Goal.com Christmas Shopping: Who Should Liverpool Buy?

It is funny how things can change so quickly in football. Seven months ago, Liverpool looked like Premier League Champions-elect. They had pushed Manchester United as close as anyone has in the past three seasons, recording an unforgettable double over Sir Alex Ferguson’s men – including an epic 4-1 win at Old Trafford.

They had won 10 of their last 11 league fixtures, and scored an astonishing 34 goals in that spell. Their first XI was starting to look like one that could finally deliver the Premier League title, after a painful wait of almost 20 years.

Now, with Christmas approaching, the Reds are in turmoil. Out of the Champions League at the Group Stage for the first time since 2002, 13 points off the pace in the Premier League having lost three times as many games (six so far) as in the whole of last season, and with performance levels dipping to an alarming low, Liverpool are enduring a bleak winter.

Worse still, manager Rafael Benitez has spoken publicly of the need to manage the level of debt at the club – which is believed to be as much as £350 million – and hinted that further investment in the playing squad may be on a “sell-to-buy” basis. With the January transfer window fast approaching, the pressure is on Benitez to pull a few rabbits out of the hat in the market, as Liverpool strive to attain the top-four finish the Spaniard has promised.

Goalkeepers

At least there is one area in which Liverpool have looked solid this season. In Pepe Reina – at £6m surely one of Benitez’s all-time bargains – Liverpool have arguably the best keeper in the Premier League. Commanding, agile, and never injured, the 27-year-old Spaniard is believed to be close to signing a new, long-term contract at Anfield. If completed, it could be the best signing Liverpool make this winter.

Behind him, Brazilian Diego Cavalieri looks a capable understudy, despite limited opportunities to prove as much, and Liverpool already have two young keepers – Dean Bouzanis at Accrington Stanley and David Martin at Leeds United – on loan at Football League clubs.

Defence

Once the cornerstone of any Liverpool success, this season the Reds backline has been decidedly shaky. After conceding just 27 goals in the whole of last season’s Premier League campaign, Benitez’s men have shipped 25 in their opening 18 fixtures this term.

The addition of Glen Johnson in the summer – replacing the unspectacular but reliable Alvaro Arbeloa – has been held up by some as a reason for this sudden generosity in their own penalty area, but equally to blame has been the ever-changing cast. Liverpool have used 11 different defenders this season already, and 14 different back-four combinations. That level of rotation is hardly conducive to a solid defensive record.

In terms of players, Benitez is known to have made efforts to sign at least two central defenders –Michael Turner (then of Hull) and West Ham’s Matthew Upson - before the transfer window slammed shut in August, but was told that funds were limited, and plumped for £1.5m Greek Sotiris Kyrgiakos as a bargain-basement, fourth-choice centre back.

Players such as Simon Kjaer (Palermo) have been linked, but a £10.8m release clause is unlikely to be met by Liverpool, others – Gary Cahill (Bolton), Ryan Shawcross (Stoke) or Brede Hangeland (Fulham) – are all unlikely to be within the Reds’ price bracket, having enjoyed excellent runs of form in the past 12 months.

In terms of departures, it is likely that one or both of Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena will be on their way out of Anfield. Neither has set the place alight, and thus neither is likely to command huge fees. If Benitez could pick up £6m for the pair, he would surely be pleased. Dossena is rumoured to be a target for Napoli, whilst Degen would surely command interest from the Bundesliga. The emergence of young defenders Martin Kelly, Stephen Darby and Daniel Ayala would offset the departures in terms of numbers.

Midfield

As with plenty about Liverpool’s season, much will depend on the fitness of Italian Alberto Aquilani. The 25-year-old, a £17m summer signing from Roma, has made just one start for the club following an ankle injury, and Liverpool have suffered as a consequence.

Both Lucas Leiva and Javier Mascherano have their merits, but creativity and incision are not among them. A spark is needed in the centre of Liverpool’s midfield, and Aquilani is under pressure to provide it. Steven Gerrard’s worrying dip in form will surely not last, but Benitez seems reluctant to drop his skipper back into a more conventional central midfield role.

Liverpool have been linked with West Ham midfielder Scott Parker lately, but it is hard to imagine the 29-year-old offering anything more than Lucas and Mascherano. If West Ham were to be raided, then surely Jack Collison or Mark Noble would represent a more shrewd move, considering their extra youth and dynamism.

Eljerio Elia (Hamburg) has also been suggested as a potential target. The Dutchman possesses electric pace and finishing ability, but then so did Ryan Babel when he arrived from Ajax. And a move for Elia would cast doubt over the future of Albert Riera, whose absence through injury has been increasingly felt in recent weeks.

There have been other rumours – Sebastian Giovinco (Juventus), Yaya Toure (Barcelona) and Juan Mata (Valencia) – but all look fanciful at best, deluded at worst. A loan move for Arsenal prodigy Jack Wilshere may not come about, but stranger things have happened, and the 17-year-old would add an energy and creativity to the Reds squad which the likes of Dirk Kuyt – for all his merits – does not.

Attack

It has become a divisive issue with Liverpool fans. On the one hand it has been a positive this season to witness the emergence of young French forward David Ngog, but on the other the lack of genuine class in attack has been ruthlessly exposed this season, with Fernando Torres’ troublesome groin limiting his appearances so far.

In Torres and Ngog, Liverpool have one of the world’s best centre-forwards and a capable, young deputy. Beyond that, however, the resources look thin. Andriy Voronin will surely be ushered towards the exit door come January (and will not be missed), Ryan Babel may well have spoken once too often for Benitez’s liking, and Dirk Kuyt’s stock has fallen this season.

A litany of forwards have been touted for Benitez. Ruud Van Nistelrooy looks the most realistic as the Dutchman has been frozen out at Real Madrid and it is thought he would relish a loan switch to Merseyside. His movement, experience and prolific goalscoring record would surely smooth over his Manchester United past with the Anfield faithful.

Carlton Cole (West Ham) would probably be too expensive (and injury-prone). Eduardo has recently signed a new contract at Arsenal and was a non-starter anyway, whilst Roman Pavlyuchenko (Tottenham) looks ill-suited to Premier League combat, and would represent a big risk at a substantial cost. Goran Pandev (Lazio) is an attractive, and semi-affordable, option, but there is likely to be stiff competition for the talented Macedonian.

IN (1): Eljerio Elia (Hamburg)
OUT (4): Andrea Dossena, Andriy Voronin, Ryan Babel, Philipp Degen
LOANS IN (2): Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), Ruud Van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid)

Preferred Line Up (4-2-3-1)

Reina
Johnson   Carragher   Agger   Aurelio
Mascherano   Aquilani
Benayoun/Kuyt   Gerrard   Elia/Riera
Torres

Neil Jones, Goal.com