Comparing Liverpool’s recent title-challenging sides (Part 1 of 2)

Liverpool kick-started their 2018/19 campaign in impressive style with wins against West Ham (H) and Crystal Palace (A), scoring six goals without reply. New signings Alisson Becker and Naby Keita have already shone with eye-catching displays, while Xherdan Shaqiri’s substitute appearance in the season opener was similarly solid; Fabinho has yet to feature but will likely do so in the coming games.

Fans and pundits alike have praised manager Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool owners for addressing the defensive issues in the team with the big-money acquisitions of Virgil van Djik and Alisson, among others. Van Djik was a colossus for Liverpool again on Monday night, organising the back line and constantly clearing any balls lofted into the box from Palace; Alisson had less to do but dealt with everything effortlessly.

READ: Milner pleased with gritty win but seeks further improvement.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 20: Sadio Mane scores for Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, London. (Photo by AFP)

READ: Dortmund and Liverpool in Origi talks.

Going forward, Liverpool’s attack continues to be one of the most potent in world football. Sadio Mane has three goals in two games for the Reds, while Mohamed Salah has a goal and two assists to his name so far despite having a quieter start to the season; Roberto Firmino is taking a little longer to get on the goal trail but has still performed well in the opening games. Last season, the three scored a monstrous 82 goals between them in all competitions as Salah in particular shone.

Liverpool have been widely tipped as the primary contenders for Man City’s crown this season, and it’s not the first time they’ve looked like potential title winners. Rafa Benitez’s 2008/09 team came agonisingly close to winning the league, falling just short behind Man United at the time; Brendan Rodgers took his side even closer in the 2013/14 season, finishing just two points behind eventual winners Man City.

Those were glorious and exasperating times to be a Liverpool supporter.

This season, the Reds appear to have redeveloped a solid spine for the first time in years, from Alisson in goal to Van Djik in defence, through Keita in midfield to Firmino up top, all the while surrounded by quality and increased depth. For the first time in the Klopp era, it’s difficult to pinpoint any real weaknesses in the squad.

But how does this season’s ‘title contending’ side compare with the Liverpool teams of the 08/09 and 13/14 seasons?

2008/09

BLACKBURN, UNITED KINGDOM – DECEMBER 08: Xabi Alonso of Liverpool celebrates scoring the first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool at Ewood Park on December 6, 2008 in Blackburn, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Manager: Rafa Benitez

Strongest starting XI: Reina, Aurelio, Carragher, Skrtel, Arbeloa, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard, Babel, Kuyt, Torres.

This team was the culmination of several years of patient restructuring from Rafa Benitez and featured one of the strongest spines Liverpool have had in decades.

Pepe Reina was a rock-solid goalkeeper with excellent distribution and catlike reflexes who regularly competed for the Premier League Golden Glove – watching him was rarely worrisome, and he inspired confidence in his defence.

Shielding Reina was Jamie Carragher. The Reds centre-back was a constant source of strong leadership and organisation for Liverpool, partnering with veteran Sami Hyypia and elevating his less-experienced teammates Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger.

On either side of them, Fabio Aurelio and Alvaro Arbeloa brought balance to the back four. Aurelio had a terrific left foot and was always a danger from set pieces (remember that glorious free kick at Old Trafford?) while Arbeloa was a no-nonsense defender.

Liverpool’s midfield triangle of Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonson and Steven Gerrard was perhaps the best in world football at the time. Mascherano still remains one of Liverpool’s best defensive midfielders, a key player who broke up opposition attacks and allowed his more attack-minded teammates to get forward. Alonso was – in my opinion at least – the greatest long-range passer of the ball of all time, and it was a joy to watch him pull the strings in midfield every week.

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND – Sunday, October 1, 2017: Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez shouts instructions to his team during the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St. James’ Park. (Pic by Paul Greenwood/Propaganda)

Gerrard was Captain Fantastic at Liverpool and rarely moreso than the 08/09 season where he finished top goal scorer, netting 24 times. Gerrard was at his peak that season and was quite rightly regarded by many as the best midfielder in the world, at least in his particular position. His partnership with Fernando Torres, with whom he enjoyed a licence to roam afforded by Mascherano and Alonso, was breath-taking at times.

Torres was one of the best strikers in the world at that time, terrorising opposition defences with his acceleration and lethal eye for goal. With Gerrard’s creativity just behind him and the likes of Albert Riera, Yossi Benayoun, Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt supporting from the wings (Kuyt was always a bit unsung), Torres was mesmerising in front of goal, leaving some of the top centre-backs in the world for dead week after week. Robbie Keane, who left halfway through the season, didn’t quite work out for the Reds, though he did score a belter against Arsenal.

A combination of defensive stability, midfield combativeness and irresistible attacking prowess brought Benitez’s side to the brink of glory, only for them to fall short at the last hurdle.

How does the 08/09 team compare with this season’s squad?

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 12: Naby Keita of Liverpool runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and West Ham United at Anfield on August 12, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Liverpool went all out to sign Alisson from Roma this summer for £67million, and so far the Brazilian stopper hasn’t disappointed. Two fine (albeit fairly comfortable) performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace have been encouraging for fans, and it looks like Liverpool have finally found a man between the sticks who can compare with Reina. Hopefully, he can retain that position for years.

Andy Robertson, Virgil Van Djik, Joe Gomez, and Trent Alexander-Arnold have started Liverpool’s first two games of the season and looked defensively solid. Gomez has staked a strong claim to partner Van Djik, and will take some shifting from Dejan Lovren or Joel Matip once they return to full contention; Van Djik has been a phenomenal signing so far and £75million now looks like a bargain deal for the big Dutchman. Robertson and Alexander-Arnold provide excellent attacking threat and sound support for the centre-backs when defending. Overall, I’d say our current defensive options are on par with those of the 08/09 season but have more potential to outclass them over time, especially with Van Djik in the middle.

Our midfield options are definitely healthier this season. James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Gini Wijnaldum and Fabinho are all currently competing for a place in the midfield three, with the injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain still to return next season. The Masherano-Alonso-Gerrard  dynamic  was excellent, but the only genuine contender for a spot was Lucas, who would go on to become a better player after that season. I believe our current midfield is stronger overall than the 08/09 team after the additions of Keita and Fabinho this summer.

Finally, the attack: Mane, Salah and Firmino were absolutely lethal going forward last season and there’s no reason to believe they won’t continue in that vein again. They’re well-supported with options from the bench like Adam Lallana, Xherdan Shakiri and in-form Daniel Sturridge, while other players like Keita, Milner, Wijnaldum and Chamberlain are more than capable of filling in further forward when required. Gerrard and Torres were supported by Kuyt, Benayoun, Babel, Riera, Keane, Pennant and El Zhar, though only Kuyt and Benyoun were particularly influential. Again, I consider our current attacking options to be of higher quality overall than the 08/09 squad, though it’s difficult to discount the Gerrard-Torres partnership.

The Verdict

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – AUGUST 12: Xherdan Shaqiri of Liverpool takes on the goalkeeper in the Premier League match between Liverpool and West Ham at Anfield on August 12, 2018 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Getty Images)

While Rafa Benitez’s runner-up squad of the 08/09 season gave us some unforgettable moments and was undoubtedly one of the strongest Liverpool teams in the Premier League era, our current squad just edges them, in terms of potential at least. They’re defensively comparable, have more depth in midfield and more quality overall in attack, and perhaps a manager with better backing from the owners.

Time will tell, of course, if Klopp’s men can continue to build on the progress made last season, but the ‘title contenders’ label they’re already constantly branded with is well-founded.

I’ll follow this piece with a second comparing this season’s squad to the 2013/14 team under Brendan Rodgers.

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