Paul Tomkins: Best squad for years

It's clearly not been a great season, but there are still some positives to take away from the campaign. While the main summer signings struggled with injury, the winter window was perhaps the best seen at Liverpool since that transfer opening was introduced.

It would be wrong to think that Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho are now established as definite successes, because a few months does not constitute a career. But the stunning impact they made in the second half of the season elevated the Reds' form to far more impressive levels.

Liverpool started the season with a ridiculously tough schedule, and it was no great surprise to see so few points on the board, even if the performances against Manchester City and Manchester United warranted greater rewards. Perhaps an easier start would have put down a platform to win more points overall, but of course, if you struggle in those easier games, which can happen with a new manager and players, then the rest of the fixture list only gets tougher.

Early on there was a lot of possession, but not much penetration. I noted several times last autumn that there was a distinct lack of through balls, but that gradually changed. The arrival of Coutinho then accelerated that improvement, with the little Brazilian, noted for his dribbling skills, possessing the surprising vision to repeatedly spot the eye of a needle from 20 yards, and then thread the pass through it.

The Reds continued to play a passing game, but it grew swifter, less ponderous. It was more direct, without being about a long-ball game. At Swansea, Brendan Rodgers had his team make 20,000 passes in 2011-12, but it was often in deeper areas, and it was successful in controlling games slightly more than winning them. (Of course, a promoted team is not going to win week in, week out - but it was a refreshingly different approach for a team coming from the Championship, as the norm is to defend without the ball.) 

It's obviously harder to retain possession in the opposition half, as that's where most of their players are. So better movement and more skill is required. In the first half of the season it didn't quite gel. But then Sturridge added genuine pace through the middle, and Coutinho was both able to score and assist at a frequent rate.

It's worth noting, as a word of caution, that last winter's two most successful Premier League signings, Nikica Jelavić and Papiss Cissé, had very poor follow-up campaigns. Indeed, both scored more goals in just over a dozen games in 2011-12 than they did in the whole of 2012-13. Arriving mid-season, players might be fresher than the defences they are facing.

However, I've been a fan of Sturridge since 2006, when, aged 16, he was head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch in the second leg of the FA Youth Cup final. Liverpool may have won the trophy, but with Sturridge, City clearly had the greater prize. None of Liverpool's team that day played top-level football this season, although, sadly, Miki Roqué passed away last summer just as his career was taking off in Spain.

Similarly, I saw Coutinho's early games for Inter Milan - just after he turned 18 - and thought 'Wow, what a prospect'. Neither had made enough of their brief careers before moving to Anfield, having drifted to the fringes at their clubs, but both are bona fide talents. I don't see any reason why they can't continue to improve, given that they are still young.

The first half of the season was also marred by individual errors, whereas the second half saw a drastic reduction in self-inflicted wounds. Of course, Jamie Carragher won't be on hand to steady the defence next season, although if the Reds can sign a genuinely quick centre-back, the team as a whole may benefit from defending a higher line.

Equally, if Lucas Leiva gets a good pre-season, he should be able to get back to the level he was at before those two serious injuries struck. As it was, no-one in the Premier League made a tackle more frequently than the Brazilian, and that was without full fitness.

Steven Gerrard had a good season, and some credit must go to the medical staff who helped keep both him and Daniel Agger injury free. Suarez, buzzing all over the pitch, weighed in with 30 goals, some of which were quite spectacular.

Where Suarez can make the difference is against this season's top six: he has scored goals against United (once), Arsenal (twice), Chelsea (twice), City (once), Spurs (once) and also three times against Everton (which, let's face it, would have been four but for an errant flag.) After the suspension, if Sturridge maintains his even more impressive strike rate, Suarez may need to be switched to one of the flanks, where he has played for Uruguay and Ajax. He can beat players like a winger, work like a wing-back and score like a centre-forward.

It must also be noted that Sturridge scored against United, City and Chelsea, and that eight of his 10 league goals came against teams in the top 12.

Liverpool still need to improve against better sides, though. You don't have to beat the top four to finish in the top four, but you do need a good record against the rest of the table. This season, most of the Reds' goals and points came against the bottom third of the table. But as the season wore on, a couple of the better sides were beaten, to provide optimism.

Liverpool can break into the top four if they continue to thrash the poorer sides, provided they take more points from middling teams like Stoke, West Brom and Aston Villa, who boasted big, physical strikers. The Reds kept a good number of clean sheets, but when they did concede it was often two or three, which is an area for improvement.

For me, Liverpool now have a better squad than at any point since the end of 2008-09. Some good, experienced players were lost last summer, and this summer Jamie Carragher joins them. But the two winter additions, on top of a couple of the summer signings (if they can remain fit), plus the emergence of four outstanding teenagers this season (Sterling, Wisdom, Ibe and Suso), more than redress that balance, particularly in terms of being stronger in future.

On top of that, Stewart Downing found consistency in 2013, and Jordan Henderson beefed up, and both went some way to proving their doubters wrong.

The good news is that Carragher aside, no Liverpool players will be lost to retirement or sold because their legs have gone. Beyond the captain, no current outfield player will be over 30 at the start of next season.

A few will turn 29 before the start of 2014, but the majority of the outfield squad will remain under 27, and before new additions are made, the average age of those I expect to see in the XI is between 25 and 26, with a strong bench averaging around 22 (again, before new additions are made). Players like Sterling, Suso, Shelvey, Yesil, Coady and Wisdom will be older, wiser and stronger, and Jordon Ibe and Jerome Sinclair add options that weren't really available 12 months ago.

Therefore, there's a good blend of youth and experience, although with Carragher goes a clear leader. If the Reds end up signing a young centre-back or two, then adding a wise old head to the squad, as has been mooted in the media, would make sense. Although you can find the occasional outstanding young centre-back, it's the one position (along with goalkeeper) where experience is usually vital, due to mistakes proving so costly, and errors leading to nervousness. It's not natural to read the game especially well as a youngster, because you are yet to face the many different types of situation from which understanding develops.

To conclude, I think it's fair to say that based on the second half of this season there's plenty to be optimistic about; but of course, with next season comes greater expectations. This can be countered by the fact that Brendan Rodgers will have had more time to eradicate this season's flaws, and the manager will also be more knowledgeable in all areas of his work.

In and of itself the season has been unremarkable, but if it proves to be a foundation stone for successful seasons to come, we'll look back at it with a knowing smile.

This article does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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