Solid Way to End 2014

2014 has seen several highs and lows for Liverpool Football Club.  The year started so well with an incredible run of form last season to begin the year.  The SAS was flying and the first league title for the club this century seemed like it was in sight.  Then the clouds began forming.  Several things did the club in at the end of last season.  A poor showing against Crystal Palace and a massive slip by Steven Gerrard against Chelsea really cost Liverpool and allowed Manchester City to leapfrog the team.

The summer didn't go quite as planned either.  Despite signing their superstar striker to a massive contract just months before, Luis Suarez was sold off to Barcelona, whether by the player's own design or feeling forced due to the player's actions during the World Cup.  The money allowed the club to make several signings in terms of quantity - something the club desperately needed due to their inclusion in the Champions League - but it would be quite some time until fans and supporters would see anything resembling quality from those players.  There was also the failure to sign the desired strikers in the summer window as well.  Those failures, coupled with several attacking players passing Liverpool over in Rodgers' past, raise questions over the manager's ability to bring in striking options.  Whether you blame the manager's inability to sell these players on his ideal or if it is the case of finances or simply too many fingers in the player pool pie, it does cause fans a great deal of discomfort.

Then came the start of the 2014-15 season.  Despite the optimism of finishing in second place the season prior and the hope that the influx of speed and fresh faces would propel the club even further, the team struggled out of the gate.  Nobody looked at ease in any aspect.  Even when the club had its full compliment of players, including Daniel Sturridge on the pitch, the players, the manager and the fans all looked out of sorts.  Fans wanted good performances and tried their best to spur on the team, including the much maligned Mario Balotelli.  Players wanted the team to do well and to do well individually, but often tried too hard.  Brendan Rodgers, for his part as well, often looked lost.  While seemingly every decision he made last season was the right one, the opposite was happening to begin 2014.

Poor results in the league, terrible form in Champions League, no attacking options after Daniel Sturridge's injury, little to no confidence on the pitch and dreadful defending were all a recipe for a disastrous begin to the season that actually saw the storied Liverpool club briefly in the relegation zone.  Many - or at least a very vocal minority - were calling for Rodgers' job all the while too.  It has been a rocky climb back up, but the team has shown sparks and brief flashes of what they could be.  The team is by no means out of the woods and could fall just as quickly, but the stormy seas have at least calmed over the holiday period.

If Liverpool can string together good results and make a climb back to toward the top of the table, we may well look back to a 3-0 loss to Manchester United as the turning point.  While the scoreline was no doubt a bit of embarrassment, the final tally did not fully show the effort and fluidity that Liverpool showed on the field.  They created more chances in that one fixture than perhaps the last month or two combined.  The Reds were not rewarded for their efforts due to sparkling goalkeeping of David De Gea and terrible defending on their own part.  Despite the ugly scoreline, it was perhaps the prettiest defeat of the season.  That confidence in the attack has carried forward to good effect.

The Reds turned those chances into goals in the Capital One League Cup match on December 17 against Bournemouth.  A 3-1 decision over a lowly club from divisions below may often be scoffed at, but when a team has struggled to gel and perform the way Liverpool have, one needs all the confidence you can gain.  A 2-2 draw against Arsenal was, once again, a less than desired result given the way Liverpool played.  The team played inspired football and showed great heart battling back to equalize after going down by a man.  Despite what the pundits shouted from their cushy couches in front of the TV cameras, just because points were dropped, again due to poor defensive work, you cannot say that the team did not perform well and show good signs for the future.

As there is with any growth, there was a bit of pain in the Burnley match.  Again, poor defensive work almost gave the game away.  The goalkeeping situation became a bit of a farce when Brad Jones had to be subbed off due to an injury and that substitution almost came back to bite the club when more fresh legs could've been used later in that match.  But the points were gained in a rather ugly 1-0 win over a possible relegation squad.  However, similar to how Liverpool needed the kind of performance they saw against Manchester United regardless of the outcome, Liverpool needed all three points in that match regardless of how they got them.  It was the kind of win that showed the Reds that every opponent needs to be feared and you have to play better each and every match.  (As an aside, the result looks much better when you see that Burnley poached two points on the road at the Etihad and Liverpool got all three on the road at Burnley.)

Then Liverpool closed out the year in style.  A 4-1 thrashing of a Swansea City side that were ahead of Liverpool in the table was just the way to end 2014.  Not just for the fans, but the players and manager as well.  No, the result of the game was not indicative of the gap in quality of the teams.  Despite Liverpool's dominance for the opening 30 minutes and solid possession in the second half as well, the team showed it's flaws and were not truly a 4-1 decision better than Swansea.  However, it was the culmination of a long and winding road to end a year that could be described as the same.  It was a match that showed this team that great effort as a team out performs anything they could attempt to do as individuals.  It was a culmination of Brendan Rodgers' efforts to get this team believing in itself and his systems again.  While fans have every right to not buy in 100% yet, you can see that the team has and that is at least an encouraging thought.

The new signings are progressing, perhaps slower than anyone anticipated, but nicely.  Adam Lallana's two goals against Swansea may have cemented his place in the side for quite some time.  Excluding his bizarre red card offense in Champions League, Lazar Markovic has turned into a pacey wing option and his touch is much improved.  Javier Manquillo and Alberto Moreno, though still not included in the team as often, have shown improvements as well.  Despite any misgivings you or I or anyone may have with the formation, the 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1 formation seems to have placed all these odd pieces in spots on the field that suit them best (for the moment).  Even Mario Balotelli, in his few opportunities, has had several scoring chances and quality ones.

2015 holds more questions than certainty for this Liverpool squad.  A big one is what becomes of the squad and/or the formation when Daniel Sturridge is healthy?  Do we see an attempt at the Balotelli/Sturridge partnership that Rodgers had envisioned in the season's early days?  Do we simply see Sturridge take Sterling's spot at the top of the field and see Raheem drop back a bit?  If that happens, who is the midfielder that gets dropped?  Lallana?  Coutinho?  Gerrard?  What of the defense?  Despite their improvement with the system, they still cause anxiety, especially on set pieces.  Do you hope to score more goals than your opponents like last season or do you seek extra pieces in the January window.  Do you look for another goalkeeping option in January?  Does the team look to bolster the attack with a more true striker as well or do you hold out for Divok Origi in the summer?

We all have our opinions on each and every topic listed there.  Some may like the option of two strikers but want a new keeper.  Some may say defense has to be addressed and let the attack handle iteslf.  There are plenty of combinations.  That said, the inclusion of Daniel Sturridge back to the lineup will probably not be enough on its own to propel this club to championship heights.  Changes will have to be made, whether in January or over the summer.  However, regardless of your feelings on the manager or the players in the current squad, all fans should be able to agree that given the past week the prospects of a good 2015 surely look a lot brighter.  It should be a fun year and it was truly a good result to end 2014.  Health and happiness to all in the New Year.  Walk on.

Late Equalizer Gives Reds Much Deserved Point

Heading into an all important matchup with their Londoner rivals, Liverpool again employed a rather unusual formation with seven midfielders and three defenders.  Although you can argue whether it can sustain this squad for the rest of the season, it has yielded decent results.  Not only has it improved the team on the scoresheet, the team itself just seems to flow better and have better energy.
Liverpool came out and dominated the first 45 minutes of play.  They probably should have had more goals at the break than they did, given the effort.  However, despite a quality goal from Coutinho, the Reds ended the first half tied up due to their lack of defending set pieces.  Much like their counterparts, Liverpool again struggle to attack the ball and keep track of their man on free kicks and corners.  It was again their downfall in the first half.  After dominating possession and scoring chances, Liverpool could not hang onto the lead.  One may question whether the offense whistled against Steven Gerrard was actually a foul or not, but the fact is it was called and Liverpool failed to defend it.

Surprisingly, the Reds have defended as a team better with only three true defenders but they still continue to prove that no matter who cracks the lineup that changes are in order.  Whether they happen in January or during the summer window, there are still changes that must be made in the back.  This fact was on full display for the go-ahead goal by Oliver Giroud.  Arsenal did come out with more pep and possession in the second half, but still were not creating much.  Then, in the usual lapse of marking, Giroud was allowed a full strike on the ball just steps away from the six yard area with all three Liverpool defenders being in a triangle around him but at least two meters away.

For long stretches it appeared as though Liverpool would miss out on any points, very similarly to the Manchester United fixture.  Both matches saw Liverpool create chances aplenty and possess the ball in fine fashion, only to see mistakes at the back cost them.  Fortunately for the Reds, whether by injury or simply current form, Arsenal is not United.  Even after Liverpool were forced to go down by a man, following Fabio Borini's red card (and perhaps final act in a Liverpool kit), Arsenal were more than willing to let Liverpool run at them and create.  Blame the players or blame Arsene Wenger, the bottom line is Liverpool will take it.

The Reds deserved better than a loss.  Yes, sometimes you lose when you don't deserve to.  That's football.  That's sports.  But, on this night, Liverpool got at least partially what they deserved.  One could argue they deserved all three points, but at least a draw was something this club needed.  While they did not gain any ground against Arsenal, it was still a valuable point.  Even though there is still half a season to go and this writer has done his best to see the positives, a loss in this match would have made it exceedingly difficult to see Liverpool making a charge at the top four.  Liverpool have not fared well against the teams above them in the table.  They needed actual representation of the improvement they have seen rather than just moral or mental victories.  Three points would have been much better, but not giving up on the match and banging home a header from Martin Skrtel to equalize was a good way to go into the Christmas break.

Questions continue to rise for this team.  Though I have long argued for a two striker system, I am not quite sure you alter the team just yet.  What can be done about the defense?  There is no doubt the team has performed better with three at the back, but there is little doubt that whether you use Skrtel, Kolo Toure, Sakho, Dejan Lovren, Javier Manquillo, Glen Johnson or Moreno they still seem to give up unnecessary chances.  It is a team rife with question marks and doubters, but there are at least tangible positives to see.

Lazar Markovic, while still raw, is starting to look like a good talent.  There were flashes of a Raheem Sterling from two years ago.  Much like Sterling's first chances in the first team, you can see the talent there, it just needs to be nurtured and brought along.  Even from the beginning of the season, Markovic's touch has gotten much better.  Whether he is worth the transfer fee is up to discussion.  The team as a whole is producing a lot more as well.

Three goals against Bournmouthe, two against Arsenal and lots of chances against United have at least given fans hope that the ball will hit the back of the net each match.  Fans were hoping for three points, but a gift of one for Christmas will at least tide them over until Boxing Day where they can hope for the full three against Burnley.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and best wishes to Liverpool FC and all the fans from St. Louis to New York and out to the rest of the world.  Walk on.

Reds advance in Capital One Cup, questions remain

Liverpool did what was expected during their midweek match in the Capital One Cup, which was win.  The sad thing was, though the win was expected on paper, it wasn't quite so in the minds of the fans.  Those who are honest will admit, especially after the reveal of the starting XI, that a result was in question.  Liverpool had not given supporters enough reason to believe they would pounce on a much lesser foe, even after creating so many offensive chances in the last fixture against Manchester United.

Ultimately, the job was done.  Brendan Rodgers, again chose an odd starting formation.  The manager employed a back three and what amounted to seven midfielders, deployed in various spots.  The starting XI was so questionable that an online survey actually suggested Liverpool should just use a 0-0-0-10 formation.  What made the lack of a starting striker even more interesting was the inclusion of both Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini as potential substitutes.  Yet, the job got done.

Despite the ongoing questions of formation and starting lineups, Liverpool came out dominating possession and had a good attacking style of play.  At first it seemed like if the Reds were going to lose, it would be very similar to the United match - creating good chances but not being able to finish and then giving up goals on the counter.  Instead, Liverpool looked like the Liverpool of last year.  They strung together several passes and a beautiful stretch of play led to a cross by Lazar Markovic from the left, Jordan Henderson met it with the head on the right and back across the goal to an open Raheem Sterling for the easy header in the 20th minute.

Instead of just resting on their laurels, Liverpool kept up the pressure.  Again good passing set up the offensive pressure and Markovic scored a nice hit from inside the box to get his first goal.  Liverpool would continue to dominate the play into the half, before Sterling would add his second goal of the match.  Sterling looked cool and composed slotting the ball past the keeper from the right hand side after a solid through ball split the defense.  Sterling should have had the hat trick as he was presented another opportunity midway through the second half, but given his day as a whole, perhaps it can be forgiven in this instance.

The scary thing about the game, from a Liverpool perspective, is the way Bournemouth were able to slice through the defense once they got the confidence of hitting the back of the net.  Dan Gosling's goal in the 57th minute sparked the Cherries and they created several quality chances following.  The goal could have been prevented as well.  Overall, the back three did a decent job of marking on the score, but there was a lack of defensive pressure from the midfield as they were slow to get back on the break leaving a large gap at the top of the box.  Despite only allowing the one tally, it was still a less than stellar performance defensively as a whole squad.  Too many players getting beaten one v one.  On this night, the support was there enough and the opposition's quality was not enough to really expose Liverpool.

The positive thing about the contest was that Liverpool created chances and they finished them.  Perhaps not all the chances, but that doesn't happen on the best of nights.  The Reds came out and dominated the way they should be expected to against this kind of opponent and their main fault was letting their foot off the gas.

Sterling gained much needed confidence from this match as well.  For all his efforts, Sterling looked incapable of finishing anything during the Manchester United match and this was the kind of performance the young man needed.  Sterling needed this kind of match, not only to prove he could score, but to relieve the pressure of the world he had taken on his shoulders with all the injuries and lack of form of the squad.  He needed this kind of match to push the contract talks, whether stalled out or not, to the back burner once more.  Liverpool needed this kind of performance from Sterling because they need the player they got in this match instead of the one who has pushed too hard for most of the season.

Liverpool, ultimately, got what they needed.  Rodgers needed a convincing win to show that he had not completely lost touch of his managerial skills and lost the pulse of the team.  The team, though they would much rather have a clean sheet, needed at least a low scoring game defensively to show they still need work but at least give them confidence that the back line is not in absolute shambles.  The midfield needed a game like this where space was available to remind them that passes can be strung together and they can form a cohesive unit.  The only way the result could have been better, really, would be to add another goal following the Cherries' tally and if it had come from a true striker - this would have been difficult given that Borini came on with under 10 minutes to play and Lambert did not play, but I digress.

Liverpool still have question marks.  Much to many fans' delight, Glen Johnson will be absent until the new year.  However, whether Rodgers continues a back three or returns to a back four, Johnson's replacement remains a spot up for grabs.  Perhaps the position can be filled by the return of Sakho.  Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel are still liabilities at the back as well.  Another question is the starting lineup as a whole.  Though it produced good attack and three goals, I do not believe the same XI can be played against Arsenal on the weekend and produce the same results.  But, who do you play and where?  Rodgers seems against two strikers, but Balotelli created his best chances of the year when there were two clear striking options.  Sterling has found a bit of form now, but has looked lost if forced into a back-to-the-goal striker role.

The debate will be ongoing until the match, but in the end all fans can do is wait and see.  The important thing is that Liverpool got a win.  Advancing to the finals of the Capital One Cup will be difficult since the Reds have drawn Chelsea in the semi-final round, but at least Liverpool still have the prospective of silverware.  This game, by no means, solved all that ails the team and it's loyal followers.  However, if nothing else, at least all who play and bleed Liverpool red can feel good about their club even if only for a few days.

United fixture encapsulates Liverpool season

It was the sort of match that, had the score line been different, maybe you could actually feel good about.  Liverpool had the best of the chances throughout the game.  They had a decent amount of possession.  They linked together reasonably well in the midfield.  Raheem Sterling gave the Manchester United defense fits with his pace.  Mario Balotelli created a few chances as well.

Alas, as Reds' fans know, potential positivity is where it all ends.  Yes, they created the chances but as has been the case all season long, they cannot finish them.  Raheem Sterling had so many chances it is almost laughable that Liverpool could not score.  Mario Balotelli, of course coupled with his usual malaise and complaints, also had several great opportunities that just would not go in either by lack of luck or good goalkeeping.  The bottom line was, no matter who was on the end of the ball, there is just no killer instinct in this side right now.  It wasn't just offensively that the club struggled either.

Though a back three will always leave space at the back, it really wasn't the formation that led to the goals against.  The way this side have played the last few matches and really the season as a whole, there really isn't a starting XI that will appease everyone.  Even saying that, the starting XI against United had flashes of brilliance and good team play.  However, it again just raises too many questions.

I won't argue completely against a back three, since there have been several times I thought it might be a good formation.  Personally, I would've chosen Toure over Johnson to begin and perhaps either Manquillo or Moreno instead of Allen.  And then there is the inclusion of Allen.  I know little of the man.  I'm sure he is fully committed to doing his best to bring results to his club.  Yet, the constant inclusion of Joe Allen at this point leans more toward managerial favoritism rather than anything the "Welsh Xavi" has actually produced on the pitch.  Normally he is nonexistant, only knowing he played by looking at the stat sheet.  On this day, he was directly responsible for the opening goal getting beaten through the legs and not getting back in front of Valencia.

The inclusion of Brad Jones in goal did not help matters either.  Jones was not responsible for any of the goals and, most likely, Simon Mingolet would not have stopped any of the three goals.  However, even if you understand the message that Brendan Rodgers was trying to send - hockey fans will get it more than most - this still was probably not the match to attempt it.  A huge rivalry, coupled with a purely attacking minded formation is just not the place to switch keepers and put in a man who has played one competitive fixture.

Support, from the people, for Rodgers will certainly continue to dwindle.  Even his most staunch supporters have little to say to back his decisions.  It is a sad day when the best a proud club such as Liverpool can muster is a faint glimmer of having the higher number of chances.  Unfortunately, that is what people need to cling to.

Brendan Rodgers will most likely last through the season and rightly so.  I will write up an article on the benefits of keeping him weighed versus the ideas of why he should be gone soon.  However, the truth is that no matter how much you argue that his decisions are infuriating, the players shoulder just as much of the blame and I do not believe that a mid-season managerial change will yield any different results.

Liverpool have put themselves in a position where they have loads of talent, but it is young, unproven potential talent.  They had a plan to bring in a certain type of player, but despite the necessity to plan for the future, in today's game you simply cannot win the league with only young talent.  You have to have players who have that hard gained experience and, outside of Steven Gerrard, this team just does not have it.  They don't have it on the pitch or on the bench.  Perhaps they are gaining it this season.

The club still needs to make some sort of change in the transfer window.  There are so many needs, I will leave the specifics of who they should bring in up to the reader.  Another defender is much needed, as is a striker.  The players to match those needs and being available in January might be difficult to find.  And while there really are no moral victories, the players have to take the positives from their play out of the Manchester United match.  Fans can whine and moan and complain all they want and they should.  Their club is not producing points.  However, the players have no confidence at all.  A 3-0 defeat will not help that, but there were glimmers of hope and the players have to find a way to open those rays of glimmering light into full beams.

The one other thing that supporters can hold onto, even if in vein, is that only seven points separate Liverpool and fourth place.  Southhampton have fallen back to the pack and Newcastle have cooled.  So, in terms of the big names, only Arsenal is above the Reds.  It's a long road to hoe, but the team has to find a way.  Continued disappointment will only breed more disappointment.  It's up to someone at Anfield to break the mold.  As ever, all we can do is Walk On.

Champions League Exit Due to Same Old Issues

Liverpool supporters watched their team crash out of Europe's biggest tournament in heart pounding fashion, but ultimately the effort was too little, too late.  The same problems that have plagued this squad from day one led them to this point and after truly earning the right to be in the Champions League, they now make a rather early exit.

Questionable managerial decisions, including both frustrating starting XI choices and mind-bogglingly absurd absences of certain players on the bench were again en vogue.  Slow starts that peter out and get worse as the half continue were again all too visible to even the most novice viewer.  Favorable possession numbers leading to no attacking threat was again the modus operandi of this beloved team.

The reasons for starting Glen Johnson are unbeknownst to almost anyone except the manager.  While Johnson has been in decent form when in attack mode, he can at times look like he would be unable to defend a winger from a Sunday beer league.  Due to no new contract talk and the constant disapproval of the player, the only logical explanation for his constant inclusion is that Brendan Rodgers is hopeful a foolish team will come seeking Johnson's services in January instead of waiting for the free transfer in the summer.  I have seen it on several websites, that Javier Manquillo gets little favor due to his loanee status.

First of all, if this is true it makes no sense because Rodgers is the one that sought out the player's services.  Secondly, if there is no intention of bringing Johnson back, then what is the difference between using a loaned in player versus using a player that seemingly is going to be allowed to walk in the summer?

Departing from the ongoing issue of the starting lineup, the team just did not play the kind of first half needed to win a game that had to be won.  Many supporters, including this one, were gladdened by the energy and possession of the first five or ten minutes and the string of passes put together.  However it all went awry after that initial foray.  Liverpool had much more of the ball, but as the storm clouds unleashed their fury you could sense the clouds forming over the Reds' defense in the form of Basel's attack.  Minutes before and for much of the game following Basel's goal there was absolutely no attack for Liverpool.  Not just a toothless attack, but no attack at all.

The back four seemed solid to start the game.  Despite their usual lapses in marking, teammates were always there to back someone up and make the clearing ball.  However on the goal, I have seen less ball watching during high school matches.  No closing down, no movement.  All the back four just standing in a line while Lucas tried in vein to make up for his own defensive lapse.

The only thing that cannot be questioned is the Liverpool captain's ability to lead by example.  After the inexplicable red card to Lazar Markovic - that really should not have been given due to the fingernail clipping the bridge of the nose.  Yet Markovic is still to blame for even allowing the referee an opportunity to make a decision. - it was only Steven Gerrard that sent a message this was all unacceptable.  Gerrard made a crunching tackle almost immediately after, that sent a charge through the fans and the team.  Gerrard turned back the clock a bit, showing attacking flair and a bit of pace that we have not seen for awhile.  He willed the team forward and gave all his fellow compatriots no choice but to join him.  His equalizing goal and the emotion that poured forth after was something to make even the most hardened man smile and marvel at the skill of the hit on the free kick.

Unfortunately, even Gerrard's unwavering effort and unparalleled will was not enough to poach that second goal.  The Reds bombed forward with passion and effort but it was not to be.  The problem, as it has been in several games during the year, is that the team does not play an entire 90 minutes the way they did at the end.  While we all know it is impossible to expend that much effort for an entire match, Liverpool still have enough skill that they can dominate teams and create problems.  However they get in their own way and play with a timid style, hoping not to make a mistake rather than playing free flowing football like we saw last season.

Even the bright spots have flaws on this team.  Gerrard, no matter how skilled and iron willed, still needs time off and the team looks like a limp noodle without their captain.  Father time is undefeated and even Gerrard can't play in the attacking role all the time.  Raheem Sterling is trying to be Luis Suarez lite, but only taking the bad aspects of Suarez' game.  Sterling, in only his second full season in the starting lineup, has already gained a reputation as a diver and officials now err on the side of no call even when there is actually a penalty to be called.  Sterling also has a bad habit of taking on multiple defenders or playing with the ball when a defender is only a step away.

The rest of the team is well documented.  It is just a sad state of affairs in the Liverpool camp, mostly due to unnecessary confusion.  There are certain instances where a manager is within his rights to say he is the manager and simply made a decision, however we seem to be far from that with several decisions.  Fabio Borini languishes with the reserves while Rickie Lambert loses steam and the club has no other true striking option.  Regardless of the youngster's talent, the fact that Markovic comes on for a striker seems questionable at best when the club needs two goals and disgustingly stubborn at worst.

Injuries play a part.  Let it not be said that sensible fans do not realize this.  However the problems that were on display on this night at Anfield and the ones that have arisen all season, are not solved by the simple inclusion of Daniel Sturridge.  Even a potential partnership of Sturridge and a theoretically in-form Mario Balotelli is not enough to fully turn the whole thing around.  In today's day and age, you cannot have only one striking option.  Especially one that is 32.  The back four has to be changed.  Perhaps the inclusion of Sakho will help, but something has to change.  Whether it is tactical or philosophical, something has to change with this squad defensively beyond just a change in who starts.

The bottom line is that the players have to figure it out.  Yes, the manager has to play a big part in that, but the players have to take it upon themselves.  We all want Liverpool to succeed, but when visiting message boards and online forums, all one sees is the call for Brendan Rodgers' job.  While even the most staunch BR supporter has been led to question the man, the truth is that the team is just as much of a problem.  Jurgen Klopp, who has his own issues with a championship contending team languishing near relegation, is not going to magically come through the Shankly Gates and do any more with the same players BR has than the Irishman has.

Changes have to be made.  Whether on the training ground, within the hearts of the players or with actual personnel changes during the January transfer window, changes have to be made.  The manager needs to be more selfless and not let his ego get in the way of team decisions, as seems to be more the recent case.  The players have to find some sort of energy.  I do not believe this nonsense of Balotelli affecting the lockerrom, but even if he has there is no reason for him to continue to affect anyone when he is not even on the teamsheet.  There are no more excuses other than they have not been good enough.  This team has to find it within themselves to figure it out, otherwise magical Champions League nights at Anfield may have to wait many years again.  Walk on.

A win is a win

It was not pretty.  It was not nice.  It was not what many fans expected or maybe even wanted, but it's what they got and what they have to digest.  In a game that Liverpool desperately needed a win, that's exactly what they got even if it wasn't particularly pleasing to the pallet.  The contest again provided the faithful plenty of reasons to wonder what the heck is going on.

Ever the villain, Glen Johnson still continues to figure into the starting 11 and, although I have nothing against him overall, it was exceedingly puzzling to see Jose Enrique on the team sheet.  It was not surprising to see Steven Gerrard absent, due to the mid-week start, but Joe Allen's inclusion was a bit of a surprise due to his lack of inspiring play - often being little more than a body on the field.  The injuries and lack of options made the attacking players pretty well a known quantity.

Given all this, the Reds still had what looked like a team that should handily take care of Stoke even despite the fact the Potters have taken results and victories against teams like Manchester City.  When the week began, most supporters thought it could be a three win week.  A crushing defeat to Crystal Palace and a disheartening late equalizer by Ludogorets all but threw the water on what some hoped would spark a fire that could lead to a long run.  Instead they were left with the small hope of at least one positive result.

Really there is little to discuss with the game.  Even the announcers during the first half commented on how little happened.  If anything, it was a disappointing fixture because Stoke had as many chances as Liverpool.  Both sides were denied.  Stoke hit the post and Mignolet made some decent saves in a game where he may have thought he would see little action.  On the flip side, despite an almost non-existent midfield, Liverpool should have put home at least two chances before they actually did score.  Lucas' and Allen's attempts on goal come straight to mind.

Yet, before we delve too deep into the pit of despair, let us not forget that three points were gained.  We can challenge the manager on his team selection all we want.  We can wonder at the ineptitude of the Reds' play at times and their lack of any will other than the will to be disappointing.  We can wonder why two players, no matter how talented, can have such an affect on the scoring - or lack thereof - of a team that seemed very talented a season ago.

Ultimately, no matter how it looked, the result the team wanted; the result the team needed was gained.  The seemingly universally unpopular Johson was the hero of the hour with a superb effort goal.  In the end, it may be what the doctor ordered.  Perhaps, instead of a game where all ills were cured and all the players just lept off the page with glorious performances, maybe this was the sort of ugly victory that will actually turn the page on what has been a less than inspiring season.  Maybe a victory when so many players were still less than their best will actually boost some confidence.  Only time will tell.

Liverpool still have a string of winnable games to come, so perhaps this will be the spark.  Even the smallest spark can ignite things if properly stoked.  The supporters will be watching and continue to do all they can to help their club.  Maybe at season's end, all will look back on an ugly win in the dying days of November as the point when things turned for the better.  Walk on.

Champions League Disappointment

Greetings Kopites and Liverpool supporters.  Apologies for not getting my usual blog done the day of the match, but with everything going on in the St. Louis area combined with Thanksgiving etc, it was a bit overwhelming.  That said, let's focus on the team.  Questions abound.  Poor performances still plague a team that was only two results away from winning a league title just a season ago.  And if not for a silly penalty given to the Reds months ago, the team could already be eliminated from the Champions League.

This team becomes ever more maddening the more we seem to watch it, if for no other reason than players we try to defend and managers we want to speak up for are beginning to give us little reason to do so.  Outside of Rickie Lambert, who seems to have established himself as one of the few players deserving of a long stretch in the starting 11, nobody can put together a long run of form let alone a solid 90 minutes.  Being a former goalkeeper, I have stood up for Simon Mingolet many times because few realize the difficulties of the position if you have not been the man between the sticks.  Yet, even I could not see much reason for such a long rebound on Ludogorets initial goal.  And while some can say the ball should never have reached that area, everyone's favorite punching bag, Glen Johnson, whiffed on a header that lead to an equalizer.

Problems persist and new ones pop up left and right.  There is almost always someone who is completely within their rights to complain about some portion of the starting squad.  Players who have shown talent, disappear at the most shocking of times and those that have played poorly still manage spots in the team.  Let us not dwell on the failures of the past and now look forward to potential solutions.  The first thing that must be decided, on a somewhat regular basis, is some form of a solid formation.

I have always favored a two striker system and still believe that when Mario Balotelli is healthy, coupled with the sudden emergence of  Rickie Lambert's form, that is the system to use up top.  But that does leave concerns in the back.  People will say I am mad, but if the manager continues to play only one striker, then perhaps the team should employ what would amount to a 3-5-1-1.  In that sort of formation, I would put all the defensive chips on the table.  Play all three center backs as the 3 with Skrtel, Toure and Lovren; have Manquillo and Moreno as part of the 5 as wingers but with more of a defensive role; have Henderson, Gerrard and Coutinho as the central portion of the midfield and then Sterling as the point of the midfield and Lambert as a striker.  Personally, I don't feel that leads to much attack but perhaps it would shore up the defense.  Another option would be a 4-2-3-1 with whatever defensive four you chose; Gerrard and Can/Lucas as the 2; Henderson, Sterling and Coutinho as the attacking midfield and then a striker.  Again, perhaps not the most attacking minded or talented but it seems apparent that with the current talent and inconsistencies being shown that the diamond 4 does not seem to be working.

Another solution for this club would be to add some talent in January.  Yes, it would seem that the Reds have become this year's Tottenham, spending their millions on depth only to have it gel together as well as water and oil.  Thus some  may argue that spending more might be unwise.  However, the lack of striking options and the porous defense have to have stop gaps put in place at the very least.  Top level players are unlikely to be offered in the mid-season transfer window, but Liverpool just needs talent.  At this point, I believe many supporters would welcome about anyone if they did not have to see certain players regularly in the team sheet again.  The biggest question for the transfer window is whether Brendan Rodgers is pulling a Balotelli again or is being truthful that he has no plans to bring in anyone.

Though many are against the head man and are seeming to be proven correct in their reasons, it still seems too early to sack someone who was on the verge of leading Liverpool back to the promised land such a short time ago.  However, this team can ill afford to drop back to obscurity in the European ranks.  Money does not have to be thrown at the problem, but it looks each progressing week that training ground tactics are not going to solve the problems either.  To go into January so blatantly stating that the club will not add a single soul would be foolhardy at best and a poor judgement of one's managerial skills as well.  With the exception of the few, chesty people sitting behind a keyboard, nobody wants this club to fail simply to gain a new bench boss.  But the proof is in the pudding as they say.  This club has to look in the mirror from the owner down to the man who washes the kits.  Everyone needs to be doing a better job.

No matter what the pundits say or we believe in our own minds, there is simply too much talent there.  Sure, there are better players and players we all would have rather signed at certain periods than the ones on the team.  But these are Liverpool players and all are professional footballers for a reason.  Each man needs to look within themselves and ask if they are doing enough to deserve not just a paycheck, but the honor of pulling on that shirt week in and week out.  Right now, not everyone if they are honest should be able to tell themselves yes.  But all is not lost.  Champions League is still in Liverpool's own hands.  There is enough season left to still make a run at the top 4 domestically.  The challenge is for every single person to do what they must and maybe even a little more to obtain those objectives.  To my fellow Americans, Happy Thanksgiving.  Cheers to all the rest.  Walk on.  YNWA.

Kick to the gut

We were all ready to get back to league action following the long international break.  So it seemed anyway.  Reality set in quickly following a rousing start to what had to be three points for Liverpool.  Rickie Lambert finally got off the goose egg, scoring his first goal of the season and the first in the kit of his boyhood team.  It seemed like a storybook start to what could have spurred the Reds on to a great week and perhaps turn the season around.  Instead, the fairy tale turned to the stuff of nightmares coupled with the same mistakes that keep burying this storied club further away from their goal.

It seemed like Liverpool had solved their issues.  Scoring a goal only 90 seconds into the match on a great lofted ball and nicely finished off by Lambert.  It seemed like a perfect start that would erase all the scoring woes of the Reds.  Lambert getting the goal, Liverpool getting a league score by a striker not named Sturridge, solid midfield hookup with the forward lines:  it all seemed like the day could end with nothing but a positive result and a good start to a week that, on paper, featured three winnable games.  Then it all went to pot.

Dwight Gale, the thorn in the side of Liverpool the last two matches against Crystal Palace, evened up the scoring and despite a few good chances and a bit of attacking play, Liverpool never really threatened again.  As a fan, hope was given as the halftime analysts still thought Liverpool's talent would overcome and their skill would provide a game winning goal.  Instead, the second half provided little attack and more defensive mistakes.  The same defensive mistakes, one might add.

It has been a frustrating time to be a supporter of Liverpool.  What makes it most frustrating is the confusion of how one or two players can alter a team to this extent.  The defense was mediocre last season, so the addition of a few players, given their form at the moment, could not be expected to cure all ills.  The enigma that is the Liverpool offense is what is so puzzling.  Before the team dealt him to Spanish giant, Barcelona, it was already well known that Luis Suarez was a world class player.  It was always going to be difficult to replace him, if for no other reason than the fact that nobody plays like Suarez.  Alexis Sanchez, now of Arsenal, is the closest in terms of work-rate, however nobody (even the players who are better than Suarez) really matches the man in ever category.  Even so, the drop off in goal scoring has been astounding.

Scoring goals is by no means an easy task.  Yet, no matter how talented the duo is or was, it is mind boggling to see a team so eager to attack and break apart a defense become so listless and toothless up front.  The problem, right now, is team wide and seems to be affecting every single player's performance.  It is a problem of confidence.  Any problem in the team has spread to the other parts.  Poor defensive play or tactics forces the midfield to worry too much about helping out at the back.  Poor midfield play, in terms of poor passing or badly timed giveaways, forces more pressure on an already shaky back line.  The problems with the strikers are well documented and that forces both the midfield and defense to worry too much about trying to score when it may not even be their job.

The Crystal Palace match was a prime example of that last point.  Outside of the Lambert goal, the best chances close to goal actually came from Martin Skrtel and Javier Manquillo.  Those that watched the match saw how those chances were butchered, but what else can be expected from defenders who are not used to the pressure of hitting a target?  One can say you should expect more from everyone and while correct, should we really think we will get it when it hasn't happened all year?  Of course following a result such as this, the calls for Brendan Rodgers' job have ramped up, perhaps rightly so.

Those need to be tempered slightly though.  Yes, given this poor run of form from his team and a seeming lack of desire, there is plenty of blame to be put on the manager.  But there have been some, even in the media, who think Rodgers may not make it past the new year.  Really?  That is such utter nonsense that it is laughable.  Far be it from me to say that won't happen, because the reality of European football is that is could.  What benefit would that serve though?  Even if you fire or sack him right after Christmas, the new man would have approximately two weeks to bring in someone new to fit his style after observing the club for a respectable amount of time.  That is not enough to fix this club's issues.  As an American, I can give a unique perspective.  We have so many sports that the idea of lower teams defeating you is more common place.  It doesn't affect a coach's job as much as in Europe.  Also, more often than not, a midseason change does nothing for the team other than simply change for change's sake.

Rodgers should be evaluated at the end of the season and given a proper January window to attempt plugging up some holes.  Rodgers has to figure out what players play to his style the best or fit a style to the players.  Soccer or football managers really have little to affect a match outside of instilling a belief in their men and putting out the best starting 11.  The back four have given Rodgers little options, since everyone has played poorly at different times.  Alberto Moreno bombs forward, leaving holes behind at times, though it is still curious why he was left off the team sheet.  Dejan Lovren simply looks lost if the ball is not in the air.  Martin Skrtel, though he has his backers, is incredibly inconsistent and seems like he cannot defend without pulling or tugging.  Manquillo, though young and making a few youthful mistakes, seems like the best of the options and he has been left off the team more often than not due to him being a loanee apparently.  There are options on the bench.  However, those who really believe Kolo Toure, regardless of his good performance against Madrid, won't make the same mistakes Skrtel and Loven make are delusional.

The biggest issue Rodgers has in front of him, is the apparent lack of desire in this club.  Perhaps Suarez brought so much energy to the team last year that so many issues were covered up.  Now, whether the absence of said player or the manager's sudden lack of ability to inspire his troops, this team is stuck in the lake with no rudder and no wind in the sails.  My one major fault with Rodgers, outside of picking a starting 11, has been his unwillingness to accept blame following matches.  Now he has done so.  Perhaps there was no other option, but Rodgers can see the writing on the wall and knows it really is up to him to figure it out.  Everyone needs to do their part.  Players have to perform.  Do your own job to the best of your ability and there is enough talent on this squad to get results.  Players have to perform, the manager has to make good choices and the Reds need a bit of luck.

Couple all of that with a good signing or two in January and this team can still make top four.  That is what has to be focused on.  The league, unfortunately, has been gone for some time.  Fourth place and maintaining a spot in Champions League is still alive because of all the teams in front of them.  Thin hopes, perhaps, due to the number of teams above Livepool but many are still clubs that could fall off in the second half.  It's all up to the men in the kits and on the sideline.  Will this team pull triumph from the jaws of defeat or will they be known as the team that went from the brink of winning a title to the mediocrity of the lower portion of the table?  It is all up to them.  All the supporters can do is pour their hearts out, as they do week in and week out and hope.  Walk on my friends.

Another match, another hair puller

Well, as they have tended to do this season, the Liverpool Football Club provided flashes to give the supporters hope only to have it dashed by the same mistakes.  As will ever be the case with professional sports, the vocal minority will seek to put the blame all on one person.  Several will seek the head of the manager, Brendan Rodgers.  Many will heap blame on the lightning rod, Mario Balotelli.  Some may even look to place fault on recalls such as Glen Johnson or Dejan Lovren.  None are right and none are completely wrong.

Some readers will accuse me of sitting on the fence, but the truth is seeing with a clear head is the only way to look at these situations.  It is a main reason that my blogs are not usually finished for several hours after a match.  You have to let the blood cool and think clearly, without the passion of a supporter, which is very difficult at the time.  The truth is, this is a team-wide problem.  Blame lays from the owners down to the players.  Some may stick out more than others, but all deserve credit for the failings of this team.

As much as I love Brendan Rodgers and his overall philosophies regarding the importance of supporters, he has to shoulder the blame along with his squad.  Many of his signings are either just not good enough or not coming along at the pace needed for Liverpool to contend for top four and silverware consistently.  His strange reliance on a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, when it has produced next to no goals has proven another undoing.  Unless he plans to play Balotelli as a winder with a top three of Balotelli, Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge, then it becomes more and more unclear why he would not want the team to be more accustomed to two strikers.  Many are also upset with his choice of words during pre and post-match press conferences, but I could write an entirely different blog about the silliness in worrying about that.

The entire team of players needs to shoulder the blame as well.  While several players had decent to good matches, the bottom line is the entire team is just not getting it done.  This team is such a conundrum, that even supporters have no clear clue about who should be in the starting 11.  While talent wise, Balotelli is still the best scoring option for a striker, some want him out of the team even though Rickie Lambert and Fabrio Borini have given little actual evidence they will produce anything more than Mario other than work rate.  Though Sterling and Coutinho had good matches, causing several problems with their pace and attacking style, they too did not produce anything substantial.  Sterling seems to lack that final touch this season, almost always dribbling too close to an opponent or putting too much touch on a ball thus allowing a defender the opportunity to claim it.

The same can be said of Coutinho, though he has more claim to reigning in his mistakes in recent matches.  You can go player to player, man to man and pick faults with every single one that have either not benefited the club or hindered it.  Kolo Toure had a good performance against Real Madrid, midweek, but if you look within yourself does he really instill more confidence or any less cringe-worthy moments than Lovren or Martin Skrtel?  Skrtel did an excellent job containing Diego Costa on this day, but there were many articles calling for his head to be the one Toure replaced instead of Lovren for the Chelsea match.  Glen Johnson had a very good match against the Blues as well, but still made his usual Glen Johnson mistakes.  They were simply not as damaging as they have been in matches past.

The clear question moving forward is what can each man do to improve the team and how can Brendan Rodgers make improvements either by squad changes, changes in the transfer window or simply by trying a new formation.  Fans and supporters and pundits can cry for change in the squad, but until a player gives BR absolutely no possible opportunity for them to not play, then the starting 11 will always be a contentious spot.  Toure and Borini had good matches in Champions League, but other than personal bias' against their potential replacements, would they really instill that much more confidence in a supporter for a different result?

There is no clear reason, especially with the money spent, why Glen Johnson continues to gain a starting spot.  However, can we really say that Javier Manquillo has performed so well that he should be given the nod ever single time?  The answer to all of these is no.  Say what you will about Rodgers, but I still believe he knows talent on his own pitch very well.  His ability to judge what talent to bring in remains to be seen.  But if that is true, then he sees who is training well and who gives his squad the best opportunity on each day.  So yes it is Rodgers' fault for picking the squads who are not performing up to snuff, but it is also each players fault for not performing up to the quality that put them in the squad or for not performing well enough in training to replace the players that so many question.

The supporters dissatisfaction is palpable and understandably so.  There is simply no consistency for this club, even in the way they lose matches.  While I was one who argued that a 1-0 loss to Madrid was a decent result and the team should be proud of the way they played, I feel the complete opposite for the result against Chelsea.  Let no man say I am taking credit away from the Blues.  They played an excellent match.  They minimized mistakes and were only made to pay for one cruel deflection early in the game.  Liverpool, on the other hand, had several decent performances individually but were just so inept at times that I'm sure several people lost beverages and gained gray hairs.  The stretch from the 30th minute to the 35th had so many mistakes it looked like a youth squad taking on Chelsea.

Liverpool must play better, plain and simple.  They have to return to basics.  It does not matter they were taking on the team at the top of the table.  It does not matter if they were playing the team at the bottom.  Their own form is lacking right now and has to be changed.  There are too many cute passes or cheeky plays and when you are not in good form those plays do not come off.  Liverpool needs to be more direct and forceful.  You cannot have passes that barely hit their target or do not hit the target at all.  It is not even a problem with through balls, it is passes to players feet that do not have the pace on them to not be intercepted.  The Reds need to be sure of every ball and every clearance for a time.  If they do that then the skill plays will come.  There is so much skill in this team, but at the moment it is not upstairs and that is a huge issue.

As a personal opinion, other than the attacking players, there are few Chelsea players that are just far and away better skill-wise than what Liverpool has right now.  The difference is in the brain.  Chelsea is so sure of what they are doing that their skill is allowed to shine.  Liverpool doubts so much of what they do, at the moment, that their skill makes them look like bumblers due to indecision.  Luckily for Liverpool, it is a league-wide problem at the moment.  With all the blunders and poor matches Liverpool have had, they are currently only 8th with several squads above them that most would doubt can hold their position an entire season.  Manchester City's results, given all their money spent, put them in the same boat of having lots of skill or potential talent but just not having the mental stability to keep it all in step.  The Reds just have to play smarter.  You can have all the skill in the world, but if you don't have the mental capacity to clear balls at the right time or be aware of your defensive markings then you're not helping the club.  You can have all the skill and pace in the world, but if you cannot link up with your fellow midfielders or attackers and constantly put balls into the opposition then you're doing no good.  You can have all the technical ability and strike wonder goals all day in training, but if you do not have the mental ability to play with your team and see the runs they make or work hard in the box, then it is all for naught.

As the supporters do, I still have faith in this squad to finish in the top four.  I still believe the inclusion of Daniel Sturridge up top will open up a lot of space.  The thing that worries most is, even if Sturridge is a missing link, is this team really set up for long term success if their success is based on one man.  No matter how good he is or can be, Liverpool have to find ways to be successful even if Sturridge is not playing or not playing at his best.  That was shown in today's match when no matter how much skill anyone showed in flashes, it just wasn't there the entire time and mental mistakes were the huge gap between the Reds and Blues.  Liverpool has many questions still and have to find the answers now before the gap between 8th and 4th is too much to climb.  The international break may be a good thing for the club this time.  The player's poor form may mean more club practice time than international action.  Perhaps it will reset focus as well.  Three matches remain in November and Liverpool needs three points in each.  Crystal Palace, Ludogorets and Stoke won't be easy, but if Liverpool is to be Liverpool once more then it has to be three points from each.  It seems tough my friends, but we and the club must Walk On.

In the eye of the beholder

Rarely can a match be seen so differently by so many people.  This, though, is the case following Tuesday's 1-0 defeat at Real Madrid.  Reactions varied between utter disgust at the lack of fortitude from manager Brendan Rodgers, by sitting his top name players, to borderline joy almost to the extent you might think the team had won.  Everything in between was fair game as well.  Truly, this match saw the beauty, or lack their of, in the eye of the beholder.

Before I give my own thoughts on the match, let me air my grievances with the uber-detractors.  Those in the states who watch ESPN FC know that Liverpool FC's own Steve Nicol is on the show and sometimes leaves his unbiased reporter hat at the door.  Nicol, as well as former Chelsea man, Craig Burley raked Liverpool, their supporters and their manager over the coals for suggesting that this result was anything but the end of the world.  They went on and on, Nicol even becoming somewhat red-faced, about how this was Liverpool FC and nobody associated with the club should ever feel good about a 1-0 defeat.  Come back to reality my Scottish friends.  Come back to the present day.

By no means should anyone strive to lose a game.  Players, no matter whether a world superstar or a weekend warrior, should strive to put their best out there and try to win a match.  But to sit there and base what other people feel about a result solely on the historic nature of a club is just silly.  Yes, the history of Liverpool is vast and should be respected.  Yes, the fans and supporters should want their club to return to such lofty heights.  But to think that this squad, as presently constituted, should be able to just impose their will on a team that is has more talent and more finances behind them at this point is a backwards view.  The Reds were severely hampered by the ownership of George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

Despite last year's success and several up and coming talents, this is a club that is still composed of man players that finished 7th, 6th, 8th and 7th the last few years.  This is not the Liverpool of old and to automatically expect the same kind of finishes just isn't realistic.  Sitting on a couch in front of a camera saying Liverpool have won this and that and are champions has no bearing on this year's club or this result.  Yankee fans had no right thinking their team could win a World Series this year despite how many championships they have won.  Apples and oranges perhaps, but the past does not always apply today.  Coming into this season many thought results would be different than they have turned out, but if you look at the team today and the way they have played in past games, then this is not a terrible result.  Outside of those facts, each issue comes down to the eye of the beholder.

My own thoughts are, I was disappointed with the loss but encouraged by the unity of the team.  Anyone who read my blog after the Newcastle match, saw that a big takeaway from that was the Reds played as 10 individuals and had no cohesion.  There was a gulf in the skill level between the two squads, no doubt.  Liverpool could not match Real for touch, power or speed.  Tenacity and will were the only traits the Reds could match or surpass the Galacticos in on this night.  And the takeaway, perhaps, is that's enough.

Is it disappointing that our club has fallen from the ranks of the world powers?  Is it disheartening that a Liverpool reserve squad got a better finish than the starters?  Should we expect more from the manager and the players themselves?  Yes on all accounts has to be the answer.  But this result can at least give some hope for matches going forward.  The big thing that popped out to me was, despite Kolo Toure losing his mark on the Madrid goal, the Liverpool defense played well overall.  If they pull out that sort of performance against Chelsea on the weekend, then supporters would be right to expect points from that match.

Was Brendan Rodgers right to sit certain players?  That is the question only you can answer.  I was disappointed for Steven Gerrard, simply because he has had to endure so much for this club and to not be rewarded with a Champions League start had to be a blow.  However, many in the media and in the supporters have said that Gerrard is getting up in age and can't play three games in a week.  If this is true, why is it so terrible for him to be saved for a pivotal weekend game?  The starters and big name players had not produced a really positive result all season, despite eeking out wins.  So why is it not ok to play some of the younger players and get them much needed experience in such a grand stage in a world renowned tournament?

Now, before we think things are all too rosy, there are still large questions looming over the club.  BR's reluctance to shift to any formation that doesn't resemble a 4-3-3 has produced nothing.  It hasn't mattered who the lone striker is.  Balotelli, Borini and Lambert have all failed to score in a lone striker role outside of cup matches.  The defense, while solid, still looks slow and allowed several dangerous crosses.  The midfield still lacks that needed passing touch to link up with the attack.  The only problem that, for the moment, seems solved is Simon Mingolet's lack of form.

So what is the takeaway?  Again, it is in the eye of the beholder.  As is usual, I am somewhere in the middle.  I was hoping for result as were many.  Like many, I was not expecting a result given the team's recent form and the form of Madrid.  Yet there was enough shown in the Champions League match at the Bernabeu to give people a bit of hope for the coming weeks.  Only time will tell.  And as is true with the league, this team can still accomplish the goals they set at the start of the year.  All it takes is a good run of form.  Walk on.

What to do? What to do...?

Well, another weekend performance leaves many supporters of the Kop scratching their heads and asking what to do.  A very underwhelming 1-0 loss to Newcastle, on the road, brings up all the old questions and maybe even a few new ones.  What are Liverpool to do?  What formation should they be playing?  Who should be playing in that formation?  Is it the manager, the players or a combination?

Without even going on social media, I already know Mario Balotelli's detractors are having a field day with this game.  Another match without a goal.  Several moments of lackadaisical play.  Etc. and so on and so forth.  The man is not Luis Suarez.  Never was.  Never will be.  The sooner people fully grasp that, the sooner they can accept the fact that Balotelli is going to be a part of this team for the full season and Liverpool can win games and score goals with him in the side.  He is not going to go full boar for every single ball.  He is not going to track down every lost pass.  He is going to look a bit silly on occasion, trying to draw fouls where there are none (Suarez did this as well by the way).  Regardless of your or my own opinion on the level of effort, those items in and of themselves, do not make the man a poor player.  Nor do they mean that he lost the game himself.

Today's loss to Newcastle was another prime example of a bad effort by the entire team, as a team.  Right now, Liverpool look like 10 individuals out there on the pitch.  There seems to be little cohesion with anyone.  Right now, everyone needs to take blame for the losses because there seems to be nobody to not blame.  The only person you might exclude today would be Steven Gerrard and maybe Simon Mingolet.  Everyone else played a hand, or did not play a hand as the case actually seems to be, in not getting any result against Newcastle.

Nothing against Newcastle, they came out with a game plan and executed it very well and were able to poach a goal late in the contest.  On the other hand, Liverpool not only look disinterested at times, they look confused.  There is still strong support for Brendan Rodgers, as there should be in the grand scheme of things.  Yet, under the microcosm of this game and the last few weeks, the manager must share the blame.  Rodgers has been too stubborn in his relentless pursuit of keeping all his midfield signings happy, to the detriment of the team.  The 4-3-3 and/or the 4-2-3-1 simply has not worked.  While I am a strong supporter of Mario Balotelli, if Rodgers was dead set on playing one up top so all the talent could be employed through the midfield, then certainly the Italian enigma was the wrong choice.

Despite the lack of speed and perhaps even creativity it provides, the Reds looked their best in attack when Balotelli had a partner up top in Rickie Lambert during the Capital One Cup match.  Most would say that warranted a longer look, but BR must disagree.  Even on the American broadcast of the match, they pointed out when Lambert came on, Balotelli then was told to come to more of a wing position.  Down the road, when Daniel Sturridge is healthy, perhaps that would be an option.  Sturridge up front, Balotelli and Sterling on the wings and midfield and defense set up behind that.  But this hard-nosed approach to not even attempt a top two seems wrong headed at this juncture.

Liverpool need something different in the attack.  Rodgers must either find a system that suits Balotelli or figure out what roster to use without him, because jamming square pegs into round holes isn't working.  Also, the rest of the team needs to take a long look in the mirror.  The defense is just abysmal at the moment.  Mignolet, while not at fault in much today, looks lost at times especially when called to charge after lobbed balls.  The back four is also just a shamble right now.  Lovren seems to be trying to live up to his contract too much instead of just playing football.  Skrtel plays his guts out most games, but is almost always good for one critical mistake or silly foul.  Moreno looked lost against Newcastle, mostly because of the position he was put in.

The scouting might have shown that using Moreno in a more attacking role was a good plan, but the employment of the plan was non-existent.  Moreno looked so uncomfortable, he often refused to take anyone on and would simply pass back to where ever the ball had come from.  Again, Rodgers seemed too stubborn and even when Newcastle were pressing the attack, a back three seemed to be the system employed.  And then there's everyone's favorite, Glen Johnson.  For awhile it seemed it might have been just fans being too harsh on him, but now it is more evident why there is an overall disdain for the left back.

Johnson, no doubt, tries his best but he just isn't deserving of a starting spot right now.  The only logical answer to the question of why he's in there could be that Liverpool want to showcase him to get a higher bid in January.  It seems to be backfiring.  While Johnson was not directly at fault for the goal scored, as a former goalkeeper, nothing is more infuriating to see than the defense continually backing away from the attack as Johnson and his mates did on the scoring play.  There were several opportunities for a tackle further up field, but so much room was given that when the gap was closed a tackle was out of question since they were in the area.  Nothing seems to change though.

Rodgers sees this team every day in training.  He knows their strengths and weaknesses.  He sees who is providing the effort and improving.  That is what makes it so infuriating as a fan to see the same issues pop up almost every game.  What is Manquillo not doing during the week to not see more minutes come the weekend?  What are Lambert and Borini doing or not doing to not be given a chance up top alongside Balotelli?  Why is Rodgers so keen on sticking with a system that doesn't even seem to produce chances, regardless of the talent of Sterling and Coutinho?

This team has to start finding answers.  While they remain in the top 10, despite a rather uninspiring start, there are just too many questions.  It's too early for fatigue to be a real issue.  There is too much skill and potential for there not to be, at least, more scoring chances.  I don't base success and problems on the money spent.  Yet, there just has to be something more given by all who wear the crest right now.  The questions have to be answered, because status quo is not working and this team, as Brendan Rodgers has even pointed out, cannot pin their hopes on Daniel Sturridge returning alone.

A Cup win for Liverpool? Just Capital

My apologies for the pun in the title, but usually league cup wins don't stir much emotion for a club with the prestige of Liverpool these days.  However, given current form and results, it may have been just what the doctor ordered.  Now then, don't let anyone fool you.  There are still questions about Liverpool that need answering, but basking in the glow of a win makes those questions seem at least a bit less pressing.

Liverpool again failed to score in a first half where they dominated possession.  Swansea City were more than content to sit back, defend and see if anything materialized via a counter attack.  Nothing did materialize, of course, but the plan of attack worked so well that the Swans gained momentum and confidence during the last five to ten minutes of the first half.  They carried that over into the second as well.  Once again, taking nothing away from the run of play from Swansea since they set up a nice goal from Marvin Emnes, but a lack of commitment from the Reds defense on certain plays almost doomed them again.

While 25 minutes still remained following the goal, many supporters no doubt, had visions of another early cup exit for their beloved club.  Liverpool had nothing to show at that point and to many did not seem capable of showing much more.  Despite overwhelmingly positive possession, they were goalless in the first half and came out with little energy in the second.  The Reds mustered little offense even after.  But, to the joy of the Kopites, the night would not end in doom and gloom.

Mario Balotelli, of all people, came on in the 79th minute to score and equalize only 7 minutes later.  The team and supporters had struggled through not only 21 minutes of desperation, seeking to knot up the game, but so many matches hoping the Italian enigma would perform.  While it was still not his top form, the goal was a weight of so many shoulders.  Mario is still seeking his first official Premier League goal since leaving Manchester City.  But scoring the type of goal he did, in the fashion he in a moment when hope was dwindling has to boost his confidence at least a bit.

Dejan Lovren, another much maligned player, also got off the coal for Christmas list for awhile when he nodded in the game winner in the 95th minute, only seconds before the official's final whistle.  Normally a win in the Capital Cup would just fall by the wayside.  A win, coming from behind against Swansea City might even be seen as an unsuccessful match.  However, given the recent run of form for Liverpool it must be looked at in a positive light.

The Reds did not give up.  That has been something that supporters are most irked about in recent games.  Liverpool's lack of fight once things don't go their way.  The team did not let falling behind a goal end their night this match.  Two much maligned players, two off-season high-profile signings, came through when the team needed them most.  Much has been made over the quality of the summer signings, since many have either not performed up to snuff or simply have not made it off the bench.  Lazar Markovic played reasonably well and showed signs of quality before making way for Adam Lallana.  Loveran, rightly or wrongly, has been blamed for many of the defensive failings of Liverpool but provided a game winner and was solid at the back.  Balotelli's woes in a red shirt have been well documented, but the man came up with a huge goal that while provided a beautiful ball by Fabio Borini, still needed a top class finish to hit the back of the net.

As previously stated, this win by no means erases all the questions that supporters have.  It may even raise a few.  The shape of the team is still a huge point of contention.  Many, including this writer, support Brendan Rodgers and his decisions.  However, the stubbornness to continue to play a one striker formation has some scratching their heads.  Fabio Borini finally received a chance to play with Rickie Lambert but as a winger instead of a striker.  Rogers is so concerned with getting his midfield players time on the pitch, it may be to the detriment of the team.  The part I question in regard to the formation choice is the fact that Liverpool will play with two strikers when Daniel Sturridge eventually returns.  So why avoid that formation so avidly when he is not there?

Other question marks remain as well.  The defense, while better, still has gaps and lapses in judgement and marking.  Set pieces still force one to hold their breath until the ball is clear.  The team, as shown in last weekend's match against Hull, still woefully underperforms against lower teams.  But despite all that, a normally unimportant Cup match may prove to be what this team needed.  It was a confidence boost.  It was a shot in the arm.  While there is still much to work on during training sessions, the joy of a win makes things seem much less daunting.  Confidence is something that was clearly lacking from several players in the squad.  Supporters can now hope, even if only fleetingly, this will carry over to the weekend fixture against Newcastle.  Liverpool must keep the confidence rolling.  Matches won't become easier due to one league cup win, but perhaps players can feel a bit looser around the collar and just go out and perform now.

Hopefully Mario Balotelli can carry the confidence of an important goal, no matter the fixture, and silence a few critics.  Being one of the few remaining fans of the man, I would love to sit here and gloat and say I told you so to the detractors.  However, one goal does not give anyone that right.  Balotelli must still perform in the league.  This one match does show that the team needs him to perform for them to perform.  If Balotelli can live up to any of his potential, it makes it that much easier for the rest of the team to do their jobs.  Regardless of how you feel about the Liverpool striker, a good performance from him against Swansea was a good thing and will hopefully lead to better things for the player and the team going forward.  Here's looking forward to the weekend.  Walk on.

Takeaways from Champions League clash with Real Madrid

Well a wonderful night at Anfield was more or less taken down several pegs by poor performances all across the pitch.  By now most of you, if not surely all of you, are aware that the Reds fell at home to Real Madrid by the score of 3-0.  A Real team with no Gareth Bale no less.  A Real team that had the potential to be looking ahead to an El Clasico match on the weekend with Barcelona.  None of those factors ultimately helped out Liverpool.

The Reds came out on fire and seemed to soak in all the energy and enthusiasm, not only from the Kop, but from the entire stadium.  Perhaps even the entire world, as many LFC fans gathered in front of various TV sets or computer screens or whatever media they chose to watch their beloved football club on with memories still dancing in their heads of a memorable performance against Madrid in Champions League history.  It was not to be such a magical night on this eve at Anfield though.  Liverpool lost their luster fairly quickly.  Despite a good opportunity in the attacking third right off the bat, the Reds lost the gleam in their eyes after about 20 minutes of play and the technical prowess of the tactically gifted Galacticos took over.

While his detractors will no doubt say Dejan Lovren could have taken an extra step before trying to clear what would become Christiano Ronaldo's goa., more blame should be laid on the rest of the defense.  They failed to follow the run in the first place while Lovren initially stepped out toward James Rodriguez.  In the end, it was just a class chip with a top notch finish.  While we, as fans, can second guess this or that, there was little to be done that would actually change the outcome of that play.

It was the second and third goals where blame squarely lays with Liverpool.  Instead of only being down at the half 1-0, having created a couple decent chances themselves, the Reds continue to falter on set pieces and corners.  Taking nothing away from Karim Benzema, but both of his goals could have been and should have been prevented by a team that wants to consider itself top class in the Premier League.  Liverpool have failed too often on similar plays throughout the English league season and, despite their lack of scoring, have defense to blame for several poor performances including the 3-1 loss to West Ham and a less than sparkling 3-2 win over Queens Park.  This can no longer be tolerated.

While I am quick to defend the manager, Brendan Rodgers, he continues a trend that is disturbingly familiar to this writer and the teams I follow in other sports.  Slap some lipstick on the problem, get the supporters to drink the kool-aid and hope it all turns out better.  Some times it works out ok, but more often than not you end up with the same problems you went into the offseason with.  Set pieces and corners were a problem for Liverpool last season as well.  Though I feel Lovren is a quality defender, he hasn't sorted out the problems with the Reds back four as a whole.  Martin Skrtel is a decent defender as well.  However, he is more concerned with giving the evil eye to the officials and tugging opponents shirts than the ball when it is in flight.

The third Real goal was a perfect example of what really ails Liverpool at the moment.  Instead of defenders on their toes, ready to pounce on any loose ball to clear the area, they were flat footed.  One may argue whether Simon Mingolet could have done better when diving out for a claim, but the bottom line is there were at least five red shirts all standing flat footed in the six yard area, flailing about and not clearing the ball.  How it even bounced to Benzema, who was squarely between two red shirts, really is beyond me.  If Liverpool defend those set pieces even remotely better, then this game is still most likely a loss, but a goal differential of -1 looks a lot better than -3.  Especially having to go on the road to Real and Ludogorets still to come.

Other takeaways from this game, for me, are that Rodgers is too concerned with his midfield and their mentality.  While Sterling, technically, began the game as a companion uptop with Mario he ultimately fell back into more of a midfield role as a winger on the opposite side of Coutinho.  I still believe that Borini or Lambert need to be up top as a true striker until Sturridge gets back.  If the midfield is so important to BR, then perhaps he could return to the 3-5-2 system he used at times last season.  To be honest, the outcomes of the matches don't look like they would get much worse if that system was employed.  These are the times I wish I could see training every day, because I can't understand why the strikers aren't options at the top alongside Balotelli or at the very least as his replacements.

In my humble opinion, too much is being placed on Balotelli.  Too many people expect him to be Luis Suarez.  Very few, if any, are a straight up replacement for Luis Suarez.  For those who follow pro basketball, Suarez is comparable to Dennis Rodman.  He presents so many problems to his team and headaches for the coach/manager.  Yet, his effort and results in-game are second to none.  Balotelli simply isn't that player.  Even when in top form, Balotelli has never presented himself as a go all-out every second of every game type of player.  Right now the man can do no right.  By no means did he have a great game against Real, but he was not the reason for the loss and the entire team had a bad game.  Against QPR, Balotelli was accused of being too selfish and taking too many poor shots in his effort to get off his goalless stint.  On Wednesday he attempted to include his teammates more often and is accused of not being ruthless enough and not showing enough effort.

If we take all bias out of it, then Balotelli has not performed up to snuff.  Nobody in a red shirt has lately.  The defense has been poor across the board.  Raheem Sterling is attempting to do too much and more often than not, either trying to emulate Suarez by going to ground too early or taking too many dribbles right into the path of a defender's foot.  Many are praising Adam Lallana's effort against Madrid.  On the Liverpool Echo's webpage, he is even in the top three for player ratings, but it led to nothing.  He too was guilty of taking balls too close to a defender.  Effort does not always mean quality play.  This isn't a youth league where we praise someone for running with reckless abandon the entire game.

One could write an entire article on Glen Johnson.  The man is a wing midfielder at best and no longer seems capable of playing a solid wingback for Liverpool.  Why Manquillo has fallen out of favor leaves some scratching their heads and even Enrique seems like a better man marker than Johnson.  What is currently maddening about this club is the talent is there.  It is just not coming together.  Before the season I boldly claimed that Liverpool would not be this season's Tottenham.  Perhaps I was wrong.

Maybe there really are too many new additions to gel together cohesively.  Balotelli has loads of talent, but is slowly slipping into a sulk state.  Sterling is in poor form and/or trying to put too much on himself.  Gerrard looks top class one minute and then clueless defensively another.  It seems I still believe a combination of Balotelli and Sturridge will produce goals.  I would still have Sterling on the wing of the diamond in a 4-4-2 since he has proven he is willing to get back and help defend.  I now think Coutinho should be the diamond's tip and some rotation of the remaining midfielders can be rotated on the opposite wing, depending on form.  Rodgers has some work to do.  A win on the weekend against Hull will quiet the blood lust of the masses.  However, the entire team needs to find its way.  Regardless of effort or talent, Luis Suarez should not be that much of a difference from last year to this.  Rodgers needs to be a better leader than he is right now and the players need to perform up to their talent levels individually because no one player shoulders all the blame right now.

One or two things cleaned up and this team could be on a completely different note.  But that's how football/soccer/sports in general go.  By the knife's edge are things decided at times.  The season is young enough for quality changes to be made and Liverpool must make them quickly.  With so much opportunity to maintain a European presence, it would be a shame for this Champions League season be their last for another year.  Walk on.

Time for Liverpool to go with two strikers

Liverpool FC needs to go with two strikers.  Now.  Brendan Rodgers proved last season he was more than capable of molding and forming his squads to fit the needs to defeat the opponent on the day.  While he has tried this again this season, to varying forms of success, he has seemed more stubborn in sticking with the lone striker at the top.  Some of the blame can be shouldered by an under-performing Mario Balotelli, but not as much as many fans want to heap upon him.

The Italian enigma has not proven to be the goal scorer he once was with City or even with Milan, but he still has talent in him.  Too many fans see his poor form as the only or at least the main reason for Liverpool's poor start to the Premier League season.  False.  Raheem Sterling has been less than stellar.  While he is still extremely talented and deserving of the first team minutes, he has been less than top notch on the ball in many moments during key games.  He has dribbled into many defenders and many first touches prior to this last international break went too far off foot or even off knees.

Many of the new signees have not lived up to expectations either.  Blame is planted squarely on Balotelli because he is an easy target, but Rickie Lambert has done nothing to show he should be a lone striker.  He was given an opportunity against West Brom and did little to inspire any hope he would do any better than Balotelli.  The argument that he was cheaper than Balo is weak at best, as well.

Fabio Borini has done even less to figure into a starting role as a lone striker.  While many still want to believe he has the talent to be a quality player, he has not shown the quality on the pitch yet in terms of being a featured player.  So with so few options to replace Balotelli, barring a move in January, what are Liverpool left to do?

They cannot continue to slog along at the current pace, despite the fact they have managed to jump up to fifth place in the leage after a disheartening win over QPR.  Daniel Sturridge is still two weeks away from a return, if the Reds are lucky.  Chances are they won't be.  So again, what are the options.  I feel we've seen enough of the lone striker formation to know it's not really going to work with anyone alone up top right now.  Not with Raheem, Mario, Borini or Lambert.

Some will argue that the two striker formation was used and did not work as well, but I don't think one game where nobody was in good form is a good example.  BR can try whatever midfield formation he sees fit, but I think the team currently needs two up top.  I think Mario needs to keep starting the league games.  He can be paired with any of the attacking options.  You can have Borini or Lambert play evenly up top with him or use Sterling in a purely advanced role with the option to use the entire field as well.  I think this will give more space to Balotelli, who currently is trying too hard to take on the several defenders who surround him.

I think LFC will be better off once they regain more health throughout the team as they will be given the options everyone thought they would have at the beginning of the year.  Jon Flanagan's return means you can use a nice rotation at the wingback position that would not necessarily demand using Manquillo and Moreno at the same time to the potential defensive detriment of the club.  Allen gives the team more options in the midfield.  Players just need to start stepping up.  While I understand the modern footballer needs to be comfortable to be at his best, there simply are not enough central midfield spots for everyone to play and be in their preferred spot.

Sterling and Coutinho have the pace and skill where they need to be utilized as the wings of the midfield.  My preferred starting lineup would be Balotelli and Borini starting up top.  If Rodgers wants to employ the diamond, then Henderson or Coutinho can play the tip, Sterling and Henderson/Coutinho would be the wings and Steven Gerrard would be the holding midfielder in front of the back four.  I could do a whole different blog about the defense, so I'll leave those choices to Rodgers and the readers.

Yet the bigger question, regardless of who we contend should be up top, is why there is such a rush to judgement over everything regarding football.  Yes, you need good starts to seasons so more work is not needed later in the year.  However, the grass is not always greener.  Some already say Balotelli should be dealt.  Really?  Even if Liverpool bring in one striker during the January period, why not keep the depth?  Sturridge seems injury prone now and Borini/Lambert aren't any more reliable yet.  Too many people are quick to jump the gun.  As an American supporter, I have more examples than I care to name where teams and/or Universities I support thought they were better off dropping a player or coach only to be proven completely wrong.  Give things time to grow.  After all, even in the footballing world, the juggernaut of Manchester United has proven that knee-jerk reactions don't always yield immediate results.

Hodgson vs Rodgers from Across the Pond

Let me first say, that as an American, I don't always feel like I have the full story of things going on in European football.  I think websites like ESPN FC and This is Anfield do a spectacular job, but not being surrounded by all the news you are still left to wonder if portions of a story are left out.  That being said, this feud between England's manager and seemingly the entire Liverpool club is becoming ridiculous, if it was not already so.

Being a Liverpool supporter, perhaps my viewpoint is slanted, but Roy Hodgson, with every statement he makes, comes off more as a man desperate to somehow hold his job as opposed to a manager with a plan to win games and progress England forward.  Whether by design or by happenstance, Hodgson seems to cement the murmurs of the rumors that he has a grudge against Liverpool.  Trying to test a player's resolve by forcing him to train and/or play while you know he has an injury comes of as antiquated thinking at best and petty at worst.

There will always be spats between club and country.  The very makeup of having different managers with different philosophies and different styles lends itself to these confrontations.  Even US Soccer, though still in our toddler stages compared to other FA's, has seen a spike in club vs country issues, especially under Jurgen Klinsmann.  But those problems have more to do with actual issues like contract dollars in MLS vs quality of play and amount of play in Europe.  This Hodgson fued, that seemingly only has to do with Liverpool players and the club, seems more and more like an actual feud with the club and anyone associated with it.

At least in American media, there are no reports of any disputes with Tottenham or Wenger at Arsenal or Van Gaal at United.  No words have been spoken by Hodgson over the lack of deveolpment by any BPL clubs to develop more English keepers or veiled attacks on City for not somehow correcting the mistakes that Joe Hart likes to make.  It all seems centered on the Reds.  How childish for someone of, not only Hodgdon's age but his pedigree.  No, he hasn't had sparkling records everywhere he has gone, but he has won almost twice as many games as he has lost in his managerial career.  But, whether by grudge or by a feeling of mounting pressure for his job, the man has sunk to media attacks on players he must rely on if he is to keep his job.

While some may argue their overall quality, the bottom line is that when in form, there aren't many players in the English FA better than Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling.  At least at the moment, there are not.  Things are obviously fluid in football.  But Hodgson needs them to perform well for England to perform well.  Yet here he is, trying to test their resolve and coming out in the media to shame them for not manning up.  Managers have many odd ways of getting players to play their best, but these hardly come off as ways of doing so.

I have long been a proponent of the idea that modern players are too coddled and selfish.  That they need to play through a bit of pain.  However, those days are no more.  Players today do play through more pain than we probably know.  As weekend warriors we often whine about the aches and pains come Monday.  Even though these are super-fit athletes, to think they don't suffer from the same ailments is foolishness.  The days of "rub some dirt on it kid" are gone.  Players are in control and Hodgson's ways of dealing with the realities he has been faced with are very unbecoming of a manager of any national level, let alone with the pedigree of the English FA.

This feud cannot continue.  Perhaps Liverpool does need to tweak their training regime.  It is obviously not all on England, when players like Loveran and Markovic go down as well.  However, that is up to Brendan Rodgers and him alone.  It is not for Roy Hodgson to worry about.  It is not for Roy Hodgson to question.  Roy Hodgson needs to worry about his own camp, his own training regimes and focus on moving England forward.  He is obviously not doing a bang-up job, so to speak, if he has England at the top of their group with 9 points and people still clamoring for his job.  Be a man Mr. Hodgson.  Leave the petty feuds of  the past at your doorstep.