Liverpool recovered from back-to-back Premier League defeats to Manchester United and Arsenal to book a place in the semi-final of the FA Cup at Wembley, following a 1-0 win at Blackburn last night.
Philippe Coutinho’s sixth goal of the season was enough to see off the Championship opposition, and Brendan Rodgers still has the chance to save what has been at times a turbulent season at Anfield.
Last season saw the Reds miss out on a first Premier League title in agonising fashion, and it seemed as though the hangover from that continued into the 2014-15 campaign.
With the loss of Luis Suarez permanently, and Daniel Sturridge for five months, the Reds made a horror start that has seen them playing catch up ever since, and despite a fantastic run the top four now looks a step too far following those consecutive defeats.
Here we have identified the top five things we have learnt from yet another eventful season for the red half of Merseyside.
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Click on Brendan Rodgers to reveal the top 5 ‘things we’ve learnt’ from Liverpool’s season
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Raheem Sterling isn’t as good as he thinks he is
The England international has been in the headlines for the past week, having admitted he turned down a staggering offer of £100,000 a week to sign a new deal at Liverpool.
Sterling appears to be eyeing up a move to a club in which he can be challenging for the top honours year in year out whilst earning big money.
Yet Liverpool fans will tell you he is not ready.
Sterling has enjoyed a decent season, and is undoubtably a world class player in the making. Yet he is by no means the finished article, and could have really helped Liverpool in their quest for a more successful season with some better performances.
The Champions League defeat to Basel and the Premier League loss at Old Trafford spring to mind immediatley, games that had a huge bearing on the Reds season, and games in which Sterling was guilty of missing several golden chances.
Few top clubs would have given Sterling the opportunity Liverpool has, so where the idea he is suddently above them and the staggering money being offered is a baffling one – and one the supporters won’t tolerate.
Daniel Sturridge isn’t reliable as first choice striker
With Rickie Lambert, Fabio Borini and Mario Balotelli seemingly on their way out in the summer, Liverpool must have learnt they cannot go into next season with Daniel Sturridge as their star striker.
The England man missed five months of the season with three consecutive injuries, and the Reds severley struggled to adapt to life without him.
Sturridge is key to the way in which Brendan Rodgers wants his teams to play, and having no other support striker with the ability to run in behind was a serious mistake going into a new season.
Sturridge cannot be relied on in terms of fitness, and although young Divock Origi is arriving at Anfield in the summer, another top class striker should be a transfer priority – the absence of one is what has ultimatley cost the Reds a place in the top four this season.
Rodgers doesn’t like Europe (or Balotelli)
For Britain’s most successful European club, Liverpool have had a shocking few years.
Rodgers saw his side eliminated from the last 32 of the Europa League during his first year in charge, and this year it was the same story, via a swift exit from the Champions League group stage.
Rodgers admitted prior to the exit against Besiktas that Europe was yet to see the best of his Liverpool side, and it must be a target for them to finally show up next season – even if it is in the Europa League.
The Liverpool boss has also made some mistakes along the way. The home draw with Basel that saw them eliminated from the group stage saw Rickie Lambert start as a lone striker with Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana on the bench, whilst his substitution of Balotelli during the defeat in Istanbul on penalties also drew criticism (the Italian was actually playing well that night.)
His lack of experience of manging in Europe has shown so far, and he must learn quickly at a club of Liverpool’s stature.
Henderson is the outstanding candidate to succeed Gerrard
Steven Gerrard has a maximum of seven matches remaining in his Liverpool career before he departs for LA Galaxy in the summer.
Jordan Henderson has progressed once again this season since being awarded the vice-captaincy, and looks the outstanding candidate to succeed a club legend like Gerrard.
Henderson has started to add more end product to his game – he has seven goals and 10 assists in all competitions this season – and has become a natural leader on and off the pitch.
Proof of that was provided to us by Brendan Rodgers last night.
“Jordan Henderson actually had to go back from the hotel — his partner had their second child during the night, so he had gone away, hadn’t slept so much and travelled back again and put in a performance like he did tonight, a real captain’s performance,” Rodgers said at his postgame news conference following the 1-0 win over Blackburn – a game in which Henderson created the winning goal.
“Some players maybe would have missed the game, but he said to me: ‘Boss, as soon as the baby’s out I’ll be coming back!’ There was a car waiting!”
The jury is still out on the summer signings
Liverpool spent more than £100million on new signings in the summer, and the jury is still out on every single one of them – although some more than others.
Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli cost a combined total of £20million, and have managed three Premier League goals between them this season. Both are expected to move on in the summer.
Dejan Lovren has been a major disappointment at £20million, and has a lot to prove next season. Recent performances against Machester City and last night’s win at Blackburn have offered some small encouragement.
Lazar Markovic and Alberto Moreno have been patchy to say the least, and have certainly not helped their cause during the consecutive defeats to United and Arsenal – Moreno with three defensive mistakes that led to goals over the two games, and Markovic with a contender for miss of the season with the score at 0-0 at the Emirates.
Emre Can and Adam Lallana have been the best of the summer signings, although Lallana has struggled with niggling injuries for much of the season. Can has been deployed as a right sided centre back in a back three for much of the season, although Reds fans hope to see him move up to midfield and continue his progress next term.
A positive for is Liverpool is that so many of these players are so young, and with a year of Premier League experience behind them, next season should see a marked improvement.
