Liverpool Player Ratings 16-17 (so far)
Simon Mignolet - 5/10: After an awful start to the season, which saw Mignolet make blunders in each of Liverpool's first three games of the season and cost his team points, the keeper settled down. Eventually Mignolet was rightfully dropped to give Karius a run of games. Since Mignolet's return he's kept two clean sheets in two games, but didn't really have to do anything to secure them. He's done nothing noteworthy this season.
Lloris Karius - 5/10: It would be unfair to suggest that Karius has performed significantly better than Mignolet, but neither has he performed once. Two big errors against West Ham and Bournemouth are sadly the highlight of his Liverpool career as he often found himself with nothing to do in a Liverpool shirt except pick the ball out of the net when hammered past him from six yards. It's a lonely life, being a goalkeeper.
Nathaniel Clyne - 8/10: Solid as a rock. Dependable. Consistent. All words that are good to associate with a defender. And more than that, Clyne has been dangerous in the final third. Hard to think that probably the best right back in the league has put a single foot wrong this season, and consistently creates chances for the team.
Joel Matip - 8/10: Liverpool's best central defender by a mile. Makes Dejan Lovren look competent and James Milner look a born left back. The clue that holds our defence together. Has the potential to be one of the best central defenders in the league. Been sorely missed with ankle injuries at times.
Lucas Leiva - 5.5/10: Filled in at center back at times when Lovren's been injured and frankly hasn't been very good. Sloppy goals conceded as a result. One of the three games he started at CB was the Bournemouth game and that says it all really.
Dejan Lovren - 6.5/10: I feel like we've been here before with Lovren. Slightly better than a 6, decidedly not quite a 7. Some key errors, especially in the Bournemouth game, but at the same time, he's turned in some huge performances lately and scored a couple of big goals. Mixed bag from him.
Ragnar Klavan - 7/10: Came out of the Burnley game pretty badly, but since then has started three league games and been very impressive. Superb against both Boro and Everton lately.
Alberto Moreno - 5/10: Started two games, made bad errors in both those games. Horrendous against Arsenal, mixed bag against Palace. Decent coming forwards but call me old-fashioned. I prefer defenders that can actually defend.
James Milner - 7/10: Tempted to give Milner an 8 even though his performances have been only a 7 or so because he's not a left back. Milner has been terrific in an unfamilar position, He's been slightly patchier in terms of both attack and defence than Clyne on the opposite flank but he's nevertheless made few errors at the back and been useful in the opposition half. Penalties have been clinical and crucial.
Jordan Henderson - 9/10: My man. My hero. I was stunned when Klopp decided to convert Hendo into a CDM at the start of the season. But after two patchy games, Hendo took to the role like a duck to water, and turned in stunning performances against Spurs, Chelsea and Swansea and has since never looked back. He's been consistently very very good and even when Liverpool have played badly, he's been a boss in the middle of the park.
Emre Can - 8/10: Injuries have limited Can's involvement so far, but when he's been playing he's looked largely impressive. Already improved his goal tally with three goals from seven starts and has turned in stunning performances at times. Showed how important he is to this team when he plays. Palace, Watford and Bournemouth games have showed what he brings to the table.
Georginio Wijnaldum - 6/10: Yet to set the Premier League alight. Wijnaldum has rarely turned in an outright bad performance but I'm yet to see him turn in an outright good one either. He's never taken the game by the scruff of the neck, produced a top performance for his team, and his end product has been lacking. Can has shown what he should be doing in the same position.
Adam Lallana - 8.5/10: Lallana has been a class act. A pivotal figure in some of Liverpool's most impressive wins, and adding the crucial goals and assists to his game that have been missing. Liverpool have sorely missed him when he hasn't played, and one of our best players this season, although dare I suggest we look less defensively solid with him in the side?
Phillipe Coutinho: 9.5/10: Come back Phil, all is forgiven. I'll never forget the Autumn of 2016, where Coutinho turned in not one, not two, not even three, but five man of the match performances in a row in the league. This not even including his role in the 6-1 destruction of Watford, or how he single-handedly tore Arsenal a new one, Five goals and five assists in effectively eleven games is what I'm talking about. Our best player. Comfortably so.Roberto Firmino 7/10: Mixed bag of a season so far from Bobby. He's been awful since the international break and Phil's injury, but before then he was more than playing his part for the team with top performances in some of our most impressive results. Five goals, including some crucial ones against Swansea and Palace, represents a good haul too.
Sadio Mane - 9/10: Mane has been a very, very important cog in Klopp's machine so far this season. It all started with a stunning solo goal against Arsenal and since then he hasn't looked back, with eight goals and four assists so far this season representing the best haul of anyone in an LFC shirt. That winner in the Merseyside Derby makes him a Liverpool legend already as far as I'm concerned.
Divock Origi - 8/10: Origi has been another player who has had to settle for a bit part role in this Liverpool team, largely making substitute appearances. But when given his chance through injuries to Coutinho and Sturridge, he took it impressively, with four goals in four league games, and a phenomenal performance against Middlesbrough. Deserves to keep his place in the team.
Daniel Sturridge - 6/10: Had to settle for cameos so far this season. Unlucky not to score off the bench against Watford and Everton, and secured assists in the process. Made just a handful of league starts, usually against tough opposition and hasn't played badly. Just needs a break and could be very important over the Christmas period.
Jurgen Klopp - 9/10: Hard to argue with almost anything the coach has done. Turn James Milner into a left back? Check. Turn Henderson into a CDM? Check. Play a 4-3-3 with effectively five attacking midfielders? Holy moses check. Bring in Sadio Mane and Joel Matip, two of our best and most important players? Check. Turn Adam Lallana into one of the best midfielders in the Prem? Check. Turn Lucas into a ball-playing CB? Ummm... Okay so not everything Klopp has done has worked perfectly, but we're second in the league and playing gorgeous football so who cares? With moments of inspiration like that gesture against Sunderland, we are in good hands.
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