It's no secret that Liverpool's key weakness last season was their leaky defence. The table speaks for itself. Despite scoring 101 goals, they conceded 50. That tally was only 3 less than Hull City's goals against total, a team 14 places lower in the table. Only Tottenham (51), Stoke (52) and Newcastle United (59) recorded a worse goals against figure in the top 10.
Without a doubt, the Reds paid for their defensive mishaps. Several of their losses containing either a lapse in concentration, a defensive error or a flaw in the system and their title chase was marred by their failings at the back. Southampton, their first loss of the season, was largely due to the fact that Brendan Rodgers set up with four centre-backs. Mamadou Sakho at left back and Kolo Toure at right back, whilst Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger were deployed in the centre. It simply didn't work whatsoever. Sakho and Toure didn't push forward enough to help going forward, whilst they also looked uncomfortable in unnatural positions, and they paid the price with a 1-0 loss.
Against Arsenal, in November, Rodgers' decision to play three centre backs and two wingbacks in a 5-3-2 formation didn't pay off. Though it had it's merits, with the intention to pack the centre of the field and stop the North London side's intricate passing, instead it allowed Arsenal acres of space in behind the midfield. The Gunners took advantage of this space, particularly exploiting the wide areas and again, Liverpool lost 2-0.
The disastrous 3-1 defeat at Hull meanwhile, was just a comedy of errors at the back. All three goals were a result of mistakes. Skrtel's wicked deflection, terrible team defending against David Meyler and then a disastrous own-goal from the Slovakian capped of a woeful afternoon, in what was perhaps Liverpool's worst performance of the season.
There's a number of examples that further show the Reds' individual and collective defensive inadequacy, including the infamous Steven Gerrard slip, Toure's West Brom backpass and Simon Mignolet's errors against Manchester City and Aston Villa. At times, Liverpool's forward firepower single-handedly ensured they took the points - including a 6-3 win over Cardiff, a 4-3 win against Swansea and 3-2 wins over Norwich, Manchester City and Fulham. It was obvious that the defence was letting them down, and yet it continued throughout the entire campaign.
With the defence largely to blame for the failure to clinch the title, surely that means that it must be addressed for a 2014-15 season that will include huge games against Europe's best, where Liverpool's defence will be tested to it's limits. But there's been a clear failure to do so, as of yet.
Sure, Southampton duo Rickie Lambert and playmaker Adam Lallana boost the club's quality in the final third, and Emre Can will add some depth and defensive cover in midfield, but there still hasn't been any new vital augmentation of the defence.
Some time ago, Liverpool looked like acquiring the services of left-back Alberto Moreno, but they now look set to miss out on the Sevilla man with their President confirming the deal as "dead" due to the fact the Reds refuse to match the club's valuation of the player. Whether Liverpool go back in for the left-back at a later date is unrevealed, but with Daniel Agger's future in doubt, Glen Johnson going into the final year of his contract and Skrtel's consistent inconsistency. What should the Reds do to ensure the defence isn't their fatal flaw again next season?
Right-back
Liverpool already have a number of options in the right-back slot, but it's certainly a weak spot. With a number of candidates already in the squad, and the possibility of new signings, who could Rodgers have as his starting right-back next season?
Last season's go-to-guy was experienced England international Glen Johnson, but he was well below-par throughout the campaign and his Anfield career looks to be coming to a close within 12 months. Rodgers also has loyal servant Martin Kelly, youngster Andre Wisdom returning from loan, the thriving Jon Flanagan and also perhaps even the highly-rated U21s right-back Ryan McLaughlin ready to soon step up from U21 level, at least to play a minor part in domestic cup competitions.
Still, first-choice is most likely to be Glen Johnson. Despite being rumoured to be of interest to Queens Park Rangers, he'll probably see out the final year of his contract. Johnson is seeking a three-year, £120k-a-week contract which Liverpool are reluctant to sanction those kind of wages, but that doesn't mean he won't stay for the final year of his current deal. Even though him staying would be unpopular with a majority of unsatisfied Liverpool fans, there are certainly some positives that he can bring to the team if he does stay.
For starters, since arriving back in July 2009, Johnson has made 141 appearances and the 29-year-old basically has plenty of experience at the top level. He has played in the Champions League and the World Cup and with Liverpool returning to the prestigious European competition next season, his experience would be vital amongst an extremely youthful crowd in the current crop of players. Of the current 42 in the senior squad, only eight are over the age of 28 and several of those older heads are expected to leave. Only a small number of them have played in the Champions League, and so Johnson's veteran status could come in handy.
In terms of individual attributes, going forward is quite clearly Johnson's forte. His athleticism, strength, speed and decent technicality make him a good asset, if and when he is in form. He clearly enjoys pushing up the field, as he created 28 chances in the Premier League last year, 89% of which were in the final third of the pitch. In addition, he can certainly beat a man as he won 60% of his 77 attempted take-ons and on his day he can cross very effectively too. The truth is however, that he's out of form more often that not, meaning these talents are usually wasted.
Notwithstanding, even though the 29-year-old had a pretty terrible 2013-14 season on all counts, he wasn't even utilising his attacking potential. He contributed no goals and only a handful of assists, and managed only five successful crosses in 29 appearances, 0.2 per game. Several times he was also guilty of being the culprit of the back line, his hesitancy in possession and lack of tactical nous often resulted in Liverpool conceding goals. One example was a goal against Crystal Palace. When Yannick Bolasie came running at the right-back with pace, the winger simply ghosted past as if he wasn't there due to Johnson being caught out of position, and Palace scored only moments later. However, despite his poor 2013-14 campaign, with the possibility of having to attract a top European club to pick him up on a bosman costless next summer, there's certainly a possibility Johnson may be forced to pick up his form. As if to put himself in the transfer shop window, otherwise he'll be forced to face a comprehensive cut to his wages.
Whether Johnson stays or goes this summer, Liverpool will need to look for a long-term replacement in his position. But with the well-rounded abilities that Rodgers' system requires of his full-backs, it won't be easy to find a sufficient successor. In order for that right-back to grow into the position, you'd expect any candidates for the eventual position to need to be signed sooner rather than later.
The most likely replacement would currently seem to be Jon Flanagan, who was very impressive in the left-back slot last season. His per-90 stats are largely equivalent to, or even better than his more experienced counterpart and considering that was out of his best position, that's very impressive. Furthermore, his full-bloodied, committed style-of-play won him over with Liverpool fans almost instantly. After being drafted into the squad in November, he has since comes on leaps and bounds and he'll be an integral part of next season's squad.
Comparing the two, Johnson and Flanagan's strengths lie in opposite fields; attack and defence. Flanagan is comfortable on the ball, but he is less adept at pushing forward and beating his man compared to Johnson, but equally he isn't as good in the tackle or interception as the 21-year-old. Flanagan's age and current rate of development suggests he will only improve and there's plenty of time to evolve offensively. Both of those two look likely to be going head-to-head for the first-choice spot next season.
Martin Kelly is another option, but the 24-year-old is still plagued by injuries. Kelly has never really rediscovered the heights that saw him put in a fine performance away to Napoli, when an under-strength Liverpool side earned a draw against the impressive Italians in 2010. After a thoroughly impressive emergence in the 2010-11 season in which he made 23 appearances and also a strong start to the 2011-12 campaign, he has since made only 35 across three seasons. He also earned a shock call-up to the Euro 2012 side to replace Gary Cahill, but since he has struggled to nail down a regular role in the squad. Kelly has always had promise, and was once considered a valid contender for the right-back position for club and country, but injuries such as an anterior cruciate ligament tear have curtailed his progress. Rodgers told Kelly last year that he had a position in his team, but the versatile defender made just eight appearances throughout 2013-14. As a result, rumours have linked him with a loan move away and the club are supposedly ready to let him go. It would be a real shame, but his attitude and injury problems have been his downfall.
Other potential options include Andre Wisdom, who coming back into the fold after a successful season with Derby County, may add further competition. Reaching the play-off final, Wisdom was an essential component in an entertaining Derby side, and he consistently performed with numerable solid, composed performances at right-back. Defensively and offensively he proved his worth, making 37 appearances and recording three assists for the Rams. Though Steve McClaren has spoke of his desire to loan the 21-year-old for a further year, it is likely that with the extra games, Wisdom proved he will be worthy back-up at Liverpool.
Further down the ranks, the signing of 20-year-old Kevin Stewart may mean that Ryan McLaughlin could find himself in contention for the odd senior appearance. The Northern Ireland international enjoyed a loan spell at Barnsley last season, where he operated further forward for the Championship side, and demonstrated he has the attributes to potentially play further up the field. The 19-year-old is a bright prospect and is one of many of the latest talents off the production line at Melwood, but has yet to make his debut at senior level. Still, McLaughlin could certainly challenge for a deputising place in the squad after earning a professional contract only last summer.
Despite the fact Liverpool evidently have a host of already available choices, there are also a number of available right-backs that Rodgers may look towards. Why would he look for more right-backs? Whilst there's a lot of options, none of them possess of real all-rounded quality that the Reds need for the challenge of European football and added game next season.
Long-time target Martin Montoya only signed a new contract at Barcelona which rules him out of the running, that is unless Liverpool want to cough up £16.65 million on the the Barcelona defender. Maxi Pereira, is another name touted with Liverpool, particularly as a replacement for Johnson. Newspapers report that due to "concerns over the Englishman's future", Rodgers will look to replace Glen's experience with the 30-year-old Uruguayan who currently plays for S.L. Benfica. Further reports indicate he would cost £5.5 million and despite being an everpresent in their Europa League campaign last year, that figure may be a little pricey given his age and the fact he has only a year left on his contract. Micah Richards may still be a viable target. After long-term interest in the English international, BBC Sport have now reported that Manchester City are willing to accept a knockdown fee for the right-back because he has just one year of his contract left. Liverpool had been linked with a £7 million bid back in May, and despite injuries restricting his appearances at City, Richards has talent and versatility in abundance, and could be a smart buy if Johnson leaves. Richards could be the ideal addition bringing plenty in the way of experience, as well as versatility with the 26-year-old capable of playing at full-back or in central defence.
Of course, there's even more names such as the impressive Ivorian Serge Aurier and the Chilean engine of Mauricio Isla, but unless Liverpool's cash windfall from a Luis Suárez sale is so significant, it's unlikely Rodgers will be spending £15 million plus on a right-back just yet, more likely half that.
Conclusion
It is near impossible to name the "right" route that Liverpool should go down. Getting Johnson's monumental wages off the bill would be smart, but he may pick up his form in order to attract new potential suitors next summer and his experience and forward capabilities may come in useful. Jon Flanagan is certainly a good prospect, as is Andre Wisdom, and you'd expect both to be battling for the back-up role should Johnson stay. As far as new signings go, Richards is a promising option and if he could stave off injuries, he could find the form that led to such huge expectations when he initially burst onto the scene. If Johnson goes, Richards would be the ideal option in terms of giving Rodgers the opportunity to regenerate a player similarly to how he has Daniel Sturridge, Skrtel etc. He hasn't made it at Manchester City and yet is still yet to reach his peak and he certainly has the ability, plus he could also be available on the cheap. If Johnson stays, it's likely that he'll stay the number one with Flanagan and Wisdom deputising when necessary, but quite how that would go down with Liverpool fans is a different story.
Centre-back
Perhaps the biggest dilemma in his set-up last season was Rodgers' centre-back partnership. Despite having a host of talented individuals to choose from, every combination he tried seemed to fail. Martin Skrtel and Kolo Touré's cavalier partnership was virtually suicidal, whilst Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho were as bad a couple as Mark Wahlberg & Zooey Deschanel in The Happening, keeping one clean sheet in 17 attempts. So what has Rodgers got to do for next season?
Injuries and irregular form all played their part in what was a frantic attempt to find a pair that clicked, but none of them seemed to work. This season, the hope is that Liverpool will be able to find a decent partner for Sakho, whom they spent £18 million on only last August, and is likely to be the number one constant figure in their back line.
Sakho has already been shown to be favoured to Daniel Agger, whose future is in doubt. He has been a fantastic player for the Reds and his determination and loyalty are unparalleled, but his time is coming to a close. Agger won't go down as one of the greats, but there was certainly a justification in Barça's interest a few years back. A calm, soothing figure in defence, his distribution, ability to push forward and threat from set-pieces have made him a largely solid and exciting defender. Rodgers unfortunately does not favour him, and despite keeping 46 clean sheets in his last 100 games, and 8 of the 10 on 2013-14, and 20 of the 22 clean sheets in 58 league games under Rodgers, there's still an uncertainty about the vice-captain. Agger too, is still prone to injury. The issue with the 29-year-old Dane is that he has very similar attributes, such as great distribution, and plays the same role to that of his left-sided competitor, Sakho. Rodgers clearly prefers the Frenchman, and he can't seem to fit the two together, meaning one has to be sacrificed. That's clearly caused a bit of anguish to Agger, and he admitted that he doesn't think Rodgers think he is up to the bill. Fans would be sorry to see him go, but the saga certainly looks like it's heading down that road.
Sakho's partner for much of his gametime last season, was the rejuvenated Martin Skrtel. For a majority of the season he showed decent form, but there were certainly moments of madness from the Slovakian. His tendency for rash decisions and his frequent errors were sandwiched between composed, commanding performances, almost as if he was gunning for the part of Jekyll & Hyde. For example, Skrtel scored four own goals to break the record for the most own goals in a single Premier League season, but he did score seven at the right end. His in-the-box man-handling causes unease, but sometimes his no nonsense approach is the perfect tonic. He made at least 46 more clearances (410) than any other player in Europe’s top 5 leagues last season, showing that he's not afraid to abandon the risky passing around the back style of play. It's a strange one, but his passing (91% accuracy) and aerial ability is second-to-none. Furthermore, he won 50% of his tackles and 69% of his headed duels. Skrtel's biggest flaw is his proclivity to commit fouls. He committed 39 last season, most of which were in dangerous areas and led to opportunities on goal for the opposition. Still, Skrtel was practically an everpresent last season, and 39 fouls in 36 games equates to just over a foul per game, which wasn't as bad as the likes of Glen Johnson and Lucas Leiva (61) or Steven Gerrard (53). He also proved was up to the task when it counted, and he was always there in the big games. He scored against every team in the top four, and his stats are their to support his cause. If only he could put the penchant for errors behind him, but he's effective at what he does. He turns 30 later this year, but you'd expect Skrtel to stay and play a huge part next season, perhaps even remaining Sakho's main partner.
Aside from Sakho, Skrtel and Agger, Kolo Touré was also in and around the first-team last season, but recent rumours suggest his relatively unsuccessful time at Liverpool could come to an end this summer. The Ivorian started strongly and soon become flavour of the month, before then losing his form completely after an injury, and becoming susceptible to high-profile gaffes. Most notably, the back-pass at West Brom and his comical own goal at Fulham. Touré's not lost it yet, but the importance of his role is likely only to dwindle from here on in. The 32-year-old has been linked with a switch to Turkish football, and it might be the best for both parties. However if he doesn't leave, you would imagine that his duty will largely be to add some experience and level-headedness in the dressing room, particularly before Champions League nights. He's seen it all, and not many other current Reds can match that. Other than that, there's not much to suggest Touré could or should stay at Anfield. He's tried his best, but Liverpool just require a higher standard and Touré shouldn't be anything more than fourth or five choice back-up if he does stay.
Rodgers also has the talent of Tiago Ilori at his disposal, whom he paid £7 million for last summer. The Sporting Lisbon academy graduate has yet to feature for the Reds, instead playing a few reserve side games before being loaned out to Granada CF for the rest of the season. In Spain, Ilori was impressive, particularly against the likes of Real Madrid. The Portugese centre-back is highly-rated and is renowned for his pace, passing and maturity beyond his peers. He made 9 appearances at Granada after arriving in January, and he is sure to break into the Liverpool first-team sooner or later. Ilori would allow Rodgers to employ the high back-line that he used so efficiently earlier in his managerial career but has not really managed to effectively introduce at Anfield. Ilori's blistering pace would allow him to compensate for defending high, and he made 2.7 interceptions per game in a similar system in Spain. He's also very versatile, and can play in any position across the back four, which will be an added boost to Rodgers. His outstanding intelligence and ability to read the game even though he is only 21-years-old makes him a bright prospect. After all, he was actually last summer's highest transfer priority. For the meantime though, it looks like he may be loaned out again to find consistent game time before he attempts to acclimitise to English football.
So with Skrtel and Sakho looking like the main options that Liverpool already boast, is there anyone else besides Ilori and Agger?
Actually, yes. They've still got the forgotten man Sebastián Coates, who spent the season at Nacional after recovering from a cruciate injury sustained last year. Though his greatest contribution is an outstandingly acrobatic overhead kick away at Queens Park Rangers, Coates was once very highly-rated. He earned the accolade of Copa América Best Young Player of 2011, in a tournament which his country won for the 15th time. That particular competition, Coates defended deep and showing leadership potential by organising goings-on around him and using his height advantage in his own box and his opponent's. Despite making the Uruguay squad for the current 2014 World Cup, Coates has shown in his time in England that he doesn’t have the requisite pace for a Premier League centre-back and he has lacked the composure to adapt to English football. A return to Uruguay on a permanent basis, or a move elsewhere seems two of the likely outcomes. The centre-back has made just 24 appearances in that time, half of which have been in the Premier League, and scored two goals and hasn't managed to live up to the expectation he was surrounded by, recently claiming his future looks "complicated." It's more likely than not that he'll never play in a Liverpool shirt again.
The Reds also have a few talented centre-backs in their youth ranks, such as Rafa Paez and Lloyd Jones. The former completed a permanent move to Liverpool's Academy set-up before the end of the 2013 summer transfer window, after impressing the club's coaches during a trial over the summer. He had been at Real Madrid prior, earning a name for his strength and positioning. The 19-year-old put in a string of assured performances for the U21s, as has Lloyd Jones. Another example of pace, power and aerial ability, the Welshman is tough in the tackle and confident with the ball at his feet. All of these attributes have made him one of the favourites to break into the first-team, and he earned himself a place on the bench for the first time when the senior team travelled to face Fulham in 2013. He also signed a professional contract at the end of 2012-13, but found chances hard to come by last year. He has however, earned the captaincy at U21s, further adding to his evergrowing CV. It might be a bit too soon for them both, admittedly. Jones, however, will be hoping to impress Alex Inglethorpe and potentially push for one or two appearances in cup competitions. Both Paez and Jones will certainly play roles in Liverpool's defensive future, potentially as understudies to Ilori and Sakho within the next few years.
So, those are the options currently present to the Liverpool boss, which leads to the conclusion that they need to recruit reinforcements centrally. No doubt about it. The most likely arrival is Dejan Lovren. The Croatian has been heavily linked with a switch after an impressive debut season in the Premier League with Southampton. The Saints have already rejected an opening £20 million offer, but Lovren has handed a transfer request in whilst also vowing not to turn up to pre-season in order to force a move to Anfield. Defensively, Lovren would bolster the squad, but the price tag is questionable considering the Reds could have got him for £12 million last summer. Nevertheless, he would be a smart signing, though there's an inkling Liverpool could look into the top, top bracket for centre-backs and pay equivalent to that. They had a long-standing interest in Kyriakos Papadopoulos, but he seems to have fallen away in the rumour mill.
Conclusion
Daniel Agger, Sebastian Coates and Kolo Touré all look like leaving, but there's still a possibility at least one of those will stay - likely Agger. Meanwhilst Skrtel and Sakho will probably both be in and around the first team XI, if not the starting partnership. Lovren looks increasingly likely by the day, but Liverpool will have to pay a large fee for the Croatian, which suggests they should perhaps look elsewhere for other, cheaper options. If they do purchase the Southampton man, those three and maybe even Agger would provide decent depth and the ability to rotate for certain games. Sakho and Lovren in particular could form a solid partnership that could last a number of years, but again, the price tag seems steep. In terms of other centre-backs, youngsters like Lloyd Jones may be in with a shout for domestic cup competitions but Ilori will probably be loaned out to aid his development further. Andre Wisdom too, could find himself played centrally if a bout of injuries hits the Anfield club.
Left-back
The left side of defence is unequivocally the area in which depth and quality is most shallow. Liverpool only have two real options there, and only of those is a natural left-back.
Jon Flanagan, quite superbly, transformed himself into an ample left-sided defender last season, but with Jose Enrique returning from the sidelines after a lengthy injury, which one of them will be next season's first choice? Or will Rodgers look elsewhere and recruit a new man?
Flanagan, despite spending much of last season on the left side, is likely to return to compete for his more natural right-back slot this season. With Aly Cissokho leaving to go back to Valencia, it is expected Jose Enrique will succeed both for the starting role. He was the club's established left-sided defender for several seasons, and would likely have been chosen ahead of Flanagan had it not been for his recurring knee issues.
The Spaniard is a solid defender, and despite spending more time on Instagram than on a pitch in the last few months, Enrique has already been in for pre-season and looks in good shape after not donning a red shirt for almost eight months. The concern with the 28-year-old is his predictability, in that he very much favours his left foot and his threat going forward is questionable too. Still, his athleticism, strength and pace make him a viable back-up, particularly for when a more defensive set-up is needed. If he could improve his end product, Enrique would be a practical first-choice
Again, there's one or two young left-back at Anfield that may be hoping to break into the senior squad. Jack Robinson has been on the peripheral since 2010, when he made a late substitute appearance. Since he has found his appearances limited by new signings (Enrique) and injuries. He has made a mere three appearances for Liverpool, and the 20-year-old's stint at Blackpool wasn't fruitful either. He made 36 appearances for the Tangerines contributing a single assist, but was largely uninspiring and earned three red cards and five extra yellow cards due to his indiscipline and rash decision making. He looks destined to leave as a result of not fulfilling his potential, but U21s Brad Smith may enjoy more success on Merseyside. The 20-year-old is blessed with lightning pace, which he had no problems in demonstrating against Shamrock Rovers in the 4-0 post-season friendly in May. Smith was many people's Man of the Match as he powered down the left flank showing almost pin-point accuracy with his crosses and passing. He also showed his strength and stamina was a match for anyone, and the Australian-born left-back has showed tremendous endurance to overcome a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2013. He made his debut away at Chelsea in late December last year, and may just be poised for an increasing number of opportunities this year.
However, with Liverpool returning to the Champions League next season, they may require more quality than that at left back - hence the manage identifiying this as an area in need of upgrades this summer. The full-back positions play a crucial role in Rodgers' system, and he has already looked to strengthen the position with the addition of impressive young Spaniard Alberto Moreno.
Moreno would be a appreciable acquisition, but the Reds refused to budge on the price they were willing to pay for the 21-year-old. Moreno's club, Sevilla, wanted £20 million but Liverpool valued him a lot less than that and so talks have halted for now. Still, plenty of others names have additionally been linked with a switch to Anfield, such as the likes of Swiss sensation Ricardo Rodriguez and Chelsea's Ryan Bertrand.
In terms of forward contributions, Rodriguez is the stand-out winner with five goals and nine assists from 34 Bundesliga appearances, whilst Moreno can only boast a single assist and Bertrand, with 16 loan appearances at Aston Villa, has neither a goal or an assist. Rodriguez is equally as dominant creatively, playing vastly more key passes and winning many more take-ons with 77 and 87 respectively. Moreno is the second-best with 17 key passes and 33 dribbles, but none of the rest compare. Bertrand is bottom of virtually every category, including tackling - which you guessed it, the Switzerland full-back again tops. Moreno's tops the interception category though, with 71. Wolfsburg's Rodriguez has some very impressive statistics right across the board, especially his goals, assists and aerial dominance but his style may not particularly suit the Reds as he often looks to hit the ball long, the opposite of Rodgers' intricate passing philosophies. Moreno seems ideal, and would certainly suit the Liverpool style, but the stall in talks means the most likely signings currently seems to be the rather undistinguished Bertrand, who has been linked with a £6 million move.
Marcos Rojo is another possible target, but they would face serious competition for the £12 million signing of the Argentina international. He has attracted attention from some of Europe's biggest clubs, who could offer him more money and a guaranteed starting spot. Rojo contributes with a handful of goals and assists, having recorded an impressive tally at Sporting last year, but his indiscipline is somewhat worrisome. He picked up two red cards and six yellows, having also picked up two yellow cards at the World Cup too. The 24-year-old is a decent prospect but any move for Rojo will be complicated by the fact that 75 per cent of his contract in the Portuguese capital is owned by a third-party - Investment company Doyen Sports, and third-party ownership is banned in the Premier League.
Between now and the time Liverpool secure a new left-back, there'll certainly be a host of alternative targets linked with the Reds across the summer too, from Daley Blind to Juan Bernat to Adriano, but one of the previous contenders looks more likely - particularly Bertrand, who Rodgers has cast a keen eye over for some time.
Conclusion
Jose Enrique looks certain to stay, but ideally he would be back-up. With Flanagan then 3rd choice, even despite being one of the top contenders for a right-back position. Brad Smith would then be an ideal choice for cup games against lesser opposition, as they would provide a perfect platform for him to showcase his talent. In terms of any new additions, Bertrand would be the last option for a large percentage of Reds, but despite being unspectacular, he's reliable. He may have only played 28 times for Chelsea, but he featured in the Champions League final in which he was sturdy. Rodgers is a long-term admirer of Bertrand having worked with him at Chelsea's academy and the truth is that it looks as if he is the more likely signing, as opposed to impressive Spanish youngster Alberto Moreno. The Sevilla man's a gifted ball-playing wing-back, who's very fast & deceptively strong on one on one situations but Liverpool won't pay the required fee. Meanwhile, Bertrand's signature would certainly provide stern competition for Enrique and would probably improve the competition at left-back, but he doesn't boast the "Champions League quality" that some of the other contenders for the position are and therefore Rodgers should certainly be looking into the higher bracket.
Goalkeeper
So, we can have a rough guess at what is needed for the reinvigorated outlook of next season's defence, but what role did Simon Mignolet play in last year's defensive failures? Furthermore, is it time for Liverpool to look for suitable back-up or perhaps even someone to challenge for his place between the sticks?
It's nothing new that despite his likeable character, Brad Jones' quality isn't good enough to make him the second keeper at Liverpool. Ideally, he is a third-choice goalkeeper but with Pepe Reina's departure very likely - will Jones retain his second spot, or could Rodgers bring in a fresh-faced keeper?
Mignolet, last season, actually made more mistakes than any other defender with seven with five leading to a goal. That was more than any other goalkeeper in the league, the Belgian made less errors than Norwich John Ruddy, but only four of his nine led to goals conceded. To what extent is this his fault?
It's hard to define whether the mistakes are entirely his fault. He's come into a lot of unfair criticism. He didn't make a single error in 2012-13 whilst at Sunderland, and made a lot of hugely important saves, including the penalty save against Stoke City on the opening day. Mignolet made several sloppy errors, but he also saved the Reds at least 10 points, with huge saves in early games against Aston Villa and Manchester United and important stops later on in the campaign versus Southampton and Manchester City.
His statistics are rather inconclusive. Both seasons, he played the full 38 games. In 2012-13, Mignolet kept 11 clean sheets, averaged 3.26 saves per game and 2.48 saves per goal, a 96% claim success, a 58% punch success and a 46% distribution success. In 2013-14, the Belgian stopper kept 10 clean sheets, averaged 1.97 saves per game and 1.70 saves per goal, plus a 96% claim success, a 42% punch success and also a 69% distribution success.
There's some improvement and some decline, but then there's a great deal of factors affecting those stats. How Mignolet trusts his defence will determine how often he comes to punch or claim, and his distribution was bound to improve with the way in which Rodgers likes his defence to play out from the back. He's made less saves per game and per goal, but that could be because though Liverpool's defence was poor, it was better than the pairing of John O'Shea and Titus Bramble or Carlos Cuellar.
There's also a lack of competition for Mignolet. The gap in quality between Jones and the Belgian is clear for all to see, and that may affect the keeper's mindset. Without an adequate replacement, Mignolet will know his first-choice spot is virtually guaranteed in the Premier League and next season, the Champions League. Perhaps then, Liverpool should be looking for another keeper to bring in over the summer.
There's a variety of options, particularly after the World Cup has revealed some hidden diamonds such as Keylor Navas or Guillermo Ochoa who are both only 27 and 28 respectively. Both are rumoured to be of interest, with the Costa Rican available for £6.5 million whilst the Mexican would be available on a costless transfer. However, this isn't the first time that someone in good form has caught the attention of a number of Premier League clubs according to the English press.
Liverpool do of course still have Pepe Reina, but after the long debacle with him under Rodgers, it's improbable he will stay. The Spaniard's declining form and tendency to make errors unfortunately overawes his outstanding distribution and perfect fit for the passing system. But with Claudio Bravo and Andre Ter-Stegen having already joined Barcelona this summer, his next destination is unknown. There's still a small chance that he could stay and challenge Mignolet for the no.1 spot, but John W. Henry and FSG are likely to want to want to cut his overwhelmingly high wages.
Conclusion
Liverpool need a back-up goalkeeper. Pepe Reina would be adequate second-choice, but it's more likely he'll be offloaded to costless up some wages. Who should come in place of him is another matter, but preferably Liverpool should look for someone who is okay with not being first choice but who has the quality to fill in, or maybe even push for the first spot. Two good-quality goalkeepers going head-to-head would add yet more vital depth, and would compensate for any injury or suspension to Mignolet. The added competition would also increase the incentive to cut out the sloppy errors the Belgian was guilty of a number of times in 2013-14.