The return of Kenny Dalglish as the manager of Liverpool Football Club last January has started a resurgence at Anfield. The ‘King’ is looking forward to take the Reds back to their glory days, who have not won a Premier League title ever since he ended his first stint as the club’s gaffer two decades ago.
Has Kenny Dalglish formed the best midfield in the Premier League?
With the new season nearing, Dalglish has been very active in the summer transfer window thanks to the support from the club’s visionary American owners John W Henry and Tom Werner. So far, he has splashed the cash to sign three high quality midfielders – Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing – and back-up goalkeeper Alexander Doni.
With a lot of reshuffling of the squad he inherited from previous managers Roy Hodgson and Rafa Benitez, Dalglish has built up a team with superb quality and a strong mentality. Especially when we look at Liverpool’s midfield, it makes you think whether this is really the best midfield in the Premier League!
Starting with the midfielders who played last season under King Kenny, Liverpool have their inspirational captain Steven Gerrard, who looks fully fit now after undergoing a successful recovery from a groin surgery. Brazilian Lucas and Portugal’s Raul Meireles, who were the two best players under Dalglish last season, have made their commitment to the club.
New recruits Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing look as the best available options in the Premier League to exploit the potential of Liverpool’s record signing Andy Carroll, and there seems to be no doubt about their quality after looking at their performance last season. Besides, Jordan Henderson’s capture from Sunderland is bound to be fruitful as Liverpool have landed one of the brightest young prospects in English football, as quoted by Premier League managers Sir Alex Ferguson and Steve Bruce.
Looking at the situation of Alberto Aquilani, who returned from a year-long loan spell at Juventus, and Joe Cole, there has been a lot of speculation regarding their off-loading from the club due to their high wages and they being surplus to requirements.
But, owner John W Henry seems to have changed his mind over Aquilani as he hailed the Italian’s performance in Liverpool’s Asian tour through his Twitter account. And Dalglish’s deputy Steve Clarke looks confident about Joe Cole’s ability to be better this season, as quoted by the Independent. So, it seems as if Cole and Aquilani have been offered a lifeline.
Last but not the least, the Reds have young talent in the midfield in the form of scouser Jay Spearing, who took up Gerrard’s role in the skipper’s absence last season, and Jonjo Shelvey, who is being referred to as the next Stevie G for Liverpool.
With this fantastic squad, Kenny Dalglish looks all set to give a tough challenge to their rivals for the Premier League title. So, don’t be surprised if Dalglish’s men overhaul Manchester United’s record of 19 titles within a couple of seasons!
Tags: Anfield, EPL, Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool Football Club, Manager, Midfield, Premier League
