betting
Liverpool
By David, BettingExpert.com | Edited
Away with the Americans …or not?
Liverpool have bounced out of the hands of hated American duo Hicks and Gillett and into the hands of some other American investors, the New England Sports Ventures, coming along with big promises of success and money to spend. Is it a case of ‘from the frying pan to the fire’? Liverpool supporters have expressed their opinion and it seems that they have already been scalded by the previous investors and are intent on not giving faith to the newcomers. But is there a choice for the Reds’ faithful?
Coach: Hodgson
Tactics: 4-4-2
Players In: Joe Cole, Meireles, Konchesky, Poulsen, B. Jones, Suso
Players Out: Aquilani, Mascherano, Riera, Nemeth, Insua, Diego, Degen, El Zhar, Plessis, Kacaniklic, Dalla Valle
Current Probable Formation: Reina, G. Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky, Kuyt, Meireles, Poulsen, J. Cole, Gerrard, Torres
No there is not. The board and the players all want stability and the assurance that at the end of the month salaries will be paid. It is never easy to work in an environment where one has no guarantee of what will happen tomorrow. Today you’re playing Milan in a Champions League final and tomorrow you are declared bankrupt and selling your prized assets to what was once your competition as you settle for life in the Championship. Ask Portsmouth about guidelines on how to take this road to perdition.
The once great Liverpool have had their pride dented last season as they crashed out of the top four making way for Tottenham to collect the millions of the Champions League. That would have been some much needed money by the indebted Reds. At least they did not get the final punch in the face by seeing Manchester United lift the title and overtake them in the number of titles won in their history. At present they both stand at 18 but how long will it be before the Red Devils take sole leadership?
The debt problems should now be behind them but does that mean immediate success? Not likely. There are a few team members, important ones, who still need to rediscover the joy of playing. When things are not well with Gerrard then the indications are negative for Liverpool. Some may have suggested a recurrence of his back problems but it might all have been a result of the uncertainties that revolved around the club. The departure of Mascherano was a sign that the Reds were downsizing and that is not in line with Gerrard’s views and ambitions. The arrival of Meireles, Poulsen and Joe Cole may have got him thinking otherwise but there is still need of guidance at a club that seems lost.
The choice of Hodgson can in this sense have been the best
of moves for the club. He is notorious for being a calm man who has gone
through the long path to reach the heights of fame in the world of football.
His dedication and this doing away with short cuts are his weapons and although
he may be criticized for not being the best of motivators he is the right man
at the moment for Liverpool. Besides, all his years of experience has allowed
him to mature effective tactics as proven by his results at Fulham last season.
The Cottagers had in the 2009/10 Premier League edition the best 
defence outside the best seven sides in the table. When you consider that the weakest
out of these top seven were Aston Villa you will have an idea of what a tough
job the English manager had at getting those results with what he had
available.
The first task in his to-do pile will be that of recovering Torres. Last season has been tough on the lad and repercussions had carried along in South Africa. Despite Spain staying there until the end and Del Bosque giving him ample chance of redeeming himself on the field he constantly failed to live up to what was expected of him. Rumours of him wanting to move away from Anfield had intensified in the final days of the transfer market but he ultimately stayed put. Goals are traditionally the best medicine for strikers in his depressed state. This time round there will not be any Llorente or David Villa taking all the spotlights. Ngog or Babel can hardly do any better than the worst version of Torres. It will be just him who is in charge of the goals and this may well ease him into the new season psychologically but it may also mean that in case the Spaniard’s form persists Liverpool will be in big trouble.
Joe Cole should help with the goals just as much as Gerrard if Hodgson sticks to a sensible intuition of playing the England vice-captain just behind Torres in attack. Something similar to what Capello has tried in South Africa in one of the many guises he adorned the Three Lions with. Gerrard has a great goal instinct and with pure goal scorers a rarity in the Reds’ camp there should be no better position for Gerrard. Joe Cole may take up a role on the wings with permission to move into the box as he skips past opponents. Alternatively he may play in line with Gerrard.
The hard working Kuyt would have wished to abandon the ship as water was seeping through the shut windows and running over the decks but Liverpool failed to have their asking price met by a reluctant Inter. Having stayed, there should be no doubts about his commitment to the club. His determined style of play will come in handy and may once again be employed in a wide position serving as a winger, mirroring what Joe Cole would be doing on the other side of the pitch.
The central midfield duo will be Meireles and Poulsen. Both
are new additions though so there may be problems at first as they get used to
a new league. Lucas can be useful when required with stats from last season
suggesting that he was not as bad as many had suggested he was. He is a hard
worker and although his style may 
at times be rough he does know how to regain
possession for his team. Jovanovic, Maxi Rodriguez and Babel are other relevant
names on the bench. Their roles should be more of wingers though, capable of
replacing Kuyt and Joe Cole.
Hodgson’s 4-4-2 with Kuyt and Cole on the flanks does expose the team a lot though. This will therefore require a solid Meireles, who is the least defensive of the central midfield duo, and a relatively static backline. The Portuguese player’s aptitude at filling up for that role will need to be evaluated. The defensive solidity is similarly something that will need its time to mature. Of course Hodgson will want to establish the sturdy backline that he managed to carve out of the few resources he had to work with at Fulham. The arrival of Konchesky for left-back duties is in line with his wishes. The 29-year old should prove a strong point for the defence. Agger, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos and to a certain extent even Carragher, will need to go over what a sturdy defence should look like. They give Hodgson a decent selection of central defenders for what should be the focal point around which he rebuilds the team. None of them has had a brilliant final season under Benitez though. Carragher should not be removed from the starting line-up but as for his partner there are still doubts amongst the rest. The Greek should be considered a reserve so the battle is between Skrtel and Agger.
On right-back Hodgson will have his biggest headaches with Glen Johnson still more of a midfielder rather than a defender. His crossing and penetrations are excellent most of the time but when it comes to providing cover he shows many frailties. It is not easy to just drop him because he provides a lot of help to the attacking maneuvers of the team but he cannot be moved in midfield either because there options are abundant whilst in defence they are not.
Predicted finishing position: 4th
As one can see Hodgson’s job will not be an easy one. He does have a good group of players albeit squad depth is not an option for him yet. New owners may decide to make some funds available but for now he will need to get Gerrard and Torres scoring and the defence reconstructed from scratch. The process of getting this rusted machine back anew will take some time and this delay may cost them their ticket to the Champions League for another year running. Can they make the most of the other teams’ slip ups or will they get a consolation prize by helping Hodgson to an Europa League objective he missed out on for just a few minutes of play?
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