Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen feels that his disappointing first season at the club has turned him into a better player.
The 25-year-old moved to the Reds in a £15m switch from Swansea City in 2012 as he followed Brendan Rodgers to Merseyside, but struggled immensely in his first year at Anfield.
Allen staged a recovery in his second campaign as he gradually worked his way back into the team and has now been able to cement his place in the lineup with Rodgers's men.
He is quoted as saying by The Mirror: "I look back to my first season at Liverpool and I was disappointed with the way I approached it at times. My dip in form affected my confidence and things like that. It was the first time I had experienced that really and was new to me.
"At club level at Swansea, it had always been progress, really. So it was a bit of a setback, but I came through it and am really looking forward to the future. It is something everyone goes through and overcomes eventually. It is something that comes with experience really.
"You obviously have your family and friends around you who help you and teammates at my club. The last couple of seasons I have certainly learned a lot and improved from that point of view having had those experiences."
Allen has made 26 appearances in all competitions for the Reds this season.
Simon Sinclair
