Liverpool FC Talk

Kenny needs to change his approach

With Liverpool’s form in free fall it’s time to simply forget about this years league position. It doesn’t matter who we finish above or below as the reality is it’s all now meaningless. We won’t be relegated, thankfully the league didn’t start in January, and we won’t end up in a position of any relevance. What Kenny needs to do immediately is throw his book of tactics out the window (they’re obviously not working), start fresh and begin the process of building for next season. Kenny needs to pick his strongest team and stick with it until the end of the season. What has he got to lose? Liverpool’s results can’t get any worse than they already are can they? He needs to stop with the constant rotating of players one week and not playing them the next. It’s not working. And if you’re going to make a substitution make it so that there’s a enough time for it to have an impact. If I was Andy Carroll I’d have been angry as well at being taken off 10 minutes from the end of the game last week against Newcastle. We were 2-0 down and going nowhere so why embarrass the guy in front of his ex-supporters by making an ineffective change. It made no sense. The time for excuses that don’t convince any Liverpool fans is over. Nobody’s buying them and from all accounts neither are the American owners. Apparently they are asking Dalglish for a full report in the summer explaining why things have gone so terribly wrong in the league this season. That signals he will be in charge until the end of the season, which makes sense, but there can be no can doubt Kenny is on borrowed time so his analysis and plan on how he is going to improve the squad and the teams performance next season better be outstanding if he is to be Liverpool’s manager next season. The minimum objective will be top 4 as it was this season.

With stable ownership, £100m already invested in players, a possible new stadium and new naming sponsors being sought and major sponsor like Standard Charter investing millions the only thing missing is a quality team that can deliver on the pitch. You can only imagine what is be being discussed in the boardroom in Boston these days. Kenny’s only salvation right now is the that Liverpool still have a chance at winning the FA Cup and if won it may give Kenny the extra season he is looking for. But then again are the owners going to trust Dalglish and Comolli to spend another £100m? Will they trust his tactics are the formula for success at Anfield next season? It’s hard to imagine they would which puts Dalglish’s tenure in further doubt.

Will Kenny rethink and introduce a new approach for the rest of the season? I’m doubtful. Attractive football is secondary right now, it’s all about getting results and even though where we finish in the league is irrelevant it’s important for the team to rebuild it’s confidence going into the FA Cup semi final and hopefully the final. Improved form also gives Kenny the opportunity to show supporters and the owners what he can do with this squad. He needs to restore some sort of faith in his abilities as a manager because if Liverpool continue to lose games until the end of the season there can only be one outcome for him and his staff.