My first Post: I noticed in a number of games this season that Liverpool's players seemed to be more together than I had seen since 2005. The fight on the pitch was something we have lacked in the past 9 seasons. Of course last season was a fantastic challenge, but a lot of luck (few injuries, thin squad) and Luis Suarez really helped us to peak a bit too early in our 5-year plan. The fighting mentality seemed to stem mainly from two leaders on the pitch, Jordan Henderson and Martin Škrtel. Gerrard was not playing in the games that this mentality was most evident, When Stevie plays, the players look to him, but this season has been different for Gerrard. Last seasons slip really seemed to have broken his spirit, it seemed like the events of the concluding games of last season were scripted to a movie about a player that was never going to achieve the dream of lifting the EPL title. Add to that the fact that his performances started so poorly this season and his manager had informed him that he would be playing less over the coming seasons and you have a leader who found it hard to give the 'all or nothing' mentality that we have learned to rely on so much.
How powerful is the 'mentality' factor?
Liverpool seem to be a team heavily influenced by their last games. We play better after a win and worse after a loss. Our horrendous start to the season turned around when we lost to Manchester United, a team that were looking very poor at the time, being kept in touch only by the awesome performances of David De Gea. Losing that game changed something in the Liverpool dressing room. Jordan Henderson stepped forward and lifted the team to a run that seen them slowly climb back up the table, hindered only by the fact that everyone above us seemed to be winning every game also. The team was looking strong, playing attacking football and fighting for every ball. That is until we faced United again. Surely this was the game where we showed them that we were now the stronger of the two. No, we entered the pitch on the back of a disappointing loss and mentally never turned up, United ran out deserving winners and that really affected Liverpool's performances from then on in. "What's the point" seemed to be the thoughts on some players minds since then. No more so than Raheem Sterling who seemed to have decided that trophies were not something he would see when staying at Anfield. The gutless loss to Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-final compounded our misery and the players did not rise to Rodger's repeated challenge of finishing the season strong.
Look at last season, we were so close, with the power in our hands at choice moments in the climax of the season but we seemed to drop the ball. This goes back to the mentality of winners that Sir Alex Ferguson spoke about and so clearly instilled in his players. How you mentally handle yourself in the games that decide a season is a skill only thought by winners and learned by those destined to be winners. Rodgers has all the confidence and stubbornness of a manager that believes he is a winner but that didn't transfer onto the players. Maybe the club needs to look at the 25 years without a league title as something more than a statistic but a large sword of Damocles that hangs above their heads. Do the players really actually think they will win the title or do they believe they are destined to be runners up at best? This is something that needs to be considered and addressed in the coming seasons.
How does Liverpool change the mentality?
Players/managers that have achieved at the highest level have seen what needed to be done to have that medal around their neck. They have seen the intensity of training, the focus and sheer confidence that each player must have. The leadership that comes from the strong personalities guiding them (Ferguson, Mourinho, Ancelotti, Guardiola) they do not accept ok, they will not accept 'good effort'. If Liverpool are to keep Rodgers and help his confidence (though it seems to have taken a huge hit from the 6-1 loss to Stoke City, based on his post game conference) then they need to add winners to the expensive squad of young potential that have been assembled at Melwood.
Who should Liverpool look to?
If, as a player, you are looking to someone as a figure of calm 100% confidence, then none come more readily available than Andrea Pirlo of Juventus. Pirlo is in the final year(s) of his career but as a figure in the squad and dressing room he would be able to add that confident council.
Petr Cech and Carlos Tevez are two others, readily available who would be able to tell players that what they think is their best is only 95% and they need to find that extra missing piece.
No doubt FSG will continue to deploy their strategy of young potential but they will be aware of the void left by leaders such as Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Luis Suarez.
The Benteke's and Ing's of the world will add some depth (latter) and quality (former) to the team, but without experienced winner to help Rodger's to translate his plan, Liverpool seem destined to extend their 25 year wait by some time.
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