In the heat of the transfer window and ‘silly season’, as it has become to be known, it’s easy to get lost in the torrent of rumours that have become the norm of recent years.
However, I think it’s important to take a step back from the madness, and spend a little time looking at the players that WILL be at the club next season – rather than those who might be.
Players of the ilk of Carlos Tevez and Mateo Kovacic would surely make this list (if on reputation in Europe alone) but, no matter how hard us fans pine for their services, nothing is guaranteed. Right now, we have to focus on reality.
The dismal performances towards the back end of the 2014-15 campaign have left many fans disheartened by the sheer thought of next season kicking off but, as ever, the show must go on.
Despite the horrendous ending, the story of last season wasn’t all bad. Okay, it was hardly a classic, but there were certainly performances that left room for optimism amongst all the angst and downright fume that is collecting at a frankly frightening rate on social media.
Individually, we have talent, that’s for certain. The job Brendan Rodgers has to do is bring this collective talent together as a single unit. Not an easy task, but far from impossible. He has already managed it once, of course.
Here are my picks for the three players I feel are most likely to have a big impact this season, as we rejoin the all-too-familiar quest for Champions League qualification.
1) Philippe Coutinho
The easiest selection by far.
For me, our little Brazilian wizard is the best footballer we currently possess, and he’s only going to get better. Providing the club waves away the inevitable ludicrous bid from Europe (even more likely if he has a great Copa America) Coutinho will be the centrepiece of our attack next season, and deservedly so.
At the tip of the diamond, there are few in the Premier League that can match him, stride for stride, and that’s testament to how far he has come since joining from Inter in the 2013 January window.
The lad clearly had potential when he arrived at Melwood two years ago, but he is well on his way to surpassing the expectations that were placed on his young shoulders. In hindsight, it’s really pretty funny that the player we all assumed was on his way from Italy was Wesley Sneijder. Ian Ayre at his smoke-screening, Harley-riding best.
The trick with Phil this year is simple. He MUST be used properly. Don’t get me wrong, he’s far from inadequate on the flanks, and he can do a job just about anywhere over the halfway line. However, a good coach always gets the very best out of his players, and in order to do that, Coutinho must be played in a position that befits the number 10 he wears on his back. In the attacking midfield role – behind two strikers – the Brazilian is nigh on unstoppable on his day. In time, these ‘days’ are only going to become more frequent.
We potentially have one of the world’s very best attacking prospects on our hands, and I’m sure he can prove that this year. His call-up to the PFA team of the year raised eyebrows this year, but he will be a staple of the side for many more years to come.
2) Mamadou Sakho
Slating the ‘clumsiness’ of the towering Frenchman is a favourite pastime of Liverpool fans online, but personally, I don’t get it.
Physically, he is perhaps our most imposing asset, and his tackling ability is outstanding at times, but because he doesn’t skip around the park with the ball at his feet with the ease of Sterling or Coutinho, many seem to have given him up as a lost cause. This baffles me.
In Sakho, we have a player that has represented his country at every level and became the youngest ever Ligue 1 captain in 2007. The man is a born leader and is arguably a fine candidate for the Liverpool captaincy – if that wasn’t a formality.
Pace, power and presence. Sakho was crucial when we reverted to three at the back last term, and will be again if that is a system that Rodgers turns to in the coming months. I love players that compete rather than simply ride along, and Sakho is the personification of that.
The big man has received his fair share of doubters since his arrival on Merseyside, but I predict he will shut plenty of them up this year. Plus, let’s not forget, for all his experience, Sakho is still only 25.
3) Emre Can
The young German oozes class, but he clearly didn’t get a fair crack last season. For all his talent, Can is not a right wing back.
German football has produced some unbelievable defensive midfielders over the last couple of decades and Emre Can could be the latest in a long line. Those who brought him through the ranks at Bayern Munich seemed to think so, and it’s tough to argue with them!
He’s not the most mobile of players, so he needs to adapt to the British game in a way that he hasn’t quite grasped yet, but he’ll get there.
In terms of the tools at his disposal, there are many. Can’s progression is very much in the hands of Brendan. If he starts to utilise him in positions where he can make an impact, without burning him out in the process, we could have a very special player on our hands.
With Gerrard gone, Lucas ageing and Joe Allen’s future in doubt, Emre Can could be seeing lots of midfield action from August.
Against some of the smaller sides in the Premier League, he will be very tough to handle, especially if he’s backed up with a decent supporting cast.
