The Week That Is: Liverpool 2014/15 Season Preview

 Article by Tony Thorne @TTonal | @e_LiverpoolNet

We’re back for a brand new season, and it’s probably the most excited most Reds have felt heading in to a new season for years. Expectations have risen beyond probability from twelve months ago, thanks to the fantastic efforts of Brendan Rodgers’ side last year. Here, we preview what could, should, and hopefully won’t be this coming season.

So He’s Gone…

The saga that everyone was hoping to (sorry in advance) sink their teeth into this summer never really happened. For all the bluster regarding Luis Suarez and a will-he won’t-he transfer to Real Madrid and then Arsenal last year, this time it all seemed to be over in a flash. Indeed, e-Liverpool broke the news about Suarez heading to Barcelona from the poolside in Turkey on our post-season holiday.

Suarez gave Liverpool two and a half years of brilliance. Those of us that got to see him play in the legendary number 7 shirt know he thoroughly deserved all the honour that came with it and then some. But his personality left his emotions on the edge too often, and Liverpool were always on the receiving end of that, even when his transgressions did not occur in a Liverpool shirt (see Bite #3, Chiellini). Missing 38 games in three and a half years for Ajax and Liverpool (due mainly to biting with the occasional racism thrown in) is clearly too much. As good as he is, no player is bigger than the club.

Filling His Shoes (and the goal net)

Naturally, eyes turn to Daniel Sturridge to supply goals, and he has shown that his touch has not deserted him with a deft finish in the friendly against Borussia Dortmund in the final pre-season friendly. With Raheem Sterling, whose strength and determination seem to constantly increase, and Phillippe Coutinho, the little magician who is always capable of threading eye-of-the-needle final balls, both able to support Sturridge in attack, Sturridge should be able to provide us with plenty more dancing this season. But that’s not all..

The New Boys

A lot has been made of Liverpool’s signings this summer. For the fans it is unprecedented. Never before have Liverpool signed so many players to cover so many positions. Yet most fans feel this is the right thing to do. With at times a thin squad and the Champion’s League to consider, the Reds required strength across the pitch and have got it in some exciting young prospects, such as Divock Origi (who has returned to Lille on loan), Lazar Markovic from Benfica and Emre Can from Bayer Leverkusen. All either already start and/or are expected to feature for their national sides (Holland, Serbia and Germany respectively) in time for Euro 2016, so this summer has helped us build for the long term. We’ve also brought in Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert in “The Great Southampton Raid”; all Premier League proven quality and, in Lovren, an opportunity to fix the leaky defence.

The Likelihood of Going Again

In truth, our target this season should be to enjoy the Champion’s League and aim on finishing in there once again. Brendan suggests that we should aim for top four “and then see where we are”. With the additional games and the new blood, it would be a rousing success to cement our place in the big time and continue to attract star names and sponsorships. But obviously we don’t know what will happen. Just think what we were saying this time last year… #WeGoAgain #LFC

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