After a couple of weeks out due to somehow managing to lose 0-3 at home to West Ham, some boring internationals and someone, somehow managing to break some guys England scoring record, we return with this weeks review of the good the bad and the downright ugly of the world's favorite footy club.
In terms of the good, we start with news that Fabio Borini has eventually signed for Sunderland in a £10m deal. For those that ever doubted, this is living proof that there is a God. The BBC reported that Liverpool also turned down bids from Watford and Inter Milan for £7m and £6m respectively. When one compares Borini as Brendan Rodgers' first signing when he arrived at the club in 2012, to his latest striker buy Christian Benteke, it's clear lessons have been learnt.
The bad in my opinion, was the selling of prospect Tiago Illori to Aston Villa albeit on loan but with an option to make it permanent. The loan fee as reported by the Daily Mail was a mere £1m, described by Villans boss Tim Sherwood as a "no brainier", is something I'd be inclined to agree with. It's almost certain the London-born 22 year-old will be sold for a snip of the original £7m price tag. Yet another example of the failings of the Liverpool FC transfer policy of buying "potential". I can only think of two current players that have fulfilled the said potential amid the graveyard of previous attempts. Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho. The others, perhaps with the exception of Emre Can, have been unmitigated disasters.
Now for the downright ugly. This has got to be Harry Redknapp's recent outburst at the Telegraph Total Football event where he calls the side "Bang average" and the "...worst Liverpool team I've seen in years..." the Telegraph went on to report that the 68 year-old ex-Tottenham manager said the team now has no characters and singled out Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren as prime examples. Bang out of order from the father of ex-fan favourite Jamie. But then, is he?
The sad truth is that he's actually right. For all the Benteke's, Roberto Firmino's, Coutinho's and James Milners', the club has no character in my eyes. There is no player to grab the team by the scruff of the neck and give them a good b&llocking (to use some good old industrial language). As much as we may not like it, Redknapp's senior was absolutely right. Bang on, to use his vernacular.
The team is lucky to be where they are in the league right now and a massive, massive improvement is required against Manchester United if the team has any ambitions of a top four place this season. Let alone achieve the manager's intention to regain the trust of the fans.
The only upside is that Chelsea, Arsenal and indeed, Manyoo have also been bang average too and Liverpool have been the best of a bad bunch. The thing is, only Arsene Wenger has been big enough to admit how poor his side have been this season.
Follow Ben on Twitter @MrBengreen
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