If you took the Carling Cup out of Liverpool's results in 2012, then they are very average to say the least.
Their league form has been extremely poor and in the last three games, defensively, they have not been very good. They are clearly missing Daniel Agger's presence at the back.
Generally, the Reds create lots of chances whoever they are playing. That is still the case, apart from in last week's defeat by Wigan, but I think they will probably go to Newcastle and play a little bit tighter than usual because they need to stop the rot.
Newcastle looked a very good side in their win at West Brom. They picked the Baggies off easily and I was very impressed.
In the summer, the Magpies will be able to look back at this season with some satisfaction, but I'm not sure Liverpool can do the same.
One of the problems for the Reds lies with some of their signings in the last 18 months. Has Jose Enrique improved them? Yes. Have Craig Bellamy and Luis Suarez? Of course they have.
But have Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam done the same? I would say that, at the moment, probably not.
At the end of the season you can evaluate what your players have done for you over the course of the campaign. Who has had a good season, and who hasn't.
Downing did well in the Carling Cup final but that was against a Championship team and he is yet to score a Premier League goal for Liverpool, which I find amazing.
In terms of goals, players like him, Adam (two league goals) and Henderson (one) should be chipping in to compliment Luis Suarez and Craig Bellamy's output and, along with Carroll (three), I think they should have 30 league goals between them by now.
Those goals would make a massive difference. The total for me from those sort of players in a good team is 30.
Even when you count Steven Gerrard [five] and Dirk Kuyt [two], they don't make it halfway to that amount, which is quite conservative. The midfield players should have five each, and Carroll should be on at least 10. Therein lies the story of Liverpool's season.
They have started to get more men forward since Jay Spearing has come in, allowing Steven Gerrard to join the attack but as can be seen from their goal tallies, Henderson and Downing just don't get into the box. It is not like those two are missing loads of chances every week.
Maybe the best thing Liverpool can do is give former Newcastle striker Andy Carroll a start against his old club.
Carroll has only started 21 of Liverpool's games this season but, when he has done, they have a 62% win percentage compared to a 38% win percentage without him.
Prediction: 1-1
