Dress for the trophies you want – comparing two Liverpool squads

MIDFIELD

1983-84- Sammy Lee, Craig Johnston, Graeme Souness, Kenny Dalglish

Kenny Dalglish: Liverpool’s greatest

What can be said about this group that has not already been said. Lee, Souness and Dalglish are legends. Lee and Dalglish were potent on the wings, with Dalglish tallying 12 goals in all competitions. Souness, the captain, was unknowingly serving his last season on Merseyside but put in fantastic performances scoring 12 goals. All of these contributed to him lifting 3 trophies that season. All of this neglecting the defensive contributions from Souness, which were so key. Seeing three club legends line up next to each other was a sight to behold and seeing anything like it again soon is something Liverpool fans can only hope for.

2013-14- Lucas Leiva, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson/Joe Allen

With Rodgers likely to stick to three midfielders; with Lucas the destroyer, Gerrard the transition and Henderson the man going forward, there is plenty of potential in the group. Lucas’s return to the squad was solid but not his best form. He will want to improve on his campaign and remain healthy. Gerrard showed how dangerous he can still be, with 10 goals and 12 assists to his name. Liverpool can only hope that his late season surgery went well and he can find similar form again. Henderson looked much the player that Liverpool thought they had signed originally. He’s rejuvenated under Rodgers and will look to continue his surge in form from late in the season. Allen has a lot to prove after a disappointing first campaign that started with such promise.

Advantage: 1983

ATTACK

1983-84- Michael Robinson and Ian Rush

Most Liverpool fans will be forgiven for forgetting about Michael Robinson, who played his only season for the club in 83-84. He scored 6 goals in 30 appearances. However, Ian Rush will never be forgotten by Liverpool supporters. He made 65 appearances in all competitions that season, scoring an incredible 47 goals. He is certainly one of the greatest forwards ever to play the game and will go down in history as an Liverpool legend.

2013-14- Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge (Victor Moses, Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto)

Where the 1983-84 team was reliant on one attacking player to provide most of the goals, the 2013-14 edition has a boatload of attacking options. Suarez, when not suspended, was brilliant last season, scoring 23 goals. But the other attackers, when Suarez was unavailable, stepped up. This fact will buoy Liverpool as they face continued uncertainty over the future of their temperamental, yet breathtaking Uruguayan. Luckily for them, Coutinho and Sturridge arrived in January and were absolute revelations for the club. Coutinho provided a much needed creative spark in attack. Sturridge seemed like the clinical finisher that he never was for Chelsea and the one that Liverpool have lacked since the departure of Fernando Torres in the opposite direction in 2010. New signings Aspas, Moses and Alberto will look to establish themselves in a side that has choices up front. This team may not have a Rush, but with the options they have, they can easily match the potency that Liverpool found in 1984.

Advantage: 2013

CONCLUSION

Liverpool have had many great teams, and up there in the conversation of “best ever” is the 1983-84 team. A treble win is a feat that the current edition of the team are unlikely to match and they are not competing for a European Cup. They will be looking at finishing in the top 4 as a goal and will certainly make a run at those Champions League places. The League and FA Cups will provide a good opportunity for silverware as well as a chance for the fringe players to prove what they can do. The strength that Liverpool have in attack at the moment stands in stark contrast to the past few seasons where only Suarez was a real scoring threat. If they can add one attacking midfielder to shore up their options in the middle of the park, they have the potential to return to what most would consider “The Liverpool Way.” This Liverpool team seem poised to follow Warrior’s slogan and “Rise Up” this season, here’s hoping they do.