Liverpool Transfers: Why Clint Dempsey Is the Signing to Break Reds into Top 4

While it is way too early to condemn Liverpool to mediocrity and woe after their 3-0 defeat at the hands of West Brom, I think we all can admit that it was indeed a very poor showing. 

Liverpool seemed to pick up where they left off from last season, with Luis Suarez working his magic in the final third but failing to put the ball in the back of the net, Stewart Downing doing his usual disappearance act and Steven Gerrard inexplicably doing his best Charlie Adam impression.  

Fabio Borini was visibly jittery; Joe Allen is looking like the better piece of business, since he rarely put a foot wrong all afternoon.

A silver lining from the opening day mess is that now John Henry and company may be more willing to produce funds for Brendan Rodgers to make the squad better because it clearly needs to happen.

Clint Dempsey needs to be brought to Anfield. 

The American is at a standoff with his current employers, Fulham, stating that he will never play for the club again in an attempt to force a move away from the London club. 

And with Arsenal lurking to kabosh the potential deal, it needs to happen sooner than later. Arsenal already scuttled in and hooked Nuri Sahin away from Liverpool with the lure of Champions League football. Brendan Rodgers needs to make sure that Arsene Wenger doesn't beat him to the punch in terms of Dempsey. 

Because quite simply, Dempsey could be the signing that breaks Liverpool into a Champions League spot.

It all comes down to Stewart Downing. 

Imagine a world where Downing didn't cut inside to his left foot every opportunity he got, allowing defenders to simply take the ball off his foot. Imagine a game in which Downing had the ability to beat defenders at least 50 percent of the time.  

Imagine how different the West Brom game might have been if either of those things existed in Downing's game.

Despite a decent preseason, Downing simply does not have a place in Brendan Rodgers' game plan. He is too slow and technically limited. 

Dempsey, despite being 29 years old (Manchester United just spent, essentially, 70 million pounds on a 29-year-old, mind you), has much more pace, skill, strength and goal-scoring ability than Downing has displayed for Liverpool thus far. 

A front three of Suarez and Dempsey on the wings and Borini up top has the potential to be one of the most lethal offenses in the Premier League. 

Borini looked out of place and he got easily lost out on the left wing on Saturday. Stick Suarez out on the wing, where he will be able to fully use his pace and ability with much more space. 

Dempsey also possesses the skill and speed to excel out on the right wing, and he adds a goal-scoring threat from the wing that Downing hasn't shown Liverpool fans thus far. 

Brendan Rodgers has been scuppered on almost every transfer deal this summer (Luuk de Jong, Gaston Ramirez, Nuri Sahin). He can't let Arsene Wenger swoop in for Dempsey. Dempsey may be the last chance Liverpool has at a top-four position this season.