Carra: Roy's Reds a work in progress

01 October 2010 10:37
Jamie Carragher has warned Liverpool fans there will be no quick fix at Anfield, saying Roy Hodgson's revolution is a "work in progress".[LNB] Roy Hodgson replaced Rafa Benitez as manager after the Reds finished seventh last season but their poor form has continued into the new term.[LNB]Liverpool have won just one of their first six Premier League games and were dumped out of the Carling Cup by League Two Northampton at Anfield.[LNB]And although the Reds stayed top of their Europa League group with a hard-fought 0-0 draw at FC Utrecht on Thursday night, Carragher admitted the performance was not up to scratch.[LNB]Hodgson's men struggled to create chances and were ultimately happy with a share of the spoils - but Carragher highlighted that the club is in a transitional period.[LNB]"It's a good point," he told the Liverpool Echo. "But we all know that we can improve on the performance. In the new format of the Europa League, you've got to try to win your home games first of all.[LNB]"If you then follow up by not losing your away games, you are doing okay and that's what we have done. But we know we can get better.[LNB]"This is a work in progress. We are steadily getting there and if we can get three points at the weekend, we'll head into the two-week break looking forward to the derby."[LNB]While most Liverpool fans are eager for their American owners to sell up and move on, some have already called for Hodgson's head.[LNB]But Carragher, who played under both previous managers Gerard Houllier and Benitez, stressed that it will take time for Hodgson to turn things around.[LNB]"I know everyone thinks that when you get a new manager, you start winning every week but in Gerard Houllier's first season (1998/99) we finished seventh and in Rafa's we finished fifth (2004/05)," added the veteran defender.[LNB]"It's not always a case that when you bring in a new manager everything changes - we finished seventh last year because we were the seventh best team in the league.[LNB]"We are not all of a sudden going to be pulling up trees left, right and centre. As I said, it's a work in progress and we have to work through it."[LNB]Liverpool were fortunate to claim a 2-2 draw at home to Sunderland last Saturday and they will be eager to head into the international break on a high as they host newly-promoted Blackpool on Sunday.[LNB]"We said that we needed a win against Sunderland after the Northampton game, didn't we - every game you play for Liverpool is vital, " Carragher added.[LNB]"When you have the two-week break, you feel good if you go into it with a win and it is something that we will be looking to do.[LNB]"But Blackpool have been the story of the season. They will be desperate to make a statement at Anfield and it's up to us to match their enthusiasm."[LNB]While Carragher is not too worried by the Reds' start to life under Hodgson he does admit they must start creating more chances for Fernando Torres.[LNB]"In Europe, away from home you always want more but we've got a new manager and there have been a lot of changes," he said.[LNB]"I think Fernando had one chance and the keeper made a good save but we are not creating as much as we would like.[LNB]"But obviously at home to Blackpool we want to create a lot more chances for Fernando.[LNB]"We are not a one-man show. Torres is not always going to get the ball and beat four or five players to score but history shows if we provide him with chances you are looking at getting 25 to 30 goals a season.[LNB]"If you give him chances he will score goals - at the moment we are not providing enough, but we are only seven or eight games into the season.[LNB]"I don't think there is anything to worry about with Torres. It is up to ourselves to do more to help him."

Source: Team_Talk