Roy Hodgson took over for Liverpool after the unpopular Rafa Benitez was sacked. Since he has taken over, Hodgson has brought Joe Cole in his prime years, smoothed things over with Torres (to some extent), and has been pumping up his team to make a run for the title. I'd like to use this opportunity to look over what it is that is going to make Hodgson (possibly) succesful this year in the Premier League.
1. Put up or shut up time. There are a number of players on Liverpool's squad who have been in quite a slide as of late. Particularly Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, and Glen Johnson. These players have been basically absent for the Reds, for injuries or otherwise.
For a lot of these guys, it's time to put their money where their mouth is. They're coming off one of the worst seasons in Liverpool's history, and failure this season could mean a long, slow decline for the Reds in the future.
Especially Gerrard and Torres, both of him it is becoming more and more likely are going to stay at Anfield. These two guys have had ample opportunity to explore other options at other clubs, so their decision to stay certainly adds pressure.
Hodgson himself is coming off the biggest moment of his career turning unfancied Fulham into Europa finalists. And his only really big job before this was Inter, where he didn't last long at all. He's got a make a stake to be this club's manager for a long time, and I think he may be motivated enough to do just that.
Anyway, moving on.
2. Man-management, smart financial decisions, and doing what's best for the team. Hodgson is known for being extremely gifted at man-management, and to that end he could be the best of the Big Four clubs at handling the institution of the new Premier League rule that puts a 25 player maximum on each club and that a minimum of 8 of them have to be English.
Hodgson so far added Danny Wilson, who is a very talented young central defender who is more than likely a long term replacement for Jamie Carragher. This probably means that Reds veteran Daniel Agger will be pushed out to the left, where Liverpool are notoriously short. But this was a very cheap, very money concious transfer, and it's exactly what Liverpool needed.
But, I just learned that the Reds are looking at Mexican defender Carlos Salcido from PSV to go to Liverpool to play left back. Great. I love Salcido, he's really good. A problem though: Salcido is also adventerous as hell, and with him and Glen Johnson constantly being out of the barn, who's going to guard the prize horse? And Mascherano won't be around next season to clean up the mess, either. Though I think Hodgson is fully capable of instating some discipline, so maybe we won't see a problem there.
Another one I've heard muttering about is German left back Marcell Jansen, but apparently Hamburg are just having none of that.
Then he added Joe Cole. Cole is going to have to be Hodgson's boy. Wenger had Fabregas (and Thierry Henry), Benitez had Carragher, Sir Alex Ferguson had Giggs, now Hodgson's going to have to have Cole. Cole's raw potential is, apparently, practically bottomless. It's said that his ball skills rival Messi, which I'll still have to see to believe. The attack of Torres, Gerrard, and Cole is potentially so star-studded and powerful, that no one would stand a chance, but it's all theoretical at this point. It's all riding on Cole. He knows it, and I think it will drive him. He's been riding the bench at Stamford Bridge behind Saloman Kalou for three years, I think he's ready for his shot.
Now, speculation is afoot that Hodgson will add Park Chun-Young, the South Korean goal maniac. Chun-Young could be the magic touch for the Reds this season. Let me explain: Hodgson uses a 4-4-2. That "2" in the front means "Torres can't be alone anymore." And I think that's good. I really think that Torres works better when he's splitting time with someone else, he's just that kind of striker. And Chun-Young could be just that "2." This is another example of Hodgson being a money concious manager that still has the best interest of the club in mind.
3. Finally, Hodgson knows how to motivate a team. Liverpool may need a kick in the rear end. I think a lot of their guys are tired, unmotivated, and discouraged. And we're looking at a season that could see a lot of younger guys stepping up for this team, like Aquillani and Wilson. I think Hodgson has the ability to get these young guys to use their heads and really learn how to win.
I think he can also pull Gerrard and Torres up by their boot straps and give recent transfers like Cole a real fighting chance in the starting eleven.
These are my basic indicators as to why Hodgson could be able to drive Liverpool on to win the Premiership.
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