Youngsters can ignite season

Reserve team coach John McMahon has called upon Liverpool’s young stars to provide the spark to ignite the Reds' season.

With the problems of Roy Hodgson's first team all too apparent after a start which has seen just one win in seven league games, an ignominious exit from the Carling Cup at the hands of League Two Northampton Town, and ongoing troubles at board room level, the spotlight has been firmly fixed upon Anfield of late.

And whilst McMahon admits to feeling under pressure to provide quality additions to the senior side, he maintains his view that the club's future is in good hands, and has called upon his young charges to grasp any chances that come their way.

"We always tell the players that they are, and they should be, aiming high," says McMahon, who took over the job from former Anfield favourite Gary Ablett in the summer of 2009.

"Standards are high at Liverpool, albeit things on the pitch are not going particularly well at the moment, and our lads need to understand the standards that have been set, and learn to match them.

"There is perhaps a bit more pressure to produce at a time like this, but we have spoken with the players about the fact that, in difficult times, opportunities for fresh, hungry, talented players can come.

"When people are looking round wondering where the spark will come from, looking for something a bit different, then maybe there are players in this side who can provide that."

Liverpool's reserve team have, much like their more illustrious counterparts, made a slow start to their own campaign, with just five points from their opening five fixtures - including a 1-0 defeat at home to West Ham last Tuesday evening.

But despite this, McMahon has been encouraged to see the likes of Nathan Eccleston, Daniel Pacheco, Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly feature regularly with the senior side already this season, and says the players' promotion is a testament to the hard work which goes on every day at Melwood.

"Our job as a reserve team is all about developing players and making sure that we are sending on good footballers to the first team," says McMahon, "And I think we are making good progress. You have seen with Dani and Jay and Nathan that they are working hard and handling it well.

"It is a huge positive to have six or seven players with first team experience under their belts, as opposed to perhaps just one or two when I first started. The key is to make sure that they are ready and able to take any chance that comes their way.

"If they keep believing, and keep working hard, then chances can come and things can improve.

"The one thing you can say for all the lads - first team, reserves and youth team - is that there is absolutely no shortage of effort. Not that there ever can be at a club like this."

McMahon was left frustrated by the defeat to West Ham - a game settled by a debatable late penalty - but is aware that the new structure of the FA Premier Reserve League has meant a step up in standard of opposition, and says he is encouraged by the progress his side is showing.

"I'm very confident that this team can achieve things," he says, "Of course they are still learning and developing all the time, but they're doing well and playing some nice football.

"The league is a lot more competitive this year - which is a good thing - we played down at Chelsea a few weeks back and there were some real quality, experienced players involved and it was a tough learning experience for our lads - it was the same with West Ham, they had (Benni) McCarthy for example - a player with huge Premier League experience.

"We have three under-18 players in our back four, but they are holding their own against older, more experienced players, which can only be a good thing going forward."

Meanwhile Pacheco, one of the reserve team's brightest prospects, has spoken of his dream to feature in next weekend's Merseyside derby.

The 19-year-old Spaniard has made four first-team appearances so far this season, and says he hopes to add to his count, if called upon, at Goodison Park.

"Any chance you get to play for Liverpool, to play for such a great club is a massive honour," he said, "To get the chance to play against Everton in a derby would be amazing of course, and hopefully I can get that chance and work hard to make a difference for the team.

"My aim is to come in and to work hard and do well. Of course I hope that things will get better than they are now at the club, and we can start winning again, starting against Everton!"

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