Liverpool commit fully to playing numbers game

When Liverpool announced their transfer dealings would be carried out by a committee rather than the manager in autumn 2012 the worst was expected.

Boston Red Sox owner John Henry, the club’s second American chairman following the disastrous reign of George Gillet and Tom Hicks which ended in court, had a vision for a game he admitted he didn’t understand.

Using analytical data he hoped to tap into the transfer market and find more Fernando Torreses than Djimi Traorés. He appointed a director of football strategy in Damien Comolli within months of taking over in 2010 and Liverpool spent €150m. But for the one Luis Suarez there were expensive mistakes in Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam, Doni, Sebastián Coates and, at the time of Comolli’s sacking, Jordan Henderson.