Rodgers admits defensive issue

UNDER- FIRE striker Mario Balotelli’s spell in the headlines has helped deflect attention from Liverpool’s real problem, but manager Brendan Rodgers knows that is something which cannot be ignored.

The Reds have kept just one clean sheet in 18 matches and a summer overhaul of the defence has not rectified an increasingly worrying issue.

The arrivals of £ 20m centrehalf Dejan Lovren and £ 12m left- back Alberto Moreno appears to have had no effect on the Reds’ vulnerability, particularly in the air, but Rodgers insists it is an issue which is relative to the whole team.

“Defensively, we need to be better as a team, not just the defence and goalkeeper,” he said ahead of the visit of Hull.

“We all pride ourselves on clean sheets, but we need to be more competitive and aggressive in those moments as a team. That was the disappointment against Real Madrid ( a 3- 0 defeat on Wednesday) and also the goals we have conceded – a large number of them have been soft and it is our job to improve that quickly.

“We need to work harder and make it better. We need to reinforce key principles in that organisation and then it’s you as a player on the field showing that competitive spirit.

“The great competitors don’t get done so easily in those situations and that’s something we need to improve upon.”

LEAGUE Two strugglers York have signed Australian keeper Alex Cisak on a month’s loan from Burnley, while Bury have signed 19- year- old Everton forward Courtney Duffus until January to bolster their promotion ambitions.

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