Hodgson needs to inject some passion
It's been some years since I've cared much for Liverpool results
I'm a Doncaster Rovers fan but growing up in deepest, darkest South Yorkshire in the 1980s I also had a soft spot for Liverpool and the all-conquering brilliance they displayed during that decade.
It's been some years since I've cared much for their results, preferring the roller-coaster ride that has been the Rover's recent history, but that's not to say I haven't been dismayed at the recent plight of the Anfield giants.
Their off-field problems have been well documented of course, and one hopes this week's bid by the owners of the Boston Red Sox is successful so at least that sorry mess can be rectified.
However, of deeper concern to their legion of loyal fans I would suggest, is the sorry mess being served up on a weekly basis on the pitch.
The tenures of Gerard Houllier and Rafael Benitez both ended in a series of drab performances but at least both men served up success before mediocrity set in.
Roy Hodgson, on the other hand, seems determined to bottom out first, maybe in the hope that any subsequent improvement will seem all the sweeter.
The former Fulham man has now presided over Liverpool's worst start in the top flight in 57 years, and is doing little to dismiss those harbingers of doom who suggested he was out of his depth taking up the reins at Anfield.
Last week's home defeat to Blackpool was the latest in a sorry run of results that have seen the Reds struggle in Europe and get knocked out of the League Cup at the hands of the mighty Northampton Town.
The worry for Hodgson is he can't even point to bad luck as a reason for his team's woes. Liverpool were comprehensively outplayed by a Blackpool side which had conceded a total of 10 goals against Chelsea and Arsenal — two teams once considered close rivals to the Reds. It is a far cry from the glory days of Dalglish, Rush and Hansen.
Benitez's legacy
Of course, it is still early days and only a fool would suggest that Liverpool's off-field problems have had nothing to do with their on-field woes.
Hodgson has also rightly pointed out that the squad lacks quality, a legacy of the Benitez regime.
However, some of Hodgson's own calls have been far from exemplary and one wonders over the relative merits of Christian Poulsen, Raul Meireles and Paul Konchesky.
Joe Cole, meanwhile, has show nothing since his move from Chelsea, while Fernando Torres is still struggling for form.
Steven Gerrard remains a beacon of quality in a morass of mediocrity, but even his Roy of the Rovers heroics have been unable to save Liverpool from themselves this term. And just when Liverpool fans must be praying the worst is over, Everton hove into view next week hoping to heap more misery on their more illustrious neighbours.
It is, however, a perfect opportunity for Hodgson and his team to inject some passion into their play and get their campaign back on track.
One swallow doesn't make a summer of course, but a win over the old enemy never does any harm and could provide the impetus to salvage something out of this most dreadful of starts.
