Like every supporter I was left totally deflated by Liverpool’s poor performance at West Brom last Saturday. I had high hopes and, perhaps naively, was convinced the pre-season performances were real evidence of the good things to come and that the tiki-taka style of football would flow naturally and demonstrate to the rest of the Premier League that Liverpool were on their way back to the top with a slick passing style of football that would surely secure a first and impressive win of the season. 90 minutes later, plus injury time, I was in a state of depression and deja vu. We’d lost a game in a fashion so reminiscent of last season. It’s a game I expected we’d win but Liverpool looked out of sorts, uncomfortable and once again failed to turn possession into goals, a trait they have to overcome if they have any chance of making a serious attempt at a top four place.

So what went wrong? Did some players, just like some supporters, believe the early hype that our new possession and passing approach would become an instant success and as a result not focus fully on the tough reality of battling life in the Premiership? Did we really think that adopting this totally different approach was going to produce dividends immediately? As we now know, the fact is it didn’t and in a manner that was a slap in the face for all of us. But we were warned. Rodgers told us on many occasions during his short reign and the pre-season that it would take time for the players to get used to the new system and that it would take time for it reap the rewards we were all hoping for. Perhaps we didn’t want to listen. Even though the pre-season had many positives the reality is the top first-team players, many of whom were on international duty due to the Euros, were not involved in the pre-season and hadn’t had a lot of game time experience to have us think is would automatically click. The fact is the majority of the pre-season games were a run out for the reserve-team players or fringe first team players like Aquilani and Cole, especially during the tour of the USA.

The other key factor to Liverpool’s poor first showing was the quality of the players themselves. The question is does the squad consist of the right players to pull off the tiki-taka approach, do it justice and win us games? Certainly Rodgers has stated that he believes the squad needs strengthening and will continue to work up until the close of the transfer window to bring in players he believes can fulfill his vision. So the answer is no we don’t yet have the right players. During the West Brom game players like Downing and Borini had little or no impact on the game but of course Agger’s sending off did us no favours at all. Still Liverpool managed to achieve 57% possession, which in itself is a positive but not when you consider Liverpool, as usual, had no goals to show for it.

But it’s only one game. It is totally unrealistic to think tiki-taka will be an instant success, it won’t. So the question is, is it the right approach? I think it is. I have faith in Rodgers and I’m optimistic that we will gradually begin to see it becoming more and more successful. Rodgers was heavily criticized for saying we’ll see more days like the one last Saturday but it actually makes sense given the changes to the squad as well. Mind you I wouldn’t mind seeing a bit of instant success next Sunday. Now that would give rise to more optimism.

Ok so there it is. That’s my top five reasons why Liverpool will qualify for the Champions League this season. Blinkered, wearing rose-tinted glasses, unrealistically biased I hear you say. Well I’m probably guilty of all of the above but, as you would expect let’s do a brief assessment of each one and then you have your say.

1. Rodger’s has done nothing but impress since his appointment at Liverpool. He has a clear vision the direction he wants to take the team and the style of play he want to implement . He seems to have a real sense of who in the current squad is able to fulfill this vision and who is not. He’s bringing in quality players such as Allen and Borini and will give them very specific roles plus he’s already worked with them both and knows their strengths and weaknesses. Rodgers has gone about his business in calm yet assertive way and already has the team behind him. We’ve had the best pre-season in years and he understands what an important club Liverpool is and has sworn to do his utmost to get us back to the top. I believe him.

2. A top 4 spot isn’t necessarily won by beating the top four or five teams. No disrespect, but it’s won by taking maximum points from the likes of West Brom, Norwich and Stoke City. It’s a task Liverpool have failed at miserably for too many seasons but with Rodgers more fluid, passing, possession-type football I can see Liverpool winning the vast majority of these type of games this season. Bottom-line is Liverpool have to win nearly all their home games this season. “This is Anfield” will once again have real meaning.

3. Suarez and Borini already look like they will create a very effective strike partnership. I’ve no evidence for this but I’m banking on the fact that with a partner that is also a constant threat it will create more openings for Suarez. Suarez himself can also put all last seasons troubles behind him and focus on his football and convert more chances than he did last season and even though Borini has played less than 50 senior games in his career he already looks like he has the potential to score a lot of goals this season.

4. If we don’t sell Agger we’ll be good in defence and probably stronger than last season. With Skrtel, Johnson, Enrique (just don’t let him shoot), Kelly and Agger Liverpool are looking strong in this area of the field. They shipped 38 goals last seasons so there’s room for improvement and with Reina committing himself to having a better season, he looked dodgy last year, I’m banking on a better defensive record this season which is the basis of all successful Liverpool teams.

5. Ok ok, I know we can only focus on our performance and win as many games as possible but I think we’ll see a some of the last years top-four faltering this season. Man United are almost certain to be in the hunt but they might find the going harder this season. They showed some vulnerability last season so long may it continue. If Arsenal lose Van Persie you have to think Arsenal won’t be as potent a force as they were last season. They got off to a poor start losing to the Reds 2-0 at the Emirates and were very fortunate to get the win that saw them finish 3rd and secure a CL spot. As for Spurs, AVB is a big gamble plus they seem to be having a striker issue right now so I can see them struggling to finish in the top six.

So there it is. Liverpool will qualify for the Champions League this season.

Let the comments begin.

Liverpool have now dispatched Gomel in the Europa League qualifying matches and it heralds the true beginning of the Rodgers era at Anfield. In less than ten days sterner tests await with the start of the Premier League and an away game at West Bromwich Albion on 18 August. The Premiership is where it really counts and where we’ll get to see Rodgers Liverpool playing tougher opposition but with a full-strength team executing their new brand of football, the tiki-taka style of zonal play which is so often associated with the likes of Barcelona. Apparently part of this approach sees Rodgers divide the field into eight zones each having it’s own different duties and roles and if Thursday’s 3-0 victory is anything to go by the signs look very promising. It’s a style that will improve Liverpool’s ability to retain and regain possession and turn it into penetrating, attacking football that hopefully will culminate into goals that we were so badly missing throughout the last several seasons. I understand as supporters we’ll need to be patient for this new style of football to take hold and become second nature to the players but no more should we be seeing the ball being hoofed up-field resulting in a quick loss of possession. Instead the vision is we’ll see a consistent, quick passing, approach that will endeavour to frustrate and wear down opposing teams.

However, it’s not necessarily an approach that’s new to Liverpool. Having been fortunate enough to watch the Reds dominate football both domestically and in Europe in the 70’s & 80’s under the stewardship of Shankly, Paisley and Joe Fagan Liverpool’s trademark was patience. There was an engrained belief throughout the team that by remaining calm, sticking to the game-plan and patiently probing and moving forward the opposition would tire, begin to make mistakes and create an opening that eventually would lead to the winner or equalizer no matter how few minutes were left on the clock. I don’t know the stats but I can tell you Liverpool scored a lot of late winners throughout those two decades and all because of this approach. In short, Liverpool never gave up and never accepted defeat until the final whistle. Of course it helped that throughout this period Liverpool had some of the most outstanding players in the clubs history playing for them but I’m working on the assumption that Rodgers approach will apply the same principle of patience, keeping possession through short, quick-passing and constant movement of the ball forward.

It’s because of the tiki-taka style that players like Carroll begin to lose favour. It’s not because Carroll isn’t a quality player, he is, but it’s his physical stature that can influence players to start looking for the long-ball, especially when things are not going well and they’re searching for an equalizer. Players of the intelligence and skill like Gerrard, Lucas and Suarez fit perfectly into Rogers approach and they’ll welcome the opportunity to express themselves in such a creative manner. Of that trio Rogers made special mention of Suarez after their impressive 3-0 win at Anfield “Luis is an incredible player,” said Rodgers. “He has come back to us and looked great in training. He is so creative in the box but he also presses very well when he doesn’t have the ball. He is the type of player I love. He is in love with football. He has such passion for the game.”

The Rodgers era is underway and the initial signs are good and I’m confident that is a few months time we’ll all be feeling even more positive about his new stewardship at Anfield.

It goes without saying that in order to win games you have to score goals, more than the opposition at least, and it’s in this key area Liverpool have so clearly failed over the past few seasons. Even with Suarez and Carroll on board last season the “goals for” statistics was borderline awful and none of us want to hear the word “woodwork” too many times again next season.

I’ve had a look at the goals-scored and goals-against statistics over the last five seasons to see what the trend looks like and what it show is clearly disturbing. The graph clearly illustrates Liverpool’s scoring potency has been in serious decline not just last year but year-over-year culminating in a mere 43 goals last season condemning us to a rather harsh, but maybe justified, 8th place in the league. As you can see, it’s no accident that in the 2008/09 season, when Liverpool scored 66 goals and only conceded 26, they almost won the league finishing a close second to that lot 40 miles away along the East Lancs Road. Even though the goals against have been increasing they have stabilized over the last two seasons so I don’t see this as Liverpool’s main problem next season as defensively they look pretty solid, as long as you forget the QPR games last season! I realize it’s hardly CSI level analysis but it’s this slide in Liverpool’s goal-scoring ability that illustrates that putting the ball in the net more often and on a consistent basis next season has to be one of, it not the, main priority for Brendan Rodgers.

The question is can the current squad turn this goal-scoring decline around? Is Suarez and our new 21 year-old Italian signing, Borini, good enough to get the job done or does Rodgers still need to find another clinical finisher? It looks like you have to factor out Carroll from the equation as it seems he’s almost certainly on his way out of Anfield, especially as he’s just been omitted from of the squad traveling to face Gomel in the Europa League game on Thursday. I’m fully confident that Suarez given the right support from the midfield and all of last years troubles now behind him will have a great season. Suarez is such a talented, creative, player that we’ve yet to see the best of him and with another deadly striker alongside him the omens look really good. As for Fabio Borini,  to date in his senior career he’s only made 46 appearances including Chelsea, Swansea, Parma and Roma scoring a total of 16 goals. Not a bad conversion rate but it’s safe to say he’s still an unproven striker and only time will tell if he can become a lethal striker and that he and Suarez can create a new scoring partnership we so badly need. Don’t forget we bought Kuyt as a striker from Feyenoord and for all his work rate he was never able to fulfill that role to its full potential.

It’s not like Liverpool didn’t create the chances to score and win games last season, they did, but now it’s down to taking those chances and putting the games beyond reach. The question remains as to how wise is the decision to let a striker of Carroll’s talent go given his improved form and the amount of investment that will be lost? Can we really afford to let him leave? It’s a question only Roger’s himself can answer.

So Liverpool’s squad is now in the US for the first time since 2004 ready for their North American tour. There are three matches scheduled: Toronto FC on July 21, AS Roma at Fenway Park in Boston on July 25 and Tottenham in Baltimore on July 28. So how important is this tour and does this one have more riding on it than previous overseas tours?

There are two main objectives of the tour: commercial and performance. On the commercial front the tour is designed to build and reward Liverpool’s fan base in both Canada and United States plus build Liverpool’s brand, as the PR folks like to describe it. Ian Rush believes the Reds are the best-supported club in the world and that it’s very important for Liverpool to travel the world and go to its fans.  “They’ve stuck with the club when times have not been as good as they would have liked them to have been. And for me that makes it even more successful, because when you’re winning it’s very easy. It’s when you’re not winning, that for me is when you stick together even tighter and you work harder. I think that’s what the supporters have been worldwide.” To Rush it’s critical the players entertain the fans, “We need to get a different generation, a younger generation (of fans).”

But Liverpool are by no means an unknown quantity in North America with supporters clubs all over the continent and Premier League games  aired throughout every weekend throughout the season. Liverpool games are on TV here virtually every weekend, thank goodness, so awareness of Liverpool is extremely high. There are also US football (soccer) radio shows that air daily with the focus on the EPL so the football supporter here is becoming more and more knowledgeable. The days of football in North America being the domain of “soccer moms” and their kids is long gone as the fan base continues to grow along with the success of Major League Soccer, the MLS. Of course by building thier fan base Liverpool increase their financial strength. Think replica shirts, clothing, books and other LFC logo’ed merchandise which means a healthier club, more cash for players and so on. It’s an important goal of this tour.

This tour is also of major significance as it’s the first time Liverpool have played in the land of our owners. John Henry, Tom Werner and Fenway Sports can proudly showcase their English footballing crown jewel to their hometown supporters. And don’t forget shareholder Lebron James will surely play a big part.

From a performance point of view the tour has major significance on several fronts. We’ll get to see Liverpool play for the first time under Brendan Rogers’s leadership and new style of football. Clarity will begin to emerge as to which players look comfortable with the new possession/passing style of play. Borini will get his debut and the long-awaited, and very welcome, return of Lucas Leiva from injury will occur. Questions such as will we see Andy Carroll, due to join the squad on July 23^rd, play a role in any of the matches and will Aquilani and Cole presence begin to emerge. One thing for sure is that every player in the squad will be desperate to show Rogers that they fit in. “Everyone will be fighting for a place under the new manager” says Rush and Jamie Carragher also admitting that he is keen to prove himself to Rodgers.

Finally, the game of the greatest significance will be one against Spurs. With AVB now in charge it’s going to be fascinating to see how Liverpool measure up to the team that finished fourth in the league last season, albeit a friendly. This is a tour of major importance for Liverpool on many different fronts and positive results here may just set the tone for the rest of season.

Could supporters opinion bring about Alonso’s return to Anfield?

IT’S the focus of all football supporters during the close season. Who should we sign, who we should let go, who would be a dream signing but we know we could never afford him, who should we get back from on-loan and, in Liverpool’s case, which quality players would consider moving to Liverpool.

It makes for a great summer-long debate on blogs, twitter and websites all over the globe while there no actual football being played but does this kind of speculation actually make a difference?

Does it really influence the thinking of those in charge or the players involved?

Sadly, the reality is it seems none of it makes the slightest bit of difference. In Liverpool’s case we now have Brendan Rodger’s in charge with his definitive ideas on the kind of players he feels will fit into his style of play and there are players being sought that perhaps none of us would have even considered. Our debate on the subject doesn’t seem to influence who is actually signed or who is let go.

But just maybe there is one player that Liverpool supporters and writers may be having a profound influence on. There is one player who has consistently been on top of every Liverpool supporters list of who should be signed, or in this case, should be resigned. That player knows exactly how Liverpool supporters feel about him and that if he did return he would receive the greatest welcome home any player in the history of Liverpool would likely experience. The player of course is Xabi Alonso.

Alonso knows exactly how much he is respected by Liverpool fans to the point I doubt you could find one Liverpool supporter who would say no to his return. If you’re out there please make yourself known and let us know the reasons why you wouldn’t have him back. Do we need to review Alonso’s credentials? I don’t think so. I think you know as much, probably more than I do, about Xabi’s qualities as a player, that he’s an automatic first XI selection for Spain and Real Madrid and that he could grace any club team in the world. So why even discuss Alonso? So what chance is there of him leaving Real Madrid in the first place and even if he did would he return to Liverpool?

The reality is Alonso has kept a home in Liverpool, he is raising his son as a Scouser and last year he stated how much he misses Liverpool and would like to return to Anfield at some point in his career. He has made impromptu visits to Anfield over the years since his departure and he recently expressed his support and optimism at the appointment of Brendan Rodgers. All the signs point to a return one day.

So what are the chances of him returning? Apparently transfer rumours are in overdrive right now in Liverpool with Alonso having just spent the last few days in the city with speculation that he might well be on his way back to Anfield in a straight swap deal with Agger. BS? Possibly, but there’s no harm in hoping and if we truly want to see Alonso return to Anfield then this is the time to write blogs, tweets, comments and articles making it known. I have a feeling Xabi himself might be one player that is very much influenced by our collective desire to see him return to Liverpool. Let’s hope Rogers does too.

Imagine Liverpool receiving a substantial bid for Andy Carroll. One that made the loss versus the initial £35m outlay not look too bad? Would you sell him, take the cash and invest in other quality players? The fact is this scenario seems to be getting closer to reality.

At the beginning of the year I don’t think many of us would have said no to Carroll’s sale. He wasn’t in great form and after more than 12-months at Anfield was still failing to make any kind of impact. He didn’t look like a player that had a real future at Liverpool. But times have changed. A slimmer, fitter, more agile Carroll is looking more and more the deadly finisher we had all been hoping for. He’s scoring goals, is an ever-increasing threat upfront and is beginning to dominate even the best defensive units. His introduction during the FA Cup final demonstrated just what an impact player Carroll can be, almost singlehandedly winning the Cup for Liverpool by completely changing the game as well as scoring a life-line goal and being denied an equalizer. Leaving him on the bench at the beginning of the game is something I’m sure Dalglish deeply regrets. His performance against Sweden in the Euros was another example of how Carroll is able to perform at the highest level, scoring arguably the best header of the tournament and the finest headed-goal in an England international for decades. It was simply that good. But it’s not just Carroll’s prowess upfront that makes him such a valuable and attractive asset. It’s his willingness and desire to help out in defence that makes him the complete article and is putting him on the radar of many top clubs. Even when he isn’t playing well Carroll is constantly chasing down opposition forwards in an attempt to win back the ball. Something Wayne Rooney might want to take note of.

So now rumours begin to circulate that Andy is a wanted in Italy. The son of AC Milan’s owner, Silvio Berlusconi, having recently stated that in rebuilding their squad he would consider Carroll a future target. High praise indeed. So given Carroll’s improved form the question remains would you sell him? Perhaps the biggest influencer on this question is how well will he fit into the new brand and style of football Brendan Rogers is about to introduce at Liverpool. On Twitter someone asked Paul Dalglish, manager of a team in Austin Texas and son of Kenny, what players should Liverpool be looking to sign. His response was we’d need to know what the system of play is going to be first. That correct logic also applies to which players Liverpool should keep or let go in the current squad. Back in the sixties Bill Shankly signed a player very similar in style and stature to Carroll, Tony Hateley. You may also remember his son Mark who played for Rangers. Hateley scored 28 goals in 42 appearances in the 1967-68 season but Shanks sold him to Coventry City the next season because he didn’t  fit the passing style of football he wanted to play. Only time will tell how Roger’s views Carroll’s role.

So would you sell Andy Carroll if a decent bid came in? Let us know your thoughts.

Andy Carroll is now becoming unplayable

To say it’s been a year of transition for Andy Carroll would be quite the understatement. Carroll struggled to make any kind of impact or find consistency throughout most of last season and at times he looked like the proverbial cart-horse. The £35m fee paid for him was way over the top and is one of the main reasons for Damien Comolli‘s departure and cast doubt over Dalglish‘s ability to identify quality players at a decent price. During last January’s transfer window there would have been few who would have questioned Carroll being sold although the financial loss would have been too horrendous to contemplate. Carroll simply looked slow, ineffective and, from Dalglish’s point-of view, unplayable.

But over the last few months Carroll has been transformed. His form, touch and scoring ability, especially during the FA Cup final, have shown what an excellent signing he is turning out to be. He single-handedly changed the game against Chelsea and almost delivered the Cup. England supporters who made an outcry and ridiculed his inclusion in the Euro squad have been completely silenced with his performance against Sweden with him scoring probably one of the finest England headers in decades. The slow-motion replay’s illustrated dramatically the power and technique he used to bullet the ball past the helpless Swedish goalkeeper. To me Hodgson made a mistake leaving him out of the starting line-up against the Ukraine but once Carroll came on the field he once again proved his worth. Carroll is now holding his own against any of the strikers at the Euros and he’s scaring opposition defences many who consider him unplayable.

One of the key elements of Carroll’s contributions, even when he was struggling, that is severely overlooked at Liverpool and now England is his tireless work ethic in defence. “That kind of work tends to go unnoticed because ultimately a striker lives or dies by his goals, but from a manager’s point of view it is incredibly important” Jamie Carragher recently wrote.”Now Andy is adding that essential ingredient of goals too”.

So what’s changed that makes Carroll a consistent impact player versus the guy who struggled to so badly only a few months ago? “The change in him now to a few months ago is self-evident. I’d sum it up in one word. Mobility” says Carragher. “Since he’s become fitter, his movement has increased, his aerial presence has intensified and his balance is better, which is impacting on his shooting ability. Piece this together and you have a confident beast up front who, at times, looks unplayable. When Andy was struggling for fitness, he was too static. Now we’re seeing him timing his runs and leaping to get power on his headers, as he did for the first goal against the Swedes. He will justifiably argue he has not always received that kind of service”.

Dalglish too feels strongly about Carroll’s ability “Whatever anybody else said, he was always going to come through as a player. His attitude and his determination when he played for me at Liverpool were there for everyone to see.”

With Carroll now stronger and fitter, with his ability to hold and effectively distribute the ball constantly improving, along with the critical fact he’s now scoring goals makes his future at Liverpool look really good. Carroll has gone from being unplayable due to his inability to impact a game to unplayable for any defence he comes up against. It’s almost like having a new player in the Liverpool squad. What now has to be seen is how Brendan Rogers will incorporate him into his new look team.

Liverpool need to start adding to their already illustrious history

There is no doubt that Liverpool have one of the finest club histories in the world. They have legendary status which will be with them forever. It’s something all Liverpool supporters are extremely proud of but the club is now entering a new phase in it’s history with a new manager with a fresh approach, stable ownership who are in it for the long-term and the likelihood of a new stadium within the next few seasons. The stage is set for Liverpool to revive and reinvent themselves into one the England’s finest teams once more. Wishful thinking? Of course, but the club hasn’t been in this good a position for a decade or more and with it comes the need to start adding to their already illustrious history.

Kenny started the ball rolling in February by bringing the first piece of silverware to Anfield for six years and only an outstanding save by Petr Cheh in the FA Cup final (I still think if there had been goal-line technology a goal would have been given) denied Liverpool likely adding a second. So the ball is now figuratively and literally in Brendan Roger’s hands to build upon this recent success. The question is how quickly can that happen and if it doesn’t happen soon how patient are we willing to be? Realistically it would be unfair to think Roger’s will have instant success in his first season. Pepe Reina for one believes Brendan Rodgers will need time for his passing style of football to work. “I am very optimistic about the future. It is a good appointment and, hopefully, Liverpool can have a better season than they did last time. I watched quite a bit of Swansea last season and I always like my teams to play like that. It is my style and one that will be very good for Liverpool but he is going to need time to implement his ideas. It is not going to happen in the blink of an eye.” You have to think Pepe is right but Roger’s himself is certainly dedicated to bringing success to Anfield “It is quite simple” Rogers says “You come in and do a hard day’s work. You make sure in training and on match days you come in and you can take your top off and wring it out and it will be soaking wet.” which speaks clearly of his work ethic and desire to ensure there will be no lack of effort in attempting to make Liverpool a success once more.

The summer months will be critical ones for Liverpool. Who will they bring in that suits Roger’s footballing approach and who will be deemed superfluous to his needs. Will the likes of Adam, Henderson, Downing and Carroll fit the bill or will they be sold to make room in the salary budget? Rodgers has to overcome the fact that FSG has already committed over £100m to buying new players so he will either need to trade players and bring in others who fit the bill in terms of style and cost or stick with the squad he has in the hopes he can turn them around. We are already seeing movement in the transfer market with Roger’s first possible signing in Gylfi Sigurdsson and Salomon Kalou also appears to be of interest with his agent confirming that he would consider a move to Liverpool. It’s going to be intriguing to see what transpires.

I’m optimistic Roger’s can bring success to Liverpool next season. I think he will do a good job in the league but breaking into the top four will be tough, however, you only have to look at Newcastle’s success last season to know it is doable. I also think Liverpool will go far in the Europa League as Roger’s attacking approach will suit the competition and I’m looking forward to seeing Liverpool re-establish themselves in Europe once more. Whether Roger’s will create Liverpool’s new history in the short-term only time will tell but I’m hoping by December our win/loss ratio, goals for and against and league standings are all looking very positive.

Kelly gets called up for England

I don’t know about you but I’ve never really cared too much about England. They’re constant under-achievers, have been poorly managed for decades due to the FA’s low-risk manager selection processand are supported mainly by Londoners who only know one dreadful song. Like most Liverpool supporters when asked if they would prefer England to win the World Cup or Liverpool to win the Premiership you don’t need an extensive opinion-poll to know what the vast majority would answer.

However, this time around it’s a slightly different story as there happen to be six of our lads in Roy’s twenty-three man squad for this years Euro’s. I’ll be watching with a lot more interest and naturally hoping all our lads get a chance to play and do well. It’s interesting that even though Hodgson failed at Liverpool it seems he is still impressed by the quality of their English players, three of which Kenny brought in during his time as manager. I have to admit nothing gave me greater pleasure than to see Kelly called-up over Rio Ferdinand. Petty? Maybe, but most of those so called football critics fail to recognize that if England are to have any chance of developing into a team that can compete with the best then they have to start giving the younger players experience in major tournaments. Hence Kelly, Henderson and Carroll being included. Nice one Roy. A lot of England fans feel that due to Liverpool’s underachieving season there shouldn’t be six Liverpool players in the squad but we know that’s nonsense with Gerrard, Johnson, Henderson, Downing, Carroll and Kelly all worthy of their call-up.

But as a Liverpool supporter the question is will their experience in the Euros set these six up for a more successful season starting in August? We know that Gerrard and Johnson will be automatic starters and for them the Euro’s is another highlight in an already successful career but you have to think that the opportunity and experience for the younger players will certainly give them a major confidence boost plus the chance to test themselves against some the of the best players in Europe which will be beneficial given Liverpool’s involvement in next season’s Europa league. If Carroll can bang in a few goals against France, Ukraine or Sweden with Downing as the key provider of crosses then it stands to reason the experience it will be nothing but positive. A player like Henderson still has a lot to prove in a Liverpool shirt, never mind an England shirt, and the lad must be developing the thickest of skins especially after being booed by some of the so-called England fans. But if given an opportunity to gain his 4th England cap and put in a solid performance then surely it will do him no-end of good. I’m actually hoping Henderson turns out to be another Lucas who had to work hard in his first few seasons to win-over his justifiable critics and become one of Liverpool’s most influential players

It’s unlikely that the younger Liverpool players will get an opportunity to play a major part in the tournament but the net effect should be that Rodger’s will end -up with better, more confident, players returning for training in July. I’m not sure if this England squad can actually go that far but if Roy holds true to his policy of giving the younger the players an opportunity to show what they can do then I for one will applaud him for it.