Liverpool: Youth challenge

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fmliverpool

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With Liverpool home of one of the best youth academies in the league, I will attempt to achieve greater European success by only transferring players under the age of 21, whilst trying to give as much game time to academy players as possible.

This is the first team squad with which I will complete the season:

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And these are the youngsters who I will hope to incorporate into the first team at various stages:

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My aim for this season will be to qualify for the Europa League again, whether it be through the league or a cup win.
 
Signings

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1 - Ruben Blanco: GK (Age 18) - ?675k

Signing from Celta, will be used as back-up keeper to Simon Mignolet, with the long-term view of having him as first choice. He will be the keeper for both the FA Cup and League Cup.

2 - Ricardo Rodriguez: LB (Age 20) - ?9m

Signed from Wolfsburg, but had to be loaned back as part of the deal. When he returns, he will likely replace Jose Enrique as first choice left back, unless he fails to develop enough in that time. One of the most promising left backs, although the fee is certainly a risk for a relatively unproven fullback.
 
Pre-season

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I allowed the assistant manager to take control of the friendly matches, with mixed results as the players struggled to get used to the tactics (4-2-3-1, 4-5-1 and 4-4-2). Nothing convincing in there, but good to see Jordan Rossiter score against Atletico Madrid, as one of the most exciting young players in the team. I will endeavour to give Rossiter game time over the course of the season.
 
August

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Premier League

Swansea 1 - 1 Liverpool

An Iago Aspas own goal gave Swansea an early lead, before substitute Sterling scored a close range finish to equalise late on. Liverpool were unlucky as they bossed possession and had more shots on target, but it wasn't a terrible result, and it was good to see one of the younger players change the game in Sterling.

Liverpool 3 - 0 Cardiff

Much easier, as Cardiff didn't even muster a shot on target. Sterling started the game and was a constant nuisance for Cardiff's fullbacks, Jordan Ibe came on late in the game, hitting the bar from distance.

Newcastle 1 - 0 Liverpool

Cisse's 90th minute goal consigned the team to a first defeat under their new manager. Several players were clearly tired from the exhausting League Cup game, but a missed penalty from Gerrard proved crucial in Newcastle's victory. Rossiter came on late on for a Premier League debut, while Jerome Sinclair remained on the bench.

Capital One Cup

Liverpool 9 - 4 Yeovil (a.e.t.)

A stunning game saw Liverpool pull it back from 2-1 down, and then concede a 90th minute equaliser at 4-3, only to score five in extra time. Several young players made their mark on this game. Ruben Blanco made a few excellent saves, despite being at fault for the equaliser, while Lloyd Jones made some good tackles in defence. Jordan Ibe scored a brace from off the bench, while Rossiter scored a screamer on his debut to become Liverpool's youngest ever goal scorer.
 
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September

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Premier League

Liverpool 2 - 0 Norwich

A much easier win came at home to Norwich, who barely had a chance until the final ten minutes. Harry Wilson started as a right winger, and made some decent runs, before being replaced by Ibe, who had an equally impressive game. Rossiter stayed on the bench.

Liverpool 0 - 0 Fulham

A deeply frustrating afternoon saw all Liverpool's 8 shots on target saved. The last game of Suarez's ban was crying out for the Uruguayan, as Aspas and Sturridge had no luck. Rossiter came on after an injury to Henderson, but failed to find the winner.

Aston Villa 1 - 3 Liverpool

A successful league return for Suarez was as comprehensive as the scoreline suggests, even after Westwood cut the deficit to 2-1 towards the end of the match. Wilson came on late for the tiring Sterling.

Capital One Cup

Watford 1 - 2 Liverpool

An early scare was eventually relieved by Sturridge. Suarez looked rusty as he was thrown straight into the starting line-up alongside Aspas. Blanco started, and made some composed saves against a dangerous looking Watford side.

League Position: 6th

Swansea and West Brom are surprise packages, at 2nd and 4th respectively. Man City top the table while Chelsea lie in 3rd. United, Arsenal and Tottenham are languishing in mid table, and Sunderland, Hull and Norwich make up the relegation zone.
 
October

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Premier League

Liverpool 0 - 1 Arsenal

An early header from Vermaelen gave Arsenal a deserved win at Anfield, where Liverpool struggled to fashion any chances.

Manchester United 2 - 1 Liverpool

Much better performance, despite blowing a 1-0 lead to lose. Liverpool had more chances, but couldn't secure a win against their deadly rivals. Rossiter came on for his north-west derby debut.

Southampton 1 - 3 Liverpool

Liverpool got back to winning ways, going 3-0 up before Lambert pulled one back for the Saints. Ibe started the game, and provided the assist for Coutinho's goal.

Capital One Cup


Liverpool 2 - 1 Fulham

Revenge for the league draw at Anfield, this time with a largely second string team. Rossiter and Blanco both started, and Sinclair came on after Sturridge's winner. A shock loss at home to Stoke for Man City means that Liverpool were the best team left in the draw, with Chelsea, Arsenal and United already out.

League position: 10th

Difficult month, but the competitiveness of the league means that we're still 4 points off a surprise top four spot. West Brom and Swansea are still top four teams, but Man City had a terrible month to finish in 9th place. Chelsea and United complete the top four. Hull, Cardiff and Sunderland made up the bottom three.
 
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November

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Premier League

Liverpool 2 - 3 Hull

Oh dear. An awful home loss to the bottom side, despite taking the lead twice. An 85th minute Sakho own goal gave Hull a win they fully deserved.

Liverpool 4 - 1 West Ham

Confident home win, with the SAS partnership linking up well. Ibe got 20 minutes, where he missed a brilliant opportunity to add a fifth.

Sunderland 1 - 3 Liverpool

Fantastic game for Jordan Rossiter, who came off the bench after a Steven Gerrard injury. His first goal was a stunning 20 yard strike, while his second was a cross for Suarez, which somehow ended up in the back of the net.

Liverpool 1 - 1 Chelsea

Henderson gave Liverpool the lead, but Cahill equalised just a minute later. Liverpool probably deserved the win. Rossiter came off the bench, but couldn't find the same impact.

League position: 9th

Just four points between 10th and 4th place, but the loss to Hull seriously dented our European credentials. Swansea remained in third, but West Brom fell back down to 6th. United, City and Chelsea made up the rest of the top four. Cardiff, Sunderland and Palace made up the bottom three, after Hull's win at Anfield helped them escape.
 
December

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Premier League

Everton 3 - 1 Liverpool

The risk of throwing Rossiter in for his first start failed to come off, as a Lukaku hat-trick meant an embarassing derby defeat.

Liverpool 3 - 3 West Brom

Another shocking result, as Liverpool blew a 3-0 lead against high-flying West Brom. Two quickfire goals from Vydra made the team sweat, and Berahino managed to equalise in the dying seconds. Jordan Ibe played the last half hour, while Rossiter also came on at half time.

Liverpool 2 - 1 Manchester City

The pressure eased on the manager after a masterclass from Luis Suarez secured a massive win over the title chasing side.

Tottenham 2 - 1 Liverpool

A desperately unlucky 2-1 loss, with a counter attack in the last minute sealing the away side's fate.

Stoke 2 - 1 Liverpool

A 1-0 half time lead wasn't enough, as Mark Hughes' side caused further unrest for the struggling Liverpool side.

Liverpool 3 - 0 Crystal Palace

An important easy win for the home side, with three English players on the scoresheet. Ibe came on for a half hour cameo, and Rossiter played the full 90 minutes.

Cardiff 2 - 3 Liverpool

A 3-0 lead was cut down to lead to a nervy ending, but Liverpool ended their recent away woes. Lloyd Jones came on for his Premier League debut after Cardiff pulled their first goal back.

Capital One Cup

Liverpool 3 - 1 Leicester

A spirited performance from Leicester, who took an early lead, but Iago Aspas produced his best Liverpool performance to fire Liverpool into the semi finals, where they will face Aston Villa.

League position: 6th

Despite a poor month, Liverpool move back into a European position for the first time since the second week. A very surprising top four, made up by Chelsea, Everton, West Brom and Swansea. Palace, Sunderland and Hull are the three at the foot of the table now, while Tottenham, Man City, Arsenal and United surprisingly occupy mid table positions, with little to separate the top half.
 
January


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Premier League

Liverpool 0 - 3 Swansea
Desperately poor performance, barely fashioning any chances on goal. Sinclair came on late on, but like the rest of the squad, had no impact.

Liverpool 1 - 0 Newcastle

Far from confident, but an ultimately solid performance to see off Newcastle, who were on the verge of a top four place.

Fulham 1 - 1 Liverpool

Another draw against Fulham, Liverpool forced to rely on an equaliser, despite dominating much of the game.

FA Cup

Arsenal 4 -1 Liverpool

Despite a fast start, it was ultimately a nightmare for Liverpool, particularly Ruben Blanco who was at fault for two of Arsenal's goals. Ibe started, and assisted Sturridge's goal, while Wilson came on as a 86th minute substitute.

Capital One Cup

Liverpool 2 - 2 Aston Villa

A dreadful result after being 2-0 up, with another shocking error by Blanco, to allow Albrighton to score a lob from the halfway line.

Aston Villa 2 -4 Liverpool

Villa never took the lead, but it was a tight at 2-2 until Gerrard's penalty put Liverpool ahead. Kept faith in Blanco, and he repaid it with some great saves late on from Benteke. Liverpool are through to play Stoke in the final, and to secure European qualification, fulfilling the main aim of the season.

League position: 10th

The cup run is saving my skin at the moment, with some diabolical results in the league. Tottenham have replaced West Brom in the top four, and Villa have replaced Sunderland in the bottom three.
 
February

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Premier League

Norwich 2 - 5 Liverpool

Suarez got yet another hat trick against the Canaries, despite a 46th minute red card for Cissokho.

Arsenal 3 - 1 Liverpool

A very average performance against a big side away YET AGAIN. Rossiter and Canos came on when it was clear the game was out of reach.

Liverpool 2 - 2 Aston Villa

A repeat of the League Cup match, only Liverpool were forced to come back from 2-1 down this time. Worryingly frail at the back against Benteke, and another shock home result against a bottom half team.

Liverpool 0 - 2 Manchester United

The worst form of the season going into the cup final is desperately disappointing. No-one really stood out, and the players accumulated 7 yellow cards over the course of the match, resulting in a fine.

Hull 0 - 2 Liverpool

A morale boosting win to ensure that we had some momentum going into the final. Suarez seems to be the only player able to score however.

League position: 10th

I will surely be sacked if I fail to win the cup next week, with continuous mediocre results. Newcastle, Everton, Chelsea and Swansea now make up the top four, with Sunderland, Palace and Villa in the bottom three. Chelsea look set to win the league after being top since November, and 5 points clear of Everton.
 
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Great fighting spirit, and a brave performance from 18 year old Ruben Blanco on his Wembley debut. Liverpool won their 9th league cup title and ensured that they would be back in the Europa League next season, with the Champions League seemingly out of reach. Somehow, this cup win was enough for me to receive a new five-year contract, so I will hope to repay that with a better league position next season.
 
March


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Premier League

West Ham 1 - 3 Liverpool

Sterling came off the bench to secure a far from easy win at Upton Park.

Liverpool 0 - 2 Southampton

Rossiter made a late substitute appearance in a dire performance at home to a midtable side.

Liverpool 1 - 1 Sunderland

One of the worst performances of the season, especially as Sunderland had a man sent off the the first minute. It still took an equaliser to get a result, although Ibe did come on for an impressive cameo.

Chelsea 6 - 2 Liverpool

Despite the early lead, a clinical performance resulted in Chelsea winning a match closer than the scoreline suggests.

League position: 9th

Worst month in charge for me, with a seemingly hungover effect after the cup win. Chelsea, Everton, Swansea and Newcastle make up the top four, while Hull, Palace and Sunderland sit at the bottom.
 
April

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Premier League

West Brom 0 - 3 Liverpool

Ibe came on in an impressive 3-0 win against one of the surprise packages of the season.

Liverpool 2 - 0 Everton

A fine performance ensured Liverpool at least managed a derby win in a generally poor season. Ibe came on, with little time to make an impact.

Liverpool 0 - 2 Tottenham

A very harsh red card for Sterling clearly cost Liverpool the game, which they had been bossing.

Liverpool 3 - 0 Stoke

Much easier than the Capital One Cup final, in a match which secured me the Manager of the Month award for the first time.

League position: 8th

Despite a much better month, anything higher than 7th is out of reach. Chelsea have won the league, while City have secured Champions League football. Everton, Newcastle, Arsenal, Tottenham and United still remain in the hunt for fourth in one of the closest ever finishes. Villa and Palace are relegated, with one of Sunderland, Hull or Cardiff certain to join them.
 
May

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Premier League

Manchester City 0 - 3 Liverpool

A stunning performance led to victory at the Ethiad, with Sturridge scoring a lob from the halfway line after a Joe Hart mistake.

Crystal Palace 3 - 1 Liverpool

With 8th place secure, I took the opportunity to give some young players their opportunity. Chirivella and Ojo both started in central midfield and left wing respectively, while Wilson played as a right winger. Crystal Palace fully deserved their win, but now must start life in the Championship.

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Transfers IN


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1 - Kevin Volland: ST Real Madrid ?21.5m

The 21 year old German player was only signed by Real Madrid from Hoffenheim last summer, and despite 9 goals in 30 appearences, the arrival of Romelu Lukaku meant that Real allowed him to leave. With European football, there'll be plenty of opportunities for rotation.

2 - Valerio Amado: CM P. Ferriera ?425k

The highly rated 17 year old joined P. Ferriera's youth academy last year, and has already made one appearance. Definitely the most naturally talented of the new recruits.

3 - Eder Alvarez Balanta: CB River ?7.5m

Signed to help at the back, after a difficult season defensively last time out. The youngster has already made 11 appearances for Columbia, and adds more threat on set pieces.

4 - Zakaria Bakkali: LW PSV ?4.1m

A bargain, considering the talent at such a young age. The 18 year old made 23 appearances for PSV last season, and will be pushing for a starting spot immediately.

5 - Sebastian Drussi: CAM Velez ?6m

The 18 year old managed 7 goals last season from the midfield, and will be given opportunities from the bench.

6 - Mateo Kovacic: CM Inter ?13.5m

The 20 year old was highly rated by Inter, but found the offer hard to resist. He will go straight in the first team, ahead of Joe Allen.

7 - Serge Aurier: RB Toulouse ?12.75

The 21 year old Ivory Coast player was signed to offer competition to Glen Johnson at rightback, with Martin Kelly injury prone and erratic.

Notable OUTS:

Iago Aspas: ?4.8m - Stoke

The Spanish striker did okay in his first season, but the signing of Volland and return of Borini would mean he'd be 5th choice striker.

Luis Alberto: ?3.7m - Getafe

Failed to impress in any of his admittedly limited opportunities, and would struggle to make his mark with all the competition for his position.

Lucas: ?25m - Real Madrid

?25 million was an offer we couldn't refuse, especially as Allen, Henderson and Gerrard all performed better last season.

Sebastian Coates: ?3.7m - Hertha BSC

Probably never going to be good enough for the first team, so seemed right to move him on.

Ossauma Assaidi: ?3m - Swansea

Same case as Coates.

Pepe Reina: ?4.8m - AC Milan

Recieved less money than I would have liked, but his wages were too high for a second choice goal keeper.
 
Good story so far. Made some good signings as well. Hopefully you can push for a top 4 finish this year.
 
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