The year 2014 will be one of the strangest in any Liverpool fans’ memory.
The first half of the calender year saw the Reds string together a run of 11 consecutive victories to take the club within seven points of it’s first Premier League title.
That fateful slip from Steven Gerrard, the home defeat to Chelsea and the collapse at Selhurst Park followed with Manchester City claiming title glory and quite simply, Liverpool have not recovered since.
The departure of Luis Suarez in the summer, the long-term injury to Daniel Sturridge and eight summer signings struggling to settle have all contributed to a dreadful 2014/15 campaign so far where the Reds look a shadow of the side that excited so many during the first half of the year.
Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal was a vastly improved performance if not result and Brendan Rodgers will be desperate to see that provide some sort of momentum heading into the Christmas and New Year period as the Reds look to turn things around.
Here we have identified five New Year’s resolutions that may help them do just that.
[ffc-gallery]
Click on Brendan Rodgers to reveal FIVE ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ for Liverpool to stick to in 2015.
Click below to watch the Premier League LIVE!
[/ffc-gallery]
Bring in a defensive coach
A common feature of Liverpool’s time under Brendan Rodgers is their inability to defend. Rodgers has said previously he does not want to bring in a defensive coach but with the Reds seemingly unable to learn from their many mistakes – defending set pieces being the main one – it seems as though Rodgers will have to stop being so stubborn.
Especially when you consider that Steve Clarke – former assistant manager to Kenny Dalglish who helped the Reds tighten up their defence during his time – and Sami Hyppia – former Liverpool captain and Champions League winning centre back – are both currently out of work, it would be a missed trick by Rodgers if neither was employed in the New Year.
Play Adam Lallana more often
Adam Lallana has barely managed to complete 90 minutes in a Liverpool shirt during the first half of the season despite being one of the Reds’ better players on many occasions.
Whether there are fitness issues going on behind the scenes, it remains a mystery as to why he is often left out and most often the first hauled off by Brendan Rodgers.
Lallana’s recent performances against AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal have seen him complete the 90 minutes and is hopefully the start of a more consistent run of matches.
Lallana is a classy playmaker who adds an extra dimension to Liverpool’s play. It is important he is given time to link up with the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling and the returning Daniel Sturridge in the New Year.
Sign a new striker
To put it bluntly, Liverpool have gone from having one of the best attacks in all of Europe to one of the weakest statistically in the space of six months.
The signings of Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli have been disastrous with just one Premier League goal between the two of them over the first half of the season, whilst Fabio Borini has barely featured – and failed to score whenever he has.
Balotelli has been a major letdown and reports suggest he could be on his way out of the club this January. With Daniel Sturridge clearly unreliable in terms of fitness, it is crucial Liverpool actually sign someone who can put the ball in the back of the net for the second half of the season.
Clear some of the deadwood
Balotelli is not the only one who could and possibly should be on his way out of Anfield in either January or the summer. Having spent big on several flops in the summer, Brendan Rodgers is probably going to have to sell before he can buy and there are plenty of candidates for the chop.
Glen Johnson, Lucas Leiva, Fabio Borini, Simon Mignolet, Balotelli and even perhaps Rickie Lambert could be sold in order to raise funds in the summer, with all having to prove they are worthy of a long-term future at the club.
Bring in a new goalkeeper
With Simon Mignolet having been dropped ‘indefinitely’ after a disastrous 2014/15 season so far, it is obvious Brad Jones is not the long-term answer for the Reds.
The signing of a new goalkeeper should be seen as a priority this January with some decent names available according to reports. Petr Cech has lost his place at Chelsea and the Reds have been linked with a loan move.
Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic, former Barcelona stopper Victor Valdes and Mexico’s World Cup hero Guillermo Ochoa have also been linked with a January move to Anfield.
