These Players Have a Crucial Role to Play in Next Season

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    5 Philippe Coutinho

    Fondly known as ‘The Little Magician’ by Reds supporters; Coutinho has produced some moments of sheer brilliance during his time at Liverpool, such as the goal against Manchester City in the 13/14 season which helped create an illusion of a title winning season for the Reds.

    Another of his most memorable strikes came in the form of a late goal against Stoke City in Liverpool’s League opener. It was a sweet strike from 30+ yards out which flew into the top corner, sending Reds fans behind the goal into delirium.

    Coutinho is one of those players the fans look at as being an integral part of the squad. His ability to keep the ball means that he fits right into Liverpool’s age old philosophy of possession football which has helped the club’s cause in previous seasons.

    He’s one of the first players that fans look for when the lineups are released, and there is a collective feeling of disappointment when he has to miss out on a game due to injury/suspension.

    Coutinho possesses an impeccable ability to orchestrate great link-up play in the middle of the park along with the attacking third. He can suddenly turn a slow moving midfield passing battle into a quick attacking break.

    4 Jordan Henderson

    He’s the captain, the main man, the guy who the other players will look to for inspiration when the chips are down.

    Many LFC fans were sceptical about Henderson when he took over from Steven Gerrard at the start of last season. They didn’t doubt that he was a good player, we all saw what he could do in the previous season, with some high-level performances, but they just weren’t sure if he was the one to take the reigns of Liverpool’s favourite son, who had captained the Reds for so long.

    Jordan experienced a terrible season last year, missing out on many games due to a recurring injury in his knee. The injury prevented him from asserting his influence on the team as much as he would have liked, he just couldn’t get enough minutes on the pitch.

    It was a real shame for Liverpool fans, as they were hoping to see him kick on from a promising 14/15 season, but he only played a bit-part role in truth. His passion, desire and high work rate will be necessary next season in helping Liverpool to launch a viable bid for the title.

    3 Daniel Sturridge

    Just like Henderson, Sturridge was forced to watch his teammates from the sidelines for the majority of last season.

    When he made his long-awaited return to the helm of things on the pitch we saw signs of the Sturridge of old returning with some brilliant performances, probably the best one coming in the 6-0 drubbing of Southampton in the Capital One Cup.

    It was a real frustration for Liverpool fans to see their key man miss out on so much of the season, as they are all well aware of how good he can be on his day, he’s a match winner, to put it simply.

    His and Luis Suarez’s goals in the 13/14 season nearly handed Liverpool the Premier League title, only to let their dream pass them by in the last few games of that epic League campaign.

    For someone who loves to watch the ball fly into the net, Liverpool was the team to watch in the 2013/14 season; it seemed as if every time Sturridge and Suarez took a shot, the net would bulge a few seconds later.

    Realistically, Liverpool fans know that without Sturridge, it will be very arduous to mount any challenge for a top four finish. They rely heavily on his goals, and he’ll be a decisive factor as to whether Liverpool has a splendid season.

    2 Joël Matip

    The Cameroon international signed for the Merseyside club from Gelsenkirchen back in February but was unable to link up with the squad until the summer because the deal went through following the end of the January transfer window.

    Liverpool fans around the world will have been scrambling to the computers in an attempt to find out about their new man, and what they will have found should fill them with confidence.

    Matip has been one of the better defenders in the Bundesliga for the last few years, providing reassurance to his former teammates at Schalke.

    He looks confident with the ball at his feet, which is something that Jurgen Klopp likes from his defenders, he also has loads of athleticism, so you can expect to see him competing in the air and stretching all parts of his body to regain the ball.

    Standing at 6 foot 5 inches tall, Matip will be right up there with the tallest defenders in the Premier League at least 3 inches taller than any other defender in the Liverpool team.

    If Liverpool fans don’t know much about the man who has played 194 games for Schalke since 2009, they may be pleasantly surprised next season. With Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho being more ‘limited’ defenders, Matip will bring variety to LFC’s back four.

    1 Joe Allen

    Commonly referred to as ‘The Welsh Pirlo’ due to his immense passing abilities, Allen has been somewhat of a comedy character on social media ever since he decided to begin growing a beard.

    But after seeing his performances in Liverpool’s midfield in the second half of last season, and the Welshman being named in the Euro 2016 team of the tournament, you would think that football fans will start to take him seriously, and realise that he has a significant role to play for Liverpool.

    He does a lot of work which goes unnoticed in Liverpool’s midfield in the form of vital interceptions, starting a quick attack or ensuring that the opposition won’t be getting the ball back in a hurry.

    Some Reds fans have even made the case that Allen is a better player than Jordan Henderson, and judging by the stats and highlights from last season; you would find it very onerous to counter that argument.

    If Joe Allen can stay fit next season, and can replicate his form in the European Championships, it will benefit Liverpool massively.

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