Liverpool drowning amid the weight of expectation

There have been some lows this season, Burnley, Bournemouth and the exit in the semi-final’s of the EPL Cup to Southampton to name but a few.  These sting, really perforate my mind’s eye with a view to any chance of competing for the League, let alone a top four place.

We are fast becoming a laughing stock and in a week where Man United equalled our successes in winning major trophies this was not the time for a dodgy performance.

There is a German word Schadenfreude which is the pleasure derived from others misfortune and Liverpool will know this feeling all too well, because having watched or heard of Man United’s victory in the EPL Final and then having to sit through another inept performance the laughter could probably heard down from the other end of the East Lancs road as we’ve come to the realisation that this could be yet another false dawn.

Make no mistake, Leicester didn’t blow us of the park.  All week one felt a sense of trepidation.  We knew Leicester would be fired up, but I consoled myself into thinking that with the team having gone away for a mid-season break in La Manga on the back of the two-nil victory over Spurs the expectation was we would meet fire with fire.  The disappointment was we were pathetic, beaten by the lethargy we presented on the pitch rather than anything special that Leicester as good as they were brought to the party.

Without Henderson having fallen by the wayside to injury, Emre Can returned to the fore delivering as subdued a performance as one has come to expect from him this season.  I like Can, but this season he’s produced a litany of substandard performances and if he is auditioning for a new contract then he won’t be at the club next season as he beginning to resemble a squad player with the weight of expectation all too much for him.

The crunching tackle form Vardy on Mane in the opening moments seem to stimulate Leicester and have an adverse reaction on Liverpool players.

Lucas, even before the game one had that sinking feeling.  A player who gives nothing less than 110 percent, but the dye was cast.  His lack of pace up against Vardy and the movement of Okazaki.  It says a lot about Liverpool that he played ahead of Klavan and with Sakho having been the cornerstone of Crystal Palace’s win over the weekend it’s hard to accept.

In the opening few minutes Liverpool were struggling with a resurgent Leicester and as it was it was a disappoint to watch Vardy get on the end of long ball from Albrighton outpacing the floundering Lucas to finish decisively past Mignolet.

Why play a high line when you know that plays into Vardy’s main attribute, his pace?

Leicester’s second was special, worthy of winning any game. Drinkwater’s sublime volley from the edge of area was stunning. The fact that it came from a poor clearance from a throw-in and very little pressure on the ball was by the by as he was almost side on to the ball and off the ground when the ball was struck delivering an uppercut to any remaining challenge we may have had for second place let alone the top four.

It’s easy to shower criticism on the manager when things aren’t going our way, but Klopp has a propensity to not make decisive changes when the heat is on.  He finally brought on Origi and Moreno (not the most original substitute) after 66 minutes when with his side lacking in ingenuity, passion and drive the changes could just as easily have been made at half-time.  

Two minutes later and the game for Liverpool was all over as spectacle as Vardy leapt up to glance Christian Fuchs cross into the net.  It was no more than Leicester deserved and even a consolation goal from Philippe Coutinho couldn’t hide the despair of a Liverpool side who now on a spectacular slide losing five of our last seven games.  If that is not a crisis, then I don’t know what is with the spectre of being overtaken by Man United and Everton now only five points with a wet sail being propelled by Lukaku in full flight.

It will be no surprise to see Liverpool conjure up a performance to beat Arsenal over the weekend, but that’s the way it’s been all season.  Given the time and space to play against the big teams, the pressing game works to a tee, but against the fight and passion of the lower teams, Liverpool are enveloped in a sea of mediocrity with the likes of Firmino sunk without trace.

Jürgen Klopp has had three transfer windows as a Liverpool manager and yet there are still too many questions to answer over the quality of his squad.

Why can’t Liverpool procure a top-class goalkeeper?  Why is Lucas partnering Matip when Klavan was brought in as cover? Where’s the top-class left-back? Liverpool have always had a history of midfield generals, Case, Souness, MacMahon, Gerrard, so where the next one off the production line and why at a club the size of Liverpool do we not have a world-class striker?  These are questions for Jürgen and the board.

There are holes all over this squad which are occasionally covered up by the quality of Mane and Coutinho and one suspects that in privacy of his own coaching room Klopp knows that the team requires substantial surgery.

Teams:

Leicester: 1 Schmeical, 17 Simpson, 5 Morgan, 6 Huth. 28 Fuchs. 26 Mahrez (Gray – 80 mins), 4 Drinkwater, 25 Ndidi, 11 Albrighton (Chilwell – 90+1 mins), 20 Okazaki – Amartey), 9 Vardy

Subs: 3 Chilwell, 10 King, 13 Amartey, 19 Slimani, 21 Zieler, 22 Gray, 23 Ulloa

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 2 Clyne, 32 Matip, 21 Lucas (Woodburn – 84 mins), 7 Milner, 20 Lallana (Origi – 66 mins), 23 Can, 5 Wijnaldum, 19 Mane (Moreno – 66 – mins), 11 Firmino, 10 Coutinho

Substitutes: 1 Karius, 17 Klavan, 18 Moreno, 27 Origi, 35 Stewart, 58 Woodburn, 66 Alexander-Arnold

Referee: Michael Oliver

Attendance: 32, 034

Liverpool 2 Spurs 0: Sadio Mané – Precision, Pace and Power

If we take results against the top six into account, Liverpool would be top of that League, being unbeaten with victories  over Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City and now Spurs.

The obvious factor is in the games against teams competing for the Champions Leagues are more likely to be open affairs with victory rather draws being the modus operandi.  But, if Liverpool fans hadn’t realised it Sadio ‘Super’ Mané is the key for their team providing the x-factor with his speed, power and movement that was absent when the player was away on his sabbatical in the African Cup Nations.

Watching him tear Spurs to apart yesterday was a joy, he gave Liverpool purpose in attack and Ben Davies with the lack of protection from Son must have wished Mané had stayed in Senegal to recuperate after his exertions.  He should’ve had a hat-trick.  Quite simply Mané is Liverpool’s surgeon slicing through defences and Coutinho, when he is playing well, is the icing on the cake.

Watching the hard work of the front three supported by Wijnaldum and Lallana one can only feel that Daniel Sturridge’s Liverpool career, unless he can produce a flourish in the last third of the season and even then one cannot see a future for him.  The fact is Sturridge even with Liverpool in cruise control in the second-half didn’t make onto the pitch which speaks volumes without turning up the controls.

The performance was reminiscent of many of those delivered with style and panache pre-Christmas.

The energy and verve was back in abundance, Klopp agreed, saying “It was difficult to defend us in the first-half, we had four of five players in the area, it was like the early part of the season.”

"It was difficult to defend against us in the first half, we had four or five players in the area, it was like the early part of the season. "It was difficult to defend against us in the first half, we had four or five players in the area, it was like the early part of the season.Pressing with such speed and force that Spurs much vaunted defence was made to look slow and cumbersome. Dier playing at centre-half looked a fish out of water, slow and ponderous, attempting to fill in for the excellent Jan Verthongen.

Liverpool were dynamic compared to Spurs who were lamentable all afternoon.  Time and again in the opening 15 minutes Liverpool broke through down the right, noticeably targeting the hapless Davies playing instead of the injured Danny Rose.  The only thing missing with the players breaking their necks to get into the box in support was the final ball.

Mané celebrate's his first with his Coutinho

A dithering Victor Wanyama saw the ball stolen from his possession on 16 minutes with Georgino Wijnaldum supplying a gorgeous through ball to Mané steaming through on goal with Ben Davies trailing in his wake.  The brilliant Senegalese made his finish look ridiculously easy what with sliding on the ground to clip the ball high into the net past the advancing Lloris.  It was nothing more than we deserved.

Two minutes later and the Anfield   "It was difficult to defend against us in the first half, we had four or five players in the area, it was like the early part of the season.faithful were in Heaven.  This time the toiling Dier was robbed by Mané who drove to the left edge of the area before squaring across for the arriving Lallana whose powerful shot was palmed out by Lloris straight to Firmino to shoot only for Lloris to pull off yet another save.  Liverpool would not be denied and Mané swung round on the rebound to hammer home emphatically.

Mané and Firmino peel away after his second

Mané was on fire with Spurs barely at the races.  His stinging shot was pushed around the post and then after racing through on goal his shot aimed underneath Lloris was deflected away by the Frenchman.

It wouldn’t be the Liverpool defence if an advantage wasn’t thrown away.  One pass saw the defence split open allowing Heung-Min Son to bear down on goal with fortunately Simon Mignolet saving well.

The second-half saw Liverpool as they haven’t very often this season manage the game in confident fashion.  Spurs top players Kane and Alli were on the periphery of the game and Spurs desperation saw them accumulate five yellow cards with Kane booked for the first time this season with Henderson, Milner and Matip joining them.

Now for the last third of the season.

Man of the match: Sadio Mané – Precision, Pace and Power.

Teams:

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 2 Clyne, 32 Matip, 21 Lucas (Klavan – 82 minutes), 7 Milner, 20 Lallana, 14 Henderson, 5 Wijnaldum, 19 Mané (Alexander-Arnold – 90+2 minutes), 11 Firmino, 10 Coutinho (Can – 77 minutes)

Subs: 1 Karius, 15 Sturridge, 17 Klavan, 18 Moreno, 23 Can, 27 Origi, 66 Alexander-Arnold

Tottenham: 1 Lloris, 2 Walker, 4 Alderweireld, 15 Dier, 33 Davies, 19 Dembele (Sissoko – 77 minutes), 12 Wanyama, 23 Eriksen (Winks – 68 minutes), 20 Alli, 7 Son Heung-min (Janssen – 82 minutes) 10 Kane

Substitutes: 9 Janssen, 13 Vorm, 14 Nkoudou, 16 Trippier, 17 Sissoko, 27 Wimmer, 29 Winks

Referee: Anthony Taylor

Attendance: 53,159

Hull City 2 Liverpool 0 – The dreadful run for the Reds in 2017 continues.

Blog by dedlfc (David Douglas)

Pre match thoughts

After the positive result of getting a draw vs Chelsea we looked at this game as a chance to stay in touching distance of a top 4 slot. Klopp makes only two changes to the side with Sadio Mane starting instead of Wijnaldum and really surprisingly Lucas starting instead of the injured Lovren who has a slight knock on his knee. The normal back up for Lovren and Matip – Klavan is out of the squad totally due to illness.

I am very disappointed with the selection of Lucas as we have a very much more worthy centre back Gomez on the bench but not picked because Klopp wants to continue picking a defensive midfielder in an unconventional role.

We start on the front foot with early chances for Can and Mane both going astray, After 10 mins, Hull then create an even better chance with N’Diaye hitting a shot straight at Mignolet.

10 mins later we are inches from taking the lead as Hull keeper Jakupovic spills a Firmino cross into the path of Coutinho, who hits a shot into the ground and wide of the target via a deflection, from the resulting corner, Firmino’s glancing header goes straight to the Hull keeper.

We are dominating possession again for the umpteenth game in 2017 but lack the creative nous or conviction to breakthrough with Matip going close with a header from a Coutinho corner.

We again look like a side devoid of any confidence and a side with no league wins in 2017. This is summed up after 42 minutes with Hull getting their first corner of the game which Hull defender Macguire heads into the ground towards goal, which Mignolet spills under the challenge from Hernandez with N’Diaye on hand to stab the ball home from about four yards out.

Another Mignolet mess up after his calamitous conceding of the free kick goal against Chelsea during the week.

So we are now again behind after dominating possession but are sucker punched to go behind to a side currently bottom of the league at the start of the weekend.

Half time thoughts

Hull keeper fumbles the ball and we do not capitalise, Liverpool keeper fumbles the ball and we go a goal behind – sums up 2017 for our club so far. Klopp will have to change something soon as we seem to struggle even more after going one goal down in games.

Early in the second half we create half chances for Matip, Can and Milner but after 56 mins we miss a great chance with Mane’s looping back post header from a Lallana cross, Somehow the Hull keeper keeps it out.

We have not made any subs 63 mins into the game despite being a goal down and Klopp not doing anything to affect the game nearly coincides with Hull getting a second goal, with first Hernandez hitting the side netting after a long ball over the top by Huddlestone, then a minute later Hernandez again is played through on goal and Mignolet is quickly off his line to thwart the danger with a sprawling save.

Coutinho has our best chance of the game after 67 mins when a scramble in the area falls to him at the back post but he amazingly hooks his half volley wide of the upright.

Klopp then makes his first sub after 68 mins bringing on Sturridge for the again disappointing Can

The sad thing is that the substitution made makes little change to our fortunes resulting in a second goal for Hull after 84 mins.

Replacement striker Niasse on for Hernandez reaches another long ball over the top by Ranocchia and slides the ball under Mignolet to double the hosts lead.    

Two late chances by Henderson (who has a rasping drive superbly tipped over by keeper Jakupovic) and Sturridge (who has his shot also repelled by the impressive Hull keeper) do nothing to dispel the pain of our disastrous start to 2017 continuing.

This is now our fourth league defeat this season, the concerning thing is that all the defeats so far have come against sides at the lower echelons of the table which shows we lack the intestinal fortitude to fight like these teams to scrape for points we need to achieve our objectives.

Man of the match: Henderson – the captain was man of the match for us as the only player in our midfield that attempted to get things firing for the side, we are in such a slump but he kept going with his personal highlight his late drive saved well by the Hull keeper – he may not be the long term answer to our captaincy problem though.

HULL CITY (4-4-1-1): Jakupovic: Elabdellaoui (Tymon 62mins), Ranocchia, Maguire, Robertson: Grosicki (Meyler 79mins), Huddlestone , N'Diaye, Clucas: Evandro: Hernandez (Niasse 65mins)

SUBS NOT USED: Marshall (GK), Maloney, Mbokani, Diomande

GOALS: N'Diaye (44), Niasse (86)

BOOKED: Maguire, Tymon

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Mignolet: Clyne, Lucas, Matip, Milner (Moreno 83mins): Lallana (Origi 83mins), Henderson, Can (Sturridge 67mins): Mane, Firmino, Coutinho

SUBS NOT USED: Karius (GK), Wijnaldum, Gomez, Alexander-Arnold 

BOOKED: Milner

ATT: 24,822

REFEREE: Lee Mason

Positives from the game – nothing but negativity at the moment.

Points of concern – The failure to win any of our first five league games in a year is the first time this has occurred since 1954, a year we were relegated !!!

It’s a good job we have the points in the bag or we would be in serious problems with our current form worse than the sides currently fighting relegation.

After the Chelsea game our manager Klopp mentioned we need to be more streetwise, we as a side are incapable of knowing how to win ugly, scrapping a close game against relegation candidates 1-0 is just not in our locker, until we show signs of being able to do so, our attempts to finally get that league title again will fail miserably.

Manager Klopp’s comments:

On his reaction to Liverpool’s performance and the defeat…

I have done four or five TV interviews, three or four radio interviews, and usually after a half an hour you feel better because you have no time to think about a lot of things after the game, and then you immediately start answering questions. But this time, it doesn’t feel better. The assessment? We gave easy goals away and we didn’t play the first half as we should have played, especially when you saw the second half. You think then if we’d played from the beginning like this, with this direction, speed, kind of greed and all that stuff, then I think it would have been more difficult for Hull to cope with this. We gave the first half away and from the result side, we gave the second half away. With the first half, we put ourselves under pressure in the second half. We had the chances, yes, but good goalkeeper saves, passion and defending from Hull in the 18-yard box and the six-yard box with a leg here, a leg there, a block here [denied us]. Then we gave an easy counter-attack away again and [it was] 2-0.

We have to take all of the criticism. Not even a week ago in the press conference, I spoke about expectations at Liverpool and said, ‘Come on, it’s allowed to have a positive look on the situation, we are still fourth in the league’ and everything like this – but after a game like this, it’s not allowed to say something like this. We expect more from ourselves and we have to show more than we did today. It is my responsibility to make it possible for the players to show more than we showed today. A few things, little, little explanations, you could see – a lack of rhythm in a few players and all that stuff. A [half-time] break, however it is, always changes things, so the second half looked much more like it should do, but football under pressure is difficult. It is allowed to defend with a lot of legs in the box and that’s difficult. But Hull are not only a defending team – they played football and were able to, so there were spaces when we won the ball. We had these few moments but not in the right mood, especially in the first half. That’s difficult to accept.

On the impact recent form has had on targets this season…

That’s not my biggest problem. I want to play much better football with my team. It’s not about where you want to be, you have to show what you should reach in a season. We showed it a few times, but obviously it [was] long ago we showed it consistently. This is, first of all, what we have to change, immediately. We need to show much more consistency than we do now on the positive side. The Champions League is an outstandingly big, big, big target. It’s fantastic and so many teams want to play there. To qualify for the Champions League in England is outstandingly difficult because of so many challenges – but after the performance of today, we don’t have to talk about this. We have to show now, really, that we are really ready to go for everything. I can say it, but it will not change a lot – we have to show it together. I have to watch the game again, I need to understand it better – especially the first half and what happened there. Both the goals really looked like presents in how we created the corner [for the first goal] and then of course the counter-attack for the second goal, it was not too nice to watch. There are a lot of things to do and as an overall statement, we have to change immediately.

On whether Liverpool’s attitude was a problem today…

I don’t know, I don’t think so. All football performances are mixtures of everything – a mixture of confidence, of attitude, readiness, passion, a lot of things. I have to watch the game again, I have to see to understand more what the reason, especially for the first half was. I think again it’s not the first time in the season we put ourselves under pressure [so] that we then [had to] react in the second half. We showed the reaction and we put them under pressure and we could’ve scored, but still then if we win 2-1 today, I am still angry about the first half, 100 per cent. I said to you a few times, I am really interested in performance. Yes, I’m interested in results too, but I’m really interested in performance because you can build on performance. This week we had a really good performance [against Chelsea], but obviously we didn’t build on it, that’s obvious. So we will, and have to, take all the criticism from everywhere. We have to change it, immediately.

On his side’s record against fellow members of the top six compared to other teams…

I can still have a view from outside, even when I’m inside, but I don’t want to give the answer now. I don’t think so [that Liverpool have an issue with their attitude against teams lower down the table]. If it looks so from outside, I can understand that, if you have the record that we have against these teams and the record we have against the other teams. But I know the boys and I see them every day, and actually they don’t show anything of this during the week. That’s why I said, we have to show the answer, to give the answer on the pitch. It is not allowed, of course, for us. In the game, we produce our problems most of the time by ourselves. So, our mistake, my mistake, whoever – we have to show that it’s not like this, but we cannot show it today anymore. In a few days we have another opportunity to play football and we can show then that we are ready for all the other games, because it’s Tottenham, who are a top team in the league. I think it would make sense to play our best in this game and then we have to prove the other thing later in the season.

With Spurs winning the evening game versus Middlesbrough they are now 4 points ahead of us in 2^nd spot so we need to now beat them at home to first secure our first league win in 2017 and also to keep in touch with a 2^nd place finish in the league.

Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1 – Mignolet redeems himself to help us obtain a draw after his laughable mess up nearly costs us another defeat.

Blog by dedlfc (David Douglas)

Pre match news:

With the disastrous month of January almost over we now had to face the clear leaders to see 1)if we could stay in the title race, 2)see if we can stay in the battle for the top 4 or 3)just give up on our season. The big team news was the appearance on the bench of Sadio Mane after his return from the African Nations Cup.

Our manager Jürgen Klopp promised an overdue big performance after a totally miserable week of results, but ultimately Chelsea had the better result and night all round.

We enjoyed the vast majority of possession as we benefited from facing a team who, unlike most who come to Anfield, were not intent on shutting up shop.

Despite like the previous games in January dominating possession we only had one shot on target from Wijnaldum which was pushed away by Courtois after 12 minutes, we therefore are currently toothless going forward and again were sucker punched predictably after 24 minutes.

Referee Mark Clattenburg awarded a debatable free kick for Adam Lallana's challenge on Eden Hazard, but while we were still debating it Luiz needed no further encouragement and produced his unique Ronaldo-esque way of taking free kicks.

Mignolet, trying to organise his defence, was not even looking at the centre-back when the ball was struck. Although it is unlikely he would have been able to stop the dipping shot that went in off the post, he needed to at least give himself a chance.

Same old story of the month of January dominating possession but again going behind and it nearly became a second goal from another Chelsea free kick this time from Wiliam. Mignolet, did manage to get a hand to the free-kick which almost picked out Luiz having flown through a crowd of players.

Soon afterwards, the sight of substitute Sadio Mane, back from the African Nations Cup just over 24 hours earlier, sitting on the bench with an ice pack on his left knee was not what we needed to see.

But our start to the second half was more like what was required, with a good move involving Wijnaldum, Lallana and Clyne spoiled by Roberto Firmino rushing his first-time shot and scooping it over. Oh for a top level striker up front !!!

Victor Moses had a chance to put the result to bed moments later after James Milner's half-tackle but this time the post was not of any assistance to Chelsea with Mignolet scrambling across his near post.

Then it was Conte's side who were made to pay as Jordan Henderson's curling ball to the far post caught Moses napping and Milner headed back across goal for Wijnaldum to head in from six yards. Another vital goal for Wijnaldum against the big teams in the league after his winning goal vs Man City on the 31^st December.

Mane's arrival off the bench ramped up expectation levels for home fans, but before he could get into the game we had a major escape. Joel Matip brought down Diego Costa, trying to cover for Lovren, only for Mignolet to redeem himself with a good low penalty save to his right from the Spain international.

Firmino had the chance to snatch a win in added-time but planted his header with not enough power straight at Courtois. Big chance missed and another confirmation that a striker of some note needs to be brought into the squad in the summer.

Man-of-the-Match: Adam Lallana – Set the agenda for the return of the gen-press to our midfield – this needs to now be the way we play for the last 15 league games.

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Mignolet, Clyne, Matip, Lovren, Milner, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Can, Lallana (Origi 90mins), Firmino, Coutinho (Mane 75)

Subs not used: Karius, Sturridge, Klavan, Moreno, Mane, Lucas

Goal: Wijnaldum 57

Booked: Henderson, Milner  

CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Moses, Matic, Kante, Alonso, Willian (Fabregas 83), Costa, Hazard (Pedro 72)

Subs not used: Begovic, Zouma, Pedro, Batshuayi, Terry, Chalobah 

Goal: Luiz 24

Booked: Willian  

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Attendance: 53,157

The Premier League leaders left with a point, which could have been three had Diego Costa not missed that penalty, but results elsewhere improved their evening and the way Antonio Conte celebrated at the final whistle suggested he was delighted.

Arsenal's defeat by Watford and Tottenham's two dropped points at Sunderland meant even a 1-1 draw against Liverpool strengthened Chelsea's position at the top.

Chelsea's advantage is now nine points, while for us a fourth successive home defeat for only the second time in their history was avoided -- and deservedly so.

Our season may be back up and running for a challenge for the top 4, but unfortunately, Chelsea still appear to be running away with the title.

We now face a tough game away to Hull which we need to start our February off on a winning note as we only have three league games to play this month and now no cup games left this season.

Liverpool 1 Wolves 2 – Klopp gamble on youngsters backfires and we are out of two cup competitions in less than a week.

Liverpool 1 Wolves 2 – Klopp gamble on youngsters backfires and we are out of two cup competitions in less than a week.

Blog by dedlfc (David Douglas)

PRE-MATCH: In this terrible month of January we just want another win but Klopp has made nine changes giving our youngsters a chance to impress.

Goal Sherman 1’- That didn’t take long. Liverpool concede in the first minute of play to a Helder Costa free kick. Ball played in Gomez and Klavan left Sherman offside but also unmarked for a free header.

Hélder Costa, slicing through our defenders like this is amateur hour, and very nearly scores Wolves their second. How embarrassing.

Remind me again -Which of these teams is in the Championship?

Goal Weimann 41’ - Costa then set up Andreas Weimann to round Liverpool keeper Loris Karius and double Wolves' lead before the break.

HALFTIME: Shocking performance and Klopp again has no answers to us having all the possession but not being able to penetrate sides but having a weak defence that opens up like the Red Sea whenever counter attacked!!!

Klopp called for the cavalry in the form of Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge and Emre Can but it was too little, too late. We looked like our season has gone totally flat in one month – This season it will be January that has cost us any chance of the title, plus the two cup competitions.

Despite 80 per cent possession, Liverpool took an hour to register their first shot on target and it was not until the 86th minute that the visitors’ rookie 20-year-old goalkeeper, Harry Burgoyne, was beaten by Divock Origi.

Try telling Wolves the Cup doesn’t matter. Their normally reserved manager was an animated fireball of energy and celebrated his side’s second goal with a full-blown touchline jig and punch to the air.

Man of the match – Roberto Firmino - Made way for Sturridge in second half, but was up till that point Liverpool’s brightest player, although admittedly that is not saying much.

Liverpool

Karius, Randall, Klavan, Gomez, Moreno, Lucas, Ejaria, Wijnaldum, Woodburn, Firmino, Origi

Subs: Mignolet, Milner, Stewart, Can, Wilson, Coutinho, Sturridge

Wolves

Burgoyne, Doherty, Edwards, Stearman, Saville, Evans, Coady, Costa, Dicko, Hause, Weimann.

Subs: Lonergan, Batth, Enobakhare, Ronan, Gibbs-White, Bodvarsson, Mason.

FINAL THOUGHT: January isn’t over yet. We still have one more game against Chelsea on Tuesday. Heaven help us all.

MAJOR CONCERNS:-

Klopp is yet to find a way to break teams that sit deep against us

Considering it was our side’s last realistic hope of silverware, Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers was significant. Going into the game, Klopp would have known that a Championship team would come to sit deep, and mostly rely on counterattacks for goals. Yet again he has no answer.

We are going nowhere with our current defence

A bad defence with full confidence = an average defence.

A bad defence without confidence =a disaster. This in principle describes our defence at the moment.

Liverpool’s shambolic defence and their vulnerability against set pieces were truly on display when allowed their opponents to score a goal in the 51st second of the game. This allowed Paul Lambert’s men to sit back and enjoy the rest of the match watching the home side struggle to break them down.

This is not the first time Liverpool have enjoyed a far greater possession rate but struggled to trouble the opposing goalkeeper. Jürgen Klopp must find a way to amend this. Eventually, it was a set-piece that got Liverpool their (consolation) goal, which seemed almost ironic given their possession rate.

Our trophy hopes have gone from unlikely to impossible in the last few weeks. Needless to say, the faltering attack is accountable for the same but it is the defence that has cost them routinely, and these games have proved that nothing has changed under the management of the charming Jürgen Klopp.

We have regularly relied on outscoring the opponent (fans of the club will never forget the 2013/14 campaign), but in its absence, the defence must step up, be alert and show character and grit.

While Richard Stearman was marginally offside for the first-minute goal, it was the needless foul given away in the first place and subsequently the poor marking that cost us an early blow. After that, Lambert’s men were happy to sit back and defend.

Until our punctured defence improves, the Reds cannot be taken seriously.

Manager Klopp comments

‘ I feel responsible for this performance. I thought we could do better,’ said Klopp after watching a line up including three teenagers and a right back, Conor Randall, who hadn’t played this season, crumble. ‘I don’t feel they let me down – I am the one responsible for the line-up’