In the aftermath of last season’s momentous title run which ended in damned failure for the Reds, 2014/15 was never going to be easy. Losing their best player in Luis Suarez was a deep blow, while spending big is never easy when you can’t pay elite wages. Yet for all the realistic barriers set up against Liverpool, they failed spectacularly this season, leaving Brendan Rodgers hanging onto his job by a thread
Liverpool went into the campaign with a deep sense of the unknown, more so than any other campaign. Buoyed by the memories of swashbuckling football only months previously, but emotionally scarred by the late collapse, it was impossible to tell what Liverpool would show their face this season. What we got was a team who had lost their identity, and toiled for over ten painful months for Liverpool fans.
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The loss of Luis Suarez is the obvious hurdle and one where no one can deny was going to settle back. The summer business was questionable at best, where no viable alternative to Alexis Sanchez was targeted, resulting in Liverpool’s purchase of Mario Balotelli – a player the manager clearly didn’t want. Who is to blame for the business is far from clear, with Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group devising a ‘transfer committee’ which has caused far more damage than good, to date.
Early losses to Aston Villa and West Ham set the tone for a team who wanted the season to end before it had really got going. Goals were simply a distant memory for a team who the previous season had blasted in 101 in 38 games. Often relying on Raheem Sterling for goals the Reds were bound to struggle. A mid-season formation switch to 3-4-2-1 provided Liverpool with a foundation to build upon – and, for a while, it worked. Liverpool played six away games without conceding a goal – a record which went back to the 70’s for the Reds. The impressive run of form saw Liverpool win ten and draw three games in a run of thirteen games – a subtle return to Premier League title challenging form.
Two cup semi-finals proved little solace to Liverpool fans throughout the season; though the two-legged tie with Chelsea in Capital One Cup did provide fans with arguably the best football their team played throughout the campaign.
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But, it wasn’t enough. A lack of goals, and more worryingly, a lack of fight, left Liverpool embarrassingly losing in an FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa. Two vital games against Manchester United and Arsenal quickly followed, yet consecutive losses here saw the challenge for Champions League qualification end in with a damp squib. A final 6th place finish leaves Rodgers job on the line, with much questions to answer.
With or without Brendan Rodgers there needs to be huge changes for Liverpool next season, both on and perhaps more importantly off the pitch too A replacement for Steven Gerrard and some support for the often injured Daniel Sturridge seems a fine place to start with team changes, while a Director of Football is simply a must for Liverpool.
Season verdict: D