KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Wonder what Stevie would've said....

Sturidge has started 2 games. Hardly enough to try and impart some consistency is it? But it's not him it's the midfield for me. Coutinho, Firmino, Can, Lalanna, Hendo, Milner, all inconsistent in their form. Sturidge will always get goals when supplied, that's a given but the midfield isn't good enough.

If you can't pick yourself up for a Europa league knockout round of 32 to give your side something to go at, I really question the commitment of these players. And it makes me wonder what Steven Gerrard would have thought about the desire of a few of his colleagues. Even though 0-0 might be a reflection of our season and standing, could be worse, could be better, this club is not incapable of sticking at least 3 past that German team, yet we've given a poor account of ourselves, much like I felt we did in the group stages despite topping that dismal group.

I think klopp would be looking at it, and thinking, so this is where we are, where I am, compared to when I was managing Dortmund, which shouldn't of been the case. If firmino had scored early on it could have been a different game, the floodgates could have almost opened dare I say it, would have made for a more open match, but forget about that, we can't rest an entire match upon one early missed chance that came from an opponents mistake, where was the hunger to right that wrong in other 85 minutes. I think the europa league is competition which shows liverpool at their most frustrating.

Clyne's picked up the ball a few times out wide, our robotic right back, whose decision making has become so slow since playing for liverpool, he's not the same attacking right back he was, doesn't go forward with any confidence. Then we have Milner, the agility of a snail, too much gym work, the number of times the Ausburg players just took it past him and others was embarrassing.

Yes we have the second leg, but the importance of this leg should have been far greater with a capital cup final to contend with on the horizon. Almost completely ineffective liverpool, with our attempts to press, Ausburg kept the ball well, we only finished with 52% possession, 16 total shots 6 on target to their 12 shots 2 on target. I'm getting a little bit sick of our lack of clinical-ness in the big games.