Liverpool’s loss to Swansea last Saturday highlighted a weakness that has been plaguing them this whole season; they seem to lack of focus against lower level competition.
Over the course of the season Liverpool have lost three matches in which they were clear favourites – Burnley, Bournemouth and Swansea City. With the 3-2 loss to Swansea, Liverpool dropped to fourth in the table and ten points behind leaders Chelsea, dashing any realistic hopes of winning the league this year.
Many might point to the shaky performances of the backline in the second-half, which resulted in conceding three goals. The defence was certainly an issue, but Klopp does not seem worried about it just yet.
This was only Swansea’s second win in their last eight matches, so you can understand why the Reds’ defence has been questioned this season, though Klopp refuses to agree…
“We are not weak in defending. If you want to say this, do it – I don’t care. I know we aren’t.”
Klopp spoke of the lack of concentration on the third goal: “In this moment, we had enough players around the challenges but nearly nobody in the challenges. That makes no sense. I saw no challenge, actually. We were two or three times too passive and, in the end, a free player in our box, that’s a big mistake.”
This is Liverpool’s third loss against a club that is in the bottom half of the table this season.
Of the three other clubs above Liverpool in the table, Liverpool are the only one who have lost against a club in the bottom half of the the Premier League. And it isn’t just one loss, its three. This shows a team that isn’t capitalising on matches they should be winning or, worst case scenario, drawing.
Against the clubs outside of the top ten in the Premier League, Liverpool have won 23 points. By comparison, Chelsea have 34 points from teams in the bottom half of the division.
Of the three clubs above Liverpool – Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham – Liverpool are the only side that hasn’t lost a match against teams in the top ten. This shows that Liverpool can play well when they have their heads on straight.
As much as people want to point to the defence for their woes this season, they have given up the least amount of goals against top ten opponents compared to the rest of the current top four.
So Klopp is not wrong. The problem is not a weak defence, it’s actually a lack of focus against weaker clubs.
One loss against a weaker opponent could be seen as a slip up. Two losses against inferior teams could be a coincidence. Three losses is a pattern and a problem.
