Problems Continue For Liverpool

It might have been a good week for Liverpool off the field, but their on pitch woes continued with a woefully disappointing defeat at the hands of Merseyside rivals Everton. New owner John W Henry, who was in attendance at Goodison Park, might have been thinking what he had parted £300 million for as goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta sealed a valuable win for the blue half of Liverpool.

When Henry took over he insisted the project was a long term plan, but the ambitions of the Anfield faithful were always going to be high. Today’s result and more importantly performance shows that it may take even longer than previously thought.

Liverpool were desperately lacking in ideas and creativity. While they did create some chances in the later stages of the game, for the majority of the game Everton looked completely in control. It begs the question how many of the Liverpool side would have managed to earn a place in the Everton team today.

Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina aside, there is not many that Liverpool stars that you can say would categorically walk in to the Everton team. Jamie Carragher and Joe Cole might, but other than you have to say most of David Moyes’ side would keep their place.

I think that demonstrates the task that not only Roy Hodgson has, but that the new owners have too. For Liverpool to really challenge at the top end of the Premier League, it will take Hodgson finding the right players, but also real backing from the NESV group.

We all know that they aren’t in the same mould as Manchester City’s super rich backers, which means that this investment won’t come in one big block, and Liverpool fans really need to understand that this won’t be a quick fix to their on the issues on the pitch.

Given time I have no doubt that NESV can do a much better job than the infamous duo of Tom Hicks and George Gillett, but I just hope that Liverpool’s need for immediate success doesn’t hamper their vision and long term strategy, because if it does, you can’t see them lasting much longer than the clubs previous owners.