OUT OF FORM AND IN TROUBLE
When it mattered most, Liverpool’s comeback magic deserted them, and exposed too many players as being off the pace
LIVERPOOL’S problems are a waiting for buses.
You wait ages for one and then they all come at once.
There are issues all over the pitch for Liverpool, from their defending, to their finishing, to their lack of pressing to too many individuals suffering a collapse in form.
Take their defending. They have kept just three clean sheets in their last 19 games and conceded first in four of their last five league games at Anfield, meaning opponents always have a chance against them.
It did not matter when Liverpool mounted their famous comebacks, like they did at home to Luton and Brighton.
But it does now, when their goals have suddenly dried up.
Liverpool failed to score from 40 efforts on goal against Crystal Palace and Atalanta.
And they managed just two from 28 shots, including one from the penalty spot, in their draw at Manchester United, .
Perhaps the Reds were lulled into a false sense of security because they had taken a league-high 27 points from losing positions and scored 27 goals from the 76thminute onwards. Andy Robertson admits they must start better, get the first goal and dictate the game.
“We’ve spoken about that and we’ve said we can’t keep relying on our comebacks,” said the Scotland defender.
“We can’t, it’s impossible. You can’t keep doing it season after season, game after game after game.
“You have to get on the front foot, get the first goal, be on top, go after them. And we’ve not managed that.”
Luck is another factor and Liverpool’s has run out when they need it most.
Jurgen Klopp (above), who is seeing his final season at Anfield fall apart in front of his eyes, was particularly unhappy with their lack of pressing in the first half against Palace.
Klopp’s high line is one of his trademarks as a coach. But
Palace played through their nonexistent press far too easily and should have led by more than 1-0 at half-time.
Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and even Virgil van Dijk have suffered a collective loss of form, meaning there is no one to dig Liverpool out of a hole.
Returning stars Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-arnold are finally back, but they clearly need games to get matchsharp after their long spells out.
Klopp admits Mac Allister and Endo are tired as he has had to overplay them because of his injury crisis, which cost him 11 first-team players at one stage. “Did Wataru and
Macca play now a little bit too much in the last few weeks?” said Klopp.
“Maybe. They were the two most-used, especially Macca. A couple of players had to play a lot and a couple were always interrupted. That’s the fitness situation. We just have to find a way to beat the opponent in front of us.”
But after winning just three of their last eight games, that’s proving easier said than done for Liverpool.