Few of the players have upped their game under Jurgen Klopp and are now considered to be ‘good enough’ for Liverpool, even in the long term. Are they?
Confirmation bias is defined as ‘the tendency to look for something/anything which confirms a person’s own beliefs or hypothesis’. So, if someone thinks a player is good, a mere successful through-ball or dribble by that player will be sufficient for him/her to validate that idea. Conversely, a player who is not a favourite or not considered to be good will constantly prove that belief right by making the smallest of mistakes. That’s how confirmation bias works in football. People see what they want to in players they like/dislike and draw conclusions which are infallible to them. It’s a human element, of course, and by extension, not always correct.
In the last few games, our best players have been Adam Lallana, Lucas Leiva and Martin Skrtel, if the majority of the supporters are to be believed. While it’s not completely untrue to say that they have been better than they usually are, the recent praise for them is a little unwarranted. They haven’t been exceptionally good and have still made mistakes, which has conveniently gone under the radar. Also, players like James Milner and Simon Mignolet have had their weaknesses ignored because they’ve had their good moments in the last few games. It’s almost as if doing the bare minimum which is required of a footballer in any position is now sufficient for them to be lauded as the best players on the field.
Lucas has been with Liverpool for a long time. Many consider him to be the best player in his position while forgetting that he’s the only player in the team who could play in that position currently, which doesn’t directly make him the ‘best’. Thanks to Rodgers, we didn’t solve the biggest problem our team has suffered since Mascherano left us: the DM position. Lucas has tried to fill that void, but since his injuries, it has been clear that he’ll never be the solution. However, the general perception of Lucas is that his presence makes the team better. This may be fuelled by stats like the ‘win percentages with/without Lucas’, ‘successful tackles’ etc., which has generally favoured the Brazilian.
Confirmation bias at work again; he wins a tackle or two in a game which we eventually win and suddenly he’s undroppable. This has been the case in the last few games. The fact that he still repeats his errors is ignored. He was the reason for the turnover in possession which led to Chelsea’s first goal. He was the one who lost the ball in our own half to Oscar which could’ve led to a goal again, if not for Mignolet’s quick thinking. And he could’ve cost us the game by getting himself sent off. No denying that he has been one of the better players, but the flaws remain. His lack of pace, his habit of giving away cheap free-kicks in dangerous positions and his inability to track back fast enough will cost us points. Come January or next summer, if we get our targets, Lucas would (should) not be the first choice. We need a better partner for Emre Can.
Skrtel is a similar case. ‘Solid’ performances in the last few games have earned him praise and he’s back to being our ‘best’ defender in the eyes of many. Our defensive organisation has improved under Klopp, but even he cannot remove the inherent flaws or tendencies from a 30-year-old defender. The evidence was clearly visible in the game against Rubin Kazan at Anfield when the opposition could score because Skrtel didn’t maintain the offside trap correctly. Also, against Chelsea, when the ball got away from both Nathaniel Clyne and Milner to Cesar Azpilicueta, it was his job to cover for them by going to the flanks and preventing that cross (which led to the Ramires goal), instead of just standing in the box.
These are elementary defensive techniques which are expected of any Premier League defender, certainly from one playing for a team like Liverpool. Skrtel cannot overcome his instincts, not at his age. He has never progressed in all his years as a Reds player and again, he’s only playing regularly because he’s the only one left in the squad who can play at RCB. When (not if) we get a better defender in the coming windows, Skrtel will be phased out, something which should have been done years ago. He has to go.
Lallana is a player who gets a free pass almost all the time simply because he’s got a good work-rate. However, his countless twists and turns have done nothing but slow down our attacks and at times, waste the counters and yet, he’s perceived to be ‘a great player’. Lallana’s work ethic was never in doubt, but his decisions in the final third are simply not good enough.
It’s the same with Milner. People see that he’s topped the list of ‘players who’ve covered the most distance’ and they swoon over him. His assist for Benteke’s goal against Southampton masked the terrible performance. Even the so called football experts and pundits claimed (quite ignorantly) that he had a great game at the Bridge. No matter where he plays, either at CM or on the wings, Milner has been poor. His reputation for being a hard worker, a model professional counts for nothing if he cannot help the team in our attacks. He loses the ball far too often and like Lucas, gives away needless fouls (one of them led to the Saints’ equaliser). Thankfully, we have players who’re better than them and once we have a fit squad, there is no doubt they will be replaced. Someone like Jordon Ibe, who offers so much potency in the attack with his direct play, can easily make that wide role his own.
On the other side of confirmation bias, there are players like Mamadou Sakho. It’s late, but Liverpool supporters have finally realised his true potential. This was a player who ‘looked awkward on the ball, moved weirdly and was a poor passer of the ball’ in the eyes of many. These were the conclusions drawn because that’s what people saw of him on the field. His accurate passes, perfect positioning or even his aerial abilities were constantly ignored simply because he ‘looked shaky’. Many failed to understand that we’ve got a guy who has all the makings of a world-class defender. He is the undisputed leader of the team and a Klopp favourite already. He has put in terrific performances ever since he was brought back to the side. It was criminal to appoint Milner as the vice-captain of the team over someone like Sakho. At least now, the general perception has changed and he is finally getting the recognition he deserves. Mamadou is one of those who’ll go on to be a LFC legend one day.
So, while Klopp has had his positive effect on many players, we must not forget that we still need to improve as a team if we’re to challenge for the big trophies. And that means players like Lucas, Skrtel, Lallana, Milner, etc. would have to make way for better players in the starting XI. If this fact is still in doubt, a simple question would remove that from the mind. Would any of these players be starting for any of the top teams in the PL, let alone in Europe?
