IAN RUSH: Investment crucial for Liverpool FC to banish their miseries

Looking back, there were too many days - like at Portsmouth and Wigan - when Liverpool just failed to perform and it was on the road we had most difficulty or, more accurately, it was against the 'lesser teams' away from home.

True, results against Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United were not good enough - one win in six matches - but the teams around us, namely Tottenham, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Everton didn't inflict too much damage to our ambitions.

The problem, of course, came in failing to beat Wolves and Wigan, Birmingham, Portsmouth, Hull; dropping 12 points in those fixtures are effectively what has cost fourth place.

Liverpool is a club with standards and, quite clearly, we have dropped below them over the last nine months but what cannot happen now is for things to rumble on and mean that people have ready made excuses if things start to go wrong when the new season begins.

It goes without saying that Liverpool need new players; Rafa Benitez and Fernando Torres have both suggested that at least four players are required and I certainly agree with that; what's more, the Reds have got to keep their top performers at Anfield, too.

Manchester United might not have won the title but it was still just as galling to see Chelsea's players holding the Premier League title aloft and you can only hope that the determination to make amends provides a great motivation.

Liverpool's problems are not going to be solved overnight but this is a massive summer and it has to be hoped we can finally find investment.

Liverpool FC's Pepe Reina is the new Jan Molby

PICKING a player of the season is never an easy task but choosing Liverpool's top man this year has been straightforward.

While Jamie Carragher's consistency has been noted and Javier Mascherano has perfomed with great credit, the only place I am looking for the star man is Pepe Reina.

Aside from being ultra consistent between the posts, Reina has an extra quality that sets him apart.

Everyone knows how Jan Molby 'became' a Scouser after he joined the Reds, playing with the same passion as those on the Kop and tapping into what makes the club tick.

Reina has done likewise; a leader and a motivator, he showed his commitment to the club by signing a six-year contract and is going to be an important man for a long, long time.

David Villa would be my dream Liverpool FC signing

THE time of year has arrived when supporters start talking about which new faces they want to see at their club.

I'm no different and it will be intriguing to see which targets Rafa Benitez pursues during the summer, as he attempts to rebuild following the difficulties of the campaign that has just gone.

Top of the manager's list of priorities, undoubtedly, will be a striker, as we have looked short in the times when Torres has been out.

David Ngog has performed admirably but has, perhaps, been found wanting too often.

If money was no object, I'd go for Valencia's David Villa; he has a great rapport with Torres and scores goals for fun. It's just a shame he seems so settled in Spain.