LIVERPOOLS HIDDEN GEM

LIVERPOOLS HIDDEN GEM

Last weekends 5- 0 drabbing of Liverpool by Manchester city  presented me with a better understanding of where Liverpool lie tactically not just in terms of big games but just a general view of how they will handle expectations this season having invested more into the team this season.

The result didn't shock me as much as it shocked other people or mostly Liverpool fans because I expected Manchester city  to dominate and thus generally win the game, as it turned out ( of course the red card helped). However what did come to my immediate concern is the collapse of the team spirit immediately Mane received the red card. Which led me to ask myself one key questions:

1) Who is Liverpool's most important player?

Majority of peoples answer to this would be mane or coutinho however my perspective or answer to this is generally very different to what many people believe, in that I do not believe Mane is Liverpool's most important player but the most creative player in open play. This means when Liverpool is on the counter attack that's when he is most effective. Apart from that he is just a fast player with occasional flashes of brilliance. Thus the answer to my question was generally no. 

Who is? well my answer to this question lies within Liverpool's bench.

The Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is no doubt one of the best managers in the premier league if not the world in terms of sheer man management, however he lacks the knack or now how when his team are up against it or in tricky situations. It doesn't take a soccer specialist to have seen that after the first half at the Etihad  the Liverpool midfield needed a serious change and perhaps the striker too. He should have changed this as soon as Mane was red carded and maybe Liverpool would have remained in the game for long periods.

While one might argue that he did make changes later, but even the changes he made didn't make tactical sense at least to me, the game needed a bruising midfielder that could not only cover the extra space but handle the physical side of the game better than  the players who were on the pitch. For me this player was Marko Grujic.

The Serbian is simply at least in my view the last piece of the puzzle that needs to be integrated into the Liverpool midfield if they have any aspirations of  winning the title or at least being in the run in. For me during the many games I have watched Grujic play he would complement Henderson better (preseason showed this clearly) than Emre Can, out of sheer ability to find space in midfield and win  battles plus the ability to position himself better. He also has a knack for ghosting into the box and getting vital goals, or shooting from distance (Steven Gerard like goals).

This is what Liverpool needed during that game and indeed going forward, Jordan Henderson simply needs someone who will allow him get the vital space to ping balls forwards. While some people can argue that this player is coutinho, I don't come from the same school of thought I genuinely believe Grujic is the answer to Liverpool's defensive problems. He will give them better balance and as a result relive pressure on the weak defense not forgetting much needed height for set pieces.

However having said this Jürgen Klopp seems to have his favorites for the midfield and as a result of this Liverpool fans should not expect the defensive fragilities to stop any time soon ( as the champions league game showed on Tuesday), Liverpool should have won that game comfortably but ended up drawing.

People will naturally point fingers at the defense I however point fingers at the manager, Liverpool's midfield needs Grujic physicality height, and off the ball abilities in order to have better defensive organization.

As much as I don't like Mourinho I appreciate his ability to see the tactical side of things better than most, I honestly strongly believe Grujic would feature a lot in a Mourinho team, simply because he appreciates such players ( Matic being an example). He appreciates players who bring different elements to his teams, Jürgen Klopp doesn't and this is a problem which he must realize if his to fulfill his personal ambitions and the teams. Grujic is young yes but his ready and needs to be unleashed.

I am as a result of knowing he will unlikely feature this weekend comfortably predicting a Liverpool draw or hard fought win. Liverpool is also likely concede at least one goal this weekend.

Therefore folks bet on Liverpool at your own risk while the solution to their problems sits on the bench or is left out of team all together.  Meanwhile lets get working folks log on here