Brendan Rodgers has conceded that his side are “under no illusions” and it will be “very difficult” for the team to break into the top four this season.
The statement may be a bitter pill to swallow for Reds fans, who only 14 months ago were dreaming of a return to the promised land of a league title winning campaign.
“It will be very difficult,” Rodgers said to media gathered in Brisbane.
“We as a squad have improve, but other teams are equally as looking to do that as well.”
Rodgers, who is heading into his fourth season with the club, believes that although it may be a tall order to crack the coveted top four, he’s still confident that he can help achieve success this term.
“I’ve been particularly pleased with the players we’ve brought in; their profiles fit with how we want to work,” Rodgers said.
“Add to that the players we’ve already got and we can have a very, very good season.”
What a “very, very good” season means is a debate for another day, but you could certainly sense that he understands the pressure and expectation that is mounting ahead of the new campaign.
Rodgers explained that it was key for the team to “start well” and that for some of the new players last season it took a while for them to settle.
“If you look at the likes of Adam (Lallana), he was only just in the door and unfortunately picked up an injury that he couldn’t avoid,” he said.
“So that makes it very difficult, as he was out for a long time, and then he was just unfortunate to pick up one or two little niggles.”
“I think the players that we’ve brought in are accustomed to the Premier League, but it doesn’t matter how good a player you are, it always takes time to adapt and settle into a new club.”
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Although the 42-year-old Northern Irishman praised the influence of new comers James Milner and Nathaniel Clyne it’s clear that the cautious approached is being applied, rather than the title talk of last pre-season.
“With the links of James Milner, who is an experienced player, Nathaniel Clyne, who has got experience in the Premier League, of course they’ve got a lot more experience of the nature of the football,” he said.
“But there’s certainly an adaptation period.”
Speculation that Liverpool have triggered the £32.5m buy-out clause of Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke will serve to ease the anxieties around Anfield, but whether it will be the definitive answer to their goalscoring problems remains to be seen.
If Rodgers is able to add a couple more reinforcements, one in defence and namely in defensive midfield then perhaps that top four tilt can become a more realistic possibility.
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