CL: What went wrong for Liverpool in Europe?

After their ouster from the Champions League, we look at what went wrong for the English side in Europe's premier competition

Goals
Liverpool have scored five goals in six Champions League matches — four of which came against minnows Ludogorets. Their lack of a cutting edge has been a factor domestically but it has cost them dearly in Europe.


Steven Gerrard. Pic/Getty Images

Creativity
Undoubtedly, the reason for the lack of goals. Despite promising opening 20-minute spells in both games against Real Madrid when they dominated the game the side had nothing to show for their efforts and that left them vulnerable. A sterile performance in Basel put them in trouble
early on.

Defence
The first rule of European football is to keep things tight but with the defence leaking goals week in, week out that was always going to be a problem. At the very least they should have come away from Basel with a point and a clean sheet at the Bernabeu was not beyond their reach.

New signings
Brendan Rodgers spent £110million in the summer to bolster his squad for the combined challenges of the Premier League and Champions League, but none have made much of a contribution. Only two of his newest recruits made the starting line-up against Basel and one of those — Dejan Lovren — was an enforced change after injury to Kolo Toure.

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