--- title: "Ste Hoare Speaks To Ben Lyttleton" canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/articles/ste-hoare-speaks-to-ben-lyttleton/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" author: "Ste Hoare" section: "Articles" published: "2013-03-08T21:00:39Z" modified: "2013-08-23T14:53:29Z" --- # Ste Hoare Speaks To Ben Lyttleton **In the latest of our interviews with various sports journalists, TBT brings to you an interview with Ben Lyttleton. Ben is a football writer and broadcaster who has written for numerous publications such as The Times, The Guardian, The Sunday Telegraph, The Mail on Sunday, Sports Illustrated, The Blizzard, Champions and FourFourTwo.  He is also co-founder of Soccernomics, and also helped set up and run the pickourteam.com website. You can find out more about Ben and his work by following him on Twitter @Benlyt.** **Ste Hoare caught up with Ben to get his thoughts on the latest developments at Liverpool FC.** \[divider style=”tiny”\]\[/divider\] **Q1. How would you sum up Liverpool’s season so far?** As expected, to be honest, especially after the mess of the transfers in the final week of August. Without a viable partner for Luis Suarez, Liverpool were always going to struggle for goals and that was proven, without being rectified until  Daniel Sturridge joined in January and started banging them in. The Sturridge snafu was interesting though, as it was the first test that owners FSG had with Brendan Rodgers as coach: in August, it was my impression that Rodgers wanted Dempsey, but the owners did not want to pay what he was asking, so they put their foot down. This may have frustrated fans but, not so long ago, Liverpool signed Joe Cole, and look how that went. So FSG won that battle: in the short-term it hurt the team, but it also protected the club. Since January, there have been more reasons for optimism as goals have been easier to come by and I think Liverpool will end the season on a high. **Q2. What about the depth of the squad; is there anything missing in your opinion?** There are at least five squads better than Liverpool’s at the moment – all of the teams above them, except Everton. There is plenty missing: I would say they need a new goalkeeper, at least one centre-back, a left-back, a striker and a winger. There are players out there that can improve them, but Liverpool’s problem in the past has been identifying them. I was very wary when the first two players Rodgers signed were Fabio Borini and Joe Allen: to me that sent out a message that he needed his own people around him, and could only work with a certain type of player. When Steven Gerrard gave an interview and spoke about not paying attention to passing completion stats because anyone can pass sideways and fans want more, I thought it was a direct challenge to Allen. That’s the danger of signing players that follow the coach. That doesn’t answer the question of the squad, though. There is plenty missing but it can be solved. **Q3. Jamie Carragher, he’s retiring at the end of the season. How would you describe Jamie’s career and how do you see Liverpool doing without him?** Wow, how to describe Carragher’s career? He’s been immense, huge, fantastic, what can I say? I think he has also handled his retirement really well – revealing it last month so no-one asks any more questions about it, that was a good move. When he has played he has not looked his age or made any major rickets (Zenit aside). I guess he’d say he never had any pace to lose anyway. I think the bigger loss for Liverpool will not be on the pitch, where Skrtel and Agger – when on form – are better, but around the club, as a leader, as a role model; someone for the young players to look up to. FSG need to make sure he stays at Anfield for a long time once the season is over. I’ve not seen anything about what his plans are (maybe a pundit to take on Gary Neville?) but if they don’t make a big effort to keep him, it will be their loss. **Q4. Keeping on the theme of the defence, Liverpool have looked quite shaky at the back for periods this season. What would you put this down to and what can be done to sort the problems?** All sorts of reasons. They missed Lucas when he was injured and he is a crucial part of the team. The full-backs have chopped and changed. Reina has been on a downwards curve for the last 2 years. None of these in isolation are disastrous but chuck them together and you have problems. **Q5. How big could the signing of Daniel Sturridge be for Liverpool?** As big as a £12m striker, who thinks he’s worth twice ,that can be. Sturridge knows this is his last chance at a big club and I like him, his partnership with Suarez has been excellent and exciting and I haven’t seen him play this well since he was at Bolton with guaranteed games under Owen Coyle. He can be a 20-goal a season striker which will soften the blow if Suarez leaves. Speaking of which… **Q6. Luis Suarez is a world class player and he’ll be wanted by numerous clubs. Can you realistically see Liverpool being able to keep him for a long period of time?** The answer is no. I say it with no great pleasure but Suarez is a player who is among the top 5 strikers in world football and he is not in the Champions League once again. Is he close to the Champions League? That’s the question he has to answer this summer: I would say not particularly, although he is closer than this time last season. Of the teams above Liverpool, I can see City and Chelsea strengthening a lot in the summer (Cavani and Falcao perhaps?), and Spurs continuing their progress. Arsenal might be a team for Liverpool to overtake, and probably Everton, but that depends on how well they spend the money they will get for Fellaini. I’m not sure how Suarez can look at this team and think, ‘Ah well, it’s okay, I won’t be in the Champions League next season but I will be in the season after.’ It may be that he’ll start next season at Liverpool and take a decision in January: or that PSG offer £45m for him this summer, in which FSG should sell him (and then make sure they don’t buy another Andy Carroll with the money). **Q7. FSG took over Liverpool in October 2011. Since then they’ve made two managerial changes, paid some pretty high transfer fees and look to have decided upon regenerating Anfield. How would you assess their time as owners of Liverpool?** The key thing is that they are not Hicks and Gillett, and that is the good news. I am pretty sure they have found it tougher than they expected. Eventually they will be judged on making the stadium redevelopment happen and helping Liverpool get back into the Champions League. Most owners are judged on the one most public decision they have to take and that is who is their coach, as he is the mouthpiece for the club. I’m not convinced that Rodgers was their first choice but never mind, they are moving in the right direction and they are stuck with him for another year at least. But if Mourinho said, ‘Okay guys I want to come to Liverpool,’ I think FSG should take him (I know, it’s unlikely to happen but just imagine the reaction of Chelsea fans and then enjoy it!). I just don’t think Rodgers is a top-four coach or, if he is, he is not one yet. **Q8. What would your expectations be for the remainder of Liverpool’s season?** The team is in a great run of form and it’s the perfect time for it. If Liverpool can even finish sixth and get ahead of Everton, you would have to say that is success. The next ten games have to be about overhauling the Blues, who are three points ahead, not getting past Chelsea who are ten points ahead. That’s one of the issues the club has had I think – the fans’ expectations are that playing in the Champions League and reaching semi-finals, as it did when Rafa was there, are the norm, and they are not. They are the golden days and when you have such a damaging spell as when Hicks & Gillett were there, it takes years and years to get back to it, if indeed you can. Liverpool may yet do that, but it needs to happen with small steps. Oh god, I sound like Brendan Rodgers now. What have you done to me?!