5 Things We Learnt From The ManCity VS Liverpool Game

Manchester City defeated Liverpool 3-1 to win the first big game of the new 2014/15 Premier league season.  There are a few observations made that can turn things around for Liverpool.

1. A good goalkeeper could save a team 10 points.

Aguero's goal at Mignolet's near post, will definitely not calm the critics who believe that the Belgian is simply not good enough to be the Reds Number one goal-keeper.  Mignolet surely needs competition for his shirt. Sturridge and Jovetic both had similar chances. Hart easily blocked Sturridge's effort while Jovetic's blot went through Mignolet's legs. Sometimes Mignolet makes great saves but his mistakes are more costly that his stops.  If there is a reason why Liverpool won't win the league this year, goalkeeping will be it.

2. Sakho is easily Liverpool's best defender.

$20 million Lovren might be the talkative defensive leader that 

Brenden Rogers seeks but some players lead by example. A defense featuring, Sakho and Lovren would be a lot stronger than it is now. It feels weird keeping the French national soccer team captain on bench.A man once described by Rogers as a defensive monster can not be pushed to the sidelines especially when his stats suggests that he is a better defender than Skrtel.

3.  Gerrard is no defensive midfielder

The defensive midfield role is a controversial one. There are players like Pirlo and Xavi who make the role, that of a deep-lying schemer dictating the pace of the game while the other school of thought likens it to one of a brute, marshaling and protecting the back four. Either way, Steven Gerrard, Captain fantastic is neither. In the world cup, he showed he lacked the ability the control the tempo of games and for Liverpool, he has lost the much needed yard of pace to defend the back four. Emre Can have been brought in to help but further reinforcements in this area is needed if Liverpool is to achieve top four.

4. You bought big, now let them play.

One gets this feeling that Rogers is protecting the big buys and putting  lot of faith in the old guard. There is no better way of budding the English league's new entrants  (Markovic, Can)  in the team than playing them straight away.

5. Goals are everything.

Liverpool controlled most the first half and even had more chances  than Mancity but the difference between the two sides was the finishing and decision making in the final third. This was further reinforced in the pre-season game between Liverpool and Manchester United: with Liverpool controlling the game and ManUnited doing the scoring.