Monday 25 May 2015 10:01, UK
We reflect on Liverpool's 2014/15 Premier League season, with the help of stats and pundit views...
Liverpool
Finishing position: 6th (-4 on last season)
Total points: 62 (-22 on last season)
Champions League/Europa League: Knocked out in group stages/round of 32
FA Cup: Knocked out in semi-finals by Aston Villa
Capital One Cup: Knocked out in semi-finals by Chelsea
Season review
After the highs of last season, when Liverpool came within a whisker of winning the Premier League, Brendan Rodgers’s side came crashing down to earth in 2014/15. And while there were a host of mitigating factors in their underwhelming campaign - in particular Luis Suarez’s summer exit to Barcelona and the subsequent loss of fellow striker Daniel Sturridge to injury for much of this campaign - in general it was one to forget for the club.
By the end of November the Reds had been eliminated from the Champions League, while they also found themselves out of the title race after losing six of their opening 12 matches to fall 18 points behind Chelsea. That poor run included damaging reverses to Aston Villa, West Ham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace, with their lack of firepower up front in both Suarez and Sturridge’s absence clear for all to see.
Some impressive results followed, helped finally by Sturridge’s return to fitness at the end of January as hopes of an unlikely top-four finish and a first trophy under Rodgers were raised. But semi-finals defeats in both domestic cup competitions, a poor end to their league campaign - which saw them win just once in eight games - Raheem Sterling’s ongoing contract dispute and the exit of captain Steven Gerrard after a woeful 6-1 thrashing by Stoke City all combined to leave a gloom over Anfield.
Phil Thompson’s star player: Philippe Coutinho
“I don’t think anyone has stood out amazingly. Simon Mignolet deserves a mention because he’s done fantastically well to rescue his Liverpool career after a difficult start to the season. But I would have to go for Coutinho – he’s been the one shining light. He’s been in top form since the middle to end of November. He’s an exciting player and I think he’ll get better next season too.”
Quotes of the season
"I think we have done a really smart piece of business here. This transfer represents outstanding value for the club” - Brendan Rodgers on the signing of Mario Balotelli
"It's never been about money. I talk about winning trophies throughout my career. That's all I talk about” - Raheem Sterling on why he wants to leave Anfield this summer
“Maybe it’s my body type, maybe it’s hereditary. Maybe it’s the Caribbean vibe” - Daniel Sturridge on the reasons for his ongoing injury problems this season
“If a contract had been put in front of me in pre-season, I would have signed it” - Steven Gerrard on his departure from Liverpool this summer
Stats of the season
- Liverpool had 21 points after 15 games, their second lowest total in the PL era (19 in 92/93, 10/11 and 12/13)
- Brendan Rodgers’s side lost six of their opening 12 games this season, the same amount they had lost across the whole of last season
- The Reds’ win rate with Steven Gerrard starting in the Premier League this season is 36%, compared to 69% without him
- Liverpool scored 52 goals in the Premier League this season – two fewer than Suarez and Sturridge got between them last year
Phil Thompson’s view
“The season, as a whole, has been stop-start. We made a very poor beginning, has a fantastic middle – similar to the run we had last season only better defensively – and then a poor finish. So, all-in-all, I would say it’s been an average season. After what we had last season it’s been disappointing.”
