Liverpool Season Preview: Time for Brendan Rodgers and his players to kick on to the next level

Brendan Rodgers knows his team must kick on this season

After setting the Premier League alight last season, Liverpool need to steel themselves and go again, but this time they're fighting in Europe as well. Luke Moore takes a look...

Last Season

Liverpool were a joy to watch last season, combining swashbuckling attacking play with an at times suicidal approach to defending which always ensured drama, right up until the last. Taking advantage of a transitional Manchester United and their own lack of European sojourns, the Reds came very close to lifting the Premier League title and in fact went into the final two games of the season top of the league.

While they didn't quite make it over the final hurdle to be crowned league champions, Liverpool smashed their way back into the top four in convincing fashion and are now a team to be reckoned with, especially at home, where they won 16 out of 19 games and scored a huge 53 goals.

Ins and Outs

The big departure from Anfield this summer was of course Luis Suarez. The controversial Uruguayan will be a big loss to Brendan Rodgers' men on the pitch; 31 goals are difficult to replace. However, off the pitch Suarez was a liability and Liverpool fans will be hoping the team can unite in his absence, as they did when he missed games through suspension at the beginning of last term.

In terms of replacements, Rodgers has elected to sign several players rather than bring in a new superstar player to build the team around. Around 85m has been spent on the likes of the versatile and impressive Emre Can from Bayer Leverkusen, the exciting Lazar Markovic from Benfica (who, at just 20 years old is tipped to be a future world-beater), and three key players from Southampton - Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren.

Belgian forward Divock Origi has also joined from Lille, but he will spend the season on loan back at his old club, and full back Javi Manquillo comes in from Atletico Madrid. Brendan Rodgers knows his biggest task at the start of this season will be to acclimatise these new players into a coherent unit.

Manager

Brendan Rodgers has now established himself as an impressive and shrewd operator. His Liverpool side are known for their attacking, entertaining football and now he needs to make the next step - winning trophies. It will also be interesting to see the Northern Irishman manage at the highest club level when he takes his side into the Champions League later this season. Competing on this added front will bring its own problems and it is vital Rodgers negotiates that successfully while maintaining the Reds' position in the league.

Expectations

After entertaining Premier League fans all around the world last season, Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool now know that the logical next step for the club is to lift a major trophy in the shape of the FA Cup, the Premier League or, dare we say it, the Champions League. It's been eight years since they lifted one of those three, and a club of this size is always measured by the amount of silverware in the cabinet. Entertaining football isn't enough, trophies are what count. This season must be the start of that.

Best Bet

The Premier League is certain to be a lot more competitive this season. Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have all improved and it's hard to write off champions Man City with the personnel they have at their disposal. As a result, Liverpool could become the team to drop out of that top four just one season after they forced their way back in. The Reds are still a slim 2.1211/10 to finish in those top four positions though, so at that price a lay might be the order of the day.

Value Bet

With Luis Suarez now plying his trade at Barcelona, it feels like it might be Daniel Sturridge's time to step up and become the main man. 21 league goals last season and 35 goals in 49 games for Liverpool so far tells its own story, and yet more improvement is expected from the talented, quick striker this term. His rivals for the Premier League Top Scorer crown are either new to the Premier League (Diego Costa, Alexis Sanchez), injury prone (Robin van Persie, Sergio Aguero, Wayne Rooney), or not in the same class (Olivier Giroud) and so the 8.615/2-9.28/1 about Sturridge to lift that golden boot looks attractive.