Disappointing Liverpool

It is three games into the new English Premier League season and the signs are already not too good for Liverpool. Their record so far stands one win, one draw, one defeat, three goals scored and five conceded. This includes today’s terrible 3-0 away loss to Everton.

And then there were two Champions League qualifiers which Liverpool were lucky to scrap through. I believe that if the second leg had been played in Haifa, Liverpool would have been kicked out of the tournament.

So far goalkeeper Jose Reina has had a poor start – he has been making mistakes on a weekly basis. Not that the defenders are helping him out too. The strongest aspect of the team from last season has not started showing what they can do so far.

I know excuses will be ready for this bad start – that it is still early season, that the Everton match today came after an international week, that Liverpool might have an eye on the Champions League match midweek, that key players are injured or returning from injury or that new players need time to settle in.

I don’t care for all these. The point is that Liverpool started the season with a hype surrounding them that finally they have a team capable of competing for the top spot. However this team is incapable of actually performing like a top-rate team as yet. Defenders are making mistakes, midfielders are not controlling the games and strikers are not scoring.

As I see it, Liverpool will have to buck up soon or not this bad start will continue to dog their season. Based on what I have seen thus far, I don’t see this Liverpool team progressing well this season at all. In fact I think Liverpool’s best achievement this season will be the scrap for the fourth spot. Anything else will be an over-achievement.

I just hope they will prove me wrong come May 2007.