‘Not ready’ – Liverpool told to forget about partaking in title race after Arsenal reality check
Liverpool aren’t yet ready to mount a serious Premier League title challenge this season, despite signs of ‘progress’ under Andoni Iraola.
That’s according to Ian Ladyman in his column for the Daily Mail after the Reds lost 1-0 at home to Arsenal on Sunday, a result which leaves the Merseysiders nine points behind the reigning champions with just under a quarter of the campaign having been played.
It was a second defeat at Anfield in the last month for LFC, who were also beaten by second-placed Manchester City in a game which swung on the incredibly harsh dismissal of Ryan Gravenberch.
Ladyman: Liverpool ‘not ready’ to fight for the title
In taking stock of viable Premier League title contenders, Ladyman wrote in his Monday column: ‘As for Liverpool, they are simply not ready. Not yet.
‘That was apparent before yesterday’s home defeat to Arsenal, in which they played well. Andoni Iraola’s team also played nicely at home to City last month but lost that one too.’
The journalist added that ‘there has been progress’ under the Basque, particuarly in terms of their defence, but he feels that the Reds ‘remain a puzzle in the final third’ and lack a ‘calm intelligence and threat just when it really matters’.
In terms of realistic aspirations for Liverpool this season, Ladyman outlined: ‘A third-placed finish, a journey to the last eight of the Champions League and a tilt at a domestic cup would represent progress for Liverpool.’
Liverpool improving but still short of genuine title contention
A win for the Reds would’ve put them within three points of the summit and fuelled talk of potential title race involvement, especially as beating Arsenal would’ve represented a significant statement.
Instead, a gap of nine points this early in the season indicates that Liverpool are unlikely to be contending for the Premier League trophy after Easter. A return of just one home win out of five in the top flight also shows how short we are compared to the Gunners and Man City.
On the whole, Iraola’s side have shown discernible improvement since the extended international break earlier in the autumn compared to how they played prior to that three-week hiatus, with signs that the head coach’s tactical ideas are starting to click with the squad.
The performances against Arsenal and Man City were creditable, and in both games we were wronged by scandalous refereeing decisions, but the results show that there’s still a gap to be bridged to the top two.
If Liverpool end the season comfortably in third place, go deep in the Champions League and hopefully lift a domestic cup, that’d represent a successful first campaign for Iraola at Anfield.
Nobody had us in the title equation back in August, and that remains the case now, but at least the way the Reds are playing would suggest that they’re gradually heading in the right direction under the current head coach.
