Ranking Roy Hodgson’s three worst Liverpool signings

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Liverpool’s crunch game against Crystal Palace on Sunday will likely be Roy Hodgson’s last in a Premier League dugout.

The 73-year-old has confirmed that he will be leaving the Eagles after four seasons in charge. At his age, it is unlikely that he will be getting another top job.

While the focus will be on the Reds’ push for a top-four place, Hodgson’s last game will encourage many Kopites to reminisce about his time at Anfield.

Of course, it was a horrible few months that represented the lowest that the club has been for many decades.

It was not all his fault as the club were in the midst of an owner-inspired catastrophe, but Hodgson did sign some truly awful players for the club.

With his last game in mind, RTK ranks his three worst signings for Liverpool.

3. Milan Jovanovic

Just edging out Joe Cole into third place is Milan Jovanovic.

A man that was once laughably described as “one of the best players in the world” on Australian soap Neighbours unsurprisingly was not actually one of the best players in the world.

To be fair, he did win the Belgian League’s best player award in 2010 before signing a pre-contract agreement to join Liverpool on a free transfer when Rafa Benitez was still in charge.

But the deal was only completed when Hodgson took over, so we’re counting it.

The Serb scored two goals in a grand total of 18 Reds appearances. He was sold the following summer by Kenny Dalglish, who clearly was not a fan.

Maybe if he got more of a chance he could have done a little more, but he was never going to be Liverpool-standard.

At least he didn’t cost us anything.

2. Christian Poulsen

Coming in second place is possibly the slowest man to ever play in the Premier League.

Liverpool needed to sign a defensive midfielder after Javier Mascherano’s departure. They really made a mess of that one.

Somehow, Christian Poulsen has 92 caps for Denmark. Anyone who saw him play in Liverpool’s midfield in 2010/11 will find that hard to believe.

Signed as an experienced pro from Juventus, the £5m (Transfermarkt) recruit contributed very little. He was a defensive midfielder that rarely tried to defend.

Again, he departed after just one season, signing for Evian. He was forced out of the team by Jay Spearing.

Poulsen is possibly the single most-forgettable player in the club’s history.

1. Paul Konchesky

It is quite possible that Konchesky was actually a better player for Liverpool than both Jovanovic and Poulsen. At least he actually played regular Premier League football, albeit only for a few months.

He was very bad, don’t get us wrong, but it is the fact that his signing represented how far the club had fallen is why he is No 1.. Instead of signing exciting young talent, Liverpool were signing bang-average ageing players from mid-table Premier League sides.

Left-back had been a problem position ever since John Arne Riise tailed off, as the brilliant Fabio Aurelio could not stay fit. It remained a problem position until Andy Robertson came around.

While Jovanovic and Poulsen were not all Hodgson’s doing, Konchesky certainly was. The boss brought him with him from Fulham.

He was well over his head in a team that should have been competing for major trophies. Hodgson still picked him regularly, despite fan criticism.

Kenny Dalglish left him out of four of his first five matchday squads before shipping him out to Nottingham Forest on loan a few months after he was signed.

Yes, Liverpool signed a player that was playing in the Championship just five months later. That was the state of things ten years ago.

Konchesky simply has to be Roy Hodgson’s worst signing for Liverpool