Any Liverpool fans who thought 2015 was going top be any less painful than 2014 were given a rude awakening just one day into the New Year when Steven Gerrard announced he would be leaving the club at when his contract expires in May.
The news has rocked Liverpool supporters, many of whom don’t recognise the Reds without their iconic skipper.
The tributes have been pouring in to the Reds’ longest serving captain of all-time since the announcement with his imminent departure dominating the headlines around the Anfield club.
And with all the Gerrard news surrounding the club, it is easy to forget that the January transfer window has in fact opened, a time in which manager Brendan Rodgers can make some changes – if necessary – to try and rectify what has been a dreadful first half of the season.
Whilst the club have been linked with a move for Bayern Munich playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri, reports also suggest the Reds will put a deal in place to bring Divock Origi back to the club ahead of schedule, cutting his loan spell at Lille short by five months.
But as well as potential incomings, January would be seen as the ideal time to axe some of those who have contributed to the Reds dramatic downfall over the past six months.
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Click on Brendan Rodgers to reveal 5 players who Liverpool should AXE this month.
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Simon Mignolet
It is no surprise to see Simon Mignolet tops the list of Liverpool players – or indeed any Premier League player – that should be facing the axe this January.
The Belgian international’s form has been little short of disastrous this season and he only finds himself back in the starting eleven due to an injury to Brad Jones, having previously been dropped ‘indefinitely’ by Brendan Rodgers.
A quality goalkeeper is the foundation for any top side and Liverpool simply do not have that in Simon Mignolet. It is an area in which they need to address as quickly as possible.
Glen Johnson
The majority of Liverpool fans remain confused as to why Glen Johnson is still a Liverpool player. Now 30-years-of-age, the full back has lost his place in Roy Hodgson’s England international side, seems to be consistently injured and has shown no signs of the form that once saw him as one of the best attacking right backs in the country – all whilst earning a massive £110,000-a-week!
Johnson is out of contract at the end of the season and won’t be offered a new deal so a move to cut the wage bill this month would be wise for the Reds.
Fabio Borini
Some might argue Fabio Borini has not been given a fair chance to prove his worth at Anfield, however the Italian’s record of two goals over the course of his Liverpool career (one of which came in a Europa League qualifier), suggests he is not the goal scorer the Reds are looking for.
Borini has been mainly used as an impact sub this season but his impact has not been what Brendan Rodgers has been after. He was sent off when coming off the bench in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal and saw the score change from 2-0 to 2-2 when replacing Adam Lallana at Leicester City, missing a clear chance and inadvertently blocking a goal bound shot from Lazar Markovic as the Reds searched for a crucial winner.
Clubs may not be willing to offer the £14 million quoted in the summer but the Reds will surely look to offload Borini this month one way or another.
Mario Balotelli
The Italian has been perhaps the most disappointing signing of any Premier League club this summer. Balotelli has yet to score in the league, has struggled for form, fitness and brought his usual off field controversies with him.
These have included swapping shirts at half time, being investigated by the police for an alleged confrontation with a neighbour and a one-match ban for a social media post that included racist language during his first five months as a Liverpool player.
If the Reds can bring in Shaqiri and recall Origi from loan early, expect Balotelli to be offloaded this month for whoever is willing to take him.
Jose Enrique
The Spanish full back has spent the best part of 18 months on the treatment table whilst his most notable contribution when fit this season has been losing his man twice in the dramatic 2-3 win over QPR earlier in the season.
Enrique’s form and fitness has been nowhere near the required standard and if reports linking Barcelona’s Martin Montoya with a move to Anfield have any truth in them, the Reds should look to offload Enrique this month, particularly with Jon Flanagan close to a first team return.
