LFC : Liverpool vs Swansea - Match Preview - 28th October 2014

The last thing Rodgers and his squad need at the moment is a Capital One Cup fixture bang in between two Premier League fixtures. I would be slightly more optimistic entering this match if Liverpool were sat comfortably in first place whilst carrying no injury concerns within the squad. That is not the case however, as Liverpool appear to be showing similar symptoms to a few seasons back, under King Kenny, where Liverpool lacked the killer instinct required to put the ball in the back of the net. Last Sunday's match seemed to carry on with the same story, as an exasperated Kop looked on in despair as Liverpool and Hull played out a stalemate.

Most of you will be aware of my deep admiration of the Capital One Cup and all the glory it brings. Seriously, who needs the Champions League when you can lift a trophy as prestigious and as tiny as the C1C? Jokes aside, we could sit here all day chatting on about the significance of this cup competition, however, since Liverpool are a part of it Brendan will need to stick out a starting eleven which he thinks will get the job done and progress his team into the quarters. Although I would rather we focus on winning the FA Cup rather than the 'Mickey Mouse Cup', I will support the red men as fondly as ever nonetheless. 

Previous Meetings

We do not have to delve too far in the past to remember the last of meetings between the two in this competition. The then Carling Cup holders were knocked out of this competition two years to the month ago by the Swans. A last minute tap in by De Guzman cancelled out any hope of a Liverpool comeback as Swansea cruised to a 3-1 win at Anfield. Jordan Henderson played at right back that night, whilst the reds' attack consisted of Oussama Assaidi and Samed Yesil. Quite the contrasting line up is expected this time round, although Colin Pascoe has come out and said that the reds are looking to give one or two youngsters a run out.

Liverpool have endured quite a nervy few battles against the Welsh team since their promotion in 2011, most notably our 0-0 draw a couple of seasons back, where Michel Vorm produced an inhuman goalkeeping display to keep the red men at bay, thus proving a frustrating night at the office.

Team News - Trio to Get Given the Nod?

Jordan Rossiter, Williams and Kevin Stewart, three of Liverpool's current crop of promising academy starlets where all missing from the under 21's squad that recently lost to Fulham, which has sparked reports suggesting the trio will be in and around the starting line up come Tuesday night. Pascoe himself has stated in his press conference that both Williams and Rossiter did brilliantly when given the chance against Middlesbrough in the last round. Swansea is a step-up from Boro' obviously, however I am confident that we will see many of the so called 'fringe' players on show. Rossiter himself has the determination and attitude to turn into a world class midfielder in the upcoming years, and he definitely showed glimpses of that with his 'Man Of The Match' display in the last round.

Whereas other team news is concerned, Sakho still faces a number of weeks on the sidelines, and Pascoe has revealed that Enrique has a minor injury, which may hinder on him featuring on Tuesday. (We seem to be mentioning Enrique and injuries far too often for my liking). Apart from Sturridge's injury occurrences, Rodgers is faced with no other fresh concerns and will have to ponder deeply on how to approach a match like this.

Balotelli or Borini?

Oh, Balotelli ! (And I am not singing a long to Mario's chant). Now, although I will be writing a brief blog on the Italian in the near future, one thing that is concrete and does not require a blog to understand, is the fact that our enigma of a striker has endured an extremely frustrating two months in a red shirt thus far. This has sparked many a Liverpool fan calling for an abrupt shape-up from Rodgers, one that could include giving Balo's Italian counterpart Fabio Borini a run for his money. (Yes, Borini is still a Liverpool player, if you are wondering). 

Although lacking the experience and physique of Super Mario, Borini will give us something that his counterpart lacks in abundance, and that is energy and the sheer will to play. You know what you are going to get from Fabio Borini, and that is 90 minutes of running, whereas Balotelli seems to strut around the pitch for large portions of matches he plays in. (Which ordinarily ends up with a yellow card and a moan or two at the ref). If I were Rodgers I would opt for the latter in Borini, especially for a cup match like this where Rodgers can afford to experience with his squad of players. IF, and it is a massive IF, Borini finally begins to show us his worth and produce the goods for Brendan, added on to that the soon-to-be returning Sturridge to yet enter the fray, Mario may find himself on the cusp of the reds' starting line up and amongst Liverpool's substitutes.

The Return of Jonjo Shelvey. How Has he Fared?

Liverpool Football Club sold Jonjo Shelvey to Swansea City in the Summer of 2013 for a fee of five million pounds. Let that one sink in for a moment. What most reds fans were calling a 'great deal' has come back and bit us in the behind. Shelvey has made incredible strides in his career ever since making the move to Wales and is now considered one of Garry Monk's first names on his team sheet, something Jonjo found extremely difficult in achieving during his time in a red shirt. Why is that? Quite simply, in my opinion, Shelvey has been shown great faith by Monk, unlike his foregoing manager Rodgers. It was inevitable to all that the youngster was destined for a massive career, as long as he is given the game time to show his worth. Selling the midfielder was a crucial mistake done by the current reds boss.

Should we have kept the 22 year old play maker? Without a doubt, and goals like this have gotten us reds fans holding our heads in deep resentment of the player we once had in our firm grasp.

A Look At the Opposition

After starting the league season on fire, which saw them root to the summit of the table after the first few matches, Garry Monk's team seem to have let their feet off the gas somewhat of late, winning just one game from their last six. (2D, 3L). Having said that, the Swans currently sit comfortably in sixth place, one place above Liverpool. (Which shows how closely packed the middle of the table is, where one win could lift any team up five or six places). Obviously, being a cup game means form goes out of the window, as we witnessed in the second round, where League one 'minnows' MK Dons thrashed Premier League 'minnows' Manchester United 4-0.

Regarding Swansea's cup bearings thus far, a 3-0 thrashing of reds' rivals Everton in the previous round was the pick of the bunch for Monk's side. Swansea seem to be taking the Capital One Cup extremely seriously this year and Rodgers' team will need to be firing on all cylinders if they do not want a repetition of their last meeting in this competition.

My Prediction and Probable Starting Line Up

Perceiving a slightly higher optimistic view in contrast to the bulk of other previews out there, I am predicting a 2-1 win for the reds, with the winning goal arriving in extra-time. (Hopefully from our enigmatic Italian forward).

As for my starting line up, it differentiates from the one I put out for the Hull tie, as I expect Rodgers to ring in the changes for this cup tie :

                                                   Mignolet

Johnson                          Toure                        Skrtel                      Moreno

                                                     Lucas

                                      Allen                           Can

                                                   Coutinho

                                      Lambert                        Markovic

Subs: Mignolet. Lovren, Manquillo. Gerrard, Henderson. Borini, Balotelli.

My picking may cause a few concerns amongst viewers out there. One of the main questions being; Where is Sterling? Lallana? Simply, both the youngsters need a rest in my opinion. Rodgers strained his ongoing concerns regarding Raheem and the 'burn-out factor'. Here is your answer. Although Brendan will no doubt put out a team that he thinks will win him the game, I reckon that resting the two, amongst other key players, and having them fresh and ready to go come our visit to Newcastle on Saturday should be the way forward.

I happened across a joke on Twitter the other day, which said that Rodgers has been 'working night shifts until 4:30 am' in an effort to recreate last season's winning formula. Well Brendan, I'm afraid that unless you possess an exact replica of our ex-icon Luis Suarez your efforts are going to come to no prevail. Is Luis Suarez the reason Liverpool are playing so characterless this season, in contrast to the outstanding football we witnessed last year? I would say 70 % YES, 30 % NO.





Whilst I sat in total resentment watching 'EL Pistolero' make his debut for Barcelona last Saturday evening, I comprehended that even with Suarez in our team, we still lacked that cutting edge on occasions, and this is where I question Brendan's summer expenditure.  Should the boss have forked out the whole of the Suarez money for the purchase of a world class striker, rather than pay 15/20 million pound fees for a couple of 'less talented' unproven stars? It is easy to criticize when everything goes pear-shaped however, and I do not blame Rodgers for the disappointing start the majority of his signings have made. He is not the one who produces the football on the pitch after all.

Now, here is something for Rodgers to ponder ; Does the Northern Irishman pick a 'fringe' starting eleven, withholding the risk that it comes to fail, which could accumulate into further criticism from the reds faithful? Or does  he put out a strong side to ensure the red men progress into the quarters, and risk one or two of his stars suffering an injury or not being as fresh come the must-win match on Saturday? Should the boss use this fixture as a test for a few of his fringe players and youngsters, or should he opt to show this competition more respect? The former, in my opinion.






Whichever the outcome, and who-ever the boss picks, they knows they will have to give 110 % whilst wearing the red of Liverpool, especially amongst these somewhat 'troubled times' we are facing. Let us hope that come 10 o'clock on Tuesday night, the red men are amidst the teams in the hat for the quarter final draw, whilst possessing no further injury concerns. (That will be extremely demanding looking at our luck this season, however we will cheers on the reds nevertheless).





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YNWA

LFC: Liverpool vs Real Madrid - Match Preview

10th of March, 2009. The scoreboard at Anfield reads Liverpool 4, Real Madrid, 0. Benitez got the sack that year, and the red men have not been seen in the competition since. Although a similar scoreline this time round seems an impossible feat, most of us reds fans will be hoping for damage limitations when Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale, and Rodriguez come to town.

Following a very frustrating match at 20th place QPR on Sunday, which epitomized Liverpool's rugged start to the season, a match against Real Madrid does not make matters any easier. Madrid are a team in unbelievable form at the moment, with Ronaldo looking likely to score a hat-trick every time he steps onto a football pitch. One thing is for certain, Rodgers' men will need to be noting short of exceptional come Wednesday night, if we are to go away with any form of result.

Previous Meetings

Liverpool will be somewhat buoyed by the fact that Real Madrid have failed to score a single against the reds in the three meetings the two teams have encountered. Could the statistic remain intact? With the current reds' back line as shaky as it is at the moment, whilst looking at Madrid's attack prowess, it looks extremely unlikely. Stranger things have happened however, and here is the team Rafa put out the last time the 'galacticos' visited Anfield:

                                                             Reina

Arbeloa                     Skrtel                                    Carragher                Aurelio

                                                           Mascherano

                                 Gerrard                                   Alonso

                   Kuyt                                  Torres                          Babel

As unbelievable as Liverpool's line up was that day, I have to admit that this current crop of Anfield players are not even close to being up there quality wise. That middle three of Gerrard, Alonso and Mascherano were the reason Liverpool had the best midfield in the world back then, as Rafa's reds ran riot in a 4-0 thumping of the ten times winners.

That was not the most recent of matches between the two however, as the return fixture at the Bernabeu saw Benitez's boys knick a 1-0 away win. This proved to be one of Rafa's final matches before he got the sack, which is quite hard to put your head around. Will Brendan be shown the door if his team were to accumulate a 5-0 aggregate this time? (I will give the likeliness of us winning by 5 goals a 1 %, followed by the likeliness of Rodgers being sacked afterwards at 0.5 %).

Will Sturridge's Continuous Injury Woes Dampen the Mood?

Us reds fans were all left swearing at our telly box when the news broke out late Friday evening. Yes, Daniel Sturridge will miss a further three to four weeks, which will see him unavailable for both Madrid matches, something that will give Rodgers a selection headache as we enter the big match. It has been proven with our performances thus far this season that we cannot cope without Sturridge. Our new star signing Balotelli seems a massive liability at times, and whether the future return of Sturridge will boost Mario's confidence remains to be seen.

There is no doubt that Rodgers will look to the January window as a possibility to bring in another striker to add to the squad. That is, of course, if Lille refrain from sending us Divock Origi earlier than supposedly, which will be the best of the two option. I reckon that with Sturridge in the starting 11 we would find it extremely difficult to break Madrid's core down. It is now looking a near impossibility without him in the squad though. Rodgers will need to rally every single one of his players, as Liverpool could be in for a tiresome night indeed.

Listen to Carra? Drop Balotelli?

A massive statement from reds legend Jamie Carragher, and one that if Rodgers considers, could make or break his relationship with the Italian. Carra has recently come out and said that the number 45 should be dropped for the big game on Wednesday, with Sterling replacing him as the 'false number nine'. The line up would look something like this:

                                                     Mignolet

Johnson                       Skrtel                            Lovren                       Moreno

                                                      Gerrard

                                    Henderson                  Allen

                    Coutinho                                                 Lallana

                                                     Sterling

Could this be the way to approach a game as big as this? Should Rodgers risk a new style of play in a match of this magnitude? Here I have to disagree with Carragher. (There is a first for everything, I guess). Putting Balotelli's lacklustre and disappointing start in a reds shirt to one side, he is a crucial player for Liverpool Football Club and if he plays to his capabilities, Madrid's defence could be in for a 'real' test on Wednesday. (Let us not forget that they have defensive problems of their own). 

As for young Raheem as 'false number nine'? I do not think we should risk that just yet. Sticking with an 'out and out' striker in that position is the way forward for this match at least, in my opinion.

The Fans' Support Will be Fundamental in Determining Outcome of Performance

"I don't think fans singing 'YNWA' was fundamental in Liverpool's comeback, but it helped."

Let us face it, Carlo Ancelotti must feel sick to the stomach to the day whenever a mention of that night in Istanbul comes into conversation. I will have a look at the opposition in a moment, but for now I will stick to talking about Liverpool's unbelievable support, with another quote from Ancelotti's pre-match press conference on Tuesday morning to draw from:

"It's always been a club that excites me. The 'YNWA' they sing is incredible. Nobody sing an anthem like Liverpool fans."

No Carlo, you cannot have Brendan's job. Jokes aside, the Kop support will prove to be a key factor in determining Wednesday night's key battle. If the reds fans come in full force, as they usually do for every European night at Anfield, then we are in for a spectacle of a match. Any past performances and results will be put to bed for the present moment, as all focus will be on the 90 minutes that lay ahead of us. A word of caution though if you are visiting Anfield for the first time on Wednesday, because once that 'YNWA' is blasted through Anfield's speakers, be prepared for a heart-aching, tension filled two hours to come.

A Look At the Opposition

Although form is thrown out of the window in matches like this, Real Madrid are definite favourites entering this mouth-watering fixture. Missing out on last season's La Liga title to bitter rivals Atletico did not seem to faze the 'galacticos', and Madrid have started this campaign in even better form. (If that is possible). Ancelotti has spent very wisely in the summer window, splashing the cash on super-stars like Kroos and Rodriguez, whilst ex-reds icon Alonso exited the club for Bayern. (The thought of facing his old club was too much for the Spaniard to bear). Let us not forget the already star-studded line up the Spanish giants already possess, with one of these being the ex-Mancunian Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Here is an unbelievable statistic for you ; Ronaldo has scored 15 goals in 8 matches thus far this season, which accumulates into two goals every game he plays. Quite staggering indeed. I am generally worried, looking at our current defensive shenanigans. One plus point to take into Wednesday's match? Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos are both ruled out through injury. It helps of course, however we still need to stop the likes of Benzema, Rodriguez, Kroos, Isco, and Cristiano, who he himself can expect to be faced with a gruelling reception from the Anfield faithful throughout. Unfortunately, Ronaldo seems to have one bad game in fifty. Will that one come in a stadium where he has previously always struggled?

My Prediction and Probable Starting Line Up

Here is where I put my red tinted specs on and write down a prediction as a die-hard Liverpool fan. I am going to say a 2-2 draw. I think that although a European night at Anfield is a test for any visiting team, and Rodgers will think that his team can knick it right at the death, that a draw would be more than satisfying and would leave us reds fans with a content feeling whilst making our way our of Anfield. Anything bar a loss would do in my opinion, especially looking at our frailty at the back, and lack of fire-power up front. An early goal conceded though, and we could be in for a very long night indeed.

As for my predicted line up, I am going with this, which is similar to the one I put out in my QPR preview :

                                              Mignolet

Johnson                   Skrtel                      Lovren                  Moreno

                                               Gerrard

                                 Henderson               Allen

                                                Coutinho

                                Balotelli                     Sterling

Subs: Jones. Toure, Enrique. Lucas, Lallana. Markovic, Lambert.

Come 7:45 pm on Wednesday night, as Anfield arises for the ever so famous 'You'll Never Walk Alone', which is followed by loud roars from the Kop and the sounding of the whistle for kick off, be prepared for a wild 90 minutes indeed. If Liverpool are to pull off the unexpected and run away with a win against the European holders, Rodgers will need every single one of Liverpool's '12th man' in full force throughout. Will the occasion prove too much for one or two of Liverpool's European newbies? Will Brendan rally his team on from the sidelines? And finally, will Super Mario net that fifty yard screamer in added time and finally silence his critics?

One thing that is in Rodgers' hands this time round is the fact that his side are not considered favourites. If we lose, then we would have come second best to an unbelievably good team in Madrid. We will then move on and look towards our meeting against Hull on Saturday. Real Madrid are the team with heaps of pressure surrounding them, which is something that could play nicely into Brendan's hands throughout the night.

On the night, there is no doubt Liverpool can beat any team in world football, and Wednesday is no different. If Rodgers' team does manage to get the result he wants, we could be witnessing the start of a very promising time ahead for the Anfield club.

My team-talk to the players if I were Rodgers? 

"Enjoy it, play without pressure and if it is meant to be, then the goals will come. Stick with the principle, even though you might be chasing the ball for long parts of the match. Do not give up, we are all behind you."

Follow me on Twitter and share your views: @kennymifsud

YNWA !!

LFC : QPR vs Liverpool - Match Preview

Liverpool 2-1 West Brom. A result that feels a century ago, was in fact the reds' last Premier League match. A win is a definite must this tie round, as Rodgers' men travel to London to face a somewhat 'dampened' QPR side.



Let us face it, Liverpool are yet to reach the expected heights thus far this season. A couple of very poor performances has brought intense scrutiny upon Rodgers and his summer signings. The boss is in need of a plan B, sooner rather than later. That is why a match against a misfiring QPR is the perfect opportunity to finally kick start our season, and return to playing the scintillating football that was on show all throughout the last campaign. This time, of course, without our iconic goalscoring Uruguayan talisman. (I am going to attempt writing a whole blog without mentioning his name, however we all know who I am talking about.)

Previous Meetings

QPR were quick in revitalising their Premier League status, as Redknapp and his boys proved that one season was more than enough time away from the top flight. We could look at Seba Coates' acrobatic effort at Loftus Road a couple of years back as one of the main highlights when the two teams are mentioned. Obviously, what followed that goal was unbearable for all reds' fans, as three goals in the space of ten minutes meant QPR ran away with all three points. I will of course mention more positive meetings with the 'hoops', as we look back to our most recent of meetings two seasons back, where three goals in the space of twenty minutes proved enough for the red men, who breezed to victory. Previous meetings sway to Liverpool's favour, but will the red men fall once again whilst under pressure?

Number of Key Returns

Yes, the gruelling International break has passed us, and none of Liverpool's first team have returned carrying any form of injury. It's a miracle. Much to the opposite, Rodgers has been buoyed by a couple of key long-term injury comebacks. Joe Allen, Glen Johnson, Emre Can, and Dejan Lovren have all been given the green light and marked as fit by Brendan in his pre-match press conference, whilst the main man who us reds fans are all eagerly awaiting the return of, Daniel Sturridge, will be assessed prior to kick off on Sunday afternoon.

I personally would never have thought the day would come when the return of Joe Allen would be met with such high appraisal. Yes, we have missed Allen thoroughly in the last couple of matches, as prior to the Welshman's injury we were just starting to witness why exactly Brendan showed so much faith in Allen when brining him in two years ago. Will Joe Allen force his way into Rodgers' starting eleven with immediate effect? If so, who will he replace? Competition for places within Liverpool's first team squad has intensified rapidly from last year, and although form favours the Welshman, he will no doubt find it extremely difficult to cement his place in Liverpool's centre of midfield once again. A massive pity in my opinion, as I feel Allen began this season on firing form.

As I found myself deep in discussion regarding the 'Balotelli-Sturridge' partnership and whether it will work out or not, something came across my mind, a stat that will cause much optimism amongst all you readers : Daniel Sturridge and Mario Balotelli have only started one match together this season thus far. Guess what was the outcome that day? Tottenham 0-3 Liverpool. I have to admit that a massive smile crossed my face when going through that fact, and so it should. There is no doubt Balotelli is a much better player when in a partnership, and we witnessed that in the Italian's debut at White Hart Lane, where he could have slotted two past Lloris in the opening half hour. Since then, it has not really worked out for our new front man. Reason being? A quite obvious one it seems : Having Borini or Lambert alongside you provides far less effectiveness than having a 'firing on all cylinders' Daniel Sturridge. I do reckon that when Sturridge does return, that him and Balotelli will light the league on fire, and will no doubt lift us up the table slowly but surely.

Raheem Sterling and the 'Tired Myth'

"At no point did Raheem Sterling say he didn't want to play for England. The boy is being hung out to dry."

Brendan Rodgers' message to Roy Hodgson and the FA on Friday's press conference was a clear one, as he showed his anger and fury with Hodgson's claims that Raheem was 'too tired' to put on his nation's colours. This is where I have to agree 100 % with the reds boss. Let us not forget that young Raheem is still only 19 years old. His ongoing busy schedule would prove a tough test for any professional in world football, let alone a teenager.

Now, if Hodgson really did lie about this story, then that is an extremity to itself, however I do reckon that Sterling should be rested, with the match on Sunday looking to be the most likely timing for this. With that being said, Rodgers will look at Sunday's match as a crucial one to get all three points (some would agree even more important than Madrid on Wednesday), therefore the boss may look at introducing the 19 year old at one point or another. If the continuous pressure being put on Raheem's shoulders intensifies though, we might see a promising youngster's career tarnish before he reaches his prime. Let us hope this is not the case, and we get to witness Raheem strutting his stuff for the Anfield club for many years to come.

Is Sunday's Match More Important Than Real Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday night?

From facing a 35 year old Rio Ferdinand, to a star-studded attacking line up which includes Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema in a matter of days. That is quite the transition. Will reds fans be happier with a result at Loftus Road, than a historic win against the holders? Yes, well that is my view at least. Liverpool have to improve fast and rapidly in the league, and although a result against Madrid would be much more memorable, in my opinion, I rather we get a promising performance, capped off with a convincing result against QPR on Sunday. 

This season is all about retaining our place in next season's Champions League. We may not be ready to win it as of yet, but league matches against the likes of QPR are essential to us achieving these said goals. I would love nothing more than to win both matches obviously, and the mere sight of Ronaldo crying his eyes out at full time on Liverpool turf is a sight that quickly puts a smirk across all us reds' fans faces. (A preview of Wednesday's match will be published on Tuesday).

A Look at the Opposition

Harry Redknapp could not have imagined a worse return to top flight football than this. Four points from their opening seven games have left the hoops sitting hopelessly in 20th place, a position that should not be regarded with a manager like Redknapp. Myself, amongst many Englishmen out there were left stunned when Redknapp was not selected to be our nation's new boss, however the FA opted for ex reds boss Hodgson, and Harry went to QPR, a move that surprises me to this day. I do believe that Redknapp is a 'Champions League style' manager, as we have witnessed in his time managing Spurs. Why exactly he is still at QPR still baffles me to the day. (He might just enjoy life in the West of London).

In his pre-match press conference, Redknapp called Liverpool 'one of the biggest clubs in the world' and stated that his team enter the match on Sunday as massive underdogs. This talk of course, is pure mind games by the English boss. We all know that Liverpool have been misfiring of late, and although QPR have struggled as well, the reds will no doubt need to put in a strong performance in order to take all three points back with them to Merseyside.

My Prediction and Probable Starting Line Up

With everything that has been pondered throughout this blog, I remain pretty confident that the red men will leave London in high spirits and ready for the 'galacticos' on Wednesday. I am going with a solid 3-0 win, with Super Mario finally breaking his Premier League goalscoring duck with a couple of goals. 

As for my predicted starting line up, this is it. A Couple of changes from the win at West Brom a fortnight ago I reckon :

                                                                    Mignolet

Johnson                        Skrtel                                             Lovren                            Moreno

                                                                    Gerrard

                            Henderson                      Coutinho                             Lallana

                                      Balotelli                                       Borini

Subs: Jones. Manquillo, Enrique. Allen, Can. Sterling, Lambert.

Finally, after that tiresome and boring international break, club football finally returns ! (That gives you my view on the club vs country debate, but oh well). Anything short of a win for Brendan's men will be hard to digest. If we are not capable of beating QPR, then we do not deserve a place amongst the top four and European's elite.

Will the 'Balotelli-Sturridge' partnership continue where it left off? Will Markovic show us his 'massive potential'? Will Rodgers give Sterling a lay-off or will he put him in right from the get-go? These are all questions which will be answered very soon indeed. Brendan needs a response from his players, and in a week which saw 'he who must not be named' be presented with the golden boot award for his showings last season, we must not prove that Liverpool Football Club can and will cope without the man's presence.

Follow me on Twitter and share your views : @kennymifsud

YNWA

LFC : Lazar Markovic : Massive Prospect or Massive Flop?

As I woke up one weekday morning, and began my daily scroll down of the latest news coming out of Melwood, I happened across an interview conducted by Mondo, with none other than Lazar Markovic being the man under the spotlight. Intrigued, I had a personal look at it, and I was left quite pleased with the outcome of this short interview. The Serb seems to have admitted to having a lacklustre start with the Anfield club, showing signs of empathy throughout, as any talk of the Serb being of the 'selfish' and 'self-centred' nature upon arrival seeming to fly away with the wind.

"I feel great there and everybody has been great with me. I could not wish for more."

Now, if that is part of his 'selfish' persona, then I cannot wait what Markovic is like on a good day. However, that, on top of his ongoing praise for our captain fantastic Stevie G, has gotten me in deep admiration and eagerness to see what more the winger can bring to the table, football wise.

With that being said, the 20 year old has had quite the torrid start at his new club, sparking growing fears within the reds' fan-base that the 20 million pound youngster is not quite suited for the 'week-in, week-out' hustle and bustle of the Premier League. I, personally have to concur with these fears. Markovic seems to disappear during large parts of games he has played thus far, and when he does get a quick glimpse of the ball, he has the tendency of rushing, with the end product producing a loose pass or wide shot. Has the pressure of signing for a club the size of Liverpool, for such a hefty price gotten to the Serb's head already? Or will we witness a whole new player when the Premier League commences on the 19th of this month? In this blog I will look at both possible outcomes. However, let us kick off with a fact file of the player ;

• Name: Lazar Markovic
• DOB: 2nd March 1994 (20 years old)
• Position: Winger/Forward
• Nationality: Serbian
• Squad Number: #50
• Previous Team/s: Partizan (Serbia), Benfica (Portugal)

Now, apart from the glorious honour of sharing the same birthday with myself, Markovic has incredibly managed to win a title in every season he has undergone as a professional, a feat that is the hardest of tasks for any footballer (and a near impossibility to follow through once again this season). I will leave my ramblings regarding the reds' start to the season for another blog, let us focus on Markovic for now.

The kid has confidence in abundance !

Leaving to one side his re-occurring 'ghost' patches throughout matches of late, us reds fans can be heartened by the fact that when the Serb does get the ball in his feet, he can do wonders with it. We have not exactly seen the end product of the 20 year old yet, however, if he does push that little bit extra and get more involved in proceedings, Brendan and his team may have unearthed a real gem in the Serbian international. Confidence is a must-have trait for any professional footballer, and when a youngster possesses it, it will be extremely difficult to take away. This fact alone gets me, amongst many reds fans, in high hopes and in eager anticipation of what the future holds regarding the winger.

Competition For Places

A transfer window which most reds fans were calling an ultimate success a few months ago, are now pondering whether to call it an ultimate mess instead. Rodgers spent a whopping 100 + million pounds on new recruits last summer, and let us face it, a couple of them are yet to live up to the hype surrounding them upon arrival. (Markovic included). With that being said, competition for places in and around Liverpool's first team set up have definitely intensified as the season has progressed, and this is where Markovic may find it an uphill task to showcase his highly regarded and thought of potential within the squad. Obviously, competition for places is always healthy for any club, and the 20 year old himself must have it in his mind that if he works his socks of in training and when given to opportunity in the Premier League or Champions League, that he will eventually find his way through and cement a place in that highly contested starting line up. As we have witnessed with a couple of our previous big money signings (most notably Stewart Downing & Andy Carroll), it is not always an easy task, and this is were I have to be slightly critical in questioning the signing of an 'unproven talent' for such a high price.

Is the hefty price tag too heavy a burden to carry?

Brendan Rodgers showed tons of faith in the Serb when the offer of 20 million pounds arrived at Benfica's doorstep one hot summers' day. Chelsea were amongst some of the big guns interested in the youngster, however the lure of playing for a club like Liverpool FC, under the guidance of one of the greatest man-managers in the game right now in Brendan Rodgers seemed too big an opportunity to miss. Yes, I do believe that Markovic is a massive young prospect, yet that is all he is for now, and I still question the hefty sum of money which was forked out for him. Let us not forget that Markovic is still only 20 years old. Just imagine the scenario, in which one moves to a five times Champions League winning team, who just missed out on top spot the season that past and who have paid ridiculous amounts of money because they think you could be the one to score 20 + goals and drive this massive club towards Premier League glory. All this at the mere age of 20. Yes, that tends to bring nerves throughout at first.

The Serb's lacklustre start would not have aided in any relieving of pressure, however, here is where confidence enters the fray. Young Markovic has admitted to not quite finding his feet as yet, and is ready to make amends and kick start his Liverpool career. This is something that is essential for the strikers' progression under Rodgers. If nothing changes though, we might just be about to witness an Alberto Aquilani-like transfer in the making.

QPR Away is the perfect match for Lazar

If there ever is a football match to enter the fray and steal the limelight, then it comes in the shape of the reds' upcoming league match, which sees Brendan's men travel to Loftus Road to take on struggling QPR. Redknapp's men have endured an awful return to top flight football thus far, which sets the stage perfectly for a motivated Lazar Markovic to grab the bull by the horns and produce a stunning display in the capital. (Let us just hope to God that no injuries are sustained during the international break). Rio Ferdinand must be sick to the stomach right now with the sheer thought of how Liverpool could line up attacking wise. Players such as Sturridge, Balotelli, Raheem and Lazar himself provide us with a mouth-watering appetite and anticipation for the match. Three points is a definite must come Sunday the 19th, and if Markovic does get the nod by Brendan, he will look to make his point, and prove all doubters wrong. (Is a goal or two on top of that too much to ask)?

As I continuously ponder through the possibilities, both negative and positive, I am left satisfied with my overall view, and of what the future holds for the young Serb. As described by ex-Inter boss and current Udinese manager Andrea Stramaccioni as 'a player with exceptional qualities and impressive acceleration', I am ready to put my head on the line here and state my personal view : Lazar Markovic will, no doubt, be a very important player for Liverpool for years to come. We have seen quick glimpses of it thus far, however I am positive the Serb's game will improve thoroughly. If I had five seconds to give any Markovic any personal advice, I would tell him but one thing : 'Forget the price tag and play with the heart. Remember lad, you are playing for Liverpool Football Club, that should provide enough motivation.' (Now, if I write that in a tweet and send it I doubt he will even read it, but you get where I am going with this).

One thing is certain, Liverpool as a whole need to improve, rapidly and at a fast pace, if they are to retain their place in next seasons' Champions League. That, topped of with a trophy to show for will be considered a successful season for Rodgers and his men, and there is no doubt Lazar Markovic will be on the forefront in whether Liverpool do reach these said goals. I would want nothing more than for the Serb to prove to be a success story at Anfield, and as I conclude this blog, I leave you with a video of Benfica's Lazar Markovic, and what exactly prompted Rodgers into forking out 20 million pounds on the wonder kid.

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YNWA