A Progress Report on Liverpool Heading into October International Break
Liverpool head into the October international break without a manager, with Brendan Rodgers unceremoniously relieved of his duties after the Reds' 1-1 Merseyside derby draw with Everton, and as such the level of progress made from last season's sixth-placed debacle is difficult to ascertain.
With the squad breaking for various continental endeavours, owners Fenway Sports Group begin their search for a successor to Rodgers. Jurgen Klopp is the unanimous favourite—likely to seal a deal to take over on Merseyside "by the end of the week," according to BBC Sport's Ben Smith and Phil McNulty—and the German will be tasked with reinvigorating a side that currently sits 10th in the Premier League table.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
It is important to note, however, that Liverpool are just three points behind fourth-placed Crystal Palace—serving to highlight a paucity of quality in the Premier League in 2015/16, as well as the not-so-doomed start to the season the Reds have made.
Nevertheless, assessing Liverpool's fortunes and the landscape of their campaign at this juncture outlines a serious task for FSG's next manager—be that Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti or another contender.
The enduring stylistic memory of Rodgers' reign will be Liverpool's dismal defending, and while the opening three games of the season brought three clean sheets, there are still major flaws within the club's defensive ranks.
However, there are also areas that have markedly improved prior to the international break, with the reintroduction of Alberto Moreno, Mamadou Sakho and the three-man defence key to this progress.
Switching to a 3-4-2-1 formation for the Reds' Europa League opener away to Bordeaux in mid-September, Rodgers restored Moreno and Sakho to his starting lineup—with both asserting their key status within the Liverpool squad with a series of strong displays at wing-back and centre-back on the left-hand side of defence.
"Let's say that during the short period when I was not playing, I was like a little caged lion who had not been fed for a while. And when you open the door, he charges," Sakho explained of his return to the starting lineup, as relayed by the Mirror's Liam Prenderville, providing a salient metaphor for his impact.
Sakho has added strength and determination to the Liverpool defence, paired with his exceptional passing ability, undermining Rodgers' decision to persevere with the hopeless Dejan Lovren in the early stages of the season.
Alongside Sakho, Moreno has arguably been Liverpool's most important player.
The Spaniard, regularly deployed as an attacking wing-back, has grasped his opportunity and demanded a first-team place. In just 329 minutes in the Premier League, Moreno has made 14 key passes—the second-highest tally of any Liverpool player, with James Milner the club's leading creator, having made 18 key passes in over double the amount of playing time (720 minutes).
Moreno's status as a playmaking wing-back adds a welcome dimension to Liverpool's attacking game, and while he and Sakho have been markedly improved within the Reds' defence, this is undermined by the flaws of Martin Skrtel, Emre Can and, to a lesser extent, Nathaniel Clyne.
Skrtel's limited defensive game and Can and Clyne's ill-fitting within their roles as centre-back and wing-back respectively have contributed heavily to Liverpool conceding in every game since Rodgers' switch to the three-man defence—with Can's scuffed clearance against Everton, gifting Romelu Lukaku his equaliser, serving as the perfect example of the hit-and-miss performance of Liverpool's defence.
Unfortunately, this extends to the midfield, too.
Public perception of Milner shifted this summer, with the 29-year-old receiving widespread praise following his free-transfer move from Manchester City. A priceless throwback in a modern footballing world characterised by preening teenagers and pristine BMWs, Milner was rightly lauded as a breath of fresh air—a no-nonsense midfielder lending the Premier League its Dickensian aspect.
Replacing the LA-bound Steven Gerrard, Milner represented the perfect summer signing for a Liverpool side looking for a leader, and the prospect of the Yorkshireman finally being deployed in his favoured central-midfield role conjured a remarkable sense of satisfaction among supporters.
The ideal midfield partner for Jordan Henderson, Milner took up the club’s vice-captaincy when the 25-year-old assumed Gerrard’s armband, and Rodgers hailed him as "a top-class operator" during Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the Far East and Australia, as relayed by the club's tour website. He also discussed Milner's move from City utility man to first-choice central midfielder on Merseyside:
"I think, playing in this team and at Liverpool, he'll probably shine even more.
Players will always have a favourite position. Sometimes when you're such a great professional, you can get moved about; it's an attribute that is good to have as a player.
But every player will want to play in their main position and James probably suffered a little bit from being such a good player and such a good footballer.
He has played at right-back, wide on the left, wide on the right, as a striker, a midfield player. You always want players like that in your squad, but as a player you want to play in your favourite position.
"
Rodgers’ view of Milner was compounded by the £150,000 weekly wage sanctioned by the Ulsterman in order to secure his signature over the summer.
Your vice-captain and highest earner, playing in his favourite position, should be performing at a high level, week in, week out, and while Milner began the campaign well, injury to Henderson has seen his form suffer.
Withdrawn midway through August's 1-0 victory over AFC Bournemouth, Henderson is yet to return to the Liverpool lineup after breaking a bone in his foot during training in September, as reported by BBC Sport.
This saw Rodgers partner Milner with Lucas Leiva, and though the Brazilian has been in positive defensive form—for example, making 11 successful tackles in the Reds' 3-2 home win over Aston Villa—his contribution has been undermined by the anonymous displays of Liverpool's stand-in captain.
Milner's goal-and-assist display against Villa remains the only top-level performance he has produced since Henderson's injury, and his peripheral role alongside Philippe Coutinho in the Merseyside derby highlights an imbalance within Liverpool's midfield that must be addressed in order to progress.
Though Liverpool saw Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke join Henderson on the injury list in September, the club was buoyed by the return of their star striker: Daniel Sturridge.
After missing the majority of the 2014/15 season through injury, Sturridge travelled to New York to undergo hip surgery over the summer with a view to long-term improvements to his fitness, and his return is of paramount importance to Liverpool's success this campaign
Fortunately, Sturridge's revival has sparked an immediate return to attacking form, with the 26-year-old scoring two goals in three Premier League appearances—though his contribution against Everton was worryingly lacking.
As expected, Sturridge's return has injected a vitality and dynamism within the Liverpool attacking line, with his pace, intelligent movement and finisher's instinct key features against both Norwich City and Villa in September.
If Sturridge can maintain his form and fitness, he will be central to the Reds' progress under a new manager.
Alongside the England international, an interesting prospect has emerged within the Liverpool attack in recent weeks in Danny Ings. Signed from Burnley during the summer transfer window, the level of impact Ings could make on the Liverpool first team was debatable, but his contribution in Benteke's absence has been remarkable—making him a cult hero with the Anfield support.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo's James Pearce at the end of September, the 23-year-old said:
"In the summer I knew this was the club I wanted to join – the sheer size of the club, the fanbase, the players who are here, the press off the ball, the runs in behind, the creative players behind me, I think it suits my style of play and my mentality.
The expectation is a lot greater at a club like Liverpool than where I have come from, but I find that a real positive. I use it as a fuel to motivate myself to do well.
"
Ings has adapted flawlessly and offers a major positive in moving forward on Merseyside, and with three goals in seven appearances so far this season he presents Liverpool's new manager with a welcome selection headache when factoring in the return of Benteke.
"If we are to replicate what we did two years ago we will have to build something. That will take time. That is frustrating for supporters but there are new players to come in," Rodgers told reporters after the Reds' draw with Everton, as reported by the Press Association (h/t This is Anfield).
"It will take time, whether that is me or someone else. While it is me, I will continue to devote every ounce to the club."
Rodgers' dismissal may have come at a misjudged juncture, looking at the improvements within his squad, but with these serving as his final words as Liverpool manager, they are a fitting mission statement for his successor.
If Klopp is to be appointed during the international break, he can welcome the form of Sakho, Moreno, Lucas, Sturridge and Ings as key positives, but with the likes of Can, Milner and Clyne underperforming and Firmino, Benteke and Henderson all recovering from injury, his work will be cut out for him.
Rodgers seemed unaware of his strongest starting lineup and, charting Liverpool's progress as domestic football comes to a halt, this could be seen as something of a blank canvas for Klopp.
Liverpool are just three points off a top-four placing at this stage, and they remain in contention in the FA Cup, League Cup and the Europa League, suggesting that the 2015/16 campaign is not to be written off just yet.
The margins of progress are slim, but if Klopp can maximise the talents of Sakho, Moreno and Sturridge in particular, while coaxing form out of Can, Milner, Clyne and Coutinho among others—and sensitively reintroducing his recovering stars—he will see considerable improvement in time.
Liverpool remain very a much work in progress at this stage.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
