Liverpool Player Ratings v. Arsenal

STARTING XI:

Mignolet - 6 - He can't be expected to stop volleys hit when he's lying down, or ridiculous strikes from distance bound for the top corner. Nonetheless, it is hard for me to give out anything above a six when two goals were scored.

Flanagan - 6 - The kid did what he could, but the game was too big for him to be shockingly thrust into.

Toure - 5 - Toure was probably the worst of the ill fated back three, and I do wonder if Agger should have started.

Skrtel - 6 - Despite Liverpool conceding twice, Skrtel played a solid match.

Sakho - 6 - Sakho seemed wobbly throughout, but his nerves didn't lead to either goal.

Cissokho - 4 - As Matt put it in the recap, "The Gunners eagerly highlighted Aly Cissokho's total and complete lack of spatial awareness."

Lucas - 5 - When the midfield plays badly, Lucas usually takes heat. He's supposed to be a wall in front of the back line, but against Arsenal he was often the opposite. His swing and a miss that led to an Arsenal break away was unacceptable, and he was visibly tired for much of the match.

Gerrard - 5 - He's tired and Joe Allen should have probably started in his place, but Rodgers was never going to sit his skipper in a massive match that already saw John Flanagan in the starting eleven. On top of that, Gerrard was good against West Brom, so it wasn't a stretch to think the form could continue. However, it didn't, and we were left with a completely gassed and overrun midfield.

Henderson - 6 - Hendo missed some big opportunities and seemed to regress to the mediocre player he was last season.

Suarez - 7 - Suarez was once again the focal point of all things good for Liverpool, but the best he could do was nick the outside of the post midway through the second half. Like Sturridge, he was disconnected from the midfield, which forced him to try and make the best of a bunch of meager counter attacks.

Sturridge - 6 -He was the victim of a disconnected Liverpool side, as the delivery route to his left boot was left dry for much of the match.

SUBS:

Coutinho - 6 - It's wonderful to have him back, but he was obviously rusty and out of sorts. Nonetheless, Liverpool created more chances with the Brazilian on the pitch.

Moses - 5 - He came on as a sort of a last throw of the dice and wasn't anything special.