Liverpool fan Mal James gives his thoughts on the growing discontent among supporters, and what the club needs to do if it is to stop falling further behind it’s rivals.
There is an emerging civil war among Liverpool fans. The split is between the ‘royalists’ backing King Kenny and the ‘roundheads’, many of whom feel that getting rid of Rafa Benitez was a mistake. The royalist case goes something as follows:
‘Liverpool are work in progress. Kenny took over after years of disruption due to the ownership of Hicks and Gillett.
He also inherited sub-standard players as a result of Roy Hodgson and Rafa Benitez. He had to shift deadwood out – Aquiliani, Babel, Konchesky, Degen, Ngog, Insua, etc. The club is going in the right direction.
The fans are seeing better football; the Carling Cup has been won; and there has also been really bad luck – hitting the woodwork some 25 times. The spine of the team is good, and there are some tremendous youngsters coming through. It is only a matter of time.
Those fans who are critical should show some loyalty and patience; after all, look how long it took Ferguson at Man United before he got things right. At one point he was only one game from the sack’
So, the message is clear. Liverpool supporters should get behind the manager. Anyone who doesn’t isn’t a ‘real fan’.
Yet, despite the Carling Cup win, and the recent victory over Everton, a growing number of supporters are questioning this view.
Yes, the woodwork got in the way a lot, but if a snooker player kept hitting the jaws of the pocket it wouldn’t be viewed as bad luck, it would be seen as not being good enough.
So how is he club is doing so far this season? A comparison can be drawn with 2009-10, the final season when Benitez was in charge. Liverpool ended in 7th on 63 points; scoring 61 goals and conceding 35. That season, Liverpool ended 21 points behind the Champions, Chelsea.
So far, Liverpool points total is 42. If points continue to be gained at this rate, then the season total will be 57. This would have meant 9th place in Benitez’s last season.
Liverpool will end up 44 points behind Manchester United if they continue as they are. At the current rate of scoring, Liverpool will end the season on 45 scored and 41 conceded.
So, unless things change, the current team will gain 6 fewer points, score 16 fewer goals and concede 10 more; and end up 23 points further behind the likely top team.
This is despite having spent over £114m gross (£42m net) on new players. Those who are in the King Kenny camp argue that it is simply a matter of time and patience.
Things will come good. However, the answer to that is “When?” Of their last nine league games, the club has won just two and lost five. As an author of a Liverpool fan website pointed out, prior to the Everton game, Liverpool had secured fewer points in 2012 than Wigan.
It seems doubtful that the present setup is likely to do much about this, especially average players brought in at considerable cost.
I posted previously about the value of the players the club has bought and received a text from Tottenham fan who said, I quote: “Spurs fans can testify to Comolli’s ability to spend large amounts of money on mediocre players”.
For critics of the present regime, there needs to be change. Some are calling for a new manager.
All are calling for changes in the team. Champions’ League qualification is now a long fading dream. A Europa league place has been secured, so why not use the time remaining to blood some younger players?
The club can’t continue to only use those whose age gives a limited future, or those who are unlikely to ever be good enough.
image: © kong niffe
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