With the Premiership resuming this weekend, the game against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light is as vital as ever. Three games played, two lost, and one drawn isn’t something Liverpool fans are used to seeing – not unless you’ve just started following the club over the last two years.
While it needs to be acknowledged, this week has been emotional for every Liverpool fan for largely non-football related reasons, what with the Hillsborough tragedy finally being acknowledged as a systematic mismanagement on the part of the police, instead of the blame families have had to fight for 23 years, pointing the finger at the fans themselves.
But as far as proceedings on the pitch are concerned, the players need to wake up. An inspired performance against Manchester City was followed by a timid, clueless one against Arsenal at home.
Last season, the 2-1 defeat at Anfield could at least be claimed to have been a blow to the groins, given Arsenal created just two chances throughout the game and converted both. However, it wasn’t like that a couple weeks back. They played better and deserved the win.
[ad_pod id=’DFP-MPU’ align=’center’]
At some point the players are going to have to realize they need to push themselves at every stage of the way, for the full ninety minutes, against anyone and everyone. Keep turning up just for the big games and all Liverpool will end up with is maybe another cup win – although the way Cardiff called the shots at Wembley last year, it’d be a challenge to class that as a win.
This season, Rodgers has allowed Dirk Kuyt to leave. Bellamy’s gone too. While the Welshman’s departure could be traced back to the death of his best friend Gary Speed – which reports have now emerged showing just how mentally fragile he’s been since the tragic news.
Letting Dirk Kuyt go was inexcusable. The Dutchman still had a fair bit to offer Liverpool. Dalglish didn’t favour him much but when he played, he made endless contributions such as that twisting run down the right flank against Manchester City in the 2nd leg of the carling Cup semis, which allowed Bellamy to score that aggregate winner.
He’s gone. So has Carroll. Another horrendous move, first denouncing the lad in not so many words, due to that ridiculous price tag which he never asked for to begin with. Now, whatever has been said and done, whether Rodgers recalls him in January or decides something else, for now the players need to stop worrying about external circumstances and just concentrate on passing the ball to a red shirt, and winning possession more. Keep the ball and stop making excuses. Other teams have been doing it, why can’t Liverpool?
