da 888： Liverpool’s glorious return to the Champions League on Tuesday night proved to be something of a reality check for the Reds. Fully expected to record a comfortable victory over Bulgarian side Ludogorets Razgrad at Anfield, Brendan Rodgers’ men instead laboured to a narrow 2-1 victory, with a last-minute Steven Gerrard penalty ensuring that his teammates’ faces did not match the colour of their jerseys.
da cassino： For large periods of the game, Liverpool seemed pedestrian, worryingly vulnerable and devoid of ideas. Indeed, prior to Mario Balotelli’s strike eight minutes before the end – his first for the Reds – the best chance fell to Ludogorets’ Roman Bezjak whose goalbound shot left the home crowd in a momentary state of stunned silence, only for it to make contact with the post than the net. That this opportunity arose after a through ball slid between the legs of the erratic Mamadou Sakho shows just how nervy Liverpool’s performance was in their first appearance in Europe’s elite competition for five years.
The Reds could be forgiven for succumbing to a bout of the jitters on such a momentous occasion, even when facing notably inferior opposition. However, Liverpool were equally as unconvincing in their home defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League. Daniel Sturridge was absent from both matches due to injury, and the recent struggles of his colleagues highlight his vital importance to the team.
The England international scored 21 league goals last season, and it is his pace, penetration and technical ability that made him – and Liverpool to a large extent – such an attacking threat. Though Balotelli is undoubtedly a talented striker, he is not in the same mould as Sturridge. In the one game the pair have played together so far – the 3-0 victory against Tottenham – there were signs that Sturridge’s speed and Balotelli’s tendency to drop deep and hold up play could be an effective combination. Play Balotelli as a lone centre forward, on the other hand – as Liverpool have effectively been forced to do in the past two games – and the Reds lose a pacy striking outlet, which leads to a general lack of attacking endeavour and incision. Too often against both Ludogorets and Aston Villa were Liverpool’s creative midfield trio of Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson unable to produce a clearcut goalscoring opportunity whilst in possession of the ball in the opposition’s half.
This is something which does not become a problem when Sturridge is present. The manner of Liverpool’s first goal against Tottenham, whereby Henderson played an incisive ball to Sturridge, whose speed allowed him to play a quick ball across the box which was duly converted by Sterling, epitomised the qualities Sturridge brings to the team.
What will also be worrying for Liverpool fans is Philippe Coutinho’s loss of form. The Brazilian was wasteful and careless with the ball against both Villa and Ludogorets, and the harsh reality is that whilst Sterling’s game seems to have improved at a phenomenal rate over the past two seasons – which is reflected in the regularity of his goals and assists – Coutinho’s has stagnated. Playing both means losing a more defensively-minded midfielder such as Joe Allen which leaves the side imbalanced and vulnerable.
Nevertheless, Rodgers is still evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of this new-look Liverpool side which saw nine new players arriving over the summer. Despite the unimpressive performances of late, the Tottenham result is at least an indication that the Reds have found one formation which suits the team; a diamond 4-4-2 with a midfield quartet of Gerrard, Henderson, Allen and Sterling, headed by a striking partnership consisting of Sturridge and Balotelli, provides Liverpool with equilibrium throughout the team, as well as width in the form of marauding full-backs Alberto Moreno and Javier Manquillo.
To make such a system work, however, the presence of Sturridge is essential – without this one vital cog, the rest of the machine cannot function to the best of its ability. Liverpool will be hoping that Sturridge’s return to the side comes as quickly as possible, otherwise they are in danger of looking remarkably ordinary in a season in which the competition is fiercer than ever.
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