Keeping Daniel Agger

Considering we had to bring Jamie Carragher, a retiring centerback in preference to younger options in Uruguayan defender Coates and the Slovakian Skrtel, it is vital for Liverpool to retain the services of Daniel Agger in order to maintain stability at the back, in addition to stopping the mass exodus of top quality players from Anfield.

Agger is one of the best central defenders that Liverpool will be able to find. Not only is he a no-nonsense tackler, but he oozes class and is among a select few top defenders capable of the passing game, in addition to unleashing ferocious shots from outside the box. His marking sometimes leaves much to be desired, but Liverpool won’t be able to sign another defender as solid as Daniel Agger if they decide to sell him. The fact that there is uncertainty over the futures of Coates and Skrtel, in addition to the rumours circulating about Suarez, means keeping Agger is a priority for the Reds this summer window.

One must not forget that his versatility also means that we can play him at central defensive midfielder, in addition to putting him out at leftback, plugging gaps in the Liverpool backline.

Unless you talk about crazy money in the region of 27-32 million pounds, I don’t think Liverpool should even consider the prospect of losing their Danish centerback this summer. The Dane featured in 51 of Liverpool’s games in the previous term – and one would think that he should stay longer if Liverpool are to challenge for the Champions League places once again.

The Second Slot

Now, there are lots of rumours circulating regarding who will play alongside Agger (most likely) next season. Skrtel is seemingly set to leave the Merseyside outfit, and I reckon Coates will stay because he has age on his side – something that bodes well for the Rodgers and FSG philosophy.

The few candidates that are being looked at are seemingly Lyon’s Dejan Lovren and Sporting Lisbon’s Tiago Ilori. What’s interesting is that both are young, speedy and ball playing defenders – much like Daniel Agger. Whether the motive behind it is to replace Daniel Agger remains up in the air, but both are really exciting prospects.

Ilori is said to play like Thiago Silva – but has the tenacity and speed of Real Madrid talent Raphael Varane. Lovren is renowned for his passing ability and aerial ability at the back, although his disciplinary track record isn’t too pleasing on the eye. Both are quality, and would turn the Liverpool team into a team which is capable of comfortably passing at any area of the ball park.

By now most Liverpool fans would have figured out how to pronounce and type Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Perhaps Armenia may not the most likely source of football talent, but here’s why Liverpool are considering a £20 million bid for Shaktak Donetsk’s attacking midfielder.

Playing Style

A goal-scoring central attacking midfielder, he made his name through his fantastic reading of the game and killer instinct in front of goal. His goals predominantly come from beating the offside trap by peeling away from his markers, and he traditionally plays behind a main striker for Shaktak Donetsk – in a number 10-esque role for the Ukranian club.

A technical players, he had a prolific 2012/13 season, notching up 25 goals in the Ukranian Premier League for Shaktar Donetsk. A weakness of the Armenian remains to be his aerial ability and defensive awareness – but given his tall physique, it is likely that it won’t stop him from a big money move.

His leadership qualities on the pitch are also evident for both Armenia and Donetsk – with him looking likely to take the armband for Armenia for many years to come.

Bargaining Position

Mkhitaryan has already publicly declared that he won’t be playing for Donetsk next season, and Liverpool remain favourites to sign the Armenian, with Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal reportedly in the chase for the attacking midfielder. The midfielder is said to be fluent in English – which will make for a smooth transition to Premier League football should he decide to make the move over the next few months.

Regarding the Transfer

This deal is said to weigh very heavily on whether Luis Suarez leaves the club (for big money) or not. Donetsk are said to be demanding in excess of £20 million (fee require said to be £22 million). According to the rumour mill, Liverpool are reportedly very close to agreeing a deal for the midfielder at around £21 million.

Where He Fits

If Suarez is to leave Liverpool, the Reds are likely to secure the services of another striker in addition to Mkhitaryan. For now, I reckon this is the strongest squad for Liverpool at the moment (with everyone in the squad barring Suarez). Daniel Sturridge is likely to be up front as a striker with Mkhitaryan playing in the pocket just behind him. Coutinho will move out left and Jordan Henderson/Stewart Downing will take the place on right wing.

The situation for Liverpool has changed really drastically over the past few months. Luis Suarez coming out to say that he is frustrated with the British media has left the Reds in a pretty difficult situation, especially considering their involvement in trying to flog Andy Carroll out to West Ham.

On Luis Suarez

Whilst Suarez is indeed capable of still consistently performing despite the ever-present boos and jeers wherever he goes, his attitude and professionalism is indeed not one of a Liverpool FC player. Whilst immensely talented, I have no doubt that he will continue to have problems with his attitude for the rest of his career – whether it be with Liverpool, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. He quite simply has too strong of a personality for him to contain it.

That’s why, although I hate to say it, it might just be time for Liverpool to let him go. One would imagine that his next suspension will keep him away from football for a good bit (for accumulation of offences on the football pitch), and we also have to consider the fact that his value isn’t going to be much higher than it currently is, as he is still fairly young. If Rodgers does indeed keep him, Rodgers must control what the Uruguayan goes away and tells the media. It is a problem that needs to be rectified. Going out and making comments such as not being happy at Merseyside should be addressed towards Brendan Rodgers rather than to the media.

Perhaps it is not possible to get another 20 goal a season striker – who creates so much with his brilliance as well – for next year. But we can continue to use Rodgers’ blueprint and step in the right direction – where the ultimate goal for now is at least to get back into the Champions League, as given that there aren’t Europa League duties to follow for next season, Liverpool can indeed focus on trying to do well in the league.

The money earned from selling Suarez can go towards signing a new centerback, striker and perhaps another player for the left flank – leftback/left midfielder. Bayern Munich are reportedly offering cash plus Dutchman Robben, whilst Real Madrid are offering a reported 20 million plus the services of Jose Callejon. I personally like the look of Callejon. He’s young, and fits into Rodgers’ current blueprint for Liverpool FC.

On Andy Carroll

Liverpool’s Suarez dilemma leaves them in a difficult situation with Andy Carroll. I personally predict that Liverpool will end up losing a lot of money from their 2 year investment in the Englishman. Carroll is reportedly reluctant to leave for a club that pays him less than 100k a week for his services, and Liverpool might just have to take a loss to let go of the lanky Englishman.

Carroll had a very stop-start time on loan with West Ham last year, with it hampered by injury woes, and it seems Rodgers is desperate to get rid of Carroll – reason being he does not have the technical ability to fit into Rodgers’ possession based brand of football. 15 million pounds is seemingly what’s been talked about, but Carroll’s wages remain a stumbling block.

Loaning him out for yet another season may be considered in order to try and give him more playing time and raise his value for a potential sale in January/summer next year, but it seems unlikely.

What do Liverpool have to do sometimes to get the goal?

We had 28 shots on goal. This even comprises of 11 shots on target. I guess some credit must be given to Reading keeper Alex McCarthy, who pulled out some saves which were flat out ridiculous, but it must be noted how disappointing our passing and finishing were in the final third.

Daniel Sturridge is a culprit of missing fantastic chances served on a plate by the likes of Luis Suarez and Coutinho, and he put them straight at the goalkeeper or just wide. But the good news is that at least we know it is the tiny details left before we can consistently put balls into the back of the net.

We’ve shown that we can dominate play. Liverpool have shown that there are less concentration lapses in defence even with Jose Enrique moving up high and Lucas playing the unfamiliar left back position at various occasions. It is just the finishing that really needs working on. Coutinho looks eager to impress and had some decent looks in on goal.

On Europe

The draw means that Liverpool have made their chase for a Europa League spot doubly hard now, especially with Merseyside rivals Everton defeating QPR 2-0. But I guess we might have to make do without it for next season.

But I’ve said it in an article I wrote in The Anfield Roar, (great Liverpool fanzine, you guys should actually check it out) and I’ll say it again. Like Rodgers, I believe that Liverpool would be better off focusing on a good Premier League placing next season rather than be off in Romania playing a Europa League Round of 32 away leg. It might be better just to get into a good position for fighting for a Champions League spot – a competition which a club like Liverpool FC really need to be in to remain a competitive club.

On our best player today

It is difficult to pick a best player. It was a collective team effort in producing the chances – the taking of them not quite so. For me, it was always between Steven Gerrard and Pepe Reina, but I think that for today, the best Liverpool player was Pepe Reina. He provided two vital stops when the Reds needed him – despite being a spectator for much of the 90 minutes – and managed to stop Liverpool from dropping all 3 points.

On the team

Honestly, I believe that our starting XI is the strongest – tactically – team that Brendan Rodgers could have possibly put out there. Downing’s been doing well lately, but I reckon Henderson is a very economical passer that can really make an impact with his forward running.

But what I think that should have Liverpool worried is the fact that a 35 year old centre back retiring at the end of the season is keeping out two perfectly fit defenders approaching their prime. One does wonder whether Rodgers will be forced to go into the market for a central defender, because by the looks of things, he does really need to.

They’ve become something like our bogey team of late, as we’ve struggled to get the results against Tottenham in recent attempts. I certainly hope Monday is the day that we snap this streak of ours.

I write this after a month or so of inactivity. And I really think that Liverpool’s position (as in performances and results) has definitely been improving. We’ve achieved 3 fantastic results in emphatic wins over Zenit, Swansea and Wigan, and I really think that Tottenham will be the acid test to see how far we’ve come from that first leg defeat to Zenit in Russia.

Brendan Rodgers will definitely be helped by his major success story that is the January transfer window. Not only have his two signings of the window excelled in the short time between then and now, but he has managed to offload a lot of our deadwood, such as Joe Cole and such, and I really think that it has put us in a much better position – both in terms of finance and team quality and depth.

Despite the fact that Luis Suarez has been contributing a number of goals with his dead ball proficiency, I think we’re doing better from open play now as well. The passing is continually improving, and players are finding their rhythm. Lucas Leiva is rediscovering that fine form that won the Kop over, whilst Phillipe Coutinho is a livewire.

Liverpool will need to break down a resilient Spurs back 4 with the intentions of getting into Europe following the almost cruel way of which they were sentenced to the Europa League last term, whilst Hugo Lloris has proven to be an inspired signing by Andre Villas-Boas, making quality saves and ordering around his defence like a true Edwin Van Der Sar-esque veteran.

Rodgers will have a few selection headaches for this match. Whilst you have a solid back 5 (including keeper) and a strong base of Suarez, Gerrard, Lucas and Sturridge to work with, it leaves only 2 places up for grabs among Allen, Henderson, Shelvey, Sterling, Coutinho and Downing. Who he picks for the match is likely to define his tactics for the rest of the season, and I’d like to think that he will be fielding who he believes is his strongest XI for the encounter.

But I guess the main show will definitely by Gareth Bale vs Luis Suarez. Two really in form players facing off in an attempt to wow supporters and take home all 3 points. Both have been spectacular of late, and it will be interesting to see who will come out on top in the battle.

When you mention Tiki Taka, you think Barcelona, and you think Spain. And if you stumbled on here because you’re a Liverpool fan, you’re interested about knowing how this team functions and how it will develop in the upcoming seasons.

It is a way of football that, if deployed successfully, can be very successful, as Barcelona’s Champions League title and Spain’s World and European Cup successes suggest. But it requires a lot of tactical discipline and technical proficiently in order to be executed well.

In fairness, the first season of Brendan Rodgers has been fairly successful. We have looked very dangerous, we have passed well on most occasions and we have walked away on almost too many occasions saying “we should have won that one”. Mistakes were always going to be made on the way – although we perhaps didn’t quite expect that many this season.

The philosophy of the tiki-taka is to pass:

I get the ball, I pass the ball. I get the ball, I pass the ball.

Tiki-taka at its finest

There’s also a specific reference for them to be short, sharp exchanges – and the passes are kept on the ground.

The philosophy is to continually pass the ball and to press the opponents when not on the ball. The theory is that the passing will wear opposition players out and there will be little gaps that will eventually open up and allow for opportunities to score.

Tiki-taka changes how goalkeepers play. They have to play as a sweeper keeper – which means they have to be good with their feet. This leads to the team playing with almost an additional defender – the goalkeeper can go out of the box and clear the ball, hence allowing the team to operate with a higher defensive line.

A rather infamous example of this going wrong comes from Liverpool’s very own Pepe Reina after he charged out and tried to narrow the angle of Sergio Aguero before it all went wrong and the Argentinian provided a piece of magic to get the ball into the back of the net. But I’d like to think that that’s a very one-off scenario.

Reina playing as sweeper-keeper has, although his passing is a bit dodgy at times, proven effective. It has helped to switch play: an example would be him receiving the ball from Jose Enrique (left side of defense) before switching the ball to Glen Johnson (right side of defense), meaning that once the defenders are drawn to Enrique’s flank, it opens up space on the right.

This offers an alternative passing avenue. It spreads the ball out, it opens up gaps and allows the penetration to happen.

Trained in the arts … Xavi

There is also a certain type of passing that comes with a well-practiced setup. Teams such as Barcelona don’t try and switch the direction that their players are looking at and don’t turn that much unless they have space. They make straight one-two passes to players within their vision. They create triangles to outnumber the opposition. They break at pace once they’re away from the defenders.

One thing that you do notice about Barcelona is that their play is very narrow. And even when they spread it out to the wings, they barely ever cross it into the box; they continually play short ground passes to try and get into that box. But on most occasions, they play it through the middle. That is the very reason why they have two ‘inside forwards’; Alexis Sanchez, David Villa or Pedro being deployed.

There are lots of runs through the middle, lots of through balls played after long passages of passing and lots of one-two exchanges made, especially when it involves a certain player named Lionel Messi. There is that ever-constant awareness of where at least 2 or 3 players are on the playing field.

The idea is that dribbling is kept to the minimum unless there is lots of space in front of you. Play it simple and spray the ball about. And then wait for the magician (in our case Luis Suarez) to work the magic. In many ways, our Tiki-taka needs lots of refining. Our passing needs to be more solid, our defense needs to perform better.

Please do stay around. I’ll release the second part to “Evolution of Liverpool’s Tactics” next week, and I will discuss transfers and how they affect the setup, along with our defense.

Its been a disappointing week for Liverpool. Two 2-0 defeats have seen them almost drop fully out of contention for a place in the Champions League, whilst their European prospects for this season have been dealt a big blow in the form of a mountain to climb in the second leg.

In many ways, the two defeats couldn’t have been any more different.

Liverpool’s home defeat to West Brom in the Premier League saw them dominating everywhere on the ball park without the reward of a goal. They produced 5 times the number of shots that West Brom had (25 to West Brom’s 5) and were unlucky not to have taken anything (if not all 3 points) from the game at all.

This Europa League tie saw them chasing Zenit all game long. Suarez in absolute isolation. Relying on mistakes from opposition backpasses, and in general without much positive play at all. In fact, this was one of the few occasions this season where I can say that we were fully outplayed by our opposition, in a match that I would say Zenit deserved to win.

They kept the ball far better, they finished well and they were fairly solid apart from a few mistakes at the back.

Of course, you could say that Luis Suarez was wasteful. There were two big chances for the Uruguayan, one of which he fashioned himself with an interception, before rounding the keeper but seeing a defender get to the ball earlier than him. The other occurred due to the industry of Sterling and then the well-executed pass, before Suarez mucked it up with a fancy flick that went just wide. Realistically, he really should have put that one away.

The match stressed the new-found importance of new signing Daniel Sturridge, with Suarez forced to hold the ball up – something that he is clearly not too fond of doing – on many occasions, albeit poorly.

Hulk unleashed an absolutely spectacular shot into the top left-hand corner, and he must be given lots of credit for that strike. It was absolutely splendid. Semak came on and dealt the decisive blow in the fixture, and knocked the stuffing out of this psychologically weak Liverpool FC side.

It represents another occasion where the Reds have failed to come back after having conceded the first goal of the game.

Good Game: Glen Johnson

Although he was terribly out of position for Zenit’s second goal, Johnson had a good game offensively and defensively. He proved to be a good attacking outlet – considering Liverpool barely even penetrated throughout – and was solid at the back. One of Liverpool’s better players on the night.

Bad Game: Jordan Henderson

Despite being on a good run of form, Henderson had a poor game in the red kit of Liverpool FC. His error led to Hulk’s goal – although no one could have expected Hulk to launch such a ferocious shot – and was let down by his passing throughout the night. Looks likely that Coutinho will come in for the Englishman for Liverpool’s next match against Swansea City.

Following difficult road trips to Oldham, Arsenal and Manchester City, the Reds will be back in the comforts of home as they welcome West Brom to Anfield tonight.

Liverpool have been finding their rhythm at home of late, earning an aggregate of 12-0 in their past three home matches against Fulham, Sunderland and Norwich. Overcoming West Brom will be no easy task, though, as Liverpool succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of ex-assistant manager Steve Clarke’s side in their season opener at the Hawthorns.

Team News

Liverpool will remain without the services of Jon Flanagan, Martin Kelly and most likely Coutinho (who is still not match fit just yet), whilst Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling are being closely monitored – given they withdrew from the International fixtures in mid-week after sustaining knocks.

West Brom themselves will be without a few key members of the team, as Gera is out injured whilst Mulumbu and Steven Rein are uncertain of whether they will be playing a part in proceedings tonight.

Form

Form-wise,  Liverpool are on the upward trend whilst West Brom are headed the other way. In their previous 6 fixtures, Liverpool have picked up a satisfactory 11 points out of a possible 18, whilst West Brom have dropped all 18 but 1 in the January and February period.

Liverpool will look to exact revenge over West Brom after their humiliating defeat at the Hawthorns on opening day.

My XI

Reina
Johnson-Agger-Carragher-Enrique
Lucas-Gerrard
Henderson
Sterling-Suarez
Sturridge

A few questions about my first XI, and I completely understand. The first would be why Carragher would get the nod ahead of Skrtel for this one. My reasoning is because he has brought stability to that back 4. I think he has done well in the time he has slotted in for Skrtel since the Oldham debacle, and I think given this is his last season, he will be given the nod ahead of the Slovakian for this one.

Henderson is another one that has proven critics wrong with quality performances. His solid passing and forward running has provided Liverpool with dynamism that is almost Steven Gerrard-esque, although Henderson has made the role his own with his industry.

First of all, I shall start with a Chinese New Year message. Have a very happy Chinese new year to all our Chinese readers out there.

Now, on to what you guys came here to read.

It’s been 10 days since the January transfer window slammed shut, and Liverpool had two signings to really show for their business in the January window. Coutinho and Sturridge came in, with Joe Cole, Nuri Sahin and Doni among others making their exits (whether it be permanent or short term).

It gives a real sense of the direction of the team, and it is that youthful, exuberant energy that Brendan Rodgers has brought in. It might be early, but I reckon that he has even modelled this strategy after Arsenal – although we have been able to retain our key players for the past two windows despite interest (most notably Manchester City in for Suarez).

The results aren’t showing for this just yet, but I remain happy for now to come out of every week thinking we put a good performance in, we made it hard for our opposition and we definitely had our chances to win the games. We have dominated against even Manchester City and Arsenal among others. This was always going to be the Brendan Rodgers mock exam, where he begins to mould his team into what he really wants it to be.

He’s got us in a decent position to challenge for the Champions League spots (it remains possible although unrealistic) and is really setting us up for a proper challenge next season.

Daniel Sturridge linking up with Luis Suarez up front is showing many positive signs. It has changed our formation a bit, almost into a 4-3-1-2, where Suarez is playing behind Sturridge and there is an almost out of place wide forward (normally Downing) playing alongside Sturridge/Suarez. Henderson moves forward but attacks more centrally.

This has made our attack really narrow, given the characteristics of the players in the team. Even Coutinho is a central attacking midfielder by nature. The question remains as to where he will fit in. My guess would be in a 4-3-2-1 Christmas tree-esque formation where he will be alongside Suarez (that is, if he is good enough to get a spot on the first XI).

I read somewhere that Pepe Reina’s mistakes have accounted for 25% of our goals conceded this term as well. That is just not going to cut it for me anymore. As much as he has helped us over the past few seasons, we need (at least) some solid competition to keep him on his toes. We missed out on the chance to sign Butland, but I reckon we should still keep on the lookout for top young goalies. All the top sides have got one. Manchester United have De Gea (makes mistakes but is still young), Chelsea have Courtois (showing splendid form for Atletico) and Arsenal have Szczesny and Manone (who both look promising despite occasional mistakes).

That is the area which needs addressing in the summer.

The Reds are coming this on a high, with them winning their FA Cup 3rd round tie – albeit in controversial fashion – against lowly Mansfield.

The Match

Very big game. It’s going to be a test to see where we really stand in terms of league positioning at the moment. I reckon that the time given to Brendan Rodgers for his transitional problem has been almost exercised fully by now (or at the very most until end of the January window), and now he really needs to show that his team can perform even in the hardest of places to go on a road trip to.

One person who’ll definitely be up for it will be Luis Suarez. He’ll definitely be fired up to try and get one over Patrice Evra, whom he believes wrongly accused him of racist comments in the fixture last season. You’d, however, think that Rodgers will try and calm the Uruguayan down before the game, trying not to perhaps go into tackles too eagerly.

This game will also likely see the debut of Englishman Daniel Sturridge following his 12 million pound move to the Reds. He scored in mid-week in the FA Cup in his official debut for the Reds in all competitions, and he’ll be hoping to double his tally with a goal against Liverpool’s arch rivals this weekend.

Liverpool have 3 players out injured, whom are Fabio Borini (who has been getting back into training), Jose Enrique and Martin Kelly. Likewise, Manchester United are dealing with three injuries as well, with Wayne Rooney, Nani and Anderson all missing out this game through injury.

It’s a clash of the Premier League’s leading scorers, with Luis Suarez trailing Van Persie by 1 goal (Suarez at 15, RvP at 16) heading into the derby day clash. Both will also have their sights set on the golden boot at this stage of the season.

Transfer Rumours

The transfer rumours have dried up recently, and it seems to me that Brendan Rodgers is relatively happy with the squad he’s got at the moment. Reportedly, negotiations with Thomas Ince show that it is the move that still remains most likely to happen despite the lack of media coverage on it over the past week or two.

And apparently Liverpool are stepping up their chase for Nicolas Isimat-Mirin (yes, it is quite a mouthful). This is, according to The Times, and they claim that Valenciennes are looking for 5 million pounds for their French U21 international. He plays at centerback, and might be the cover that Rodgers is bringing in should he decide to send Coates out on loan.

The Match This Week

It’s quite simply David vs Goliath in the FA Cup for Liverpool this weekend, and you can definitely put your money on Rodgers resting some of his players in this one. The players that look likely to be rested include Raheem Sterling, Steven Gerrard and potentially Luis Suarez (but one would doubt this one, considering Rodgers has just talked about the need for him to play 2 matches a week somewhere in an interview).

Brad Jones might get his first game since signing a new contract with the Reds, whilst this might be another chance for Andre Wisdom, Jon Flanagan and Jack Robinson to take their oppourtunities, with Rodgers likely to rest Glen Johnson for Liverpool’s next fixture (against Manchester United if I might say so).

News Bite: Jose Enrique ruled out for 6 weeks

He has looked fantastic in the games but it looks like he’ll probably be out for up to six weeks with his hamstring.

Brendan Rodgers, revealing a long layoff for Jose Enrique

With this happening, you would think that Rodgers would try and bring in reinforcements in the leftback position, with one of the trio in Stewart Downing, Glen Johnson or Jack Robinson (or an outside chance of Daniel Agger) stepping in for the Spanish defender for the time being.

The Transfers

Apparently, this deal sees us pay off Joe Cole’s wages for a year, so in essence we’re paying 3 million pounds for this transaction to be completed. The deal also sees West Ham pay for the remainder of his contract.

Big deal. Very big deal. 12 million pounds represents a significant investment from Liverpool’s part (not to mention the Chelsea actually gave Sturridge a payoff as well). Liverpool reportedly want him to play as an out-an-out striker and move Luis Suarez out wide, but it allows for many more permutations, with Downing having the additional option of playing at leftback now, although this makes competition for places far fiercer.

And a loan move for Adam Morgan is what has happened so far as well. Morgan has been loaned out to League 2 side Rotherham for more first team experience until the end of the season. Will be interesting to see how this talent develops for the remainder of the season.

And for other transfer related things…

We are not going to have a lot of money to do anything [else] in the window.We won’t have that in January. There might be another but there is not much more business to be done.

Brendan Rodgers

Perhaps you’ve heard of him, perhaps you have not. Like it or not, Liverpool are apparently interested in 8 million pound rated striker Franco di Santo.

Background

Upon reflection, I first remembered him from a Match Magazine (you guys might know) annual, where they labelled him as one of the world’s hottest prospects in his time at Audax Italiano. His breakthrough year came when he scored 12 goals in 17 matches back in 2007, prompting Chelsea to secure his services in January the following year.

His time at Chelsea was difficult amidst the managerial changes, and he only managed 8 substitute appearances for the Blues – triggering a loan move to Blackburn Rovers. Di Santo’s time at Blackburn can be described as a mixed bag. He started off brightly, grabbing assists, his first goal and looking dangerous in general. However, his form deteriorated as time wore on, and he returned to Chelsea…

… which is followed by a move to Wigan, where he is right now.

History

Once again, Brendan Rodgers is going with his instincts on this one. It is another ex-Chelsea youth player that he is chasing after (Fabio Borini signed in the summer), and it just happens to be another striker. Perhaps he is capable of bringing out more in Borni? Only time will tell if the move really materialises.

An All Rounder

Whilst Franco di Santo does not have specific strengths that he usually works around, what makes him a handful to deal with is a well rounded game. He is fairly quick and is a player who does have that bit of flair. According to a few mates of mine, his finishing is woeful, but is good with his feet and has a really powerful shot.

Aerial ability-wise, he is fairly proficient. His height makes him difficult to deal with, and is generally quite strong in the air.

Price

Every player comes with their price. The fee being tossed about a lot in the same breath as the Argentinian is 8 million pounds. Apparently it has something to do with the fact that he got a place in the Argentinian squad a month ago – playing alongside Lionel Messi in the Argentinian set-up quadruples your value pretty quickly, but I certainly hope Liverpool don’t overpay for him. I reckon a realistic price (considering that he moved for 2 million pounds fairly recently) would be something like 4-5 million pounds.

Where he fits in our jigsaw

At present, he is just a squad player. Our attack looks solid with Raheem Sterling, Luis Suarez and the apparently incoming Daniel Sturridge. So he is left with Borini on the bench to fight for game time when any of the three mentioned above are injured/suspended. A bit of a puzzling move for me, really, considering Stewart Downing looks more settled right now and Jose Enrique is providing a challenge for the left wing spot as well.

It’s always difficult to wake up after losses like that. A deceiving opening goal followed by three well taken goals from a heavily drilled Stoke City side left me reeling.

But that’s football sometimes.

Well, for me, what was interesting was the contrast of styles. Whilst Liverpool didn’t come out on top, it was absolutely intriguing. This was a side that played very differently from the Fulham side we beat convincingly last week. This was a side that didn’t let Liverpool get too involved in the game with their passing rhythm. This was a side that was dictating our moves with their pressing, and didn’t completely rely on the counter-attack like most other teams have done so this year so far.

If anything was gained, it is definitely the lesson. Liverpool need to decide whether to retain the approach of passing the ball out whilst other teams are pressing, or just to clear it. I’m happy if it’s either way/a mix, but I just hope Liverpool can be more decisive with their passing. Our weakness was also exposed yesterday, and it is the lack of aerial ability. The first goal came due to poor positioning, a weak clearance and a good finish from Walters. The second came from a corner where there was debatable defending from Gerrard and Agger amongst the main culprits. You just have to give Stoke City credit for the third. They didn’t sit back and defend.

They retained their high intensity pressing and forward play, giving them a 2-goal cushion thanks to a bit of genius from Walters once again. The problems get towards the nitty-gritty now.

But realistically, a visit to Britannia is traditionally very difficult. 4 goals (including Gerrard’s penalty yesterday) have been all that Stoke City have conceded in the season thus far, and it is very much a fortress for them.

How Liverpool will look with Sturridge

Robert Huth is very much Suarez’s nemesis. I reckon he’s kept the Uruguayan very quiet when he is marking him, and I give him all due credit for that. The big German was immense in yesterday’s encounter, and formed a strong partnership to stop Suarez and company from coming back from the two goal deficit.

I reckon that whilst the fee is exorbitant, the Daniel Sturridge signing will come good. He fits in with the philosophy, and I reckon now Luis Suarez can play as a true ‘false 9′ with Sturridge coming in to play opposite Raheem Sterling. Exciting times, I reckon, for Liverpool FC. The result leaves Liverpool in 10th place, and Liverpool are really jumping up and down that Premier League leaderboard. At present, I think I am satisfied with being in the top half of the table. But that half a season (plus the transfer window coming up) is all that I’m going to give Rodgers as ‘transition time’. Now he has to really show his results. Personally, my view is that whilst silverware is nice, and success depends on how much you get, it’s all about the Premier League for me this season. To try and catch up. To at the very least secure a Europa League spot for next season. It is substantial for a club for Liverpool.

The most predictable thing about football is its unpredictability. The ball is round, after all. Liverpool are testament to that statement. One week they’re edging West Ham by a 3-2 scoreline, the next they are hammered by lowly Aston Villa, and then they demolish a fairly respectable Fulham side. It is truly difficult to see where we truly stand at the moment.

Our targets for the season

Brendan Rodgers has made mixed messages. One moment he has targeted 8th place, and the other he talks about why we should not aim for fourth and we should look at 2nd/3rd place instead. It is difficult to see what his true aims for this season are. A glance at the table leaves us in 8th, with teams breathing down our necks, whilst not having anyone within a game’s length away in front of us.

I reckon, personally, a realistic target would be 5th. Note: this is not considering what happens in the January window and the impact of the new players. For all I know, Sturridge could come in and surprise us all. The reason I say that is that for all our possession and pretty football, we’re just really inconsistent. We can’t put results away at times this season, and we have really struggled when we concede the first goal of the game – this being a huge problem the Reds have at the moment (includes the Aston Villa match).

We seem to be a more rotational side come January. Borini will return, Martin Kelly will provide more competition in the fullbacks department, and Sturridge will come in to add to our depth in our forwards department. One must also not forget a certain Assaidi, who should be at full fitness come the January period. We’ll be making up for lost ground, that’s for sure.

And what of Downing and Cole?

Really difficult to say. They really seem to be throwing their best punches out there on the football pitch at the moment, and both are showing glimpses of their previous form at their respective ex-clubs. My verdict: Downing stay, Cole go (or both stay if they both take a pay cut, which is, let’s face it, next to impossible).

Why Downing stay? Because he’s finally recaptured his confidence. Because Rodgers has found out faster than Dalglish did that he is not a ‘hug the touchline’ kind of winger, but one who likes to cut inside and get his shots off – which is why he did a splendid job against Fulham. It is his freedom to cut inside that is allowing him to produce better performances for Liverpool FC. Additionally, he has the added ability to cover at leftback now as well, which is a really strong asset for us to have at the moment.

Why Joe Cole go? Because he is 31. He is losing sell-on value by the year, and he is costing us a huge lot of money. He is also really inconsistent. Whilst he can be wonderful on one day, he can look really lethargic and tired on another. He just can’t cope with the pace of the Premier League anymore, in my opinion.

Well, so that’s my opinion. What do you guys think? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below

Here’s a new series, aiming to find solutions to Liverpool FC problems and offering an opinion based article – from fans, for fans.

If there is one department that can be help culpable for individual errors and careless mistakes, it is definitely the goalkeeping department.

Pepe Reina, the goalkeeper who for so long has been a safe pair of hands in between the sticks for Liverpool, is giving me doubts in my head of his ability to consistently deliver week in, week out.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that we should ship Pepe Reina at the next chance we get (the January transfer window). Instead, I am suggesting that we provide proper, younger competition for him, both to try and get him back to his old ways, and to have a safe pair of hands as backup for the longer term.

One thing Reina brings to the table is his leadership. His familiarity with the Liverpool FC back 4 means that the defence keep a good shape and generally prevent shots on the Liverpool goal. I’ll give him that. Additionally, he is really comfortable with the ball at his feet. He knows how to play the Sweeper Keeper role. However, I just can’t stand to see this happen every fortnight:

Stastically, things don’t look all that rosy for Pepe Reina at the moment. He is having his worst (at least according to the numbers) season for Liverpool FC since arriving from Spain. It is the very reason why it is time Liverpool get a proper goalkeeper as backup. Reina’s errors in goal has cost points this season, and we need a more consistent goalkeeper if we are planning on staying competitive and vying for the European spots (even the Europa League spots look a challenge to get at the moment).

Ideally, I’d like Liverpool to sign a young and fresh goalkeeper that will come in for the long term – a bit like something Manchester United have done by signing David de Gea, with the exception that we have backup/a first choice in Pepe Reina just in case. In addition, Reina would make for a great mentor for a new signing, and it would provide him stiffer competition for the place in between the sticks compared to Brad Jones, Doni and Peter Gulacsi (who still doesn’t have the quality to be the man in the sticks for the reds).

I reckon that if Rodgers plans on continually playing Reina, then Butland will be the option, a very talented goalkeeper who is breaking through at Birmingham City. Young and immensely talented, he represents a solid investment for the Reds to make in the January transfer window. He could be just put through the paces this Premier League year and be prepared for the 2013/14 season, which will be the time where he will maintain custody of the Number 1 shirt.

Another option for Liverpool could just be to wait for Hugo Lloris. The Frenchman has had a difficult start to his Tottenham career, and could still seek to move elsewhere come the summer window. Marc Andre Ter Stegen is another good, young goalkeeper that Liverpool should consider making a move for.

Arsenal are also sniffing around in the transfer market for a new keeper, with Reina reportedly (or at least according to The Mirror) Arsenal’s top target. It might be wise just to take the money, play Jones for now and go for a quality young keeper with that money. There’ll be leftover money and that can go towards reinvestment elsewhere.

So, what should Rodgers do with Reina? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 29: Daniel Sturridge of Great Britain scores a goal during the Men’s Football first round Group A Match between Great Britain and United Arab Emirates on Day 2 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Wembley Stadium on July 29, 2012 in London, England.

If anything, Daniel Sturridge represents a gamble. A wildcard almost. He has the potential to do very big things, but is one that Brendan Rodgers will have to be wary of thanks to his big personality.

Background

Sturridge can already be considered quite a journeyman in his short career so far, with his career taking him to 5 clubs; Aston Villa, Coventry City, Manchester City, Chelsea FC and Bolton (loan spell). A supremely talented player let down somewhat by his unwillingness to share the ball out with teammates.

Play Style

One word to describe Sturridge’s playing style: selfish. Chelsea fans know it, the Chelsea in his time know it, and you would think that he would know it by now. It is the nature of his game, and it is unlikely that Sturridge is going to change that attitute towards the game anytime soon. Not for Benitez, not for Rodgers and he most certainly didn’t for Andre Villas Boas. It is something Liverpool will have to consider before putting pen to paper on a deal (unless of course Liverpool are really looking for a player up front bent on scoring goals all on his own).

Brilliant

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 31: Daniel Sturridge of Chelsea takes on Michael Keane of Manchester United during the Capital One Cup Fourth Round match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on October 31, 2012 in London, England.

The one reason why Liverpool should really get him is because he has ‘magic’. You know, the “It Factor”. The ability to turn games on its head and conjure out something from nothing (what Suarez does, although he does it a bit differently). I reckon that’s what we really need before.

Solving our Wide Forward Issues

Realistically, I think that our wide forward role (even with Borini around) is a very poor department. Stewart Downing and Jonjo Shelvey have been trialed with little success, and I think we need a more direct option compared to Jose Enrique (although he has excelled when given the oppourtunities). Suso is still young and we just need a top calibre player in this position.

Daniel Sturridge will solve the problem and also provide cover for Luis Suarez so that we don’t have to play Shelvey up front on himself. Question marks will be asked as to whether he will want to be played out wide, but I reckon he will definitely improvise if he makes the move. Playing second fiddle to Fernando Torres at Chelsea will definitely play a part, and one would hope that Benitez’s Chelsea connection would perhaps (although it could work against Liverpool FC) help a deal materialise.

So, rumours beginning to fly around about the possibility of Spanish striker David Villa potentially moving to Merseyside in the January transfer window. Here’s an assessment of the marksman’s strengths and weaknesses.

Background

Nicknamed “El Guaje” (coincidentally meaning the kid – similar to a certain other Spanish ex-Liverpool FC player), he requires no real introduction. Started his career with Sporting Gijon before moving to Zaragoza and then making his mark with Valencia.

A move to Barcelona ensued, but with the competition for places at Barcelona, the Catalans are considering offloading Villa in the offseason/January transfer window. Individual accolades won include being the Golden Ball winner in the 2010 World Cup, the Spanish Player of the Year in 2005-06, and being part of the UEFA Team of the Year back in 2010.

Cost

A move for Villa will likely set Liverpool FC back between 15-20 million pounds.

Age

Perhaps the only factor that works against a move to Liverpool would be his age at the moment. He is 31 years old – and if Brendan Rodgers’ summer recruits are anything to go by, it is unlikely that David Villa will make the move to Liverpool FC.

His talents, however, might just outweigh the age factor, as he might just be the perfect striker partner for Luis Suarez.

Positioning and Finishing

David Villa’s strengths lie with his positioning in and around the penalty box, along with his finishing skills. He has been deployed out wide for Barcelona to accommodate Lionel Messi in the ‘false 9′ role, and might be the perfect player for us at the moment.

His ability to interchange positions with Luis Suarez will also be helpful – and having a ‘fox in the box’ will definitely mean that our Uruguayan striker will have more support up front and inside the penalty box.

Ready to Step in

One thing that Liverpool FC will definitely take into consideration will be his readiness to immediately step into the squad. Yes, he has had his fair share of injury problems, but I reckon that he will still be a good addition to the squad and add experience to an otherwise young Liverpool FC squad (not to mention depth to a very thin forwards department).

Playing for Barcelona at the moment also means that he is already very well versed in how to play the Tiki-Taka. How to move off the ball. How to put the ball into the back of the net. These are all things that Liverpool need at the moment (not to mention our desperate need for an additional winger to compliment Sterling and Suarez in attack), and they make for a strong argument in favour of David Villa moving to Liverpool FC in the January transfer window.

A Few Weaknesses

His weaknesses include his aerial ability and recognition of the offside trap. He plays really high up the pitch sometimes, and it is a habit of Villa to be consistently caught by opposition teams playing the offside trap.

His aerial ability is unlikely to be too important in Rodgers’ system (or Barcelona’s system for that matter), so it is just something to work around if the Reds decide to sign the Spanish striker.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 15: Joe Cole of Liverpool in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Aston Villa at Anfield on December 15, 2012 in Liverpool, England.

As the saying goes, “The Ball is Round, Anything Can Happen”. That truly is the fabric of the very game that we know and love. For one week I honestly believed that Liverpool had turned a corner and put their unpredictability behind them, but I don’t think I could have been any more wrong.

Why do I say that? Three wins in a row. An oppourtunity to extend the streak against a team level on points with Wigan Athletic (in the relegation zone before and after this week’s proceedings). It really should have been three points in the bag. It was quite simply the ideal match for us in our current circumstances to extend our good form.

But let me put it into perspective as well. Aston Villa were unbeaten in three league fixtures heading into the game (three draws and a win against Reading). They just came off a morale-boosting Capital One Cup quarter final against Norwich City to land them a place in the semi-finals, and this is an in form team.

I could sit here and continue on about woeful finishing and terrible ‘proper’ chance creation, because the problems are continually there, but there is no point because:

a) I will just talk about it next week and

b) I will just sound like a frustrated Liverpool fan ranting on and on, and here on Two Liverpool Fans, that’s not what we want to encourage.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 15: Christian Benteke of Aston Villa celebrates after scoring the first goal with team mate Barry Bannan during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Aston Villa at Anfield on December 15, 2012 in Liverpool, England.

For me personally, there are two things that Liverpool quite desperately need to sort out at the moment. First of all, it is their transition defence. For all of their territorial dominance in games, Liverpool have been caught red handed of making terrible defensive errors and bad decisions when opposition teams catch them on the break. Aston Villa exposed this problem of Liverpool, and it is something that needs to be addressed.

This is kinda strange considering their lack of presence in the box…which leads me to Liverpool’s second big problem at the moment. There are too many players in that space between the half way line and the final third of the pitch. Steven Gerrard needs to get forward that bit more – a bit like Nuri Sahin/Jonjo Shelvey when they are deployed in midfield. With Joe Allen and Lucas Leiva around, Gerrard should realistically be given a free role to work around opposition players. Our captain was definitely more effective than as seen in previous matches with a free-er role, however I am suggesting something beyond that. To be relieved of his defensive duties and in a center forward-esque role.

But yeah. A shorter post than usual today. How should we play Gerrard and what are your predictions on how Liverpool FC will do this season? (Realistically, the target should be seventh place)

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: Steven Gerrard of Liverpool beats Stephen Ireland of Aston Villa during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Aston Villa at Anfield on April 7, 2012 in Liverpool, England.

Liverpool welcome Aston Villa to Anfield today afternoon on the back of two good wins, and will hope to extend their good form with a good result today.

Team News

Fabio Borini and Martin Kelly are still out on the sidelines, with them not likely to return anytime this month, whilst Jose Enrique and Nuri Sahin doubts for the encounter with a hamstring problem and a facial injury respectively. An injury to Enrique might signal for another chance for Englishman Joe Cole to build on his performance last week where he scored against his former club West Ham United.

Luis Suarez is also available for selection once again, with him serving his 1 match ban for being on the receiving end of 5 yellow cards this season against West Ham last week. He will most definitely be starting as striker up front in place of our youngster Jonjo Shelvey.

Here are Aston Villa’s injuries:

Information Provided by WhoScored.com

My Probable Liverpool FC Lineup:

Reina; Wisdom-Agger-Skrtel-Johnson; Allen-Lucas; Sterling-Gerrard-Cole; Suarez

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: Stewart Downing of Liverpool beats Alan Hutton of Aston Villa during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Aston Villa at Anfield on April 7, 2012 in Liverpool, England.

The Liverpool Game

It will definitely be about the possession yet again, and it will be up to Luis Suarez and company to try and put the game to bed quickly. Liverpool traditionally do very well when they take the early initiative and scored the first goal – so the reds will need to get out of the blocks fairly quickly. They have a poor record coming from behind, so they will need to try and stop that from happening.

Ideally, Gerrard should be given a completely no-restrictions role, considering we have Lucas Leiva back at a better fitness condition than last week and Joe Allen there to provide him protection. Raheem Sterling will need to test the Aston Villa fullbacks, whilst Joe Cole and Gerrard will likely interchange a lot given the nature of Cole to cut in and get his shots off.

Jordan Henderson

Last of all, I would just like to talk about Jordan Henderson. I like him as a player, I like him a lot. A lot of Liverpool fans might not agree. Get me straight. I’m not saying that he is worth the 14 million pounds or so (just yet). I’m saying I like his game.

I reckon with rumours swirling about Fulham’s interest in signing the Englishman, I would just talk a bit about him today. I think he should stay. The most Rodgers can do is send him out on loan, but with Europa League not finished yet and FA Cup fixtures to come, we’re going to need a capable squad player like Henderson to step in.

Like Cole, he has impressed in his last few games, therefore I think it would be unwise to cut him loose right now. Henderson has a game suited to the Tiki-taka. He passes backwards, he passes sideways. He’s a bit like a Joe Allen who passes forward just that little bit more. A supremely young and talented player.

Don’t cut him loose yet Rodgers. You might just regret it.

We’re almost there. We’re almost the finished product. The team is improving by the week (although the unpredictability has never really gone away at this fantastic football club), and the results are finally coming along.

It is fair to say that Luis Suarez has been nothing short of magnificent over the past few weeks. He’s been playing, not with a burden, but rather with a fantastic fiery passion for football once again. He’s finally away from controversy and just banging in the goals every week. Magical, almost.

Flexibility in formation has also been an interesting development over the past few weeks. Rodgers has experimented with the 3-5-2 (2 fullbacks), so it is more of a very interchangeable 3-5-2/5-3-2, meaning the team can adjust in the transitions. Less rigid and can work both ways as being more attacking and defensive.

Wasn’t that successful against Chelsea (in terms of going behind), but served the purpose. Got the Chelsea players worn out before switching to a more conventional 4-4-2 set up.

Rodgers agrees that his team are improving, look, it says so here:

“I feel this group will get stronger as the season goes on. We have momentum and the mentality is strong. We’re hard to beat and we’ll improve into the second half of the season.”

We’re in touching distance of a complete team. One that plays with a philosophy. One that defends well. One that attacks well. Perhaps what we still lack is a player with the killer instinct. Not necessarily an out-and-out striker, but could also be a winger/midfielder who knows when to move forward and how to finish off moves.

But now Europa League football awaits for us later on in the day. Certainly hope we can get the result and put to rest any doubts about not progressing into the knockout phase of the competition (although I’m not exactly clear on how it will work since the Champions League third place finishers in their group are also joining the party). Better to just finish off the job first – should have just killed off any doubts in Russia, but here we are now.

Young Boys should prove to be a contest – matters not their pedigree in European competitions, and will be a test for the first XI that Brendan Rodgers will choose to field for this one. Should be interesting.

In other news, ex-Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has taken over as interim manager at Chelsea FC. Wish him the best of luck (unless of course we’re realistically near to the Blues at sometime this season), although I doubt his chances of lasting beyond this season.

Realistically, there are only two reasons why he has been brought in. It is to a) Get them out of the mess that Roberto di Matteo has gotten them into in the Champions League and/or b) Get Torres out of the slump of form he is current in. If there’s anyone who can relight that old Fernando Torres fire, it is none other than Benitez.

However, given Chelsea’s past with squabbles in the dressing room, you can’t help but feel Benitez will be subject to complaints over his favouritism. Only time will tell. I still feel he ain’t lasting beyond this season, but hey! Stranger things have happened.