Does Liverpool Have What it Takes?

By Brian Lofrumento | 2nd December 2008

Does Liverpool Have What it Takes? | read this item

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Before the season started, I wrote an article about Liverpool’s slim chance of winning the Premier League. Now the English media – as well as the Liverpool fan base – is going mad about how great Rafa Benitez’s side is and how they’re in an excellent position to win the league. To that, I still say “bollocks!”

Before you get all anxious, let’s explore why I say this, even though Liverpool sit at the top of the table.

Early Season Points

Part of Liverpool’s success so far this season is down to their great start to the season. While it’s great that they were grinding out points while they weren’t playing well, but at some point it needs to be attributed to plain old luck. That is exactly what Liverpool’s early points come down to.

In the opening match of the season it took a Fernando Torres spectacular finish in the 83rd minute to get a win against Sunderland. In their home opener against Middlesbrough it took an Emmanuel Pogatetz own goal in the 86th minute and a Steven Gerrard stoppage time goal to win 2-1. These were followed up by a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa.

While luck is important for a championship run, it is also something that runs out. Judging by their recent form, Liverpool’s luck is beginning to run out.

Reliance on Fernando Torres

Let’s face it, Fernando Torres is an exceptional player. The Spaniard led Liverpool in scoring this year and could very well do it again this year. Part of the problem, though, is that Liverpool have become dependent on his goals. Sure, other players like Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt can fill in with some goals, but there is no other player that will step up like Torres. Look at Liverpool’s previous two Premier League matches: they’ve been held scoreless by both Fulham and West Ham – both at Anfield. Champions score, and they almost always score at home.

The Liverpool Effect

It happens every year: Liverpool start well in the league, do well in the Champions League, and fixture congestion hits the side. Liverpool haven’t been stellar in Europe this year, but they have done enough to get to the next round. Sooner or later I expect to see a typical Liverpool collapse in the league as many squad members begin to focus on the Champions League. It’s happened before, and Rafa will need to do something to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Mental Block

This may be the one thing that gets criticized the most, but it can’t be underestimated. The way I see it, the Liverpool players seem to have a severe mental block when it comes to winning the Premiership. The players and fans all know that Liverpool haven’t won the Premier League, and it’s often mentioned by players in interviews (including Steven Gerrard constantly saying “this is our year”). In order to win, a winning mentality needs to be planted in the players’ minds. Rafa needs to tell the side to forget history and just focus on the task at hand.

What do you think of Liverpool’s chances this season? Have your say in the Premiership Talk Forum!

mintox says:

December 4, 2008 at 1:47 am

You have to be in it to win it and by being 1 point clear at the top of the table, Liverpool have as much a chance of winning the title as Chelsea and Manchester United.

Liverpool are not the only ones of the top 3 teams that have struggled in games this season but you have chosen to write off their chances.

To answer your reasoning:

Early Season Points:

The timing of the goals indicates litle about a teams ability to win the league and has very little to do with luck.

Grinding out points when not playing well doesn’t necessarily mean a team is playing bad. Top teams will always face weaker teams that will try and disrupt their play by putting 10 men behind the ball or by being more physical. Sometimes you just have to battle it out to win. It’s a credit to the team that can get a win out of those games.

Sure they drew with Villa but then so did Manchester United, Villa certainly aren’t a side to be taken lightly this season.

You failed to point out that in their start to the season they have defeated Chelsea AND Manchester United on the way to top spot.

Reliance on Fernando Torres:

Between them Keane, Gerrard and Kuyt have scored 10 of Liverpools 21 goals. Torres is equal with Kuyt on 5 goals so hardly showing an reliance on one player and at the same time Keane has yet to fire and his record would suggest that he will start to put the goals away eventually.

The Liverpool Effect:

If you’re looking to historical patterns to Liverpools form then you’ve overlooked that they are often out of contention by December yet this season they are top of the table.

It’s ridiculous to suggest that when sitting on the top of the table in December team members will stop concentrating on the league and focus on the Champions League instead.

Mental Block:

This is about the only thing i think you have almost right. But not about winning the league, it’s a mental block about winning individual games. When this Liverpool team don’t score early they often start worrying about how not to lose the game rather than about how to win the game. The loss to Spurs would not have helped especially when they looked to be on top and cruising to a win. Rafa has to make sure that his team is prepared to take the game to the opposition and take the calculated risks necessary to win the games like they did against Chelsea and United.

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Haakon says:

December 2, 2008 at 6:08 pm

No.

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