LFC: Four Games In

Well it sure didn’t take long for twitter to become an incredibly pessimistic place did it? Forget that we performed well enough our first three games, that the defense has looked much better for 75% of the season, and that mistakes are going to ruin games sometimes. Forget that everyone who looks like they will be our closest competitors dropped points this weekend (Chelsea, Man Utd, and Tottenham).

Probably time to become Bayern Munich fans so we never have to lose. Change our names, and say things like maybe Coutinho really isn’t that good. But then again Twitter is a great place to overreact.

It does hurt to suffer a big loss like that before the international break. Now all I have to think about for the time in between was that dismal performance.

On the bright side, which is always the side I take, I was very impressed by Ings. He didn’t have a huge role to play and it never really looked like we would come back, but he was hard working and looked to make things happen. I have been anxiously awaiting his run out and I was happy with the results.

Another positive was that Swansea win against Man Utd; that was more than enough to put a smile back on my face.

So what do Liverpool need? Where do we stand?

The absence of Henderson in the midfield is a big loss. We have missed his energy and more than that we have missed his leadership. Milner put in a great shift as captain against Arsenal, but like the rest of the team, did not impress against West Ham. I am a huge believer in Henderson. I look forward to what will hopefully be a return against Man Utd.

Our next fixture is a real opportunity for us to build on the Arsenal performance, put West Ham behind us, and announce ourselves as real contenders. While Chelsea and Man Utd are still finding their legs is exactly when we need to strike.

A win at Old Trafford is always a big ask but if we pull it off it will put us right back on track. This has the feel of a gigantic game, not just because it is against the that lot up the motorway, but we want to put our best foot forward. Here is hoping for a big result against Man Utd.

We need more going forward: the understatement of the century, and also a summary of Liverpool since Suarez has left. It takes time for talent to set in. Firmino and Benteke will take time to fit into the system, as will Ings and Origi. We have to be patient.But it is rather hard to be patient.

I do believe our attack can be something special, we have some impressive players. I don’t know what it will take to make them special though. Time? Or did we simply buy the wrong players? I tend to believe we have good enough players we just need time to develop as a team.  Give the lads a couple more weeks to settle in and then we can really judge what is happening.

We have things we need to figure out, but we have made positive strides. I am backing Lovren to continue improving. I am backing Clyne and Gomez to continue in the brilliance of the first three games. I am backing Benteke to score. I am positive about the shape of our team. One loss to a West Ham team that also embarrassed Arsenal at home is not the end (remember Arsenal lost on mistakes by a player who bounced back to keep Liverpool out of goal a couple weeks later).

The purpose of this article is to call patience, we have given Brendan a lot of it, but lets give him a little more. Everything will be OK. The first loss of the season isn’t the end. Give the team time to settle in and then if things are still bad, then we can panic.

Lets not react like Arsenal fans.

But before I go, what do you make of the first four games? On a scale of one to buying-a-plane-with-a-Rodgers-Out-banner to fly over Anfield, what do you make of our start?  Tell me where I am wrong and how Liverpool could nab 4th, or if we can return to the Champions League this season.