Ha, Getty was disgusted by Liverpool's effort today that they didn't even bother giving me any pictures to choose from. Can't say I blame them.
It's funny how things you write come back to haunt you. I said in the gamethread that if you have to show up, you might as well play well. Well, apparently Liverpool didn't have to show up, because they didn't. Second, it was sometime last year when I had a headline after another terrible loss that said, "When You Can't Find Bottom." Because as the insipidness and ineptness keep continuing and adding, you wonder how much worse it can get. That's where I'm at with Liverpool now. I thought Wednesday had to be as bad as it got, just as I thought the Arsenal loss could be as bad it got. But no, it wasn't. And now I have no idea where it might finally got "splat."
Oh, and Victor Moses was responsible for a goal. My prediction skills are other worldly.
Before I get into an anti-Kenny rant here, and I'm about to, there's not much a manager can do when pretty much everyone he picks plays in a don't-we-suck fog. He could have started 15 today, and I'm not sure it would have mattered. Secondly, after Wednesday's collapse, I suppose there was some justification in leaving Coates out. And at least he started Flanagan (who looked just fine, by the way).
Ok, now let's go. There was no reason that Andy Carroll didn't start today. And if you're going to play a 4-3-3, something I have been clamoring for most of the season as it fits the personnel better, Carroll has to spearhead it. Because when he does, Suarez doesn't get isolated. Suarez and others get ahead of the main striker. Carroll occupies defenders. He creates space, if nothing else. It would have given you at least two strikers occupying the three Wigan defenders. And when that has happened, Downing gets farther and farther forward, or whoever else was the third forward would have.
Oh, and Liverpool haven't lost when Suarez, Carroll, and Gerrard all start.
However, when you pick Suarez to be the lone middle man up front, he drops deep looking for the ball, fine in itself, but no one gets ahead of him. Kuyt wanders around the right or left, still unable to let go of his defensive responsibility which shunted him out wide from the forward's position in the first place. Downing has no one to cross to or provide space for him. The fullback is on top of him.
Sadly, the formation isn't helped when Jordan Henderson is nowhere, and that's disappointing because that's exactly where we wanted him played most of the season. Now I'm worried that whatever promise Henderson has showed has been fist-fucked out of him by Dalglish's constant shuffling of him out wide where he simply doesn't belong, and now his head is spinning.
And yet, all of that would have been fine if this team had any belief whatsoever, which they don't. As soon as the second goal was canceled out, you could see the airbag deflate and a giant "THBBBBT!" emit out of Anfield. They knew they were toast, and it was only going to take one mistake to rob them of even a point. So it was.
Maybe a team that's suffered as many disappointing results, and not just disappointing but frustrating, should have been better almost unjust at times results, just loses belief at some point. Maybe there's nothing to be done about that. But even with Kenny spouting off this week about how he hadn't given up on fourth place, his players clearly have. Is that on him? I don't see how he's completely blameless.
Anyway, the Dalglish debate is best saved for after the season, and it will be a hearty one. It's not Kenny's fault that Skrtel shrivels whenever partnered with Carragher, as Agger is hurt and Coates probably can't be trusted yet. It's not really Kenny's fault that Gerrard is on fumes at this point with the injuries in midfield forcing him to play more than he should have.
Whatever. Is it really so much worse than it was? Is there a difference between 5th and 10th? Other than the money, of course. Obviously, everyone wants progress exemplified by improving league position and point total. But that left town long ago, and it ain't worried about finding its way back.
Loading comments...