Lack Of Away Goals Could Cost Liverpool

Another European away game and another lackluster attacking display from Liverpool.

The Merseyside outfit, fresh off the back of a 1-0 defeat away at Braga, face a tricky test in the return leg at Anfield next Thursday and should the Portuguese side score the cat would be well and truly placed amongst the pigeons.

The away goals rule is something that is meant to encourage sides to attack away from home rather than play for a 0-0 draw to take back to the home leg. However, this message does not appear to have been received by Kenny Dalglish and his predecessor Roy Hodgson despite away goals being the sucker punch which Diego Forlan delivered at Anfield to send Atletico Madrid to last season's final at the expense of the Reds.

A quick glance at the statistics shows that Liverpool have scored just five goals in seven European away games so far this season; four of which came before the group stages. A miserly record given the array of attacking talent at the disposal of Kenny Dalglish.

Luis Suarez's ineligibility leaves Liverpool with little attacking flair

Granted, the ineligibility of January acquisition Luis Suarez, who has slotted into Dalglish's system perfectly with a man of the match performance against Manchester United, is a big blow for Liverpool; as is the loss of captain and talisman Steven Gerrard but players such as Raul Meireles, Joe Cole and David N'Gog have failed to sufficiently step up to the goalscoring plate in European competition.

Liverpool's other major January signing, Andy Carroll, offers something different up top but the manner in which he uses his aerial ability and physical presence is sure to come under close attention from European referees, who tend to be a lot stricter than their English counterparts when it comes to physical contact. Perhaps the old-fashioned number 9 role is a thing of the past on the European stage?

A defensive imbalance within the side also restricts the attack-minded play of the five time European Champions. Deploying Lucas Leiva, Jay Spearing and Christian Poulsen in the same midfield is a tactical maneuver which looks to restrict goals rather than look for them.

Dalglish must alter his tactics if Liverpool are to progress in the Europa League

Liverpool's performances away from home in Europe this season, with the exception of Trabzonspor, have been nothing to shout about. The shackles have been well and truly put on, particularly under Hodgson, with attacks at a premium as defensive steel appears to have taken priority over bagging a priceless away goal.

If Liverpool are to progress to the latter stages of this tournament, they must come out of their defensive shell and show more attacking endeavour or they run the risk of losing on away goals as they did last season.

In the group stages, perhaps, clubs can get away with a defensive set-up when playing on the road but in knockout football, scoring nil away from home leaves the side in a precarious position heading into the second leg. One goal for Braga at Anfield next Thursday could be the final nail in the coffin of Liverpool's Europa League dream.