Basel vs. Liverpool: Lessons Learned from Champions League Game

Liverpool suffered a damaging defeat in Switzerland as Marco Streller’s goal gave Basel a deserved 1-0 win in the Champions League.

The result pulls the Swiss side level on points with a Reds outfit who never got going at St. Jakob-Park, where they were frequently let down by their final ball and once again conceded a sloppy goal from a set-piece.

The loss extends Liverpool’s poor run of form, and is particularly damaging given that they’ll face Real Madrid home and away in their next two Group B fixtures.

Here are some conclusions from a miserable night for the Reds.

Real Madrid Won’t Be Quaking in Their Boots

Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

Had they won tonight then Liverpool could almost have looked upon the Real Madrid double-header as two “free games.” You could have made the same suggestion for a draw, too.

This loss, however, means that something is probably going to have to be taken from the European champions either home or away if the Reds are to progress, and that simply doesn’t look possible given the way that they are currently playing.

Cristiano Ronaldo and company might have struggled past Ludogorets in the other Group B game this evening, but they’ll approach the Liverpool encounter with six points in the bag. Win at Anfield in three weeks’ time and they’ll pretty much be through, potentially killing off their opponents in the process.

Three Isn’t the Magic Number

Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

Ever since the oh-so damaging injury suffered by Daniel Sturridge on international duty, Liverpool have been relying on the three players behind the forward to impress, create and score goals. Raheem Sterling got one against West Ham, but that’s it.

Sterling, Philippe Coutinho and Lazar Markovic didn’t add to that number tonight, which was especially disappointing given that both the former and latter both had exceptional chances to do so only to snatch at them.

Those players simply aren’t producing both the goals and assists that they need to be, and although there have been signs of promise from substitute Adam Lallana, that promise needs to come to fruition soon.

The Same Old Story at the Back

Patrick Straub/Associated Press

Marco Streller’s winning goal was the epitome of the type of strikes that the Reds have been conceding throughout this poor run, as once again the same old failings occurred.

The fact that a simple delivery into the centre of their penalty area can cause so much havoc surely isn’t a personnel problem but more a coaching one, and while Liverpool could get away with such obvious failings last season because they’d probably go and score two down the other end, they can’t do that this season.

It’s a chronic problem.

Serey Die Shows Exactly What the Reds Are Missing

Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

Serey Die is a decent 29-year-old Ivorian midfielder, but he isn’t the player that Liverpool made him look to be this evening.

All he did was simply show enthusiasm and energy in the centre of the pitch, outmuscling others and looking to start attacks.

He was simply doing everything that Liverpool weren’t.

Basel’s Brush with English Teams Goes Well Again

Patrick Straub/Associated Press

They’ve beaten Chelsea at home and knocked both Liverpool and Manchester United out of the Champions League before, so there is little wonder that Basel enjoy playing English teams—and that was the case again here.

Paulo Sousa’s side simply wanted this more than Liverpool as—following their opening day hammering at Real Madrid—they surely knew that a defeat could well spell the end of their hopes of qualifying already.

They were quicker, stronger and faster than Liverpool, showcasing all the qualities that should come naturally to their more feted opponents, and they deserved their success.

Mario Balotelli Remains Mario Balotelli

Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

He really shouldn’t be overly criticised until he’s back playing with Daniel Sturridge again, as the pair linked up well in the win at Tottenham and have only played for an hour together so far, but when Mario Balotelli is having an off night you can certainly see the evidence in his demeanour, his approach and ultimately his performance.

That simply isn’t acceptable when Liverpool are struggling as they are at the moment. If this celebrated gamble is to pay off for the player, his manager and his club then they all need to be singing from the same hymn sheet.

Too many more performances like this from the Italian and he’ll find that patience is wearing thin, but then the same is true for most of his teammates at the moment.

This isn’t good enough, and a big October lies ahead.