Failure to beat West Brom could lead to crisis talk (ESPN article)

by Dave Usher for ESPN

The advantage of games coming thick and fast is that you don't have to wait long for the opportunity to redeem yourself after a poor performance. The disadvantage is that when poor results quickly stack up, you can find yourself in something of a crisis. Liverpool haven't quite reached that point yet, but they're getting dangerously close, and failure to win at home to West Brom on Saturday would cap a wretched few weeks for the Anfield club.

Little or nothing has gone right for the Reds since they beat Spurs at White Hart Lane a little over a month ago. Daniel Sturridge, Joe Allen and Emre Can were injured on international duty, and it's all gone downhill in a hurry. Manager Brendan Rodgers' men have taken just one point from nine in the Premier League since that 3-0 win in North London. They've fared slightly better in the cups -- at least in terms of results -- but have still been far from convincing, needing a stoppage-time penalty to beat Ludogorets before having to endure extra time and penalties to finally see off Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup.

Their latest disappointment came this week: a timid 1-0 Champions League defeat in Switzerland against the side who represent the biggest threat to advancement beyond the group stages.

In fairness, anyone can lose to Basel -- just ask Chelsea and Manchester United -- and that result taken in isolation is not cause for alarm. When viewed in the broader context of other recent results and performances, however, you can hardly blame Kopites for feeling a little worried right now. The good news is they have a home game this weekend to try to get the rig back on the road. The bad news is there is little or nothing to suggest they will win it.

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