Premiership; Liverpool Still Lacking Up Front

By Olly Wright

It is something that all Liverpool fans would have agreed with until a couple of weeks ago: their lack of a real cutting edge up front was the one thing hampering their season and preventing a real challenge for the title.

However, their recent glut of goals (20 in their last 5 games) since their Champions League exit and defeat to Arsenal doesn’t mask the fact that their strikers have underperformed all season. Of those 20 goals, 11 were scored by their front men, who have only scored a total of 18 league goals between them all season. It is not a very impressive haul compared with most other leading clubs.

Rafa Benitez has assembled a top quality squad overall and has brought a thoughtful and tactically astute management style to the Merseyside club.

It is without question that Liverpool have a fine midfield, capable of competing with any in the Premiership. The defence too is relatively solid, backed up by a goalkeeper less prone to mistakes than his predecessors; consequently, they have conceded very few goals at Anfield this season. They also have the vital ingredient for any successful club, a talisman in Steven Gerrard, who himself has netted 8 times in the league this season. Benitez hasn’t, however, got the right strikers to spearhead his improving team.

Peter Crouch is clearly the manager’s first choice striker. His strengths as a team player are well recognised by commentators and team mates alike. Nevertheless, the one thing strikers are judged on, goals, have still been few and far between

It is then a choice of one other to partner Crouch. Cisse and Morientes have each tried to forge a successful partnership with the target man, but neither has convinced either the fans or the manager, who has been unable to choose between them, playing them each for a few games at a time. Morientes looks a shadow of the player he was at Real Madrid and Monaco, while Cisse all too often wastes the final ball in a situation created by his own electric pace.

The purchase of Fowler smacked of desperation. While the supporters may have been appeased by the return of “God”, Fowler has been past his best for some time now. He has only scored twice since his return in January.

It is clear that the current crop of strikers at Rafa’s disposal is still lacking in quality and, crucially, the problem has prevented them from truly competing at the highest level this season. It must be the manager’s priority this summer to rectify the situation and bring in a world class striker to be the perfect foil for Crouch. Some, including Benitez, might think Jermain Defoe would be the ideal option.

About the author

Olly Wright is first and foremost a football fan. He enjoys writing about all aspects of the game....
[full biography]