Which stars need to make a dramatic improvement for the Reds…
There weren’t many positives to come out of Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham United on Saturday. For the Reds, it was not only a third defeat in five Premier League games, it was also a worrying sign of life without Luis Suarez.
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Brendan Rodgers’ side may still be without the injured Daniel Sturridge, while Raheem Sterling – who found the net again yesterday – continues to improve and impress, but the Reds seems to be missing that spark: the attacking flair that made them such a joy to watch last season.
So who is to blame? Is it simply a case of the Anfield side still waiting for their multitude of new signings to bed in and adapt to their style of football – or is there some deeper-lying set of problems, similar to those that occurred at Tottenham when they sold Gareth Bale to Real Madrid just over a year ago.
Here are ten underperforming stars that are causing Liverpool headaches right now:
10) Rickie Lambert
His style of play just doesn’t suit Liverpool. The Reds aren’t the kind of team to hit the ball long for a target man, and as a results his usefulness to them is limited. In many ways, Lambert is reminiscent of Andy Carroll, although thankfully his price tag was worth about £30m less, he is a good player for the right team. At Southampton he was the main man, the focal point of their attack, and it worked. He will never be that at Anfield, and his confidence seems to be suffering as a result.
9) Lazar Markovic
The Serbian is still young, and he’s still raw. From the limited amount we’ve seen of him so far he doesn’t look quite ready for Premier League football. He goes missing too much in games and often finds himself somewhat stranded out wide. He needs to come inside and get more involved in the play, which in turn suits Liverpool’s system.
8) Lucas Leiva
A steady and reliable player over the years for Liverpool, but perhaps not suited to this new-look generation of versatile, young, attacking-minded players. Every team needs balance, but he offers little that Joe Allen, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson and Emre Can do not cover between them in the central midfield roles.
7) Mamadou Sakho
The French World Cup defender has been surprisingly shaky in a Liverpool shirt so far this season, and has not improved as the club might have hoped since signing last summer. He has been caught out too many times already this term, and it just feels like he has a mistake in him. He was subsequently dropped to the bench yesterday, only to be brought on mid-way through the first-half for Javier Manquillo.
6) Steven Gerrard
The Liverpool captain has been solid so far this year, and dispatched the crucial Champions League penalty last week, but he needs to be more realistic with his approach. There needs to be less 40-yard, cross-field passes and more getting the ball down and playing. The former England skipper is another year older, and there is still no obvious replacement for his class and stature – Rodgers will be well aware that Gerrard won’t be able to play 50 games this season.
5) Philippe Coutinho
The Brazilian has shown flashes of his ability so far this season, and his major issue seems to be knowing what position to play in. He has regularly been a part of the midfield three alongside Gerrard and Jordan Henderson, while he has also played in a more advanced role behind the striker, and also out wide. Rodgers needs to find a spot in the team in which Coutinho can flourish, or he risks his potential being wasted.
4) Dejan Lovren
Has probably been Liverpool’s best defender this season, but has yet to reach the consistency of his impressive performances with Southampton. The Reds defence is still leaking goals, and like Sakho, the Croatian has been caught out on more than one occasion. It’s hard to say what more the Liverpool back-line can do to help solve their problems. The personnel available certainly offer plenty of strength in depth, but at this moment in time they look short on form and confidence.
3) Simon Mignolet
Could the problems be stemming from the Belgian goalkeeper, with whom the problems are well-established. Yes, he is a solid shot stopper, but he lacks the commanding authority a keeper needs to help out his defence. It’s unclear as to whether this is a confidence issue or just something he struggles with, but it will be interesting to see whether the seemingly imminent arrival of former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes on a free transfer helps solves some problems.
2) Adam Lallana
There were encouraging signs from the former Southampton man against West Ham, who showed glimpses of the player the Reds spent £25m on this summer. It’s also worth remembering that he’s still on the way back from an injury that kept him out of the entirety of the Reds pre-season schedule. However, he needs to improve, and start influencing games the way he did during his time with the Saints. The longer he goes without a goal or a moment of brilliance, the more the pressure will grow.
1) Mario Balotelli
On paper he was an excellent signing – £16m certainly seemed a bargain for a top level striker. But there are several issues that are currently holding him back. Like Lambert, he does not particularly suit Liverpool’s way of playing, and he has certainly missed the injured Sturridge, with whom he impressed alongside on debut. He also goes missing in games for too long. When you think of Suarez, you think of his unwavering desire to get the ball, to go looking for possession. It’s too soon to say Balotelli won’t work at Liverpool, but he will need to adapt his game to match his surroundings, and he needs some goals to take the pressure off.
SEE ALSO: The Best Liverpool goals.