Column: A New Year, new chapter for LFC

The year 2014 will live long in the memory for Liverpool supporters. 

The club came within a whisker of securing its 19th league title, playing an exciting brand of attacking football. In Luis Suarez, we had one of the world's best players at the very peak of his powers. But it wasn't all about Suarez; he had a supporting cast that got the very best out of him.

When Suarez left in the summer, it was almost impossible to replace him. Without Suarez, the dynamic of the team has had to change. The injury to Daniel Sturridge has made the process more difficult.

There is a very small group of strikers that have the quality of Sturridge and Suarez, and we have had to try to find different ways to replicate the cutting edge, which was our competitive edge last season.

A season to remember

Football has always been a game of highs and lows - it comes with the territory. The trick is to enjoy the highs and never give up hope during the lows. Last season was such a rollercoaster of emotions for everybody at the club, the journey rekindled all of the things that make Liverpool so special.

There were so many highlights - the 5-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur, the 4-0 against Everton, the 3-0 at Old Trafford, and of course the 5-1 against Arsenal.

In today's game it is much harder for any one team to become a dominant force. The competition for the top four is tougher than ever and the competition for the title is usually dominated by clubs that have the most financial resources. That means that when you are a club that doesn't have infinite resources like Liverpool, Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund, you have to take a more difficult route to competing at the very top. That makes the journey more enjoyable.

Last season every Liverpool fan enjoyed the moment, it was an incredible journey to be part of. When you have a taste of success you want more of it, but the reality is that there is no perfect science to football, every club is looking for the same formula.

Searching for the right formula

With so many new players coming into the club in the summer, it was always going to take a little bit of time for them to settle. There are few clubs in world football where the shirt carries the same weight as Liverpool; the expectation can be a difficult transition, more so when you join the club on the back of a season when the title was almost won.

It has been difficult for the manager, players and supporters this season to adjust to a different set of circumstances to work with. The return of Champions League football was a taste of where we expect to be, and it will have been great experience for our younger players. Although we exited the competition earlier than we would have liked, as a collective, the players and manager will have learned a lot from being back with the elite.

With so many new players coming in, and the demands of Champions League football, the time the players needed to gel on the training pitch has been reduced, as has the time to search for different tactical ideas. Since Rodgers has had more time with his players, we have seen signs of a return to last season's attacking identity.

There is still a lot to do, and we are still very much a work in progress as we were last season. But we retain the core of a very good, young, attacking side. We have work to do on the defensive side of the game, but we try to play open and expansive football, and that isn't always a natural marriage with solidity at the back. It is all about balance and that is something we are striving to find.

Farewell to a legend

Words cannot do justice to the influence Steven Gerrard has had on Liverpool Football Club. Over the next five months, there will be a celebration of his Liverpool career and his achievements that stand up to any player in the club's illustrious history.

For me, Gerrard will always be the greatest Liverpool player of all time. He has inspired a new generation of supporter against a backdrop of transition for the club. He has sacrificed personal gain and success to stay loyal; he has given everything to the cause.

I don't think we will ever see another player like Steven at Liverpool. He has been the symbol of the club for so many for so long. The regard in which he is held by his peers speaks volumes for his ability as a player and a competitor. He is a Liverpool supporter living out every Liverpool supporter's dream.

He will be back one day, he has to be; Liverpool Football Club will always be where Gerrard belongs. But in the meantime, it just won't be the same without him.

The dawn of a new era

With the departure of Gerrard in the summer, there will be an opportunity for others to step up and take the club forward. Some of those players are already at the club; there may be others that come in.

It is always difficult to say goodbye, but with every new beginning there is new opportunity, and with the youth in our squad, we have players that can strive to go on to be future greats of the club.

We have seen the development of Jordan Henderson over the past few years, and he has emerged as a real leader in this current side. Henderson has had the best possible tutor in Gerrard, and his importance to the side was shown last season. His athleticism and energy add intensity, his pressing is integral to our game, and as he matures he is becoming more dynamic in possession with his range of passing, shooting and crossing greatly improved.

Henderson is a role model for players like Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho, Emre Can, Lazar Markovic and Alberto Moreno, who are all still developing. They can all be future leaders in this Liverpool side and can grow together to develop a strong spine.

We also have players that are ready to step up and lead now such as Adam Lallana, who was captain at Southampton, and Mamadou Sakho, who was captain at Paris Saint-Germain.

We may be losing the greatest captain in the club's history, but we have leaders in waiting who can step up and lead the club into a new era.

We have not had the start to the season that anybody at the club had hoped for, but this side is not yet the finished article. There are plenty of reasons to believe that as these players grow and we add to the group, that there are plenty more highs to come.

As one chapter closes, another one opens.