LONDON // Daniel Sturridge out until January. Steven Gerrard out for six weeks. The next month is the great test of Brendan Rodgers’s Liverpool and their ambitions of Uefa Champions League qualification, the first examination coming today at Tottenham Hotspur, who themselves expect to finish in the top four.
For Joe Allen, in particular, it is something of a litmus test of his credentials.
The midfielder has become the poster-boy for those unconvinced by Rodgers and his approach – or at least his transfer policy.
He had been a star at Swansea City under Rodgers, hailed for his ability to retain possession. Figures from WhoScored.com show he had a remarkable 91.2 per cent pass success rate, while making 1.3 key passes per game.
But after following Rodgers to the Northwest of England in a £15 million (Dh89.8m) move in the summer of 2012, he seemed overawed at Anfield. That pass success rate fell only slightly, to 89.7 per cent, but more significant was that in his first season at Liverpool, he averaged only 0.8 key passes per game.
Allen was the archetype of the all-possession-no-penetration gripe of last season and was, by many, written off as an expensive flop. It is easy to forget that he is still only 23, that, like Jordan Henderson, he is still learning the game while going through the at times awkward transition from being a key player at a club where he grew up to being a new boy on a much bigger stage.
Allen’s first league start of the season came at Everton three weeks ago, as Gerrard was advanced in the absence of Sturridge. He missed a sitter in that game, looking preternaturally calm as he sidefooted the ball wide. Further derision followed, but having started alongside Gerrard with Lucas Leiva missing out in each of the last two games, he has seemed unruffled, assured even.
Those games were against Norwich City and West Ham United, teams against which Liverpool rattled in a total of nine goals. Tottenham will be a much tougher assignment, but still, there was something impressive about his demeanour.
Mental strength is something Rodgers has consciously focused on. Last November, he brought in Dr Steve Peters, a sports psychologist who has worked with the hugely successful British cycling team. Allen believes the influence of Peters has been of great benefit as he has adjusted to the “scrutiny” and the “pressure” of Anfield.
Liverpool have also been boosted by having those two relatively simple home games in a row. Having Lucas and Allen in tandem at the back of midfield may mean Liverpool lack a little thrust, but the solidity they offer may be crucial against Spurs’ strong midfield, and over the hectic holiday programme.
After playing Cardiff City at Anfield next Saturday, Liverpool face away games at Manchester City and Chelsea between Christmas and New Year – a particular concern given they have not won away since beating Sunderland on September 29.
“When you go away from home you are going to be up against it but our approach is the same,” said Rodgers. “We go into every game to play well, to work the ball and work hard when we don’t have it.
“You are asked different questions away from home and we just need to cut out the mistakes we make because it hasn’t been teams who have opened us up, we have conceded disappointing goals or own goals.”
Liverpool have kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 games but Rodgers is adamant that, while Liverpool lost control of midfield against Everton, most of the time that has been down to individual errors rather than systemic failure.
The Spurs midfield is formidable, but there probably is not a holding pair in the Premier League so focused on control as Lucas and Allen. They may not offer much creatively, but at White Hart Lane that will not be the priority.
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