Liverpool are out of the Champions League following a 1-1 draw at home to Basel in their final Group B fixture. Steven Gerrard had given the Reds hope after Lazar Markovic’s red card but Adam Bate argues that even the captain’s magic can’t cover up the problems at Anfield…
Wednesday 10 December 2014 13:18, UK
“They are doing the worst thing you can do in football, which is not scoring enough goals and conceding daft goals. But I still want to believe that with the crowd behind them they can get the result they need. That’s my heart speaking. I believe the passion of the night will get them through.”
Graeme Souness’ pre-match assessment of Liverpool’s chances of getting the win they needed over Basel was widely held. For all their struggles, this was the sort of night upon which the mythology of one of Europe’s great clubs has been built.
In Steven Gerrard, the hero against Olympiakos in 2004, there was even living proof right there on the pitch of what such occasions can bring. So the Kop sang their songs and pleaded with a team devoid of confidence and form to conjure up the sort of magic that the moment demanded.
But for all the history, the small matter of the present soon became all encompassing. Martin Skrtel miscontrolled to allow Shkelzen Gashi the chance to shoot and the reality of Liverpool’s fragility hit home. Basel were the team that had won seven of their previous eight games – the other was a one-goal defeat to Real Madrid – and playing with the sort of verve that form brings.
Having named four central midfielders in his line-up, Brendan Rodgers appeared to be hoping for a compact shape and that Liverpool could keep it tight before letting the crowd do their stuff late on. And yet, while supporters can encourage, sucking the ball home remains beyond even the Kop.
They certainly can’t track runners for this shaky Liverpool defence – a side that, according to Opta, has made more errors leading to shots than any other in the Premier League this season. Unfortunately for their supporters, Liverpool were also doing what many have bemoaned English players’ inability to do – take their domestic form into continental competition.
When the opening goal came, it was a fine one. But Fabian Frei’s well-struck shot low into Simon Mignolet’s net was far from unstoppable in its construction. Glen Johnson gave the ball away in his own half of the field before Basel were allowed to exchange a series of passes on the edge of the Liverpool box. It was the sort of situation Liverpool’s defensive midfielders were there to stop.
“They’ve sussed Liverpool out more than Liverpool have sussed them out,” former Liverpool captain Phil Thompson told Sky Sports. “They’ve been cleverer in their closing down. Liverpool have been closing down nervously. There’s a lot of nervousness. It’s little triangles and Liverpool can’t get near anybody.”
Perhaps even more alarming than the goal was the lack of a response. Marco Streller had the next chance as Liverpool failed to properly clear a corner but the forward couldn’t find the target. Even so, the Swiss striker’s 20 touches in the first half were three more than Rickie Lambert managed.
It spoke volumes of Liverpool’s inability to develop anything of note in the final third. Lambert’s lack of pace requires movement around and beyond him. Instead he had Gerrard for company and Jordan Henderson on the left wing. Anfield ached for Fabio Borini let alone Daniel Sturridge.
Only Raheem Sterling boasted anything that might be recognised as pace and that placed a huge onus on a player who only waved goodbye to his teenage years on Monday. Rodgers knew he had to change things and reacted with a double substitution at the interval.
The changes were classic Rodgers. While the left-backs were switched, counter-intuitively, he also removed Lambert to bring on Lazar Markovic and push Sterling up front. Thus Liverpool were to chase the game without a conventional striker. If fictional England boss Mike Bassett had plumped for 4-4-2 when the chips were down, it seemed appropriate Rodgers should turn to the false nine.
It’s the sort of decision – like his team selection in Madrid – by which a Champions League campaign can live or die. Markovic did look to inject some energy and was showing signs of justifying his introduction before making the foolish decision to throw a flailing arm in the direction of Behrang Safari.
The red card followed and a difficult task suddenly seemed insurmountable for a team whose confidence and belief was fragile at kick off and fading fast. And yet, there was still time for Gerrard to inspire Anfield one more time for the road with a free-kick expertly curled into the top corner.
It was a goal that offered the tantalising prospect of another stirring night in the club’s history. But for once it seemed inevitable that the heroism should fall short. Every attack was riddled with indecision, while those Basel counter-attacks continued to cut through all too easily.
When the final whistle came and Group B ground to halt, the facts were irrefutable. Six Champions League games. One victory. And that courtesy of Gerrard’s stoppage-time penalty at home to Bulgarian newcomers Ludogorets.
Jamie Carragher had been asked on Monday Night Football the previous evening which game he’d prefer to win – Tuesday’s clash with Basel or the visit to Manchester United this weekend for Super Sunday. He chose victory in the Champions League on the basis it would give everyone at the club something to cling to throughout the winter.
That lifeline is now the millstone around their necks that is the Europa League. And so thoughts will turn to Sunday and a double or nothing fixture to assuage or amplify the discontent. A repeat of last year’s 3-0 win at Old Trafford would do the trick. But it’ll take more than magic tricks to turn Liverpool’s season around.
