Midfield problems at Liverpool
Liverpool is going through a tough phase in the English Premier League right now. Last season, they were deprived of their Champions League spot, while this year they would try to regain this position. Things have changed a lot since last season, as Rafael Banitez left Anfield, and Roy Hodgson became their new man-in-charge.
The problems at Liverpool started as they sold their holding midfielder, Xabi Alonso, to Real Madrid, last year. After this debacle, a void was created in Liverpool’s midfield, which remains there. Apart from that, other problems in their midfield area arose, creating further problems for their new manager. Although, there is a long list of midfield players registered for the new season, Liverpool is actually lacking a quality presence in the centre of the park.
Last year, in order to fill the void, Rafael Banitez got Alberto Aquilani from AS Roma, spending around £20M. Aquilani was supposed to be the big signing to replace Alonso, but he was injured at the time of transfer. His injury continued to trouble him throughout last season, due to which he was almost missing for the whole season. Therefore, it was another failure in midfield position for Liverpool, as they had an expensive player without any utility.
Aquilani’s problems still continue to bother Liverpool, as Hodgson has declared that he has no plans for a new season. Therefore, he suggested that he might be sent back to some Italian club on a loan deal. This was a trick statement by Hodgson, who did not say anything about Aquilani’s future presence at Liverpool. Therefore, he was suggesting that the midfielder has missed a lot of action, which makes him useless for the current year. So, he wants some other club to bear the wages of the player for the running season.
Apart from this, Liverpool is also trying to manage Javier Mascherano, their star defensive midfielder. From the start of this season, Mascherano has been given a green signal by Liverpool, as the Argentinean wants to move away from Anfield. Although, Mascherano has tried his best to contact bigger clubs, his efforts have proved futile. Currently, there is a dilemma facing Mascherano, who wants to move to Barcelona, but the Catalans do not seem interested in him, as they would prefer their home-grown, Sergio Busquets, over him. Also, Inter Milan has shown a lot of interest in the midfielder, and they have already contacted Liverpool authorities about a possible transfer.
But now, things seem to have taken a U-turn, as Hodgson suddenly seems interested in keeping Mascherano at Anfield. During a recent statement, Liverpool’s boss declared that Mascherano would be sold only if Liverpool’s original demands are met. Previously, it was made clear that Mascherano would be made available for his market price, a big contradiction to his recent comments.
Mascherano still has two years left on his Liverpool’s contract. Hodgson is hoping for him to remain at Anfield for these two years. As a possible replacement for Mascherano, Liverpool has already signed Christian Poulsen from Juventus, this summer. Maybe, Mascherano’s performance against Arsenal changed the mind of Hodgson, who has seen that the Argentinean is a key to Liverpool’s success this season. He is strong, he is sharp, and he works hard for his team. Apart from that, he is a great defensive midfielder, who can overcome any kind of resistance in the midfield area. These abilities might have led to Roy Hodgson’s change in plans.
The rest of the midfield looks good for Liverpool, but now there are chances of Dirk Kuyt moving away as well. Currently, he is the best performer for Liverpool on wings, and if he moves away problems are going to get worse. Steven Gerrard is not performing at his best, while Joe Cole is taking his time adjusting in his new environs. Therefore, keeping Kuyt at this particular moment is the most important thing for Hodgson.
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