Liverpool: A Progress Report on Brendan Rodgers' Summer Signings
Liverpool's form under Brendan Rodgers so far this season has been nothing short of miserable; the Reds have won just four Premier League games from 11 and sit 11th in the table.
Eight new signings have seemingly unsettled a tight-knit squad who, aided by the maverick Luis Suarez, mesmerised the league in 2013/14.
Nevertheless, some of Rodgers' new charges have impressed more than others, and there are signs of a bright future underneath the current despair.
So who has started well, who has faded and who is yet to kick into life?
This progress report includes grades subjectively based on the profile of the signing, the player's impact within the squad and within the context of these eight signings.
Our ranking runs from the worst to the best.
Without further ado, here is our progress report for Liverpool's summer signings as we approach the Premier League's 12th round of games, starting off with one downtrodden local boy.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
Rickie Lambert
1 of 8
Rickie Lambert's £4 million move to Anfield this summer was comfortingly cyclical, with the boyhood Red rejoining the club after a 17-year spell away.
On his transfer, Lambert said, per BBC Sport: "I have always dreamt of playing for Liverpool, but I did kind of think the chance of playing for them had gone. I didn't think the chance would come."
Chances have been few and far between for Lambert so far, however, playing for just 176 minutes in the Premier League, yielding zero goals and zero assists.
Lambert is bottom of the class not necessarily due to his efforts but because his bemusing lack of game time underlines the fault in Rodgers signing him as a third-choice striker.
Grade: E
Dejan Lovren
2 of 8
Lauded as a leader, as the perfect replacement for Jamie Carragher and as Rodgers' ideal "front foot defender," per the Daily Mirror, Dejan Lovren has looked far from that on Merseyside so far.
Clumsy, shaky and seemingly desperate to impress, a series of unhinged performances in the league have seen Lovren become a figure of frustration at Anfield.
Costing the club a grand £20 million, the Croatian pales in comparison to last summer's big-money, left-sided centre-back Mamadou Sakho.
Lovren receives such a poor grade not only due to his performances but the fact that Liverpool's defence is markedly worse since his signing compared to last season—and 2013/14's back line wasn't exactly Fabio Capello's Milan.
Grade: D-
Lazar Markovic
3 of 8
Just 20 years old, Serbian winger Lazar Markovic joined Liverpool in the summer in a £20 million deal and immediately heaped the pressure on himself.
Markovic claimed, per Sky Sports: "I was voted one of the best players in Serbia and Portugal and I hope I will be recognised as one of the best in the Premier League—I believe I will."
The Reds' No. 50 has so far played just 191 minutes in the league, and he has looked at odds with the added duties of a Rodgers winger, such as diligently tracking his opposing number.
Markovic has come under criticism after failing to impress so far, but there is plenty of time for the forward to impose himself—he is only 20 after all.
Grade: D+
Mario Balotelli
4 of 8
Every football fan, Liverpool and beyond, had an opinion on Mario Balotelli's move to Merseyside towards the end of the summer transfer window, but few expected the striker to replicate the form of Luis Suarez.
However, with the Reds so profligate in front of goal, the pressure on the No. 45 to succeed has amplified.
Truthfully, while his paltry two-goal return is disappointing, Balotelli's overall output has been impressive, particularly given Rodgers' insistence on deploying him in an uncomfortable lone striker role.
Balotelli recently told Fox Sports Australia (h/t Liverpool Echo) that he rates his season at a "seven [out of 10] because I run more than before," but the Italian will need to hit the net more to reach that level.
Grade: C-
Adam Lallana
5 of 8
After a BBC Sport-reported £25 million move from Southampton in the summer, much has been rightly expected of England international Adam Lallana.
Unfortunately, the 26-year-old suffered a knee injury during pre-season which delayed his Premier League debut for the Reds until the fourth game of the season.
It took time for Lallana to get into his stride, but he capped a return to form with a majestic goal in the 2-1 victory at home to West Bromwich Albion. It was the midfielder's flair in tandem with Jordan Henderson which outlined quite why Rodgers was desperate to bring him to Anfield.
Deployed in various positions across the attacking line and midfield so far, however, it can be argued that Lallana is yet to find his regular position for Liverpool, and he will struggle for consistency until this happens.
Grade: B-
Alberto Moreno
6 of 8
A £12 million signing from Sevilla, as BBC Sport reports, Spanish defender Alberto Moreno has gone on to establish himself as Liverpool's de facto first choice at left-back.
After announcing himself in style with an excellent solo goal in a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, Moreno has continued to impress with his attacking prowess.
However, a pair of high-profile errors, against Manchester City in his debut and in the 1-0 loss away to Newcastle United, have highlighted deficiencies in Moreno's game that must be worked on, and the defender has recognised this, per the Liverpool Echo.
A promising signing, but for now top of the class in terms of defence goes to another young Spaniard.
Grade: B
Javier Manquillo
7 of 8
A lower-profile signing than Moreno, the two-year loan deal that saw fellow Spaniard Javier Manquillo join the Reds from Atletico Madrid represents some more canny business from Rodgers.
Less adventurous than his compatriot, Manquillo is an example of an invaluable defensive full-back, and the 20-year-old is yet to turn in a truly disappointing performance in a Liverpool shirt.
Like most others, Manquillo's best game so far was in the 3-0 victory over Spurs, completing all four of his attempted tackles, but his consistency throughout the Premier League and the Champions League must be commended.
Rodgers must convince loanee Manquillo that his long-term future lies on Merseyside.
Grade: B+
Emre Can
8 of 8
Another signing whose initial impact was hampered by injury, German midfielder Emre Can has begun to establish himself as a truly important player for Rodgers.
Kolo Toure aside, Can came out of Liverpool's valiant eventual 1-0 loss away to Real Madrid in the Champions League with the most credit, and he continued that in the following fixture.
His opening goal in the 2-1 loss at home to Chelsea gave Liverpool hope, and it was Can's bursts from midfield which repeatedly troubled the Blues defence; these should be tentative comparisons, but there is much of Yaya Toure's game in the young midfielder.
Can supplanted Joe Allen in the midfield for that game, and he should continue as a regular fixture from now on.
Grade: A
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