The Reds have made a near-perfect start to the 2015-16 season. Our pre-season campaign saw us win all but one of our six fixtures and we’ve taken that form into the Premier League, with two wins out of two and two clean sheets.
However, the one criticism that has been directed at us thus far is that we’re not playing the exciting brand of football which is usually associated with us, particularly under the management of Brendan Rodgers.
To an extent, that criticism can be justified. The Reds have sacrificed a percentage of our passing game to accommodate the arrival of our new marquee striker, Christian Benteke, and have focused more on getting the ball from back to front quickly – rather than building patiently from the back.
Nonetheless, some of our critics have been typically over the top. We can’t all be Barcelona and if the results are still good then you shouldn’t really have that much to complain about. We all want to see us pass teams to death, and at times in the first two games we have done that, but it’s the ability to mix up our style which gives us a key advantage here – and that should not be underestimated.
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If you know how a team is going to play against you, then it becomes predictable. If that same opposition has multiple options and back-up plans then it is much more difficult to prepare for every eventuality.
McAllister, it seems, agrees with us. The Anfield favourite is optimistic about the season ahead and is full of praise for the squad that Rodgers and co have put together – as he says, in quotes taken by the Daily Mirror.
“That confidence is there because we just have to look at the personnel, the players that are here – the ones that have been here for two or three seasons since Brendan arrives and then the new additions,” he said. “You just look at the names there, there is so much attacking flair and so many options.
“We’ve got power and pace, we’ve got cuteness and loads of ability in the final third of the pitch. I think once we find that rhythm and get into our stride, you’ll see some more exciting football.”
McAllister was also quick to point out the positive aspects of our first two performances, both of which produced 1-0 wins. He added: “There are loads of plusses: two clean sheets, the points on the board. I think the big thing is the way we’ve defended as a team in the opening two games.”
“[That’s] massive. Any team that wants to be competing at the top end of the title – which we do – has to be capable of that. t’s vital – and we want to be at that end of the table.”