I, like any other Liverpool supporters, have bemoaned the lack of squad depth that the Reds have possessed over the past 18 months to two years. A lot of this has been down to the previous owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, and a smaller part can be attributed to Rafa Benitez not always bringing the right replacements in for the quality that has left the club. Over the past six months, specifically since the arrival of John Henry and the Fenway Sports Group, I have repeated the need to strengthen in four key areas: wingers, left back, centre half and central midfield. I have stated that if we are to compete for the Premier League title again that these positions need to be addressed or otherwise we will continue to be also-rans for the championship.
With the success of the Academy over the last 18 months, and the rise of youngsters to first team level to play successfully against the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal, such as in the guise of John Flanagan, Jack Robinson and Jay Spearing, the question becomes: how far should the Reds go to accommodate these players into first team affairs? The conflict in the desire for immediate success and long term planning will be no more apparent than this summer, for if we go after players in some of the positions that I have suggested above, then it will inevitably lead to some of the youngsters being relegated down the pecking order.
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Of course, there has to be some realism in these considerations, good performances from Flanagan and Robinson don’t necessarily mean these will translate this into fantastic form over 10 to 20 game appearances, but the arrival of new blood in the summer may stunt the progression of these players into first team footballers. Some might say that extra competition from new signings may motivate the youngsters to improve more rapidly, but I have said in a previous piece today, how can you expect youth players to improve if they are not given a chance playing regular first team football?
It is a fine line to be had, and really, it is a good dilemma to have considering the lack of players that have come through the academy in recent years. Kenny praised the work of the Academy in recent times after yesterday’s match against Arsenal:
“Flanno (John Flanagan) is experienced, that was his second game! Sometimes the second game is the worst to play in but he did brilliantly today. Young Jack (Robinson) coming on – he’s still available for the youth team next year. He adapted really well. It’s really daunting to play at the Emirates against a team chasing the championship. It was fantastic, the way he went about his work. Jonjo (Shelvey) did fantastic, and wee Jay (Spearing) was fantastic on Monday and turned in another great performance today. We couldn’t ask for any more from them. It’s them thats pushed us. I don’t make that decision, they do. In the last year and a half the development and improvement in the Academy has been fantastic. We’ve also got to be really careful that we don’t throw them in and ruin them. That was a slight reservation about Jack playing at the Emirates, but he never let anyone down.”
So from these words, can we anticipate the intended transfer policy that Kenny will adopt, if he stays as manager, in the summer? Probably not, for in the same interview, he made it perfectly clear that the Reds would have some money to spend on new players in the off season from the American owners. I am certainly not saying that the Reds shouldn’t look to improve their senior ranks in the summer, and I have mentioned myself my own desire in the past to see improvements in 5 or 6 of the first team eleven, but we have to be mindful in the transfer market when buying players in positions where equally able youngsters could develop and do a role.
A case in point is Jack Robinson. Of course, I could be jumping the gun a bit after one solitary game against Arsenal yesterday, but two things were very clear about his display. 1) He already has matured enough physically to play at the top level and 2) he already has the natural speed (unlike Emiliano Insua) to make it in the Premier League. With these two physical attributes, he definitely has great promise and he can learn through experience many other footballing abilities which will hold him in good stead at senior level. The question becomes however, that if we allow both Konchesky and Aurelio to leave this summer, but decide to recall Insua and buy another senior left back to the squad, what room will there be for Robinson to develop? Just at first glance, there is a case for him to be first understudy to any new left back coming in, and I for one would be delighted to see him become first choice in the not too distant future.
There is then, a fine line, between the desire for immediate success and long term development, but I’m hopeful that both Kenny and Comolli will make the right decisions, and get the right balance between senior and youth players.
Written By David at the excellent Live4Liverpool
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