Time for Liverpool to give promising youngsters a chance
by Anfield Online | Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012 | @jd77
In the space of 7 Premier League games, the reds assault on a Champions League place dwindled. Winning the League Cup, yet again, has proved to be an unlucky omen for a team's league campaign.
Admittedly three of the six defeats were against higher opposition in the league, but still, Liverpool's confidence appears to have taken so many knocks in the League that the last seven games should be used to experiment.
Liverpool's inability to fire the goals away, particularly in the first half of the season when the team was playing some dominant football - knocked player morale, and even the much heralded return of Steven Gerrard from injury has, statistically, only made things worse.
The club captain has started 10 Premier League games for the reds. We've won one.
Lucas Leiva has been by far the reds stand out player this season - the reds lost only twice in the 12 matches he started.
Fortunately, the reds have already sealed a return to European football thanks to our first trophy in 6 years. So now what for the remaining league campaign.
There will be people who suggest that the reds should stick with their current first teamers, hope they turn it around, and put on some dazzling displays in the last 7 games.
The history of the last few games suggest that it is unlikely that Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll will instantaneously turn around their poor goalscoring records. It is highly unlikely that Stewart Downing will develop the ability to beat a player or run down the wing with any pace. Steven Gerrard looks a shadow of his former self - turning up for the Merseyside derby but struggling for the rest of the time - possibly as a result of two years of sustained injuries. Craig Bellamy appears to have been in a stinker of a mood since Liverpool defeated his boyhood club Cardiff at Wembley, and Jordan Henderson appears to be struggling to adapt - especially when being played out of position.
The likes of Sterling, Suso, Coady and Eccleston are likely to be less weighed down by the misery of the first teamers performances and deserve their chance to see if they can offer something different.
It's not just those lads either. The likes of Shelvey, Flanagan and Robinson also fit in to the category of players who have seen some first team football but deserve more.
If we are going to suffer the misery of a £35M striker falling over his feet in front of an open goal - then really - what have we got to lose by giving some of our promising, and cheaper, youngsters a chance to impress.
If the reds do not bring in some of our youngsters - what signal are they sending to the Academy? That even when the first team are playing like a bunch of no-hopers - you still won't get your chance. Surely there is nothing that would give a young LFC player more drive and determination than to see some of his peers making the natural progression in to the first team?
Liverpool fans can rightly feel let down by several of our big name and big money players this year. The Anfield crowd will need a new focus when Aston Villa ride in to town on Saturday. With 6 defeats in the last 7 games, the reds have little to lose by giving youth and determination a chance, and plenty to gain.
Tags:
Conor Coady, Editorial, LFC Reserves, Nathan Eccleston, Raheem Sterling, Suso
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