Matty
Well-Known Member
superseiyan said:
Liverpool had a unique set of advantages this season that they will not be able to exploit next season:-
1 - They played substantially less games than the other Champion's League qualifying sides. The likes of City, Chelsea and Arsenal played in the region of 56/57 games this season, Liverpool played just 43. This allowed Liverpool the luxury of resting players during midweeks, preparing all week for the next Premier League game, free from the preparation, training and travel associated with European football. It also allowed Liverpool to forgo the, now essential, squad rotation that those additional 15 or so matches would have forced. Suarez played virtually every minute of every game (once he returned from his enforced absence at the start of the season), this was noticeable in the last few games where he look emotionally, and physically, drained and not the same player as a few months before. Imagine that situation, but add 15 games on top, it's just impossible for someone to remain sharp and fit for that entire period.
2 - Based on their 7th place finish in the 2012/13 season no-one thought anything of Liverpool when it came to their title chances last season, it was only when they started their post Christmas run of victories that their name was being included in the title race, and even then as long shots until the last couple of months. This meant there was no pressure at all on the players, they could play with freedom, uninhibited by expectation.
There are a few reasons why you could reasonably expect Chelsea, City and United (presumably) to progress next season, and Liverpool not to do so by as great a margin (they may progress, they may stay still, or they may regress, but I simply can't see them taking the leap needed to challenge for the title again).
Firstly, assuming Van Gaal joins United, they alongside City and Chelsea will have vastly experienced managers, skilled in building squads, tactics, and organizing their sides, both offensively and defensively. Rodgers is not, as yet, hugely experienced (he's never managed a side in Europe) and his tactics last season defensively left a lot to be desired.
Secondly, in City and Chelsea's cases, the squad quality and depth is already there, it will be a case of a few additions and tweaks to get the squad right. Liverpool need far more sweeping changes, the squad depth simply isn't there, and there are some in the starting 11 that may well have just had their career years. The defense needs a serious look at it.
Thirdly, in United's case they will have all the advantages this coming season that Liverpool just experienced. They will be under the radar, as many will expect them to struggle, and they will have a handful of games compared to their rivals, as they aren't in Europe.
Fourthly, in City's case, we won the league despite missing some key players for sizeable periods of time. Silva, Nasri, Kompany and Toure all missed at least a month of the season, in some cases more than that. Aguero, despite scoring 28 goals, missed 3 months all told, and Jovetic was hampered by injuries throughout the season. Even if only half of those players have full seasons with us the improvement to our fortunes will be measurable.