Source: Liverpool_Echo
Liverpool FC fringe players must rise to the challenge
HAVING written Liverpool off as a two-man team last season, a succession of pundits now appear to have backtracked.
They have been queuing up this week to dismiss the Reds' Premier League title hopes before a ball has even been kicked.
The usual talk about Rafa Benitez's side being far too reliant on Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard has been replaced by 'experts' bemoaning the departure of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid.
The argument goes that Alonso was the lynchpin of the side and the man largely responsible for the club record Premier League haul of 86 points.
Now without doubt the Spaniard will be sorely missed at Anfield. He was a class act and one of the best passers of a ball to ever pull on a red shirt, but he was no match-winner.
Alonso didn't hurt teams in the final third and that's where Liverpool have to improve this season if they are going to make the leap from challengers to champions.
Javier Mascherano is there to do the dirty work and alongside him the Reds need someone with an attacking threat to turn painful draws into victories.
Lucas maybe much maligned by a section of fans, but while £20million man Alberto Aquilani regains fitness opportunity knocks for the Brazilian to silence the doubters and prove he's up to the task.
Of course last season's heroics also put to bed the argument that Torres and Gerrard carry the rest.
