Can Roy Hodgson turn Liverpool's fortunes around?
Newly appointed Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson beat the likes of Tottenham Hotspur to snap up one of the free signings of the seasons when he persuaded Joe Cole to move out of London and make his new home at Anfield. Then, Steven Gerrard publicly exclaimed that he wanted to stay at the club despite the soaring interest shown by Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho. Lastly, the dastardly and massively unpopular duo of Tom Hicks and George Gillett could be on their way out after Hong Kong businessman Kenny Huang became the latest name to act as a saviour for the Anfield club. Finally and most importantly, Fernando Torres committed himself to Liverpool after Hodgson convinced him that things were about to turn for the club.
These events finally brought a turnaround in the club’s fortunes which had almost gone in a tailspin after finishing at 7th place in the EPL last year. The then manager Rafa Benitez departed for Inter Milan, leaving the team high and dry. Back then, it seemed that there was no way back for Liverpool with rumours swirling around the future of club talismans Torres and Gerrard.
Even if the bid isn't successful and Huang does not become the saviour for the club, the fact that Hodgson has managed to convince Gerrard and Torres to stay for at least one more season is a coup indeed. With the creative addition of Joe Cole, Liverpool will be a much more potent force going forward especially against lower positioned opposition. In fact, last season, it was unfavourable draws and defeats against amassed defences of lower opposition which pegged back Liverpool and Cole will be a key piece in unlocking such defences.
Torres' declaration of commitment to the Anfield club however is a great sign for Liverpool FC. The star striker has contributed to the goals column for Liverpool massively in the last few years and his loss would have been difficult to replace. However, his stay means that the team will be bolstered and Hodgson will be able to unleash his attacking prowess upon the English Premier League once again. Torres is more than just a striker. His very presence gives the opposition something to think about even before a match. After coming back from his holiday, Torres declared that he was happy and felt settled at the Melwood training ground. The Spaniard's record of 56 goals in only 79 league appearances in the last 3 years mean that his absence would have been a huge blow for Hodgson. Just last season, he netted 22 goals in 32 games despite undergoing two knee operations during the course of the season. His worth can be easily measured by these details.
After committing his future to the club, Torres spoke about the love of the fans and how he felt at home in Liverpool. He also paid tribute to Joe Cole's passing skills saying that Cole was the sort of player who could take Liverpool to newer levels of excellence.
In the perfect scenario, Torres will be watching more quality reinforcements arrive just in time for the new season to become. If that does come to pass, it promises to be a fantastic season in the days to come with another potential title contender. Who knows it might be their year this time.
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