Just finished re-watching the game again, lets start with some a positive, this thread needs it.
Henderson & Skrtel were head & soldiers above every other player on the pitch, both were diminished by having to cover so much ground because those around them were poor. Sturridge, Suarez and Sterling, when given service actually looked threatening. In the 11 minutes Lucas was on, I saw more communication between our back line & keeper than during the rest of game put together. Agger does a little talking, Skrtel much less and Mignolet is struck dumb at present, it was Carragher's greatest strength, organisation is where he was a key player for us. The unsettled nature of our back line has caused problems and it needs working on and it's worth mentioning that 3 of that back line be shouldn't be starters for us, either based on form or the players unavailable to us through injury and let us not pretend that isn't a problem in itself.
Rodgers has to take some flack as well, that kind of attacking line up, against a team noted for its away form, its counter-attacking style and playing better against the 'big' boys this season I caught the end of their game against Arsenal last weekend, the combined pace, power and trickery that Benteke and Wiemann displayed, especially as they both play in between the DM and defence with the added threat of Agbonlahor was always going to cause Gerrard problems and it seems to be noted already and teams apply pressure on him straight away. We haven't a strong enough team to impose ourselves for 90 minutes against most of the Premiership and certainly not a quick, powerful, counter-attacking side. Coutinho should have missed out, he looks like he needs the rest and either Lucas or Allen should have started, I know hindsights 20-20, but the starting line up surprised me, just from what I'd seen of Villa this season, which by and large has been poor, except when you let them play the football they thrive on.
Lets end on a positive as well. As poor as we were, we fought back for a point and when's the last time we fought back from 2-0 down at home in the league?
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