Show Some Heart

 For tonight’s game at Hearts we’ve left a few senior players at home and will be relying on some of our squad players to put in a performance. This is a really good chance for three players especially to stake a claim for regular first team football.

 Charlie Adam has been linked with a move away but has said he wants to stay. He showed glimpses of quality last season, including one goal and two assists in his first two home games, and if he can show he can be an effective member of the team then maybe he has a future under Brendan Rodgers. When Adam came on against Gomel in our 3-0 win some of his passing was excellent and this could fit in well with the style of play we are attempting under the new boss. If Adam is serious when he says he wants to stay than tonight is a good opportunity for him to show his determination and quality.

 Jordan Henderson played well in patches last term but also had long ineffectual periods in the first team. He’s still young and has an excellent attitude and a long future ahead of him but the signing of Joe Allen and the return to fitness of Lucas will make it much harder for him to get into the starting eleven. He has spoken well this season about his first year at Anfield and his evaluation hasn’t been particularly different to that of most reasonable minded kopites. He knows where he did well and where he needs to improve and tonight will give him a chance to show he can put what he’s learned into practice and not just words.

 Andy Carroll has been more strongly linked with a move away than he has been with staying at Liverpool but so far he is still our player. If rumours are to be believed he has turned down one or two moves as he wants to prove his worth to the new manager and stay at Anfield. With Suarez/Downing/Borini looking like Rodgers’ preferred starting forward line Carroll will have to make the most of the opportunities he gets in the red shirt. Tonight he faces a defence he should be able to bully, the way he did Chelsea’s for half an hour at Wembley and for ninety minutes at Anfield a few days later at the end of last season. He is another who has quality but if he really wants to become a success at Liverpool he needs to prove it not with words but with actions and, most importantly, goals.

 The fact we have a team with something to prove gives me a good deal of optimism for tonight but if our luck on Saturday is anything to go by Carroll will probably miss the game injured, Adam will get sent off and Henderson will be anonymous. Fingers crossed the gaffer has everyone motivated and prepared and we deliver a solid performance leaving us on the verge of qualification for the group stages of the Europa League.