Liverpool’s goalscoring conundrum

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Liverpool’s performance against QPR could be said to be typical of Liverpool’s season so far, mainly in the fact that the Reds were only able to narrowly win the match 1-0, with Luis Suarez grabbing the winning goal for the side.

The Reds’ lack of composure in front of goal almost came back to cost them as they were left to face many nervy moments late on in the second half. But it’s not only in this match that the Reds’ have faced this problem, with Liverpool only managing to put one goal past both Norwich and Swansea, although both goalkeepers were on top form. Liverpool also saw themselves suffer a narrow 0-1 loss to the hands of Stoke despite dominating the Potters for nearly all of the game. In fact Liverpool have the joint lowest conversion rate in the league, with Wigan Athletic.

It’s hard to pinpoint the problem on one factor, many will say that it could be purely down to luck, ‘keepers have seemed to be on top form when facing Liverpool this season with the likes of Ruddy, Vorm, De Gea and Cerny having excellent matches against them, Liverpool have also seen themselves hit the woodwork more than any other side this season including twice in a recent match against Fulham and once more against QPR (although it would have been a Shaun Wright-Phillips own goal).

The position of Luis Suarez

Much can be said about the position and role of Uruguayan striker who is no doubt Liverpool’s main threat in front of goal, grabbing 8 goals for himself this season, which in comparison to the chances he has had seems relatively low for a striker brought in to partly fill the boots of Fernando Torres as well as being someone with an extraordinary goalscoring record in Holland and also internationally for his county Uruguay.

Suarez has lived up to his £23 million price tag perhaps and has already proved his talent on the pitch, becoming an instant fan favourite for Reds fans but much of his dazzling performances have seen him act more as the creator, rather than the goalscorer. In our 3-1 victory over Manchester United last season, Suarez played deeper than Kuyt, dropping in to midfield, floating around and swapping positions with Raul Meireles, constantly causing havoc for the Manchester United defence and setting up two goals for Dirk Kuyt that day.

So although Suarez has proved his skill and fantastic vision in creating so many chances for the Reds, you have to wonder why he has failed to recreate goalscoring form that saw him have such a fantastic record at Ajax.

For Uruguay Suarez has excelled as the most forward front man, with Diego Forlan and Edinson Cavani playing deeper than him. Where as both fellow forwards are more than adequate playing up front, Forlan has shown his talent in a deeper, centre forward role where as Suarez has been more of a poacher, as shown by his four goals in a recent friendly against Chile.

Fitting Andy Carroll in to the system

I think it’s also fair to say that Andy Carroll has failed to live up to expectations since his big money switch to Liverpool in January. Arriving alongside Luis Suarez much was expected of the duo to perhaps form a formidable strike partnership but instead Carroll has perhaps caused Dalglish more of a selection headache over who to start up front.

We’ve seen a number of partnerships so far this season, some including Carroll and some not. So far Craig Bellamy seems to have developed the strongest partnership with Suarez, adding fluidity, pace and higher pressing to Liverpool’s attacking game, displayed in matches such as the recent league encounter with Chelsea.

So why exactly hasn’t Andy Carroll been able to create such a potent partnership with Suarez up front? It seems do to the height and figure of Carroll, being such a big target man that Liverpool seem to play a different system for him, breaking up the normally fast, fluid, along-the-floor game that they normally play. There’s no doubting that Carroll has talent but Liverpool seem yet to find the balance that can bring out best the best of him in the air, and along the ground.

Goalscorer needed?

Much has been said about a possible striker coming in during the January transfer window, a forward who is proven in terms of goalscoring as well as being experienced and would hopefully solve the problem of goalscoring for Liverpool.

The problem of having a secondary goalscorer is not new to this season for the Reds, with Fernando Torres often being over-relied on with calls for a striker partner for him when he was once a Red. That problem was seemingly to be solved with the arrival of Suarez but of cause Torres left Liverpool.

David Villa is one named being linked and as much as you’d love a player of that quality it’s incredibly unlikely to happen although I feel Liverpool should look at more realistic targets in a similar mould of Villa, experienced and proven in terms of goalscoring.

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Poor finishing, even at the end Craig and Maxi had cahnces and poor finishing Again meant a scrape.

We get crosses into the box but rarely do they find a Liverpool head, one good accurate cross and Suarez scores, he was where he should be and not the one crossing.

It is not enouygh to just get a good cross in, pick out a fkn team mate.

If we scoered 20% of our chances we'd be 3rd I think, that's 1 in 5, not a big fkn ask by any stretch, I tihnk we are 10% chances converted.

If your finishing is poor, train train train. Hire Shearer as a consultant-

 

Not to mention the woodwork.

That's 14 times this season, surely a record after this amount of games? This must be against the law of averages. In some of the vital games had some of them went in we could be sitting higher up in the league. Still waiting for the goals to start flowing.

 

The woodwork is off target though A miss, chance wasted. Twice again yesterday, one the defender takin the piss.

They should aim for inside the woodwork then. Still, Maxi should have scored the last chance he had, right into the keepers body when a little dink was all that was required, how can Kenny plan for that failure, we opened em up nicely to wasteyet again another hatfull of chances. We create more opportunities than most teams above us but fail miserably taking them. We need a specialist working with the players maybe, everyone is flakey in front of goal lately

I tihnk Maxi should be on with Suarez a bit more, under rafa we had issue breaking teams down, we certainly don't have that issue now

 

Don't think Kenny can do much in terms of creating chances really, all we can do is hope we keep playing the same and just hope our players can stick the ball in the net.

 

I think we have to play the same forward line for a good few games and just hope it pays off. We have chopped and changed too much for me and this is not helping in our conversion rate, I am not saying keep the same team indefinately just perhaps for the next three or four games. For me we just have to be patient, there are some real positives about our overall play and the chances we are making, surely at some point we will start putting more of them away especially if we keep the same side for a few games where hopefully the ability to make better decisions will improve.

To be where we are in the table and with the quality of football we have played yet still recognising we have huge improvements to make is a great credit to Kenny and Clarkey! For me one or two key additions in Jan and we will really have optimism for the future.

 

I'm not sure I agree with you here, I don't think it's the lads who are doing the crossing who are doing anything wrong... I've lost count of the number of screaming low crosses that sliced across the 6 yard box beating the defence and the keeper and only needed a tap in this season... The problem is, in my humble opinion, we haven't got anyone sprinting into the 6 yard box to tap said cross in... If you watch the replays, our nearest man tends to be hanging back behind the last defender for a cut back, which is far easier to defend against, rather than attacking the goal line to get a foot on the cross... if they attacked the goal line they would either get it themselves or pressure the defender gifting us loads own goals.

 

I agree with a lot of the above but at this point I also have to point out the real lack of goals from other areas of the pitch at the moment. Adam aside we've had little return either from the back 4 or midfield of late. Maxi should have added to his tally yesterday granted and we all know Johnson can switch to John Barnes mode occasionally but we need more from our centre halfs at set pieces, I miss Aggers left foot booming away from 40 yards like we know it can and I'd also like to see a bit more quality in front of goal from Kuyt and Downing.

The key to improving our goals scored isn't only an issue for the strikers it would surely take the pressure off them a bit if others were weighing in with a few more goals as well.

 

I agree with this and mentioned it in a previous thread. I think this is what Gerrard is so good at i.e arriving at just the right time in the box to finish it off, also I would add that we probably are missing Miereles in the same way. Don't get me wrong I am not too bothered about his departure overall but he did provide a goal threat in the same way as Gerrard does. For me although the system is working in that we are creating so many chances the problem is those creating the chances are probably also the ones you would want on the end of said chance!

I watched a youtube clip of Liverpool vs West Ham in the eighties and Dalglish had all the luck in the world, unfortunately he seems to have used it all in that match. Suarez arriving should have been fantastic for Torres and Miereles and Gerrard would thrive on the chances we are creating. Lets hope Dalglish's luck turns around soon cos if it does it will be one hell of an experience!

 

I think the key here would be to keep the same team but swap Kuyt for Bellamy.

Bellamy and Suarez both love to get the ball and run with it, so whoever is doing that should in theory be looking up to see the run of the other one going straight through on goal!