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Hodgson insists rocky start was 'predictable'

Roy Hodgson has had much to ponder during his short time in charge of Liverpool © Getty Images

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Roy Hodgson has risked the wrath of Liverpool fans by revealing he always expected the club to get off to a sluggish start this season.

Since taking charge at Anfield in July, Hodgson has seen his side only accumulate six points from a possible 18 in the Premier League, while a Carling Cup exit at the hands of Northampton has done little to restore confidence.

With ownership issues continuing to rumble on behind the scenes, Hodgson has endured a tough start on Merseyside. Despite the situation being far from ideal, the 63-year-old is willing to accept the current predicament the club finds itself in.

"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."

Meanwhile, Hodgson has once again given his backing to under-fire striker Fernando Torres. The Spaniard's displays this term have left a lot to be desired but Hodgson insists the 26-year-old showed enough glimpses during the 2-2 draw with Sunderland to suggest he is gradually approaching his best form.

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

"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."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.