Disgusting! Our performance against Hull this weekend can only be described as disgusting. I viewed this game as being a guaranteed win for us. Every other pundit saw it the same. I doubt if the Hull fans and players themselves expected anything other than a defeat at the hands of Liverpool. However, it would appear that we understood the term ‘walk –over’ as meaning we should approach the match at walking speed. There was no energy, desire or passion shown by any of the men wearing the Liverbird on their chest. They should be embarrassed.
The difference between a top club and a mediocre club is the ability to put teams away that should be put away. It is as simple as that. As much as a despise that red team from Manchester, you cannot fault them one thing. They always go out to demolish the ‘lesser’ teams. They approach all their matches with the same intensity. Where was our intensity on Sunday?
Football is a team sport and therefore I feel it is not right to select individual team members out for their poor performances. That is not the Liverpool way. Besides, that is the job of Brendan Rodgers…who should also be looking at himself and his team selection from the weekend. But let me just say, that this defeat will haunt me for years to come. Our next match on Wednesday Night is against Norwich.
So how do we beat them?
Give the ball to Luis Suarez…
All jokes aside, our Uruguayan striker has scored seven goals in our last three matches against the Canaries. Clearly a team he looks forward to playing against. Rodgers should rethink his system and play a 4-4-1-1 formation. I would like to see Agger re-introduced to the starting XI and perhaps Kelly in the right back role. I would play Lucas and Gerrard in the middle of the midfield with (for a lack of other options) Henderson or Sterling wide left. (I would actually be tempted to give Ibe a run in this match). I would then push Johnson into a wide right position. I would like to see Coutinho playing in the hole behind Luis Suarez. Alternatively, I would put Aspas in that hole push Coutinho out wide in place of Henderson or Sterling.
Norwich will be coming into this match terrified. They have been punished when they have come up against opposition from the top half of the table already this season, and we do have a habit of scoring a few against them. I hope the shock of this weekends’ match was enough to shake some desire into the team. Anything less than a four-nil win would be another embarrassment for us.
And our competitors…
Arsenal will show us how to beat Hull. A comfortable win for the gunners, and I see them in the very least, maintaining their four point lead out front. Manchester United will be playing Everton – Moyes against his old team for the very first time. This match is very hard to call. I almost immediately saw Man United getting the win, but there are other factors at play, not in the least Moyes v Everton. I think our neighbours will be up for this match and I see a draw on the cards. Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham are all playing away, and all should return with the three points.
Follow Kurt Ellis on Twitter @kurtellis2
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