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Liverpool`s season has not started in the manner they finished last one. In fact the start is reminiscent of the Roy Hodgson days where the team struggled to put on a decent display until he was let go.Brendan Rodgers claimed that the team has not been doing well, citing that there has been lack of aggressiveness and a lack of leadership among the players. Does he have the right personnel to challenge for a top four spot, if not the Premier League title? Maybe not.Here are 5 players who should be shown the door for their poor displays this season.Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author and do not reflect those of the website.
#1 Glen Johnson
The Liverpool right back now seems a shadow of his former self. The days when fans used to stand in awe of his marauding runs down the wings have vanished and fans just want to see the back of Johnson. The Glen Johnson of old had a good first touch, a strong desire to get forward and a thunderous shot on him. But now all that is left is a player who often gets pulled out of place and gives lot of space to the opposition attackers.
His dip is form can be attributed to the injuries he sustained, but that cannot justify the starting the place he has in the Liverpool team. Players like Manquillo and Flanagan have started to show signs that they are able deputies to call upon when needed. So the question arises: why does he play every often?
Rodgers claims it is due to the experience he has and the tactical nous he possesses. But in spite of the positives, he struggles in every match. And when faced with pacey players, it is a certainty that he will give them space.
Currently in the last few months of his contract, there have been questions raised over his commitment to the Liverpool team. With teams from Italy waiting around the corner, this may be a good time to let go of Johnson and save the huge wages on a better player.
Chances of leaving: 8/10
#2 Dejan Lovern
This signing of Lovren this summer has been their biggest mistake this season. The number of goals conceded when Lovern is playing is increasing by an alarming rate.
All through the summer, Liverpool were on the hunt for a defensive leader to fill the void left by Jamie Carragher. The Croatian faces a huge task of filling the boots of a leader in the backline that Liverpool needs. In the few months that he has been at Anfield, it is safe to assume that he is not the leader Liverpool wants at the moment.
The decision making of Lovern is also questionable, leaving huge space behind him and letting Martin Skrtel alone when facing counter attacks. Lovern has been susceptible to mistakes, and the panic he generates when facing a pacy striker is increasing exponentially.
The former Southampton defender seems to have had just one wonder season at St. Mary’s and is yet to recollect the form that earned him a £20m move to the Reds. Players like Kolo Toure and Sakho are waiting on the bench to grab a chance and prove their worth.
With patience running out fast and loads of goals being conceded, January could be the right time to let go of this defensive blunder and cut the losses early.
Chances of leaving: 6/10
#3 Simon Mignolet
The Belgian goalkeeper made a great start to his Anfield career, stopping a penalty against Stoke City. But since then, his form has dropped. He came in with a reputation as a shot stopper, but as evident from recent matches even his shot stopping prowess has deserted him.
His distribution is possibly the worst in recent times for a Liverpool goalkeeper. Replacing Pepe Reina with Mignolet has been a big decision and so far it has not proved worthwhile. In every match, the opposition team just waits for Mignolet to kick the ball deep down and concede possession. This unnecessarily puts Liverpool on the back foot every single time. His lack of command in the box and shaky confidence has led to even more anguish among the coaching staff and fans alike.
Recently, past greats of Liverpool such as Bruce Grobbelaar and Jamie Carragher have publicly voiced concerns over the ability of Mignolet to cement his position long term with the club. Having a shaky keeper also brings down the confidence of the defence, thereby putting more pressure on them.
With only Brad Jones as the backup goalkeeper, it seems the time has now come for Liverpool to replace the shaky Belgian with a better goalkeeper.
Chances of leaving: 7/10
#4 Martin Skrtel
The Slovakian captain is another defender who has caused a lot of trouble this season for the Reds. His persistent fouling and lack of leadership has led to the Reds conceding more goals. Last season Skrtel was having his best season, scoring crucial goals. But on the other side of the pitch he had a horrible season in which the team let in more than 50 goals.
As a defender, his defending skills have declined this season. When there is a set piece, it seems almost certain that there will be a foul conceded and a higher probability of Skrtel being the culprit.
Having being already penalised for grabbing hold of an opponent’s shirt against Crystal Palace, refrees are now on watch for Skrtel`s antics in the box. His actions may have gone unnoticed many times last season, but a less than confident start to the season is bringing the worst out of the defender.
His shirt holding and rash tackles has come under intense scrutiny and it Rodgers is running out of patience with the defender. He has been a fine servant to the club, but how long will Rodgers continue to compromise with such aggressive and unnecessary antics is the question to be answered.
Chances of leaving: 4/10
#5 Mario Balotelli
Why always Him? Well for a start, not scoring a single goal in the Premier League and rating yourself a 7/10 is not what the fans expect from a striker.
Balotelli seems to have improved his work rate as compared to his Manchester City and Inter Milan days. But the lack of goals is still an alarming concern for a striker. Even without a single goal, Balotelli seems to have gone backward in his shooting rather than improving it.
With Rickie Lambert starting to find form with just a couple of starts, it begs the question: is Balotelli indeed offering anything up front for the Reds? The sheer number of goals that Liverpool scored was the reason for a title challenge last season. The lack of it is the main concern this season, and Balotelli being a striker has contributed nothing in that regard.
Also, there has been reports that Balotelli is struggling to settle at Merseyside. With the Reds looking to bring a better striker in January, Balotelli could be out of the team soon.
Chances of leaving: 6/10
