Liverpool ended their league campaign with a disappointing away defeat at the Liberty Stadium to finish the season in 8th position.
Despite going all the way to the final in both domestic cups, the reds will look back on a disappointing campaign in the league. The reds away performances, whilst not spectacular, have not been the reds main problem this season. Nine home draws alone at Anfield have cost the reds 18 points. 18 points alone that would have been the difference between 8th and finishing in 3rd place.
Liverpool were without Martin Skrtel, widely acknowledged as the reds player of the season, and club captain Steven Gerrard all missed out through injury. Pepe Reina also missed out through illness - allowing Doni another start in goal. Left back Jose Enrique was only fit enough for the bench after missing the victory over Chelsea in midweek.
It was a game of two halves at the Liberty Stadium, with Swansea having the better first half chances whilst the reds were in the driving seat for most of the second half, until four minutes from time when Swansea grabbed the games only goal.
The reds first warning came when Doni picked up a backpass from Andy Carroll. Liverpool dealt well with the free kick from inside the area.
Rodriguez had a chance at the other end, in what will be his Liverpool swansong, but he fired wide.
Sigurdsson, Swansea's most dangerous player, fired a free kick goalbound but it was tipped around the post by Doni.
Second half and Liverpool were the more dominant. Henderson seeing his shot saved, before Carroll's acrobatic overhead kick was also stopped by Vorm.
But against the Liverpool pressure, Danny Graham fired home with just four minutes left on the clock to end the season on a high for the Swans, and a disappointing defeat for Liverpool.
Liverpool won't have too much time over the summer, as the return to European football will start early - the reds enter the Europa League in the 3rd qualifying round.
Many of the reds signings last summer have failed to reach the standard expected. The club will be hoping for much better transfer success in the summer ahead.
People need to lay off Kenny. After some results we’ve had this season and some individual performances, it’s clear we can compete when we fancy it. Clearly some players have let the boss down badly at times this season. I personally do not agree that a manger should be sacked after a trophy winning campaign that yielded a return to Europe regardless of the league disappointment. Kenny deserves at least one more season to improve the league form of this season. If it’s still poor after that then fine, I’m sure Kenny will walk before he’s pushed.
With the exception of Downing, there’s potential in each of Kenny’s signings. We should remember that we are no longer a top 4 club and weren’t before Kenny took up the reigns, so he shouldn’t be blamed for ‘making us a mid table team’ as some fans have. We already were one. It’s largely because of this that we’re buying players with potential. We can’t attract nor afford established world stars. The media like to tell us that Kenny has spent >£100 m on players but the truth is our net spend is only ~£35 m (do the sums if you’re unsure). Hardly a large outlay by today’s standards. The game has changed markedly wiht regard to transfers. Years ago, teams would buy players after they’d had several years playing at a good level in somebody’s first team before the likes of Liverpool would come calling. For example, Beardsley was a record transfer for us in 1987, but he’d already had several full seasons at Newcastle and played in a WC for England before we got him. Barnes was the same. These days, all clubs take players as soon as they show some potential. Even the biggest clubs do it. Man Utd took Phil Jones based on potential – it’d have to be because he’s looked lost at times for them, particulalry when deployed in centre midfield at Anfield (yes it’s not just our manager that makes tactical errors). In pevious years you were buying established stars, hence these players could fit right in and quickly. Why else did the 87 – 88 team gel so quickly? Probably because it wasn’t full of rookies. They were established international players. Therefore we may have to wait a few years before Hendo, Shelvey (Kenny was instrumental in bringing him to the club) Carroll etc start to establish themselves.
It’d also be worth remembering how the one man we all despise got to where he is right now. Alex Ferguson’s first four league finishes at Utd were 11th, 2nd, 11th, 13th having spent far more in relative terms than Kenny has today. All Fergie had to show was 1 FA Cup and one top half of the table finish in 4 seasons. Hardly sure signs of progress, but they were being made as history has since shown us. Yes Fergie also signed some expensive garbage too – Jim Leighton, Neil Webb, Danny Wallace all spring to mind.
Hopeless, rubbish and garbage are a few words that come to mind. What’s even worse is Kenny’s often sarcastic attitude and mind games where he constantly attempts to downplay things.
Kenny can’t motivate the team and has signed players like Adam and Henderson who never will be Liverpool class. Still very weak on the wing and lack a goalscorer.
A great player he may have been but his outdated style of Football is not what we need rather a high pressing game with flair is how the top teams play these days. Hope Kenny is sacked because he’s wasted million’s of £££ on complete dud’s!
If we get carried away with all the emotion that comes with Kenny then we”ll sink even lower ending up being relegated!!.
Result says it all really , awful awful season