Festive season brings new challenges for Liverpool

The other night, I was involved in a discussion with on my friends who is a staunch supporter of Arsenal FC. I was trying to rile him about Arsenal’s chances of the title season, he preferred the diplomatic way or rather the Arsene Wenger way of let’s wait and watch and politely deflecting my questions, till he decided to take the offensive way and started asking me about Liverpool’s chances this season.

Well, I am not the first person to ponder this question and nor will be the last. This season Liverpool kicked off like a eager racer or to use the old usage “like a cat on a hot tin roof”¸ it was like everything was clicking into place, there was a lot of talk about the SAS – Sturridge-Suarez partnership, the 3-5-2 formation.

The defeat to Southampton though halted this progress and from theron, Liverpool while maintaining their home form have fallen in their performances away. Defeats to Arsenal and Hull and a thrilling draw with Everton has raised questions about their mentality against the top teams.

Mental strength has been the talk of the Premier League, these past few weeks and it’s not even restricted to Liverpool. Arsenal have been a subject of it and so has been Manchester United. From Brendan Rodgers perspective though, these questions have been rightly raised, with his managerial career with Liverpool, yielding only two wins against the top 6 teams. Although some of the results were also subject to brain freeze of lot his players e.g. Reina’s mindless charge at the Etihad, Skrtel’s backpass etc.

Liverpool though have been transformed in the sense, that they have been harder to beat as the top 6 found out last season. The apprehensions though are reasonable as was seen in the performances this season at the Emirates where Arsenal blew them away with a performance that oozed class and confidence from the Gunners which the Reds seemed to lack.

This Christmas period though, Liverpool can silence their doubters, they have already lost Sturridge and Gerrard for the festive period with long-term injuries to Enrique. On the bright side though, Suarez is playing at a level which surely can make him a contender for the best player this season. Rodgers has effectively made changes to a system in which Suarez is reaping the benefits, the timely return of Allen and Coutinho has also helped.

Three games, three pivotal away games will determine whether Liverpool are ready to take on the mantle of a Champions League team. The top 4 will be playing against each other over the course of this period as well so it is chance for all the teams in the frame to pull away and establish a lead of sorts. It is difficult at this point of time to ascertain the amount of points that the team needs to pick but 2 defeats means Liverpool will be taking steps backwards rather than forward.

Liverpool have been tremendous this season against the second half of the table pumping in goals for fun. Now if they can get rid of the away jitters and that in the absence of their influential players will spread a wave of belief which will help stand them in good stead over the course of the season.