Anfield Red

Another week, another glimmer of hope rained on. Liverpool fans are, on the whole, an optimistic bunch, but a second successive 2-2 home draw – this time against potential Champions League rivals Manchester City – left many heading out of Anfield boasting only of apathy and indifference. The optimism was gathering pace ahead of a lunchtime kick off in the November wind and rain. The sight of a substitutes’ bench containing Fabio Aurelio, Yossi Benayoun, Albert Riera and Alberto Aquilani warmed the hearts of many within Anfield, even if the weather threatened to freeze them to their seats.

It didn’t take long for the enthusiasm to diminish. Injuries to Daniel Agger and Ryan Babel meant that Rafa Benitez had made two substitutions by the time the clock had ticked to the twenty minute mark. Aquilani, pencilled in for a half-hour cameo, was never likely to appear after this. In his post match press conference, Benitez squirmed and stuttered when one reporter ventured the idea that Liverpool might be happy with a point. His answer spoke of his players’ “fantastic character” and the injury crisis which has overwhelmed the club this autumn, but his demeanour told of a man desperate to say yes.

The Spaniard’s apologists may say fair enough; City’s side, after all, did cost around £90 million more to assemble than Liverpool’s (and they were denied the services of club record signing Robinho, and club captain Kolo Toure for the second half). But to defend Liverpool here is to miss the point. Here was a chance to regain some impetus in the battle for a top four finish, and it was missed. Liverpool were in a prime position to nail City following Martin Skrtel’s first ever goal for the Reds. Mark Hughes brushed aside accusations of negativity in his own post-match meeting with the press, but there is little denying that City only came alive following the introduction of Carlos Tevez on the hour mark. Had the Argentine been introduced earlier, or even started, City could well have been out of sight.

Perhaps the two managers’ reactions to the result says more about the way in which both clubs’ ambitions have been dulled as the season has progressed. Both were mentioned amongst the title contenders before the season commenced, both have slipped way behind pace-setting Chelsea. Liverpool have won just one of their last ten fixtures in all competitions, City have drawn their last six in the league – equalling a top flight record that had stood since 1913.

Both are likely to be there or thereabouts, with regards to the top four, come May. Liverpool’s first eleven remains a formidable force, whilst City’s financial muscles are likely to be flexed once more come January, as they look to kick on in the final third of the season. But the fact remains that neither showed sufficient ambition to produce a statement of intent here.

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Surely the main concern for Benitez must be the manner in which Liverpool are conceding goals this term. Both of City’s goals on Saturday were patently avoidable, Martin Skrtel switched off to allow Emmanuel Adebayor the freedom of the Kop End penalty area for the first, and then allowed Tevez to harry him into conceding possession for the second, whilst neither Lucas Leiva nor Emiliano Insua reacted quickly enough to Stephen Ireland’s unchecked run into the six yard box. These issues are not unsolvable; they are individual errors which can be ironed out through hard work on the training ground, and a bit more organisation at the back. Nevertheless, the rate at which Liverpool are shipping goals must be a worry. Criticism can be levelled at the likes of David Ngog (who again looked useful against City), Dirk Kuyt (who didn’t) and Lucas (who polarises opinion like few ever have on Merseyside), but it is defensive lapses which are costing Liverpool this season.

Again, injuries must be held up as a mitigating circumstance. Jamie Carragher was forced to put in a graveyard shift at right full back after Glen Johnson was declared unfit on Saturday morning, and neither Sotiris Kyrgiakos – who had a pretty good game – nor Skrtel boast Carragher’s organisational and leadership qualities, whilst Carragher himself lacks Johnson’s composure and quality in possession, meaning Liverpool often looked too long, too soon.

By my calculations, Liverpool have now used ten different defenders this season (Carragher, Agger, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Aurelio, Kelly, Degen, Ayala, Johnson), which cannot be conducive to a stable backline. Insua in particular has struggled, but better must also be expected of both Carragher and Skrtel.

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The Reds flew to Hungary yesterday morning as they prepare for a make-or-break week in the Champions League. Liverpool must beat Debrecen in Budapest and pray that Fiorentina fail to do the same to Lyon in Florence, otherwise Benitez will be planning for a springtime spent in the Europa League. Liverpool will need to win in Budapest without Fernando Torres, who is surely being groomed for an appearance in Sunday’s Merseyside derby, whilst Babel’s twisted ankle also prevented him from travelling. Nevertheless, Johnson is set to be fit, Aquilani, Gerrard and Agger all travelled, and the excuses have to stop some time. Today is as good a time as any surely?