Which Fringe Players To Be Loaned, Sold or Retained?
Each footballer’s pathway requires a specific and unique approach when starting out at any elite club. So many young prodigies and supposed generational talents will always emerge, yet can be lost within the shuffle of upper tier entities. With the need for success now so desperate, we are witnessing managers come and go, as frequent as the campaigns pass. Footballing ideologies and the willingness to immerse academy products, can be differing and forever dependent on who is the current holder …
Rob Jones - An Exceptional Fullback
The position of fullback has perhaps seen the biggest evolution over the last few decades, especially at Anfield. The current versions are an attacking force of nature, with Andy Robertson’s endeavour and willing a delight to behold. On the opposite flank, Trent Alexander Arnold has become an absolute revelation, and sits firmly as the world's best attacking fullback.
The periods before our current pair (and able backups) were often uninspired. To concentrate on the right sided fullback area, it was …
The What Could Have Been Liverpool XI: The Defence
There have been several players in Liverpool's recent past who have enjoyed the best football of their careers at Anfield and inscribed themselves into the club's history with memorable performances.
Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Fernando Torres -- to name but three -- either spent all of their careers or, in Gerrard's case as good as, with the Reds or -- with Torres as an example -- enjoyed their career-best runs of form in a Liverpool shirt.
There have been …
The Souness Years - In Their Own Words (Part 8) - Thank Evans, it's over!
This is the eighth and final instalment of our Souness Years series, looking behind-the-scenes of what went on at Liverpool during the Souness era of the early 90s.
You can find the first seven parts here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7
STEVE NICOL: On a positive note, he did introduce two of Liverpool’s greatest players in the modern era into the first team – Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman.
ROBBIE FOWLER: Macca, Rob Jones, Mike …
The Souness Years - In Their Own Words (Part 7) - Temper, Temper
This is the seventh instalment of our Souness Years series, looking behind-the-scenes of what went on at Liverpool during the Souness era of the early 90s.
You can find the first six parts here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
IAN RUSH: He had learned a lot from his time in Italy, and was introducing ideas and methods that just about every manager since has adopted. Wenger changed the training, diet and lifestyle of Arsenal when he …
The Souness Years - In Their Own Words (Part 6) - Ahead of his Time?
This is the sixth instalment of our Souness Years series, looking behind-the-scenes of what went on at Liverpool during the Souness era of the early 90s.
You can find the first five parts here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
ROY EVANS: I tried to talk Graeme out of sacking Thommo. I told him to get him in the office, sit him down and have the whole thing out, face to face. Both of them could have got …
The Souness Years - In Their Own Words (Part 5) - The Unforgivable Interview
This is the fifth instalment of our Souness Years series, looking behind-the-scenes of what went on at Liverpool during the Souness era of the early 90s.
You can find the first four parts here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
RONNIE WHELAN: Dicks and Ruddock were bought because Souey wanted strong, hard men in his team. And that’s fine – Souey was a strong, hard man too. But he was a top-class ball-player as well.
JAN MOLBY: As a …
The Souness Years - In Their Own Words (Part 4) - More Transfer Woe for the Reds
This is the fourth instalment of our Souness Years series, looking behind-the-scenes of what went on at Liverpool during the Souness era of the early 90s. You can find the first three parts here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
GRAEME SOUNESS: I bought Paul Stewart to provide the muscle in midfield. He moved to Spurs and they converted him into a midfield player.
JAMIE CARRAGHER: He welcomed me into the reserve side with a ‘What the fuck are you doing …
The Souness Years - Rebuilding & Rob Jones (Part 3)
In this third instalment of our Souness Years series, we delve deeper into the behind-the-scenes activities during the turbulent Souness era of the early 90s. You can find the first two parts here: Part 1 Part 2
RONNIE WHELAN: You had a team now that wasn’t stable and united. There was a lot of individual play. Different players were doing different things. They weren’t fitting into a system.
JOHN BARNES: When Kenny bought me and Peter Beardsley into the side, …
The Souness Years - In Their Own Words: Part 2 - Too Much Too Soon?
In this second instalment of our Souness Years series, we delve deeper into the behind-the-scenes activities during the turbulent Souness era of the early 90s. Part 1 - The Souness Years: In Their Own Words - The Change of Guard was released earlier this week.
GRAEME SOUNESS: McMahon and Beardsley came into my office and hinted they were ready to move on unless there were guarantees of regular first-team football and improved terms to go with it. I was impetuous …