Brendan Rodgers admits Liverpool must deal with a
transitional period in order to improve in the long run, conceding the summer
departure of Luiz Suárez has halted the club’s progress.
Liverpool, spearheaded by the Uruguayan, who scored 31
goals, finished as runners-up in the Premier League last season, just two
points behind the champions, Manchester City.
Sunday’s dramatic late victory over QPR took Liverpool to
fifth in the table but already the Reds have suffered disappointing Premier
League defeats to West Ham and Aston Villa, while their return to the Champions
League has seen victory over Ludogorets followed by a 1-0 reverse away to
Basel.
And Rodgers, speaking to the Spanish sports daily AS,
conceded his side have been hampered by the summer overhaul at Anfield that
also saw nine new signings, including Mario Balotelli, who is yet to score in
the Premier League. “We are going to take the short-term hit at the moment
knowing that in the long term the club will be better for it,” said Rodgers.
Liverpool’s Champions League campaign continues on Wednesday
with the defending champions, Real Madrid, due at Anfield and Rodgers was
glowing with praise for their ex-Premier League duo Gareth Bale and Cristiano
Ronaldo.
“When the space opens up there is no one better on the
counter attack because in Ronaldo and Bale, they have two players that could be
in the Olympic 100m final,” continued Rodgers.
The Liverpool manager also played down speculation linking
him with a January move for the former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdés, who
is currently a free agent. Asked if he would be signing another Spanish player,
following the summer acquisitions of Alberto Moreno and Javier Manquillo,
Rodgers simply replied, ‘no’.
Source-The Guardian UK
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