Liverpool FC Academy: How LFC Youngsters Will Usher in the New Golden Age

I know this is the transfer season and we're all hoping for some big names to correct certain weaknesses in depth, namely LB, LW and some cover for CB (and for God's sake not another central midfielder). 

With names like Mata, Downing and Diego being linked with moves to Liverpool FC, it’s easy to get star-struck, but let's not forget King Kenny in all this. 

"Dalglish is magic!"  Remember the jubilation at his return to the helm?  The sudden resurrection of what it meant to be part of the club, the dynasty, that is Liverpool Football Club?  But if we don't buy big for these positions, are we bound to some dark, less-than-fourth-place finish?

I think not.

Our club is bigger than any one man and, frankly, I believe in our academy.  I trust in King Kenny's ability to incorporate our young lads into the LFC ranks.  When injuries threatened our lack of depth at left and eventually right-back, we had enthusiastic and fine performances from Jack Robinson and John Flanagan.  These two 18-year-olds weren't facing mediocre wingers as opposition either. 

In the April 11th game against Manchester City, these two staved off the attack of veteran wingers Adam Johnson and James Milner.  Robinson and Flanagan are the epitome of the new ownership's mantra of young talent and building for the future.

There's that phrase: "building for the future."  That's what we're waiting for—the future.  The future when LFC's bright stars of tomorrow become LFC's bright stars of the today.  But at what point is the transition made? 

I don't insist on inserting the youngsters straight into the No. 1 spot on the depth chart.  No, but I would enjoy seeing them fill in as needed.  We already have a starting line.  A starting line that was mediocre at best under Hodgson and was quite the opposite under the reins of Dalglish. 

Here's some math just to show the difference the King makes for us.

Under Hodgson, LFC won seven EPL games, drew four and lost nine.  We earned 25 out of 60 possible points.  That's 42 percent of the total possible points.  In stark contrast, with Dalglish at the helm, LFC won 10, drew three and lost five.  We earned 33 out of 45 possible points in the league.  That's 73 percent of the the total possible points! 

So let's say we had kept that winning percentage throughout the whole of the '10/'11 EPL season.  At 73 percent throughout 38 EPL games with a possible 114 points.  That's 83 points.  Three more points than that season's eventual winners, Manchester United, which means a season-long campaign of Dalglish at the helm would have all but guaranteed Liverpool a spot in Europe if not the league title itself.

With Liverpool’s veterans mentoring the ever-growing list of bright Reds’ prospects, I have no doubt that a new era of legitimate title contenders is here to stay and prosper under Kenny Dalglish.