Arsenal have long been branded a team of exceptional talent and ability that lacks character and leadership when push comes to shove. It’s the reason their title challenges have so often faded into nothingness over the past ten years under the guidance of veteran boss Arsene Wenger.
But former Liverpool ace Jason McAteer who played for us during the 1990s reckons Jurgen Klopp’s team might suffer from the same problem.
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Throughout January, we’ve often looked lost, especially when going down against inferior opposition and McAteer is convinced we need to find a nasty streak – the kind which Premier League leaders Chelsea clearly possess.
“I always feel like Liverpool are a nice bunch of boys,” he told the Echo.
“A nice team with players you could take home to your mum.
“You look at Chelsea and there is a bit of horribleness about them. Costa and Luiz and even Cahill to an extent. It’s a battle for them. It becomes horrible.
“Since Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard retired there have been big shoes that haven’t been filled but you can’t make a leader, they’re born.
“So I’d like Liverpool to go into the market and bring in someone with those leadership qualities.”
We think McAteer probably has a point. Liverpool have no proven winners in the starting XI bar James Milner and that’s been evident in 2017.
Jordan Henderson is a good captain and shouldn’t be expected to directly replicate Steven Gerrard, but he needs leaders around him, too. Adam Lallana, Gini Wijnaldum, Sadio Mane, Coutinho and Roberto Firmino are nice guys, but a few b*stards – like Diego Costa or Luis Suarez – would do wonders.
We shone before Christmas, but are down in the dumps now and need real some characters to step up and elevate the entire team.