Brendan Rodgers has talked up Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge as the best strike partnership in the Premier League, with the duo guiding Liverpool to second place in the table. But aside from the additions of Sturridge and Coutinho last January, how are Liverpool’s latest arrivals looking?
I made the point earlier in the week that Liverpool were only a top four side in the league because of their light schedule; adding regular trips around Europe would likely have taken its toll on this squad at this stage of the season. The impact of the loss of Coutinho to injury was lessened by the return of Luis Suarez from his 10-match ban, working in tandem with Sturridge in Rodgers’ distinctly European formation.
The club evidently looked to build on the success of bringing in two standout young players in Coutinho and Sturridge for what can be seen in today’s market as bargains. The additions of Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto from Spain and Simon Mignolet followed the trend, but thus far only the former Sunderland goalkeeper can be seen as an undoubted positive from the summer spend.
In the absence of Suarez at the start of the season, Aspas looked to be settling in well. The problem, though, and something followers of La Liga worried about was whether the Spaniard could handle the step up from Celta Vigo to one of the big Premier League sides. It’s still early days, but he shouldn’t be viewed as another Michu, despite his performances in La Liga.
[cat_link cat=”liverpool” type=”list”]
It’s in part why this team are not quite the finished article. The formation deployed by Rodgers has covered up for shortcomings in certain areas, though clearly Aly Cissokho at left wing-back is not a long-term solution. The attack may be doing good things – Suarez and Sturridge are in the top three scorers in the Premier League at this stage – but there are still upgrades that need to be made elsewhere.
There isn’t anything wrong with building a club shrewdly – though shrewdness can be an unfitting substitute for cleverness. Being smart in the market is generally what gets clubs ahead, notably those who aren’t armed with the wealth of clubs like Manchester City, PSG or Real Madrid. But scouting and purpose is vital. As an example, what is Aspas’ purpose in the team? Is he a forward, a wide player or a backup to Coutinho? He can play all those roles, but we’re yet to see him make an impact in the Premier League.
The lack of genuine quality throughout this team was telling against Arsenal in the 2-0 loss. Pressing, as Rodgers has instructed his players to do, will take you a long way, but bridging the gaps between defence, midfield and attack is what let Liverpool down. There was no continuity at either end, showing once again that a good and importantly fresh attack will take you so far against teams you should be beating, but won’t always compensate for the lack of high-end players in big matches.
Mamadou Sakho is an interesting addition. For £16 million, he should be looked at as a big signing and there is almost certainly more to come from the former PSG captain. But despite still needing time to fully showcase what he’s capable of, he seems the most likely of the outfield summer signings to be a success at the club based on what we’ve seen.
Coutinho and Sturridge should continue to be the template. Even Victor Moses may be available for a knockdown fee at the end of the season. But like spending big, it can be hit and miss. Not every player will be as talented as Coutinho, so it forces the need for patience from the support.
As I’ve said in the past, Liverpool are where they are because they have no commitments outside of the Premier League. If they finish in the top four, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. Promisingly, though, it’s far from a case that they’ve got it wrong thus far.
Is the Liverpool transfer strategy working?
Join the debate
