Lallana explains slow start to Liverpool career

Adam Lallana has put his slow start to life as a Liverpool player down to ‘trying too hard to impress.’

The England international has struggled to make an impact following his £25million move to Anfield in the summer, and admits that despite showing flashes of what he is capable of, he has come up short so far.

“I always knew it was going to be difficult settling in, especially with the injury,” he told Liverpool’s official magazine.

“Playing for a new club the size of Liverpool and having Champions League football – you need to be tough mentally.

“I was so desperate to do well, maybe trying a bit too hard to impress, not doing things that I’d normally do, thinking about things maybe a bit too much.

“You can’t always expect to be at your best straight away. When you’ve been away for seven or eight weeks the pitch feels a bit different when you step back on it for the first time.

“It’s a case of getting your head down, working hard and doing the things that have made you successful before to get back to a level where you can affect matches.

“Gradually, the more games I’ve played and the more minutes I’ve accumulated, my form has improved and I’m getting closer to the levels I was at last season for Southampton.

“There’s still an improvement to be made but I’m getting there.”