Liverpool didn’t exit the Champions League on the performance of Tuesday night against Basel. It was over the course of the six games.
Only one win, the loss in Basel and the late draw against Ludogorets were all big blows and, overall, they limped out of the competition. Basel are a very, very good outfit and they had bags of confidence at Anfield. Liverpool, still liking to play out from the back, caused themselves lots of problems and Paulo Sousa went after that. They worked very hard, pressed high up the pitch and Strellar and Frei were excellent for them and they overran Liverpool in midfield.
They were fully deserving of their lead at half time and Liverpool needed to make changes and they did but it went all wrong with the sending off of Markovic.
He raised his arm and he gave the referee the opportunity to send him off and it became a mountain to climb after that. It was a real rush of blood and sometimes as footballers you do things and you can’t really explain it.
The next three or four weeks are going to be huge for the club and for Brendan Rodgers. The pressure is building and it doesn’t help going out of the Champions League.
I think the board owe it to him to stick by him, they owe him time to get it right and I would like to see him there until the end of the season. If he doesn’t make the top four then obviously it will have to be looked at and then evaluated. I would like to think with what he did last season he should be allowed turn it around.
The top four has to be priority and they are hanging in there because of the inconsistency of the sides around them with everyone beating each other.
They play Manchester United and Arsenal over the Christmas period as well as a League Cup quarter final with Bournemouth and that’s a vital game as well because you don’t want to be going out to Championship opposition.
The derby
Heading into the weekend against Manchester United, Liverpool are still looking for that spark and once again the responsibility will rest on Gerrard and Raheem Sterling. The other players need to stand up and be counted and try and grind out a result.
Liverpool are still finding it so hard to get goals. The club are desperate for Sturridge to get back and he’s probably a month away still so it’s hard to see where the goals will come from.
Both teams are struggling at the back but then you look at United and you see the firepower they have in Rooney, Robin van Persie, Falcao and the other players all have a goal in them. Liverpool just don’t have that at the moment.
From my own experience, the rivalry between both clubs means sometimes they aren’t great games to watch or to play in.
They’re really aggressive and intimidating ,the crowd are up for it and usually its a mistake that makes the difference between the sides.
The media often make a lot more of this game and I know exactly what Gary Neville was saying last week abut ‘The Dog and Duck’ playing ‘The Red Lion’.
There are players on both sides that it will be a new experience for and they will have to rise to the occasion.
Good example
I have to say I’m really enjoying the runs of Newcastle and West Ham at the moment. I hate seeing mangers get the sack and I admire when chairmen hang in there and don’t listen to the fans.
It’s great when it’s all going well but when it becomes hard and the days get longer and when the chairman gives you the backing it makes it easier.
Both Alan Pardew and Sam Allardyce have proved that if you give them time and a last throw of the dice they can turn things around.
Sam’s made some good signings and he just needed time for them to gel and settle in. He’s got plenty of options, he’s got a Plan A, a Plan B and a Plan C now that Andy Carroll is back and fully fit. They’re scoring goals and they’re defending well and it’s all going well.
They do face a very tough Christmas period with games against Chelsea and Arsenal but if they get over it and with the options and confidence they have they have to be top four candidates.
