Ranking and Grading Liverpool Players on UCL Group Stage Performances
Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League with a 1-1 draw at home to FC Basel on Tuesday night, as Steven Gerrard's late free-kick failed to inspire a comeback by Brendan Rodgers' side in a must-win tie.
The Anfield side finished third in Group B behind Basel and the unbeaten Real Madrid, standing just one point above Bulgarian minnows PFC Ludogorets Razgrad.
Liverpool opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 victory at home to Ludogorets, but this proved to be the side's only victory, with the return fixture ending 2-2, while the losses—1-0 away to Basel, 3-0 at home and 1-0 away to Madrid—proceeded this final stalemate.
Overall Rodgers' side disappointed, but how did each player fare individually?
Taking into account our previous rankings, each player to feature in the competition for Liverpool has been assessed subjectively based on player performance, consistency and importance to the side in the Champions League.
With each player receiving a grade for their performances, here are our rankings of Liverpool's players on their Champions League group-stage performances.
21. Dejan Lovren
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Dejan Lovren has come to embody the sheer frustration felt by Liverpool fans at Rodgers' disappointing third season in charge, after a big-money move to Merseyside from Southampton in the summer.
In the Champions League, Lovren has displayed the error-strewn desperation that has hallmarked his early time in the Premier League for Liverpool, and this was no different against Basel on Tuesday.
Lovren is far from the quality required to compete with Europe's elite.
Grade: D-
20. Simon Mignolet
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Simon Mignolet has been regularly criticised by all quarters this season, as he cuts a frightened figure between the Liverpool goalposts.
This was compounded by a humiliating error early into the side's 2-2 draw away to Ludogorets.
Mignolet did make a series of fine saves in the away loss to Madrid, but his overall contribution has played a huge part in Liverpool's lack of stability in defence.
Grade: D-
19. Jose Enrique
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To his credit, when called upon in Liverpool's away tie with Basel earlier in the campaign, Jose Enrique was one of the side's best performers—strong in the tackle and confident in support of the attack.
However, Enrique tarnished this with a truly absymal 45-minute performance on Tuesday night, in what Chris Bascombe of The Telegraph described as a "masterclass in how not to play left-back."
Not Liverpool's best left-back, and a bizarre inclusion by Rodgers in what was the side's most important game of the season so far; an impressive Madrid display fails to mask his overall failings.
Grade: D
18. Martin Skrtel
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Ranking at No. 15 in our last overview, Martin Skrtel has dropped due to a seriously shaky performance on Tuesday night.
Overall, Skrtel showed sporadic signs of solidity, but even when alongside his most successful partner against Real Madrid—Kolo Toure—the defender outlined his severe positional issues.
Deployed as an auxiliary forward in the dying stages against Basel, that Skrtel performed better in this role than at centre-back on the night is particularly telling.
Grade: D
17. Joe Allen
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A usually important figure in the Liverpool midfield under Rodgers, Joe Allen has been decidedly ineffective throughout the side's Champions League campaign.
Anonymous and unimposing, Allen failed to get into gear in ties against Madrid and Basel, with his passing ability and tenacity seemingly hampered by the occasion.
One of many passengers within this Liverpool European run.
Grade: D
16. Glen Johnson
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Glen Johnson continues to see out his contract with Liverpool this season with lethargic, uninterested displays, and Telegraph-reported interest from A.S. Roma seemingly ignores his Champions League failings.
Manager Rudi Garcia would surely be alarmed at Johnson's poor defensive work against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite giving the ball away in the first minute on Tuesday night, Johnson gave a better account of himself with some positive attacking forays but has been otherwise dismal.
Grade: D
15. Lazar Markovic
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Lazar Markovic was our worst-ranked Liverpool player last time out, due to his inability to impose himself on the Champions League.
However, an inspiring, driving 15-minute cameo against Basel on Tuesday night was enough to see Markovic rise above the likes of Allen and Lovren; the former Benfica man was one of few Reds to show true attacking intent.
This performance was disappointingly curtailed by a controversial red card, but the No. 50 made his mark.
Grade: C-
14. Mamadou Sakho
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French defender Mamadou Sakho made just one appearance in the Champions League this season but ranks above both Lovren and Skrtel due to their sheer poor quality throughout.
Sakho started alongside Lovren in the opening victory at home to Ludogorets, and gave a good account of his abilities.
Liverpool's defence are at their most fluent with Sakho in the side, and the 97 percent passing accuracy he registered at Anfield that night would have been a reassuring presence for the Reds in the competition.
Grade: C-
13. Fabio Borini
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Fabio Borini was always going to feature fleetingly in the Champions League this season, as Liverpool's fourth-choice striker, but he was nevertheless misused by Rodgers in the competition.
When deployed as a lone striker away to Madrid, Borini showed great determination and spirit, although not necessarily the requisite quality for the occasion.
Rodgers was unfortunately lacking the option of Borini from the bench against Basel, as the striker would have added some attacking impetus to an uninspired side.
Grade: C
12. Emre Can
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As a mere 20-year-old, Emre Can looked surprisingly confident in both of his Champions League performances for Liverpool this season—this is particularly impressive given that both came against Madrid.
Starting in the much-changed side for the away fixture, Can showed positivity and drive when his team-mates otherwise struggled.
Can was an unused substitute against Basel, and his omission was another bizarre move by Rodgers.
Grade: C
11. Adam Lallana
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As a BBC Sport-reported £25 million man this summer, 26-year-old Adam Lallana would have been expected to perform consistently at this level.
Despite some bright flashes away to Madrid, and diligent wide play throughout, Lallana's regular inactivity sees his ranking suffer here.
Not introduced with Liverpool chasing victory against Basel, this proved an oversight by Rodgers, who has utilised Lallana for less than 10 minutes (226 overall) per million spent on the midfielder in European competition this season.
Grade: C
10. Rickie Lambert
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Rickie Lambert has been introduced to the Liverpool first team after a long spell in the periphery since his summer signing and has become Rodgers' first-choice striker in the absence of Daniel Sturridge and Mario Balotelli.
Lambert followed his first Premier League goal with a fortunate header against Ludogorets, establishing himself as an important member of the side, but his continued use by Rodgers saw a miserable display in the draw with Basel; tellingly, Lambert was substituted at half-time.
Lambert's Ludogorets strike perhaps outweighs this limp display, but it is highly debatable whether he was the option Liverpool needed at this elite stage.
Grade: C
9. Philippe Coutinho
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Following Liverpool's pre-season victory over A.S. Roma, Rodgers spoke of how Philippe Coutinho was "the brain in our team, the continuity player," per the official club website.
Coutinho has struggled ever since and, as one of few Liverpool players with previous experience in the competition, showed disappointing European intelligence.
Two miserable performances at home to Ludogorets and away to Basel were, however, offset by a confident display at home to Real Madrid—Coutinho remains one of the side's better performers, but he must develop.
Grade: C+
8. Steven Gerrard
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Despite a series of ineffective displays in the Champions League this season—barring a penalty winner at home to Ludogorets—the onus was once more on Steven Gerrard to lift Liverpool in the competition.
With Rodgers speaking of Liverpool "folklore" prior to Tuesday night's draw, per BBC Sport, the midfielder almost repeated his previous heroics by scoring a sensational late free-kick, and this spurred the side.
Overall, however, Gerrard is a dying force on Merseyside, and stuttering all-round performances in the competition could serve as a highly disappointing end to what has been a glittering Champions League career for the captain.
Grade: C+
7. Mario Balotelli
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The Champions League was arguably one of the factors why Balotelli was brought to Merseyside in the summer, with the striker boasting previous experience with many clubs in the competition.
Balotelli exuded confidence as he took his first Liverpool goal in the victory away to Ludogorets, and Lambert's fatigue serves to show how effective the striker is in terms of the side's all-round attacking play.
His continued absence through injury however, along with his Instagram-related misdemeanors, as reported by BBC Sport, have dampened many Liverpool fans' views on the 24-year-old, but Balotelli was Liverpool's most potent striker in the Champions League.
Grade: B
6. Lucas Leiva
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One player offered a chance at redemption by Rodgers as his side have suffered with form of late is defensive midfielder Lucas Leiva, and his performances in the Champions League have vindicated this.
A hugely impressive display in the away loss to Madrid was Lucas' competition highlight, and overall the Brazilian boasts more successful tackles (3) and interceptions (2.5) on average than any other Reds midfielder.
Less effective against Basel, due to the Swiss side targeting him as Liverpool's midfield base, Lucas still gave a good account of himself and proved a much more effective anchor in Europe than Gerrard.
Grade: B
5. Alberto Moreno
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After a series of consistently impressive attacking performances for Liverpool in the Champions League, left-back Alberto Moreno was omitted in favour of Enrique against Basel.
However, introduced on 45 minutes, Moreno outlined why his overall displays in Europe have been so effective, as the defender provided energetic support from the left flank.
A devastating, all-round contribution at home to Ludogorets will be Moreno's defining Champions League showing this season, and it serves to show why the left-back should be Rodgers' first-choice as Liverpool embark on their Europa League campaign.
Grade: B
4. Kolo Toure
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Missing the decisive Basel draw with a groin injury, per the club website, Toure's absence on Tuesday night was felt immensely, after the centre-back had helped the side back to form of late.
This included an inspired performance against Madrid at the Bernabeu, and an authoritative contribution in the draw with Ludogorets.
Toure made the most blocks on average per game (3) of any Liverpool player in the Champions League this season, and it was this relentless, committed approach that served the Ivory Coast man so well in his attempts to reignite a faltering back line.
Grade: B
3. Javier Manquillo
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In his four appearances in the Champions League this season, Spanish right-back Javier Manquillo had the most tackles on average (5) and was second only to Lovren in terms on interceptions made on average (3).
The 20-year-old is Liverpool's best defensive full-back, as he has proved playing among Europe's elite.
Manquillo moves down to No. 3 in our rankings after being unused in the final game against Basel, but his absence proved another bemusing move by Rodgers on a night where his full-backs failed so miserably.
Grade: B+
2. Raheem Sterling
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Our No. 2, Raheem Sterling turned 20 years old in December, and it is frightening how reliant Liverpool have become on the forward.
In his debut Champions League season, Sterling featured for 463 minutes, second only to Gerrard in terms of the Reds' outfield players, and his performances were unsurprisingly mixed.
However, a poor display at Basel is outweighed by several inspired performances, and Sterling was arguably Liverpool's most threatening outlet in Tuesday night's draw.
Grade: B+
1. Jordan Henderson
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Crucial to the Reds' Champions League efforts in his debut jaunt in the competition, Liverpool vice-captain Jordan Henderson brought a typical consistency to the side's European run.
A goal away to Ludogorets and a series of assured performances against the likes of Madrid and Basel underlines this.
Against Basel on Tuesday night, Henderson was relentless in his running on the left wing, and he came close to giving Liverpool the victory with a strike of the finest technique—Henderson has looked unfazed by the heightened challenge throughout.
For this, Henderson is top of our list.
Grade: B+
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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