Part 3 - English Premier League: Why Should Liverpool stick or twist with Hodgson?
Another aspect to the current crisis situation at Anfield is the fact that they are currently in the relegation zone. Although this might sound very morbid as far as the club’s future is concerned. It is actually not as bad as
it looks to the naked eye. Liverpool are 18th in the table but if one gives the current English premier League table a positive spin, Liverpool appear to be just five points off the UEFA Champions League places i.e. the top four spots in the Premier
League table. Presently, Arsenal occupy the fourth placed spot with 11 points from seven games whereas Liverpool in 18th are at 6 points from seven games.
A weak return admittedly but the fact still remains that one cannot rule out resurgence from Liverpool. They might not win the title but ruling them out as top four contenders is absolutely foolish. Additionally, if this season
has proven anything it is that every team is liable to throw away points at some stage of the season. Stoke were in the bottom three just two weeks ago but after wins over Aston Villa, Newcastle and Blackburn they are 7th in the table. Why can’t
Liverpool do the same? Surely, the Reds have more to them than the fans have seen so far.
Where there are some appealing reasons to keep Hodgson on his seat at Anfield, there some good arguments as to why he should be allowed any more time to make a mess of an already chaotic football club. When Roy was appointed as
Liverpool’s manager back in the early days of the summer of 2010, many people were busy with the FIFA 2010 World Cup; everyone’s attention was aimed at whether England would do well or whether Brazil will slay all in their path. However, some clever pundits
did come out and say that Hodgson’s appointment would never be a successful one for Liverpool. Their reasons for doing so were multitude but it seems as if their prophecies are coming true after all.
Some people still do believe that Roy Hodgson is clearly out of his depth. The size and the magnitude that surrounds the sheer history and folklore that surrounds Liverpool is just too big for Hodgson. The fans at Liverpool expect
their team to outplay their opponents, out think their rivals and win everything in sight. This is despite the fact that they haven’t won the league in over nineteen years. Nonetheless, Hodgson’s previous managerial success is nothing compared to what he has
seen at Liverpool. The expectations have been so great that Hodgson has failed as a manager under their weight.
Last season was perhaps Roy’s finest managerial moment in England. He took the under-dogs Fulham F.C to the Europa League. On their way to the final match of the tournament, Fulham disposed of Juventus, Shakhtar Donetsk, Wolfsburg
and Hamburg. The Cottagers were underdogs and minnows in all of these matches; no one thought that Fulham would reach the final match of the tournament. Hodgson’s real test came when in the final, Fulham were pitted against the might of Atletico Madrid. With
expectations from English football fans on his shoulders, Roy failed to deliver as Fulham lost the match in the extra-time period.
Of course, one can’t blame Hodgson for doing so well with his previous clubs but at Liverpool the minimum requirement is to finish in the top four and build on it to win the league championship. At Fulham, reaching the final of
the Europa league was a bonus not a minimum. Thus, Roy can be held responsible for not delivering the absolute minimum or anything to it at Liverpool thus far. Forget about the top four finish, Liverpool as a matter of fact are 18th in the league
right now.
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