All posts by h79snht.top

Life as a Coventry fan is never easy but two weeks ago things were on the up. We were dreaming of a cup final at Wembley, a playoff place with the hope of promotion and had a manager who was the best we have had in years.

Two weeks on and 3-0 down in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy means a Wembley final looks unlikely, a defeat to Yeovil with other results going against us has left us 7 points adrift of the playoffs having played a game more than everyone else. Then to top it all off rumours broke this week of Huddersfield’s interest in manager Mark Robins. These rumours turned out to be true and the club failed to keep hold of Robins leaving the club in search of a new manager again only months after Robins appointment.

Then there has even been time to rub salt in the wounds as after weeks of silence on the Ricoh rent issue it was revealed that talks have now completely broken down with the club deciding to reject ACL’s latest offer. The club seem to be holding out for some deal that just isn’t going to happen and with talk of SISU planning on building their own ground for the club to play in then who knows what is going to happen, I would suggest anything could. With the clubs accounts suspended and ACL effectively now having control of City’s money we as fans have to question where does the club go from here.

The season was showing so much promise but with all of this, disappointment and heartache look like the only things for City fans to look forward too. We have had everything required to be successful this season and SISU have to be praised for putting that in place. We had a manager who was clearly more than capable and a squad of players which many would suggest were the best in the league. However this has all clearly been a smokescreen to cover up the continued off the field problems.

There has been many points of view on the situation as a whole and I am finding it difficult to decide who to believe if anyone at all. The club and SISU have lied so often in the past and with their work earlier in the season in terms of squad improvement and management choice I was beginning to change my mind on them however I still find myself questioning them when anything remotely controversial happens at the club.

Another player in it is of course is ACL who have also made stories up in the past. They have slated SISU for being unprofessional and yet they seem all too willing to put their business out into the public and playing on SISU’s negative public image. They have also previously stated that they don’t need the club to survive as a business running the Ricoh Arena. This was proven to be a complete lie as everyone expected as they had to be bailed out by Coventry City council after getting into financial difficulties.

The council is clearly also important and their stance has been a mixed one. They seem to not want to take a position and have often tip toed around the topic. There have been a couple of outbursts at SISU but all in all they have offered very little in information and in terms of help for the club. The club is a massive part of the city and for me the council should be doing a lot more to try to help.

Another man who agrees with this is ex manager Mark Robins. He has given his reasons for leaving the club in the way he did and the blame lay at the feet of city owners SISU who in his words were unable to give him the assurances he required to stay on in the job.

Out of everyone I feel like I believe Robins. Yes he has walked out on us and yes there is every chance he could be another to jump on the SISU hating band wagon but in his brief spell with the Skyblues I have felt that one of his biggest assets has been how brutally honest he has been. He has never been afraid to say what he was thinking especially with his players. It ranged from his subtle dig at Cody McDonald suggesting he wanted intelligent players within his squad all the way too his very honest appraisal of Leon Clarke’s recent performances and lack of goals.

With all the issues I still find myself being the most disappointed about the departure of Mark Robins. He is in my opinion the best manager we have had in my time as a city fan. Ambition, tactical nous, multiple game plans, eye for talent, great motivator are just a few of his seemingly never ending list of qualities.

The one that stood out for me though was his passion and desire to win and how his teams never give up and do everything in the power to win the game. This is a trait which stands out in the so called ‘special one’ and in many ways Robins reminds me of Mourinho. I have no doubt that he has bright future in the game and if given time and the right backing he could take any club to the next level. I do however feel he will use Huddersfield as another stepping stone to greater things and it won’t be too long before we see him managing in the premier league.

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He is a massive loss to the club and in terms of other candidates I am not very hopeful of finding a good replacement. The only one which really stands out for me is Nigel Adkins, he did wonders at Southampton but I feel I am being far too ambitious in hoping that we could get him. Thinking more realistically and the name that I personally think will get it is Phil Brown, not sure if it would be a good appointment but we have to give whoever gets it a chance and back him all the way.

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It should be considered the summer of continued build. There’s nothing else for it other than to carry on in the same form as this past January, while Liverpool will have no reservations about drawing the battle lines in order to keep Luis Suarez away from the clutches of the continent’s elite.

Its forward thinking – as it should be. What possible good can come from Liverpool parting with Luis Suarez, even if the player kicks up a fuss? The thing is, I don’t see Liverpool as an isolated club or example heading into this summer, and certainly not when looking back to last year. Yes, it will be a blow to lose a player like Suarez, not just because of his qualities but also because fans know what to expect from him. Talent? World-class status? Whatever. There’s comfort and familiarity in seeing Suarez in the starting XI.

And yet I don’t see the walls crumbling in the quest for the top four and beyond in the Premier League should Suarez leave. The importance here is that the owner and board are committed to staying well on course and replacing more than adequately when needed. For all that can be said about Suarez and how much he’s done for this club, literally pushing them forward on his own, there are players in world football who can come in carry the torch.

Liverpool may well find themselves in a similar situation to that of Atletico Madrid, with Diego Simeone well aware that Radamel Falcao could be playing his final handful of games for the club before a move this summer. The thing about Atletico is you don’t get a sense that there are nerves or a great deal of fear going into next season should Falcao leave. Atletico have been here before, from the heartbreak of losing Fernando Torres, to having to replace the production of Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan. The club are not afraid to spend when needed, and there’s already promising talk that Galatasaray’s Burak Yilmaz could be at the top of the list to replace Falcao.

It’s about knowing where your strengths are and accepting that you are not currently one of Europe’s top guns. Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and perhaps one or two others are at the zenith of European football. They don’t have to worry about their best players angling for a move (generally), and if it does come to that they’ll have a swarm of the world’s best talent talking up their credentials.

For Atletico, Diego Simeone is the key to future successes; it just would have been fantastic if Falcao was a sure bet to remain at the club for the next few years. Liverpool need to take on a similar line of thinking. It’s not to try and play down the value Suarez has, but rather to acknowledge that with the right ambition from within Liverpool, the club can continue building without going off the rails.

The position Liverpool are in is such that Suarez is not necessarily integral to a certain style of play. Brendan Rodgers has tinkered with formations and tactics and may still take some time to truly discover his preferred approach at Anfield. Liverpool is not an Ajax or Barcelona who have a set tradition which more or less goes untouched. For that, and fortunately, the talent pool becomes much wider if the club are willing to spend.

Is there much need to reel off all the players in the world who could come in and help Liverpool push on? Not really. But at this time the club should be looking toward teams like Porto and their star striker Jackson Martinez. The club are also looking at players from Ajax and Shakhtar Donetsk, which is hugely promising and will do a lot for their hopes of progressing.

I doubt I’d ever indulge in the fantasy idea that teams can’t attract good players without the guarantee of Champions League football, and for that I don’t consider Liverpool to be at a great disadvantage. Tradition and status holds far more value, as I doubt anyone would turn down Real Madrid should they fall out of the Champions League for a season. Liverpool only need to look at the deal that got them Luis Suarez in the first place and accept that deals like that can continue to be had. The signing of Coutinho was inspired, with the player’s talent and price tag immediately paying off. But in situations like the one Liverpool may find themselves in this summer, it is necessary to spend big and continue to show ambition to supporters, players and others in Europe.

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The potential departure of Luis Suarez will be a great loss and a huge disappointment. Players will come and go, and that’s just the way football is. But Champions League semi-finalists Borussia Dortmund have certainly not felt the effects of losing Nuri Sahin and Shinji Kagawa in previous summers. It didn’t have to be about big transfer fees, but rather the club’s hierarchy firmly under one banner to ensure they remained on the same path. Liverpool’s house is not resting on the foundations of just one player.

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It’s far more a matter of inevitability than the changing faces of Arsenal’s supporters. Arsene Wenger won’t be at the club forever, and that closing of a chapter in the history of the club may come when the Frenchman’s contract expires next season. It’s only sense then that the club’s hierarchy take on a meticulous approach when dealing with his successor. Talk of a replacement at this stage should not be viewed as hostilities towards Wenger.

It’s in the best interests of the club that Arsenal find a way to preserve the key elements of Wenger’s reign. Far too much has been done in the shaping of the club for it to be washed away with poorly chosen appointments, and with Joachim Low’s record with Germany, as well as his overseeing of the current youth movement in German football, you feel that he is one of the ideal choices to lead Arsenal beyond 2014.

It’s probably more coincidental than anything else. Arsenal have switched their focus from the French market to Germany, picking up talented youth products as hopes for the future and securing prominent names to bolster the first-team squad. I don’t, however, believe the club have targeted the current Germany coach predominantly due to his nationality.

Low has long been a name mentioned among those at the top of European football. His name was brought up in discussions as a possible replacement for Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, as well as one to succeed Andre Villas-Boas at Chelsea. He has something about him that you find in managers like Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho; that steely determination married with a great sense of control and authority.

The Germany coach has taken his side to two semi-finals in international competition and a final in 2008. He’s kept the consistency and managed the expectation well to a degree, all the while ensuring that his nation could effectively move on from the disappointments of a previous generation and make excellent use of the new crop of young talents. The changing of culture in the German national team was also fundamental to his position.

There shouldn’t be any sense of doubt or worry about what he’s capable of or what he failed to achieve with Germany on the international scene. For one, he was up against the European and World champions in Spain – a team who will long be considered one of the finest in the history of international football. And secondly, the average age of the German team means he’s played a large part in cementing the foundation for successes that are highly possible in the future.

I’m also not buying the worry that could be generated from the fact that Low has been out of club management for so long, including the point that he has never been in charge of one of Europe’s biggest clubs. Football will always come with an element of risk, and those who make it to the top are often proven to be the bravest among their peers.

Guardiola was a risk for Barcelona, with his only experience coming with the Barcelona B team. Similarly, you can’t discount how much it went against the grain for Arsenal to appoint Wenger when they did. Trophies had been won around the world, but, like Guardiola, the assurance came in his philosophy and approach to the game.

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It’s not to say that Low should be the frontrunner for Arsenal’s next manager, but rather that he is one of the names who could fit seamlessly in with the club. There will still be a great appreciation for youth, as there should be, and as mentioned, Arsenal’s increased interest in German football means Low will only be of value on that front.

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With the news emerging yesterday that Rio Ferdinand has officially called time on his England career after two years of bobbing in and out of Roy Hodgson’s plans, the Three Lions manager has responded firstly by paying due homage to the Manchester United defender’s achievements for the club and country over the years, but also to announce that it is finally “time to move forward”.

The former Liverpool boss continued to explain that ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he will be looking to use younger members of the squad as much as possible, in a bid to form a tight-knit group ahead of the international tournament. And with centre-back being the priority position in the England set up where there is now a glowing vacancy, he is widely expected to give either Chris Smalling, Phil Jones or Steven Caulker, a key role in the side – at least for the summer friendlies.

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But considering neither Ferdinand nor John Terry have actually been involved in an international fixture for quite some time, the former having not played for England in two years and the latter announcing his retirement after his controversial court trial last September, shouldn’t it have been the plan all along to search for a new, young and sustainable solution at the heart of the England defence?

You can’t beat experience. It is understandable that considering Roy Hodgson has only been England gaffer for just over a year, that behind the scenes he’s been doing his utmost to get either Ferdinand or Terry on board ahead of his first World Cup. The two centre-backs are a throw-back to our recently deceased golden generation, and with the exclusion of Ashley Cole, are the only two English defenders who can claim to have reached the highest height within the realms of club football – a flurry of domestic titles and cups, in addition to lifting the Champions League trophy.

Yet it has hardly been a secret that getting either of the two back into the England fold would be a task easier said than done. The Terry/Ferdinand racism scandal may have stopped the two from ever working together again, but it also created a rift between the United defender and Ashley Cole – the Three Lions’ most permanent fixture, having racked up 101 international caps since 2001 and his position at left back not coming under serious challenge until Leighton Baines’ excellent form during the course of this current season.

Similarly, with the exclusion of Ferdinand from the England squad for Euro 2012, and further  comments made by the Three Lions manager on the London Underground, I find it unsurprising that he’s been giving Hodgson the run-around over the past few months, making himself unavailable for Qualifying matches against San Marino and Montenegro citing fitness reasons, only to fly out to the middle east to work as a pundit for Al-Jazeera, followed by announcing his retirement ahead of England’s next batch of fixtures.

Hodgson has known for some time that neither star defenders would likely don and England jersey again, and even if they were, by the time of the World Cup in Rio, Ferdinand would be 35 and Terry 33. You can’t beat experience – unless the experience is so aged and grey that the youth can gallop past it with ease, a recurring trend of the Chelsea man’s season, having made just seven Premier League appearances since the appointment of Rafa Benitez.

In the mean time, the void at the back for the Three Lions has been filled on the most part by Joleon Lescott, another old head who will be edging on 32 at the start of the tournament next summer. You can argue a case for the seniority rule, or even point to the veteran’s accomplishments since arriving at City, including an FA Cup and league title, but like Terry, Lescott has undergone a campaign of sliding down the pecking order, in part due to his age and in part due to his quality, making 16 Premier League starts this season.

Club selection is clearly out of Hodgson’s control, but his now most experienced defender available, with 26 caps, has prematurely entered the tail-end of his career, whilst England’s most balanced centre-back in terms of age and ability, Gary Cahill, 27, has only 16 caps to his name. Surely the Chelsea man, who was an obvious talent from his days at Bolton, and has gone on to win two European titles, including the Champions League, in addition to an FA Cup since arriving at Stamford Bridge, should have been the focus in the heart of defence from the get-go of Hodgson’s appointment, rather than being part of a rotation process, along with Lescott and Phil Jagielka.

But Hodgson should be credited for not making the same mistakes again, or those of his predecessors. The failed golden generation, in which the Three Lions were privy to a surplus of central defenders, including Terry, Ferdinand, Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate, disallowed for the likes of Michael Dawson, Jagielka, Cahill and co. to receive the international exposure their form often deserved, and it has in many ways limited their progression as footballers, with Dawson currently only having four caps to his name.

With the chances of England winning a World Cup seemingly slimmer with every tournament passing by, the former West Brom manager should take the opportunity of unavoidable early elimination to build for the future. Currently, his prized youngster is Manchester United’s Chris Smalling, picking up six caps so far during his international career, four of them under Hodgson. However, I’d argue that Phil Jones and Steven Caulker, who have six caps between them, deserve equal recognition considering their potential, with the former already having performed well enough on the big occasions -including an exceptional display against Real Madrid in the Champions League – to claim a place over his fellow clubman on merit alone.

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Hodgson is certainly correct that now is the time to be looking forwards rather than backwards, but that should have been the tagline of his tenure from the start of his appointment rather than a year down the line. He made the controversial decision to drop Rio Ferdinand for rather infamous ‘footballing reasons’, and hanging onto a slim hope of the United man one day returning, or for John Terry to reverse his decision in time for the World Cup was naive, short-termist and wasting of the opportunities to give talented English youngsters an opportunity to shine, with Jagielka and Lescott performing stop-gap roles.

He’s done it in all other areas of the pitch – using Andy Carroll and Danny Welbeck in attack, making Tom Cleverley a mainstay in midfield and regularly calling upon Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jordan Henderson, with all improving as footballers in the process – and the ageing defence should have undergone a similar process, rather than relying upon a batch of 30 year olds whom in the past were judged as not being good enough.

At least now it seems the concern for Hodgson is the future. Rather than shamelessly pursuing unachievable goals, such as tournament finals and winning every qualifying match, the England boss will look to build up a new generation of average talent into one that at the least has a wealth of experience on its side – the shortcomings of the group of players that fell by the wayside during the previous era. Hopefully he can find through Cahill, Smalling, Jones and Caulker, a partnership of good quality and strong understanding that will be a part of the foundations of the next successful England side. It is a shame however, that they are now left without any considerably experienced internationals to learn from, and only have a collection of our ‘best of the rest’ defenders to look up to and work with.

Everton are closing in on making Roberto Martinez their next manager, according to the Daily Mail.

The Wigan manager has flown to Spain to consider his future with the Latics, after discussing his position with chairman Dave Whelan. The club were relegated from the Premier League after losing 4-1 at Arsenal just days before the final weekend of the season.

Everton have eyed Martinez as David Moyes’ replacement, who has now left the club to become the new boss at Manchester United.

Steve Clarke, Vitor Pereira, Malky Mackay and Neil Lennon have also been tipped for the Toffees job, however reports are emerging that the club are ready to formally approach Wigan about Martinez.

However, Whelan will be hoping that the club’s ambitious plans for the Championship, coupled with their FA Cup success, will be enough to convince Martinez to stay at the club.

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Tottenham’s summer overhaul has seen no fewer than seven big money signings make the move to North London. Villas-Boas continues to reshape his Premier League squad, but who will be the potential casualties of the revolution? Will the influx of foreign stars be to the detriment of home grown players looking to make a name for themselves at the club?

It is largely a unanimous opinion that Spurs of all the top clubs have undergone the most drastic of changes during the summer months. In fact of those that set up against Arsenal, only Kyle Walker had featured in Villas-Boas’ opening game the season before. The team is almost unrecognisable from last year, and the additions now of Eriksen, Chiriches and Lamela will only exacerbate this.

So what of Lennon and Townsend?

In my opinion the futures of both wingers couldn’t be more different. Townsend has been afforded greater opportunity since the departure of Bale and injury to Lennon, and has for me been a standout figure so far this season. The record signing of Erik Lamela may well put pay to any consistent first team opportunity, but at 22 does that really matter? He only made his first Premier League start this season, and for a man at the early stage of his development the opportunity to shadow the likes of Chadli and Lamela whilst playing in the cups is perfect.

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I talk about Chadli and Lamela as if they are cemented starters for the club, but clearly at the ages of 24 and 21 respectively their minutes will have to be managed just as carefully. With considerations for injury and fitness, I fully expect Townsend to get ample opportunity both starting and off the bench. Clearly Villas-Boas see’s potential in the young rising star or he would have surely been part of the summer cull.

The situation for Aaron Lennon is not quite as bright. Lennon has been a constant feature for Spurs sides down the years since joining from Leeds back in 2005. A consistent producer, with over 200 appearances to his name, has Lennon ever really fulfilled his undoubted potential?

Where the likes of a Bale and to a lesser extent Townsend have developed, Lennon has largely been treading water. His pace and running ability has never been in doubt, but frustratingly he has never been able to add that killer final ball or incisive finish to his arsenal. At 26 is it too late for the Englishman to learn?

The reality is he may not be afforded that opportunity. Lamela, Chadli and now Townsend all offer much more of a complete package at much younger ages, it is only logical for Spurs to pursue their futures ahead of Lennon’s this season.

At 26 Lennon is at a stage where he needs to be playing week in week out for his own fulfilment, will he get that at Spurs now? Unlikely for me and this is why I think he along with possibly Sigurdsson could be further casualties of the Villas-Boas reign in January.

Don’t get me wrong I don’t expect him to be placed in a similar exile to Assou-Ekotto, but Lennon may well be used off the bench and in cup matches. Perfect for a rising star like Townsend, but for a cemented Premier League player like Lennon I just cannot see this sufficing.

The only alternative for me is to play the highly versatile Chadli in the number 10 role, something I cannot see happening. Spurs now have Eriksen, Sigurdsson, Dembele and Holtby all vying for that position so I don’t see the use of moving Chadli into the centre of the park.

In a time of national footballing crisis is it high time Villas-Boas prioritised national interests? Villas-Boas has already harped on about the premium paid for English players and the harsh reality is in general our players aren’t as good as it stands in relation to our continental competition. As manager his task has clearly been to bring the club back to the promised land of Champions League football, by any means necessary.

If Lennon along with Livermore, Huddlestone and Parker are to be casualties then so be it. I doubt for most fans this is anything more than a secondary consideration, with the priority always being the success of the club as a whole.

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What are your views on the futures of Townsend and Lennon?

Is Villas-Boas right to cull his English options?

Join the debate below

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The former Athletic Bilbao man was among the hottest properties last January as a host of clubs did battle to tie up a pre-contract deal. Juventus were the club to eventually come out on top, and in Llorente many believed they had the star name to fire them to European glory. Only a couple of months on from his move to Italy the Spaniard has found himself well down the pecking order and out of favour in Turin.

Juventus have a wealth of attacking riches at their disposal and it is believed that a Premier League move may not be out of the question should the Spaniard remain out of the team.

Both North London clubs have been keen admirers of the centre forward, with Tottenham the previous front-runners only to be matched by an Arsenal side now keen to bolster their attacking options.

The Mail have reported that Wenger will indeed look to complete a loan deal this coming January in a bid to provide experienced competition for Olivier Giroud. Arsenal have been in imperious form so far this season, but clearly the striking department needs something of an overhaul if they wish to continue their current dominance into the New Year:

“Arsenal scouts have watched Llorente extensively in recent seasons and Wenger is a fan of the centre forward. Llorente joined Juventus from Athletic Bilbao in the summer, but has struggled to get in the team ahead of Carlos Tevez.” 

“Arsenal are keen to take advantage of the situation by striking a temporary deal with Juve for the 28-year-old. Llorente has lost his place in the Spain squad and knows he must be playing regularly to ensure his place in Vicente Del Bosque World Cup plans.”

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A deal that definitely has some legs, Llorente will be keen to impress ahead of a World Cup year where his place on the plane is still very much up in the air. Juve wont be too bothered about letting him leave so early on either, a free transfer upon which any deal will seem like good business.

So which of the North London clubs really represents the best destination?

Spurs are a team in transition and generally accepted as on the rise. A decent if not always scintillating start has seen them rise to the upper reaches of the Premier League table alongside their North London rivals. Many have been quick to attribute Spurs’ lack of goals this term to a misfiring strike-force, for me this is completely short-sighted.

Tottenham have arguably two of the best finishers in the whole of the League at their disposal and to offer them up only a handful of chances this season is borderline ridiculous. Some may argue that Llorente will offer Spurs the opportunity to go slightly more direct at times when AVB sees fit. I actually think this is a decent option to have, but a returning Adebayor in my opinion already offers this in abundance.

Llorente could move to Spurs and feasibly end up 4th choice, something that has already left him apparently unsettled in Turin.

Personally the best move for Llorente would be to the red half of North London. Arsenal are a club who not only find themselves in as enviable Premier League position as Spurs, but who also have the Champions League draw that Spurs don’t have as yet.

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Arsenal have been full of goals this season, but this doesn’t mask the worrying lack of depth that they have in attack. Aside from Giroud there is the inexperienced Sanogo and the less than convincing Nicholas Bendtner. If Llorente could refind the kind of form that made him such a menace in La Liga, he could easily find himself leading the Arsenal attack in both the Champions League and Premier League for the second half of this season.

Llorente’s main shortcoming has always been his lack of pace and this may be something of concern for Wenger if he wants to give the likes of Ozil the freedom to play balls in behind the opposition.  This is why for me having Sanogo, Giroud and Llorente at Arsenal’s disposal is so promising simply because they all offer something wholly different and as such give Wenger far greater options tactically in the future.

It would appear that Llorente will again be on the move come January.

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One of the stories of this season’s Premier League campaign is the emergence of Daniel Sturridge as a world class forward. Sturridge has revelled under Brendan Rodgers, forming a formidable partnership with Luis Suarez. Having failed to impress for the most during spells with Man City and Chelsea, many felt Rodgers took a gamble on Sturridge, but the Englishman’s goal tally suggests otherwise.

Sturridge joined City as a youth player and climbed through the ranks to establish himself as a first team player in 2006. While always dangerous from the flanks with his pace and power, Sturridge was erratic in front of goal and only managed 5 in 21 appearances for City. After the club maid big money signings, Sturridge found himself frozen out of the team for some spells and signed for Chelsea in 2009 when his contract with City had expired. At Chelsea, his goal scoring form was equally as modest, striking 13 goals in 63 appearances. He was deployed mainly on the wings as part of a three pronged attack alongside Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou. Having again failed to impress, Sturridge was sent to Bolton on loan in the middle of the 2011 season. There he impressed tremendously, scoring 8 times in 12 matches and helping the struggling club to escape relegation. Sturridge was mainly deployed up front on his own, with the player himself stating that was his preferred position. He asserted that he wished to return to Chelsea and become the club’s number one forward, but it was not to be as he was sold to Liverpool that summer.

Much of Sturridge’s new found success is in fact due to his position. Sturridge now revels in his centre forward role, and thrives off his partnership with Suarez. He looks to combine and interchange positions, which is limited while playing on the wing. Through the middle, Sturridge can use his pace to run in behind teams and exploit the gaps, picking up the ball in key areas and drawing in defences. This has been evident for Liverpool, with the forward exploring his most prolific season yet. Sturridge became Liverpool’s only player in the Premier League era to have scored a goal in 7 consecutive games after netting against Fulham at Craven Cottage in the week. City and Chelsea will be aggrieved by Sturridge’s turn around, as he is one of the reasons that Liverpool are now a direct challenger for the title.

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Liverpool centre-back Martin Skrtel says that he thought about leaving Anfield over the summer, but that he’s “so happy” he chose not to.

The Slovakian international has been a key member of the Reds’ backline this season, however he was expected to move on last year after falling down the pecking order during 2012/13 season under Brendan Rodgers.

The 29-year-old was deemed unable to cope with the Northern Irishman’s playing style, and lost his starting berth to veteran defender Jamie Carragher – who retired ahead of the current campaign.

There were no shortage of potential takers for the Eastern European ace, with Napoli and Zenit Saint-Petersburg believed to have been particularly keen.

However Skrtel elected to stay, and has since been praised by Rodgers for his work rate and determination.

The tough-tackling centre-back revealed to the Liverpool Echo that he thought about an exit, but that he feels he made the right decision to stay put.

“I would be lying if I said I didn’t think about leaving,” Skrtel said.

“It wasn’t easy for me after last season. I was on the bench in the second part of the season and that was something new for me.

“But it is not easy to leave a club like Liverpool because they are still one of the best clubs in the world. After six years here it was not easy to say ‘okay, I’m leaving’.

“Before this season started I just said to myself ‘I will fight and work very hard to try to show people I am able to play and start the games’.

“I tried to work very hard in training every day and when I got a chance to play I tried to do my best to help the team.

“After games like Saturday’s I am just so glad and so happy that I stayed.

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“Liverpool are a massive club and I just wanted to prove to people I am able to play for this club.”

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The much anticipated coronation party on Merseyside didn’t quite pan out as expected at the weekend.

In the managerial encounter between the former allies, it was the master that resoundingly triumphed over the apprentice. Jose Mourinho played the role of pantomime villain perfectly as his “shadow” Chelsea side dented Brendan Rodgers’ hopes of delivering Liverpool’s first league title since 1990.

But it was also a defeat which perfectly illustrated the gap between Liverpool and their title rivals. While Chelsea and Manchester City have an embarrassment of riches at their disposal, Rodgers is betrayed by a lack of genuine quality beyond his first XI. With the demands placed upon the elite clubs, modern football is very much a squad game. And unfortunately for Liverpool, they learnt that lesson the hard way against Mourinho’s much-changed side.

With the millions invested at Stamford Bridge by Roman Abramovich over the years, it is difficult to truly label any XI which the “Special One” can select as a “shadow” side. Tomas Kalas was handed a Premier League debut but the Blues were still able to call upon the experience of the likes of Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Jon Obi Mikel.

But true to Mourinho’s word, it was a much-changed team. For one reason or another, it was an XI deprived of a number of key individuals. Petr Cech, Samuel Eto’o, Eden Hazard and John Terry were all ruled out through injury. Ramires was suspended whilst Gary Cahill, David Luiz, Oscar and Willian were all rested or dropped to the bench ahead of the visit of Atletico on Wednesday.

It was a team selection which ultimately still secured the victory whilst still managing to prioritise the Champions League.

In contrast, Rodgers named an unchanged eleven from the side that secured a 3-2 victory at Carrow Road to record their eleventh consecutive Premier League victory. In the absence of any European commitments, Liverpool have benefited enormously from a relaxed schedule in their domestic pursuits.

Aside from the suspended Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge, Rodgers arguably selected his strongest team. Due to the conditions of his loan agreement, Victor Moses was ineligible but having failed to impress in his stint at Anfield so far, the Nigerian would likely have only occupied a spot on the substitutes bench.

For all of Liverpool’s possession and territorial advantage, the Premier League’s top scoring side failed to fashion any clear chances of note over the entire ninety minutes.  Trailing 1-0 and failing to break down the resolute Chelsea defence, Rodgers turned to Sturridge as his only substitute that realistically could have changed the game. When that didn’t work, Liverpool’s hopes were then unfortunately pinned upon Iago Aspas. Inevitably, the flop from Celta Vigo failed to make an impact.

When Plan A failed, Rodgers looked to his bench and realised that he didn’t have a Plan B. Given time to adapt, maybe Aspas and fellow summer recruit Luis Alberto will prove to have something to offer at Anfield in the future. But as it stands, Liverpool don’t possess the same quality within their squad as their title rivals and it is perhaps surprising that this wasn’t exposed until the last weekend of April.

In contast, Mourinho was able to call upon a £50 million replacement for Demba Ba in the shape of Fernando Torres. £32 million summer signing Willian provided fresh legs when the Brazilian replaced Mohamed Salah just past the hour. The crucial goal in the contest was scored by arguably the club’s third choice striker, with Ba finding his opportunities limited under the “Special One.”

How Rodgers must envy the depth of talent his managerial adversary had to call upon.

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It is a defeat which cruelly stripped Liverpool’s destiny from out of their own hands. Twists and turns in the remainder of the title race are still to be expected. But Liverpool need to learn the lessons from this demoralising defeat regardless of the season’s outcome.

With Champions League football beckoning and future title challenges now expected, the club’s owners need to back Rodgers in the transfer market this summer. Liverpool possess a starting eleven capable of mixing it with the country’s finest but without a capable squad, the Anfield outfit will struggle to continually compete with their rivals.

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