The Hodgson era was quite something
It has taken quite some time, but Liverpool have come a long way since the dark days of 2010. Roy Hodgson’s reign at Anfield was a short, forgettable one for Reds fans, most of whom would rather forget it ever happened.
Their squad was inferior – to say the least – to the dynamic juggernaut that Jurgen Klopp has assembled since he was appointed in the autumn of 2015. Remember Jay Spearing? The midfield bulldog who now plays his football for Blackpool in the third tier was a regular starter under Hodgson. Compared to their midfield options now, it’s hard to believe that they both represented the same squad.
Liverpool travel to Napoli tonight. The last time they played at the San Paolo was back in November 2010, at the height of Hodgson’s banter era with the club.
Their XI that night was a far cry from the players we see donning the famous red shirt now. And the most startling thing of all is that they didn’t lose.
Liverpool lined up with Pepe Reina in goal. The Spaniard was a key player for Liverpool throughout the latter years of Rafa Benitez and the Hodgson and Dalglish eras. He’s still going strong at the age of 36, playing (although not very often) for AC Milan.
Martin Kelly
A player who has played the majority of his career out of position was just 20 when he played at the San Paolo. He only made 62 appearances for Liverpool over six seasons before moving on to Crystal Palace in 2014, where he has settled as a back up centre-back. In hindsight, this was always his destiny. No player in Premier League history has ‘back up to James Tomkins’ written all over him more so than Kelly.
Jamie Carragher
The one saving grace about this team. Carragher made 737 appearances for Liverpool before retiring in 2013 and moving into the field of punditry, where he has established himself as one of the best analysts in the game.
Martin Skrtel
Skrtel was a strange case of never being quite good enough for Liverpool, but managing to stick around for eight years. He survived at Anfield until 2016, when Klopp decided that the Slovakian defender’s rightful place was at Fenerbahçe, and how right he was.
Paul Konchesky
Another player who only lasted one season at Liverpool before being thrown back into the abyss of of the Football League. After a loan spell at Nottingham Forest, he joined Leicester City but missed out on a Premier League medal as he was on loan at QPR for the 2015-16 season. He now plays for East Thurrock United in the National League South.
Christian Poulsen
The Danish midfielder was another on the list of terrible signings who were promptly shipped off after a bad first season at Anfield. After spells at Evian (yes, like the water) and Ajax, he concluded his career at Copenhagen.
Jay Spearing
The native Scouser played a prominent role under Hodgson and Dalglish, before he was replaced by more competent midfielders. After a long spell with Bolton Wanderers, then joined Blackpool, where he still plays in League One.
Jonjo Shelvey
It’s easy to forget that Shelvey ever played for Liverpool. The midfield enigma has always been talented, but struggled with discipline and consistency, which is not unusual for a young player. After three years with Liverpool, he joined Swansea, which seemed to be a perfect fit, what with their possession based style of play, until they decided to move away from that in favour of a more reactive style. Newcastle picked him up and he now forms a crucial part of Rafa Benítez’s side at St James Park.
Ryan Babel
In fairness, Ryan Babel has made a good career for himself since leaving Liverpool. He became a bit of a jet-setter, signing for Hoffenheim and Ajax before short stints in Turkey and Abu Dhabi. But since returning to Europe, he has rediscovered his best form at Besiktas and reclaimed a place in the Dutch national side.
Milan Jovanović
The Serbian ‘winger’ epitomised the 2010-11 season for Liverpool. Laughably poor at times, watching him play made you deeply question Liverpool’s scouting process. How did they come to the conclusion that he was good enough for a top six Premier League side? Still, nobody knows. He was whisked off the Anderlecht for the final two years of his career, before drifting into obscurity at the tender age of 31.
David N’Gog
N’Gog showed promise as a youngster, but it never really materialised. He began his career at PSG before signing for Liverpool. But from then, it was all downhill. He stuck around in the Premier League for a while, playing for Bolton and Swansea before the slippery slope to Hungary began. This summe,r the 29-year-old joined Budapest Honvéd FC, where he has scored one goal in three games.
