EPL Late Tackle: Steven Gerrard and Liverpool Legends show how far Anfield club has fallen

AFTER the loss to West Ham and with Steven Gerrard playing in Sydney, it’s an apt time to consider how the Liverpool Legends game shows what Anfield has lost.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 28: Steven Gerrard of Liverpool celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield on January 28, 2014 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

ON the eve of Steven Gerrard playing in Sydney, and after a 2-0 defeat to West Ham, it’s an apt time to consider how the Liverpool Legends game shows just how much Anfield has lost.

The names that will line up against the awfully named “Australian Legendroos” on Thursday are part of football history; title winners, Champions League winners, FA Cup winners.

The names that lost to West Ham on the weekend are a pale imitation of the Liverpool that earned so many fans in Australia.

Gerrard’s retirement was the end of an era at Anfield, in more ways than one. Not only was he the last link to the Reds’ history — he was also their last world-class player. Which current Liverpool player would even make a Premier League XI?

None of the current crop come close to Gerrard’s level, never mind the likes of Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler. Daniel Sturridge, on the rare occasion of being fit, could be. Philippe Coutinho could be, if he can become more consistent and decisive.

The others? Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, Emre Can all show flashes but not consistent, elite-level class. Robert Firminho and Christian Benteke, signed for $120 million, have paid back little of that investment.

Manager Jurgen Klopp spoke of his anger after the Hammers loss, in which the Liverpool squad slipped back into their worst traits — weak, sloppy, and fragile in the air — and it was entirely understandable.

Just as with the humiliating 3-0 defeat to Watford before Christmas, the Reds’ backline was too easily outmuscled by the opposition. Martin Skrtel isn’t as tough as his tattoos make him look, Mamadou Sakho is inconsistent and error-prone, while Dejan Lovren has proven time again that he just isn’t good enough.

Watford striker Odion Ighalo proves too strong for three Liverpool players.

Not for a club like Liverpool. Which is what it comes down to — Liverpool deserve better. Why? Because they have had better, so they know the difference.

That near-glorious Suarez-Sturridge season seems a very long time ago now but recent enough to make the current lack of quality on the field felt even sharper. Liverpool fans have seen greatness, but must now manage mediocrity.

Of course, this isn’t Klopp’s fault, yet — it isn’t his squad and injuries have played havoc with the consistency of his starting XI, particularly with strikers Sturridge and Danny Ings — this is Liverpool’s lowest goals tally after 20 games in the club’s history. Only four clubs — West Brom, Swansea, Newcastle and Aston Villa — have scored fewer goals than Liverpool this season.

Which, given they are second only to Manchester City in terms of shots on goal, shows how the players are underperforming. The Reds fired 21 shots in the first-half against West Ham. And got nothing.

Who of the current squad could match Gerrard’s trophy-winning inspiration?

Over a festive period that was supposed to fuel the push for fourth place, Liverpool won two of six Premier League games and scored just four goals, conceding nine. The 1-0 wins over Sunderland and Leicester were vital — but being beaten home and away by West Ham is a better indication of their season.

And the next four games in less than two weeks could define how the season ends — a Capital One Cup semi-final against Stoke, a potential banana-skin against Exeter in the FA Cup, followed by Premier League games against Arsenal and Manchester United…

In this wild Premier League season, little can be predicted correctly — but current form suggests Liverpool’s season could be over by the end of January.

What they would do for a leader like Steven Gerrard right now.

HIGHLIGHT

Delle Alli’s chest-and-volley equaliser for Tottenham against Everton was a display of true class and showed why the 19-year-old is one of the brightest talents in the game.

LOWLIGHT

Aston Villa have just eight points after 20 games. They got beaten 3-0 by Sunderland, who have almost double their points already. They are going to get relegated. A sad state for a big club.

ROO WHO?

Has the real Wayne Rooney returned? That wonderful flocked goal to win the game against Swansea made the Man Utd striker the Premier League’s second highest scorer behind Alan Shearer, and took the heat of Louis van Gaal.

WHERE THERE’S A WILLIAN

Among the steaming mess that has been Chelsea’s title defence there has been one little sparkle. Willian has been the one player to emerge with any credit, and that cracker against Crystal Palace just summed it up.

DO YOU BELIEVE?

Could this finally be Arsenal’s year? The Gunners top the EPL form chart with five wins in the last six games, and look increasingly well-placed to make a surge in the second half of the season. The only question is — will they bottle it again?

Originally published as EPL Late Tackle: Steven Gerrard and Liverpool Legends show how far Anfield club has fallen