Damien Comolli, Liverpool FC’s former director of football and the man responsible for the infamous A?55 million signing of duo Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing has questioned the club’s summer spending so far, insisting that the Reds will probably be left out of the race for Top 4 once again.
The Anfield outfit have so far signed seven new players, after manager Brendan Rodgers planned a complete overhaul of the squad following the Reds missing out on Champions League qualification last season. Comolli insists that the Reds have not learnt their lesson from last season’s disastrous transfer window, which saw them splash the cash on a host of new signings, in a bid to replace mercurial striker Luis Suarez, who joined FC Barcelona last season, but failed to properly settle the players in the new look side.
It is a huge risk – Damien Comolli on Liverpool FC’s recruitment so far
Comolli, rather infamous in the Liverpool FC fan-base due to his flop signings of many a players, including the Reds record signing Andy Carroll, alongside Doni, Jose Enrique and Stewart Downing among few others, all of whom are no longer in the Liverpool FC first team, did have his moments, as he signed the mercurial Luis Suarez and current club captain Jordan Henderson. The 43-year-old while speaking to Talksport, said:
a Without talking about individual players, it is always a big risk to make so many changes during one transfer window.
a I thought it was a huge risk last year after selling [Luis] Suarez and bringing in, I think, nine. Now they have decided to change a lot again and totally rebuild. That is always a massive, massive risk. .
a They have bought in players who have got talent, but they are going to compete against some very settled teams.”
“Arsenal, United, City and Chelsea are making some very subtle adjustments to their squad and, on the other hand, Liverpool are changing everything every year. Ia m not convinced it is the right approach.”
a It is too much [to overhaul the squad] in two off-seasons. When you gamble as much money as they did last summer, you have got to give players a chance, and changing everything again sends the message to the players brought in last summer that they will not get a chance.
a By the time everyone settles into the team, and the players coming from abroad get used to the Premier League, they might be well behind fourth place.
a It is a huge risk. If you look at the stability of City, Chelsea, Arsenal throughout the years a the proof is in the pudding.a
Are Liverpool FC headed towards another season of failure?
The Anfield based out-fit last night announced the arrival of A?32.5 million signing, Christian Benteke from Aston Villa, have now taken their summer spending to somewhere in the region of A?80 million, bringing in seven new players. However, they have sold controversial winger Raheem Sterling for a record A?49 million to Manchester City, and will be counting on the new players to settle into the squad as quickly as possible.
As some of the signings, namely Benteke, Clyne, Milner and Ings already have Premier League experience, they will not need the customary one season, required by foreign recruits to make their mark in the league. It potentially however raises questions over Roberto Firmino, who has just arrived from the Bundesliga. However, the new players will have to blend into the new atmosphere and new playing style.
In the case of Benteke particularly, the whole club would have to adapt to the strength’s of the Belgian striker, with their style of play being the polar opposite of what the 24-year-old is used to. Liverpool FC’s success this season and Brendan Rodgers stay beyond it, all depends on how quickly he can help his new signings settled and firing. Or as mentioned by Comolli, by the time, the players get settled into the new system, top four might just be out of the reach for the Anfield outfit.