Club legend questions something Liverpool no longer seem to have
Liverpool’s frustrating draw with Burnley has prompted a deeper conversation about what we are missing beyond tactics, structure and chance creation.
Speaking pitchside at Anfield on The Reaction Podcast via Liverpool FC on YouTube, Phil Thompson delivered a brutally honest assessment of our performance and mentality.
The former defender suggested that, despite dominance on the ball, something essential has drained out of our game.
Thompson questions Liverpool edge after Burnley draw
Reflecting on how we responded after conceding, the club legend said: “I think you’d want to see a bit more anger at that point, maybe, or maybe that’s the wrong word for it.”
He went on to clarify that energy, aggression and emotional edge were what he felt were lacking throughout the 90 minutes.
“I think we’ve got no narcs in the team,” he added, referencing past leaders like Jordan Henderson and James Milner, while also mentioning how Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz would willingly upset defenders.
The former centre-back continued: “We don’t seem as though we want to upset people, we don’t seem there’s too many of us who want to put that tackle in which will get the crowd up.”
That assessment aligns with what we saw statistically, with Liverpool registering 32 shots, an xG of 2.95 and 76 touches in the opposition box, yet still walking away with just one goal and one point.
Why Thompson’s Liverpool warning matters now
Thompson did acknowledge a brief reaction after Burnley equalised, saying within five minutes we began “cranking up the pressure again”, but his concern was consistency.
“It’s just not good enough consistently throughout the 90 minutes,” he said.
That frustration has been echoed elsewhere, with Lewis Steele noting how Liverpool are now 17 points worse off than at the same stage last season, despite dominating matches like this one.
Steven Gerrard also touched on a similar theme post-match, stressing that home draws against sides like Burnley are “not acceptable” even when the unbeaten run continues.
From a Liverpool perspective, the concern is not talent, but temperament.
With Florian Wirtz continuing to deliver moments of quality, and the structure under Arne Slot clearly defined, the missing ingredient Thompson points to feels psychological rather than tactical.
If this side is to turn dominance into wins again, the challenge laid down by a man who knew how to impose himself at Anfield should not be ignored.
Because teams leaving Anfield encouraged is something Liverpool have never been comfortable accepting.
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The post Club legend questions something Liverpool no longer seem to have appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.