By Derek Osafo |
Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol says that the club are paying the price for making a ‘complete hash’ of the transfer window and particularly the decision to loan striker Andy Carroll out to West Ham.
The Merseysiders are struggling in 14th place in the Premier League and the ex-Anfield star believes they are in danger of not being able to recover in this campaign.
“I am worried what might happen this season,” Nicol told talkSPORT. “It seems that every game is a big game for them because most Liverpool fans are struggling to see where they can pick up results and, more importantly, where the goals are going to come from.
They needed to add another striker, not to get rid of one and leave themselves quite as bare as they are— Steve Nicol
“Everybody has had an opinion on the last transfer window and I don’t think it is out of order to say they made a complete hash of it,” Nicol added on Sports Bar.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is facing an injury crisis after it was confirmed this week that Fabio Borini will be out of action for several months, with Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez now the only fit forward available to the Anfield boss.
And Nicol, who scored 46 goals in 468 appearance for Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, feels the shortage of options in attack could have been avoided.
“They needed to add another striker, not to get rid of one and leave themselves quite as bare as they are.
This transfer policy has me worried, I thought they would get one or two players in and make the squad stronger so that there was competition for places, but they did the complete opposite,” said Nicol.
The decision to send England international striker Carroll, a £35million signing, on loan to fellow Premier League side West Ham is one that particularly surprised Nicol.
“They got rid of Andy Carroll and didn’t bring anyone in. They have left themselves open to a suspension or injury meaning that they will have nothing up front,” stated the 50-year-old former Scotland international.
