to be finishing in the top 4 consistently. And for that to happen, transfer dealings have to get much shrewder (not to belittle other requisites of getting there). Once Liverpool get smarter in the transfer market, we might see the beginning of consistency one expects from the last season’s runners up in the league.
