Liverpool’s soft defence will ultimately cost Rodgers
Since the goalless draw away to Arsenal in August, Liverpool have failed to keep a clean sheet in eight games, conceding 13 goals.
Despite the switch to three central defenders, and the return of defensive-minded midfielder Lucas to the side, Brendan Rodgers’ team continues to look weak at the back. Converted midfielder Emre Can in particular struggled against Everton today.
This isn’t exactly a new problem for Liverpool. Even at their swashbuckling best during the 2013/14 season, Liverpool’s soft underbelly was their undoing.
It could also ultimately cost Rodgers his job. This is arguably the fourth different team the Northern Irishman has built at Anfield, and the one common factor among each team is their soft defence.
In his fourth season as Liverpool manager, Rodgers’ has won just a single league game away from home against the top four and Everton. And that sole victory was against David Moyes’ Manchester United, and was spearheaded by Luis Suarez.
In these games, Liverpool have conceded almost two goals per game. Rodgers prides himself on his coaching ability, however, his talents evidently don’t extend to defensive coaching.
Coutinho needs to show more
David Luiz said this week that, unless Liverpool are playing Champions League football next season, they seriously risk losing Philippe Coutinho.
“The best need to be playing with the best,” the PSG defender said about his Brazilian compatriot.
“Coutinho is the best midfield player in England right now. That is great for him, but when you play at that level the big clubs will notice you.”
Coutinho was nowhere near even the best player in Liverpool’s midfield today. The Brazilian was largely anonymous, and nothing like the talismanic figure Liverpool needed.
The 23-year-old is capable of moments of magic, and is a wonderful player at his best, but, if he’s to be genuinely considered as a top player, he needs to impose himself on games such as today’s derby.
James McCarthy is in excellent form
For some reason, James McCarthy has become something of an irritant for a contingent of Ireland fans. Many seem to expect the 24-year-old to be more of a dynamic, box-to-box midfielder, and offer more of a goal threat.
However, whether or not Irish fans ever get to see that side of McCarthy, the midfielder showed his worth to Everton today.
McCarthy was excellent, keeping Coutinho quiet and winning the midfield battle for Everton.
The decline of Northern giants
Gary Neville wrote a column last week about the decline of football teams in the north of England.
“So the question is whether northern football is on the brink of a demise,” The former Manchester United defender wrote.
“Obviously Manchester is the exception. But even Merseyside, which was the epicentre of football in the 1980s, is now on the fringe. Is it cyclical or, with what’s happened in Yorkshire and Lancashire are we seeing the north of England eased off the map of footballing success?”
While the expectations around Liverpool and Everton are different for what constitutes success this season, there’s an argument to be made they occupy similar positions in the football foodchain.
Both are hampered in a commercial sense by their archaic football grounds, that have changed little since the 1980s when they were among the best teams in the country.
With London an increasingly popular destination for footballers, the prestige of playing for two traditional big teams lessens with each passing season they remain outside Europe’s top club competition.
Players such as Romelu Lukaku and McCarthy undoubtedly harbour ambitions of playing in the Champions League, but that’s unlikely to happen with Everton.
While Liverpool are more hopeful of playing in the Champions League than their Merseyside rivals, on today’s evidence they’re as far from it as Everton.
This was once a derby that decided the destinations of trophies, but it now appears more likely one to decide who’ll finish in the top six.
Local bragging rights a distant memory under Martinez
David Moyes only managed four wins in 25 Merseyside derbies, so it is not as if Everton’s current barren spell on the local front is new – but that is not going to assuage the fans.
It is now five meetings with Liverpool without a win under Roberto Martinez and five years in total for the Toffees.
Everton sit above Liverpool in the table, as they have done for long periods since last putting one over their neighbours. Obviously supporters care about their final league position and looking down on Liverpool is a satisfying feeling, but there is nothing that compares to the thrill of beating your rivals, either home or away.
