All Alone-So

Due to reasons of AC malfunction I happened to be home early from work and catch the Liverpool-Aston Villa game. It is the second time I have seen LFC play this season and for the second time they looked like a team well below their top 4 pedigree. When a team suffers a 3-1 loss at home there are many culprits but the one glaring weakness in this squad is the hole left by Xabi Alonso's departure for Real Madrid. Lucas Leiva has been in his place for now and he is horrible. I know he has had strong moments in the past and being a Brazilian international is not something that happens by accident, but today he looked miserable. The own goal was bad, but even if that were stricken from the record he gave the ball away needlessly more than once, won barely any balls in the midfield, and was unable to start anything even relatively productive going in the other direction. Javier Mascherano looked pretty good at times, breaking up plays that could have resulted in Villa goals, but having Leiva next to him just shows how much Alonso was worth as his partner in the middle of the park.

I know Alberto Aquilani is likely to assume the spot when he heals from injury but even then Alonso's absence will haunt Liverpool. It is too bad for them because the rest of the big 4 seem to have come back to earth a bit (on paper anyway) and the rest of the Liverpool team is pretty solid. They might lack depth but they can put out a solid squad.