Poor Performances Continue

Apart from Real Madrid, many will feel that Liverpool have missed a golden opportunity to finally produce a performance worthy of a team of their standard. A scrappy win over QPR, a dismal showing against Real Madrid, and an upsetting draw with Hull City have done little to ease the rapidly growing pressure on Brendan Rodger's side, and especially Mario Balotelli, to raise their respective games.

As though it were not already obvious, Liverpool look a shadow of the last season's side. Their performances have lacked purpose or any desire to win. Their use of the ball is wasteful, and does little to help the Reds establish any grip on their match. More often than not, they have rushed their attacks, attempting to play perfect ball rather than knocking it around and building up their play. The few chances created against QPR for instance, were not a result of the Reds' strong hold on the match, but rather the brilliance of Phillipe Coutinho, whose performances have undoubtedly improved over the past week, as well as that of Raheem Sterling. Given how vapid the Reds looked on the ball, it is of no surprise that QPR were arguably played a bigger role in two of Liverpool's three goals than Liverpool themselves did.

Meanwhile, Mario Balotelli's performances both continue to mirror and effect that of Liverpool as a whole. The Italian is wasteful on the ball and yet to truly gel with his teammates in the attacking third. As a matter of fact, he has done more to quell Liverpool's threats than to help build upon them. His poor decision making as well as his sub-par executions have often broken down an otherwise promising build-up. Brendan Rodgers continues to, by this point, Balotelli in the starting eleven. Time is rapidly fading for the young Italian however. The future of his Liverpool career is already in doubt.

To make matters worse for the Reds they are struggling to match teams that should not by any means be losing points to. Liverpool could have easily conceded at least twice before they scored their first, a goal against the run of play and a result of several QPR defender's lapse in concentration rather than a strong foothold on the match. They were again third in the defensive third, not once, but twice allowing QPR to come within a whisker of stealing a point, or three for that matter during the dying stages of the match. It says something about Liverpool's morale that throughout the majority of the ninety minutes, it was the Rangers, a team who will likely be forced into the relegation battle, who forced Liverpool to toil and struggle. Steven Gerrard himself stated that he would have had no complaints if his side had left Loftus Road without even a point. Had it not been for Phillipe Couinho's late cameo, his side probably would have.

 Liverpool conceded twice in a period of six minutes against Queens Park Rangers. Although Brendan Rodgers has turned Liverpool from an under performing side struggling to match top English sides into a rampant, confident and ruthless team, he did so in the period of two years. Not two days. Inevitably the Reds's defense would be torn to shreds by a rampant Real Madrid side. Not even Brendan Rodgers is capable of producing a defensive miracle within his side.

In an eighteen minute period, an overwhelmed Liverpool conceded three times against a far superior times. After last season, Anfield was used to seeing their own side score such an amount of goals in such a limited amount of time. The European Champions ran Liverpool over in the exact same style that Liverpool themselves often did their visitors. Liverpool were unable to capitalize on a bright start, as any team must against the might Madrid, and were in pieces by half time. Real, aware of the impending classico with Barcelona, were much lighter a team during the second half. Liverpool were still unable to find a way past Madrid's defense.

 Failure to improve could potentially spell a disaster at the Bernabeu. A team that three times was able to find the back of Barcelona's net will likely tear that of Liverpool, which allowed QPR past them twice within a period of five minutes, to shreds.

A much needed clean sheet against Hull City was overshadowed by yet another sub par display in the attacking third. Despite a disappointing result, there are certainly a few positives that Brendan Rodgers can take out of the match. The first, the fact that the Red's defense was rarely troubled throughout the match, and earned their second clean sheet of the season. Most notably however, the sudden improvement in the side spurred by the introductions of Phillipe Coutinho and Rickie Lambert. The former, as he was against QPR, was brilliant.

He provided a much needed spark. Clever and skillful on the ball, the Brazilian was able to unlock Hull's defense a number of times, and came close to opening the scoring himself. His brilliant run in the dying seconds of the match provided Balotelli with a golden opportunity to ease the pressure off of himself, as well as Liverpool as a whole. Its a shame that he was, as with many other opportunities, unable to pounce. Nonetheless, that should take noting away from the improvement of Phillipe Coutinho's performances. Although Rodgers has already dropped the Brazilian multiple times this season, he is certainly capable of filling the gap in the attacking third.

Its been a disappoint start for Liverpool. I have mentioned in previous posts that Liverpool will improve as the season progresses. However they have done little to justify such claims. Liverpool desperately need to improve in a number of areas.