Reds should never drop their best player, and should stick with their tried and tested formation…
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5) Raheem Sterling should never be rested…
It’s a difficult situation considering the player’s age – but the reality is – Sterling is Liverpool’s best player. They looked a completely different side when he came on with half an hour remaining against Aston Villa, but you have to wonder what the result would have been if the teenage attacker had started from the beginning. He’s just too good to leave out, and the Reds missed him badly.
4) Liverpool still have serious problems at centre-back…
Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho cost Liverpool a combined fee of around £35m over the course of two summers, but their lack of communication led to a sloppy goal conceded from a corner. Lovren was especially poor, regularly giving the ball away when attempting long passes. Both need to step up their level, or Martin Skrtel will be straight back in the side when he returns to fitness.
3) Brendan Rodgers is right to be furious with England…
He wouldn’t say as much, but the Reds boss could argue that England’s handling of his players cost Liverpool the three points against Villa. They badly missed Daniel Sturridge, who was injured during England training, after Roy Hodgson and the coaching team refused him the recovery day following the Norway match that he is permitted at Liverpool. What’s more, Sterling was benched, after playing the full 90 twice for his country.
2) Mario Balotelli is not Luis Suarez…
While most agree that the £16m fee was a serious bargain, in terms of ability, Mario Balotelli can’t tie departed forward Luis Suarez’s boots. The Italian was bullied and harassed by Villa centre-back Senderos, and never looked like winning the battle. If Suarez was on the pitch, he would have relished the fight, and most likely got the better of the very average Swiss centre-back.
1) Liverpool should always play with a diamond…
If it aint broke, don’t fix it… Despite the diamond working perfectly against Spurs, and Liverpool running out 3-0 winners away from home last time out, Rodgers decided to use a 4-3-3 formation. It enabled him to field new signings Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic, but in truth, both were extremely poor. There was no pace in the transition phase for the Reds, and the attacks were lethargic. In fact, Villa keeper Brad Guzan didn’t have a save to make all match. Even with Sturridge out, the Reds should have stuck either Fabio Borini or Rickie Lambert up with Balotelli, and used Sterling in the no.10 role.
