Tuesday 15 September 2015 11:48, UK
Gary Neville has expressed concerns over Liverpool's 'lack of pace' and thinks they have to be less rigid with their system.
The Reds suffered their second successive Premier League defeat on Saturday evening as they were beaten 3-1 by Manchester United.
With just three goals in five matches, they are the joint-second lowest scorers in the top flight and Neville thinks there are issues to contend with.
"At times over the last few years we have asked for them to be more rigid but now they seem to have gone the other way," he said on Monday Night Football.
"The lack of pace and runners in behind is a great concern for me. Now that Sterling and Suarez have gone and Sturridge is injured, they have been replaced with players without the same electricity who come to the ball. It's a lot easier to play against.
"If Liverpool's front players all want to come to the ball, who is making the runs behind the defence? If you don't make runs behind then it's a nightmare."
The lack of pace and runners in behind is a great concern for me.
Six of Liverpool's seven senior summer recruits started at Old Trafford, including James Milner, Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke.
While Benteke grabbed a late goal with a fantastic overhead kick, none of the other new additions were able to make an impact.
"I don't know how you get all the players they have signed in the strongest team when they are all fit," said former Reds defender Jamie Carragher.
"The 4-3-3 is a system Rodgers wanted to use when he came into the club and it's a system he falls back on when other things don't work… but since he has been at the club it hasn't been that successful.
"How does he get the players in the positions they want to play? I think that is what he is finding difficult at the moment."
Rodgers could be handed a boost in the coming weeks as Daniel Sturridge is set to return from an injury that has kept him out since April.
The England international made only seven league starts last season because of injury but Carragher thinks he should be incorporated as a 'wide striker'.
"Liverpool have to play with two strikers, whatever the system they have to do it because they are not getting enough goals," he said.
"I think the wide striker is the way forward for Liverpool. I would like to see Sturridge playing in that position but something has got to be worked on to incorporate the other players because the lack of goals is killing Liverpool."
