Liverpool FC: Half-time report – Onwards and upwards

WE have now reached the half-way point of 2013/2014 season and I thought I would look back at the team’s performances and see what the Reds need to do to improve in the second half of the campaign.

Overall so far the season has been a positive one with the team playing some quality attacking football that the fans have been impressed with.

I think the last minute penalty save by Mignolet in the opening game against Stoke just set the team up that if they knuckled down and worked hard  together as a team, results would come their way and everything else would fall in to place.

Anfield is becoming a fortress once more, where opposing teams are now afraid while us Kopites turn up expecting to enjoy watching Liverpool dominate opponents and win matches relatively comfortably. Wins against West Brom, Norwich, Fulham, Crystal Palace spring to mind.

I never thought that the Reds would top the table on Christmas Day (just hope it doesn’t jinx us like in 2008/2009). A majority of Reds would have been happy with a challenge of a top four spot, not a sneaky title challenge.  Those back to back defeats (first time under Brendan Rodgers) against Manchester City and Chelsea have knocked us however you cannot keep a wounded animal down for long.

However six points off top spot with still 19 games to go shows the team has made big strides compared to 10^th place at this point last year.

Who would of thought that Luis Suarez who was public enemy number one after his ten match ban for biting and his unhappiness trying to wrangle a move to Arsenal for £40,000,001 due to broken promises would be welcomed back into the team with arms and would score 19 goals in 14 games and even be given the captain’s armband due to the absences of Gerrard and Agger.

Suarez has now put pen to paper on a new long-term contract and is scoring at a rate that justifies his status as the highest paid player in Liverpool’s history, there is no better footballer in the world right now than Liverpool’s number seven.

Away form which has been patchy of late – 19 goals on the road shows that they will give anyone a run for their money.

There have been many games this season where the team have played at their best but the one which sticks out for me has got to be the 5-0 demolition of Tottenham Hotspur which ultimately cost Andre Villas Boas his job. The team was dominant from the first to the last whistle. Quality strikes from Suarez (2), Henderson, and even Jon Flanagan got in on the act. Raheem Sterling wrapped up what was the fantastic away day for the travelling Kop.

What a way to end SIX consecutive defeats at White Hart Lane. That was the day many sat up and said Liverpool mean business.

However with the good comes the bad – the worse performance of the season so far has got to be the mauling 3-1 defeat to Steve Bruce’s Hull City at the start of December, the Reds left their performance on the team bus as they never turned up and were well truly beaten. It was embarrassing to watch it in the ground all unravel in front of my eyes. Apart from Stevie G’s free kick there wasn’t much more to shout about.

Defensively this season we have been conceding goals at a rate which I do not like – considering in pre-season we kept clean sheets, and clean sheets breed confidence which was evident with three consecutive ones in the first three matches. However just two clean sheets since then is poor – sorry but five in nineteen games is not good enough, especially if we want to continue with our top four challenge.

We need to work on marking and our defensive line at set pieces; the team has conceded 8 goals and 6 headers from set plays this season.  Mignolet who has been a great shot-stopper for us is now making errors which are leading to goals – Negredo’s for Man City and Eto’o’s on Sunday – he should have done better. Now if Reina had made those errors again he would have been lambasted and calls for his head.

Mignolet still needs to focus on improving his kicking ability, command his box more and communicate effectively with his defense and if he is going to come out for crosses he must try and catch them.

Also Glen Johnson who normally is one of our better performers, this season has been too inconsistent in the first half of the campaign. He hasn’t been able to demonstrate his attacking capabilities which he is normally known for and sadly defensive irregularities have crept into his game.

Unfortunately at a crucial time injuries have been mounting up. Allen and Sahko joined the likes of Sturridge, Gerrard, Coates, Jose Enrique, Flanagan on the treatment table. Sadly the injuries have highlighted that we lack the strength and depth especially off the bench to cope with important players out of the team.

You make think I am being harsh but the likes of Aspas, Alberto, Moses and Cissokho who have been given the opportunity to prove themselves have not been able to live up to their full potential. Now whether Brendan had the final say on the arrivals of Aspas, Alberto and even Tiago Illori the money spent he should be able to integrate the players in his system.

One of the criticisms I have had so far and many people have picked up on it as well is the fact that at times our midfield three can get over run quite easily. Ross Barclay, Yaya Toure, Eden Hazard are just some examples of were opposing players can move through our midfield areas with ease.

Now to take the team to the next level for the second half of the campaign, Rodgers who has said he would like to improve the squad need to add to the following areas of the team:

1. The number one priority should be a power house defensive midfielder who would add that extra steel which has been missing since Javier Mascherano left the club to join Barcelona. I know Lucas has done very well in that role but I feel we need a ‘brick wall’ or ‘water carrier’ character within the group who can ultimately be the shield between the back four and midfield.
2. Another left-back should be sought as we have missed Jose Enrique this term he did offer the balance in our defence. Sadly Aly Cissokho is not the answer to our prayers when he has played he has looked too slow and not able to think on his feet.
3. Competition at right-back for Johnson as he has had no competition for his place and looks complacent at present.
4. A quality addition to our wingers as Moses (who should be sent back to Chelsea in January) has not lived up to the hype of what he could offer the team. Apart from his goal against Swansea he has been in and out the team and even when he has been given a chance he looks out of his depth.
   We need someone who has pace, an eye for a pass and goal but also who can hold the ball up and track back when necessary. It will be interesting to see if Saleh and/or Tello arrive.
5. Finally another striker who can fill void if Sturridge and Suarez are out for any reason; someone who older who has experience but doesn’t mind being a squad player and coming off the bench to change a game.  At this present time Aspas is too lightweight and isn’t able to offer anything in the final third.

If reinforcements are brought in during the transfer window, the injury list shortens and Liverpool continue their positive form during the second half of the season, a top four finish and Champions League will hopefully be back at Anfield – where the mighty Reds ultimately belong.

Finally I would like to wish all the readers a Happy New Year and hope it’s a positive one for all of us on and off the pitch. YNWA!!

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