The Song Remains the Same

How quickly things change. Eight months ago, optimism reigned at Anfield. There were new signings and the return of its most celebrated son, Kenny Dalglish. At a time when bitter rivals Man Utd were celebrating a record 19th league title, there was a new sense of belief at Liverpool.

It's now March and after GBP100 million spent on new signings, it appears as though nothing has changed. The faces may be different but the results are the same.

Dalglish' supporters may point to the club's recent Carling Cup triumph as an indication that the Scotsman is bringing Liverpool back to its glory days, which ironically ended after he left in 1990.

But even the staunchest Liverpool supporter will find it hard to include Liverpool's Carling Cup final against Cardiff City into the club's pantheon of legendary finals. The Reds slogged it out against a Championship side for the most of the 120 minutes played at Wembley.

Simply put, would have Man Utd or Man City struggled as much against Cardiff?

So where has it gone wrong?

The club certainly can't be faulted for not having an attack-minded approach this season and yet Liverpool have scored a paltry sum of 30 goals this season which isn't even half of what either Man Utd or Man City have scored so far in this campaign. Even worse is Liverpool's unenviable record of 194 shots off target.

Much of the blame certainly lies with the players. Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson can barely justify a place in the first 11 let alone their transfer fees. Then there's the supposed set piece genius in Charlie Adam and yet Liverpool's conversion rate of set pieces still remains abysmally low.

In fact, out of the GBP100 million spent by Dalgish, only Luis Suarez (when he's not getting himself banned), Craig Bellamy and Jose Enrique have impressed at Anfield. And the three of them only cost the club GBP30 million, which is a bargain for three quality players.

So ultimately, Dalglish has to shoulder the blame when his players don't perform. The same goes for director of football technology, Damien Commoli who seems to have the knack for buying expensive English players with a penchant of underperforming at a larger club. Anyone remember David Bentley's stint at Tottenham?

What's the most surprising aspect of all may have been the club's refusal to do any business in January when it was quite clear then that Liverpool needed some new faces to rescue their season.

Perhaps Dalglish believes that sticking with the current lot he's got will bring in dividends sooner or later. Perhaps he believes that Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson will at some point this season justify their their hefty price tags. And, perhaps, he truly believes that Carroll will score a goal before it's too late.

Speaking of Carroll, it's baffling that he gets 10 minutes of playing time each game (when it's usually too late) and hoping he salvages something. The only way Carroll will ever improve for Liverpool is by giving him more time on the pitch.  Furthermore, Dirk Kuyt may be a hard and industrious worker but he has proven to be much more effective coming off the bench this season than in games in which he's started.

Then there's Liverpool's midfield which has been a weak ling all season long. Last weekend's forgettable display by both Adam and Jay Spearing would have triggered fond memories of the Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano years for many Liverpool fans.

Liverpool still have the FA Cup to play for and, mathematically speaking, there is a chance - albeit a very slim one - of making it into fourth place. But for the time being, until something drastic occurs, Dalglish has a team that doesn't belong in fourth place. Now, doesn't that seem all too familiar?