Liverpool must find the grind

Ian Ladyman|Daily Mail13 April 2012
Leicester 2 Liverpool 0

Gerard Houllier becomes tetchy at suggestions that Liverpool are ready to challenge Manchester United's Premiership supremacy - and understandably so.

For every time his team give him tentative cause for optimism, they let him down.

Not until Liverpool can manage to add the vital ingredient of consistency to their lengthening list of attributes will they be able to compete on an equal footing with United.

With due respect to Leicester, Sir Alex Ferguson's team simply do not lose at places like Filbert Street. Liverpool do and it is a habit they must break if they are to mount a genuine assault on the Premiership title.

Houllier - as he explained in the wake of this defeat - will not tolerate mediocrity. But this performance did not even fall into that category. Liverpool were disappointingly poor and got what they deserved.

Tiredness was certainly a contributing factor as Liverpool's recent success has brought with it a hectic schedule. That, however, is something they must become used to and deal with if progress is to continue.

More surprising, however, was the lack of enterprise, vigour and imagination. Liverpool looked mentally jaded - a failing that now threatens their attempt to secure a Champions League placing.

If Liverpool cannot learn to grind out results when they are not playing at their best, they will not close the gap that still separates them from their greatest rivals.

'It was a deserved victory and that is as comfortable as it gets against opposition of that quality,' reflected Leicester captain Matt Elliott.

'I can hardly think of a save that Simon Royce had to make and that says a lot for how well we played.

'As a defender, when there are quality balls coming at you, you are going to struggle.

'But we coped easily. It was quite a surprise. You expect a team of Liverpool's quality and reputation to cause problems. But today there weren't that many.

'In terms of ability, there's maybe not much difference between Liverpool and United. But United just don't seem to have off days.

'People may say Liverpool were tired, but it's easy to say that. Nobody would have said that if they had come here and steamrollered us.'

Houllier was scathing of his play-ers and it is easy to understand his frustration.

Liverpool enjoyed plenty of possession on Saturday but were largely at a loss over what to do with it. Most of it was squandered by the persistent use of aerial balls towards the ineffectual Emile Heskey, who was well contained by Elliott, Gerry Taggart and Gary Rowett.

For large parts, Leicester were not much better, but when it mattered they were more incisive.

Ade Akinbiyi scored the first goal shortly after half-time as Liverpool squandered possession to allow Dean Sturridge to cross from the byline. Muzzy Izzet doubled the damage in the final minute as Liverpool were caught pushing on in numbers.

For a team who have now lost seven Premiership away games, it was depressingly familiar.

'I thought we lacked bite, penetration and desire,' said Houllier. 'It was not good enough and we just have to blame ourselves.'

Liverpool continue to look long-ingly at a top-three finish and will be aware of the end-of-season slump that robbed them last year.

Leicester, however, refuse to contemplate such heights. Peter Taylor's team hope for European football; the Champions League is not a topic under discussion.

Organisation, discipline and a selfless work ethic remain their binding strengths but it is not a recipe that anyone at Filbert Street believes can push them into third place.

'That would be dreamland for us but we don't talk about it,' said Elliott. 'There is still a gap in quality between us and the top clubs.'

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