Ranking and Grading Liverpool Players on Champions League Performances so Far
Wednesday night’s 3-0 home defeat to European champions Real Madrid marked the end of the first half of Liverpool’s group-stage journey in the Champions League this season.
With three points from three games, the same as Ludogorets and Basel and six behind runaway leaders Real Madrid, it’s safe to say that Liverpool’s return to Europe’s elite club competition hasn’t gone the way many had hoped or expected.
Indeed, their win over Ludogorets—the Bulgarian team making their first appearance in the Champions League group stage—was secured in stoppage time following a stuttering display. Basel represented a difficult away trip before Real Madrid handed the Reds a footballing lesson at Anfield on Matchday 3.
With three games left for Brendan Rodgers’ side to secure progress to the knockout stages, let’s look at how the Liverpool players have performed in the Champions League thus far. Here’s our attempt and ranking and grading all 20 Reds to have appeared in Europe this season.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
20. Lazar Markovic: D
1 of 20
Started: Basel (A), 81 minutes
Substitute: Real Madrid (H), 67 minutes
With over 100 minutes under his belt in the Champions League this season—more than several other names on this list—Lazar Markovic’s last-place ranking reflects just how difficult he’s found the start of his Liverpool career.
As with so many other players, Markovic’s price tag—the 20-year-old was signed for a whopping £20 million from Benfica this summer—reflects not just his current ability but his potential, but it has not been justified as of yet.
Perhaps being played out of position as a winger hasn’t helped—Markovic is more of a No. 10—but he still has a lot to do before his displays can be considered anywhere near decent.
19. Rickie Lambert: D+
2 of 20
Substitute: Basel (A), 81 minutes
When Rickie Lambert signed for his boyhood club in the summer, he might have prepared himself mentally for a regular place on the bench this season, but perhaps not to this extent.
A series of lethargic performances in the opening few months have not helped his cause—he has yet to break his duck in a Liverpool shirt—but he has only had nine minutes (plus stoppage time) to make an impression in Europe so far.
18. Glen Johnson: C-
3 of 20
Started: Real Madrid (H)
According to Joe Bernstein of the Daily Mail, Glen Johnson is reportedly resigned to the fact that he may not be offered a new contract at Liverpool; if that is the case, his performances of late will not have given Brendan Rodgers any reason to change his mind.
In his sole appearance in the Champions League this season, Johnson was run ragged by an all-star Real Madrid forward line, and he constantly found himself both out of position defensively and losing possession all too easily going forward.
17. Dejan Lovren: C-
4 of 20
Started: Ludogorets (H); Basel (A); Real Madrid (H)
Having been hailed as the next leader of the Liverpool defence upon his big-money move from Southampton, Dejan Lovren reputation has quickly slipped in the eyes of Liverpool fans because of his disappointing performances in a red shirt so far.
He started alongside Mamadou Sakho in a right-sided center-back role against Ludogorets, and he reverted to his normal left-sided role in the defeats to Basel and Real Madrid.
A decent second-half display against Real Madrid—when Liverpool adopted a higher defensive line and tried to take command of the pitch at 3-0 down meant Lovren was able to put in a few important interceptions—is his saving grace here.
16. Martin Skrtel: C-
5 of 20
Started: Basel (A); Real Madrid (H)
Lovren’s partner in defence against Basel and Real Madrid, Martin Skrtel, hasn’t done too well, either. His performance levels continue to betray Rodgers’ confidence in him as a starting center-back.
A simple defensive mistake from a set piece cost Liverpool at least two points against Basel, and Skrtel and Lovren, along with Simon Mignolet, show no signs of improving their positioning and handling of dead-ball situations.
15. Jose Enrique: C
6 of 20
Started: Basel (A)
Jose Enrique’s sole appearance in the Champions League this season wasn’t an encouraging one, as Liverpool succumbed to a 1-0 loss to Basel, a game in which Enrique found himself frequently targeted on the left flank.
There’s no doubt that Alberto Moreno has usurped Enrique in the pecking order at left-back, and on current evidence, Enrique needs to up his game if he is to avoid a premature exit from the club.
14. Simon Mignolet: C
7 of 20
Started: Ludogorets (H); Basel (A); Real Madrid (H)
Questions continue to be asked of Simon Mignolet and whether he is good enough to be the first-choice goalkeeper at Liverpool, but his decent second-half display against Real Madrid following a man-of-the-match performance at Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League offers some consolation.
The problem is that Mignolet remains weak at decision-making, set-piece handling, distribution and defensive organization, all of which have been on show during his three appearances in the Champions League so far.
13. Fabio Borini: C
8 of 20
Substitute: Ludogorets (H), 67 minutes
Fabio Borini may still be bullish on his chances at forging a career at Anfield, per the Express, but following his exclusion from the 18-man squad against Real Madrid, it appears that time is running out for the Italian at the club.
He did manage to add some hard work and running in the forward areas when he came on as a second-half substitute for Adam Lallana against Ludogorets, and he managed to work Milan Borjan with a close-range header, but he’s found himself far from the first team lately.
And that’s with Daniel Sturridge out injured, Mario Balotelli struggling for form and Rickie Lambert not getting a look in.
12. Steven Gerrard: B-
9 of 20
Started: Ludogorets (H); Basel (A); Real Madrid (H)
Blown away by Ludogorets’ hard work, pace and pressing and safely contained by the Basel and Real Madrid midfields, it’s safe to say that Steven Gerrard hasn’t enjoyed the kind of superhuman return to the Champions League that everyone had hoped to see.
Rodgers’ steadfast refusal to rest him means Gerrard has had to, during European weeks, play three 90-minute games in a week, exacerbating his decline.
His winning penalty against Ludogorets deep into stoppage time, which handed Liverpool three points instead of one—which would’ve seen them in last place in Group B now—is his saving grace thus far.
11. Joe Allen: B-
10 of 20
Started: Real Madrid (H)
As he sat out Liverpool’s fixtures with injury in the previous few weeks and saw the midfield lose their famous pressing and composure in the pass, Joe Allen’s importance grew massively in the eyes of Reds fans.
He would have added to the midfield against both Ludogorets and Basel, but he could only make his Champions League debut against Real Madrid, in which his encouraging opening 20 minutes or so disintegrated along with the rest of the team.
10. Lucas: B-
11 of 20
Substitute: Ludogorets (H), 68 minutes
The much-maligned Lucas has seen his reputation drop significantly in the eyes of Liverpool fans in recent years for his failure to recover his previous form, but his appearance off the bench arguably set the platform for Liverpool’s home win against Ludogorets.
Sent on to replace Philippe Coutinho on 68 minutes, Lucas added an additional body in the midfield, boosting Liverpool’s possession play in the middle of the park and allowing his teammates to support the attack. Not too bad for a 20-minute cameo.
9. Mario Balotelli: B-
12 of 20
Started: Ludogorets (H); Basel (A); Real Madrid (H), 45 minutes
For all of the criticism Mario Balotelli has received in the aftermath of the Real Madrid loss, the Italian striker’s struggles have been in the Premier League; his performances in the Champions League have, by and large, been much more acceptable.
That Balotelli has been wasteful up front for Liverpool needs no debate, as he proved most glaringly in the loss at Basel, but he delivered the opening goal when his team needed it against Ludogorets—his only goal at Liverpool thus far—and a half-time subbing off against Real Madrid masked what was actually an encouraging performance in the first half.
Perhaps we may not be able to see the best of Balotelli until Daniel Sturridge returns from injury and Rodgers fields two up front. Liverpool fans will hope that the latter's return won’t come too late.
8. Mamadou Sakho: B-
13 of 20
Started: Ludogorets (H)
On the evidence of the opening months of the season, it seems that Mamadou Sakho has become a casualty of Rodgers’ summer changes.
When Lovren signed, there were hopeful whispers that he would be converted into a right-sided center-back to partner Sakho, but those expectations have been dashed. Sakho’s act of petulance ahead of the Merseyside derby didn’t help, and he has since been on the sidelines with injury.
Sakho hasn’t reprised his stellar form for France with Liverpool, but his decent performance against Ludogorets shows what the Reds are missing now.
7. Jordan Henderson: B
14 of 20
Started: Ludogorets (H); Basel (A); Real Madrid (H), 67 minutes
Jordan Henderson has continued his maturation and development in the Premier League, but his effectiveness has been limited on the grandest stage, to the extent that his presence was barely felt against an accomplished Real Madrid midfield on Wednesday.
There is still quite a gap between Henderson’s current level and that of the world-class players he will hope to meet in the Champions League on a regular basis.
6. Emre Can: B
15 of 20
Substitute: Real Madrid (H), 67 minutes
Having made a positive impression during preseason, Emre Can’s early-season absence through injury was a huge blow for the Liverpool midfield, especially as his physical and dynamic brand of play would’ve provided a versatile option for Rodgers.
His second-half cameo against Real Madrid might not have amounted to any substantial productive outcome, but a few forceful runs through a Madrid midfield that had previously contained Liverpool showed Can’s potential and ability to dominate as a box-to-box dynamo.
They’ll be hoping Can is fit and firing for the remainder of their group stage games.
5. Alberto Moreno: B
16 of 20
Started: Ludogorets (H); Real Madrid (H)
While Alberto Moreno was largely nullified by former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa in the Real Madrid match, it was his performance and telling contribution against Ludogorets that earns him a relatively high ranking on our list.
Bombing down the left flank in trademark fashion, Moreno hit the low cross that Balotelli turned in for Liverpool’s opener.
He was perhaps guilty of over-exuberance when he found himself deep in Ludogorets territory after the home side had taken the lead, and a collective positional error led to an all-too-easy equalizer from the Bulgarian side, which thankfully Steven Gerrard’s late penalty was able to negate.
4. Adam Lallana: B
17 of 20
Started: Ludogorets (H), 67 minutes
Substitute: Basel (A), 70 minutes; Real Madrid (H), 45 minutes
The Ludogorets game was Adam Lallana’s first appearance in the Champions League and only his second start in a Liverpool shirt, but his improving fitness was already on display as his pressing and lively running made an impact in the final third.
His half-time substitution against Real Madrid also added penetration and thrust to the Reds midfield and led to a few smooth passages of attacking play. An encouraging start to Champions League life for Lallana.
3. Philippe Coutinho: B
18 of 20
Started: Ludogorets (H), 68 minutes; Basel (A), 70 minutes; Real Madrid (H), 67 minutes
After starting the season in disappointing form—starkly contrasting his sparking displays over preseason—and being relegated to the bench for a few weeks, Philippe Coutinho seems to finally have rediscovered his magical touch.
He was the sole creative spark and source of useful running with the ball from Liverpool’s midfield against Real Madrid, following a couple of encouraging displays in the Premier League.
2. Javi Manquillo: B+
19 of 20
Started: Ludogorets (H); Basel (A)
Given Glen Johnson’s abject performances of late, it’s surely just a matter of time before Rodgers reinstates Javi Manquillo to his starting XI.
And with good reason: It was Manquillo's adventurous run forward and diligent chasing of the ball that led to Liverpool’s match-winning penalty against Ludogorets.
In his two Champions League appearances, Manquillo has appeared unfazed by the pressure of performing on the biggest stage. He’s ready to become Liverpool’s first-choice right-back.
1. Raheem Sterling: B+
20 of 20
Started: Ludogorets (H); Basel (A); Real Madrid (H)
In the absence of Sturridge, amid the disappointing form of Balotelli and the ageing legs of Gerrard, Raheem Sterling has emerged as Liverpool’s most important player, and Rodgers has now essentially thrust his team’s attacking responsibilities onto the shoulders of the 19-year-old.
For the most part, Sterling has responded, turning in excellent performances as a No. 10 or as a makeshift striker. In an otherwise disappointing Champions League campaign, Sterling has been one of the few shining lights and the catalyst for many a Liverpool attack.
His giving the ball away to Ludogorets en route to their equalizer reflected his age and relative inexperience at the top level, and he has yet to open his European account—but they don’t stop him from taking top place in our rankings.
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