There was a real sense of de ja vu from Liverpool’s performance at Burnley following their scintillating spell against Arsenal six days earlier.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp
There was a familiar feeling watching Liverpool at the weekend. After the way they took apart Arsenal in that 15 minute spell at the Emirates Stadium one week, they showed their disappointing side against Burnley as they went down 2-0 at Turf Moor.
Some will point to the statistics of around 80% possession and in excess of 20 shots on goal, but the worrying trait is that this was seen last season, and has yet to be eradicated. Liverpool fans will have hoped that improvement will have happened entirely over the summer. Clearly not.
Burnley’s Sam Vokes scores their first goal
As soon as Sam Vokes put the hosts into a lead, you may as well have handed Burnley the three points there and then. Liverpool were set up without any natural width against a side that liked to remain compact and were quite content with putting bodies in between the ball and their goal – and allowing their opponents to have possession. They played to their strengths with not striking the balance of when to play out from the back, and when to be more direct and allow their opponents to have the ball near their own area.
Liverpool were predictable, and at times utterly brainless. Shots from distance were off target when they were never really on, simple passes rolling out for a throw in, and there was a seeming unwillingness to take a gamble whenever they created an opening following spell when Liverpool knocked the ball around with an arrogance that hasn’t been seen for a while. On this occasion it was certainly misplaced.
Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge in action with Burnley’s Steven Defour
Daniel Sturridge has rarely look effective playing off the right, and didn’t do so on this occasion while there are still calls for a new left-back as James Milner, who was selected ahead of Alberto Moreno, seemingly couldn’t take advantage of the yards of turf that was afforded to him.
From last season, for the wonderful demolition of Manchester City on their own turf, see the dismal showing at Watford a month later. It’s a conundrum that Jurgen Klopp urgently needs to solve if the Reds are to be successful.
Burnley’s Andre Gray scores their second goal
One thing that summed up the awful nature of their defeat the weekend was Burnley’s second goal – scored on the counter-attack when the eventual goalscorer, Andre Gray, actually fell over in the build-up.
Composure and intelligence seems to be lacking whenever the Reds have something of an ‘off day’. The manager simply can’t allow that to stand, and Liverpool can’t afford to let them happen to often this term.
Liverpool’s Adam Lallana in action with Burnley’s Stephen Ward
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