Source: Team_Talk
Roy will get it right for Reds
The Roy Hodgson era has begun under testing conditions at Anfield but TEAMtalk's James Marshment urges Liverpool fans to keep the faith.[LNB] We do enjoy a bit of banter in TEAMtalk Towers and you have to be pretty thick-skinned if the team you support is on the ropes or suffers a shock result.[LNB]So when TEAMtalk's resident Liverpool fan Sam Nightingale was told to "show some dignity" on Wednesday night by colleague Rob McCarthy when he leapt off his chair to celebrate their extra-time equaliser against Northampton, the former probably knew in hindsight it was no bad thing that Thursday happened to be his day off this week.[LNB]That became even more apparent once the Cobblers produced the shock of the round by going on to defeat their Premier League hosts in the penalty shoot-out to book their place in the fourth round of the competition.[LNB]We're only a matter of weeks into the season, but I'm astonished by the number of Your Says we are getting calling for the Reds to show Roy Hodgson the door.[LNB]True, it has been a disappointing start to the campaign and Wednesday's cup exit - from a tournament Liverpool would have had realistic hopes of winning - surmises what has been a dreadful opening to Hodgson era.[LNB]But I'd argue that the rot at Anfield had long set in before Hodgson arrived this summer - and coupled with a lack of cash to invest in a squad that drastically needed (and still needs) improving - this was always going to be a tough season for the Reds.[LNB]OK, so there are sub-plots at Anfield (Torres' lack of form; where best to play Stevie G and Joe Cole; the ongoing takeover saga) which have all contributed to the upheaval and uncertainty surrounding the club. But I think it's far too early to start labelling this a 'crisis' at Anfield and certainly way too premature for fans to start calling for Hodgson's head.[LNB]Given time, Hodgson will be able to turn Liverpool around and get the club back towards the upper reaches of the Premier League. I'm not saying they will finish in the top four, but I do expect a top-six finish and the Reds to make a decent fist of things in the Europa League, where they are quite rightly amongst the favourites to triumph next May.[LNB]Hodgson has enormous experience in the game and too much coaching acumen for their slide not to be arrested sooner rather than later. And once new signings Paul Konchesky (a dependable, if unspectacular left-back) and Raul Meireles (a solid defensive midfielder, and in my mind a great foil for Gerrard in the centre of the park) settle in, then results will begin to improve.[LNB]Admittedly, I would like the Torres conundrum to be solved as soon as possible (as a football fan, I hate to see the league's best players playing as a shadow of their former selves). I would like either club or player to come clean over what's eating the Spaniard, because he just doesn't look like he's enjoying his football right now (either that, or he's being forced to play with some kind of injury, which is tantamount to the same thing). Either way, I think this needs to be addressed as soon as possible.[LNB]However, such is the lack of quality cover Liverpool have in attack, an enforced spell out of the side is not a luxury the Reds can afford to take with Torres. As a result of that, I was really surprised the club did not go hell for leather to sign a quality frontman to play off the Spaniard this summer.[LNB]The again, financial constraints were most probably against Hodgson and I'm sure a striker would have been signed if he were allowed. And the Reds gaffer will no doubt need to be at his persuasive best when asking the money men to release the purse strings in January.[LNB]Whether Hodgson does get the green light to sign the striker they are so desperately in need of this winter remains to be seen - and much will depend on any takeover of the club going through in time. At this stage, that seems unlikely after a plethora of potential suitors have fallen by the wayside in the 'race' to take over the Reds.[LNB]Either way, Hodgson, I believe, is being handicapped by club politics. He's stepped into a club which, quite rightly, has high expectations, but at present just does not have the infrastructure in place to make the delivery of that success 100% plausible.[LNB]But he's not turned into a bad manager overnight (his achievements at Fulham and the fact that he's been employed by Inter Milan tell you all you need to know), and I'd urge Liverpool fans to stand by their man and judge him over the course of a season at the absolute least.
