Welcome to this crisis edition of The Green Room, where we discuss all things Liverpool, Premiership and football in general. Today we have a crisis on our hands. Liverpool FC are trying their best to emulate Arsenal in becoming a laughing stock.
This meeting has been called after witnessing the farce of a performance from Liverpool at White Hart Lane yesterday afternoon. To call the performance lame would be both an understatement and a disservice to Harry Redknapp and his team. To cut an unfortunately long story short, Kenny Dalglish’s men were stuffed four goals to nothing by a well-organized, hard-working and dominant Spurs side.
Liverpool went a goal down in the sixth minute to a clinical finish from Luka Modric that left Reina clasping at thin air. In the moments preceding that, the injury-prone Daniel Agger suffered yet another injury which will probably rule him out for the next game or two. Probably more if his past record is anything to go by. Step forward the new “Sicknote” of the Premiership – If the legs will take you. The depth in the newly assembled Liverpool squad will now surely be tested over the coming games. With the exception of having a Luis Suarez goal disallowed quite rightly for offside and a penalty claim against Benoit Assou-Ekotto turned down after he held the hapless Andy Carroll in the area, Liverpool offered sweet nothing.
Charlie Adam was dismissed from the field of play for a horror tackle on Scott Parker. After that the reds were on the back foot. At that point, the score was 1-0 to Spurs and it was not inconceivable that Liverpool could maybe snatch an equalizer. The collapse was complete when Martin Skrtel joined him for an early bath when he too was sent off for a second bookable offence. I presume the first was for taking to the field in the first place.
The departure of Skrtel saw the remainder of the Liverpool side fall apart as they shipped three goals in the last 20 minutes to make the humiliation complete. In the post match interview, Dalglish paid tribute to the travelling support but could offer nothing by way of excuses for his team’s inept performance. He stopped short of apologizing to the fans. An act that wouldn’t have been out of place. I could feel him seething inside and I hope we’ll now see some changes in the coming matches.
I’m not sure if you know but Redknapp and Dalglish go back a long way. A young Dalglish was having trials at West Ham in the mid-sixties and formed a firm friendship with one of his teammates, a young lad by the name of Harry Redknapp. Dalglish was unable to settle in the smoke and returned to Glasgow to play for Celtic. The rest is history. The two have remained firm friends ever since.
The reason I mention this, is not to show my age, but to give you a flavor of the added embarrassment there would be for Dalglish in having to endure such a spineless display. We all know what it’s like to lose. It doesn’t feel good, but to lose to a close friend, when the stakes are so high does not sit well with even the most easy-going of people.
Dalglish has staunchly defended Jamie Carragher in recent days after he conceded the penalty that ultimately cost Liverpool in their last game against Stoke. I think he’d be in line for a “rest” had Liverpool not been as short on fit and or capable defenders as we are at the moment. Adam and Skrtel will shortly be serving suspensions so maybe we’ll see the introduction of a couple more of the youngsters? We’ll have to wait and see but things can’t continue as they are. Again Andy Carroll offered precious little, and Jordan Henderson has returned to his early season (lack of) form. The Liverpool team needs to have a good long look at themselves and get back to playing the way we know they can.
Sure, Liverpool are not expected to challenge for the league this season but some pride, at least wouldn’t go amiss. European qualification is the minimum and Dalglish, the Liverpool fans and all connected with the club deserve more than they’re getting at the moment. I’m tired of hearing the payers complimenting one another in the press and saying how “Agger Praises morale” or “Gerrard: Luis is top of the Kops” without their performing on the pitch. All of this needless talk proves nothing and merely serves to make the team swallow their words after results like this. Forget the needless talk and knuckle down to playing some decent football.
Thanks for reading and hopefully we can have something more positive to write about next time.
Ben Green @Mrbengreen