Hodgson calls for patience

Roy Hodgson insists it was always going to take time for Liverpool to find their feet this season.

The Reds have endured a turbulent opening to the 2010/11 campaign, on and off the field.

Only six points have been accrued from as many games in the Premier League, while a Carling Cup humbling by Northampton has done little for collective confidence.

Ownership issues also continue to hang over Anfield, with a protest against American co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks staged by supporters following Saturday's 2-2 draw with Sunderland.

Hodgson, who inherited the reins from Rafa Benitez over the summer, admits the situation on Merseyside is far from ideal, but claims such events were always likely to hinder his cause.

"The players are trying to come to terms with the enormous expectation here,"he said.

"That, at the moment, is our major problem. Everything is very new; there are a lot of new players, uncertainty over the ownership of the club and the minute you are not top of the table after five or six games, people are saying this is not good enough.

"I am not saying it is good enough but I am saying this is something that could have been predicted."

Improving

Meanwhile, Hodgson has defended Fernando Torres' indifferent form, claiming the Spaniard is edging back towards his best following a hectic summer.

"The Fernando Torres you saw today was much, much different to the Fernando Torres you saw in the opening couple of games,"he said following the Sunderland stalemate.

"People wanted to see the very best of him from the moment he stepped back on the field after the World Cup but the point is he needs time, he needs games."

Source