Some things in football simply can't be taught. No matter how many days are spent on the training pitch, irrespective of the time spent watching presentations and tactical briefs, there are attributes that either exist within a player or don't. Ruthlessness is not something that can be worked on. There is no chapter in any coaching manual detailing what's required to make players revel in sadistic glee at beating a side in the most brutish manner. No words from Brendan Rodgers, or most other football managers, can trigger the desire to use the football pitch as a soft, green torture rack for the opposition, each passing minute a further twist of the taut rope, stretching them to the breaking point. - Keen: McCarthy saves game but can't save season - Rodgers tips McCarthy for England That is why it is a rare commodity, one that usually correlates with success. It does not come from nurture, but nature. It is inherent -- an art, not a skill. There have been signs of Liverpool being ruthless with opposition this season, particularly away from home against sides battling against relegation. Both QPR and Wigan were down 2-0 within 20 minutes and 3-0 by halftime. Yet here stood Reading, far more doomed than the previous two, still at 0-0 with 45 minutes played. Here stood Reading, still at 0-0 at the final whistle. The darkness at the end of the illuminated Premier League tunnel grows ever nearer, even with Nigel Adkins in charge, but Liverpool could not find the ruthlessness within them to darken it even further. Ruthlessness is not to be confused with profligacy, that oft-used word at Anfield in recent years; profligacy, that byword for the woodwork being perpetually struck and supporters on the Kop diving for cover as another ball hurtled toward them. Luis Suarez is testament to how such wastefulness can be nurtured; he has scored twice as many league goals as last season already. He was wasteful at times, granted. He had Liverpool's first chance, but his choice of a masterful caress of the ball instead of marmalising it with his laces proved the wrong one. His chip was cleared off the line by Chris Gunter. Still, the worry over how he, Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge would play together -- starting for the first time since the 3-1 defeat to Southampton -- subsided for a moment. Coutinho's ball was smart, so too Sturridge's little feint, but Suarez was perhaps a little too smart himself. Then came the deluge. Coutinho curled one toward the bottom corner only to see the superhuman Alex McCarthy get down to tip it wide. Sturridge also went close, profiting from the space made by Suarez and Coutinho on the left side, but his low shot was smothered. If McCarthy did not feature in Liverpool's frustration, then those in front of him did: Adrian Mariappa rushed out to get a limb, any limb, onto Steven Gerrard's drive. Some would say this was the profligacy of last season, a claim strengthened by this being the first time in 14 months that Liverpool have failed to score in two consecutive league games. But these were chances that did not come from sustained pressure; they came from a combination of poor defending and niggling attacking play. There was no momentum built, no barricade erected by the home side. In the second half, Suarez would hit the woodwork from a free kick, so too Coutinho from open play. The Brazilian would also have a goal disallowed. Other chances flew by, as did any hope of playing European football -- though that may not upset Rodgers too much, given his comments this week. It is easy to nod toward the performance of McCarthy, who, like Jussi Jaaskelainen, produced saves both routine and remarkable. These games happen, some will say. Some can even happen twice. But forget the missed chances for a moment and simply acknowledge this is a side yet to possess enough players with ruthlessness. There are not enough players of Suarez's ilk; the Uruguayan may miss opportunities at times, but he never stops, never rests. From first minute until the final blast of the whistle, he is angling for a moment to upset those who are not with him and his team. This appears a group of players still not capable of a 90-minute performance that requires doggedness. Flicks and tricks with goal cushions most comfortable may adorn football games already won, but they will not shape a season. Their teeth sparkle when they shine but blacken and disintegrate when they need to be gritted. Becoming so barbaric is what the best teams do. It provides a platform of fear to climb upon, an aura that handicaps the opposition before a ball is kicked, a prompting of mental paralysis. It matters not whether a side needs points to survive relegation; there will be no mercy shown. Liverpool showed mercy to Reading, as they have too many sides for more than 20 years. As the game ticked on, Reading feared Liverpool less. As the game ticked on, Liverpool's main protagonists tired significantly, a long season of little rotation taking its toll. The season's results cannot be argued either. The difference between their comprehensive wins of threes, fours and fives and the goalless draw with Reading was the absence of an early goal. A simplistic assessment in a season so complicated and complex, granted, but it is an affliction that should be bolded and underlined in Rodgers' mental scrapbook. If it isn't, get scribbling. Against Norwich in September, a goal within a minute and a 5-2 win; against Fulham at home, one goal after nine minutes finishes with four. The examples are plentiful, so too the gravity of the statistic: Liverpool have won just two games this season after failing to score in the first half. On both occasions, they registered a goal within two minutes of the restart. Victory should not have to depend on an early goal, but that has been the narrative of the season. Ruthless teams are relentless, poking at the opposition defence from every angle, twisting and turning until there is nothing left to contort. Though Liverpool created chances against Reading, this was not a performance to leave the Royals sprawled on the turf, pleadingly awaiting the towel to be tossed. It is why Manchester United have been so successful over the past two decades. A success founded on late goals and a self-fulfilling prophecy created by their opponents, which awaited and accepted their inevitable fate. For Liverpool, a litany of gifts and gimmes to teams that needed them. Against Bradford in 2000, they were the subplot to a dramatic last-day survival at the Valley; in 2007, Fulham stayed up with a 1-0 win; Wigan's revival last season began with a 2-1 win at Anfield. With a lack of ruthlessness over such a long span, how Rodgers changes this is a question most significant. Whether he can is the one nobody will want to ask. Liverpool will need a few more players like Suarez in terms of mentality, if not necessarily physicality, ahead of next season. The ruthless nature of a player is not something that can be taught, only acquired. But that goes for the manager as well. Time will tell whether he has it.
I'm not so sure ruthlessness is nature over nurture. Top managers can get the most timid of players to fight like their lives depend on it. It worried me last year that a lot of our current team wouldn't even be ruthless for a manager who is a club legend and those same players have given the same impression this year. I was hoping at least this years new signings might at least show some fight for the man who gave them an opportunity at a bigger club but Allen, Borini and Sturridge don't look like they'd even run through a paper bag for Rodgers nevermind running through brick walls. The problem for us is too many players going through the end of season motions. We might care about finishing above Everton but do the players (with the obvious exceptions) give a **** whether we're 8th or 6th? They don't seem to. There is nowhere near enough competition in the squad so players don't fear the axe. Then the motivation to try hard and perform well is reduced when players just get dropped for the managers pet even when playing well. Desire can be instilled into a squad where there previously appeared to be none. However it takes a strong manager that players not only respect, but also fear to a certain extent. On Saturday I knew we wouldn't win after the first half because we really do lack character and fighting spirit in so many areas of the field. We have little in the way of options off the bench and we certainly have nothing in the way of options to change the way we play when we aren't winning.
We lack the nack of playing **** and winning. Look at whiskey faces team, they regularly get played off the park by relegation teams but still somehow manage to win the games.
We lack players with the mindset/attitude of Luis Suarez who plays every game like it's a cup final. And players like that don't need a manager to motivate themselves - they have that fight and desire from within.
I just did a long reply saying exactly that but then couldn't be bothered posting it so pressed delete; think I have got our mindset myself now!
I don't think 'ruthlessness' is the right word. This article suggests that if we get an early goal we score three, four or five goals. That is being ruthless. Not being able to break a team down, running out of ideas or failing to win despite playing poorly is a mental issue for sure, but its not 'ruthlessness'. Maybe its belief or confidence? Or maybe we're just not good enough?
That's the difference between United and City, City - on paper have the better players but United have the team spirit if you like, to grind out results regardless of how they play. Regardless of how much you dislike them (United) they do that bloody well (But I still hate them )
Said that for a couple of seasons, was similar when they (Man Utd) were competing with Chelsea a few years back too.
Will be interesting to see whether they're the same when Fergie retires/pops his cloggs, will they have the same fight they do now without the like of Ferdinand, Schloes and Giggsy around? We'll see.
Hit the nail on the head. Our squad is nowhere near good enough to compete with the top 4. Whilst our first XI can compete with anyone on our day, they simply can't compete every week. Fergie has instilled a winning mentality so his players go out on that pitch every week 'knowing' that they're going to win. This isn't a mentality and culture that develops overnight. It is developed by having a leader, a stable figure leading the club over many years. Keeping Rodgers for more than 2-3 years is crucial (as long as we show signs of steady progress).
This comment is common but vague IMO. You could apply the same logic to QPR, Norwich, etc. Surely, it depends on whether the opposition have an off day too? For example, our first eleven are capable of beating Man Utd, Man City, etc but what about if both teams are having a 'on their day' match? Would we still win? However, this logic would suggest that the best players would win the league every year which isn't always the case. This is were I agree with your last paragraph: when judging Man Utd to Man City on player to player, most would say the latter have the better squad but the former is a better team. What makes a better team? Obviously, top players helps but overall it is the understanding and mental wave lengths etc. I also think we lack competition for places. Anyone noticed how Johnson was playing well but he's been poor recently? Is it a coincidence that the change happened around the time Kelly and Wisdom got injured? Obviously, that is not a squad issue, it is just unlucky with injuries, but can the same be said for LB, DM or the attacking roles?
Think it will be 2-3 years before we start seeing the real benefit of our youngsters. At the moment it is Suarez and Gerrard who have had the largest impact this season. Coutinho has done well as Sterling did at the start of the campaign but he still has a long way to go before he can perform for 90 mins. In the meantime, we need to add experience, keep our better players or at least replace them sufficiently.
Here's the question then, will Rodgers be the one that gets the benefit of these youngsters? Or will it be like Rijkaard / Guardiola where the youngsters are being developed and slowly introduced into the first teams for someone else to come in a reap the benefits?
Competition for places is a worry and highlights the lack of depth in our squad. We may have 'numbers' but we don't have quality hence why we have to play youngsters and players like Downing. Agree with Zingy - the youngsters are very promising but in terms of them making a real impact and contributing to the team, they're not producing enough. It will take time but it will be worth it. Someone like Coutinho is the benchmark - you can see his contribution to the team. Sterling did have a similar impact but drifted off. It will take a few years before we see consistency in terms of the impact he has in games (same applies to other youngsters).
Tough one. Non of us know whether Brendan is the man to take us forward. But he certainly hasn't come in and taken us backwards considering the circumstances, he has us playing good football. Think this summer and the first half of next season should determine where he's taking us. Which is what Kenny should have been doing this season.
