Date: 30th September 2011 at 3:45pm
Written by:

The first Galacticos era at Real Madrid (featuring Zidane, Figo, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos) had a philosophy that focused on outscoring your opponents rather than trying to keep a clean sheet then worry about attack later (like Mourinho’s Chelsea).

Liverpool, to be up in 5th position on the log, have somewhat unwittingly adopted this philosophy. Not by choice, obviously. The gaffer certainly acknowledges this himself:

“It’s something we’ve got to continue working on but if we keep scoring more goals than the opposition then fine.

But it’s always nice to have your opposition with a nothing after their name, isn’t it?”

However I am very sure King Kenny and Steve Clarke have not instructed them to ignore defending and our porous defence is extremely worrying. It is not acceptable that we have only one clean sheet to date this season and have a goal difference of zero.

Liverpool FC used to be known for its rigid and stingy defence but this season, right from pre-season fixtures in China and Malaysia, opposition teams have had very little problems finding the back of Reina, Doni or Gulacsi’s net. People have blamed Carragher’s slow pace and old age, others put it down to a constantly changing backline (Johnson, Flanno, Kelly and Skrtel have all played at right-back this season). Whatever the reason, we need to stop giving away goals.

King Kenny knows that this has to be addressed and I’m sure (well, I hope at least) that they lads have spent some extra time in training re-learning how to tighten up defensively:

“If you keep scoring goals, it makes it more difficult for the other team, but certainly not losing goals makes it a bit easier for ourselves as well as scoring at the other end.”

Everton do not have a powerful strikeforce to speak of at the moment and surely can be held at bay. If the defenders sort out their problems at the back then Suarez and the others can do what they do best at the other end.

Lets hope the Reds record their second clean sheet of the season and win the Battle of Merseyside.

YNWA!

 

3 responses to “Defensive headaches”

  1. Gerrardious says:

    I was hoping for some more indepth analysis of individual players and different pairings (especially at CB). Anyways I wouldn’t call it a headache yet but its definitely a course for concern.

  2. james says:

    the good news is that the defence can only improve. Improvement would be helped by a healthy set of options at right back, and some pace in the center. That may have to wait until January, when I think we’ll have higher priorities for spending. Spurs forwards smiled at the ease with which they could glide behind our center backs. Jamie has been the beating heart of Liverpool but his time as a first choice regular is done. If Coates lives up to his reputation and Johnson gets healthy our problems may be solved.

  3. kagutsuti says:

    Carra is now too slow too old we need more, at the right back i think kelly is the best solution.
    The only who deserve his place at 100% is enrique, a good bargain