LIVERPOOL MAY HAVE finished just two points off new Premier League champions Manchester City, but former Reds midfielder Ronnie Whelan believes they will have to sign as many as ‘five or six’ players to go one better next season.
The Merseysiders spent 59 days at the top of the table but surrendered that position in the final weeks of the campaign after a defeat to Chelsea was followed up by a draw with Crystal Palace as they let a three-goal lead slip.
“I just think it got all too much for them,” Whelan said, speaking at the launch of the Irish Football National Draw at the home of his former club Home Farm FC earlier today.
“You saw Steven Gerrard and how the players were after the Man City game. They probably went too far in getting themselves so hyped up.
“But were they good enough? They played a lot of great football but overall the best team won the league — Man City.
Advertisement
“If Liverpool want to win the title and go far in the Champions League, they need to rebuild and bring a lot more players in.
“Everyone is talking about the back four but I’m just thinking that opposition players from midfield are running at the defence all the time and where is the help?
They need someone to sit in front of the back four. Gerrard has done well in that he dictated from there but defensively they are struggling to help the back four.
“Stevie G is in that central role but you need someone beside him because I don’t think Lucas or Joe Allen can do that job effectively.”
Whelan during his playing days at Liverpool. EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
Gerrard was one of the driving forces behind Liverpool’s bid for a first league title in 24 years but will be remembered this season for his emotional post-match speech after their victory over Man City and an unfortunate slip to allow Demba Ba to score against Chelsea.
Whelan, however, believes the 33-year-old midfielder can recover from the heartbreak of having to settle for a runners-up medal.
“I think the disappointment was that he thinks it is gone – the greatest chance he was ever going to have to win the championship,” said Whelan. “He will be down but I think he is mentally strong enough to come out of it.
“Hopefully he will come back next year refreshed. In football, you forget it. It’s gone so hopefully they can try and win the next one.”
Luis Suarez was named PFA Player of the Year after scoring 31 goals in 37 appearances and speculation that the Uruguayan could depart the club is bound to raise its head again this summer.
But Whelan doesn’t expect the former Ajax hitman to leave… unless Liverpool receive a “stupid bid”.
I think he will (stay) There’s Champions League now so I don’t see a reason for him to leave. The only thing will be is if someone offers 80 or 90 million as Liverpool will think ‘we can build and get an awful lot of money for that type of money’.
“Then they will be looking at Sturridge to score the goals again. I think he will do another year unless someone comes in with a stupid bid.”
On their first Champions League qualification in four years, he added: “They could have Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain in their group and they have all moved ahead of Liverpool in the last few years.
“Whatever group they get it is going to be hard and they will do well to come out of the group stages unless they do get five or six good players in the summer.”
'Liverpool will need to rebuild if they want to win the title and go far in Europe'
LIVERPOOL MAY HAVE finished just two points off new Premier League champions Manchester City, but former Reds midfielder Ronnie Whelan believes they will have to sign as many as ‘five or six’ players to go one better next season.
The Merseysiders spent 59 days at the top of the table but surrendered that position in the final weeks of the campaign after a defeat to Chelsea was followed up by a draw with Crystal Palace as they let a three-goal lead slip.
“I just think it got all too much for them,” Whelan said, speaking at the launch of the Irish Football National Draw at the home of his former club Home Farm FC earlier today.
“You saw Steven Gerrard and how the players were after the Man City game. They probably went too far in getting themselves so hyped up.
“But were they good enough? They played a lot of great football but overall the best team won the league — Man City.
“If Liverpool want to win the title and go far in the Champions League, they need to rebuild and bring a lot more players in.
“Everyone is talking about the back four but I’m just thinking that opposition players from midfield are running at the defence all the time and where is the help?
“Stevie G is in that central role but you need someone beside him because I don’t think Lucas or Joe Allen can do that job effectively.”
Gerrard was one of the driving forces behind Liverpool’s bid for a first league title in 24 years but will be remembered this season for his emotional post-match speech after their victory over Man City and an unfortunate slip to allow Demba Ba to score against Chelsea.
Whelan, however, believes the 33-year-old midfielder can recover from the heartbreak of having to settle for a runners-up medal.
“I think the disappointment was that he thinks it is gone – the greatest chance he was ever going to have to win the championship,” said Whelan. “He will be down but I think he is mentally strong enough to come out of it.
“Hopefully he will come back next year refreshed. In football, you forget it. It’s gone so hopefully they can try and win the next one.”
Luis Suarez was named PFA Player of the Year after scoring 31 goals in 37 appearances and speculation that the Uruguayan could depart the club is bound to raise its head again this summer.
But Whelan doesn’t expect the former Ajax hitman to leave… unless Liverpool receive a “stupid bid”.
“Then they will be looking at Sturridge to score the goals again. I think he will do another year unless someone comes in with a stupid bid.”
On their first Champions League qualification in four years, he added: “They could have Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain in their group and they have all moved ahead of Liverpool in the last few years.
“Whatever group they get it is going to be hard and they will do well to come out of the group stages unless they do get five or six good players in the summer.”
O’Conor glad to exorcise his cup final demons with match-winning goal
Here is the Irish Fantasy Football Team of the Season
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Brendan Rodgers All-Ireland Senior HC LFC Recruitment Ronnie Whelan Steven Gerrard Liverpool Manchester City