Liverpool- The Story so Far. Part One (Pilly)

Rob recently gave his thoughts on United’s season so far. If you missed it here is the link to that post https://ottsports.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/uniteds-season-so-far-first-edition/. Here I give my reflections on Liverpool after a season which has put expectations sky high. Like most supporters I am questioning “Where are the Liverpool of last season?”

The simple answer to this can be found some 864 miles away in Barcelona or led on a treatment table at Melwood. Together Luis Suarez (31) and Daniel Sturridge (21) scored 52 Premier League goals between them, accounting for over half of Liverpool’s 101 total. The season was bound to be a struggle with the loss of Suarez during the summer, whom Brendan Rodgers thought he was going to keep hold of. Suarez not only offered goals but he had an incredible attitude (minus the biting) to pressing and winning the ball back high up the pitch. Of course it is not just goals Liverpool have been lacking, like last year they have been shipping a lot also.

My biggest moan at the moment is the amount of sloppy goals Liverpool concede. We have seem some real calamity moments mainly from set pieces including the West Ham and QPR away matches, the Gaby Agbonlahor winner for Villa at Anfield and of course the home group game against Real Madrid. We have also seen Alberto Moreno hesitate against Man City when Liverpool were well in the game and of course, my personal favourite Mamadou Sakho’s header in completely the wrong direction to compound supporters misery against West Ham.

Simon Mignolet has come in for some criticism, some of it in my opinion unjustified. His shot stopping has been questioned, especially after Phil Jagielka’s Merseyside blast. But on the whole he has made some important saves. It is his distribution which needs to improve, in comparison to Pepe Reina the man he took over from, he is miles behind. The defence has offered Mignolet little cover. Lovren the man bought in to offer presence, aggressiveness and leadership in defence has been a long way short of his form at Southampton last season. Sakho is another who has performed well below his best. Every pass he hits bobbles into the recipient and he is liable to make a mistake as noted above. These two were bought in by Rodgers for a near combined £40 million to add strength and power, who along with Martin Skrtel should be able to defend set pieces effectively. This has just not been the case. Liverpool desperately lack that Jamie Carragher type player who would organise and put his body on the line to keep those important clean sheets. Kolo Toure is definitely not that person!

This leads me on to Rodgers signings, which on the whole have been disappointing over his tenure. Yes he has picked out gems in Sturridge, Coutinho and Moreno for around £32 million. But he has also bought Borini, Alberto, Aspas, Sakho, Ilori, Markovic, Lovren and Balotelli for over £100 million. The £20 million signing of Markovic baffles me, every time he plays its like another scene of Where’s Wally, he looks like having no impact on the game whatsoever. With his signings not firing and the injury to Sturridge a lot of pressure has been put on the young Raheem Sterling, whose form has been up and down. At the moment I really do think he is having to play too much in this struggling side.

Mario Balotelli has been heavily criticised in recent weeks for his lack of goals and effort. I was interested to hear Steve Bruce on Balotelli during the week. I too thought he did ok against Real and was making runs in behind defenders. Only time will tell if he has the intelligence to adapt his game to suit the style of Liverpool’s play. It is clear to see that he needs a goal to get things started, with each game that passes the supporters and players are getting more frustrated. If he can’t Rodgers will have to use the January transfer window. Tactically it is so important to Liverpool to have that threat in the space beyond the defenders. Without this Liverpool do not possess the ability to stretch the game. This has been highlighted with teams now being able to push right on to Steven Gerrard in his deep lying midfield role. Balotelli also has the annoying habit of holding on to the ball for too long, when he needs to release runners from midfield.

These next few weeks are vital for Liverpool if they are to stay in the hunt for a top 4 position. Under Gerard Houllier in 01/02 and Rafa Benitez in 08/09 Liverpool finished 2nd but failed to capitalise on these finishes. It is vital that Rodgers makes the most of last season and finishes in top 4. Rodgers needs to develop a plan B as it has become far too easy for sides to sit back and defend then pinch a goal from a set piece. I do believe Rodgers will get it right, the forward thinking coach has been excellent since he came in and I do believe he has the capacity to improve us.