Liverpool FC: Our Top 10 Players This Season
Hello again. This season has been a turbulent campaign for the supporters of Liverpool FC, so imagine how the players have felt. Right now, with the news of a great manager dedicating his future to Liverpool, they must be happy.
But what makes a good manager? Decisions are made by the gaffer of course, but it's the players who make the decisions.
So, who has made the top 10 list?
I am taking everything into account: the run in and the early season games. So, Liverpool fans—or football fans in general—enjoy your read.
10. Jay Spearing
1 of 10
He's not the best looking, but he's looked good on the field. With the injury to Steven Gerrard, Jay Spearing has had to fill in the skipper's role, and he has done so admirably.
A setback in November—a broken ankle, to be precise—slowed Spearing's progress down, but since then, he hasn't looked back. He has great passing ability, vision, awareness and is still very young.
However, I must also tell you this: Steven Gerrard, Lucas and Raul Meireles will all be fit next season, one hopes. If they are, who plays?
You can't push players out wide, as we will have wingers by then. We can't push them forward without removing Andy Carroll or Luis Suarez. So, it seems two midfielders will play. It will come down to whoever plays alongside Steven Gerrard. I get the feeling that Meireles will get the nod, but in big games, don't be surprised to see Lucas.
So, I think Jay may end up out on loan.
9. Martin Kelly
2 of 10
Another young gun, then.
Martin Kelly has been branded all sorts of honours, including a kind of prophecy stating he is the next Carragher. He deserves it.
The defender is still very young, but has stepped up to the plate admirably. He has shown strength, determination and has that small advantage of being a local boy, too.
A great asset, Kelly loves to gallop down the flanks, assisting Kuyt where possible—which really helps the Dutchman, as Kelly provides much-needed pace.
I can see this man being the future Liverpool captain.
8. Jamie Carragher
3 of 10
MOVE, GOD DAMN IT!!!!
Erm, sorry Jamie, that won't work. But then again, it doesn't need to, as Carragher has shown no hesitation to put his body on the line when necessary. Maybe that's why he's gone a bit funny in the head. Joking, Carra.
Jamie has led the line out almost as many times as Gerrard has this season and has shown great leadership, as always. He makes last-ditch tackles and his experience in the back four is invaluable. He is going to be on this list however long he plays.
7. Pepe Reina
4 of 10
In contrast to the other players in this article, I am going to enlighten you primarily as to why Reina isn't further up this list.
He dropped the ball into his own net against Arsenal in the last minute. He has, at times, made Liverpool fans wonder if he is loyal to the club and has not been as good (again, at times) this season as in others.
That aside, Pepe has been good on the whole. He has shown great agility to pull off worldly saves—look at the picture—and has generally commanded the penalty area.
I hope he stays.
6. Raul Meireles
5 of 10
He is not mentally unstable, even though the picture suggests otherwise.
Raul Meireles has commanded the midfield on occasion, scoring important goals at important times—most notably at Stamford Bridge. He has developed into the Liverpool XI and is now flourishing despite a slow start.
A knack for scoring goals coupled with all the attributes necessary to be a great Premier League midfielder have seen Meireles into the list of better Portuguese midfielders.
One of my favourite players, I hope he continues to do well.
5. Steven Gerrard
6 of 10
At the moment, he can only sit out. However, when he was fit, Gerrard was brilliant—again. One need only recall a hat trick against Napoli and other great performances, which Liverpool fans have become accustomed to.
It is only the fact that he has faced injuries that has pushed him down this list. When Gerrard plays, he is arguably the best midfielder around. Under Kenny next season, you can expect Captain Fantastic to come back with aplomb, ripping defences apart along with his teammates.
Ooooh, what an exciting prospect!
4. Dirk Kuyt
7 of 10
The French Revolution, the American Revolution—this man is the Dutch Revelation. He has flourished of late, finding the net again and again. He has given Kenny something to think about, particularly when new wingers are on the horizon.
Liverpool vs. Manchester United was the highlight of this season for me personally. I sat there on my sofa, with a mate, laughing at a creme egg exploding. Then, Kuyt scored a hat trick, which made my month and probably will go down as the best Anfield match this season.
Kuyt has drastically improved and has really staked a claim to be in that starting XI next year.
3. Lucas
8 of 10
I can't stop putting Lucas in my articles. Whatever you though of my other articles, Lucas deserves to be in this one.
Since joining, Lucas never really showed his worth until now. His first touch askew, his tackling reckless, I was let down by the Brazilian. Yet now, I am pleased to see him the starting XI, though I do prefer Raul Meireles over him in most games—not all.
This season, Lucas' goalscoring form hasn't skyrocketed, but it has improved. However, it is not Lucas' job to score goals; it's to prevent them going in. Looking at it that way, Lucas has done well.
Another thing: Lucas is hardly ever injured, and so is gaining more and more game time, especially as Gerrard is spending an increasing amount of time on the sidelines.
2. Maxi Rodriguez
9 of 10
I had doubts about where to put this man, but I think I've hit the nail on the head. Maxi Rodriguez has gone unnoticed until recently, but two hat tricks in three games have recently seen his popularity rocket.
Many where calling for his head in the January transfer window, as he showed a lack of goal-scoring ability, missing sitters against the likes of Tottenham and Chelsea. My god, thank Kenny we didn't sell him.
He has now shown himself up to be an absolutely brilliant player, as well as a real goal threat. Maximum Maxi is now a scary prospect, isn't it?
Whereas his previous performances may have brought him down, I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
Our Best Player This Season Is: Luis Suarez
10 of 10
Yes, no doubt about it. Luis Suarez has been absolutely phenomenal since joining. In fact, he's been a revelation.
You ask a Liverpool fan if they would rather have Luis Suarez or Fernando Torres at the moment, the answer would be the Uruguayan.
Why? At the moment, Suarez has been in deadly form, creating more goals than scoring. It almost seems that Suarez is the sun to the Liverpool earth, in the sense that the team revolves around him. His movement creates space, for others or himself.
This is what makes him so dangerous, in fact. He also epitomises the Liverpool way—pass and move, pass and move—which is always nice from a new signing.
Well done, son.
