Newcastle vs. Liverpool: Rating the Liverpool Players After Yet Another Defeat

Dilemma time: Liverpool have been soundly beaten again, by Newcastle United this time, and the players need rating.

While the first-half performance from the Reds was pretty good without getting anything from it—they could even feel aggrieved at still being level, never mind behind as they were—the second 45 minutes was a terrible display in every sense.

Shoddy passing, poor movement, lack of ideas and in the end a lack of control.

Despite the inclination to simply hand all 14 players involved a 1 out of 10, here are the ratings for the thoroughly non-rampant Reds.

Goalkeeper: Pepe Reina

What was he thinking?

Basically, the only thing Pepe Reina has had to do in the match against Newcastle United was pick the ball out of the net twice.

He was also beaten by a Mike Williamson header that hit the post.

Beyond that, some routine aerial catches and the odd fingertip clearance of a cross were all that Reina had to do for Liverpool, who had a lot of possession but always looked vulnerable in defence.

There was not much he could do about Papiss Cisse's first goal, a header, but he certainly didn't cover himself in glory for the second.

But with less than 10 minutes left on the clock and having seen Liverpool use all their substitutions, Reina reacted angrily and stupidly to a trip from James Perch, shoving his head too close to the defender, who collapsed to the ground dramatically.

Did Reina really touch him?

Of course not.

But his "altercation" with Arjen Robben a few years ago should have reminded him that he doesn't need to have done so.

Reina was always going to get a red card for that reaction, and as a result will now miss matches against Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers in the league and, most importantly, Everton at Wembley in the FA Cup semifinal.

Alexander Doni, yet to make a competitive appearance for Liverpool, will play instead.

Pepe Reina: 3 out of 10

Full-Backs: Jon Flanagan and Jose Enrique

With Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly still sidelined through injury, Jon Flanagan continued to deputise at right-back for his 13th Reds appearance.

Jose Enrique played as usual on the left, returning to St. James' Park for the first time since moving to Liverpool last summer.

It was the youngster Flanagan who enjoyed the better game in general, linking up well with Steven Gerrard and Craig Bellamy down his flank and getting forward to support, while also holding up play well and generally tracking Papiss Cisse well in defence.

Cisse did escape him for the first goal, though, drifting between Flanagan and Skrtel toward the back post to head home.

Flanagan was also booked for a meaty challenge on Tiote, but he can be about as happy as anyone in red for his performance today.

Jose Enrique was, in most respects, dire.

He clearly didn't cope well with the occasion and continued his overly complicated habits of holding onto the ball instead of releasing it quickly to a teammate in space, which several times put Liverpool on the back foot after conceding possession.

Hatem Ben Arfa gave the left-back nightmares in the first half, as he too frequently was allowed to cut back onto his left foot instead of being shown down the flank on his weaker right.

The one occasion Jose Enrique did do this, the ball ran out for a goal kick.

Why the defender did not continue to do this defies belief.

Jose Enrique failed to deliver any kind of quality in the final third and ended up finishing the match in goal after Pepe Reina was sent off, with no substitutions remaining to Liverpool.

Jon Flanagan: 6 out of 10

Jose Enrique: 3 out of 10

Centre-Backs: Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel

The difference in Liverpool's defence now from two months ago is absolutely incredible.

From looking rock-solid, steady and reliable, Liverpool now look shaky and in danger of conceding a goal every time the opposition attack.

From set pieces, they are vulnerable and lacking confidence, while the spaces between centre-backs and full-backs seems to grow with every passing counterattack.

The second Newcastle goal, however far offside it was, is completely indicative of this.

Is it just down to the return of Jamie Carragher?

I don't think so.

Carragher remains an effective organiser, but Liverpool are lacking cohesion in general throughout the team at the moment, not just in defence.

Today, neither Skrtel nor Carragher were dominant enough against the dual threats of Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba, standing off to allow the Newcastle players to drive from deep, shoot from range or thread passes out wide at will.

They need to start playing much, much better together or else change one of the two.

And with Skrtel enjoying the best form of his career, it's only going to be Carragher.

Jamie Carragher: 4 out of 10

Martin Skrtel: 4 out of 10

Central Midfield: Jay Spearing, Steven Gerrard and Jonjo Shelvey

Liverpool reverted to a three-man midfield and handed Jonjo Shelvey just his second Premier League start of the season, as Jordan Henderson became the latest casualty of poor performance, costing him a place in the starting 11.

Jay Spearing continued in his holding role, with Shelvey and Steven Gerrard given more licence to break forward.

In the first half, it worked.

Liverpool were more enterprising, had more attacking players getting into the box, and they looked dangerous.

None of the chances were taken, though, and after the break they fell away completely, not pressing, not tackling and certainly not passing the ball well enough.

After the second Newcastle goal, Shelvey seemed to be trying to do it all himself, while Spearing couldn't get to grips with the movement off the ball from the likes of Yohan Cabaye.

Gerrard flitted between right and central roles, trying to find a telling cross, but ultimately there was too little to aim for as a spate of changes of personnel and formations worked against Liverpool.

Kenny Dalglish got his midfield selection right today.

The first half proved that—Liverpool passed it well and dominated for spells.

Letting the front three roam and be supported by Gerrard and another, Shelvey in this case, let the Reds get bodies into the box.

However, the confidence visibly dropped later on, which is understandable, and then so did the work rate, which is unacceptable.

As central midfielders, those three players were more responsible than most for setting the tone of urgency and rhythm for the other Liverpool players to follow, and at this they failed dismally.

Jay Spearing: 5 out of 10

Steven Gerrard: 4 out of 10

Jonjo Shelvey: 4 out of 10

Forwards: Craig Bellamy, Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll

Andy Carroll: as with Pepe Reina, what was he thinking?

After nine minutes, Liverpool should have been leading, Carroll would have been flying and the home support would have been quieted.

A great show of strength, determination and ability saw Carroll win the ball in the air, beat another defender on the deck and round 'keeper Tim Krul with ease.

An open goal beckoned.

Why, oh why, did Andy Carroll then choose to go to ground with a blatant dive instead of just rolling the ball into the empty net?

Who knows?

That was the best chance Liverpool had in the whole game in the end, despite striking the woodwork and seeing a defender handball on the line.

Carroll never really got back into the game in a big way after that moment, and that about sums up his year-and-a-quarter at Liverpool since leaving Newcastle.

Craig Bellamy was arguably Liverpool's biggest threat in the first half, as he got beyond Jonas at left-back time and time again and sent over a series of good crosses, high and low.

One of those was deflected onto the bar.

However, he never really capitalised on it enough and wasted a couple of other chances to shoot and cross, perhaps belying the fact he was making his first start in a month.

Luis Suarez was the most disappointing of Liverpool's attacking trio because he is the most talented and had the least real impact on the game.

Looking jaded and shorn of confidence, Suarez only flitted in and out of the game with his trademark turns in tight space, and only once had a good sight of goal—which he must have thought he'd scored with until James Perch produced a great block.

Craig Bellamy: 5 out of 10

Luis Suarez: 4 out of 10

Andy Carroll: 3 out of 10

Substitutes: Stewart Downing, Dirk Kuyt, Jordan Henderson

Kenny Dalglish waited until the 75th minute, a little surprisingly, to make his first change.

Stewart Downing came on for Jonjo Shelvey but had very little impact.

The same can be said for Dirk Kuyt and Jordan Henderson, who only seemed to have one touch—a pass which went straight out of play.

Those two came on just a couple of minutes after Downing—and just a minute before Pepe Reina was sent off.

All in all, a bad game to come on as a sub, given that Liverpool had evidently already given up any hope of recovering a point or more, judging by the pointless trudging around the pitch and half-arsed attempt at closing down the black and white shirts.

A thoroughly disgusting second-half performance from Liverpool, substitutes included unfortunately, who though had little time to have an impact, showed no urgency, energy or desire between them.

Stewart Downing: 3 out of 10

Jordan Henderson: 3 out of 10

Dirk Kuyt: 3 out of 10

Unused substitutes: Alexander Doni, Fabio Aurelio, Sebastian Coates, Maxi Rodriguez.