Pic: Propaganda/Dave Rawcliffe
BEFORE we took to the field against Swansea City I’d felt the need to state the case for the defence of the defence. Having sat through the startling, entertaining – at times bewildering – and certainly nervous laugh-provoking 4-3 win against our opponents from South Wales on Sunday, I’m no longer sure I can defend what is tantamount to the almost indefensible.
In the three hours that followed the suspiciously-named Michael Jones blowing his whistle to signal the end of not just a remarkably open football match (which seemed to be played out to a backing track of the Wacky Races theme tune) but also a refereeing display that could not unreasonably be described as an ‘awayer’ – I was not able to blink on a regular basis.
The beauty of this season so far has been that it’s a bit of a blast from the past. 2013/14 will roll on into the month of March without it having yet been reduced to a one or two-horse race. Each side involved in this title race, and, yes, we now have to be bold enough to admit that is exactly what we are involved in, has its clear strengths but each side also has what appears to be very glaring weaknesses.
Manchester City are a bit iffy on their travels and have been disrupted by injuries to Sergio Aguero. Chelsea are perhaps carrying a few too many ‘pensioners’ to sustain them during what is shaping up to be a fast-paced run in. Arsenal, for all their flair, exuberance and moral indignation at everything and anything that could be classed as ‘agricultural’ continue to display a soft underbelly and lack the peace of mind to be able to ignore the demons that lurk around the corner of each and every setback for them.
And Liverpool? Well it’s pretty obviously the defence. And by the term ‘defence’ I throw the goalkeeper into the equation, too. Here is where I find the urge to state the defence for the defence despite some of their actions and many of the stats giving evidence for the prosecution.
Brendan Rodgers has been in charge of Liverpool FC for 65 league games, of which we’ve conceded two or more goals on 28 occasions. That’s around 44 per cent of league games when we have needed to score three or more goals to win. We’ve conceded two or more goals on five more occasions than we’ve kept clean sheets – all stats that are pretty damning.
However, individually each singular component of our defence is a fine upstanding pillar of solidity. We have to walk away from the plain black and white stats of the numbers game. Statistics can be used to prove virtually any argument. The great Vic Reeves once said “63.4 per cent of all statistics are made up” – the ambiguity of whether or not Reeves’s statement itself was made up or not isn’t important; the fact that it amused me and has a vague relation to the subject matter of this article leaves me with a sense of contentment, and when push comes to shove don’t we all strive for contentment?
The back five has had to absorb a great deal of upheaval since the end of last season. A change of goalkeeper has been difficult to adjust to at times, as we’ve gone from a traditional Liverpool FC-style sweeper keeper – a type of keeper that Rodgers himself is on record as saying is key to his ethos of play – to a very talented but stereotypical shot stopper: a keeper who is ill at ease with coming for the ball.
In tennis terms we’ve swapped a serve and volley player for a baseliner and the central defenders in particular have had their work cut out to cope with that. Simon Mignolet doesn’t come for the ball, and in a world of teaching old dogs new tricks, he’s unlikely to ever overcome his natural instincts to stay rooted to his six-yard box. At times it drives his central defenders to distraction.
Pic: Propaganda/Dave Rawcliffe
The FA Cup game at Arsenal was quite telling. When Brad Jones came for the ball in the more natural manner you’d expect of a Liverpool keeper, his defenders weren’t anticipating his arrival, having become accustomed to Mignolet staying put. Much tends to be made of the importance of the spine of a team, but the triumvirate of goalkeeper and his two central defenders is vital, and it needs to work in a symbiotic manner. We ended last season with a goalkeeper–central defensive threesome of Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger and Jamie Carragher, with Martin Skrtel dropped in favour of Carragher around about this time last year.
Now that Reina and Carragher are no longer an option, and Agger has been restricted to just 10 league starts, it amounts to massive change in what is undeniably an unforgiving part of the pitch. Skrtel has risen again this time around, performing fantastically in an individual capacity, yet a defensive unit isn’t designed to thrive on individual excellence alone. Skrtel has coped startlingly well with a revolving door set of central defensive partners, constantly changing full backs and a keeper who doesn’t leave his six-yard box without the need of pure oxygen and a midfield ahead of him that has the natural impulse to storm up field to join in with the exciting and fun world of scoring lots of goals.
With 11 games to go it doesn’t seem to matter in many ways. This feels like a season that will stand alone as a testament to the most beautiful and bizarre excesses at both ends of the pitch.
“We’ll come unstuck defending like that against the top teams,” say the naysayers. But we don’t have to face any of the teams above us away from home between now and May. How ace is that?
We score goals for fun. The problem ahead of us now is that with the postponement of the game at home to Sunderland, our next three games are away – of the next five games four are likely to be away. If we come through the other side of that run of games still within touching distance of the summit then the dream can become blissful reality.
Four home games in the last six? We just have to make sure we’re still at the party by the time those last half dozen games come around.
Nonsense about Skrtel, he has been terrible this season bar 2 or 3 good performances.
What you have to keep in mind about Skrtel is that he’s more Larry Lloyd than Alan Hansen. He’s never going to be flowing and elegant, but he has improved certain aspects of his game. Yes, he will always have his limitations, but he’s the only real constant in out back line this season for more reasons than simply staying fit and available.
He tends to have a season on an upward bounce alternated by a season with a drop back down. Last season was his latest dip, this season there have still been questionable moments, but in being the mainstay of our vulnerable defence he’s going to be slagged off by some.
His own personal performances have mostly been good, but within a uncertain defensive unit, with an uncertain goalkeeper behind him he’s at times been left out to dry by his team mates. Constantly changing central defensive partners hasn’t helped. Skrtel has started 25 of our 27 league games so far this season. Beyond him it’s Toure 15, Sakho 12 and Agger 10. No legendary defence is built upon pepetual changes. The full back positions have been as bad if not worse for lack of continuity, Johnson 18 starts, beyond him Cissokho 12, Flanagan 12, Enrique 6 and Wisdom 1.
The defence have a lot to answer for at the minute, but there are a few mitigating circumstances that come into play here.
Mignolet, major downgrade from Reina…. Makes me crazy the way he stays frozen on his line – never thought I’d see the day a first choice LFC keeper be given ‘how to come for the ball’ lessons from Brad Jones….
I’d have to question the brains trust that is our transfer ‘think-wok’.
Whatever the reasons for Reina being levered out of the club, we surely should have been scouting out another keeper cast from the same mould, rather than bringing in a clear shot stopper instead.
Maybe if he hadn’t been so bigheaded & feeling that he was above us and off to better pastures the just maybe he would be still in goal for us. Instead he is reserve at Napoli. Michael Owen in 2005 anyone
You score 4 then we will score 5 ? Only really works if the opposition back line is worse than ours . The naysayers are probably right
I’d be inclined to say in the long term they’d have a valid point, that we can’t keep this style of football up season on season.
However next season will be a very different beast, especially if we qualify for the Champions League. We don’t have the depth of squad to cope with the Premier League, Europe and two domestic cup competitions, but that worry is for another day.
11 games left in this campaign, with no distractions. We can view this season as a unique stand alone experiment. Why not go out there between now and May with the mindset of you score 4, we score 5?.
The other team doesn’t have to have an inferior defence to ours. Arsenal don’t have an inferior defence to ours, but we still put 5 past them to their 1. I say we can do what they say can’t be done.
Mingolet definitely is nervy coming for balls but I think he is definitely an improvement on Reina. Reina let in too many soft goals. Also it shouldn’t be a problem that Mingolet didn’t come for a ball so long as he is consistent about it. A defender should never assume that the keeper is coming for anything until he hears the keeper telling that he is coming. This is not to say that if Mingolet started coming it wouldn’t benefit is our that we can’t improve on him, but just that if he isn’t coming it defenders need to take responsibility for the defending.
The demise of Reina has been greatly exaggerated in some quarters. He was arguably back to his best in the second half of last season and the reasons for him being ushered to the exit door weren’t exclusively down to performance on the pitch.
I don’t agree that Mignolet should be leaving his defenders to deal with as much as he does. As a team that presses high we need a keeper that’s more expansive in his perceived areas of responsibility. The goalkeeper is not just a part of the defence he’s the most important part, rather than being detached from it.
I’d agree with you Steven. Reina and Agger were very good towards the end of the season. Pivotal moment? Carra the great organiser coming back into the team. I’d also agree with you about the transfer committee. My impression is that Rodgers wanted Coutinho and Sturridge having either worked with or scouted them previously. I’m not sure he’s wanted any of our subsequent signings bar Ilori.
More of a worry is that we still haven’t clue what Rodgers is looking for in a defender or a defensive unit. Initial impressions were that he wanted strong, fast ball playing defenders so that he could play a high line, the defenders close to the midfield. He abandoned that approach the moment he recalled Carra. Similarly, as you say, he talked of a footballing keeper, Mignolet is far from that. We’re great to watch at the moment, but I can’t help feeling we’re a ‘broken’ team which isn’t what I imagined from a Rodgers outfit. Having said that, we’re in a great position and it may that he’s getting the best from the personnel available to him. Should we qualify for the Champions League a tactical rethink will be required, I’d expect a busy window.
We’ve already scored more (70 versus 66), and conceded only two less (35 versus 37) than the team most (unjustly) famous for outscoring the opposition with a flaky defence, Newcastle United in 1996, did all that season. I don’t think 2 or 3 world class defenders are going to make much difference (though they won’t do any harm), because our troubles stem from further up the pitch.
Midfields have two roles to play, going forward in support of the attack, and screening their defenders. It appears that we are very good going forward..awesome actually, but not so good at the other bit, which is why there appears to be green acres in front of our defence so often. Until now, and hell, until the end of the season as far as anyone knows, we seem to be riding the crest of a particularly potent wave of attacking talent… whether this actually is a recipe for success remains to be seen, but it looks and feels good and scary. ISTR Rodgers mentioning that he had a similar problem at a previous club when he first joined us, so I believe he’s aware of the problem such as it is… but as long as it seems to be working, I bet he’s happy to go with the flow. I think we all are tbh.
Can we score our way to top? Maybe. Can we score our way to 4th? Definitely. Do we need to change this for next season? Depends on whether we can keep Suarez, Coutinho and Sturridge, who are all going to be red hot properties in the summer, and on how much terrifying fun we can stand to bear.
Ferd
Our defence is regularly left exposed, that can’t be denied. I would say less so than in the first half of last season when we were wide open at times though. I’d have loved to see our defence have suffered less injuries and been more settled than it has. Who knows the difference that might have made?.
It’s not easy to get the midfield balance correct. Not having Lucas fit has been damaging and we aren’t operating with a deep lying midfielder at times. Add Coutinho dropping back from the forward line and it’s not a midfield designed for containment of opposition. Joe Allen might need to come in for Coutinho, although I said that before the Arsenal game at Anfield and he put in his best display of the season.
Next season will be very different if Champions League football is on our to do list. We won’t get another season quite like this, so we should embrace it for what it is. It could be our most potent weapon. The joy of football might just win it for us.
But will Lucas play now that Brendan has decided that Gerrard is his pivot? I too called for Joe Allen v Arsenal (so what do I know) and I’d still play him against Southampton. The current set up leaves us totally exposed to quick transitions. I’m not sure he’s worked out how to play both strikers week in week out without losing our shape.
Re Pepe and Mignolet: Hansen and Lawrenson always make a point of how great it was playing in front of Brucie, because they knew he’d come for everything. They didn’t mind the odd howler, because he made their job so much easier and saved a lot more than he conceded.
I don’t want it to appear I’m being negative again. I think if I’m happy with something then I’ve nothing to add. But…..haha, I’d also get rid of the whole defense and start again. I’d keep Sakho and Flanagan. I suppose I’d also get rid of Mignolet although I don’t think that’s very likely.
Yes, I like Aggers tattoo but I don’t think it’s enough anymore. I’m sure there are other players around who can head a ball, are not injury prone and would be prepared to have their knuckles tattooed. Skrtel has a couple of good games and he’s in the press talking about how he considered leaving and it’s all ‘thank god you didn’t’. In my eyes he’s never been the same since that injury against City. The terminator crying into his oxygen mask shattered the illusion for me and that was nearly 6 years ago now. He epitomises Liverpool’s season only instead of you score 1 and we’ll score 2 it’s i’ll block 2 and then score 1. Unfortunately, it’s often in the wrong end. Yes, he did well to score 2 against Arsenal but we’ve got players who can score. We need players who can defend.
Glen Johnson might be a brilliant player on his day but we can’t have a player who is brilliant for 10, injured for 10 and switches off for 18. Again, there must be a player out there somewhere who can be brilliant for 20 games, injured for 7 and wank for 11. Lately, I’ve found myself praying Enrique comes back but that’s not a reflection of Enrique more an ingrained fear of Cissokho. Admittedly, at first I wondered whether he was a failed Sumo wrestler trying to eek out a living as a footballer but in fairness to him he’s showed he’s got more to his defending than shoulder barging. There are plenty of teams below us in the league who’ve got better left backs though. I’ve got massive respect for Toure for the way he manipulated us and gained cult status before we’d even seen wear the Liverpool shirt. Knowing what was to come it was a master class and some of us still haven’t come to terms with the fact that he’s not actually very good. Good laugh, passionate, I’m sure – but we have to stop this nonsense. Cissokho has done better over the last few games but let’s not get silly. He’s clearly not good enough for LFC and where we want to be. None of them are full time. I’ll leave Mignolet out of this for now. After all, he did save that pen against Stoke.
Those players above can still fetch a pretty penny as I honestly don’t think the word is out that they’re all average yet. Add their transfer fees to the CL money and you could completely revamp the defense. It could be nearly £60m. We could then use the annual £30m transfer kitty, ahem, to strengthen midfield / forwards. I don’t particularly like my ruthless / harsh streak but I love my club more than I’m bovered about it. Anyway, I’m ecstatic about everything else at Liverpool.
P.s I would have liked to have seen Ilori for at least 10 mins.
As soon as Lucas is back fit, the midfield should have more balance, give more protection, ad therefore we should concede fewer goals…
Right?
Any who, being a staunchly proud Irishman, it pains me in any way, shape or form to reference an English national sides World Cup theme song, BUT, I am rather enjoying this ‘Vindaloo’ LFC.
Is Lucas really the answer? He’s not been the same player since his major injury, and you could argue that Allen would be a better alternative.
In any case, as attack-heavy as the team is at the moment, who would we realistically drop for him? On their day, Coutinho and Sterling are match winners, and Hendo and Gerrard won’t be considered for dropping.
Are you suggesting we drop one of Suarez or Sturridge to accommodate him or Allen?
This is the question, by stiffening the defence with midfield support, do we draw the teeth of our attack?
Reina shot himself in the foot he thought Barca was nailed on and they never came calling. Rodgers was bold and signed his replacement ( good management that) Mingolet is different and has made us more points this season than Reinas last three. I would take Mingolet any day, the lack of cover from midfield and the constant injuries, is causing the confusion. Sit back and enjoy it ain’t been this good for decades !