da brdice：
da esport bet： Kenny Dalglish’s Anfield homecoming was heralded as the ‘Return of the King’.
18 months later and Liverpool’s diminished ambitions have led to the demise their former hero.
The Scot may have won a trophy this year but after a serious dip in league form and a string of questionable transfers it was inevitable the Anfield hierarchy would eventually lose patience with his ever darkening fairytale return.
Given their current decline, should Liverpool prepare for an era playing second fiddle to the Premier League’s powerhouses?
For a club with so many past glories it seems unthinkable that Liverpool wouldn’t be able to compete with the best teams in the league.
“5 European Cups and 18 Leagues, that’s what we call history” they sing with pride. Truth is that’s all it is now, history.
Belief from the fans is still there but how far can the next manager take them considering the ever increasing gap between the Reds and top sides?
Liverpool ended the season in 8th place with their worst points tally for over 50 years. To their dismay they even finished behind their old enemy Everton and lost to Chelsea in the FA Cup final. In the end their League Cup triumph was the only highpoint of a season that raised serious question marks over their ability to compete at the highest level.
Strangely had they won the FA Cup it may have been regarded as a decent season, Dalglish may even still be in charge but it would’ve only papered over the cracks.
There were a number of factors that plagued them during the season. Their big name signings didn’t work out, the manager seemed out of his depth tactically and the fans expected more than the team could deliver.
With that in mind it’s easy to see why Liverpool underachieved so badly but of course hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Some of their transfers seemed astute at the time. Effectively swapping an out of form Fernando Torres for Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez appeared to be an excellent deal.
In contrast they also spent roughly £70 million on a home grown combination of Carroll, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson. No one can ever predict how successful a transfer will be but are the North East’s finest really worth that kind of money?
Unsuccessful deals like these coupled with so many disappointing results have ultimately led to Dalglish being sacked.
Still there is some hope. Should Liverpool’s new manager blend their talent into a more cohesive unit then their results may well improve, especially if he is given the same financial backing that Dalglish received. With the players at his disposal there would be no reason why they couldn’t challenge the top 4 teams.
Newcastle proved this season what can be achieved with a small budget and a few choice signings. They may have overachieved but if they can gain success when they’re not considered as one of the league’s elite clubs then why can’t Liverpool?
Consistency is key because the Premier League is so competitive that anyone can win on their day. Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham suffered major blips during an unpredictable season while Newcastle simply beat the teams that were put in front of them. They weren’t as strong as the rest but they pushed them all the way deserved their 5th place finish.
There’s definitely potential for Liverpool even if their misfiring home form has seen them become more comfortable playing away from Anfield. Their struggling players may have found it easier because the home crowd expectation became too much for them but confidence can quickly change. A new manager with fresh ideas could reinvigorate the whole club.
Ultimately this summer could have a major say in Liverpool‘s future.
If it’s time for a change then the new manager should be backed heavily. Dalglish may not have used his money wisely but another failure to qualify for the Champions League would be so detrimental to the club’s finances that they may never recover.
Liverpool are on the cusp of ‘football limbo’. Not as quite good the top teams but clearly bigger than the mid table group.
Miss out on Europe’s top prize again and they could be walking alone for very long time.
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