Liverpool 1, Wigan 1

Jan 3 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

IN what must have been one of the shortest lived new year’s resolutions in history, Liverpool’s commitment to add a ruthless streak to their game was found wanting just two days into January.

Rather than out with the old and in with the new, a desperately disappointing draw at home to Wigan was just the same old, same old.

Liverpool dominated possession, chances came and went and their overwhelming superiority was not reflected in the final scoreline.

Sound familiar? That’s because it is, and depressingly so.

Wigan can now add their name to a list which includes Manchester City, Birmingham, Chelsea and Blackburn – all teams who have been distinctly second best in meetings with Liverpool this season and all teams who escaped without defeat.

Liverpool have taken a measly five points from these five games when a more ruthless edge would have seen them take all 15.

Wigan arrived at Anfield with a desire to do no more than mimic City’s ultra defensive showing against the Reds at the weekend, continuously dragging all 11 men behind the ball and looking to frustrate rather than create.

The fact that such limited ambition was ultimately rewarded with an ill deserved draw tells us far more about Liverpool’s all too apparent shortcomings than it does about Wigan’s revival under new boss Steve Bruce.

Make no mistake about it, if Manchester United or Arsenal had been as dominant against such poor opposition they would have won at a canter. And herein lies the difference.

Teams which have genuine hopes of winning the title are built on a decisive efficiency which allows them to cash in on even the slightest advantage.

Weaknesses are punished and strengths are neutralised.

But teams who fall short of a genuine challenge do so because they lack either the wit, the belief or the ability to regularly make their superiority count.

It’s not that Liverpool are a poor side because they certainly are not. But they do have limitations and, unfortunately, they are the kind which allows inferior opposition to frustrate them.

The biggest problem is a lack of goals from everyone apart from Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

Take the contribution of Liverpool’s two most effective attackers out of the equation and the other nine members of their starting line up last night have scored just two goals between them all season – and both of those were scored by Xabi Alonso in the 6-0 romp against Derby County.

To put that statistic into stark and, let’s face it, downright scary perspective, including last night’s equaliser the footballing freak show that is Titus Bramble has scored two in his last two games.

Liverpool are suffering from a chronic lack of threat from all areas of the pitch and unless this problem is addressed anyone expecting them to finish above the likes of United and Arsenal is only going to be sorely disappointed.

There is a spine in place. From Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger in defence through Gerrard, Alonso and Javier Mascherano in midfield, right up to Torres up front.

And it is a spine which has the potential to better anything on display at the other members of the ‘big four’ – but only if they are supplemented by players of similar class in other positions.

With the January transfer window open, now would be the ideal time to add to what they already have. But this month’s new recruits are likely to represent no more than a sticking plaster when what is really needed is urgent surgery.

As United go for Berbatov and Chelsea bid for Anelka, Liverpool will be adding a centre back to their ranks.

An important addition to the squad and an injury depleted position filled, no doubt. But it hardly sets the pulses racing, does it?

Rafa Benitez would love to be in the running for an attacking talent like Berbatov and there are even those at Anfield who have offered to drive to White Hart Lane and pick the Bulgarian up himself if only the club could come up with the cash to sign him.

For all the injury concerns in defence, the big problems lie further forward and that is why Liverpool can dominate games, having a ridiculous number of efforts on goal, without actually winning.

Had Gerrard not made an uncharacteristic defensive mistake and had Bramble not followed it up with an equally uncharacteristic strike from the edge of the box, it is likely that this recurring flaw would have been covered up against Wigan.

Torres’ goal would otherwise have been enough to secure a narrow victory and Sky would have been forced to postpone their annual obituaries on Liverpool’s title challenge.

But papering over the cracks can never be the route to success and having wasted countless goalscoring opportunities yet again it would, perhaps, have done Liverpool no favours had Bramble done what usually comes naturally to him and made a hash of his effort.

All of a sudden there are no hiding places and there can be no excuses.

Liverpool is built on the philosophy that the league table does not lie and they currently find themselves in fifth place, fighting not for the league title, but for a place in the top four.

If they have any pretensions at all of improving on this then they are going to have to have to re-state their new year’s resolution to add a ruthless edge.

And there might even have to be an admission that Benitez does not currently have the players at his disposal who are capable of adding it.

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Arbeloa, Carragher, Aurelio, Pennant (Kuyt 86), Alonso, Mascherano (Crouch 84), Kewell (Benayoun 74), Gerrard, Torres. Not Used: Itandje, Riise.

Booked: Mascherano, Torres.

WIGAN: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Bramble, Kilbane, Valencia, Landzaat, Brown, Taylor (Koumas 79), Heskey (Sibierski 84), Bent. Not Used: Pollitt, Boyce, Olembe.

Booked: Scharner.

REFEREE: Steve Bennett (Kent).

ATTENDANCE: 42,308.