King Kenny a year on

Sunday, 08/01/2012

by Nick Teale, Shoot's Liverpool blogger

It seems hard to believe just a year has passed since Kenny Dalglish returned to the Anfield hotseat, a hero willing and capable of salvaging a desperate situation.

It is testament to just how well he is done that the Roy Hodgson era seems so long ago. Much has changed in the 12 months since the King returned to his throne, most notably the club's league position.

Playful chants of 'going down' are no longer heard in the away quarter of the Anfield Road stand. Now they opt to sing 'Champions League, you're having a laugh!' In a perverse sort of way, those chants show the progression Dalglish's Liverpool have made.

Of course, the Reds' American owners have backed the Scot tremendously in the transfer market. The sale of Fernando Torres to Chelsea for £50m provided the funds to purchase Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez but in the summer John W. Henry and co provided the cash to purchase Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Jose Enrique. Keeper Doni and striker Craig Bellamy were also acquired in the close season.

Of Kenny's signings there is no doubt that Suarez has been the best. He is one of the Premier League's most outstanding players without a doubt, it is just a shame his attitude and actions on the pitch create most of the talking points around the Uruguayan. It has to be said - though some around Anfield will deny this obvious criticism - that Dalglish's handling of the Suarez race row has been the worst aspect of his return to the club.

Of his other signings Andy Carroll has been a major disappointment. The Geordie will get a run in the side now Suarez is serving his suspension and if his form doesn't improve he may find himself for sale come June. That said, he stepped up a gear when Steven Gerrard entered the action against Newcastle over Christmas and the style and quality of service provided by the Liverpool captain may be the catalyst that helps Carroll reverse his fortunes.

Henderson is yet to prove value-for-money but continues to progress, as does Adam, even if he has been off the boil of late. Downing has been disappointing and needs a good second half of the season, though the promise is there. Bellamy has proved an astute capture but for me it is Enrique who has shone above his fellow summer signings. Assured, strong and composed, Liverpool finally have a left back to fill the void left by John Arne Riise three years ago.

Performances on the pitch have improved significantly since Hodgson's ill-fated reign, even if some results this season have suggested otherwise. Dalglish's job for the second half of the campaign is to get his team scoring goals. If he can do that, then Liverpool really do have cause to be confident of a top-four finish.

Personally, I believe Dalglish's side will fall just short but that is more because of the quality of Tottenham and Robin van Persie than the things Liverpool are getting wrong.

King Kenny has done a stellar job since returning 12 months ago but he will know more than anybody that the hardest tasks are still to be completed.

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