7 Nov 2012

'He's gone backwards!' - Aldo claims LFC star is 'struggling big time'. Sell...?

Most Liverpool fans would probably agree that Jose Enrique is a shadow of the player who arrived at Anfield in Summer 2011. Like fellow Spaniard Pepe Reina, his form has dramatically worsened over the last nine months, and Anfield legend John Aldridge admits he finds it hard to understand why this has happened.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo yesterday, Aldo praised Enrique for his superb pass to set-up Luis Suarez during Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Newcastle last Sunday, but argued that, overall, the left-back is 'struggling big time' for the Reds. He observed:

"In the first three or four months of last season, he was probably Liverpool's best player but now appears to have gone backwards.

"I think everyone is finding it hard to understand why.

"He is not the player he once was. Towards the end of Kenny Dalglish’s reign he was struggling, so his form has not dipped because of the arrival of a new manager".


From watching Enrique play it's clear that he's stagnated, and some of his performance stats seem to back this up:

Passing Accuracy

* Last season: 75%
* This season: 80.6%

Defensive Duels Won

* This season: 57%
* Last season: 53%

Aerial Duels Won

* This season: 56%
* Last season: 25%

Tackles Won

* This season: 81%
* Last season: 76%

Successful Crosses

* This season: 21%
* Last season: 11%

Enrique's performance has definitely declined in certain areas, but the question is why? Injury could have something to do with it, and the man himself certainly believes that, as he explained recently:

"I had an injection in my knee, so hopefully that will settle it down and allow me to find my form again, because it is difficult playing with pain"

This may be the case, but what about the second half of last season when he was fit? For me, the main issue with Enrique is his end product in attacking areas; his final ball is atrocious, and his stats show that.

* Last season, only 21% of his crosses actually found another LFC player, and over a season, this equated to a huge number of promising attacking positions being wasted.

* No goals and only 3 assists since arriving at Liverpool.

Defensively, he's also struggled over the last six months, and we've already seen a couple of examples of his defensive frailty this season too.

To be honest, I wouldn't be too unhappy if the club moved him on in January; it seems clear that Enrique is not in Brendan Rodgers' long-term plans, but due to the paucity of the Liverpool squad, he'll probably stay until the summer.

Jaimie Kanwar


44 comments:

  1. Enrique was great for 6 months last year but his performances have dropped a lot. We need a new left back to compete with him.

    PS Bring on the Hunter!!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. He's better then Dosenna ever was lol but he's not BR cup of tea but I think he would be suited as a squad player we need back ups as well as first team players and he would be good. I don't see BR bringing in a LB in January as strike is our main priority but come summer Enrique may have competition for his place

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  3. Why Klaas jan Huntelar will be one of the best things that happened to us in a long period of time.

    He is a goalscoring machine. he can score with his feet or head, from inside and outside the box, he is smart, good technique, and also tall. Has got a lot of experience, but still young enough.
    He will also help our current squad to play better.

    Suarez- taking the pressure off, he won't be the one that has to rescue us with goals(he will score even more). He will have somebody ahead of him that can actually score 2 out of three- Suarez is selfish sometimes, but sometimes doesn't have faith in teammates(Sterling and Shelvey vs Castle, after those their fathers wouldn't pass to them). Being able to run between the lines, with Huntelaar he can be winger, shadow striker, attacking midfielder(imagine 1,2 that starts 25 yards from the goal started by Suarez-he is made for it).

    Steven Gerrard- these days when Steven takes the ball away he has two midfielders nearby, non of which can pass it further better than him, and three similar attackers(I know Suso is different than Sterling but they are both playing wingers, and Suarez is A winger playing no 9)-they all have similar qualities, fast, dribble well, etc... with Huntelaar we gain diversity- an amazing youngster on the wing, someone who pulls two defenders and can put the ball down with header, and also recieve it in his feet and finish the action on a Suarez pass who would have more space wherever he is.

    Downing- I know we all hate him because of those 20 mill and no goals or assists, but please... He has amazing ball(or had, but you don't forget those things) and with somebody in the box that can score a header{Shelvey in Europa} we can use him. and Downing is willing to die for this club because if he leaves he will never again have this kind of salary, nor the opportunity to play for a big club.

    Suso, Sterling and Assaidi would fight for one spot, but would always have two players with them who are expected to score and carry our game- if we don't depend on them they will improve. Having Sterling on the bench would be a great strenght.

    It is only the matter of putting a new piece to the puzzle but BR is master of it, and Huntelaar and our best player are a proven match.
    and yes, he is cheap...

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  4. Haha! That's ace.

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  5. I noticed a dip in his form, although since last month, it looks to me as if Enrique's performances have improved again.

    For starters, he is starting to take on defenders and has been blocking dribbling against him well. The area from where he is crossing seems closer to the penalty box as well, resulting in more dangerous crosses. These changes have made him an even better player than before because he is now offering an attacking threat.

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  6. He went down hill when he left Newcastle. He was awesome for us, probably my favorite player at the time. But Kenny is not a good manager and has ruined two quality players in Enrique and Carroll. To be fair, BR hasn't done much better. You even struggled to beat us the other day, despite our injury problems, lack of form and the fact we had 10 players on the field.

    Liverpool need to get realistic, your a long way off the top 4. A couple of years ago you would have hammered us at Anfield with our current problems, but with all good teams we're getting results without the performances. That's the difference between Newcastle and Liverpool.

    You have over payed heavily for your team. Suarez is your only genuine world class player. Out of your current crop of players, Suarez, Gerrard and Enrique would only get in our starting XI.

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  7. Don't really understand that phrase? Not English...

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  8. Last season he form did dip, but maybe that's down to being tired.... This season he hasn't played much because of the injury but I do think he can fit in well into the system if he improves on his decision making.

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  9. why does this website run adverts for ManUtd shop that sells 'Without Killing Anyone' shirts??

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  10. Ok, you liked it, so it is not some kind of irony, i guess...

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  11. How about our lack of team, very thin, playing kids, you wait till we build like you guys did, I'm really proud of the way our kids are standing up to the likes of your guys, our future is alot brighter than yours ny friend

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  12. Strange comment on an article about Jose Enrique.

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  13. He may regain his the fine form we had the pleasure to witness early last season. As you've mentioned, he's had some injuries problems and as far as I remember correctly, he's also become a father. Maybe that has put him off a bit, too.

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  14. It is not easy putting in a successfull cross with Suarez, Suso and Sterling in the box... And Showcross for example... And from what interview of BR did you see clearly that he is not long term? Or is it intuition?
    Genuine question, not being sarcastic...

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  15. He was awesome for us early last season, but as the entire teams form dipped, so did his. There are signs that he is getting back to his old self.

    We've actually missed a few key players due to injury, too, when we played against you. Lucas, Reina, Johnson to name a few.

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  16. I have access to computer only at work(when I don't have too much to do), so I'm saying what I think- sometimes regardless of topic- sorry...

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  17. Maybe LFC makes a move for Mathieu Debuchy when unloading Joe Cole. Could then switch Glen Johnson to left back on a permanent basis with Debuchy (with Wisdom as cover) at right back.

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  18. Hey Orme - don't listen to this lot. You can write whatever you want, wherever you want :-)

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  19. I know, just explaining- he asked...

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  20. Whatever, wherever? Great. I may come up with a few off-topic comments soon.

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  21. As long as they're football related :-)

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  22. I wish we had Luis Enrique, who played for both Real and Barca...

    But in truth we have Jose Enrique...

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  23. Enrique has always been crap for LFC! He's too slow. Typical deluded comments from our fans as usual!

    Huntelaar will not come, get real please.

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  24. Anyone slating Enrique doesn't have a clue about football. He has just got a run in the team, so to say he has to turn it on like its nothing is a big ask even for a premierleague footballer. Not every player is worldclass, and to demand so much from just a LB is rubbish. What do people want from him, to score goals everygame? Its a new system, with new players, and a new manager. Hes all we have in the LB position right now, do people seriously want us to play Jack Robison there instead or any other player that's on the Liverpool books? Johnson is out injured atm, and its not like Wisdom can play in that position, and he isn't looking solid on a consistent basis, even if he is youngling. So why not have the same patience with Enrique, the transfer window isn't open yet so whats the point of even criticizing. Just support the team. And yeah im not deluded to see that he has put in some bad passes, but he had the audacity to trust his vision and if it wasn't for some interceptions they would have been good passes. I think most of this backlash is aimed at the final kick of the ball in the last match, again not every player is worldclass and can earn a win for the team, some people just need to be realistic. As for Suarez, worldclass.

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  25. Fallen_from_grace_a11:25 pm, November 08, 2012

    Have you not got some of your this year and last years the wrong way around ?

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  26. hold on the stats are better this year than last, how is that a decline?

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  27. Enrique is a defender first and an attacking player second however ... giving the ball away in your own half is a criminal offence for anyone and it was this tendency that really concerned me as his form dipped towards the end of last season. There is simply no excuse for a full back running himself into trouble behind his own half way line or slipping a pass to no one when the opposition team is pressing. Is it a concentration thing or something else? It seemed as if he lost some of his intensity and pace, his sharpness. That points to injury problems. Anyone taking pain killing injections is going to have issues with confidence and that final 2-5% of effort required to be at the absolute top of their game. Enrique has always been a defender who can monster his way through or over the top of other players, just get at them with strength and pace and a relentless intensity. I would consider any injury a threat to that kind of player.

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  28. jk from where do you find all this states

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  29. too busy plucking his eyebrows, spraying himself with orange tan, shopping and playing fifa. he has lost his hunger by the looks of things.

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  30. HHe plays too much FIFA like David James

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  31. A lot of ignorant people don't understand your view. Most of the time, players are rushed back, and play through with injuries. You can't expect to be fluid and back in the groove unless your 100 percent. I hope your diagnosis isn't correct about Lucas though.

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  32. Some times I think players can learn from FIFA games.

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  33. Sunday's game was 1-1 and most of those stats say he's actually improved.

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  34. What? Your own statistics state that he has improved in 4 out of 5 areas. What are you on about?

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  35. If players were sold on the basis of their form dipping then even Gerrard wouldn't be at the club today. Enrique had a solid game against Newcastle, surely he will get better?

    BR, IMO is trying to do things too quickly, in such a short time frame. It seems like he wants to axe Carroll, Downing, Henderson and now Enrique...even Pepe isn't safe. At the same time he is implementing his own philosophy. It's just not gonna happen...

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  36. Incredible how quickly you Liverpool fans turn on a player. No wonder your teams struggling right now. Enrique is a class act as a Left back

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  37. As a toon fan I hadn't seen him for quite a while. My first impression before he had kicked a ball was that he seems to have bulked up a bit. Don't know if that's got anything to do with it. He was a class act with us until he started agitating for a move.

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  38. Stats are mostly back-to-front...

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  39. Jaimie Dude... I think you may have gotten some of your stats mixed... please check...

    Oh and if you happen to have BR's number or something, please ask him to not play Cole tonight. I really feel he's had enough chances and will probably lose if he played...

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  40. ok on topic... Enrique is an awesome defender before anything else! he has good pace and strength. If he ever makes a mistake, he tends to make up for it. Good attitude and I think if he proves himself a little more he will deserve taking back that left back spot.

    His attacking game seems to be improving as well. Gain a telepathic understanding with Sterling and he'll be well on his way to becoming one of the great LFC left backs. When we bought him he was a revelation, He was even KD's best signing for me for a while (price tag considered).

    He needs to just raise his game again... BR do your work son!

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  41. Complete over-reaction. You are into giving BR time to rebuild but not Enrique to find his form again Jaimie?

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  42. Looks like the stats are in his favour this season or did somebody mess up the table? I agree with Aldo though- he has been poor. He was highly over rated when he came at the start due to a bit of dribbling that looked ok. He's not much of a team player unfortunately.

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  43. Initially, I thought he did ok against Newcastle, especially with the width he was providing but kindly reminded of his defending against Ben Arfa. Overall, hasn't been good for a while. I thought he was a good player at Newcastle and really pleased with his initial form. Hoping that he can find his way back to that kind of form. Just going to have to see how this season pans out for him, although he needs sort out this knee issue.

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  44. The thing is, that Brendan Rodgers knows that Luis Enrique is not a great attacking left back, which we desperately need for the 4-3-3 formation to be a success.

    We need someone like Baines, Marcelo, Coentrao .... someone in this mould.

    With two great attacking fullbacks our penetration in the final third will improve dramatically.

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