Kenny Dalglish was reasonably happy with his team’s performance at China against Guangdong as they managed a narrow win. The club showcased it’s young talent at the friendly which was to the purpose of penetrating Asian markets. To the delight of the Kop, Charlie Adam made his first appearance in the Liverpool shirt. Kenny Dalglish was visibly pleased with these aspects of the team. He said, “It was good to see Conor Coady score his first goal and for Charlie to make his debut. To score four goals is obviously a bonus but it’s only our first game and there’s lots of work still to do”
The great thing about Kenny Dalglish is that he is perpetually positive about his team but at the same time subtly critical. He could see the holes in his defense and that remains a concern in the transfer market. He failed to sign Gael Clichy who ultimately travelled to Manchester City. He has been hunting for a winger as well for quite some time. He admitted to Liverpool’s failure in the past couple of seasons to make that cutting ball from the wings. Stewart Downing has been chased down furiously and after two bids were rejected, Liverpool have met the expectations.
The exact valuation is not reported but it is said to be close to £20m. Stewart Downing has been a regular for Aston Villa and their ardent fans have resented the move. Villa have depended on his services for long but once the English International reciprocated towards a possible move, the formalities were due to be completed. With this move, Liverpool have added three players to their midfield in this transfer window.
Kenny Dalglish seemed satiated with his activity in this department and is likely to shift focus on the defensive capability. He said, “Obviously with the signing of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, we’ve got firepower up front. But what we’ve lacked over years is width. And that is what Downing will give to us. There is no doubt we have the likes of Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez, both of whom have been excellent for us over the past few seasons, chipping in with goals.” Dalglish promised that he would continue spending for the moment and that his new team would be a “bigger threat” next season.
Liverpool are humbly aiming for a Top-4 finish next season and Downing’s arrival will boost their chances. Steven Gerrard towed to the club’s argument but became a mild spokesperson for the Kop as well in expressing his keen desire for silverware.