Source: PA
Players can try too hard - Hodgson
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson believes some of his under-performing players are trying too hard to rediscover their form in order to force their way into the first team.
The Reds boss made 10 changes for Wednesday night's disappointing goalless Europa League draw at home to Utrecht, giving a chance to the likes of Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic, Christian Poulsen, Ryan Babel and Fabio Aurelio.
Only the latter two put in anything resembling a half-decent performance but just centre-back Martin Skrtel, who played 45 minutes, is likely to retain his place for Saturday's visit of Hodgson's former club Fulham. The frustration continues, in particular, for Cole as suspension and injury have contributed to a disappointing start to his Liverpool career after his high-profile summer free transfer from Chelsea.
He has not been able to establish a regular starting place and his situation is symptomatic of the issues facing Hodgson at Anfield, namely that there is not the depth of quality outside of his starting line-up to give him options over a long Barclays Premier League season.
"It is most frustrating for them because they want it so much," said Hodgson. "There is no lack of desire, commitment, effort and wanting to do well. I see these players every day in training and I know some of them will be disappointed they did not take their chance a little bit better but that won't affect me because they will get other chances.
"Sometimes in football you can want things too much. If you don't get a chance on a regular basis and one comes along sometimes your desire to take it can impact negatively on your performance and that might have been the case for one or two."
