Jordan Henderson – A New Breed For Liverpool

As an avid viewer of the English Premier League, I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know a great deal about Jordan Henderson. He didn’t particularly stand out for me over the course of the season, but it does seem that there was a reasonable amount of interest in him from some top clubs. In the end, Liverpool have signed him for a whopping £20 million, which will have taken a large chunk of their summer budget away.
Henderson was born on 17^th June 1990 and is a midfielder who was born in Sunderland. He played his youth career at Sunderland between 2006-2008 and made his debut for the senior team in 2008. He went on a loan spell at Coventry City for a season and came back to the Stadium of Light. Before his move to Liverpool, he played 71 games for Sunderland and scored 4 goals and also made his full England international debut last year.
Earlier this year in January, Jordan Henderson was placed on the official FIFA website as one of the top players to watch in 2011 and he was extremely highly rated by Sunderland manager, Steve Bruce. This evidence points to the fact that Henderson might very well have a bright future at Liverpool and it gives further emphasis on the fact that there is a change in philosophy at the club.
Could it be the case that Liverpool are going to build a squad that has mainly home-based players in it? It certainly seems so when you look at the players the club have been linked with this summer. Charlie Adam, Ashley Young, Joey Barton, Lee Cattermole and Stewart Downing have been linked with the club and whether these rumours are true or not, it does suggest that their transfer policy has changed considerably. It might also be the case that fans buying Liverpool shirt printing are mostly wanting home-based players on the back of their jerseys.
If Henderson lives up to potential, he could be a long-term midfielder for the club and might be the one to drive them onto winning trophies again. When you combine this potential with the fact that the club have already signed players like Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, it could be an exciting time to be a Liverpool fan again. Only time will tell, but you could see a completely different side in a couple of seasons and possibly one that is lifting silverware in the near future.
Written by Eddie Smith, a sports writer who also likes to blog about new replica football shirts.

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Will Liverpool Get Back Into The Champions League Next Year?

Everyone knows that Liverpool have not had a great couple of years, but since the return of Kenny Dalglish, the sale of Fernando Torres and the signings of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll that all took place in January, there has been a really positive change at the club and fans will be optimistic for what the future holds now.
You can tell the way that those wearing Liverpool football shirts are expressing themselves on the park is in a much more liberal manner, giving them more freedom to play to the best of their ability. There is still a long way to go before the team can be considered as a top four team, but depending on their signings this summer, it could be a possibility.
Liverpool have a core of key players that need to be kept for them to progress next year, including; Raul Meireles, Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard, Andy Carroll and Pepe Reina. The club have been rumoured to be looking for a new left back and Newcastle’s Jose Enrique has apparently been targeted.
Liverpool should and will be looking to improve on the wings this summer and many feel that King Kenny will sign two wingers in order to make the club more of an attacking force. Ashley Young and Stewart Downing have been rumoured as potential targets for these positions.
Given the way that Liverpool played in the 2^nd half of the 2010-11 season, it shows that they do have plenty of talent and desire to improve their league position next season. The Champions League for 2012-13 could be a realistic possibility for the club, although they will have to finish above at least two of teams with the pedigree of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham.
It is now exciting again to be a Liverpool fan and there will be a huge expectation for Kenny Dalglish to get the club back into a position they feel they are worthy of and only time will tell if that is indeed the case.
Written by Eddie Smith, a sports writer who also likes to blog about 2011/12 football kits.

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Luis Suarez tormented The Lilywhites

Maxi Rodriguez may have walked away with the match ball last night, but it was once again the performance of Luis Suarez that stole the show as Liverpool recorded a highly impressive 5-2 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage last night.
The Reds were three up inside 15 minutes as two goals from Maxi and a howler from Aussie keeper Mark Schwarzer which allowed a Dirk Kuyt shot to trickle past him left Kenny Dalglish’s men in cruise control. It wasn’t until the final 10 minutes that the Uruguayan hitman got himself on the scoresheet, but it was a goal he fully deserved.
The new Liverpool away shirt is released tomorrow ahead of what has now become a much anticipated 2011/12 campaign for the Reds, who have been revitalised since the return of club legend Dalglish.
It’s fair to say that a large percentage of the new kits sold will include Luis Suarez shirt printing, such is the impact the striker has made since joining from Ajax in the January transfer window. It would have been unthinkable just a few months ago for a Liverpool fan to believe that Fernando Torres would be a forgotten man but as the Spaniard struggles to make it into the Chelsea team, let alone justify his transfer fee, the Kop has a new favourite.
While the impact of Dalglish has undoubtedly breathed fresh life into an ailing Liverpool side, nobody epitomises the new found belief and spirit at the club than Suarez. Out of every forward in the Barclays Premier League, he must arguably be the most irritating to play against. Like a sugar-filled child at Disneyland, he simply does not give you peace for a second and buzzes about constantly, not giving his opponents time to think let alone catch breath.
Time after time, Suarez forced errors from the Fulham background and Brade Hageland can count himself lucky not to be sent off after losing out to the striker with the scores already 3-0.
With Andy Carroll to come properly into the team for the new season when he fully regains fitness, the 2011/12 campaign promises much for Liverpool supporters and with some fresh investment in the summer, the minimum the club can expect next year is to be once again competing for a Champions League spot.
Written by Eddie Smith, a sports blogger who writes about vintage football kits.

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Can Liverpool Steal 5th Spot?

As disappointing as Liverpool’s exit from the Europa League against Sporting Braga last week was, Reds fans can console themselves with the fact that for the first time in a couple of years now, there are plenty of reasons to be positive. Since the arrival of Kenny Dalglish, the fortunes of a club - who unthinkably considered the possibility of relegation just a few short months ago – have been transformed and there is cause for optimism once again at Anfield.
Just two seasons ago, Liverpool were part of the “Big Four”, a group of clubs at the top of the Premiership so dominant that we were told it couldn’t be broken into. Not only are Liverpool not in the top four anymore, they aren’t even in the top five!  It is certainly possible Liverpool can regain their Champions League place by finishing in the top four next season, but to do that, they are going to have to secure European football next season.
As he struggles to find form at Chelsea, Fernando Torres is already a forgotten man at Anfield as the Kop worship a new season. Luis Suarez shirts have been flying off the shelves ever since the Uruguayan hitman arrived at the club and wowed fans with his exciting range of skills and finishing prowess. His classy finish against Sunderland on Sunday underlined his quality and the potential he offers Liverpool.
Liverpool are still in need of more quality additions to their squad to supplement the undoubted quality of the likes of Steven Gerrard, Raul Merieles, Suarez and Andy Carroll. With new owners who have pledged to invest in the team and the feel good factor returning to the team with Dalglish, the summer certainly looks like being an exciting one for Liverpool supporters. But key to attracting players to the club is the lure of European football.
As things stand, not many would fancy Liverpool to catch Tottenham for fifth spot, with Harry Redknapp’s men sitting four points clear with a game in hand. However, the obvious distraction of Spurs Champions League quarter final with Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid could be the source that lets Liverpool creep in for an unlikely comeback.
Liverpool fans are certainly starting to believe. Sales of Liverpool football shirts complete with official football shirt printing have significantly increased since the arrival of Dalglish and victories over Chelsea, Manchester United and Sunderland have added to the confidence levels at Anfield. That setbacks will occur is undoubted, as the squad is still not deep or strong enough to show the level of consistency boss Dalglish would like.
But with Suarez in the form he is in and £35m striker Andy Carroll still to be fully integrated into the team, the signs are positive for Liverpool. It will be a tough ask to overhaul Spurs but with 24 points still to play for it is certainly a possibility.
Written by Eddie Smith, a sports writer who blogs about cheap football shirts.

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Luis Suarez – The New Hero

The 31^st of January 2011 was an extremely busy day for Liverpool football club. The club had sold Fernando Torres to rivals Chelsea for a record-breaking £50 million, which upset many fans as they saw the departure of a world class striker as a major step down and that things might look bleak for the future. Fast-forward to March and things seem very different…
On the same day that Torres left the club, Liverpool purchased both Andy Carroll from Newcastle and Luis Suarez from Ajax, who cost roughly the same combined as Torres did. Andy Carroll made his debut on Sunday and will surely offer them something different up front and Torres has not made much of an impact at Chelsea so far. On the other hand, Luis Suarez has come into the Liverpool side and already looks like he will be a fantastic acquisition.
There seems to be a new lease of life for those wearing Liverpool football shirts at the moment. A lot of this is down to the return of Kenny Dalglish to the club, but Suarez has injected more energy and buzz about the time that has not been seen for quite some time.
The Dutch league is often criticised for having a poor standard as several players have come over from the Eredivise with a fantastic goal scoring record and have completely flopped in the English Premier League. Suarez’s goal record at Ajax was 81 goals in 110 games and although it doesn’t look like he will score anywhere near that amount in England, he can offer an awful lot more than putting the ball in the back of the net.
He might actually be the perfect partner for Andy Carroll and could end up with a great amount of assists at Liverpool. There’s no doubt that the Uruguayan forward can score goals, but I think he’ll be more useful playing the way he did against Manchester United on Sunday.
Suarez seems to be able to beat a man (or four) with ease at times and with energy levels that can match Steven Gerrard, it can only be a positive sign for things to come at Liverpool. It will be very interesting to see how his partnership develops with Andy Carroll over time, especially next season. Many wondered if Suarez and Carroll combined would be better than Fernando Torres for Liverpool, but it could turn out that Suarez on his own will do more for the club.
Written by Eddie Smith, a sports writer who blogs about replica football shirts.

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Liverpool’s Changed Expectations

If you had asked Liverpool fans at the beginning of the season if they would take a 6^th place finish in the English Premier League and to get to the latter stages of the Europa League, I’m sure most would have given you a strange look. Unfortunately though, most Liverpool fans would now probably take this offer with both hands.
Liverpool had a dreadful start to the season and therefore sacked Roy Hodgson in early January. There were several changes at the club last month, including Kenny Dalglish being re-appointed as manager, the departure of Fernando Torres to Chelsea and the late signings of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. Things at Anfield do seem to have improved, but with the season so far through, there is only so much that King Kenny can do in a short space of time.
Fans will now have to be realistic in their ambitions for the rest of the season and accept that there is a lot of rebuilding needing to be done at the club. The acquisitions of Suarez and Carroll are certainly a step in the right direction and they both have youth on their side. If Liverpool can hang on to other players like Reina, Gerrard and Meireles, then there is a good spine to the team and 2 or 3 other good signings could mean that those wearing Liverpool football shirts will be able to compete for a Champions League spot next season.
After a run of four consecutive wins and also clean sheets against Wolves, Chelsea, Fulham and Stoke, fans were starting to look up the league table and fancied their chances of challenging for fourth spot in the league. Unfortunately, a home draw against Wigan has stopped this run and the task to earn a Champions League position has started to fade again. That is not to say that the team cannot get into another run of form again, but there are certainly some very tough games ahead.
Liverpool still have to play Manchester United and Manchester City at home in the next few weeks. They also have matches against Arsenal at the Emirates and a home game against Tottenham and a final day clash with Aston Villa at Villa Park. With only eleven games to go, these are four very tricky matches to win. One team from Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham are also likely to miss out on a Champions League place, which shows how tough it will be. I certainly think that with how this season has panned out for the club, a 6^th place finish for Liverpool would be regarded as a reasonable success.
They are also still in the Europa League and few would bet against Liverpool winning the trophy. Manchester City are seen as favourites at the moment, but Liverpool are certainly in with a shout. I would be interested to hear anyone else’s thoughts on this, especially Liverpool fans. Have I been too harsh or is this the consensus among Liverpool fans too?
Written by Eddie Smith, a sports writer who blog about football shirts.

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