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Stoke Result Highlights Progress and Flaws

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Stoke-City-v-Liverpool-Premier-League-3015199Playing Stoke at the Britannia stadium has been a horrendous experience for Liverpool fans. Indeed, the prospect of facing The Potters in any competition has been particularly galling. When we’re not being beaten we’re usually subject to a turgid game of attrition like the 0-0 at Anfield last season or that headache inducing goalless draw away when the title was in sight in 2009.

So an 8 goal thriller was hardly the game anyone anticipated ahead of Sunday’s match up. What the match did serve us though, was a reminder of where we have progressed and where we need to improve.

Steven Gerrard made an astute analysis of the result stating that it was the sort of game we would have lost in the past. At 2-0 up and cruising, it was unthinkable that the teams would go in at the break level pegging. A set back like that was all too much for Liverpool teams in previous years. The players would often either become too withdrawn and struggle to create chances or they would try too hard to force the game, making errors in both execution and judgement when faced with a similar situation.

In fact one of the most noticeable traits of the team in the early part of Brendan Rodgers’ stewardship was how often they succumbed to pressure. Whenever there was a chance to make up ground on rival teams we would flounder. Whenever bold statements were made about where we might finish in the table we would face a huge comeuppance and when we were under pressure in a game we would wilt.

There was an obvious lack of mental strength within the group, which perhaps is only natural in a team that moved from title challengers to mid table.

Liverpool’s reaction after half-time demonstrated that the current crop have a much stronger will than their counterparts last season. Not only did the team reclaim the lead but they also put Stoke to the sword after they had been reined back in to 4-3. More important than that though was that this was Stoke, the same team that has been less of a needle in the side and more of a pencil through the eyeball.

When teams come back from being behind managers love to suggest that the team has ‘character’ – it’s a stock phrase used by every manager every time it happens. This performance was better than that though. It was a case of the team believing that they were better than Stoke and proving it even in trying circumstances.

It’s a great measure of how effective Rodgers has been in engendering a more mentally strong group. It is something he has worked incredibly hard on improving and perhaps Dr Steve Peters methods are beginning to take effect.

The match also showcased the attacking talents of the team which have been there for all to see for the last 12 months. The first by Suarez was a product of the striker’s fearsome reputation and incredible reactions. His positioning placed doubt in the mind of Shawcross, and anticipating the mistake, the Uruguayan took full advantage to stroke the ball home having forced the goalkeeper and defender to close him down.

Suarez’s second was the type of goal I can watch over and over again. Sturridge did brilliantly to deceive two defenders as he changed direction and Suarez’s finish was of the highest calibre. Sturridge capped the game with great invention to juggle the ball before firing home after the chance appeared to have gone.

To score 5 goals against a team that had only conceded 7 goals at home all season is a testament to the attacking quality we have in our team. To see Sturridge return in such emphatic style is a particular boost, fans often overlook how good he has been since his arrival. Stoke have been a good measure of our progression up front as having drawn 0-0 at home and lost 3-1 away last season, we have managed to break down the stubborn defence of Stoke at home in a 1-0 victory and managed to improve to 5-3 away this time round.

But while we may have improved up front our defence remains continually flawed. Mignolet has made too many cheap errors of late and dropping him should be considered. However, it is worth considering that while dropping Joe Hart may have worked for Man CIty, backing David de Gea worked for Man United.

He has shown that he has some great qualities as a goalkeeper and while he has won points against Stoke (H), Everton and Aston Villa, he cost us points against City and Chelsea.

At the back, the goals conceded column is currently on track to surpass the number shipped last season, we’re currently on track to ship 47. This does not make great reading considering that this area of the team was the one which was most strengthened in the Summer. A new keeper, left back and three centre-halves has done nothing to improve the reds record. Furthermore, the team has only managed 6 clean sheets in the 21 games so far, while last time out we managed 16 across the season. For those who likes percentages that’s a drop from clean sheets in 42.11% of our games to a clean sheet in 28.5% of our games this season.

We should however keep sight of the fact that keeping clean sheets and conceding goals matters very little if you’re winning games and the reds are certainly doing that more frequently this season.

That said, when we have kept a clean sheet we have won every game, which once more underlines the attacking power at our disposal. If Stoke was an acid test, then we should continue to be positive and with more defeats to avenge coming up (Aston Villa home, Arsenal home and West Brom away) we could be making even greater strides compared to last year.

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12 comments

  • tino says:

    But why did Br not advised the team to close up shop and counterattack at 4-2 scoreline instead we were looking 4 more goals and left our defence exposedp.Another issue is that Lucas is our midfield problem,I believe Br should buy two quality pacey DM and push Gerrard high up the pitch cos G remain our best AM midfielder.Why wasting his qualities and exposing our defence.OR buy one DM and one AM and take Lucas out of the team.

  • tino says:

    Lucas is crap,no goals no assists,no attacking intent,no pace, always committing clumsy fouls,should be dropped to the bench and buy Fernando or Mvila simple.

  • Sean Murphy says:

    Lfc are shipping goals because of constant injuries to defenders. Sahko, Agger, Enrique and Flannagan are all injured. Add to that the form of Johnson. If we could field a regular back four then I’m sure we’d be tighter at the back. This team is built to attack. Long may it continue!

    • TM says:

      Blah blah blah. You talk sh!te . Full of dumb excuses . Rodgers bought so many defenders he didn’t know what to do with them . And he has had opportunity to keep regular back 4 but he choose to rotate. Get a clue

  • Kay says:

    Oh stop moaning at every chance you get, get a life. Tino shouldn’t you be eating your hat, shows how much you know.

  • Aaron says:

    If (we won’t) we win the league scoring 80 but concede (let’s say) 50 goals, how many people would complain about defence?

  • tino says:

    Kay u crazy troller always trolling people’s posts,write ur own and stop trolling.

  • Yanna says:

    Flaws ??? Send that Mignolet to bench next match. He is BR biggest mistake!

  • stevieG says:

    Rodgers chops and changes . He wasted our money in the summer rather than buying top quality…..and bring back Pepe …he is better than mig and would give the back 4 more confidence

    ….and playing Gerrard as DM is another big mistake.

    Yes Rodgers has got our attacking style really good…but equally he is rubbish at a solid defense

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