Visualized: Liverpool 1-0 Napoli

Previous Match Infographics: Bournemouth (a), Burnley, Everton (h), Paris St-Germain (a), Watford (a), Fulham (h), Arsenal (a), Cardiff (h), Red Star Belgrade (h), Huddersfield (a), Manchester City (h), Napoli (a), Chelsea (a), Southampton (h), Leicester (a), Brighton (h), Crystal Palace (a), West Ham (h)

Match data from WhoScored, except average position from the SofaScore app. 



Except for Liverpool's finishing, that's pretty much where Liverpool want to be. Which is a nice thing to write when it's a match to decide whether you progress in the Champions League or get knocked down into the ugly stepsister competition.

Just like in the last match at Bournemouth, Liverpool's game plan went as hoped. Need 1-0? Score in first half, counter as the game goes on. Go back to the 4-3-3, a better set-up for pressing, a better set-up for fast breaks from that front three. And that's exactly what happened. Except, you know, scoring multiple times on said fast breaks and preventing us from biting fingernails and day drinking as ninety minutes refused to run out.

Liverpool control possession for the first half-hour, then get the necessary goal in the 34th minute through Mohamed Salah. Possession and more possession, and a refusal to let Napoli clear, keeping the ball until Milner spots Salah's run, sliding off Mario Rui and finally beating the impressive Koulibaly before nutmegging Ospina with his weaker foot from no angle.

That was fun.

And then Liverpool proceed to contain rather than control, but both limit chances and increasingly create more of their own. Liverpool take more than twice as many shots in the second half compared to the first half. Liverpool have four clear-cut chances in the final 15 minutes. Liverpool really should have sealed the game long before the final whistle.

xG map for Liverpool - Napoli. This one never should have come down to a last-second save by Alisson. Really great performance by Liverpool besides finishing. pic.twitter.com/wVZHbS6iF3

— Caley Graphics (@Caley_graphics) December 11, 2018

It's still swings and roundabouts when it comes to actually putting the damned ball in the damned net. Liverpool put almost half their shots on target and score with almost all of said shots on-target at Bournemouth? Three days later, Liverpool put just four of 22 shots on goal and score with just one, missing the target with three of four clear-cut chances. Similar happened after winning 3-0 at Watford, when Liverpool put seven of ten shots on-target and scored three times in 22 minutes, then struggled to shoot or score against both PSG and Everton.

Except Mo Salah keeps scoring.

That's now 13 goals in 23 appearances this season, Liverpool's top scorer with almost twice as many as Mané in second place, scoring in ten different matches. He's got the opening goal in eight of those ten matches, with seven ending up as the game-winner when Liverpool's gone on to keep a clean sheet. Liverpool have played four 1-0 matches this season; Salah has been the lone scorer in three of those four. He is an absolute force of nature, especially at Anfield.

Mohamed Salah at Anfield:
38 appearances, 2996 minutes (33.3 '90's)
33 goals
15 assists
Goal or assist every 62 minutes.
Failed to score or assist 9 times (six starts, three sub apps)
Never gone more than one start without directly contributing to a goal. pic.twitter.com/wBmsMyy0cv

— Andrew Beasley (@BassTunedToRed) December 12, 2018

Also, it's nice to be able to praise the midfield that we've had so many issues with this season – rightly or wrongly. Both Wijnaldum and Milner were heavily involved in both the attack and the press, their average position on the same line as Firmino and Mané. Wijnaldum led the side in shots, albeit with none on-target and three of the four in the final ten minutes. Milner created five chances, behind only Trent Alexander-Arnold, including the penetrating assist for Salah's goal, with Wijnaldum also registering the hockey assist. Not coincidentally, those two midfielders led the side in tackles along with Mané, with Wijnaldum attempting four and successful with three, while Milner successful with five of six.

There's probably a reason that Klopp keeps using these three in big matches, the starting midfield in the 3-2 v PSG, 1-1 at Chelsea, 0-0 v City, 1-2 at PSG, and now this – as well as the 2-1 win at Leicester back at the beginning of September.

And then there's the defense. Again. Liverpool's last two defensive signings starred, again, with van Dijk again imperious, and Alisson again heroic. That late save truly did save Liverpool, denying Milik from point-blank range in the 91st minute, only the third save he had to make yesterday and the only that was truly taxing.

It's almost apt that Milik got that chance by shirking off Lovren, with the defender on as a substitute after an injury to Alexander-Arnold. Lovren got caught ball-watching. Lovren didn't contend the cross, on his back foot as Milik controlled. To be fair, Lovren was hamstrung by a slight deflection off Fabinho. To be less fair, that's seemingly often an issue with Dejan Lovren: a perfectly cromulent defender for 85 minutes – honestly, better than cromulent – but then somehow caught in the wrong place at the wrong time doing the wrong thing. Dejan Lovren is now third or fourth-choice defender in this team rather than first-choice he'd been for a few seasons. A few seasons which saw a few more goals conceded.

But there's also Andy Robertson bombing up and down the left. There's Trent Alexander-Arnold with six key passes and the only Liverpool player with more than one interception. There's Jöel Matip with maybe the best game of his Liverpool career, completely in control against both Mertens and Insigne.

There's an outstanding defense, a midfield performing to its function in a match that suits how they function, and an attack that's still getting there but clearly getting there. An attack that's closer to there than they were a month, two months, three months ago.

And so it ends as yet another massive European night. You know the list. This is now on it. Liverpool have still yet to lose a European match at Anfield since Klopp became manager, stretching back to that embarrassing 0-3 loss to Real Madrid in October 2014.

Klopp's European Record at Anfield:
P16 W13 D3 L0 F45 A13 pic.twitter.com/SCGaIgYpAO

— Andrew Beasley (@BassTunedToRed) December 12, 2018

Bring on the Round of 16 and woe to the side that draws Liverpool.

Visualized: Liverpool 0-1 Napoli

Previous Match Infographics: Chelsea (a), Southampton (h), Leicester (a), Brighton (h), Crystal Palace (a), West Ham (h)

Match data from WhoScored, except average position from the SofaScore app. 



So, yeah, none of us want to relive that.

That's about as bad as it's gotten since Klopp became manager. There have been worse results. There have been worse performances, at least in Klopp's first season. But this was about as bad as it gets, especially considering how the side's evolved since 2015-16 and especially since the front three has become that front three.

Yesterday’s match at Napoli saw the fewest Liverpool shots since Klopp became manager. The lowest Expected Goals total since Klopp became manager. The only time we haven't seen either a shot on-target or even a shot from inside the box since Klopp became manager.

And Liverpool still nearly came away with a point if not for a last-second goal, Mertens pulling van Dijk out wide, Callejon getting behind Robertson, and Gomez not quite quick enough to stay with Insigne. The defense finally, truly lost its shape without being able to recover. Alisson had saved a clear-cut chance just minutes before, two fingertips pushing Mertens’ shot onto the crossbar. He couldn’t save Liverpool a second time.

So that sucked. A bunch. So this is gonna be short.

There's more than enough blame to go around. The worst performance from a front three that's been struggling surprisingly often this season. A lack of rotation in between the autumn international breaks potentially catching up to the side. That Napoli is a difficult place to travel to, that Ancelotti's a difficult manager to face in Europe, that Liverpool might have been already thinking about Sunday's match against Manchester City.

Lots went wrong, and a lot of it we can hope is a one-off.

I'm gonna briefly focus on the midfield.

There's a gazillion reasons why the team didn't function going forwards. But Hendo & Gini only playing 12 forward passes out of 87 is a big one.
*If* you can keep the front 3 quiet then you're in with a shout because the Milner/Gini/Hendo midfield isn't going to trouble you.

— Dan Kennett (@DanKennett) October 3, 2018

Yikes. 17 passes from Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum and Keïta to Firmino, Salah, and Mané. Just one into the penalty box. Just five into the final third. No chances created.

Compare that to recent away matches at Chelsea and Tottenham. Liverpool’s midfielders – Henderson, Wijnaldum, Milner, and Keïta – completed 33 passes to the attackers – Firmino, Salah, Mane, and Shaqiri. Multiple came in both the penalty box and final third, and Milner created a clear-cut chance for Firmino. Similar goes for the Spurs game, with 28 passes from Liverpool’s midfielders to Liverpool’s attackers, and both Milner and Wijnaldum created chances for Mané.

I know these aren’t dramatically large margins. And we knew that Liverpool’s midfielders weren’t the most creative going into both the season and match. Milner had 11 assists last season, but the majority came from set plays; the other midfielders with the most assists last season were Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coutinho, and Emre Can and, well.

Yesterday might have gone differently had Keïta not gone off in the 19th minute with a freaky frightening back injury, the midfielder most likely to break through Napoli lines. Regardless, this highlights a potential problem, especially when the front three aren’t doing all those wonderful front three things.

The first half was helter skelter, with both sides looking for long balls with the center of the pitch compact as all get out. The second half saw Napoli increasingly turn the screws, both as Liverpool tired and as substitutions – Verdi for Fabian, increasing the doubled-up pressure on Alexander-Arnold, and Mertens for Milik, a far more mobile player able to create space for Insigne – improved the home side.

Liverpool again defended well, but that’s about all Liverpool did well as the front three and midfield increasingly flailed and failed, and all that Napoli pressure finally bore fruit. At about the worst possible time.

Liverpool are now winless in three. The League Cup loss to Chelsea still only matters because I’m mad that Liverpool conceded a lead late on. The league draw at Chelsea still feels like a point gained rather than two lost. But this loss, coming to a late goal, exacerbates the problems and the fears from the previous two results even more.

Chickens haven’t quite come home to roost, but they’re circling the coop.

City on Sunday.

On Pepe Reina

Gulp. Deep breaths. We can do this. We can do this. We can do this.

Sigh.

In news that surprises no one, as it's been rumored, discussed, and debated for a week now, Pepe Reina is on his way to Napoli on a season-long loan, 'confirmed' by Rodgers in this morning's press conference. And the move makes sense, from pretty much from every point of view. And I can't remember the last time I was so conflicted about transfer news. The head says "well, yeah, this is completely logical." The heart says "no no no no NO STOP THIS NOW." Stupid heart.

All the key players get what they want: Reina, Liverpool, Napoli. It's rare that happens in football. Or life for that matter, but now's not the time to get existential.

Deep breaths.

Reina makes somewhere between £4-5m per year in wages (£80-100k per week). Some, maybe even all, of that's now off the books. He gets a year at Napoli, back with Rafa Benitez and goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero, a team involved in the Champions League, before a seemingly inevitable move to Barcelona when Victor Valdes' contract expires. He'll get to play regularly prior to the upcoming World Cup, something Liverpool couldn't guarantee. That's the sort of respect that a club legend – and I don't use the term lightly – deserves. But if somehow Mignolet doesn't settle, doesn't fit (which I absolutely do not see happening), Liverpool can always refuse to sell come next summer; Reina's contract runs until the end of the 2015-16 season.

Liverpool aren't flogging him to the first suitor to blink flirtatiously and whip out the checkbook now that Barca are ostensibly making him wait a year. And, as suspected at the time and despite what was said to the media, Liverpool aren't going to have a two-men-enter-one-man-leaves goalkeeper competition for a season. Thankfully, as it almost never, ever works (see Dudek v Kirkland, among many, many others).

We covered a lot of this in the 'Welcome Simon Mignolet' post last month, but it's obviously worth reiterating that by almost every statistical measure, Mignolet has been the better keeper over the last few seasons. The Belgian has a higher save percentage, has been better at punching and claiming of crosses and corners, and made fewer errors.

Reina's save percentage has dropped precipitously since his first few seasons, hovering right around 69% (the league average) for the last three campaigns. Reina's errors have also risen each season: four in 2010-11, five in 2011-12, and six in 2012-13. Mignolet's statistics compare favorably to Reina's in almost every regard over the last couple of campaigns, as the Belgian has improved in each successive season while Reina's regressed. In one very in-depth statistical analysis, Mignolet was rated the second-best keeper in the league last season, just barely behind Julio Cesar. As said in the Mignolet post three weeks ago, the ex-Sunderland man topped last season's WhoScored performance rating for Premier League keepers, and was fourth – behind Cech, Begovic, and Reina – in Squawka's.

Pepe Reina is a three-time Golden Glove winner, but those three seasons were 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08. He's kept 134 clean sheets in his 285 Premier League matches over eight seasons (only Cech has more of keepers who've made more than 50 league appearances), but only 40 in the last three seasons. In the five seasons under Rafa Benitez, Reina averaged 18.8 clean sheets per campaign. In the three seasons since, that's dropped to 13.3.

There is one statistic that remains heavily in Reina's favor. For all his increasing "faults," Pepe Reina's passing remains superlative. Both short and long. Few keepers are more accurate, few keepers are more involved, few keepers sweep as well as Reina does. Meanwhile, Mignolet's somewhat frightening passing statistics are what caused him to be ranked fourth by Squawka last season, completing just 41.4% of his passes last season (309 of 746) against Reina's 70.8% (490 of 692). And passing from the back is marginally important in Brendan Rodgers' system.

But sometimes you just have to damn statistics, because despite all the words and numbers and logical arguments, they aren't helping you cope.

Now that Jamie Carragher has retired, only one player has been at Liverpool for a longer period of time than Pepe Reina. You may have heard of him. He's only, at worst, Liverpool's second-best player ever.

Otherwise, every single player in Liverpool's first-team squad – all 25 to 30 of them – have been with the club for a shorter amount of time. Agger was signed in January 2006, Lucas in May 2007, Skrtel in January 2008. Every other player was either signed or promoted from the academy in the last five years.

That is a startling, terrifying lack of institutional memory. Not counting academy players promoted during his tenure (or before, in Gerrard's case), just four players on Liverpool's books were signed by Rafael Benitez: Agger, Lucas, Skrtel, and Glen Johnson. Only those four, plus Gerrard, Kelly and Spearing, have seen Liverpool finish higher than sixth. Only those players have experienced Liverpool in the Champions League.

Put it another way. Only 26 players in Liverpool history have made more appearances for the club than Pepe Reina, who has made 394. Just 26! In the 121-year history of the club! Reina has been a permanent fixture for eight seasons, and it will be incredibly strange to not see him guarding Liverpool's goal come August 17.

We knew that both Rodgers and FSG wanted to lower Liverpool's average age, for both wage and statistical reasons, but it's happened faster than I ever expected. And there will undoubtedly be consequences.

Almost as importantly, how are Liverpool going to replace this?



You need characters in the dressing room; they're ties that bind. Players to lead, players to bring others together. Carragher did that, Reina did that. And now both are gone.

We needed to see Pepe Reina emcee one of those celebrations at Liverpool. That we never did is further proof – as if we needed more – that life is not fair.

Good luck at Napoli, Pepe. Replacing you will be a hell of a hard task.

Liverpool 3-1 Napoli

Reina
Johnson Carragher Kyrgiakos Konchesky
Spearing Poulsen
Shelvey Meireles Jovanovic
Ngog

Goals:
Lavezzi 28'
Gerrard 75' 88' (pen) 89'

Ste Gerrard, Gerrard. He's big and he's fucking hard. And he can still win games almost single-handedly.

With a similar line-up to that which started in Italy, the first half went as feared. Napoli found it far easier to penetrate with the home side more interested in maintaining possession – although it unsurprisingly led to few efforts on goal – leaving Liverpool exposed on the counter-attack, capitalizing when usual scapegoat Poulsen made a jaw-dropping mistake in the 28th.

Attempting to clear, the Dane badly mistimed his jump, heading straight to Cavani. The Uruguayan slotted it through to Lavezzi, beating the offside trap as Johnson stepped up when Kyrgiakos didn't, and the forward made no mistake in sliding his shot under the diving and helpless Reina. Liverpool almost replied immediately, though Ngog thanks to Poulsen's throughball, only to see the striker push his shot wide under pressure from Aronica, but the home team struggled to make headway against an increasingly deeper defense, who were happy to protect what they had.

Bringing Gerrard on at halftime ultimately won Liverpool the game, but for almost half an hour, it only made Liverpool narrower. It was a surprise to see the captain replaced Jovanovic – one of the few who actually looked a threat in the first frame. Meireles and Shelvey manned the flanks with Gerrard behind Ngog, and the lanky Frenchman had a second opportunity to equalize in the 51st, foiled by De Sanctis' foot after nice work from Shelvey and Meireles, but Liverpool didn't truly improve until Eccelston replaced Poulsen with 25 minutes to play.

Despite his inexperience, adding Eccleston's pace (and removing one of the five central midfielders) gave the home side far more impetus. Meireles should have leveled seconds later, missing a close-range shot by inches after Ngog's control inadvertently set him up with a sitter. But then, we got yet another Steven Gerrard show.

And it started thanks to a former Liverpool player. Shelvey picked up possession in a dangerous area and ran at the defense, only to be crowded out. But Andrea Dossena's soft backpass allowed Gerrard to charge in, reaching the keeper just as he attempted a diving clearance, tackling the ball into the net.

When Lucas replaced the injured Ngog – hobbled by a horrible tackle that the referee somehow missed – with seven minutes to play, it appeared Liverpool were happy with what they had. But three minutes later, Johnson charged forward, played into space by a lovely ball from Meireles, winning a penalty with a wicked run into the box. Funny how things like that happen when an attacking right-back's allowed to attack. Gerrard duly converted the spot kick, with De Sanctis going the right way but unable to keep out the vicious blast.

A minute later, the captain wrapped up the three points and snatched a deserved 14-minute hat-trick. Lucas latched onto Dossena's poor control of Spearing's header, tackling straight to the captain, who chipped the keeper with a Dalglish-esque finish.

Yes, Gerrard's heroics will obscure others' subpar displays. It's beating the same drum time and time again, but Poulsen yet again proved he shouldn't be anywhere near the starting XI. Like so many other matches, this was The Gerrard Show, and otherwise a fairly poor team performance until the final 25-30 minutes. But regardless of any complaints about the tactics or personnel, it's an incredibly heartening victory – Liverpool's third successive – if only because it proves that the captain can still do it. Besides Gerrard's genius, young players like Shelvey, Spearing, and Eccleston had a chance to shine at Anfield, Carragher and Kyrgiakos were solid at the back, Johnson finally reminded us what he can do in the opposition's final third, Torres was rested with no consequences, and as against Bolton, Liverpool demonstrated they still have late winners in the locker.

Obviously, you wish the victory was more emphatic, cohesive, and thorough, but this still sets Liverpool up nicely for Chelsea's visit on Sunday.

Liverpool v Napoli 11.04.10

4:05pm ET, live in the US on GolTV

Last three matches:
Liverpool: 1-0 Bolton (a); 2-1 Blackburn (h); 0-0 Napoli (a)
Napoli: 1-0 Brescia (a); 1-2 Milan (h); 0-0 Liverpool (h)

Group Stage so far:
Liverpool: 0-0 Napoli (a); 0-0 Utrecht (a); 4-1 Steaua (h)
Napoli: 0-0 Liverpool (h); 3-3 Steaua (a); 0-0 Utrecht (h)

Goalscorers (Europe):
Liverpool: Ngog 5; Babel, Cole, Gerrard, Kuyt, Lucas 1
Napoli: Cavani 3; Vitale 2; Denis, Hamsik, Lavezzi, Maggio 1

Referee: Fredy Fautrel (FRA)

Guess at a line-up:
Reina
Johnson Carragher Kyrgiakos Konchesky
Spearing Poulsen
Maxi Shelvey Jovanovic
Ngog

Hodgson may have promised us a 'strong' team, but I still expect it to be closer to the side that drew at Napoli than the one which beat Blackburn and Bolton. There is the small matter of Chelsea on Sunday.

Cole, Kuyt, and Agger are still injured, while Babel's struggling with a rib bruise incurred during a reserve game, but Johnson could – and ideally should, if possible – return from his layoff. Maybe we'll see Carragher at right back again, given that Kyrgiakos and Skrtel have been an impressive partnership in the last two matches, but I'm skeptical of the vice-captain's ability to recover in time for Sunday after playing at right back, especially in a home match where he's be expected to support the attack. I'd almost rather Carragher be rested, with either Kelly or Johnson on the right and Kyrgiakos-Skrtel at center-back, but I'm not sure his new contract allows for that.

The front six is harder to forecast. Torres, despite still needing to find form, looks most likely to be rested given his history with injuries and recent performances. Three games in a week is a lot to ask even if he's not carrying any knocks at the moment. At the same time, Gerrard, Lucas, and Meireles have played a lot of games – Lucas less so, but still the majority of late – which is why I'm guessing the Spearing-Poulsen-Shelvey axis again. There are fewer options on the flanks because of injuries to Babel, Cole, and Kuyt, which seemingly ensure Maxi and Jovanovic will start – possibly as inverted wingers as in the last leg – but it's worth noting that Pacheco didn't play in yesterday's reserve match, even if he's been frozen out seen since the Northampton fiasco.

Napoli are now sixth in Serie A, having lost to Milan and beaten Brescia since these two sides last met. No new injuries or suspensions mean they're likely to deploy the same XI. Napoli's 3-4-1-2/3-4-3 was ineffective in Italy against a side determined to defend; neither team registered many shots on goal, and the few taken rarely tested either keeper. The home side's three center-backs easily marshaled a lone Ngog, but meant that not enough players joined in attack when Napoli had the bulk of possession, and Liverpool arguably created the better opportunities playing counter-attacking football.

But in a home match, even if the XI is mostly similar, Liverpool will expect to see more of the ball and attack much more than they did in Italy. A win tomorrow would put Liverpool on eight points, which would almost ensure qualification with two games to spare. However, playing on the front foot, especially if the fullbacks get forward, will leave space for Napoli's wing-backs – the familiar Andrea Dossena and either Maggio or Zuniga – to lead the counter-attack, and with attackers like Lavezzi, Hamsik, and Cavani, Napoli have players who can conjure the clichéd something from nothing. Which is another reason why I expect two out-and-out holding midfielders – Spearing and Poulsen – to start.

As usual, we're looking for improvement from Liverpool – a continuation of what we've seen in the last two or three matches. But also as usual, Liverpool will have to be steady, resolute, and – most importantly – aware at the back to keep this momentum going.

Liverpool 0-0 Napoli

Reina
Kelly Carragher Skrtel Konchesky
Spearing Poulsen
Jovanovic Shelvey Babel
Ngog

Another 0-0, but nowhere near as frustrating as the one against Utrecht. That's partly down to the strength of the squad and partly down to diminishing expectations, but this time, when Hodgson says it's a well-earned draw, he'll actually be right.

Despite the relative inexperience in the first XI, this was as near as Liverpool's been to last season's Fulham squad. Liverpool basically shut up shop, aided by Napoli's profligacy in attack and a Konchesky clearance off the line on the stroke of halftime, while carving out just two good chances at the other end, both in the second half. Babel and Jovanovic started as inside-out wingers, each cutting in on their opposite foot, as did Davies and Duff last season, although both changed positions – along with the impressive Shelvey – throughout the match.

Once again, Liverpool were absolutely insipid in attack, toothless in the extreme with Ngog massively isolated, but Liverpool were never going to offer much going forward in Naples with this manager. Shelvey registered the only shot on goal in the first half, a strike from distance easily smothered by De Sanctis, but Napoli rarely tested Reina as well. As expected, with three center-backs marshaling the lone Ngog, Liverpool had the numbers advantage over the rest of the pitch until Campagnaro started getting forward down Liverpool's right. And as usual, Liverpool only looked shaky on set plays, specifically corners: first in the 18th, with two half-chances spurned before finally clearing their lines, then in first minute of stoppage time, when Konchesky saved the game after Cavani beat Carragher and Poulsen deflected Hamsik's shot for the left back to clear. On first viewing, it appeared that the ball may have crossed the line, but subsequent replays proved that the official on the goal line made the right decision. UEFA's additional linesman actually matter. Who would have thought?

It didn't get much better in the second half, even though Liverpool finally took advantage of an increasingly open game. Babel had a glorious chance in the 69th, sprung by Jovanovic on the counter, only to see De Sanctis save the low shot with his legs. Ngog almost created something from nothing in the 81st, cleverly controlling Jovanovic's cross before turning the center-back, only to see his on-target shot blocked. Napoli had more and more possession, but they continually failed to find a final ball. It was nice to see that happen to the opposition for a change.

With Blackburn on Sunday, pre-planned substitutions were made in addition to the key players rested. It was strange to see Kyrgiakos come on for Carragher at halftime, while Aurelio replaced Konchesky in the 65th. Yes, Hodgson actually made changes before the 70th minute (with Cole coming on for Babel in the 77th), but neither were due to injury, and it made little sense for Carragher to play 45 minutes before ostensibly being rested. On the other hand, Aurelio replacing Konchesky, finally fully fit, will always be welcomed, even considering Konchesky's contribution to today's result.

Yes, it's a good point in a very difficult away match, even if Napoli made it easier than expected. Shelvey and Spearing did well, Poulsen didn't embarrass himself, and Liverpool didn't stupidly concede. Nonetheless, it's still seven games in a row without a win; United, Northampton, Sunderland, Utrecht, Blackpool, Everton, and Napoli isn't exactly a murderer's row either. Liverpool's atop the group with five points, compared to Utrecht and Napoli's three, and I'm not complaining about the result, but it still feels like we're settling for mediocrity.

Today saw some signs of progress, but with Blackburn likely to press furiously and fight for every loose ball, Sunday's match should look nothing like today's. Liverpool's been at its "best" in Europe because the play has been far more patient, which allows the two banks of four to get into position. And in nearing Fulham's archetype, the question remains whether we'll ever see enough progress under this manager.

Liverpool at Napoli 10.21.10

1pm ET, live in the US on DirecTV channel 481 (HD on 481-1).

Last three matches:
Liverpool: 0-2 Everton (a); 1-2 Blackpool (h); 0-0 Utrecht (a)
Napoli: 1-1 Catania (a) 2-0 Roma (h); 3-3 Steaua (a)

Group Stage so far:
Liverpool: 0-0 Utrecht (a); 4-1 Steaua (h)
Napoli: 3-3 Steaua (a); 0-0 Utrecht (h)

Goalscorers (Europe):
Liverpool: Ngog 5; Babel, Cole, Gerrard, Kuyt, Lucas 1
Napoli: Cavani 3; Vitale 2; Denis, Hamsik, Lavezzi, Maggio 1

Referee: Thorsten Kinhöfer (GER)

Guess at a line-up:
Reina
Kelly Carragher Kyrgiakos Aurelio
Maxi Spearing Poulsen Babel
Cole
Ngog

With Hodgson now focusing on Premier League survival, hopefully in the death throes of his ill-fated regime, it's little surprise to see Gerrard, Torres, Meireles, Lucas, Agger, and Johnson left at Melwood with an eye on Sunday's match against Blackburn. Even before the troubles set in on the pitch, Hodgson promised to use his second-string in the Europa League. Under the last manager, players were rotated. Under this one, almost the entire side is, with distinctions made between the "A" and "B" teams. Nothing recedes like progress, after all.

The squad that traveled to Italy:

Reina, Konchesky, Aurelio, Cole, Pacheco, Jovanovic, Kyrgiakos, Maxi, Babel, Wilson, Carragher, Ngog, Jones, Spearing, Poulsen, Shelvey, Kelly, Skrtel, Eccleston, Hansen.

However, we had hoped to see a fair few youth players in this competition. The above guess includes only three if we're at our most generous: Kelly, Spearing, and Ngog. Pacheco, Wilson, Shelvey and Eccleston are there to make up the numbers, and I'll be stunned if any of those four start. Wilson and Eccelston went the full 90 for the reserves yesterday, while Pacheco saw 65 minutes. Incidentally, Pacheco, Shelvey, and Wilson haven't seen first team action since the loss to Northampton. I'm sure that's just coincidence, not punishment.

The only positions that don't seem certain are Babel on the left (it could easily be Jovanovic), whether Aurelio's finally fit enough, and whether Carragher will really start another game, having played all but three of Liverpool's matches this season (only missing Northampton, Steaua, and the first leg at Rabotnicki). Babel could also play on the right with Jovanovic on the left, or it could be more of a 4-4-2 with Cole on the wing and both Babel and Ngog up top.

On the other hand, Napoli, currently 4th in Serie A, will play their first team. Perhaps you've heard of some of them. Hamsik and Cavani shone during the World Cup, while Gargano also played a bit part for Uruguay. Lavezzi was a rumored transfer target for Liverpool in the summer of 2008. And then there's the small matter of their left wing-back, Andrea Dossena.

Napoli Blogger expects their standard 3-4-1-2: Italy's third-string keeper De Sanctis, Dossena and Maggio or Zuniga bombing forward, Gargano and Pazienza in midfield, Hamsik as the playmaker, and Lavezzi and Cavani up front. Cavani is Napoli's top scorer in this competition, and leads the team in all competitions with 14. It'll be interesting to see how two from Carragher, Kyrgiakos, and Skrtel cope, especially if it's the above guess, which obviously lacks in pace.

If Napoli does play three at the back, it might make sense to play Ngog up top as a lone forward, occupying three players with a solitary striker, but that would necessitate Cole and the wingers getting forward at will, coming from different directions, to supplement the attack and cause confusion in Napoli's rearguard. Otherwise, it'll be a long, long night for the young Frenchman. 60,000 Neapolitans will be up for this match; ITV's Rocco Cammisola is calling it Napoli's biggest European match since Maradona's heyday.

I apologize for letting my pessimism and distaste for the manager spill over into these previews. I know full well I'm beating a dead horse into the ground. And I promise, I'm not rooting against Liverpool by any stretch of the imagination, even if a win prolongs the doomed management. But I'm also unhappy with the direction of the team, and skeptical of this line-up against a very good Napoli side. The league is the obvious priority at the moment, but that shouldn't necessarily mean more chances for the likes of Poulsen and Maxi/Jovanovic at the expense of potential talent in Pacheco or Shelvey, who are still seemingly being punished for the Northampton debacle. All told, it's yet more reason to be upset with the on-field direction of the club.

Of course, I'll assuredly change my tune, at least for one day, if Liverpool somehow run out winners tomorrow afternoon. Such are the perils of being a supporter.

Europa League Draw, Mascherano finally sold

It's been an eventful morning.

We'll get the inevitable Mascherano news out of the way first. Unsurprisingly, Liverpool's statement didn't mention the price tag, but the BBC's reporting that Barcelona will pay £17.25m, which is £750,000 less than Liverpool spent to get him from West Ham's reserves. And almost £7m less than City paid to take Yaya Toure from Barca. There might be the usual add-ons that eventually bump the fee up higher, but still. Fantastic. I hope lube was included in the deal or else that raping will be exceptionally uncomfortable.

Unlike I usually do with departing players, there'll be no eulogy for a mercenary who forced his way out of Liverpool at the worst possible time. I loved the player while he was here, but in contrast to the likes of Alonso, Garcia, and Hyypiä, among others, I couldn't care less how he fares in Spain. He was marvelous on the pitch almost every time out, but the fee and the way he left will ruin my memories forever. Hope your wife's happier in Barcelona. But I also hope Busquets keeps you out of the side except for Spanish Cup games, and you rot in the reserves, just like at West Ham.

I'd also hope that Hodgson gets to spend at least half of that £17m or so, but I'm not holding my breath. Adding that £17.25m to my back-of-the-envelope calculations, Liverpool's made around £23m in transfer fees this summer, and that's not including the supposedly imminent Insua sale. The transfer market closes on Tuesday. It's safe to assume it'll pass without Tom Hicks' so-called "big summer" of spending. But with a current midfield of Gerrard, Lucas, and Poulsen (not counting Spearing, sorry), Liverpool simply has to buy someone. And they'll be linked with every available player in the meantime. "We've got the best midfield in the world..."

Now, more important to the immediate future was this morning's Europa League draw, where we learned Liverpool's group stage opponents.

Group K
Liverpool
Steaua Bucharest
Napoli
Utrecht

There's a bit of history and some tasty ties in that group, even if it's not the easiest. Dossena was sold to Napoli in January. Kuyt's first professional club was Utrecht, where he spent five years. Liverpool's been to Bucharest four times, but only faced Steaua once, in the 03-04 UEFA Cup campaign, drawing 1-1 in Romania before a 1-0 win at Anfield. You'll also remember they faced Romanian opposition last year in the form of Unirea Urziceni.

Napoli's clearly the toughest side. There's the aforementioned Dossena, but more importantly, a fair few names you'll remember from the World Cup: Slovakia's Hamsik, Uruguay's Cavani (on loan from Palermo) and Gargano, and Italy's Quagliarella. They also have Argentinean Ezequiel Lavezzi, who was a rumored transfer target in the summer of 2009. Oh, and Cristiano Lucarelli, on loan from Parma, a striker I've always had a soft spot for. Both legs will be challenging, especially the away leg, as Napoli's always been a difficult destination for English teams.

I know a lot less about both Steaua and Utrecht. I'm unfamiliar with almost all the players in the Bucharest team, and highly recommend the Scouting Romania blog for information about Steaua in the run-up to those matches. Utrecht absolutely wiped the floor with Celtic last night to qualify, winning 4-0 at home to cancel out Celtic's 2-0 result in Glasgow. Supposed Liverpool target (if we're believing Goal.com) Ricky van Wolfswinkel scored three of the goals – two from the spot – while Utrecht's keeper, Michel Vorm, was an understudy for Stekelenburg at this summer's World Cup. Otherwise, I'm fairly in the dark on these sides for now.

The match-ups are as follows:

September 16: Steaua (h)
September 30: Utrecht (a)
October 21: Napoli (a)
November 4: Napoli (h)
December 2: Steaua (a)
December 15: Utrecht (h)

Liverpool opens and closes at home, with the crucial ties against Napoli third and fourth. United away will follow Steaua at home, Blackpool at home will follow Utrecht away, Liverpool will play Blackburn at home after Napoli away and Chelsea at Anfield after Napoli at Anfield, while Villa at home comes after Steaua away, and Fulham at home comes after Utrecht at home. That's about as good a draw as Liverpool could get with the subsequent league fixtures. For once, Platini comes through.