Liverpool FC: Roy Hodgson To Let Milan Jovanovic Go Next January

Roy Hodgson wants quality players at Liverpool. Apparently, Milan Jovanovic is not one of them. So much so that he will most likely be transferred in the January transfer window.

Normally, this would not be such a big deal. Players leave all the time. But the way Hodgson has handled Jovanovic since his arrival at Anfield has been nothing short of disgraceful.

When Jovanovic announced he was to come to Liverpool before the start of the World Cup, Rafa Benitez was still at the helm. He was a pacy forward who could play on the left wing and represented his country internationally. In fact, he was a standout for Serbia during the World Cup.

During the beginning of the season, Jovanovic was the left winger as Joe Cole awaited his return from suspension. He showed flashes of brilliance as he marauded opposing defenses with his silky runs. But Liverpool failed to win enough games, and he was quickly dropped to the bench and forgotten.

Fast forward to the last Europa League group stage game against Utrecht at Anfield. Jovanovic was one of the few players who actually played with some conviction and guts, despite the mess around the field. He had Liverpool's lone shot on goal.

But despite Jovanovic's pace, creativity and positional flexibility, Hodgson has refused to even give him a chance at his favored position—center forward. Ever since Week 4, Jovanovic has watched from the sidelines, and, if brought on, forced to play wide.

Now, if you look at how Roy Hodgson has treated his own buys—Christian Poulsen and Paul Konchesky—and how he plans on keeping those two failures, it is no surprise that Liverpool is stuck at ninth.

How can a player who has played so well in the few chances he was given (two goals in only seven real starts in the first 11 in all competitions) be so quickly forgotten and left to rot? On the other hand, how can someone as poor as Konchesky continue to start, without the least worry of being sold in the January transfer window? Liverpool is about passion, and Jovanovic, unlike Hodgson's pet favorites, has it.

But really, it should not be a surprise. Hodgson stresses the team formation during games more than the actual results. Jovanovic, one of the few players with pace and skill, goes against that rigid formation. Jovanovic can tear defenses apart, and potentially leave Liverpool open to counterattack. Hodgson's tactics consist of the counterattacking itself, so of course Jovanovic is not suitable for his system.

I'm not saying Jovanovic is some world beater. Far from it. But he has pace similar to that of Ryan Babel, and passion that can be rivalled only by a few Reds currently on the team. He has offered glimpses of brilliance. But he has not been given games to start, nor even ply his trade at his natural position. Just as many argue that Hodgson must be given more time before getting sacked, so it can be said Jovanovic needs more game time before he should be let go. Instead, Hodgson once again fails to inspire.