Liverpool: Still a Work in Progress or Is Kenny Dalglish out of Touch?

It has been just over a year since Kenny Dalglish returned to management at Liverpool. Amidst much fanfare from supporters longing for his return since the departure of Rafael Benitez, "King Kenny" was labelled as being out of touch by some observers, having been out of the managerial game for over 10 years.

So what progress has been made since then?

After dropping out of the Champions League and being usurped in the traditional "Big Four" by both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, it was always going to be an uphill task for Dalglish to turn Liverpool's fortunes around quickly.

Step forward Tom Werner, and those American dollars. Out went Fernando Torres and in came Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, representing a net spend of just under £8,000,000. Suarez hit the ground running with a goal in his very first match, but Carroll has taken longer to settle and is still a long way from justifying his £35million price tag.

At the start of the current campaign, Liverpool were considered to be contenders to return to those coveted top four positions in the Premiership, but right now they look as though they will struggle to make even the Europa League (should they fail to qualify by winning the Carling Cup).

There has been a long-standing accusation against Liverpool since the Rafael Benitez days, that they relied too heavily on Steven Gerrard for creative inspiration. Dalglish seemed to embrace that theory and went about addressing it, signing young British midfield talent in Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing. 22 league games later, and Liverpool are heading for a second consecutive season without Champions League football.

Progress, it seems, is non-existent at Anfield.

So that begs another question. How long does Kenny Dalglish get before his position at the club is reviewed? There are already murmurs of discontent among some supporters following the most recent defeat to Bolton Wanderers, and given that the appointment itself was made amid fan pressure, what influence might the supporters have on the owners considering their next move?

Surely they would expect a reasonable return from their significant investment? The modern Premiership chairman is not known for his patience with managers, particularly those that have enjoyed such support in the transfer market as Dalglish.

The Scot himself is beginning to show signs of strain. He is notably snappy in media interviews, admittedly a characteristic of old, but one that was absent from his current reign until recently. His reaction to the Bolton defeat saw him begin to turn on the players for the first time, where he had previously laid the blame at the doors of referees.

He may be held in high regard at Anfield, but the current crop of players will care little for his reputation if he begins to single them out in public. As irritating as it is when managers use excuses for their players, it is a necessary ploy to keep the squad onside in times of need.

If he fails to do so, Dalglish runs the risk of losing the loyalty he has so recently, and so controversially, displayed for his players. There is no suggestion that point is approaching just yet, but the signs are there that the strain is beginning to tell.

For now, it seems as though Dalglish is safe, but if Liverpool do not at least put together a challenge for the Champions League places, that situation may change. Stories of returning heroes are popular in the Premier League, but more often than not there is no happy ending.

If Dalglish's story is to be different, Liverpool need to improve, and fast.