Being a Manchester United fan, I must make a largely honest confession that ‘I love watching Liverpool lose!’. But much before than being a Manchester United fan, I’m a football fan and I must admit the credentials of all the clubs, let alone the clubs I loath.
Liverpool’s roller coaster ride can well be placed in a stark juxtaposition to their hangover start to the new league season. Humiliating losses to rivals Manchester City and minnows West Ham United and Aston Villa have ensured that we rival fans label their 2nd placed finish last campaign as a ‘fluke’. There have been some positives here and there but condemning losses have clearly overshadowed those limited amount of positives. Luis Suarez’s departure complemented them in earning some big bucks to spend but the expectations of signing a big name obscured as the transfer window fleeted past.
Suarez’s exit to the Nou Camp reaped £75 million and the Liverpool fans demanded someone who can act as a perfect replacement for the Uruguayan. After all, his 30-odd-goal heroics played a vital part in their ‘exceeding expectations’ sort of season last year. There were rumors trickling in which suggested that a deal for Radamel Falcao was close but a move resembling that never materialized. Instead, Brendan Rodgers decided to make do with flamboyant Italian striker Mario Balotelli, who arrived from AC Milan. Sure, he was a decent signing but more than that, his capture was a gamble or a ‘gamble worth taking’ and there was no guarantee of what could transpire with Balotelli.
Balotelli is a player who’s got a burly, strong frame which helps him shrug defenders away and make life ever tough for them at the back. He’s got a lot more physical presence than Luis Suarez but the controversial Uruguayan possessed something more devastating than any other such something- speed and craft. Suarez’s impeccable speed and his tendency to have a run at defenders sets him apart from Balotelli and as of now, the deep sitting counter attacking football lacks. Luis Suarez sat in a more deeper position when Liverpool weren’t in possession of the ball and helped them execute counter attacks in lighting fast fashion. He took on center halves and went past them almost as if they didn’t exist. But Balotelli sits high up the pitch when Liverpool don’t have the ball and after receiving it from someone, he holds it up and draws everybody else into the play. Usually, players like Raheem Sterling are encouraged to bomb forward and have a go an defenders to rattle them with their speed. But changing a team’s playing style for the sake of a player doesn’t make sense, especially in this one. Dan Sturridge’s expulsion through injury made matters worse as he was more of that Luis Suarez type of player. The Liverpool players aren’t used to this and this makes it tough for them to play their natural game, or the way adhering to which they played last season.
As per Squawka stats, Dejan Lovren & Mamadou Sakho failed to win a single tackle between them in the first half at the Boleyn Ground, bringing into focus their defensive infirmities.
The main justification behind Dejan Lovren’s capture from Southampton was about replacing Jamie Carragher and his exquisite leadership qualities at the back. He was celebrated as the leader that Liverpool have been yearning for since the retirement of Jamie Carragher 2 seasons ago. But by the looks of it, his artiste is falling short of what was needed and that solitary season at the South Coast of England was a mere one off. He mustered a reputation of being a physical defender who was vocal and no nonsense in his approach. But he was all over the place at Boleyn last week. He struggled to deal with a rough and tough tackling West Ham side and his defensive positioning was arguably below par. Martin Skrtel’s injury has played it’s part in all this and his replacement- Mamadou Sakho stands too far from his credentials. He lacks composure when he’s in possession at the back and at West Ham, the significant amount of physical prowess one usually needs didn’t lack but what was deficient was the composure.
Steven Gerrard is being accused of not performing to the level he touched last season. The problem doesn’t relate to physical pressure, it relates to mental pressure. The sweat and tears he shed during the later half of the previous season went in vain and England’s early knockout from the World Cup added to his mental woes. The age factor is also beginning to take its toll on his performances and it seems regardless to say why his showings are hitting rock bottom.
Injuries always are a constant source of agitation for Premier League managers and the returns of Daniel Sturridge and Martin Skrtel will help Brendan Rodgers in a revitalizing way. Both of them will play a life and death part in how Brendan Rodgers tides over these problems.
Conclusion: Liverpool players should pull their socks up or they might miss out on next year’s champions league.
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