To call them bad would be a disservice to Wolverhampton, who are bad. Liverpool were much worse than bad. In fact, "downright awful" doesn't begin to approach an adequate characterization of their display. Liverpool were found wanting in every single possible component available for categorization. The defending was calamitous. Reina was floundering on crosses consistently and probably should have saved the one goal (he got the angle wrong and was slow to come out). The passing was pathetic. Sadly Javier Mascherano is more capable of unlocking a brilliant pass than any of the members of Liverpool's midfield today and he is a purely destructive midfielder. And on the few occasions when Liverpool got the opportunity to attempt at shot, the shooting was woeful. Raul Meireles, Ryan Babel, and David N'Gog were all culprits in this regard.
And I have not yet begun on Roy Hodgson. I do believe that Hodgson should be given time to fashion the team in his own image. He is, after all, still playing with Benitez's players, but he should not be exempt from criticism for this performance. In the first half, Liverpool were absolutely inadequate. Wolverhampton pressed them high up the field, and I'll bet that Pepe Reina attempted as many passes as anyone else wearing red. To get around a high-pressing defense, a team must play at pace. This is a correction that should have happened at halftime. Instead, Liverpool came out for the second half playing exactly the same. Unsurprisingly, they were punished after catastrophic defending let Stephen Ward score his first ever Premier League goal, and his first goal at all in over three years. And why wasn't Maxi Rodriguez included? He's been one of the few consistently positive performers for Liverpool this season.
And I haven't even mentioned yet that going into this match, Wolverhampton were bottom of the table. They had taken only 1 point out of a possible 24 on the road this season. Wolverhampton were also playing on only two days rest after losing at home to Wigan on Boxing Day. How much worse can it get? Well, Liverpool play sixth-placed Bolton at home before a three game run of away matches that sees them visit ninth-placed Blackburn and eight-placed Blackpool either side of a trip to Old Trafford. If Liverpool play as horribly as they did today, I'd be surprised if they get more than a solitary point from those four fixtures. The pressure is on as well, as West Ham, Wigan, and Wolverhampton, the Ws of the relegation zone, have all won at least one game of the festive fixture feast and Liverpool are sitting just three points above the drop zone.
I simply cannot imagine what the American owners are thinking as they try to make sense of Liverpool's needs. If they watch the footage of today's game, they'll be thinking they need at least eleven new players.
