3. Recent Poor Signings
As was mentioned in the introduction, the key players who have departed Liverpool in recent years have gone on to find success at Europe's top clubs, but looking at the players who have replaced them must be a bitter exercise for the Liverpool faithful, with the exception of Luis Suarez. Big money Andy Carroll, a replacement for Fernando Torres, was allowed to leave the club on loan to West Ham in August. Joe Allen and Jordan Henderson, coming in at a massive combined cost, haven't commanded anywhere near the same acclaim as their midfield predecessors Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, whilst the mere mention of Stewart Downing could reduce even the hardest Liverpool fan to tears. While Joe Allen has generally been found out in the big games, such as against Manchester United at Old Trafford where he was practically non-existent, fellow summer addition Fabio Borini has had little to no impact all season. Those two players combined cost more than Robin Van Persie, who has super-charged Manchester United back to the top of the table in his first season. It is a perfectly good argument that Liverpool simply wouldn't be able to convince a player of Van Persie's caliber to sign for them at the moment, but it hasn't stopped the club from finding influential talents like Luis Suarez or Fernando Torres in the past. Perhaps Rodgers will look at the players wanting out of Chelsea, players known for their pedigree like Florent Malouda, who is sitting in the reserves, or Michael Essien, who will return from Real Madrid in the Summer more than likely seeking a new home. Both would represent better signings than have been made in the past few seasons.