Liverpool's weak mentality is costing them

Martin Skrtel celebrates after scoring in the 97^th ?minute against Arsenal

Mamma Mia, here we go again. These were my precise thoughts on Liverpool’s game against Arsenal, and it’s not just because I just caught the musical literally two days ago.

It almost seems as though every match for Liverpool has that pre-written script – Liverpool score first, opponent equalizes and then the opponent scores another. But today’s performance was a big stepping stone for this young Liverpool FC team. They ripped up that script and wrote a whole new one for themselves.

It wasn’t just a draw. It was a moral victory, I tell myself.

A part of me tells me that Brendan Rodgers has been almost too positive with his comments lately – I know I sort of dropped my jaw following his comments after the Bournemouth game. He made that sound like a derby victory against Manchester United.

Liverpool are not as bad as their league position suggests

To be perfectly honest, I don’t feel this is a bad Liverpool team. Definitely not a tenth placed Barclays Premier League team like how they have panned out to place. Far from it. I feel that they are genuinely a top 4 team – 90% of the time. But their inability to withstand pressure from opposing teams represents a big weakness for them.

Most of the opening goals for opposition teams this season have come on the back of one of the following: a) a mistake from the Liverpool defenders or b) poor response by the Liverpool defenders following a rebound or a failed offside trap attempt. And it’s clear to see from recent matches that Liverpool are capable of controlling teams – even Chelsea – in the early proceedings.

The weakness is those lapses in concentration – as evidenced by the two goals that Liverpool conceded today. Those moments cause Liverpool’s work over huge periods of a game to come completely undone. In addition, given the fact that we had given 110% of our efforts in securing the possession and creating the umpteen chances we need to put the ball in the net, we find ourselves defeated both mentally & physically, and it has really hurt us this season.

Daniel Sturridge’s return will solve the problems in the final third

The Reds are more than comfortable passing it around at the back and midfield, although more often than not, it comes up short in that final third (this has been documented many times as well). However, I feel that there is a silver lining – we can’t forget that Daniel Sturridge is set to finally make his return in the next few weeks (hopefully), so we shouldn’t be too disheartened by our performances in front of goal.

I feel as though Liverpool do not have the mental strength of the better teams. Whilst they have the ability to control the game, and pass and move, they don’t have the confidence as well as the concentration over 90 minutes (and stoppage time) to keep the ball out of the back of our net, whilst being able to put it in our opposition’s respective ones.

But I’m fairly pleased that Brendan Rodgers brought Lucas Leiva back into the squad. I feel that Liverpool were better with the security in the defensive midfield position at the back. In most situations, he was able to get rid of any danger before the ball reached the tragedy that is the Liverpool back 4. It also gave Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho the freedom to go forward.

It’s also interesting to note that this was, if I’m not mistaken, Philippe Coutinho’s first full 90 minutes of football. I think this is down to Coutinho not really requiring to track those runners going back. I think it’s a very weak area of his game, and I think using that defensive midfielder will give him more room to express himself. Him, Lallana & Lazar Markovic put in really good performances in my eyes.