Following Liverpool's exciting 2nd place finish in the Premier League during the 2008/09 season, the ensuing campaigns saw dismal finishes of seventh, sixth and eighth.
Despite securing the League Cup during that 8th place campaign in 2011/12, Liverpool made the decision to sack manager Kenny Dalglish and replace him with a forward thinking Northern Irishman in Brendan Rodgers.
Following Rodgers' path to Anfield from Swansea City was a diminutive, but talented midfielder. That man was Joe Allen, or as many know him, the 'Welsh Xavi'.
A Swansea youth product
Before he made the move to Liverpool, Allen was a central figure at the Liberty Stadium for Swansea.
Over his total six year spell in Wales, he made more than150 appearances and was a crucial part of two promotions at the club, as they rose from English League One all the way to the Premier League.
Allen became part of the Swansea youth setup when he was nine years old, and would rapidly rise through the ranks at the club before ultimately making his senior team debut at just 16 years old.
His technical ability on the ball was a key asset in his game, as it made him very press resistant and he was an important piece in their midfield, as the lower leagues are not accustomed to the kind of flair and fluidity that he played with, even at a young age.
Allen could implement the possession-based and pass heavy system that Brendan Rodgers ran so well, and it made him an invaluable piece of the midfield, which drove the next step of his career.
A Welshman on Merseyside
Following the sacking of Dalglish and subsequent appointment of Rodgers, Allen was seen as a key addition to the club as well. So, a £15 million deal was struck, and the 'Welsh Xavi' was on his way to Liverpool.
There was some pushback from the Swans over the Reds' pursuit of their midfield maestro, as they said there was a written agreement Liverpool would not try to poach a player along with the hiring of Rodgers for at least 12 months. However, as it often goes for the smaller clubs in these cases, the Reds got their manager and the prized midfield asset.
Allen was an eager presser of the ball and he could control the tempo of matches with the best of them, so he was seen as an important piece at Anfield, even early on. He very much displayed some Xavi-like qualities in his game.
His passing range was actually quite elite, and the idea of him joining the likes of Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez was a tantalizing prospect.
I remember being very excited when the Reds signed Stewart Downing the previous summer for £20 million. I thought he was going to be a creative fulcrum of the newlook Liverpool generation. However, the following summer, when we signed Allen and brought in Rodgers, I nearly forgot about Stew from that moment on.
Allen would go on to play 37 times during his debut season as Rodgers trusted the then 22-year old to dictate a lot of what the midfield did. Allen didn't score his first Liverpool goal until that January, a 3-2 FA Cup win over Oldham Athletic.
A breathless title challenge
The 2013/14 season was one of the most enthralling, yet equally frustrating seasons to watch as a Liverpool supporter.
Goals were being scored for fun by the likes of Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho and others. It was the presence of the Brazilian, an £8 million January acquisition the season prior, that took some of the creative responsibilities away from Allen in his second season at Liverpool.
I remember that campaign for the scintillating way that we would charge forward and throw caution to the wind in a flash of reckless attacking brilliance.
Allen only made 26 appearances that season, but he did score in the heartbreaking 3-3 draw in May against Crystal Palace that stunted our title charge in its tracks.
The brutal six day window of seeing Stevie slip against Chelsea, followed by the collapse at Palace meant the Reds had thrown away the league. I was not a fun person to be around at that time.
While Allen was not a huge contributor during that campaign, his ability to keep the action flowing and progressing the ball forward whenever he could always made him a favorite of mine. He played an aesthetically pleasing brand of football, and his class on the ball was clear whenever he got his chances.
Joe Allen was a fine Liverpool servant
The arrival of Jurgen Klopp in 2015 saw the club usher in yet another new era. This would be one of eventual great success, but early on the Welshman was a solid contributor whenever called upon.
One of the most memorable matches of that season, and honestly in modern Liverpool history, was the pulsating 5-4 win over Norwich in the league that was one of the first indications of Klopp's 'Mentality Monsters'.
However, as fun as that was, I recall just a few days later battling Stoke City in the League Cup semifinals. And with the tie all square, we went to penalties. And, of course, the winning PK was struck by Allen to book our place in the final.
It was one of the final examples of the composed player he was throughout his time at Anfield. Unfortunately, under Klopp, the 'Welsh Xavi' had become a fringe player.
While I was excited when the club signed Gini Wijnaldum, I also knew it meant the end for Allen at Anfield. He was already being pushed to the outskirts, and the Dutchman arriving sealed his fate.
I always wondered why Klopp never rated Allen the way I or others did. His ball retention was elite, and he could turn defense into attack in a flash. Perhaps Jurgen did not trust the smaller Allen to be able to withstand his physical gegenpressing style, and fair play if that was the case.
Departure for Stoke and fond memories
Joe Allen left Liverpool in the summer of 2016 for Stoke City in a deal worth £13 million. That Liverpool almost came out in the black four years after he arrived was a testament to the player he was for us, and still was at the time.
I did not begrudge him wanting to move to get regular first-team football during his prime years.
Watching him play a critical role for Wales during their magical run to the Euro 2016 last four was one of my favorite memories of that time. He was named in the Euro Team of the Tournament, and deservedly so.
Somewhat unceremoniously, the club agreed to sell him to Stoke at peak value while Allen was on holiday following his tournament exploits. He found out via a friend texting him congratulations.
While that ending might've been a bit awkward, Allen went on to play his best football during a 5+ year spell with Stoke. His performances would prompt Klopp to admit he missed having him in our squad.
At the end of the day, Joe Allen made 132 appearances for Liverpool in all comps and while he only scored 7 goals in Red, I will remember him for his smooth passing ability and coolness on the ball in the tightest of situations.
He played at Anfield during an interesting transitional phase of the club that featured a heroic and gut-wrenching title charge, along with some domestic cup magic and another manager switch.
While he isn't a club legend or icon, if you mention the 'Welsh Xavi' to a Liverpool supporter, you'll see just what kind of impact he had at the club.
Liverpool Lore will return next Thursday with another player spotlight.
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