5 Bold Decisions to Get Liverpool Back on Track in 2015
The contrast in fortunes for Liverpool from the beginning of 2014 to its end is remarkably miserable, and manager Brendan Rodgers must make some bold decisions to get his side back on track in 2015.
After Boxing Day's fortunate 1-0 victory over Burnley, Liverpool sit in ninth place in the Premier League table, seven points from fourth-placed Southampton.
As Rodgers has previously stated, per Phil McNulty of BBC Sport, he believes Liverpool can still "challenge for the top four."
That must be the target, but to do so an overhaul is required.
Here are five bold decisions Brendan Rodgers must make to get Liverpool back on track as we head into 2015.
Sign Petr Cech
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Having embroiled himself in a goalkeeping confusion, with neither previous first-choice Simon Mignolet or replacement Brad Jones performing when called upon this season, Rodgers must start January by signing a new No. 1.
That man should be Chelsea custodian Petr Cech.
Having been sidelined by the imperious Thibaut Courtois this season, Cech is reportedly willing to make the move to Merseyside.
The 32-year-old's agent Viktor Kolar recently claimed, per Darren Lewis of the Mirror, that "Liverpool need to strengthen their position in goal and they know Petr will be available in the summer."
While Kolar references a summer availability, as Bleacher Report's Matt Ladson wrote: "Liverpool should be doing as much as possible to at least attempt [a January move]."
A bold move by Liverpool would be to throw the chequebook at Chelsea to attain long-term stability.
Drop Dejan Lovren, Replace Martin Skrtel
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Another of Liverpool's biggest issues this season has been a glaring lack of quality at centre-back.
Having signed Dejan Lovren from Southampton in a £20 million move this summer, this is an alarming feature.
The Liverpool No. 6 has contributed to much of Rodgers' defensive woes this season—having made six defensive errors so far this season, per Squawka, Lovren is Liverpool's least reliable central defender.
In second place for this unenviable award is Lovren's regular centre-back partner, Martin Skrtel, who has made four defensive errors.
Rodgers must address their unreliability in January, and assess their long-term futures at the club.
Lovren already has an exceptional replacement at the club in Mamadou Sakho—a cultured centre-back with an aggressive defensive style.
With Skrtel currently unchallenged—aside from Kolo Toure who, at 33, is unlikely to represent a long-term option—signing a replacement for the Slovak in January would be a bold but necessary move for Liverpool.
For 2015, Rodgers must drop Lovren for Sakho, and sign a long-term replacement for Skrtel.
Regularly Rest Steven Gerrard, Start Emre Can
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Steven Gerrard has played 18 Premier League games for Liverpool so far this season, totalling a remarkable 1,479 minutes.
This has taken its toll on the Reds captain, who has struggled with the intensity of a congested fixture list.
Rather than rely on a 34-year-old Gerrard in 2015, Rodgers should make the bold move and begin to phase out his contributions, by regularly resting the midfielder and presiding over a new, bit-part role.
In Gerrard's place should be summer signing Emre Can.
The 20-year-old midfielder has barely featured for Liverpool in the Premier League this season, making just three starts and playing a total of 317 minutes.
However, when Rodgers has opted to utilise the German, Can has excelled.
A strong, powerful option for Liverpool in a deep-lying role—with comparisons to a young Yaya Toure arguably justified—Can should become Rodgers' first choice at the base of his midfield in 2015.
Out with the old; in with the new.
Sell Mario Balotelli, Sign Big-Money Forward
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Rodgers' recent comments, per the Liverpool Echo's Neil Jones, that Balotelli is "someone who is better in and around the box. [Liverpool's] level of intensity and pressing is not part of his game," adds fuel to the fire that the controversial striker is unwanted by the Liverpool manager.
This comes after his previous assertion, per Andy Hunter of The Guardian, that "Mario was the one right at the very end [of the transfer window] who was available [for the right price]."
Rodgers continued: "I said when he came in that it was a calculated risk."
Having failed to score in 10 Premier League games, Balotelli has seemingly fallen behind Raheem Sterling and Friday's substitute Rickie Lambert in the pecking order for Liverpool strikers.
Rodgers must consolidate his transfer mistake and sell Balotelli in January.
But in doing so, Liverpool must replace him with another big-name striker.
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, per the Express, has been tentatively linked with a move to Merseyside recently.
While this is highly unlikely, Liverpool must be pushing for a striker of Benzema's calibre.
Signing a top-class striker, able to adhere to Rodgers' intensive, pressing system, would boost Liverpool's top-four prospects and compensate for a regularly injured Daniel Sturridge.
Reshuffle Backroom Staff
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Earlier this season, Rodgers refuted claims that his side required a recognised defensive coach in order to shake up their unreliable back line.
According to Kieran Gill of the Daily Mail, Rodgers claimed there is "no chance of us bringing in a defensive coach."
This is despite, as Gill assessed, an abundance of coaching input into every Premier League side's defensive setup.
As issues with the likes of Lovren and Skrtel continue at the back, this just goes to highlight how there remains a glaring lack of experience and depth in Liverpool's backroom staff.
Liverpool must begin 2015 with a shake up of Rodgers' staff; a dearth of experience in current first-team aides Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh, for example, must surely be a factor in Liverpool's inability to gain a foothold in the Champions League this season.
Furthermore, as Duncan Castles highlighted for Bleacher Report, there are glaring holes in Liverpool's transfer committee.
Castles asked how said committee could spend "£215 million on transfer and loan fees and sign 24 footballers but end up with only two who have significantly improved" the side—those being Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho.
Owners Fenway Sports Group must step in as Liverpool enter 2015, and provide Rodgers with an experienced backroom staff and a more astute transfer setup.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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