re: Liverpool FC 2012/13 Season Long Thread

Been trying to organize my thoughts on this season, and took a look at our games.

LOSSES:
0-3 WBA
1-3 Villa
1-3 Stoke
These three really hurt - should at least expect a point against these teams normally.

0-2 Arsenal (dominated match except for two counters)
1-2 ManU (winning goal at '81 - 10 men)
1-2 Totts
1-2 Manu

DRAWS:
2-2 ManCity (tying goal scored '80 - blew lead twice))
2-2 Everton (Should have had 3 points - Suarez robbed, blew 2-0 lead)
2-2 Arsenal (blew 2-0 lead)
2-2 ManCity (blew lead twice)
1-1 Newcastle
1-1 Chelsea
1-1 Sunderland
0-0 Stoke
0-0 Swansea

WINS
5-0 Norwhich
4-0 Fulham
5-2 Norwich
3-0 Wigan
3-0 QPR
3-0 Sunderland
3-2 WestHam
1-0 Southampton
1-0 Reading

Bottom line, I don't think we have the mental toughness to close out games against tough teams. Several of these goals were of the embarrassing variety (bad back pass, goalie came out, etc.)

We have 3 one goal wins - all three were overmatched opponents. Generally, if we win, we win going away with a blow-out. Had four games against teams above us in the table with the lead where we gave up the tying goal - twice in several of those games. 7 of 9 wins were with a clean-sheet - but all 7 of these opponents are currently 12 or lower on the table.

In fact, there was one surprise to me - in my mind there were more games where we gave up a post '80 goal to lose or tie.

I think our youth has something to do with this - maybe we don't maintain possession as well and get tight. We seem to play a lot more long ball in some of those games with the lead, which puts pressure on our defense.

I don't think Reina, Skyrtel, our #9 posing as a LB or Johnson are CL level players defensively (Johnson is good defensively and pretty close, just not good enough - his value is on offense). I had hoped Johnson and Skyrtel would become top defenders and that Reina would remain so. Agger is our best defender, but still has some focus issues when marking and every once in awhile has some coordination issues.

Hoping the summer provides some answers - especially at GK and LB.

The good news - our schedule is loaded with teams we should do well against the rest of the way - but for every 5-2 victory over lower teams this season, there are some 3-1 losses too. I expect the same issues the rest of the way. World beaters one week, WTF just happened the next.