By Mark Finlay
In what seems a remarkable twist of fate Liverpool has gone from a team that was playing beautiful attacking football to a dysfunctional side that cannot score goals yet manages to concede them at the other end.
Liverpool spent over £100 million during the summer following the sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona, and while they will be reluctant to spend money in January we have come up with a list of five players the club should sell and five they should sign if they want to turn the Reds fortunes around.
First of all Mario Balotelli has to go what ever made Rodgers buy him in the first place is reason enough to see the Northern Irishman sacked. It is obvious to all the fans that the 24-year-old is not a team player and when he comes on its all about Mario with the Italian trying to score from 35 yards out.
In should be Swansea striker Wilfried Bony who is a proven Premier League goalscorer that can play alongside Daniel Sturridge in the Liverpool attack.
Next out goalkeeper Simon Mignolet who just seems to have lost any confidence he once had despite manager Brendan Rodgers sticking with him up until last week.
In to replace the Belgium shot stopper should be Petr Cech, a proven world-class keeper who is now second fiddle at Chelsea to Thibaut Courtois, yet just as Manchester United van der Sar and Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon have shown a good keeper can play well into their 30’s.
Joe Allen has not proven himself enough in the midfield, and while he hardly ever gives the ball away it is hard to remember him providing a pass that led to a goal.
In should be Morgan Schneiderlin the one Southampton player the club decided not to sell a quality defensive midfielder that can make a poor back four look good.
Out Dejan Lovren who had a decent season with Southampton before Liverpool overpaid for the Croatian, and as we just mentioned he looked good at the Saints due to Schneiderlin, but at Liverpool he has come all undone being exposed at the back on numerous occasions, and just like Mignolet his confidence is now shot.
To replace him Liverpool need to get the kind of player that quietly gets the job done knowing all the tricks like Crystal palace defender Scott Dann who Tony Pullis signed from Blackburn Rovers in January 2014 for only £6 million.
Next out Fabio Borini who has failed to get a regular place in the Liverpool team, and if it was not for his high wages at Liverpool he would have gone to Sunderland last summer.
In his place bring back from Lille Belgium international Divock Origi who despite being only 19-years-old looks full of promise and could fit well playing with Sturridge or Bony.
Well that’s our take on how Liverpool could turn things around; let us know who you would like to see the Reds sign but more importantly which players need to move on.
