Liverpool stuck in treacle as the sparkle of last season is nowhere to be found

Alex Broun 23:48 21/10/2018
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Daniel Sturridge's impressive early season form departed against Huddersfield

    These are strange days for Liverpool supporters.

    Last season the Reds played breathtaking breakneck football which saw them score 84 goals in the Premier League with the terrific trio of Mohamed Salah (32), Roberto Firmino (15) and Sadio Mane (10) contributing to 57 of those.

    But despite all the excitement and thrilling football Jurgen Klopp’s side only finished fourth in the Premier League, a whopping 25 points behind champions Manchester City.

    This year, admittedly after just nine fixtures, Liverpool are neck and neck with Pep Guardiola’s men on 23 points at the top of the table, the only (sizeable difference) being the goal difference as City are already an impressive +23 to Liverpool’s +13.

    So Liverpool fans should be rejoicing, right? Wrong.

    The problem is the style of football Liverpool are displaying, which can only be described as “stodge-ball”.

    Granted, the Reds defence has improved immeasurably, allowing just three goals in the season so far, but it’s come in direct contrast to the sparkling attack from 2017/18, which has fallen apart. The terrific trio have been a shadow of their recent glory.

    Salah has scored just four league goals, the same number as Mane while Firmino sits on two – with almost a quarter of the season already gone they are on track to finish well below last year’s efforts.

    But it’s not just the goal scoring – it’s the overall pace of play, which is decidedly glacial, as well as the shocking misplaced passes.

    As Klopp said after the latest installment in the drudge-fest against Huddersfield, Liverpool missed seven or eight chances to play a simple pass to set up a clear goal scoring opportunity.

    Last season those same passes were zipping into the foot of Salah, Mane or Firmino to be dispatched with nonchalant ease. So what has gone wrong?

    Klopp has regularly bemoaned a hectic international football schedule and the toll its taking on his already overworked players.

    The latest sub-par performance came after his squad returned from far flung parts of the world following a congested break with Naby Keita, Mane, Salah and Virgil van Dijk all reporting injuries.

    Salah and Van Dijk both made it on to the field against the Terriers, but Keita (thigh) and Mane (broken thumb) were both out.

    So the international burden, which has certainly been intensified by the Nations League, could be playing a part – but that is not the case for leaders City who were at their sparkling best slamming five past Burnley on the same day as the Reds travelled to Huddersfield.

    City’s international exertions is just as great, but Guardiola still manages to get his side clicking almost instantly.

    Klopp has also acknowledged that the new focus on defence has affected Liverpool’s attacking prowess, but again that is not the case for City who like the Reds have only conceded three goals this year but they have rattled in 26 at an average of nearly three per game.

    Another reason could be pressure.

    There is a growing belief among the Liverpool faithful this could be the year that the Reds finally break their Premier League drought, but with that burden of expectation comes greater pressure on the playing group.

    Perhaps the Liverpool players are already feeling the burden as they are playing like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. Everything seems so forced, not relaxed and flowing like last season.

    Firmino’s performance when he came on in the second half against Huddersfield was testimony to that as the usual light of foot Brazilian looked like he was wading through treacle.

    Whatever the reason – tiredness, pressure, defence-focus – the Reds need to sort it out and fast.

    They look a shadow of their former selves at the moment and it is only a matter of time until they get found out. As Klopp again admitted they have ridden their luck so far this season but that luck will run out soon enough.

    If the stodgy Reds don’t find form soon a rejuvenated Arsenal, who currently resemble the Liverpool of 2017/18, will run rings around them at the Emirates in a fortnight’s time.

    Recommended