The concept of the “Big Four” in England, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool is no longer applicable to the current state of the EPL. Besides challenging for the title a couple years ago, Liverpool have been wallowing in mediocrity for a long time. It has been their achievements in the Champions League which have continued to revive Liverpool’s standing as a respectable European club.

They have had success against Manchester United and Chelsea in past seasons when they matched up, but over the course of a campaign, Liverpool are just not able to play a consistent 38-game season from start to finish. There always seems to be doubts surrounding the players and management; not the formula for a top-calibre squad.

Most of their problems have surrounded three main issues: Their inability to hold on to top players (Fernando Torres, Xavi Alonso and Javier Mascherano among others), their lack of success at bringing in quality players from around Europe, and finally, the dreadful performance of the expensive talent that they have tried to recruit (Andy Carroll and Alberto Aquilani to name a few).

If Liverpool are to re-establish themselves as an elite club in England, they must revamp their current team and rediscover the heart, passion and skill that they are known for. Here are four players that should be on their way out if Liverpool are to begin their quest back to the top.

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The previous cowboy owners and Hodgson’s ill-fated reign seem a distant memory or nightmare. Kenny is now 12 months into his second coming and I think it’s safe to say the ‘honeymoon period’ is now over. Fans now expect the club to return to the top table ASAP.

The 11/12 league season has once again been a mixed bag. We seem to have sorted out our dreadful away form, but this seems to have come at the expense of ‘fortress Anfield’. Too many draws litter a disjointed campaign. So-called lesser teams have left Anfield with a share of the spoils largely due to inspired goalkeeping performances and some less than clinical finishing. Our return in front of goal has been a disaster, not just from the strikers but from the squad as a whole.

We have had the Suarez situation which hasn’t helped, but for me and many fans the most worrying aspect so far has been the undoubted failure of Andy Carroll to replicate his Newcastle form on Merseyside. Yes, it takes time to settle, both on and off the pitch but below-par would be a kind summary of the ‘big man’s’ stint in red so far.

The most worrying trait that Carroll is displaying on a regular basis is his reluctance to get into the penalty area to finish some of the flowing moves that we have created. Against Cardiff at Wembley, the big Geordie again went missing when we were all screaming at him to “get yourself in there”. This lethargic approach cannot continue if our current number 9 wishes to extend his L4 stay beyond 18 months.

Charlie Adam has Jordan Henderson to thank for escaping largely unscathed on the terraces & in the media thus far. Blackpool’s former midfield leader has looked somewhat more limited at Liverpool and at times looks a yard or two off the pace. Henderson has suffered more than most this season. Largely played out of position on the right side of midfield, Jordan has looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. He is still young and to a large extent still learning his trade in the premier league & I do feel that with the right application & placed in a more central role Henderson will have a long future at Anfield.

Wide attacking areas continue to be a concern. Downing’s failure to replicate his Villa form so far has contributed to our lack of threat in front of goal. Hopefully his Carling Cup final display will give him the confidence to produce his undoubted ability on a more regular basis in the league. Switching attention to the right side of midfield…. I’m not sure what to say. Problem not solved there.

I hope that we rediscover fortress Anfield from now until the end of the season & makes those soft southern teams stand up and say “Dam those Scouser’s are at it again”.

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In public Rafa is a very methodical man who over the years has rubbed certain sections of the media and management up the wrong way.

He is also capable of admirable compassion as we saw when he donated £96,000 from his own pocket to the “Justice for the 96″ campaign. He is a man who has been linked for every top job which is currently or reportedly soon to be, available. Will he need his passport, or AA map from his home in Heswall to reach his next destination?

Benitez has been strongly linked to Real Madrid and Chelsea. Both clubs are ego driven and rife with politics. I do think Rafa is strong and single minded enough to deal with the constant need for change in the midst of posturing presidential elections at Madrid. The candidate’s mandates usually include radical overhauls of the staff and first to go is often the manager.

Our previous gaffer is still revered in his native land after breaking the Barca-Real duopoly back in 2004 and their national press certainly have not forgotten “the miracle of Istanbul!” This should buy him time at a club where the previous incumbent and great rival has built a formidable side with questionable discipline. But will he want to follow Jose Mourinho into a job where he could leave as European and domestic champions? Of course we all remember that this happened at Internazionale, where the impatience of the notoriously trigger-happy owner Massimo Moretti lost patience after a few below par performances, which subsequently cost him his job before he had time to rebuild an old side who appeared to have lost their motivation after a historic treble year. With Mourinho in London this week “house shopping” as the official line goes, there may be an offer on the cards for Rafa.

History tells us that Benitez is not shy to air his grievances when he feels that he is not getting sufficient backing from the owners, as Rick Parry and the Texan mob will testify. Certain areas of the media have been touting the Spaniard as the next big name manager to get chewed up and spat out by the Chelsea regime. With Andre Villas Boas’ once glorious reputation as a managerial prodigy in tatters, Abramovich is reportedly on the lookout for fresh meat. From the outside the South London club looks like a mutiny waiting to happen. Where ego’s and bank balances meet there is seldom room for patience. A rebuilding job is desperately needed and the Champions League is desperately wanted – not in 3 years…NOW! The Istanbul mastermind has the tactical acumen to succeed but the bad blood his clashes with Mourinho have caused with the supporters may not make this the popular choice for all concerned.

Rafa’s sides have always been drilled to fit into the team ethos, players have to fit around formation and strategy and not vice versa. This can be seen in his ruthless streak after he took apart the Champions League side of ’05 and built again, albeit this was an under-par Liverpool side bar the heroics of Istanbul. He has developed a rather unfair reputation of a purveyor of sterile football, defensive minded and chess like, but memories of the flowing, relentless attacking football produced by his Valencia side in 2002 which left the red men chasing shadows, culminating in one of the best goals I have seen in Europe, scored by Pablo Aimar, not to mention the unforgettable night at Anfield when his Liverpool side tore into a decent Madrid side and cut them to shreds. The performance which I think sums up Benitez at his best was at Old Trafford 08/09, having gone a goal behind we were patient and hit United on the break 3 times and scored a set-piece in a well drilled, accomplished performance which will live long in the memory, I won’t mention the goalscorers as Rafa wouldn’t either! A simple “well done” was all Steven Gerrard ever wanted from him but I’m sure the European Cup and an FA Cup were ample consolation!

Where next then? Will he come back to the Premiership to have a go at rebuilding an ailing club along the lines of Aston Villa or Bolton? Or perhaps the Spurs job when ‘Arry leaves? Could international management suit him or will it be too hard for him not to have day to day control of his squad? Or back to La Liga where most clubs would be delighted to have a man with his track record at the helm? Wherever he goes it will be on his own terms and that’s a FACT!

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