Liverpool vs. Wigan: 6 Things We Learned About the Reds in Disappointing Defeat

Another disappointing defeat for Liverpool against Wigan should have brought home a few truths to those wearing red at Anfield, not least of all the players on the pitch and the coaches on the sidelines.

Liverpool's monstrous inability to win matches at home in the league reared its ugly head once again against the relegation-battling Latics in such fashion that the team at home were never in the lead at any point.

Here are six things we learned about Liverpool from the game.

No Points from Two Relegation Encounters: Just Not Good Enough

Following on from the 3-2 midweek collapse against Queens Park Rangers, Liverpool then went on to lose their second Premier League match in a row since the Merseyside derby by falling at home to Wigan Athletic.

While top four aspirations, and with them any hopes of a Champions League place, may have been out the window for a couple of weeks now, Liverpool have at least still had designs on chasing a 6th or even 5th-place finish ahead of Newcastle United and Chelsea.

But after failing to pick up a single point from games against QPR (18th at the start of play) and Wigan (19th at the start of play) the Reds now face a long road back to even catch up with Alan Pardew's Magpies, who sit five points clear in sixth with a game in hand—and only eight matches remaining.

Quite simply, this is an unacceptable return from Liverpool, who should, by now, be in sixth themselves with maximum points from two relegation-threatened opponents and just two points off Chelsea in fifth.

Champions League places might still even then only be a pipe dream, but the Liverpool fans would still have that ounce of irreplaceable optimism going into the final two months of the season.

Anfield Not Quite the Fortress That Kopites Thought It Was Becoming

From when Kenny Dalglish took over in January of 2011 until the end of last season, Liverpool suffered defeat just once on their home turf—near the end of the season against Tottenham Hotspur.

This season, the Reds went unbeaten in all competitions at Anfield right up until the start of March. However, four wins compared to eight draws hardly intimated that the greatest fear was being put into opponents.

Suddenly two defeats in three home ties has meant it is now just five home wins from 15 games in the stadium, which has frozen players from the likes of Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Juventus in the past.

It has been said all season long that Liverpool need to go basically unbeaten at home to stand any chance of making a top-four place—so much for that—but winning only one from every three pretty much sums up the Reds' troubles at the moment.

Andy Carroll: Do the Statistics Lie?

Right, Andy Carroll.

Liverpool's number nine has not exactly set the world alight this season; indeed he has barely glimmered like a distant Zippo lighter in several matches.

But is he providing a greater service to Liverpool and his team-mates beyond the norm, beyond what might at first be apparent?

Liverpool's last seven matches with Carroll in the starting 11 read: Win, Win, Draw, Win, Win, Win, Win.

The last 10 games without Carroll in the team from the off read: Draw, Draw, Draw, Lose, Lose, Lose, Lose, Lose, Lose, Lose.

Whatever you think of Andy Carroll's work rate, finishing, first touch or any other attribute, that is a quite amazing set of results in either case.

Is it coincidence? Over that number of matches?

Is it down to Carroll, or the games he plays in? His team-mates, or the opposition?

Look further at the statistics:

Liverpool have won an average of 2.0 points per game with Carroll in the team against the top six sides in the league (Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea and Newcastle) and an average of 1.0 point per game without him.

Against the rest of the league, the Reds have also won 2.0 points per game with Carroll starting, and only 1.75 without him.

The numbers alone do not indicate that Carroll is a contributing factor to each individual win, nor should they, but perhaps they are highly indicative of how Liverpool approach matches with him in the team.

Or, maybe more accurately, how the other players in the team—Suarez, Gerrard, Kuyt, Downing etc.—are able to function more freely with Carroll taking the attentions of opposition defenders.

Stats originally from Dan Kennett.

The Right Midfield Issue Is Arguably Most Important for Liverpool to Solve

Jordan Henderson, Dirk Kuyt and Stewart Downing have all had various stabs at filling the right side of midfield for Liverpool this season, with varying degrees of success.

What is absolutely clear is that Liverpool need somebody genuinely capable of making the spot their own for the long term—and the present.

Henderson is not that man. He isn't a winger, he's not effective like Maxi Rodriguez can be from the flank.

Kuyt's not the man for the long term and, in all honesty, remains better as a second forward.

Downing should obviously be played on the left to be utilised as a true winger, at least unless Liverpool have more effective central midfield options.

Liverpool need a striker, a central midfielder, another left-back even—but the most pressing need of all to give the side balance and let more players play in their natural roles is a right-sided midfielder.

Glen Johnson, Daniel Agger, Lucas Leiva: No Surprise Liverpool's Defence Leaks

The frailty of Liverpool's defence against QPR and Wigan Athletic in the past couple of games has been a stark contrast to the mean-looking back-line which saw the Reds have one of the best defensive records for much of the middle-third of the season.

But is it really a surprise?

Liverpool had been looking consistent and reliable in defense for most games with a settled defensive quintet of Pepe Reina, Glen Johnson, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Jose Enrique, with Lucas Leiva playing and shielding ahead of them until late November.

Since then, Liverpool have played a large number of games without a recognised holding midfielder—only the last half a dozen games or so have seen Jay Spearing cement his spot in the team—while Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger have both suffered injuries to see them leave the regular 11.

Liverpool do have potentially very good defensive understudies—Seb Coates, Martin Kelly and Jon Flanagan.

But they only have 66 Liverpool appearances between them. Compare that to the 254 between Agger and Johnson alone, plus the further experience both players have had elsewhere, and that is a lot of match experience lost with half the regular defence out.

Young defenders will make mistakes, and more experienced ones coming back into the team—Jamie Carragher, Fabio Aurelio—will either not be at the same level of sharpness or on the career decline.

A settled back four is imperative to success and regardless of Liverpool's final third struggles they need their defense fully fit to compete.

Raheem Sterling: Don't Expect Too Much, Too Soon from the Winger

Liverpool's newest induction to the Academy graduation hall of fame, Raheem Sterling, enjoyed a lively cameo performance at the end of the defeat to Wigan Athletic.

His flashes of dribbling ability and pace will, inevitably, lead to calls for more game minutes for the first team and even starting places in certain games.

It's understandable—but remember the lad is 17 years old and has had more than a few "personal" issues to contend with over the past year.

It won't be a smooth transition from reserve to first teamer.

He's not the new Lionel Messi.

Just let him be himself, let Kenny Dalglish manage him as he sees fit, and enjoy the late substitute appearances as he gets them.

Believe me, Sterling will be far more effective for Liverpool in 10 or 15 minutes at the end of a game, utilising pace and technique as much as desire and fearlessness, than he will by coming on for half an hour—or even starting a game—and being expected to have an immediate, match-winning impact.

Raheem Sterling can certainly be a very good player and a great asset for Liverpool, just don't expect it all to come against Newcastle, Aston Villa and Blackburn in 2012.