Hansen: Roy Reaping What Rafa Sowed

Liverpool legend Alan Hansen
believes Roy Hodgson ’s difficult
beginnings at the Anfield helm
are being undermined by the
previous managerial regime of
Rafa Benitez.
Much of the preseason optimism
has evaporated at Liverpool
according to the aforementioned
Anfield hero, but Hansen believes
Hodgson has already made
inroads into a squad that was in
desperate need of an overhaul,
praising the additions of Raul
Meireles and Joe Cole.
Hansen, who won eight league
titles during his illustrious
Liverpool career, believes
Hodgson needs time for his team
to gel but ultimately the former
Fulham boss will be judged on
results.
The former Liverpool captain told
the Daily Telegraph: “Roy
Hodgson is beginning to reap
what Rafael Benítez sowed in his
final 18 months.
“When he replaced Benítez as
manager of Liverpool, Hodgson
accepted an incredibly hard job
because he was left with a team
that, while not in total disarray,
simply were not good enough.
“If you set out to challenge for a
Champions League position and
finish in seventh, then the team
are clearly not up to
requirements.
“Hodgson knew the task facing
him at Liverpool when he left
Fulham, and you have to say that
he has already cleared out some
of the dead wood and replaced
those players with better
personnel.
“But it is all about results, and
when they are not going your
way, people will begin to ask
questions.
“After the defeat at Manchester
United, it is clear that Liverpool
are still suffering from the same
problems away from home that
they have had for a while.
“They were abysmal away from
Anfield last season and have only
managed one point from three
away games so far in this
campaign.
“The big concern, just five games
into the season, is that Liverpool
already find themselves 10 points
behind Chelsea because, at the
outset of the campaign, there
was real optimism that they
could put up a good show in the
title race.
“After ending the last campaign
in doom and gloom, there was a
lot of hope at Anfield generated
by the signing of Joe Cole and the
announcements by both
Fernando Torres and Steven
Gerrard that they were staying at
the club.
“It was a lift for everybody and,
with a couple of good signings
in Raul Meireles and Christian
Poulsen, the outlook appeared
much brighter.
“I am not saying that I expected
Liverpool to win the title, but I
certainly believed they could put
up a decent show.
“You have to say that the hope
and optimism has diminished
after just five games.
“Progress has been made by
Hodgson, but despite the reality
that his players will take time to
gel into a team, results are
everything.
“So despite the positives that
Hodgson has already brought in
his time as manager, the story so
far is mixed and the emotions of
the supporters are fluctuating
between high and low. ”