Liverpool: A Half-Term Report on Brendan Rodgers' Side
With Thursday's 2-2 draw away to Leicester City taking Liverpool just over the half-season mark, Brendan Rodgers can evaluate a change in fortunes from last season's majesty.
Lying in eight place in the Premier League table, Rodgers' side have suffered with the added demands of Champions League contention this season, as evidenced by their return to some level of form following their departure from the competition.
But how have Liverpool's players performed on the whole this season?
Here we have assessed and graded each Liverpool player to feature in the Premier League so far this season, subjectively factoring in overall performance, importance to the team and consistency in that competition, as well as contributions in Europe and at domestic cup level.
Each player is graded and ranked, and the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson star here.
Here is our half-term report card for Rodgers' Liverpool side, kicking off with one Brad Jones.
Brad Jones
1 of 23
The unlikely beneficiary in Simon Mignolet's half-season plight, Liverpool back-up goalkeeper Jones enjoyed a spell in the first team after Rodgers dropped his usual No. 1.
However, Jones outlined just why he has failed to impose himself as believable competition since his move from Middlesbrough to Liverpool, with some risible displays against the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal.
A likeable, loyal character off the field, Jones has proved an on-field tragedy this season.
League appearances: 3
Grade: D
Jose Enrique
2 of 23
Not a regular feature under Rodgers this season, and rightly so, Jose Enrique looks far below the par at Liverpool.
With just three league appearances this season and a paltry defensive contribution to boot, Enrique looks at odds with the system Rodgers has looked to implement at Anfield.
League appearances: 3
Grade: D
Dejan Lovren
3 of 23
After a £20 million move to Liverpool in the summer, Dejan Lovren has failed to consistently impress in Rodgers' defence, looking shaky, lacking confidence and uncomfortable with Liverpool's possession-based system.
Lovren has made the most defensive errors of any player in the Premier League so far this season with six, according to Squawka, and this compounds his Merseyside misery.
Is the defender out of his depth at Liverpool? His form on returning to the side in 2015 will be telling.
League appearances: 15
Grade: D
Fabio Borini
4 of 23
After a misguided summer decision to spurn the interests of Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers, per Sky Sports, Fabio Borini has continued a bit-part role under Rodgers at Liverpool.
Making just one start in the league so far this season, Borini has been forced to feed from scraps, with seven substitute appearances.
A red card after his late introduction against Arsenal, for what Borini referred to as a display of "passion" via his Twitter account, underlines his contribution at Liverpool: an endearing work-rate underpinned by a lack of quality.
League appearances: 8
Grade: C-
Glen Johnson
5 of 23
The mystery of Glen Johnson's prominence at Liverpool continues this season as, when fit, the full-back remains one of Rodgers' key players.
This is despite a series of lethargic and inattentive performances, particularly when fielded in his natural position of right-back.
With Serie A side AS Roma reportedly interested in a free transfer at the end of the season, per the Guardian, Johnson's impending contract expiry should signal a marginalised role on Merseyside for the second half of the season; particularly so, given the impressive displays of another right-back.
League appearances: 11
Grade: C-
Rickie Lambert
6 of 23
It has been a strange half-season for Rickie Lambert, following a fairytale move to boyhood club Liverpool in the summer.
A long spell on the sidelines was followed by an extended run in the first-team, heralding goals against PFC Ludogorets Razgrad and Crystal Palace, with Rodgers seemingly unsure of his status in the squad.
Lambert has since returned to his shrinking role on the Liverpool bench, at odds with Rodgers' system.
League appearances: 16
Grade: C-
Simon Mignolet
7 of 23
It has been a half-season to forget for Simon Mignolet, who has found himself at the heart of a goalkeeping ordeal at Anfield.
A string of poor performances—punctuated by sporadic shot-stopping prowess—saw the No. 22 dropped for an "indefinite period" by Rodgers, per BBC Sport, but he has been reintroduced to the side due to injury to Jones.
Mignolet, however, is boosted by the simple virtue of not being as bad as Jones.
Appearances: 18
Grade: C-
Mario Balotelli
8 of 23
Liverpool's undeserving pariah: Mario Balotelli has been unfairly treated this season so far, arguably by Rodgers as well as the Reds' baying fanbase.
Granted, the striker has struggled to impose himself for a sustained period, but it is difficult to do so when fielded in an unnatural, isolated lone-striker role or as a late substitute.
A promising performance alongside Daniel Sturridge in the 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur stands as the only true glimpse of what Balotelli can offer Liverpool in the future.
Due to Sturridge's injuries however, he risks being marginalised as an expensive mistake.
League appearances: 11
Grade: C-
Martin Skrtel
9 of 23
A statistical anomaly—as a regular feature in WhoScored.com's team of the week—Martin Skrtel has failed to impress for large portions of the season.
Alongside Lovren at the heart of Liverpool's defence, Skrtel has looked shaky and incapable of dealing with both aerial and on-ground duels—in particular, Palace's Dwight Gayle terrorised him in the 3-1 November loss.
While improving in Rodgers' back three, Skrtel stands as replaceable at the half-season mark.
League appearances: 17
Grade: C
Joe Allen
10 of 23
After starting brightly, Joe Allen's season has tailed off disappointingly.
When on form, Allen serves as the glue that holds Rodgers' high-tempo, pressing system together, with a tenacity and eagerness to continue possession hallmarking his contribution.
However, too often in 2014/15 Allen has struggled to impose himself, and the midfielder faces a decisive 2015, as Rodgers will be looking for a long-term midfield solution on the summer departure of our next inclusion.
League appearances: 11
Grade: C
Steven Gerrard
11 of 23
The announcement, per LiverpoolFC.com, that Steven Gerrard will leave Liverpool at the end of the season has seen a flood of tributes to one of the greatest players in the club's history.
However, what this should not mask is that Gerrard is a failing force on Merseyside.
Although he is the side's leading league scorer this season, with five goals, Gerrard's influence at the heart of midfield has diminished significantly in 2014/15, and his inclusion is often to the detriment of Rodgers' attacking system.
Gerrard deserves a tailored, bit-part role in the second half of the season, to preserve his legacy.
League appearances: 19
Grade: C
Daniel Sturridge
12 of 23
While it is difficult to judge Sturridge's season so far, given the striker has only made three appearances due to a series of injury problems, that Liverpool have struggled so without him is starkly indicative.
Rodgers' system thrives on the movement and goalscoring prowess that Sturridge provides, and will likely peak on his return.
Of the three games that Sturridge has featured, Liverpool displayed some of their most impressive performances of the season—a comfortable 2-1 victory over Southampton, an encouraging opening 35 minutes in the 3-1 loss to Manchester City and the 3-1 win away to Spurs.
League appearances: 3
Grade: B-
Lazar Markovic
13 of 23
Lazar Markovic's slow start on Merseyside saw him roundly criticised, with Robbie Savage claiming, per the Mirror, that "there is probably a good reason why Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United were not in the market" for him in the summer.
Many forgot, seemingly, that the versatile forward is just 20 years old.
Impressive cameos against Real Madrid and United saw Markovic grow in confidence, with his link-up play with Coutinho on the left-hand side of Liverpool's attack particularly encouraging, and he will surely continue to flourish in 2015.
League appearances: 10
Grade: B-
Mamadou Sakho
14 of 23
It has been a tough half-season for Liverpool centre-back Mamadou Sakho, who saw his role at the club significantly decrease after the summer acquisition of Lovren.
Lovren's recent injury troubles, however, have seen Sakho return to the Liverpool first team.
In a regular role on the left side of Rodgers' back three, Sakho has looked consistently imperious, and an assured display in December's victory over Burnley was particularly outstanding.
Sakho deserves to keep his place for the remainder of the season, and beyond.
League appearances: 7
Grade: B
Lucas Leiva
15 of 23
From castaway to dependable midfield rock, Lucas Leiva's 2014/15 season so far has seen a remarkable change in fortunes.
Joining Kolo Toure in Rodgers' shake-up of personnel after a run of poor form, Lucas has established himself from beyond a peripheral cup role into a regular Premier League feature.
Making the most tackles per game on average of any Liverpool player, with 3.6, Lucas is Liverpool's most positively disruptive central force in midfield.
League appearances: 10
Grade: B
Emre Can
16 of 23
A £10 million summer signing, per BBC Sport, 20-year-old midfielder Emre Can has not played as much football as he surely would have liked so far at Liverpool.
However, when called upon, the German has proved one of Rodgers' most promising features.
After a pair of dominant displays against Madrid and Chelsea, Can endured a spell on the sidelines, before an impressive return as Liverpool's right-sided centre-back against Burnley, Swansea City and Leicester highlighted a mature, consistent versatility which will be invaluable in 2015.
League appearances: 9
Grade: B
Kolo Toure
17 of 23
Along with Lucas, Toure has provided Liverpool with some much-needed experience and leadership this season, and his reintroduction in defence has ushered in a growing stability.
Furthermore, his assured consistency has aided the development of the likes of Can, Sakho and Alberto Moreno.
With Toure's contract set to expire in the summer, per Transfermarkt.co.uk, Rodgers must evaluate the vital contribution of the former Arsenal man both on and off the field, and secure his future.
League appearances: 8
Grade: B
Javier Manquillo
18 of 23
Joining the Reds on a two-year loan from La Liga side Atletico Madrid in the summer, per BBC Sport, Javier Manquillo has quietly shone as one of Liverpool's best signings this season.
In a rotational role at right-back for Rodgers, Manquillo has underlined his abilities as a primarily defensive outlet, providing a welcome stability to the Reds' back line.
Manquillo should establish himself over Johnson as Liverpool's regular right-back in 2015.
League appearances: 10
Grade: B
Alberto Moreno
19 of 23
Like Manquillo, Moreno has been rotated at full-back since his summer move to Liverpool.
Taking more risks than his compatriot, and perhaps displaying a lack of rounded maturity, Moreno has made some high-profile errors this season, such as his failed clearance against City.
However, Moreno's contribution to Liverpool's high-tempo attacking system has outlined his attributes, and goals against Spurs and Swansea serve as evidence of his importance to the side in the future.
League appearances: 14
Grade: B
Adam Lallana
20 of 23
After a BBC Sport-reported £25 million summer move, Adam Lallana joined Liverpool with a great weight of expectation and fitness issues.
Initially, the England midfielder looked a shade of his Southampton majesty, but he has since grown into the role at Anfield, particularly following Rodgers' recent tactical shift.
In tandem with Coutinho, Lallana has flourished, with his four goals and two assists evidence of his developing influence.
League appearances: 14
Grade: B+
Philippe Coutinho
21 of 23
After calling Coutinho "the brain" of his Liverpool side in pre-season, per LiverpoolFC.com, Rodgers oddly shunted the midfielder into a wide role for much of the first half of the season and saw him struggle.
Since a move back into a more central role of late however, Coutinho has been Rodgers' outstanding player.
A devastating run of displays against Arsenal, Burnley, Swansea and Leicester has seen Coutinho go from intermittently brilliant to a thriving creative nucleus.
This, in turn, has impacted on the aforementioned form of Markovic, along with another Liverpool pair.
League appearances: 17
Grade: B+
Jordan Henderson
22 of 23
Given the Liverpool vice-captaincy this season following the departure of centre-back Daniel Agger, Henderson has struggled at times, seemingly with the weight of this added expectation.
Nevertheless, Henderson remains one of Rodgers' most consistent players.
Registering the most league assists of any Liverpool player so far this season, with five, Henderson has performed in a wide variety of roles, from across the forward line, at wing-back and in a more typical central role.
League appearances: 19
Grade: B+
Raheem Sterling
23 of 23
After the loss of Luis Suarez in the summer and the subsequent injury problems suffered by Sturridge, Sterling is the only member of last term's phenomenal attack Rodgers has been able to depend on this season.
Perhaps it should not be this way, given Sterling's youthful 20 years, but the forward has endured.
After beginning the season well, with an opening goal in victory over Southampton, Sterling came out at the other end of October's Guardian-reported "tired" claims and continues to be the focal point of Rodgers' side.
Showing tactical flexibility of late as Liverpool's lone striker, Sterling is proving to be crucial as he tops our list.
League appearances: 20
Grade: A
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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