Pepe Reina and Martin Skrtel have rallied to the defence of the team and manager Roy Hodgson, insisting time will heal the Reds’ poor early season form.
Liverpool have taken just six points from their first six games, and were dumped out of the Carling Cup by League Two side Northampton.
Uninspiring performances have lead to growing discontent among fans and pressure on the players and new boss Hodgson.
But Reina has called for fans to keep patience and believe that, with time, things will get better.
“Six points from our first six games is not what we wanted,” he told LFC Weekly magazine.
“People who criticise us about it should look at the fixtures we’ve had. It has been a difficult start.
Arsenal at home and then going to play Manchester City, Manchester United and Birmingham away was never going to be easy.
“When you have so many changes moving in a new direction under a new boss, things don’t happen instantly. It can take between three and six months before you see improvements. Obviously the quicker we adapt and improve as a team the better it will be for everyone.
“That doesn’t just happen overnight. Each of us has to adjust to working in a new way. With the passing of each day I get used to it and what the manager wants. It’s the same for all of us. We need to be patient.”
Defender Skrtel says everyone at the club must be given time to adapt to the changes made at the club over the summer, and insists the team’s aim is still a top four finish.
He said, “Our aim is to fight for a place in the top four. That won’t be easy as there are a lot of good teams also going for it, but if we continue to improve as the season goes on, we can get back into the Champions League – that’s our aim.
“A lot of things have changed here. We have a new manager, new players, new medical staff and some different people around the team. It’s always going to be difficult when you change so much.
“People expect instant results but it doesn’t work like that. We all need time – the manager and the new players who have come in – to work together.”
Liverpool now face FC Utrecht in the Europa League on Thursday night, before a must-win Premier League clash at home to Blackpool on Sunday.
Fan Comments