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| Brendan Rodgers calls on Liverpool defence to hold firm at Real Madrid | Brendan Rodgers calls on Liverpool defence to hold firm at Real Madrid |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| It is coming up for two weeks since Real Madrid left their calling card at Anfield and received the compliment of being applauded off the pitch by the home crowd. The memories are fresh enough to wonder if Liverpool might have to brace themselves for another ordeal when the sides renew acquaintances. Real have already thrashed Basel 5-1 at the Bernabéu and the alarm for Liverpool grows considering the record of their opponents since the last time they lost a group fixture on their own ground in October 2009. | It is coming up for two weeks since Real Madrid left their calling card at Anfield and received the compliment of being applauded off the pitch by the home crowd. The memories are fresh enough to wonder if Liverpool might have to brace themselves for another ordeal when the sides renew acquaintances. Real have already thrashed Basel 5-1 at the Bernabéu and the alarm for Liverpool grows considering the record of their opponents since the last time they lost a group fixture on their own ground in October 2009. |
| That was a 3-2 defeat to Milan, the team who follow Real on the list of all-time winners, whereas the next 13 fixtures have ended in 12 wins and a draw, and during that run the home team have scored 39 times, at an average of three per game (conceding merely nine). Steven Gerrard’s prediction before their first meeting that Cristiano Ronaldo and co could make it “embarrassing” rang true in a 3-0 defeat, with all the goals scored before half-time. The first object for Liverpool this time will surely be to put up more resistance. | That was a 3-2 defeat to Milan, the team who follow Real on the list of all-time winners, whereas the next 13 fixtures have ended in 12 wins and a draw, and during that run the home team have scored 39 times, at an average of three per game (conceding merely nine). Steven Gerrard’s prediction before their first meeting that Cristiano Ronaldo and co could make it “embarrassing” rang true in a 3-0 defeat, with all the goals scored before half-time. The first object for Liverpool this time will surely be to put up more resistance. |
| “Our defence have come under quite a bit of criticism,” Brendan Rodgers said. “It is nowhere near as bad as people make out. What has been the frustration defensively has been the mistakes and sloppy goals we have given away. There haven’t been too many times when the team has been outdone. | “Our defence have come under quite a bit of criticism,” Brendan Rodgers said. “It is nowhere near as bad as people make out. What has been the frustration defensively has been the mistakes and sloppy goals we have given away. There haven’t been too many times when the team has been outdone. |
| “When you have an attacking philosophy you are going to be susceptible in your defensive side because you are not sat with nine players behind the ball. You are looking to control and dominate the game but we have to eradicate the errors. | “When you have an attacking philosophy you are going to be susceptible in your defensive side because you are not sat with nine players behind the ball. You are looking to control and dominate the game but we have to eradicate the errors. |
| “The key, even though we know it is tough, is to make sure we are compact and disciplined in our game. I think we showed in the previous game, although the score was 3-0, we can still have moments when we can hurt Real Madrid.” | “The key, even though we know it is tough, is to make sure we are compact and disciplined in our game. I think we showed in the previous game, although the score was 3-0, we can still have moments when we can hurt Real Madrid.” |
| There is however, sense in the plan to rest Steven Gerrard and possibly Raheem Sterling for Saturday’s game against Chelsea. The strange thing about Group B is Real are so clearly the outstanding team it might not necessarily hurt Liverpool too badly – as much as this goes against their traditions – if they lose, as long as it is not too jarring on their goal-difference column. | |
| This, plainly, is the standout fixture of their return to the Champions League and the kind of occasion a club with Liverpool’s ambitions should cherish. Yet, realistically, it might be the more important games are still to come, starting with the trip to Sofia to play Ludogorets on 26 November and then their final group match at home to Basel on 9 December. Two wins and Liverpool will qualify as long as Real carry on steamrollering the opposition. | This, plainly, is the standout fixture of their return to the Champions League and the kind of occasion a club with Liverpool’s ambitions should cherish. Yet, realistically, it might be the more important games are still to come, starting with the trip to Sofia to play Ludogorets on 26 November and then their final group match at home to Basel on 9 December. Two wins and Liverpool will qualify as long as Real carry on steamrollering the opposition. |
| The problem for Liverpool is they have looked so indifferent this season, already 12 points behind Chelsea after 10 Premier League games, that it is not straightforward by any means to imagine them finishing with back-to-back victories. The stoppage-time defeat for Basel against Ludogorets in their last match was a useful result for Rodgers’ team, and not just because it has kept them off the bottom of the group. | The problem for Liverpool is they have looked so indifferent this season, already 12 points behind Chelsea after 10 Premier League games, that it is not straightforward by any means to imagine them finishing with back-to-back victories. The stoppage-time defeat for Basel against Ludogorets in their last match was a useful result for Rodgers’ team, and not just because it has kept them off the bottom of the group. |
| Yet they have already lost to the Swiss league leaders and their skin-of-the-teeth victory over Ludogorets in their first match of the group was hardly convincing. | Yet they have already lost to the Swiss league leaders and their skin-of-the-teeth victory over Ludogorets in their first match of the group was hardly convincing. |
| First things first, Liverpool need to rediscover some of the confidence that has seeped away and not just operate with greater defensive organisation but also start to keep the ball more effectively again. Unfortunately for them, the Bernabéu is not generally the kind of place where struggling teams get too much encouragement. | First things first, Liverpool need to rediscover some of the confidence that has seeped away and not just operate with greater defensive organisation but also start to keep the ball more effectively again. Unfortunately for them, the Bernabéu is not generally the kind of place where struggling teams get too much encouragement. |
| “It will be a tough test for us but a great opportunity for us to show what we can do and prove people wrong,” Jordan Henderson said. “There is still a lot of confidence in the group and team spirit isn’t an issue.” | “It will be a tough test for us but a great opportunity for us to show what we can do and prove people wrong,” Jordan Henderson said. “There is still a lot of confidence in the group and team spirit isn’t an issue.” |
| The midfielder added: “We have had a few people criticising us over the last few games so this is a massive opportunity to prove a few people wrong and see how good we are. We know we are not at our best yet but this is a great opportunity to show we are still a top side with great quality in the team and we just need to be a bit more ruthless in the final third.” | |