Liverpool should have signed Alex Song or a defensive midfielder...

Liverpool couldn’t move for the amount of superlatives being thrown about in relation to their form last season. It was the most wonderful time to be a Reds supporter.

Fast forward just a few months and Liverpool have lost three of their opening five Premier League fixtures—instead of the wave of positivity, ‘abysmal’, ‘lacklustre’ and ‘dreary’ come to mind.

A week after losing at home to Aston Villa, Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham was a depressing result, but one that could be accepted and analysed rationally had Liverpool not given up so early on.

The performance was the worrying part. Liverpool do not look themselves.

Long gone are the days of the swashbuckling cavalier approach to attacking football that became so synonymous with Daniel Sturridge, Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling last season.

New players are taking time to settle in—and perhaps it is naïve to think they wouldn’t have needed that time.

It has been a summer of transition for Liverpool, having qualified for the Champions League. Maybe it was never going to be as smooth as we’re making out.

The Reds are in desperate need of Joe Allen to return from injury to sit next to Gerrard in midfield, take the ball from him and spread it forward. The catalyst, perhaps, between defence and midfield for Liverpool.

Brendan Rodgers’ side were linked with bringing in Barcelona’s Alex Song on loan in the summer to provide defensive reassurances in midfield. The move seemed to never progress further than a rumour and the former Arsenal man ended up at West Ham.

How ironic then that Song would play a key part in the Hammers’ organised set up against Liverpool, helping them to victory at Upton Park on Saturday.

After the mid-week League Cup tie at home to Middlesbrough, Everton are up next in the Premier League. Whilst some may argue that the form book goes out of the window for Merseyside derbies, some much needed changes and brave decisions from Rodgers will be needed to get Liverpool’s season back on track.

Source: Metro UK