5 must moves for Rodgers' Liverpool glory

Joe Cole could play a pivotal role at Liverpool this season. (FILE)

Published Monday, July 09, 2012

By Staff

This website predicted yesterday that Liverpool’s new manager Brendan Rodgers was playing himself in to a corner with some dodgy transfer moves.

This morning Anfield would have woken up to find the mist anything but cleared on which players are coming, who is going and how Rodgers plans to win trophies with his squad.

Rodgers says Champions League football and nothing less is the goal.

Well, Rodgers faces five major challenges that he has to deal with even before a ball is kicked at Liverpool Football Club.
And they are:

Andy Carroll

With AC Milan circling Carroll, who looked anything but settled at Liverpool last season might fancy his chances of regular play in Serie A and Champions League action.

The Liverpool jury is out on whether Carroll has had enough of time to prove himself.

Rodgers will have to decide quickly whether to keep Carroll or cut the club’s losses of the 30 million pounds and sell him.

Of course, sell him and that leaves the club at the mercy of Luis Suarez. Not someone who covered the club in glory last season.

Our verdict: Keep Carroll. He has shown enough attacking threat to make a difference

Stevie G: the heart needs some help

Neither Jordan Henderson nor Charlie Adam seemed to indicate the kind of attacking partnership Steven Gerrard needs to turn the Liverpool midfield in to a credible attacking force.

Leave alone the fact that should Gerrard get injured, the heart of the team would need to be transplanted.

Who Rodgers sees in this role is not clear.

Fabio Borini, perhaps. Gylfi Sigurdsson would have been ideal. But that’s a closed chapter.

Gerrard needs a world-class player as a foil.

Our verdict: Bring back Joe Cole. Between Cole, Adams and Henderson, Gerrard should have enough of cover.

Ba or Dempsey, but no Sturridge

A decisive attacking buy will certainly go a long way in calming some frayed nerves on the Kop.

Demba Ba would be a coup that would clearly state Liverpool’s intentions. However, Clint Dempsey is increasingly looking like the bargain steal of the season if someone actually goes for the Fulham striker.

Let Daniel Sturridge be consigned to the rumour-mongers.

Our verdict: Get Dempsey, quickly.

Skrtel and Reina

You do not want your defence creaking or leaking. You do not want to hit the ground running and then find you have a goal-keeper past his best-before date.

Spurs have realised this and Hugo Lloris may be on his way there.

Our verdict: Skrtel needs to say. Reina may need to go.

Mighty Red

The jury is out… the new club called 'Mighty Red' has not done the job… which is make the fans proud.

Liverpool have never had a pitch-side mascot and it is unclear at the moment whether ‘Mighty Red’ will be appearing before games at Anfield.

The mascot seems to be a representation of the Liver Bird which is the symbol of the city and features on the club badge.

Brendan Rodgers might like to win a few before unveiling Mighty Red.

Our verdict: American owners does not mean American-style pitch side mascots... please.

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