Adrian Melville, ESPN Insider 9y

Midfield could doom Liverpool

Liverpool's recent improbable 3-2 victory over Queens Park Rangers stands out as the most thrilling game of the early Premier League season. However, that euphoria among LFC fans was quickly tempered by the realization that it took so much extra effort to defeat a QPR team that is currently in last place.

Liverpool's win moved them to fifth place in the Prem, four points behind the pace of the team's standout second-place finish last season. However, the Reds have been inconsistent this season, struggling to both manufacture goals and prevent dangerous opportunities against top- and bottom-shelf opponents alike. The most noticeable difference in Liverpool this season is the absence of the dynamic scoring that Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge provided last season. Suarez and his league-high 31 goals departed for Barcelona in the summer, while thigh and calf injuries have prevented Sturridge from being in the Liverpool lineup for the team's past five matches.

Even with Sturridge scheduled to return in a few weeks, it seems unlikely that Liverpool's new-look attack -- which features a handful of new pieces that have yet to jell -- can replicate anywhere near the team's production from 2013-14. As a result, Liverpool is transitioning to becoming a team that relies heavily on its midfield play, and thus far that area of the team is fueling its lack of a potent attack, increased goal allowance and overall inconsistent results.

Here is a look at the issues weighing down Liverpool's midfield, what needs to change and the likelihood that the Reds remain a top-tier Prem club this season and return to Europe in 2015-16.

^ Back to Top ^