Liverpool's season review for Liverpool FC for the 2009-10 campaign.
Player of the Year: Pepe Reina - Once upon a time the Spaniard played second fiddle to Petr Cech in the pecking order for Europe's best goalkeeper. The ex-Villarreal stopper is now second to no one and has won a place in Kopites' hearts for his passion and commitment to the club.
Most Improved Player: Lucas Leiva - A player who does not base his performances on supporter adulation, of which he has received very little, Lucas has carried on his rich vein of form from the tail end of last year to provide good cover for the injury-prone Alberto Aquilani.
Biggest Disappointment: Glen Johnson - Arrived at Anfield on the back of a purple patch at Portsmouth, combined with a string of impressive goals, the England international looks a real threat going forward but his defensive tendencies currently leave a lot to be desired.
Worst player: Ryan Babel - Constantly berated by the Anfield faithful for being frustratingly inconsistent the winger exceeded himself off the pitch this year by outnumbering Albert Riera for a series of attacks against the club, all of which he retracted once word reached Melwood.
Best signing: Maxi Rodriguez - A player whose move from Atlético Madrid was tracked from start to finish by Click Liverpool in January, Maxi has been a breath of fresh air on the left-hand side of midfield in the few months he has been here and looks set to deliver more of the same next year.
Goal of the Season: Fernando Torres, vs Sunderland, 28th February 2010: A goal that had John Barnes' name written all over it. Created from nothing, this looping effort was a hallmark of pure class and proved why the Kop worship this particular number nine.
Worst Own Goal: Tom Hicks Jr, vs Steve Horner, 9th January 2010: Etching his name into Anfield infamy with the immortal words "Blow me f*** face. Go to hell. I'm sick of you", the Texan was forced to resign from the board for this foul-mouthed tirade at a fan via email.
Best game: Liverpool 4-1 Benfica, 8th April 2010 - A real rout where everything seemed to click within the home side. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Rafael Benitez's side delivered a footballing master class to their Portuguese counterparts on an explosive European night at Anfield.
Worst game: Fulham 3-1 Liverpool, 31st October 2009 - Fulham may have been the surprise package of this season both domestically and on the continent, but this was a real Halloween horror story for the Reds as their defence crumbled yet again and saw Jamie Carragher and Philipp Degen given their marching orders.
The big issue: Ownership - George Gillett and Tom Hicks have continued to take Liverpool's debts higher and higher, forcing Benitez to book-balance and unable to add depth to his squad. The fanbase might be split on the manager but the Americans are still the main problem in the grand scheme of things
Verdict: After the previous season that had promised so much, a defensive crisis and the departure of Xabi Alonso saw any hopes of delivering a 19th domestic crown to Anfield and Champions League glory dashed within the first two months whilst a guarantee of qualifying for Europe's premier club competition failed to come to fruition. Benitez faces a difficult task to repair the damage financial inaction has struck to his side if he resists Juventus' overtures in the summer.
SOURCE: Click Liverpool
Player of the Year: Pepe Reina - Once upon a time the Spaniard played second fiddle to Petr Cech in the pecking order for Europe's best goalkeeper. The ex-Villarreal stopper is now second to no one and has won a place in Kopites' hearts for his passion and commitment to the club.
Most Improved Player: Lucas Leiva - A player who does not base his performances on supporter adulation, of which he has received very little, Lucas has carried on his rich vein of form from the tail end of last year to provide good cover for the injury-prone Alberto Aquilani.
Biggest Disappointment: Glen Johnson - Arrived at Anfield on the back of a purple patch at Portsmouth, combined with a string of impressive goals, the England international looks a real threat going forward but his defensive tendencies currently leave a lot to be desired.
Worst player: Ryan Babel - Constantly berated by the Anfield faithful for being frustratingly inconsistent the winger exceeded himself off the pitch this year by outnumbering Albert Riera for a series of attacks against the club, all of which he retracted once word reached Melwood.
Best signing: Maxi Rodriguez - A player whose move from Atlético Madrid was tracked from start to finish by Click Liverpool in January, Maxi has been a breath of fresh air on the left-hand side of midfield in the few months he has been here and looks set to deliver more of the same next year.
Goal of the Season: Fernando Torres, vs Sunderland, 28th February 2010: A goal that had John Barnes' name written all over it. Created from nothing, this looping effort was a hallmark of pure class and proved why the Kop worship this particular number nine.
Worst Own Goal: Tom Hicks Jr, vs Steve Horner, 9th January 2010: Etching his name into Anfield infamy with the immortal words "Blow me f*** face. Go to hell. I'm sick of you", the Texan was forced to resign from the board for this foul-mouthed tirade at a fan via email.
Best game: Liverpool 4-1 Benfica, 8th April 2010 - A real rout where everything seemed to click within the home side. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Rafael Benitez's side delivered a footballing master class to their Portuguese counterparts on an explosive European night at Anfield.
Worst game: Fulham 3-1 Liverpool, 31st October 2009 - Fulham may have been the surprise package of this season both domestically and on the continent, but this was a real Halloween horror story for the Reds as their defence crumbled yet again and saw Jamie Carragher and Philipp Degen given their marching orders.
The big issue: Ownership - George Gillett and Tom Hicks have continued to take Liverpool's debts higher and higher, forcing Benitez to book-balance and unable to add depth to his squad. The fanbase might be split on the manager but the Americans are still the main problem in the grand scheme of things
Verdict: After the previous season that had promised so much, a defensive crisis and the departure of Xabi Alonso saw any hopes of delivering a 19th domestic crown to Anfield and Champions League glory dashed within the first two months whilst a guarantee of qualifying for Europe's premier club competition failed to come to fruition. Benitez faces a difficult task to repair the damage financial inaction has struck to his side if he resists Juventus' overtures in the summer.
SOURCE: Click Liverpool
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