Brendan Rodgers has attempted to reassure Liverpool supporters that the long term future is bright – but not without warning them that the short term outlook might be considerably more foreboding.
“I think the pain is for now. I think it’s unfortunate,” Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.
The Reds have endured a frustrating start to the season, taking just seven pints from the first six games in the Premier League, while also losing away to Basel in the Champions League earlier this week.
“I think the pain is for now. I think it’s unfortunate,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers has warned that this season the team “feels like a new group again”.
“It’s hard for the supporters and I understand that. It must be so difficult at the moment to see a team that for 18 months has been so fluent and dynamic.
“Now they probably look and see a team with maybe no resemblance to that in many ways. I understand that and there is no-one more frustrated than myself.”
The signing of Mario Balotelli has so far failed in its primary aim – to fill the hole left by the departure of Luis Suarez, and Rodgers has admitted his side do not look the sharp edged counter attacking unit they were last year.
“We look at our game, which is based a lot on possession, but we were also a big threat in transition when we won the ball back and we were on the break,” Rodgers said.
“We don’t look a threat on the break at the moment. We could argue that we don’t even play in transition. We’re getting no-one in behind, no-one breaking lines.”
Rodgers bemoaned the squad’s current injury situation, with striker Daniel Sturridge, Joe Allen and Emre Can notable absentees. Sturridge has missed the last month with a thigh strain. Mario Balotelli has looked unsuited to the particular style of play Rodgers had crafted at Anfield, and which proved so effective last year as Liverpool pushed Manchester City for the title.
“Once we lose that movement and speed of Daniel Sturridge, and the link-up of other people within that, it has broken the dynamic a little for us,” Rodgers said.
“We just have to persevere until I get the squad back, until we get Emre Can back, Joe Allen, Daniel and the others. Then I think we will return to that level."
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