RESTLESS NATIVES

                                       Restless Natives

Liverpool are on the verge of their first trip to the “New Wembley” after a great result in Manchester last week, and also right in thick of the race for a top four place, and yet amazingly many Kopites are still not happy with life. Short memories indeed, this time last year we were languishing near the bottom of the Premiership and wondering if we would avoid relegation, never mind challenging for a top four place. Even the calibre of players we had playing for us last season was worrying, with the likes of Kyrgiakos, Jovanovic and the legendary Christian Poulsen to name a few.

Kenny came into a club in such a mess not seen since Shankly arrived. Liverpool was really in a shambolic mess. Since Kenny returned the only promise he has made, is to do his very best and he has steadily and gradually made improvements over the year. Dalglish was dealt a blow in his first month in charge when he lost his star striker, but he moved swiftly to bring Carroll and Suarez in and then he used many of his younger players in the remainder of last season. Dalglish used the likes of Flanagan, Kelly, Spearing and Jack Robinson to name a few, in the first team, and showed great faith in these lads.

The improvement in the latter part of the season was amazing and Liverpool was unlucky, just missing out on European football as they climbed the league. In the summer Dalglish strengthened the squad by bringing in experienced players like Adam, Downing, Doni, Enrique, Bellamy along with youngsters with great potential in Henderson and Coates. Liverpool’s squad is certainly stronger now.

Hopes were very high at the start of the season, even talk from many supporters about winning the Premiership. But results have been a bit up and down in the first half of the season and this has led to the supporters’ frustration. Liverpool has only lost four matches in the league all season, and all away from home. But the lack of wins at home has been the biggest problem with seven draws at home, although no defeats.

But with results being up and down all season there has been criticism aimed at everyone from Dalglish to the new signings, no one has escaped. The new signings have suffered the most, with Downing , Henderson and Adam being criticised for not producing enough quality, but Andy Carroll is the biggest scapegoat. The price tag has not helped the big man or the injury which prevented him starting for so long. But with so many new players coming into the side, the supporters have to be patient for the team to gel.

Since the Stoke match the criticism on Dalglish has been ridiculous. The mood of the supporters changes from game to game. Dalglish knows this is work in progress and the supporters need to appreciate this too as results will suffer along the way. The Stoke match was probably the first match at home this season where we never created many chances and probably didn’t deserve to win. But with all the other drawn matches we have created chances galore, we just haven’t put them away leading to the frustration.

It looks like Liverpool lack a predatory striker to finish of those chances, but it is easier said than done to go out and get one when you need one. It’s not like Kenny can just go down the shops because he needs a new striker and buy one in the local shop. Kenny will be working to improve Liverpool, it’s just that he is not going to share his ideas with the public. I’m sure Dalglish knows where we need to strengthen and he will be doing everything to improve us. We are not too far away from being great again as we have proved against the top teams in the league in the last year.

The supporters have to be patient as there is no better man to get Liverpool back challenging for the title again than Kenny Dalglish.