Notes on Liverpool

Busy month getting ready for the season, but starting with good news from Halifax, with Corby winning 1-3 and laying down a marker for the Blue Square North season.  More on that (maybe) later.

But for the moment, a few notes from Liverpool.  In the first half, they looked like a great red machine, but in their success, the seeds of their undoing are seen.  Some items that must be addressed for Liverpool to make a title push:

1) Reina is weak moving left to right. 
Brilliant goal from Larsson, no doubt, but watch in slow motion -- Reina is in excellent position covering the angle on the left, but when the ball moves to his right, he reacts late, steps too close to his line, and doesn´t set his feet properly.  Had he gotten in front of his post, shortening the angle, maybe he gets a hand to it.  Maybe not -- but that fundamental weakness in Reina´s game will be exposed for 6-8 goals this season.

2) Flanagan is a project, not a completed project.
At times the boy looked excellent, especially in the first half.  He is a good 1v1 defender, comfortable on the ball, and has a good speed of play, getting the ball into the midfield and supporting.  However, his touch can be erratic, and he doesn´t defend his back stick strong.  Larsson pulled away from him on the goal, and frankly, Flanagan didn´t know where he was.  Liverpool have options at right back, and Flanagan may be the future, but he isn´t the present.

3) Liverpool cannot settle for winning.
They do not have the killer instinct to put a game away.  It should have been 3-0 at halftime, but Liverpool did not have the killer instinct to put the game away.  A moment of brilliance from Larsson, and the draw was done.  Liverpool never looked like they thought they could win.

4) Liverpool might not be fit.
They were flat in the second half.  Maybe fitness? (I´m looking at you Stewart Downing) Or just lack of belief? 

5) Liverpool paid over the odds for Jordan Henderson.
To be honest, Jonjo Shelvey is a much better player: quicker, better anticipation, better range of passing, better defender.  I´m sure Dalglish and Comolli have seen something I haven´t, but Henderson is a very average Championship midfielder, not a £20m game changer.


6) Charlie Adam might be missing cog.
The loss of Xabi Alonso was huge for the The Reds.  Charlie Adam has a huge range of passing, good positional sense, and seems to play better when the team plays better around him.  In the second half he was a little out of the game, but was in the center of everything that Liverpool did well in the first.




It should be an interesting season.  For Liverpool another 70 point struggle is possible, but if they can learn to beat the Sunderlands, Villas, and Newcastles, they could be the dark horse for 85+ and be in the conversation with ManU and Chelsea at the sharp end of the table.