Soccerphile Editorial - December 2013
Liverpool on the Rise
Brendan Rodgers is beginning to show signs of warming to the task of returning Liverpool to their heyday of the late 1970s and 1980s on and off the field.
As if sitting pretty is second place in the Premier League table wasn't satisfying enough for long-suffering Reds fans and club owners FSG, the manner in which Rodgers' pacy, direct side dismantled Tottenham last weekend was reminiscent of Liverpool's previous all-conquering generation.
Their five-star showing at White Hart Lane last Sunday made it a total of 15 goals in four Premier League matches throughout December thus far, with troubled Cardiff City the next potential victims to visit Liverpool this weekend.
What's more the latest news emanating from Anfield is that Luis Suarez has agreed a new four-and-a-half year contract extension after scoring 17 goals in 11 Premier League starts this season.
However, it's not only on the pitch that Rodgers is demonstrating his suitability to the challenge of rebuilding LFC.
The Northern Irishman is clearly feeling right at home in all aspects of his Liverpool mission judging by his eagerness to weigh into the debate encircling Malky Mackay, Cardiff's manager at the time of writing and a long-time colleague of Rodgers going back to their days as manager and first-team coach of Watford in 2008/09.
Rodgers felt secure enough in his position at Anfield to this week risk both a sly dig at the fierce rivals of his former employers Swansea City, a club he remains deeply affectionate about, and publicly support Mackay, who has been handed the unenviable ultimatum of “resign or be sacked” by the club's owner, Vincent Tan.
Tan, let's recall, recently changed Cardiff's traditional home colours from blue (they are the Bluebirds after all) to red in the name of global marketing (Hull City fans be aware) and he has also been accused of trying to influence team selections during matches.
Rodgers was forthright in claiming that Tan obviously knows nothing about football by trying to force out Mackay over what amounts to a minor disagreement about the players necessary to bolster the Cardiff squad in January.
The Liverpool boss has no such in-house tension with his American owners after an encouraging first full calendar year in charge of the Reds.
Indeed, he is right to feel happy about his work throughout 2013, where despite the uncertainty over Suarez during the summer transfer window and the absence of his No. 1 striker for the opening five games, his Liverpool side has surprised and excited in equal measures.
Rodgers has made some bold decisions during this brief tenure at Anfield, with letting Andy Carroll join West Ham earlier this year in a case in point that has allowed Suarez to flourish as the side's central striker.
While he's also made light of being hampered by injuries and absences, not only to Suarez but also to the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge and, currently, captain Steven Gerrard.
However, crucially, Rodgers has also coaxed performances from some of the players he deemed surplus to requirements at the beginning of his tenure.
Jordan Henderson is an excellent example.
Henderson was a player Rodgers felt happy to let leave the club when he became Liverpool manager last year, but the former Sunderland midfielder has proven his many detractors wrong and might be considered to be an outside bet for a World Cup berth if he continues to add greater poise and precision to his obvious dynamism in midfield.
The rebirth of Henderson under Rodgers this season typifies Liverpool's growth, and Reds supporters will be hoping they continue on their upward trajectory in 2014.
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