Posts Tagged ‘Anfield’
Will England have another Europa League finalist?
Fulham so nearly gave last season a fairytale ending following a remarkable run to the Europa League final. Sadly for the Cottagers -and many neutrals - they lost to an impressive Atletico Madrid side but their experience did give the much maligned competition a boost in England.
Fulham won’t be in Europe this year so are unable to repeat their heroics but will this year’s representatives - Man City, Aston Villa and Liverpool - fare any better? Unfortunately I feel all three will have other things on their minds…
Liverpool
The Anfield club have made no secret of their desire to make their run in this competition a one-off, with the far more lucrative Champions League their main target this season. With this in mind you wonder how they would the approach the group games given their focus will undoubtedly be on the Premier League. They certainly have the quality to go far - they reached the semi-finals last season after an early Champions League exit - but it remains to be seen whether they have the desire to do so. They also face a tricky qualifying tie against Turkish outfit Trabzonspor and you wonder whether boss Roy Hodgson would see elimination as a blessing in disguise.
Man City
Similarly to Liverpool, City have their eyes on the Champions League this season after another summer of heavy spending. But the owners also want tangible reward for their investment so far, and that means trophies. With the quality of the squad at Eastlands this would be an ideal competition for them to win. Again it would be interesting to see how they approach the early group stages , provided they progress against Romanian minnows Politchnica Timisoara, but their desire to turn oil money into trophies may see them go far this year. The Europa League betting suggests they’ll do well.
Aston Villa
A steady if unspectacular pre-season has been plunged into crisis with the resignation of boss Martin O’Neill less than a week before the new season starts. They also face a tough qualifier with Rapid Vienna - the side who knocked them out at the same stage last year. You have to wonder where this competition would rank on a new manager’s priorities given that the league is where they will be judged, currently the football betting odds suggest they will struggle. If finances are tight at Villa Park then the pot of gold that is Champions League football will be seen as even more vital so I think this competition may be sacrificed early.
Tags: Anfield, Aston Villa, Atletico Madrid, Blessing In Disguise, Eastlands, Fulham, Group Games, Group Stages, Heroics, Liverpool City, Man City, Martin O Neill, Minnows, Neutrals, Oil Money, Roy Hodgson, Tangible Reward, Target, Timisoara, Trabzonspor
Liverpool job is Roy Hodgson’s biggest challenge yet
He may have held 15 different coaching positions in a 34 year career, but Roy Hodgson arguably faces his toughest job test yet at Liverpool.
The Fulham manager has agreed a two year deal to take over at Anfield and will join in time for pre-season training this week.
But he comes to a club still battered and bruised after a disastrous campaign last year which saw early exits from both domestic cups, the Champions League and a lowly 7th place finish. The Premier League 2010/2011 odds suggest they could struggle again.
Added to that is the £350million debt placed on the club by controversial owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, as well as doubts over the futures of star players Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres. You could have forgiven many a manager for not touching the job with a bargepole.
But maybe Hodgson’s calm assurance is just what they need. With so much drama going on, on and off the pitch, Hodgson’s first job could be to use his vast experience to focus the players on the task in hand.
The futures of Torres, Gerrard and Mascherano remain in doubt despite the appointment. I find it highly unlikely that all three would leave, with Torres the most likely to stay. However, any departure would boost Hodgson’s fairly meagre transfer budget, currently in the region of £15 million.
Stories linking Liverpool with Fulham players have already begun, - though I find Brade Hangeland a more realistic target than the aging if popular Danny Murphy. Hodgson is a canny enough manager to know he will have to buy a better class of player than he did at Fulham if Liverpool are to meet expectations.
He will, of course, have the full backing of the Liverpool fans regardless of whether they saw him as their first choice. But a planned protest by the Spirit of Shankly fans group this weekend highlights the deep divisions between the club and its supporters at present.
A few poor results and the atmosphere at Anfield could become poisonous as the fans direct their anger at the board, making life doubly difficult for the players. Hodgson needs hit the ground running if he is to get the club on the up again. The pressure is well and truly on.
There could even be further complications down the line. England’s World Cup odds made them third favourites for the tournament this year, but they crashed out.
If Capello hangs on, but leaves the job in a year or so Hodgson could be tempted to replace him.
Tags: Anfield, Champions League, Danny Murphy, Deep Divisions, Disastrous Campaign, Doubts, Fernando Torres, First Choice, First Job, Fulham, George Gillett, Javier Mascherano, Liverpool Fans, Pre Season Training, Premier League, Roy Hodgson, Star Players, Steven Gerrard, Target, Tom Hicks