Jamie Carragher on Chelsea Loss: You Never Felt Like a Liverpool Goal Was Coming
The former Red also criticized Jürgen Klopp’s substitution of Mohamed Salah.
Just like that, Anfield has gone from a fortress to an amusement park, an entertainment for visitors.
Liverpool had come into Thursday’s clash with Chelsea looking to piece together another top four push coming off the back of last week’s road victory over Sheffield.
However, the defending Premier League champions’ dismal home form continued, falling to the Londoners 1-0 in what is their fourth consecutive loss at Anfield, having picked up a depressing two points in their last eight home matches.
The Reds’ misfiring attack came up short once again, managing a single shot on target to make it a paltry three goals in their last four outings, leaving holders rooted to seventh in the table.
Ex-Red and current Sky pundit, Jamie Carragher has meted out a number of hot takes on his former side in recent weeks and weighed in again today on a dispirited Reds’ problems in front of the net:
“They don’t look like scoring,” the former defender said of Liverpool’s vaunted attack.
“You look at the games where they haven’t scored and you never feel like a goal’s coming.”
Naysayers desperate for a narrative seized on manager Jürgen Klopp’s substitution of star Mohamed Salah as his side searched for a goal, much to the frustration of the league’s leading scorer.
The Sky Sports broadcast noted that the 62nd minute change was the earliest the two-time Golden Boot winner had been brought off since a September 2017 tactical change with Liverpool down to 10 men in a 5-0 loss to Manchester City.
“I could not believe when Salah came off,” Carragher continued. “Taking your top goalscorer off when you’re desperate for a goal is a strange one.”
“Salah is not a great player with the ball,” the 43-year-old admitted. “He’s better off the ball making runs and scoring goals.”
It’s clear that the Reds are in a bad way at the moment and short on belief. Oh and there’s the injuries to the first five center back options that has derailed a once formidable defense and detracted from a fearsome midfield.
Klopp will have to find some way to motivate his side into the top four, with the Reds next opportunity to pick themselves back up coming against a positive looking Fulham side on Sunday.
Read More: Jamie Carragher on Chelsea Loss: You Never Felt Like a Liverpool Goal Was Coming
Source: Liverpool Offside