WITH February looming, Liverpool sit in eighth place in the Premier League table. They are out of the Champions League, face a tricky fourth round replay at Bolton in the FA Cup next week and were eliminated by Jose Mourinho’s latest band of not so merry men in the League Cup. It’s fair to point out that, back in August, this current situation would have been largely viewed as somewhat of a disaster. So why don’t I feel completely dejected right now?
That’s not to say I’m happy, or even close to satisfied, with Liverpool’s current standing. But I’m far more optimistic than I was even six weeks ago. Is that due to a lowering of expectations? Possibly, but it’s also based upon facts and evidence that clearly show Liverpool are improving.
Yes, goals are still far too tough to come by, personnel issues remain and I’m often finding myself at odds with some of the manager’s more public proclamations. But maybe I’m able to put these things to one side somewhat at this point because what we’re seeing on the pitch from this team is largely encouraging at present.
It took far too long to happen, but Brendan Rodgers has created/stumbled upon – delete as applicable – a set up that fits the majority of his players well. It’s a system that poses genuine tactical problems for opponents and gets Liverpool on the front foot — even against talented sides like Arsenal and Chelsea.
Mourinho’s team will win the league and Arsenal are likely to take their annual third or fourth place come May. But when they both visited Anfield they were overrun and thoroughly outplayed. That neither side tasted defeat on Merseyside basically came down to the fact that Daniel Sturridge has not been put back together again and Liverpool have too few alternative sources of goals within their ranks to call upon. While that’s a big problem in itself, it would be remiss of anyone to ignore that most of what Liverpool are doing these days is actually very good. Vibrant, attacking football is back on the menu once more even if a cutting edge is still absent.
The thought of going to Stamford Bridge with just three defenders and trying to outplay the best team in country four months ago would have been fanciful. If the second leg of the League Cup semi final had taken place in October rather than on Tuesday night then it’s a safe bet that Rodgers would have stuck Mario Balotelli or Rickie Lambert up front on their own and asked his side to be good at the thing they are least adept at — defending en masse. Liverpool would have tried to be compact and nullify a team that is rarely nullified and probably failed miserably in doing so.
Instead, this week the Reds played their game, not Chelsea’s. The ultimate outcome wasn’t desirable and during the latter period of the match Chelsea bossed it. But so what? Playing on the front foot opened doors in the first hour of that game at Stamford Bridge, just as it did at Anfield the week prior. Alberto Moreno and Philippe Coutinho should both have scored long before Chelsea even managed to register their second shot on target of the entire tie (on 60 minutes). Focussing on our own strengths rather than worrying about those of Chelsea provided numerous opportunities for the Reds to progress over the two legs.
Of course, the fact that Liverpool ultimately went out of the League Cup is not to be celebrated. Neither was a home draw with Arsenal or a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford. The absence of a victory from the four recent matches against those particular sides despite a bucket load of possession and a glut of clear goalscoring opportunities is a damning indictment. Liverpool aren’t where they need to be in any sense right now. They are, however, a damn sight closer than they were a few months ago.
It barely needs saying that a goalscorer is required urgently. Money doesn’t seem likely to be spent this January, so sadly we have little choice but to place a hefty weight on Daniel Sturridge’s shoulders and trust to hope. Fingers crossed too, that Mamadou Sakho’s latest injury isn’t serious. He’s been a key factor in the defensive improvement of the side and the prospect of Dejan Lovren or Glen Johnson taking his place long term as the left centre back in this current system is as terrifying as it is depressing.
Despite the optimistic overtones of this piece, I must stress that a huge cloud looms overhead. Liverpool’s first choice 11 looks good right now, but take Sakho out and assume for a moment that Sturridge doesn’t hit the ground running and it seems probable that this improvement will ultimately prove to be too little, far too late — especially when it comes to the race for fourth place.
Games are coming thick and fast over the next month and players like Coutinho, Lucas, Emre Can, Sakho and Sterling, who have been key in the recent resurgence, can’t realistically be expected to maintain their current levels without needing the occasional break. The likes of Lovren, Johnson, Allen, Borini and Lallana will have to play their parts from here on in and they don’t fill me with any confidence that they could step in without facilitating a drop off in the team’s overall level of performance.
And that’s the main problem the club faces right now. A drop off simply can’t be afforded. No more ground can be lost to the teams around us if we are to have any chance of qualifying for the Champions League again. Liverpool are already walking a tightrope in January and we’re nowhere near the end of the campaign.
Just over half the season has elapsed and we are still in a hole and playing catch up because of the oft repeated missteps from August through November. To finish in the top four and/or claim a trophy in order to salvage this season remains a tall order, even if the side’s current form is encouraging. When a team has lost just twice in 17 games, lies top of the league’s form table and yet still finds itself in eighth place and out of two cup competitions that is a cause for major concern.
Liverpool are indisputably getting better and it’s much easier to look on the bright side now than it was in October. It’s just a shame that it took so long for things to improve and that the damage done in the early months of the season has left us with so far still to travel on the road to recovery.
Pics: David Rawcliffe/Propaganda
So you expected LFC to carry on were they left off from last season with all the changes and injuries, how old are you 8?
It takes 3 yrs to get a team challenging for top spots and cups etc. obviously you don’t research history, because if you did you would note how long it took Chelsea and Man City to get were they are, Lfc are doing better that they should with a young squad that should hit its stride in another year with a few tweaks inc. strikers and another Goalie. We are lucky to be watching an exciting team grow.
This is not the Spanish/German etc. league that has 2 or three teams that are any good and you can’t just mail in the results like you want, go watch the Italian league if you want fixed results.
This is Rodgers 3rd season. Each year you are supposed to improve or at least strengthen. Remember we only lost one player ” suarez” a great player but still only one.
But yet we have taken two steps backwards. Last year our defence was a major problem, Rodgers knew this and had time to rectify-Lovern was his answer-Wrong move. So now a central midfielder is being forced to play where our 20 million pound defender should be.
Things have improved lately but dont start on this oh we are rebuilding – he has rebuilt and rebuilt poorly from what it seems. How many more “3years” do you allow Rodgers before the rebuild stops. Its a poor season we just have to hope this team does infact grow and gel but there is equally the same chance we will be in the same boat next year.
We’ve effectively lost 2 great players though, haven’t we. Both of them the leading scorers in the whole of the league last season. So it’s a massive ask, not just replacing one player but replacing the best 2 players, while also trying to fill out a squad. Players that were ridiculed in October are now showing their class, certainly Moreno, Can, Lallana, Sakho are. I think we are exactly where we should be in terms of development, but yes, it’s a big ask to achieve what we would like to/need to this season. Fingers crossed.
None of those you list were ridiculed. Suarez was always leaving at the end of the season, FSG had Madrid and Barca bidding before the bite, the lad was off. Madrid pulled out the minute Suarez got his teeth out again.
Rodger’s is in his third season, and it looks like we’ll finish up roughly where he took over from unless goals come from somewhere. He has three forwards available, but chooses to play none of them. All were signed under his reign. The best we have, who many think will save the season, is the one he didn’t want. The money spend on players under Rodgers is the highest for any LFC manager, it’s the sign of the times, but fuck me, if he’s reliant on one player he didn’t want, he’s not up to much is he,
The form table misrepresents a team in terms of league progression.
I’d rather win 2 and lose 1 than win 1 and draw 2 in terms of points.
If the draws were only coming away to the likes of Chelsea, City, Utd etc I could rest easy but we’re regularly drawing at home against lesser opposition and that’s whays putting us where we are at the min.
We are in a bad way and this little upturn in form is hiding a multitude of sins behind the scenes.
Everyone is putting their hopes on Sturridge firing us up on the table but it’s unfair to put that expectation on his having barely kicked a ball in 6 months.
The short and curlies of it are that we shouldnt have to be relying on him alone to start firing to help us out.
If we are serious about challenging for the title on a consistent basis then we need 3 quality strikers that suit our style that can be relied on. At the min we have 1 and he’s injury prone. Migs has been playing better but he’s still not good enough and his backup may as well not exist. Our other attackers have contributed very few goals between them either.
The last time we were in the CL bar this yr was the 09/10 season when we bombed out at the group stage like this year. Doesn’t look like we’re gonna be back in next yr either so that’ll be 5 yrs out of the comp bar this yrs debacle. The CL money massively increase next yr too so those teams will attract the best players because not only can they offer CL football but they can also offer even better wages than they can now………and they can already offer better wages than us. Remember the summer when we were after Mhikatarayan, Costa, Willian etc and they either wouldn’t come to us or we couldn’t/wouldn’t pay……well start getting used to that because that’s what’s in store only to a greater affect. Who’d we end up with that summer?? That’s right Moses, Aspas and Alberto.
It’s more to do with the fact that no one trusts Brendan Rodgers and don’t want to sign for him. Benitez could attract most, and woudl bet he would have signed Costa, Mikhayatarn, Willian et al all day long.
Rodgers is an embarassment
I don’t think any team has bombed in terms of CL ability as much as us. Past winners and as I recall once top or near top of the nebulous UEFA coefficients but in our last 14 CL games we’ve only managed 3 wins – against Europa League fare Ludogorets and Debrecen twice – and in one of those games they were paid to lose and we still only managed 1-0!!!
Good piece Dave but I take slight issue with you analysis. Don’t you think the period when we dogged out a few draws was essential? It wasn’t good to watch but we were sorely in need of some defensive discipline. I’m glad we abandoned it, don’t get me wrong, but given our lack of goals, that focus on defensive play has proved integral to our recent run of form. For me the start of the season was the real problem with Brendan stubbornly insisting on picking players who were either not performing to the standard expected of them, keeping better players out of the team, or played in the wrong position. Most posters here diagnosed the problems a long time before the manager. Nevertheless, he seems to have turned it around and improved the balance of the team: we’re now attacking and defending well, a combination rarely achieved last season. The manager should be credited and I for one, am very happy for him.
I don’t feel the same optimism I’m afraid, this season has been a disaster and I wrote this team off in November, and seen nothing to change my opinion.
Sure we are playing better, but that was only because Rodgers has been forced to revert to last season’s tactics and formations. He started off the season expecting us to play a completely different way. He tried to be cute, got found out and gone back to last years way of playing. why??
The guy is a disgrace to the club, he should have been sacked in December and i’m devastated that he is still here. Some shockingly horrific buys in the transfer market, some terrible man management of players, his ridiculous and absurd interviews, his barbed comments about Balotelli, Mignolet et al. His failure to recognise the needs of the team in any given siuation – I mean why bring on Balotelli against chelsea, when Borrini and Lallana are available? Save Balo for Bolton away if you have to, not against the best team in the league when you know he is going to be his lazy self and not bring anything to the team. Borrini and Lalallana would run through brick walls, and yet, f*ck it, i’ll bring on a liability on like Balo on instead. We played with 10 men against Chelseas toward the end and that was because of Rodgers abosulutely dire decision making abailiites. They guy is nonot a front line manager, true he has some ideas about attacking football but he is not the finished package by a f*cking mile – he should be a background coach who should never be left allowed to be infront of a camera, let alone in charge of a substantial transfer kitty.
We will continue to struggle with rodgers in charge, he is a shockingly poor poor manager, and an embarrassment to this Club. Forget about any recovery this season, we will finish 8th and be out of the FA Cup and Europa Cup early doors. The start we have had this season is irrecoverable, we’ve blown it big time. By all means clutch to those straws for some sort of turnaround for the rest of the season, but it is not going to happen, it’s bordering on delusional really. Rodgers has f*cked up and i think FSG are recognising this, hence why there is no transfer money available for Jan – they don’t trust him with it, most understandably
What an absurd and ridiculous comment. Rodgers was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t.
If he left Balotelli on the bench and we lost, people would be questioning why he didn’t turn to Mario. If you’re losing an important game and you have a talented, albeit frustrating, individual on the bench then many would say it’s worth rolling the dice.
However, if Rodgers did bring Balotelli on and he put in an underwhelming performance, as was the case, then Rodgers would get criticised for making a move that was unlikely to work.
Given the particular context of the game and what was available, the subs made sense. Liverpool were down a sub because of the Sakho injury, and in the back of his mind Rodgers knew a 0-0 after extra time would give Chelsea the win. He needed a forward on, both for a goal, but also to try and retake some control in the game.
You also seem to be completely forgetting the malaise we were in before Rodgers arrived. Yes, Kenny was in charge, but the uplift his initial appointment had caused had certainly been lost and we were stuck in 6th-7th-8th, playing patient but often poor football, and in no danger at all of challenging for 4th, never mind 2nd! People really do have short memories.
Yes, Rodgers’ first season was a little underwhelming, but given the changes in personnel and playing system that was always likely to happen. Since then the team have generally been a joy to watch – adventurous, attacking football more than a match for the top teams. Last season was the most enjoyable as a Liverpool fan since the late 80s. I don’t always agree with what he says in his interviews, and the early part of this season was disappointing, but bloody hell to call him a ‘background coach’ and say he is a ‘disgrace to the club’, has ‘f*cked up’ is b*ll*cks of the highest order if you don’t mind me saying. He’s brought this club back to where it should be, playing on the front foot, challenging for honours, investing in the future.
Try to remember where we were before he took over, and where we are now, and where we could go with this young, improving, attacking team and manager and stop looking for an easy scapegoat. We lost narrowly, in extra time, to the big spenders from London who will most likely walk the league, with a team filled with potential like Coutinho, Moreno, Sterling, Henderson, Can….personally I can’t wait for next year and the year after, and the year after that if Brendan’s in charge. Its not all about the here and now, even if we are looking more and more impressive.
Bloody hell some people have no memories, no patience and no vision sometimes. Its so irritating!
Strongly disagree about where we were when Rodgers took over. Under Kenny we were far closer to being an overall excellent team. We had one of the best defences in the league, a midfield that worked hard, had cohesion and created chances at will for our forwards. The only thing missing from Kenny’s team was a finisher. We hit the woodwork something like 34 times in Kenny’s full season, missed 7/8 penalties and every opposition keeper walked away with the MoTM award.
Fast forward to now; we have the worst keeper we’ve had since James (probably worse actually), a defence that would be fuckin hilarious if it belonged to any other team, an unbalanced, mish-mash of a midfield where nobody looks like they’re playing in their strongest position and a forward line that’s about as threatening as a two year old with a rubber mallet.
Yes, the team is playing better recently (which wouldn’t be hard), but overall we are a long way off where we should be considering a) the money spent and b) the amount of time Rodgers has been in the job. Nothing of note has ever been won by a team deploying three at the back and we’ll be no different.
Kenny was a bit out of touch with certain aspects of the modern game but overall we were a lot closer to being a very good side.
Have you completely forgotten the amount of mediocre players in Dalglish’s team / squad? In no particular order – Downing, Carroll, Adam, Spearing and add in the ageing Kuyt, Bellamy, Maxi. There was no way that group of players was going to improve.
Also, the finisher that you say Kenny’s team was missing scored 11 goals that season and then followed it up with 23 and 31 in this two seasons playing under Rodgers.
Brazil 2002? Countless Dutch and Spanish sides?
Wow Brian…. You are on the wind up aren’t you?..
Off the scale wrong.
“seen nothing to change my opinion”
And therein lies your problem. You can’t see what’s right in front of you.
“gone back to last years way of playing”
Seriously?
Do one fella, you clearly know nothing about football.
Ok genius, who is your replacement for Rodgers who you think can do a better job and is also a realistic target?
“When a team has lost just twice in 17 games, lies top of the league’s form table and yet still finds itself in eighth place and out of two cup competitions ”
What is your source for the league’s form table? I don’t have us top.
We have been playing better of late, but let’s face it it is hard to imagine us playing any worse. I have no great regard for Rodgers and cringe when the guy appears on TV, but he is here until summer, and barring us finishing 8th, here for another season after that. I am content to see where he takes us, but after 3 seasons in charge and quite a bit of cash spent I expected better than just hoping for a 4th place finish. FSG are no mugs and they too will be uneasy at what they’ve witnessed this season, especially as Ayre is renegotiating sponsorship deals and looking for investment to pay FSG back their loan for the Main Stand. For me the jury’s still out on Rodgers, but he has little wriggle room left, especially if Sturridge doesn’t come back as an amalgam of Rush, Hunt and Aldridge.
Brendan Rodgers. How fickle supporters can be…
The guy has weathered what was a perfect storm in the early part of the season. Suarez gone, Gerard’s lost form, sturridge injured, a defence and goalkeeper who did not exactly act as a cohesive unit last year collapsed when their failings were not masked by out scoring the opposition.
Rogers is coming out the other side playing the vibrant football of last year and is putting together a run of form. It may be too late for this season but this team has all the time in the world and a manager with more adaptability and invention than most of his counterparts.
Give Brendan time…Come on you tricky reds!!!
Dave we have 7 strikers on the books, all of them brought in by the current regime, and only 1 of them is a genuine goal scorer and he’s injury prone. It’s our own fuck ups that have put us in this predicament. Our transfer business is a fucking joke!!
Dave you outline perfectly Rodgers’ self imposed ‘perfect storm’! Suarez’s departure was hardly a shock, nor Sturridge’s propensity to watch from the stands quite a lot. The contingency for this – Borini, Balotelli and Lambert is what Rodgers ended up with. Gerrard’s “loss of form”? He was played out of position, struggled badly, got no better and Rodgers left Lucas looking on. The defence and keeper are Rodgers’ players, either bought or inherited, their collapse has been apparent ever since Rodgers became manager! You’re right that we are in a decent run of form, but what evidence is there that we will carry on this to the end of the season and into the next?
Don’t get me wrong, I have no great regard for Rodgers, but my only desire is for our club to win trophies with him or without him makes little difference to me.
And on this good run of form…last 8 home games…2 wins and 6 draws….nothing to write home about is it?!
I share most of the thoughts in this piece, but surprised there’s no mention of Migs rehabilitation to be honest. Since the change to a back 3 he’s looked much more comfortable. I get the feeling he genuinely doesn’t let criticism affect him and he’s showed that on form he’s a well rounded keeper after all. He’s even shifting it on quick when he gets hold of it.
But his good form shouldn’t disguise the imperative of bringing someone else in this weekend. To go into the business end of the season with Brad just a heartbeat away would be negligent in my view.
I wish we could sell Lovren and Ballotelli, then find a few coppers down the back of the couch to buy Schurrle. If we got him in and also got Sturridge back, we would be a real force. Our finishing aside, we are playing better than any side in the league right now.
What bullshit !!
Lallana has been an excellent player for Liverpool considering the scarcity of opportunities he gets. Lucas doesn’t provide the much needed flair and can’t score a goal to save his life. As far as defending is concerned, Lucas was damn lethargic and made a cynical challenge that could (should) have lead to a second yellow for him and gave Chelsea the free kick from which they scored in the League Cup.
So Danny Ings, eh????
Are we interested in him because he’s good enough or because he’s cheap enough???
I’m sure defences will tremble next year with our attack force of Sturridge, Ings, Origi and Lambert.
‘we have little choice but to place a hefty weight on Daniel Sturridge’s shoulders’
Probably not advisable, he’ll be out for another 4 months if you do
Give Brendan a break – clearly the owners are not giving him what he needs above all else, the ability to spend real money this transfer window on the gaping 50 goal gap in our strikeforce. If we had a quality striker on the pitch with a true killer instinct (versus Sterling, who as much as I love him, has squandered many chances), we would have beaten Arsenal, possibly turned the Man U tie on its head, and beaten Chelsea in the league cup, among other things.
Michael I agree our current line of strikers barring sturridge have been poor. Aspas,balotelli,borini,lambert etc. However I cannot honestly say I thought any of them would work out as badly before we signed them. When our preferred options consistently opt for Chelsea, spurs or arsenal I am not sure we will find another suarez or torres wanting to come at the moment. And I don’t think had Rogers the option of sanchez, costa or balotelli he would have selected the latter. I agree our transfer committee needs looking at but unless you pay top dollar for guaranteed quality you will find every transfer is a gamble.
Frankly see point above. Also Gerard lost his form. The man has carried Liverpool for years in almost every position and excelled last year in front of the defence. He had a poor world cup and a poor start to the season.
In relation to our defence, I agree 100% we need to do better. But sakho, skrtel, moreno and Can have looked impressive of late. They will improve.
Rogers has a young squad of hungry players. When I think of Charlie Adam, Jovanovic, Diouf, Aquilani, Paul konchesky, ,Robbie Keane and Joe Cole and the transfer fees or wages squandered I am glad we invest in potential. Rogers/the transfer committee will get some wrong but I think Liverpool aren’t far away from getting it right…
Dave my point being is that when you are buying a goal scorer you don’t scrimp. You spend the big money and you pay his decent wages.
We were interested in Bony at 19mil but wouldn’t pay his wages. Instead we spent £20.5mil on Balo and Lambert and I bet their combined wages would have paid for Bonys. That would have left us with a strike force of Sturridge, Bony and Borini.
In recent years we spend £10.5mil on Borini, £7mil on Aspas, £16mil on Balo, £4.5mil on Lambert, £1mil on Yesil, £10mil on Origi………approx £48mil wasted (Origi still has to come to the Prem but he’s hardly pulling up trees in France)
If you want players to do the business then you gotta pay for them!
Michael I did say unless you pay top dollar for guaranteed quality you are taking a gamble. I have to differ with you on Bony. I would have took him ahead of some but I’d be surprised if he is playing week in week out for city at the start of next season and I wouldn’t put him in the bracket of guaranteed quality.
Borinis asking price was 12m last summer,Aspas would probably recoup 2-3m,balo is still young and definitely would find a buyer, origi could be anything and is still only 19. Lambert could still hit 10 goals this year and if so has fulfilled his purpose. I think you’re reaching to bring up yesil.
All in all its hardly 48m down the drain and if you were to add sturridge to that list and sell them all tomorrow I think brendan or the committee would make a profit.
How many previous regimes or managers could you say that about.
I do get your point! I said the same thing…guaranteed quality…sanchez…costa…suarez…they didn’t want to come or stay. Bony????…I bet last year you’d have said Michu!
Sorry it is money wasted because you have Borini, Balo and Lambert there and yet dont trust them to play the role they were bought for.
I could care less what money can be recouped from their sales, that’s not why we buy them. We buy them to put the ball in the back of the net and they’ve only done that 3 times in the league COMBINED!! That’s failure!!
Our inability to bring adequate backup to Sturridge has put us 8th in the league looking very unlikely to finish top 4, knocked us outta the CL at the group stages and put us out of the league cup.
I don’t care if Bony plays week in week out for City, that’s none of my concern. He would have been playing week in week out for US and that’s what I care about. He scored 25 goals last season and has scored 9 this season….that’s goals we could have done with….that’s points on the table we could have done with.
The reason why I included Yesil is because he’s one of the SEVEN strikers we have on our books brought in by the current regime.
We waste so much money trying to scrimp and save on strikers that we actually end up costing ourselves tens of millions…..that’s a massive problem!
We are at an inflection point, it could improve with Studge or we may get more of the same. I think we need to support and back The Reds 100% and see what pans out. Opinions on players are all very time based and with hindsight is easy to quote on who was shite or not.
One things for sure we aren’t able to shop in Harrods so believing we are going to sign a ready made goal scorer for top dollar and wages, then roll me one of them please and make mine a fat one.
We are defo in the second tier and will need more than a bit of luck to get the majority of signings right. Too many of our fans have ideas way above our current station and need to be more realistic in there outlook, hope is a positive thing but delusion is a fucking lead weight none of us need.
There seems to be a lot of fans who can’t stand BR and call for The King or Rafa at any dip or tail off in performance. Suppose that is the age we live in, shankly won fuck all for seven years, he would have been eaten alive these days. It takes time to build a decent team at least 3years and losing your best player and your clubs talisman ain’t going to shorten that timeframe.
The football is good, give him a chance, get behind them and if it goes tits up we can slag him off come May. I suspect if we don’t get 3rd or 4th FSG will do the slagging for us.
Well in Caf.
100% cafthered.
Good article, we were always going to take time to hit form despite Rodgers statement at the start of the season saying we can win the league. I for one have criticised Rodgers and the signings but recently I see a lot more promise in a lot of them, ballo and Ricky aside. We need another striker that fits his system and a goalie and we are good to go next season imo. Ps let Johnson go, sell ballo and mignolet!