Liverpool crying out for a midfield general and another striker

Even on my holidays (never without my tablet and blogger app), the more I think about this Liverpool squad (and Jan messinging me to ask my opinion on Cavani), the more I feel the lack of a destroyer and buying another striker could come back to bite us.  

Jordan Henderson has many admirable qualities, but a midfield general he is not. Of those available Emre Can is the only player with the physical attributes able to bridge the gap.

Brendan's blueprint is geared fervently towards footballers in the purest sense and one can say with confidence that based on his buys so far, apart from Lovren, who in turn is not a bad footballer in his own right, a physical player is not on his radar.   Lazar Markovic, Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho, Suso, Raheem Sterling and even young Jordan Ibe all cover the attacking midfield positions.
  
While Rodgers has to be complemented on his side's pressing game, it is worry that there aren't different types of players readily available to compliment the technical abilities of the aforementioned skill smiths.

Against Man City, Norwich, and Crystal Palace last season and even against Man United in our most recent friendly the same scenario unfolds. The upshot is the midfield becomes overrun in the second half and Jordan Henderson is firefighting with Steven Gerrard flagging and Lucas Leiva's legs unwilling to carry him into the midst of battle.  

We have a strong tradition of midfield generals, Graeme Souness and Steve McMahon to current captain Steven Gerrard in his pomp and Javier Mascherano, so we know how important it is to dominate the engine room as we saw with Ander Herrara becoming increasingly influential as the game wore on for United.

Liverpool in need of a midfield dymamo

One sensed Conor Coady's loan to Sheffield United was purely for getting a decent fee in the transfer market and all though the player is upbeat following his move to Huddesfield, one suspects he must be disappointed with the lacking battling midfielders in the squad.

Post Suarez

Losing against Man United in the International Champions Cup, gives us an early warning shot not just about how much we miss Luis Suarez, but how much of a disaster awaits us should Daniel Sturridge breakdown which is highly possibly given his injury record since his arrival.

Rickie Lambert is an excellent buy as we were crying out for a back-up striker particularly one who could offer an aerial threat and cleverly hold the ball up bringing others into the game, but even his most ardent admirers would freely admit that the big man was brought as a support striker and plan B option behind Suarez and Sturridge.

Enrique

With the Moreno deal all but sown up and with England Internationals' Glen Johnson, Martin Kelly and Jon Flanagan all experienced playing left-back why would Brendan Rodgers want to keep Jose Enrique, a player he has obviously lost faith in?   There was a sense half way through last season where Rodgers intimated disappointment in the player's failure to recover from knee surgery and Enrique was openly resentful regarding the public criticism he received from the manager the previous season, having accused him of losing concentration at critical moments, suggesting their relationship is not all it could be.

Transfer policy

The brilliance of our football last year had the nation enthralled and if we had won the League playing in that scintillating fashion it would have spawned the start of a new era.  Instead, there is still a feeling that we are not picking up the very top players in our transfer dealings. Beaten to Sanchez, Benzema making disparaging remarks about LFC, it grates that our competitors are either paying more than the going rate or like Arsenal are geographically more appealing to players and their agents.

Brendan Rodgers said that following on from and trying improve upon last season would mean buying players who were capable of hitting the ground running rather than as we had been doing buying for the future.   Lallana, Lambert and specifically Lovren should add much to the cause, but as classy as Emre Can looked in the friendlies and Markovic was last season sparkling as Benfica's premier player, one suspects there will be a period of adaptation before we see both players at peak performance. 

Should we not sign a top class striker questions will be asked not only because we couldn't get the job done, but why are we struggling to attract the very best?  Day in day out we are being linked with Falcao, Cavani and Lavezzi.  Cavani or Lavezzi would be a better fit because as wonderful a striker as Falcao is he is more in the mould of Ruud van Nistlerooy, a penalty box striker which would change the way Sturridge is deployed (although it would still be a statement of intent).  And Jan, I think we may stand a better chance with Lavezzi as Ayre and co would be averse to breaking our pay structure for Cavani who would slot in nicely given his penchent for hard work, assists and goal scoring.

It sticks in the claw somewhat to be scratching around for a striker and seeing the club spending £10 million on Origi and loaning him back to his club.  Ordinarily, one would have no problem with the deal especially if the Loic Remy deal had gone through, but with one fit striker as I write the odds on us winning the Premiership must be drifting out like an unsecured barge as the tied comes in.

Rodgers is totally hooked on the idea of Kolo Toure being the fall back option at the centre of his defence as Daniel Agger looks certain to depart.    Sebastian Coates who impressed on the tour of America or Tiago Ilori deserve chances to stake a claim rather than Toure, especially as we have three other internationally experienced centre-half's already in attendance.  It's no coincidence that both have commented about moving on if they are not guaranteed chances this season.

Strangely, the 20 year old left back Brad Jones who made his debut last season against Chelsea has been loaned out to Swindon Town.  There doesn't seem any way back for the youngster with Rodgers actively pursing Moreno and Enrique still at the club and Flanagan marked down as the auxiliary left-back.  As with Andre Wisdom, given the ages of these two players transfers rather than loans or as with Rafael Paez's loan to Bologna, a temporary loan with a £2.4 million option to buy seems sensible in the long run.

It's too early to panic, but Rodgers prefers to bed in his players and envelop them in his philosophy.  It's looking very unlikely that a new striker will be given that time let alone be bought before the start of the season.  This season is very important to Liverpool football Club and I believe that having spent close on £100 million even taking into account the cash brought in from Suarez sale, competing for the Premiership and finishing in the top four is a must or else we could be on the outside looking for another good few years.
 
We are in the Champions League and yet still vying with Spurs over transfers.  Only after another season consolidating our position in the CPL will top players see us a viable option especially having lost Suarez, Torres, Mascherano and Alonso in recent years and in the long run the positives will be staving of the threat of losing Sterling and Coutinho.

As we move toward the new season, we have to get it right and there can be no ifs, buts or maybes.