Let me first say, I'm writing this with the deep wound still open and hurting - I am a Liverpool fan and our biggest rivals have just done the double over us. Things I say may not have been analysed and seen without the Red goggles on so please, forgive me if I make some absurd point or opinion that bares no relation or truth to the actual game or season. I thought overall the game was quite even (maybe 51% - 49% in favour of United) but United clearly tipped it. The difference is that bit of concentration at vital moments, I somehow sensed that when Robin Van Persie stood over that ball, 5 yards away from Reina's box, that a goal was coming. I knew he wouldn't shoot and that he'd float some delicious, enticing ball into the Liverpool area for someone to head home - my mate even called Evra out as the man who'd get it and we were both right. Jamie Redknapp said the goal was offside but whatever, it's swings and roundabouts. We got the handball decision away at Mansfield - although then someone will probably say, "what about the goal at Everton that never stood?" But whatever, if we thought that way we'd be here all week going on about decisions for and against our teams. What I want to concentrate on is what BR (Brendan Rodgers) and the fans can learn from a negative result, what positives can one take from a defeat to your bitter rivals and what signs are there for the future compared to the start of the season? So, with a heavy heart and probably a bag full of abuse on Twitter, here are my 5 things Brendan Rodgers could have learned from the Old Trafford defeat.
1. Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez Can Play Together, But Sturridge Is Still A Rough Diamond
I was impressed with Sturridge when he came on. I think he worried Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic into dropping deeper due to his pace - which Suarez does not have. The fear of letting a pacey striker in behind is very important for a lot of sides and I think BR likes to use this psychological impact to give his mid-fielders more space - look at the players Liverpool are linked with or have signed: Borini - pacey and his main strength is movement which can be used to drag full backs and centre backs around to create that golden substance that you can't put your hands on: space, Sturridge - pacey and dynamic, he can get in behind if the pass is right from someone like Gerrard or one of Liverpool's centre backs and Tom Ince (obviously only a link at this stage with nothing truly substantial coming from either LFC or Blackpool in way of news) - he is pacey as well. So you see how BR may be thinking. The most encouraging thing however, was Sturridge's link up play with Suarez. Obviously it's the earliest form of a partnership - they've played about 50 minutes together away from the training ground. They seemed to be on a certain wavelength. They got the ball into each other's feet and managed to create more shots and chances in the second half than Suarez did on his lonesome in the first. A big factor was the fact that Suarez seemed ready and comfortable at playing in the hole behind the main striker. This is a position Gerrard made his own a few years ago but Suarez seems like he can play there with his ghostly movement and excellent dribbling style. He found more space in that hole with the centre backs of United unable to decide whether to go with him into the hole or let a midfield player pick him up. That indecision gave Liverpool space, time and options all through the second half and meant they were able to get back into the game.
I recently wrote that any Sturridge deal may hinge on Suarez's ability or willingness to play out wide or in behind and it seems that BR has identified that he can, thus, the signing makes sense. Giving Liverpool's best player extra space could prove invaluable. If Sturridge creates space for Suarez and chips in with a few goals, as he has done in his 2 games, then brilliant for LFC as far as I'm concerned. However, as I said in the point above - he is not without his faults and needs to make more mature decisions at times. The shot rifled into De Gea's side netting was poor judgement, he should have held it up and maybe got a cross in a moment or two later. With that said, I think BR and Roy Hodgson are well capable of teaching Sturridge the ways of the level headed man.