This season is essentially over, bar our fight for 4th place and runs in the FA Cup & Europa Cup. I don't remember if I've ever been this upset about Liverpool - not even during Ged's last season - but I think a few things can happen in this season that will hopefully leave us looking back at this 'blip' as the low point before a long and dominating run next year ...
Here's what I think needs to happen throughout the rest of this depressing season:
1) We need to, and this is a must, finish 4th. We belong in the Champions League and the revenue is probably key to what our owners want to do next year.
2) Sign Mascherano to a contract extension. I know he has many detractors on this site, "We can get another great defensive midfielder," but the fact is, he's a phenomenal player and if he WANTS to stay, we need to get this extension done and dusted. Just like replacing Alonso seems to be impossible, we don't need to go down this path with Mascherano (unless it's really due to family issues).
3) I'm slightly worried about Magic's defensive abilities as a RB ... I'm actually curious to see how he'll do in Dirk's RW position. That needs to be tried considering how poor Dirk has been for the past 2-3 months.
4) Give Kelly a chance to prove himself at RB. In an important game against Lyon, he held his own very well.
5) Give Pacheco a few more games to get his confidence up ... He's good enough and needs to be playing with the 1st team, not the reserves.
Next year, I do hope that players like Kuyt, Yossi and Lucas are not 'starters'. They're good, well besides Lucas, but they're limited and we can do better I think. But that's for the 'What to do in the Summer' thread that someone will probably start soon enough.
Here's what I think needs to happen throughout the rest of this depressing season:
1) We need to, and this is a must, finish 4th. We belong in the Champions League and the revenue is probably key to what our owners want to do next year.
2) Sign Mascherano to a contract extension. I know he has many detractors on this site, "We can get another great defensive midfielder," but the fact is, he's a phenomenal player and if he WANTS to stay, we need to get this extension done and dusted. Just like replacing Alonso seems to be impossible, we don't need to go down this path with Mascherano (unless it's really due to family issues).
3) I'm slightly worried about Magic's defensive abilities as a RB ... I'm actually curious to see how he'll do in Dirk's RW position. That needs to be tried considering how poor Dirk has been for the past 2-3 months.
4) Give Kelly a chance to prove himself at RB. In an important game against Lyon, he held his own very well.
5) Give Pacheco a few more games to get his confidence up ... He's good enough and needs to be playing with the 1st team, not the reserves.
Next year, I do hope that players like Kuyt, Yossi and Lucas are not 'starters'. They're good, well besides Lucas, but they're limited and we can do better I think. But that's for the 'What to do in the Summer' thread that someone will probably start soon enough.