Liverpool F.C.: 3 Liverpool shortcomings that should worry every Liverpool fan, but are they all real?

As a die-hard Liverpool fan, I’ve been very disappointed in the results of my beloved team. The arrival of Liverpool’s new manager, Jurgen Klöpp, sparked a new hope--albeit perhaps a faint one--that the club might start performing better under the charismatic German. While the initial run of draws were decent, and the subsequent wins against Manchester City and Chelsea were thrilling experiences for every Liverpool fan, every other game has been mediocre at best, and downright painful to watch at worst.

While one can point to a whole number of factors behind this dip in form, most fans seem to point to either of two problems, or to both. Former Liverpool player Mark Lawrenson, writing for the Liverpool Echo, singles out the mentality of the squad as the main culprit. Taken from this perspective, what leads to these subpar Liverpool performances is not the physicality or the foot skills of the players, but what's inside their heads: their lack of confidence, their inability to keep their heads up when getting scored against, a lack of will to take risk in the final third of the pitch, and a mental fatigue that makes players give less than 100%.

The English weather certainly doesn't lift up the mood
(picture taken from The Daily Mirror at http://bit.ly/1NZHzUR)

This was also Klopp’s sentiment when he joined Liverpool in October. And Klopp has been adamant at defending his players’ skills, repeatedly mentioning that his squad has the physical capability to carry the team forward to a brighter spot.

But many observers go beyond the head and the heart and point out at the lack of physical capability, skill, or an imbalance of skill within the team as the issue. Rob Conlon, writing for Team Talk, argues the latter, explaining that the current squad just doesn’t have the team mold. As a result, some players, and perhaps many, need to go and new players brought as soon as possible. From what I gather, this also happens to be the sentiment of most fans that have reacted on social media: that the current squad is simply not good enough for Liverpool F.C.

It’s clear that Liverpool needs to improve, and time is not on their side. What should they do? It seems two different paths can be taken, and I’ll add in a third:

•        Bring new players – Get rid of anyone who doesn’t fit and not enough skill, and bring in strong new players
•        Improve squad mentality – work on getting heads up, chest out, and confidence flowing in order to get players giving 110% on the pitch.
•        Have more patience: We all want results as soon as possible, but the fact is that the manager and many of the players are new. It takes time for the likes of Firmino or even Benteke to adapt to Liverpool F.C. and to English football.

So which is true? I don’t know. I only know that I find myself waking up at 7 a.m. on a Saturday or Sunday morning, deadbeat and tired, to watch my team lose without offering a fight worthy of respect.

It’s getting to me, and I’m starting to drop my head.

But then I remember #YNWA. That's when for reasons I can't explain I calm down and realize I'll never walk alone, and that things will be fine. I trust Klopp--I also trusted Rodgers until the last second, even if sometimes infuriatingly so--and I believe in many of our players: Coutinho, Can, Firmino, Lovren, Henderson, Lucas, Allen, even Benteke. Most of them have been underappreciated, but I know they'll rise up to the challenge. And soon we will have Flanagan back, and Origi, and Ings--maybe even Sturridge!

I raise my chin because I know great times are ahead of us... or at least I hope so.

Sepand Siassi is an entrepreneur and a die-hard Liverpool fan living in Canada. He dreams of one day working for the club on the business side Liverpool F.C.