Liverpool Transfer News: Squad Left Incomplete at Deadline

While several teams made dramatic moves at the August transfer window deadline (Tottenham and Arsenal, for example), Liverpool FC manager Kenny Dalglish stood by and watched his already shallow squad become even thinner.

The starting 11 look fantastic early in the season and have Liverpool ready to return to the top four. Recent signings Jose Enrique, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing have shined alongside fellow newbies Jordan Henderson and Andy Carroll, who haven't quite found their form yet. The fresh signing of towering center back Sebastian Coates makes the Reds two-deep at each defensive position, a must for a grueling EPL campaign.

Beyond the back line, however, Reds fans should pray for an injury-free season.

In the mid and front thirds of the pitch, the team is supported by very little. The midfield lost three start-worthy players in Joe Cole (Lille), Alberto Aquilani (AC Milan) and Raul Meireles (Chelsea). Dalglish made a lateral move (at best) by replacing want-away third striker David N'gog with aging journeyman Craig Bellamy.

Depth was the key issue going into the final day of transfers for Liverpool, and the club sat idly by. Not only did they watch their midfield get depleted of quality reserves, the squad watched possible valuable additions get snatched by more aggressive clubs.

A deal looked to be in place early on with Chelsea, as Raul Meireles was being offered for attacking midfielder Yossi Benayoun and young striker Daniel Sturridge. This would have been a perfect move, but the deal fell through. Dalglish lost Meireles eventually to the Blues, but got nothing in return besides more cash.

This is the time of year when players get deer-eyed at the chance of playing Champion’s League football, something Liverpool cannot give this season. Look for the Reds to make a much bigger splash in the next transfer window if they are still near the top of the table.

If the team avoids injuries, they will do just that, but a few scratches at the wrong roster spot will have the balsa-wood support beams underneath the first 11 breaking in tremendous fashion.