Liverpool: 5 Things the Club Must Do for a Prayer at European Nights
Liverpool were dumped out of the Europa League in an outright pathetic display last night at Anfield. The Merseyside club never impressed but for a few fleeting moments in the first 10 minutes and had several chances in the last 10 minutes. Other than that were flat and dull.
This morning, third-in-line captain Pepe Reina released a cry for fifth as he still feels that his club can achieve European football again next season despite being a game plus six points back from Tottenham Hotspur.
In his interview with the Liverpool Echo Reina stated, "We have to keep going and of course fifth place is still achievable."
"We have got nine games to play and a lot of points to play for. Tottenham are still involved in the Champions League and they have some tough games. Everyone knows it’s going to be difficult but hopefully we will win enough games to get fifth."
"It’s always important for this club to be involved in European competition. And you can’t say we are not going to play in Europe next year because fifth place is still available."
The Spanish shot stopper has become a fan favorite at Anfield, but Liverpool will have to make some adjustments if they are to get it done with their current lack of depth and the amount of injuries scattered about.
With all that said, there are at least five things the Reds will have to do if they want to over take Tottenham and snake fifth from under Harry Redknapp's chinny chin chin.
Beat Sunderland on Saturday
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If you want fifth, you better go after it, and that starts with a win on Saturday at the Stadium of Light against Sunderland.
Steve Bruce and the Black Cats already took away a draw from Anfield thanks to a brace from now Aston Villa frontman Darren Bent, while the Reds relied on Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard to cancel the English attacker out.
Liverpool will have to do better than a draw with more players missing. The majority of the players from that squad are gone or injured.
Fernando Torres is at Chelsea, Paul Konchesky is on loan to Forest, and while not missed, he might have been better than Danny Wilson was Thursday night. Daniel Agger is still in limbo with his injury, and Gerrard is done for at least another three to four weeks.
Luckily Luis Suarez can play this one, and if the Reds are going to get it right, he will be desperately needed for the last nine games in the EPL.
No More Boot Ball Bring, Back Pass and Move
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While the height and strength of Andy Carroll is great to have up front, that doesn't mean you have to lump it over the top every single attack.
More times than I want to count in their tie with Braga last night all the Reds did was boot it up to the big man, and while yes he won a lot of them, he also has feet that can be decent if given a chance for a shot.
Remember back to the thrashing he gave all of you guys when you visited him at Newcastle when he scored from 25 yards out.
Kenny Dalglish installed a pass and move philosophy which came to fruition against Wolves. If the Reds are going to dominate teams they have to do it with organization and fluid quick passes that will allow for crosses into Carroll that are created, not forced.
Cope with Injuries or off Days
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Liverpool have had ample injuries as of late but that can not be an excuse if they are going to fight for fifth. Martin Kelly and Fabio Aurelio are still at least three weeks out. Gerrard is just fresh off of surgery and out for another four weeks at the least.
As well as injuries, sometimes players have an off day, unless you are Joe Cole and everyday is an off day.
The team has to show unity and poise and not rely on individual performances to make all the difference. That being said, that is easier said than done because the weight on the shoulders of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard last season and now Gerrard, Luis Suarez and Dirk Kuyt this season is noticeably holding the team back.
Most of all in these situations the players have to stop waiting for someone to do it for them and step up and be accountable.
Lucas Leiva has been putting in great performances under the radar at many times this season and has had flashes of brilliance. An interview with Kenny Dalglish on Liverpool's website had the manager comparing Lucas to Liverpool captain and legend Ronnie Whelan.
The Reds need someone to step up and take charge like that and it would be high time for the Brazilian who is one of the longest tenured at the club to finally put the team on his back and show his quality.
Get Wide and Use Width to Create Space for the Attack
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Width, or lack there of, has plagued Liverpool all season. No out and out wide men in the squad has made them awful narrow for the majority of the season and caused their attack to be stifled and bottled up by opposing defenses.
However, Raul Meireles and Luis Suarez have both shown their ability to get wide and create space for attackers. Glen Johnson did so on the left side, but having returned to the right in place of the injured Martin Kelly he has not been playing up to his game from the opposite side.
To be successful with Andy Carroll in the middle, the Reds will have to take the shackles off and get out wide so the big man can move. Suarez and Meireles can provide better service than Joe Cole or Maxi Rodriguez have proven to be capable of this season, but with the injuries in the squad, one of the two will be certain to be in the lineup most of the time for the next several games.
To counter this from causing too much damage to their chances at getting crosses in, it might be better to play Suarez and Meireles out wide supporting an attack combination of Kuyt and Carroll until Kelly or Fabio Aurelio can return and give a boost to the chance of attacking with wingbacks and not just relying on the midfield of width.
Go for It, You Have Nothing Left to Lose, Except Your Dignity
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The most important thing for the Reds to realize is that they have nothing left to lose. No more Europa League, no more Carling Cup, no more FA Cup, as if they ever had a chance at the League. They don't even have another Merseyside Derby to try and save face with.
All the Reds can do is attack and go for it. Teams backed into a wall can be dangerous, and the fact is that the only thing worse than not having a shot at anything in the Premiership or Europe would really be relegation at this point for a team of Liverpool's once proud status.
The only way to achieve fifth place is to not lose, and if they do, they only have room for a draw maybe two, but other than that, it is up to Chelsea and Tottenham to mess up for themselves.
At this point the Reds really don't control that much of their own destiny, but they can control if they want to have any pride about the way they finish the season, and if playing for pride isn't worth it then they will truly see who wants to be at Liverpool and who doesn't.
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