Does lightning strike twice for King Kenny?

Guest writer and Liverpool fan Matt Galvin contributes a special season review for GF Football.

After Liverpool’s train wreck season of 09/10 which ended in the dismissal of long serving manager Rafael Benitez, Liverpool fans thought, could it get worse? The answer to their fears was the appointment of Roy Hodgson. Many fans excluding myself were of the belief that Hodgson only had success with smaller clubs and this was too much of a step forward for him despite his close but yet so far season with Fulham. As ever, I played the fool. After joke summer signings Joe Cole, Paul Konchesky, Milan Jovanovic and Christian Poulsen were introduced to the fans, I and the rest of the Liverpool fans were fully aware we were in for another season of hardship and despair. Luckily Liverpool’s wishes of returning to the big leagues were granted when New England Sports Ventures owner John W Henry took over the club from the clueless businessmen George Gillette and Tom Hicks to save Liverpool from financial ruin. This was shortly followed by the inevitable dismissal of Roy Hodgson due to his failings as Liverpool boss.

Kenny Dalglish answered the SOS call from the board and the fans. Positive performances came out of this appointment and it lead to the signings of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, two players who are destined to become Kop favourites. Signing Suarez was a no brainer in the eyes of everyone but it took Liverpool the best part of 3 years to realise that, after signing flops such as Robbie Keane and Paul Konchesky. As this article is about Liverpool’s season preview and not about past failings, I thought it would be right to mention something on Liverpool’s potential chances of breaking back into the top four and winning some silverware. So far Liverpool has spent over £100 million since Dalglish took over and I for one believe it was crucial in order to challenge the top four. Signings such as Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson, Doni and the likely arrival of Jose Enrique today have given the fans belief that a good season is possible again. For me if the relevant purges are made and a couple more players added to squad, Liverpool Football Club will have the foundations for a potentially successful season. It is unfortunate Liverpool do not have Europe to go for this season but any honest hard working Liverpool fan would prefer Champions League football next year rather than Europa League this year.

I personally believe that Lucas is one of the first names on the team sheet for next season and with the amount of central midfield players Liverpool have in the squad, talented players such as Aquilani and Mereiles will miss out. I think we should be reverting back to the old system which had Gerrard behind the striker and the two holding midfield players behind him. I think a potentially solid starting line-up would include Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Enrique, Lucas, Adam, Downing, Suarez, Gerrard and Carroll. Unfortunately Gerrard will not be available throughout the whole season due to injuries and fitness problems so it’s up to the likes of Henderson, Aquilani and Meireles to fill the void when asked upon. Another player who I would quite like to see play more games is Danny Wilson who arrived from Rangers during Roy Hodgson’s reign. I believe he is a similar player to Agger and is potentially a long term replacement for Jamie Carragher.  I think the signing of Doni will ensure that Liverpool do not get knocked out in the earlier rounds of the League Cup and the FA Cup. In past years Liverpool have gone out to inferior opposition such as Northampton and Barnsley in the early rounds of the domestic competitions but I think Doni is of the quality to keep lower sides out where back up keepers such as Charles Itandje and Brad Jones have failed to challenge Pepe Reina.

In Kenny Dalglish we trust.