Below are the ten areas Brenden should be looking to improve.
1. Goal Keeping:
Simon is a great shot stopper but is no where near the standard required at Liverpool for ball playing or Ariel command. He was one of the factors why Liverpool could not win the title. He gave away atleast 6 points which at a top team is unacceptable. Brenden must find a solution to this area.
2. Central Defence:
Liverpool have conceded half a century of goals. This is by no means acceptable and much of it is down to central defence. The defence have been second best when playing physical teams and have also lacked pace to get back to make recoveries. Brenden must add pace and leadership at the back so that when they are bombarded with high balls or susceptible to a counter attack they must stand up.
3. Right back:
Glen Johnson has been in and out of the team due to injuries, his contract is up this season and it is fair to say he has not had the best of seasons. One of the highest wage earners at Liverpool he is not the same player. Liverpool have Martin Kelly who is not the same player he was before injury and Andre Wisdom on loan. Jon Flannagan is also in the squad but is used as left back. Brenden knows how important his wingbacks are to his style of attacking game. The have to good in defence and great in attack. This is a place he will strengthen in the summer no doubt.
4. Left Back
This is the position that has troubled Liverpool for many years. Enrique looked as if he had sorted this out but long term injures to him have surely finished his time at Liverpool. This is the area Brenden has to strengthen. Flannagan had to play out of position but the lack of attacking from the Left Wing back position has cost Liverpool dearly against team who sit back. Flannagan was taken off for Aly in the last game against Newcastle and the result was a complete transformation in the game. Liverpool will not take up an option to buy him but surely need two proper players for that position.
5. Gerrards Replacement
Liverpool has too long relied of Gerrard. He was probably Liverpools best players this season but at 33 he will not be here for long. At this age there are some weaknesses in his game which opponents target. The last game against Newcastle clearly showed how easily Gouffran passed him and cut in and scored via deflection. The defensive midfielder needs legs to reach and not allow the cross to come in. Liverpool need a player with the legs of Fernandinhio or Yaya Toure to come in there.
6. Deciding on how to play with SAS
Brenden knows playing Suarez and Sturridge together leaves a lot of space in midfield, so he plays diamond to close the center but that is just a make shift. Teams with quality like Man City at Anfiled will tear the diamond apart. Liverpool can not play 2 upfront and hope that Henderson will run 15 miles every game to cover the whole side alone. Liverpool will have to shift one of the strikers wide and ask them to work in defence also.
7. Curbing their natural instinct to attack
This will be the lesson Brenden will have learnt this season. Counter attacking has been a very successful tactic against teams that over attack and if a team is built properly for it is stupid to go all out attack against it. The counter attack can be broken by patience and asking the team to come out and chase the ball. Brenden was wrong to attack Chelsea as it played to the exact tactic that they setup for. This is a tough lesson which only experience can teach.
8. Playing differently away and home.
There always has to be a slight tweak at away games, where Liverpool can sit slightly deep to counter with its pace. Most of liverpools away goals have come on the counter but they have conceded too many away due to over attacking. They must not leave spaces away from home in order to land the title.
9. Improving the scouting and player recruitment
Liverpool now sit at the position many Liverpool fans can relate to both Houllier and Bentiez failed at this juncture. Buying the right player after coming second. Champions league takes its toll and if proper recruitment is not done. Liverpool might not take the top 4 spot next season. This is the make or break for Brenden he must get it right this summer.
10. Prioritizing Premier League next season.
Brenden will have the amazing Champions League nights next season, but he must not carried away. The EPL is the priority next season and if the focus is distracted a good cup run and champions leage run may hinder top 4 for next season. This would be catastrophic. Brenden must works on setting up 2 different teams for both competitions, that is the luxury which he can afford now.
No comments:
Post a Comment