SPORTS SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014 Rodgers project in the spotlight LONDON: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers starts his life without scoring opportunities but with the reinforced midfield able to offer talismanic striker Luis Suarez in his third season at Anfield, needing to more protection, the defence should cope far better than the one build on a surprise second-place finish and also deal with the added that leaked 50 goals last season. burden of Champions League football. Attack-minded youngsters Raheem Sterling and Philippe Rodgers has constantly talked up his ‘project’ since arriving on Coutinho will add more firepower should they continue their trajecto- Merseyside in 2012 after the stuttering regimes of Roy Hodgson and ry of improvement but Rodgers firmly believes Sturridge will accept Kenny Dalglish, and his self-confidence was rewarded last season in his new role as lead striker with relish. the form of an unlikely title challenge. “I think you’ll see Daniel go on another level again this season, Liverpool fell agonisingly short of lifting a 19th title in the closing with the confidence of a full campaign last year and scoring the goals weeks of the season and while many observers felt the near miss rep- he did,” Rodgers said of the player who netted 24 times in 33 appear- resented a last shot at glory for years to come, Rodgers regards it as a ances. “But we’ve got a number of players that go and facilitate the stepping stone to future success. role of goal-scoring.” Rodgers wants to channel the agony of Steven Gerrard’s slip Needing to plan for an extended season due to Champions against Chelsea that handed the initiative back to Manchester City League commitments, Rodgers has strengthened his squad with a and the squandering of a three-goal lead in the 3-3 draw at Crystal host of signings - including England midfielder Adam Lallana, Palace and use it as fuel for the upcoming campaign. Croatian defender Dejan Lovren and Serbian prospect Lazar Markovic “I think that pain is a part of the process of winning - to be able to - to offer more options on the pitch and off the bench. None of the lose in the manner we did. What it has done with this team and this Uruguayan maverick Suarez, and the pair repaid him with interest as new faces could be regarded as marquee signings yet but Rodgers group, it has made us even more unified and stronger to be more suc- the Merseysiders racked up 101 Premier League goals. tends to get the best out of players that suit his style and system, well cessful in the future,” he said. aware that Liverpool still lack the financial clout of clubs like The 41-year-old Northern Irishman is still a rookie in managerial FORMATION CHANGE Manchester City and Chelsea. terms and while his adaptability and tactical acumen paid dividends However, now that Suarez has swapped Albert Dock for La Rambla The loss of Suarez is a blow to Liverpool’s title ambitions but last season, he now has to fight battles on more than one front with- following his dream move to Spanish giants Barcelona, Rodgers is Rodgers will be confident of at least maintaining a foothold in the top out the services of his most potent weapon. likely to respond by switching to his preferred 4-3-3 formation with four, challenging for one of the domestic cups and enjoying the Liverpool were a pleasure to watch going forward last season as England striker Sturridge leading the line. return of Champions League football to Anfield for the first time since Rodgers found room to accommodate Daniel Sturridge and The tactical change will undoubtedly leave Liverpool with fewer 2009. — Reuters EPL in and outs ist of Premier League transfers Hutchinson Released, Frank Lampard Free, Zak Whitbread (Derby County) Free Mathieu Debuchy (Arsenal) $20.52 mil- Andrea Dossena Released, John Egan ahead of the 2014-15 season which (New York City) Free, Demba Ba lion, Sylvain Marveaux (En Avant Released, Oscar Ustari Released, David Lstarts on Saturday 16 August (all (Besiktas), Mario Pasalic (Elche) Loan, Liverpool Guingamp) Loan, Jamaal Lascelles Vaughan Released, Kieren Westwood transfer fees undisclosed unless stated, Lucas Piazon (Eintracht Frankfurt) Loan, IN: Rickie Lambert (Southampton) (Nottingham Forest) Loan, Karl Darlow Released, Jack Colback (Newcastle estimated cost in millions of dollars) Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland), $6.7 million, Adam Lallana (Nottingham Forest) Loan. United) Free, Ignacio Scocco (Newell’s Romelu Lukaku (Everton) $47.3 million, (Southampton) $42.54 million, Emre Can Old Boys) Arsenal Ryan Bertrand (Southampton) Loan, (Bayer Leverkusen) $16.82 million, Lazar Queens Park Rangers IN: Alexis Sanchez (Barcelona) $59.56 Oriol Romeu (Vfb Stuttgart) Loan, Markovic (Benfica) $34 million, Dejan IN: Rio Ferdinand (Manchester Swansea City million, Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle Kenneth Omuero (Middlesbrough) Loan, Lovren (Southampton) $34 million, United) Free, Steven Caulker (Cardiff IN: Lukasz Fabianski (Arsenal) Free, United) $20.52 million, David Ospina Wallace (Vitesse Arnhem) Loan, Bertrand Divock Origi (Lille) $16.82 million, Javier City), Jordon Mutch (Cardiff City), Bafetimbi Gomis (Olympique Lyon) Free, (Nice), Calum Chambers (Southampton) Traore (Vitesse Arnhem) Loan, Thorgan Manquillo (Atletico Madrid) Loan. Mauricio Isla (Juventus) Loan. Stephen Kingsley (Falkirk), Marvin Emnes $27.19 million Hazard (Borussia Monchengladbach) OUT: Luis Alberto (Malaga) Loan, OUT: Aaron Hughes Released, (Middlesbrough), Gylfi Sigurdsson OUT: Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City) Loan. Michael Ngoo Released, Stephen Sama Stephane Mbia Released, Andrew (Tottenham Hotspur), Jefferson Montero Free, Bacary Sagna (Manchester City) Released, Luis Suarez (Barcelona) $111 Johnson Released, Luke Young Released, (Morelia) Free, Chuks Aneke (Zuite Waregem) Crystal Palace million, Iago Aspas (Sevilla) Loan, Andre Hogan Ephraim Released, Angelo OUT: Leroy Lita Released, Jernade Free, Nicklas Bendtner Released, Chu IN: Chris Kettings (Blackpool) Free, Wisdom (West Bromwich Albion) Loan, Balanta Released, Tom Hitchcock Meade Released, David Ngog Released, Young Park Released, Wellington Silva Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff City), Brede Divock Origi (Lille) Loan Released, Yossi Benayoun (Maccabi Darnel Situ Released, Michu (Napoli) (UD Almeria) Loan, Thomas Eisfeld Hangeland (Fulham) Free Haifa), Esteban Granero (Real Sociedad) Loan, Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), (Fulham), Carl Jenkinson (West Ham OUT: Neil Alexander Released, Manchester City Michel Vorm (Tottenham Hotspur), United) Loan, Benik Afobe (MK Dons) Kagisho Dikgacoi (Cardiff City) Free, IN: Bacary Sagna (Arsenal) Free, Southampton Alejandro Pozuelo(Rayo Vallecano) Loan Daniel Gabbidon Released, Dean Moxey Fernando (Porto) $20.45 million, Willy IN: Dusan Tadic (Twente Enschede), Released, Jonathan Parr (Ipswich Town) Caballero (Malaga) $10.21 million, Frank Graziano Pelle (Feyenoord), Ryan Tottenham Hotspur Aston Villa Free, Aaron Wilbraham Released, Jose Lampard (New York City) Loan Bertrand (Chelsea) Loan, Saphir Taider IN: Ben Davies (Swansea City), Michel IN: Tom Leggett (Southampton), Campana (Sampdoria), Jack Hunt OUT: Costel Pantilimon (Sunderland) (Inter Milan) Loan. Vorm (Swansea City), Eric Dier (Sporting) Isaac Nehemie (Southampton), Philippe (Nottingham Forest) Loan Free, Joleon Lescott (West Bromwich OUT: Andy Robinson (Bolton OUT Senderos (Valencia) Free, Joe Cole (West Albion) Free, Alex Nimely Released, Wanderers) Free, Tom Leggett (Aston Heurelho Gomes (Watford) Free, Ham United) Free, Kieran Richardson Everton Marcos Lopes (Lille) Loan, Gareth Barry Villa), Isaac Nehemie (Aston Villa), Danny Cameron Lancaster Released, Jake (Fulham) Free IN: Gareth Barry (Manchester City) (Everton) Free, Jack Rodwell Fox (Nottingham Forest) Free, Lee Livermore (Hull City), Gylfi Sigurdsson OUT: Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) Free, Muhamed Besic (Ferencvaros), (Sunderland) Barnard Released, Guly do Prado (Swansea City), Iago Falque (Genoa) Free, Nathan Delfouneso Released, Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea) $47.3 million, Released, Jonathan Forte Released, Nicklas Helenius (Aalborg) Loan, Brendan Galloway (MK Dons) Manchester United Rickie Lambert (Liverpool) $6.7 million, West Bromwich Albion Yacouba Sylla (Kayseri Erciyesspor) Loan, OUT: Mason Springthorpe Released, IN: Ander Herrera (Athletic Bilbao) Luke Shaw (Manchester United) $51 mil- IN: Craig Gardner (Sunderland) Free, Antonio Luna (Hellas Verona) Loan, Jed Apostolos Vellios Released, Magaye $49 million, Luke Shaw (Southampton) lion, Adam Lallana (Liverpool) $42.54 Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) Free, Steer (Doncaster Rovers) Loan. Gueye (Millwall) Free $51 million, Vanja Milinkovic (FK million, Dejan Lovren (Liverpool) $34 Chris Baird (Burnley) Free, Sebastien Vojvodina) million, Calum Chambers (Arsenal) Pocognoli (Hanover 96), Brown Ideye Burnley Hull City OUT: Federico Macheda (Cardiff City) $27.19 million, Dani Osvaldo (Inter (Dynamo Kiev), Andre Wisdom IN: Michael Kightly (Stoke City), Matt IN: Jake Livermore (Tottenham Free, Jack Barmby (Leicester City) Free, Milan) Loan (Liverpool) Loan, Jason Davidson Gilks (Unattached) Free, Marvin Sordell Hotspur), Robert Snodgrass (Norwich Rio Ferdinand (QPR) Free, Ryan Giggs (Heracles Almelo), Cristian Gamboa (Bolton Wanderers), Matt Taylor (West City), Tom Ince (Blackpool) Free, Andrew Released, Nemanja Vidic (Inter Milan) Stoke City (Rosenborg Trondheim) Ham United) Free, Steven Reid (West Robertson (Dundee United), Harry Free, Alexander Buttner (Dynamo IN: Phil Bardsley (Sunderland) Free, OUT: Billy Jones