What has happened to Brendan Rodgers' 'death by football' philosophy? Liverpool have kept less possession than Aston Villa and Bournemouth this season

• Liverpool were defeated 3-1 by Manchester United on Saturday
• Brendan Rodgers had previously sold a philosophy of possession football
• Reds have been keeping the ball less than teams like Bournemouth 
• Liverpool employing a more direct approach with Christian Benteke

By Dominic King for MailOnline

Published: 06:59 EST, 14 September 2015 | Updated: 09:04 EST, 14 September 2015

'When you’ve got the ball 65-70 per cent of the time it's a football death for the other team. We’re not at that stage yet, but that’s what we’ll get to. It’s death by football.' – Brendan Rodgers, September 2012

That is the vision. When he arrived in June 2012, full of ideas, ambition and enthusiasm, Liverpool’s new manager captured the imagination of supporters, conjuring ideas that, given time, he would produce a team of matadors, who tormented opponents with possession before killing them.

The aim, famously, was to make a trip to Anfield “the longest 90 minutes” of a visiting side’s season, to make them dizzy as the ball pinged from one red shirt to another, pulling their foes this way and that and then landing a withering blow.

Liverpool appear to have lost their way in realising Brendan Rodgers' 'death by football' philosophy

The Liverpool manager's vision of possession football has not been reached in the five games this season

For the best part of 18 months, Liverpool had an identity under Rodgers. They pressed and they chased and they harassed. They scored bundles of goals, became the great entertainers of the Barclays Premier League and almost won the title.

So what have they become? There is no charm to Liverpool’s play any longer nor is there any excitement. They no longer press relentlessly and it is difficult to remember the last time they swarmed all over a team and then destroyed them.

No wonder Rodgers looked ashen faced as he stood on the touchline at Old Trafford on Saturday evening. The Manchester United side they faced then is far from vintage and the Liverpool of 2013-14 would, almost certainly, have blitzed them in the opening 45 minutes.

Instead it was all meek and powder-puff. Other than Christian Benteke scoring what might turn out to be the most spectacular goal of his career, almost out of nothing, Liverpool never once looked like they would make David De Gea overtime on his return to action. 

But here’s the question: were you surprised?

Liverpool players look dejected during their 3-1 defeat to arch rivals Manchester United on Saturday

Christian Benteke scored a wonder goal but Liverpool have adopted a more direct approach with the Belgian

Inertia has been a trait of Liverpool’s play for some time. The first red flag of this campaign was raised when they drew 1-1 with a Malaysian Select XI on July 25. Initially you could have put down to a hectic fortnight of working and travelling but they were slovenly again a week later in Helsinki.

Liverpool haven’t quickened the pulse at all and what will be giving Rodgers most concern, as he heads into a series of fixtures against Bordeaux, Norwich, Carlisle, Aston Villa, FC Sion and Everton is how poor his team have become at retaining the ball.

Look at these statistics for how much Liverpool have been able to keep possession in the five matches they have played so far: Manchester United – 44 per cent; West Ham – 63 per cent; Arsenal 34 per cent; Bournemouth – 55 per cent; Stoke City 53 per cent.

Liverpool managed only 34 per cent possession in their goalless draw with Arsenal this season

Now the only statistic that should matter in football is whether you are scoring more goals than your opponents but those figures are showing that either Rodgers has changed his vision or the squad he now has is incapable of delivering what he wants them to do.

He will point to Philippe Coutinho’s suspension on Saturday, the injury that has sidelined his captain Jordan Henderson and the persistent absence of Daniel Sturridge as being factors that are compromising Liverpool’s potential and those three will, of course, make an impact.

Will they come back into a team, however, that wants to play football or are they going to part of a team that plays direct to Benteke? There is nothing wrong with getting the ball forward quickly to a big striker, nothing at all, it’s what a team does in the attacking third that is most crucial.

United new signing Anthony Martial came on to score a goal that drew comparisons with Thierry Henry

The absence of creator-in-chief Philippe Coutinho (left) will have played a part in Liverpool's defeat

At present, Liverpool are seeming to launch it forward aimlessly and don’t know what to do with the ball when they get hold of it. They are becoming toothless, a point proven by the fact they have only managed to score more than one goal four times in 20 matches since March 1.

The problems are mounting. As things stand, the vision Rodgers created is blurred and out of reach. He said before the trip to Old Trafford that he needs time for the new signings to bed in but, equally, he recognises that time isn’t a virtue of the modern game.

More than anything, he needs to start winning once more. He needs to find the solutions to make his vision become clear. Pass and move is usually the Liverpool way. This current team needs to familiarise themselves with past traditions.

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