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Can Liverpool bag Premier crown?
MANY Liverpool fans are starting to ask themselves:“Is this our year?” The Merseysiders are playing a fantastic brand of football - players swapping positions seamlessly in attacking positions, quick incisive passing and scoring goals for fun.
But perhaps the memories of 2013-14 will stop supporters getting too carried away just yet.
In that campaign, Liverpool finished second, falling at the final hurdle.
Just like now, the brand of football was exhilarating at times. The attacking duo of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge notched 31 and 21 league goals respectively, while Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho provided numerous chances to score.
Liverpool scored six against Cardiff, five against Norwich, Tottenham, Stoke and Arsenal, four against West Brom, Fulham, Everton,West Ham, Swansea and Tottenham.
In total, the Reds scored 101 goals in 38 Premier League games, an average of 2.65 goals per game.
Where the Anfield outfit were vulnerable was in stopping the opposition scoring. Steven Gerrard was the defensive midfielder who had the job of trying to shield his defence.
This, though, was not Gerrard's natural game. He did not have the instinct to snuff out danger and, in my view, struggled in that role.
There was also a defensive unit of Glen Johnson, Jon Flanagan and Martin Skrtel in combination with Daniel Agger, Mamadou Sakho and Kolo Toure, who all played a number of league games. They, along with goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, were, in my view, simply not good enough to be left as exposed as they often were. The attacking instincts of the team always left them quite open and you knew clean sheets were going to be hard to come by. For Liverpool to win matches, two goals were always going to be a minimum requirement. Liverpool conceded 50 league goals that season, more than one a game. As I write, Liverpool are currently top of the Premier League. After just 11 league matches, they have scored 30 goals, averaging nearly three a game, and conceded 14, averaging more than one goal a game. At this rate, goals for and against will be very similar to the 2013-14 season.Will the final outcome be the same? Liverpool's regular attacking trio of Roberto Firmino, Coutinho and Sadio Mane have been outstanding this season. All can interchange position and be a real threat. The goals are being shared around with Firmino and Coutinho on five league goals apiece and Mane currently leading the way on six. On the defensive side, the holding midfield role is being filled by Jordan Henderson. Like with Gerrard, I do not feel this is his natural position, though he has the athleticism to be able to provide a shield. He can be caught out of position, but with his ability to cover the ground quickly, he can eliminate those positional errors. This Liverpool team seems more athletic and fitter than the team in the 2013-14 season, but there’s still a long way to go. Getting onto the defensive unit, this season Liverpool have Loris Karius in goal, Nathaniel Clyne, James Milner, Joel Matip and, mainly, Dejan Lovren. Again, I don't have com- plete assurance in this group, but I have more faith in them than I had three seasons ago. They are prone to defensive lapses, especially on set-pieces, but in Cameroon international Matip they have secured a defender who looks very assured. He looks a great bit of business. Like all seasons, a lot will come down to injuries, and another factor will be how Liverpool cope with Mane’s absence in the new year when he is on Senegal duty in the African Nations Cup. He provides goals and a real injection of pace. Teams cannot defend high with him in the side, thus opening up pockets of space for Coutinho, Firmino and Adam Lallana, who has been outstanding this term. With Mane out, Sturride may come in to replace him. If so, then Liverpool will need to alter their style of play to accommodate him. As for my answer to the big question as to whether Liverpool can end their title drought, I fear it may be too early for Jurgen Klopp’s troops this term. I still feel Manchester City and Chelsea will finish above them with their strength of squads and a transfer window coming up. However, I do think Liverpool will finish in the top four and achieve Champions League football next season. They will continue to entertain football fans and be involved in many high-scoring affairs this year. It may not be the success craved by Reds fans, but it’s another step in the road back to the very top.