Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool: Six issues to address in 2015/16
Saturday 8 August 2015 19:14, UK
We look at the issues that Brendan Rodgers needs to address if he is to keep his job at Liverpool.
“We’ve achieved all the objectives we wanted to achieve this summer,” Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre told Sky Sports this week. “It’s been kind to us.” Whether the Premier League season itself will back that view up remains to be seen.
A hectic summer of transfer activity that has seen the likes of Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling depart with Roberto Firmino, Christian Benteke and more coming the other way, cannot mask the need for change on the pitch as well as off it.
Rodgers spoke early in the summer of a desire to go in a “new technical direction” after a disappointing sixth-place finish in 2014/15 and with the Liverpool boss installed as the bookies’ favourite for the axe, he needs it to happen quickly.
So what must Rodgers do if he is to recapture the sort of success that took Liverpool to the brink of the title in 2013/14? Here we pick out six issues that the manager must address this season if he is to turn things around…
Goals, goals, goals
You’ve got to go back 15 years to find a season in which Liverpool scored fewer Premier League goals than they managed last term, with the failure to replace Luis Suarez going about as badly as could be expected. With last season’s top two goalscorers – Gerrard and Sterling – both gone this time, Rodgers must find an alternative solution.
Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli scored only three Premier League goals between them so it’s difficult to imagine Benteke struggling quite so badly. His superb strike against Swindon suggests he’s in form and the onus will be on the likes of Firmino, Danny Ings and Philippe Coutinho to provide the support.
Settle the signings
With so many changes in the final third, the new boys must settle rather quicker than last season’s additions. Rodgers is insistent that Benteke will fit Liverpool’s “tactical idea of the game” while finding the right role for Firmino could prove crucial. “The flexibility of Firmino is important,” said Rodgers. “He can play on the sides, through the middle or in behind.”
One man who won’t want his versatility to be a factor is fellow new arrival James Milner. He has joined to play centrally for Rodgers - “He thinks my best position is in the middle” – and impressed during pre-season. As a veteran of almost 400 Premier League games, Milner must form an immediate bond with Jordan Henderson to give Liverpool a platform to play.
Creativity required
With Milner and Henderson in midfield and Benteke up front, the basics are there but it’s creativity as well as goals that Rodgers’ team lacked last season. While the Premier League’s top four also ranked in the top four for Opta’s clear chances created, Liverpool were left languishing down in equal 12th when it came to big opportunities fashioned.
“We haven't created as much and that's more on ourselves,” said Rodgers in April, but with Firmino boasting impressive Bundesliga statistics and high hopes that Coutinho has the potential to take centre stage this term, the tools to change that could well be there. “We’ve got the recipe for success,” said Rodgers this summer. Can he cook it up?
Defensive discipline
Liverpool’s failure to find the goals didn’t result in tightening up at the other end. In fact, only Everton made more errors leading to shots than Liverpool last season. Dejan Lovren’s total of seven errors was the most of any outfield player with fellow Liverpool centre-back Martin Skrtel in joint-second with five mistakes of his own. There can be no repeat.
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“Liverpool’s defending is a massive problem and it has been for a long time,” said Sky Sports pundit and former Reds defender Jamie Carragher during the early part of last season. He added: “Liverpool must be the worst side in the league at defending set pieces.” With 18-year-old Joe Gomez in line to fill in at left-back against Stoke, the pressure is on to learn quickly.
No more injury issues
Rodgers felt injuries were partially responsible for his team’s slow start last season. “We’ve shown potential when we have key players fit,” he said. “With those guys unavailable, it hurts us.” His ire turned to England when Daniel Sturridge was injured in September and the missing men were mentioned again when Besiktas eliminated Liverpool from the Europa League.
While Liverpool actually ranked eighth in the Premier League for the number of injuries suffered and ninth for most weeks lost to injuries, Rodgers is determined to bring those numbers down in 2014/15 and has been open about putting a strong emphasis on fitness in pre-season. If he can keep the casualties to a minimum then there will be plenty of options.
Winning on the road
Eleven weeks on from that 6-1 thrashing at Stoke, Rodgers’ men return to the Britannia Stadium knowing that it’s their form away from home that could well dictate the manager’s future. After going to Stoke, his team travel to Arsenal, Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City. It’s about as testing as it can get.
For a team that had an inferior away record to Crystal Palace last season, it’s a mighty challenge and they have little form of which to speak. Indeed, Liverpool failed to win any of their last five away games and haven’t tasted victory on their travels since Henderson’s fluke winner at Swansea in March. It’ll take more than Anfield wins to keep the fans happy this season.
