Everything's the Worst: Disharmony United Edition

There is a disconnection somewhere, somehow, and in some way with someone when something doesn't quite match up. It isn't easy to spot but when this occurs in one's life, it becomes difficult to correctly identify and diagnose in time. Be warned! When this state is left unattended, it can develop into something uglier than Liverpool's attempt to defend set pieces. Yes, it's that bad.

Ladies and gentleman, Liverpool FC are heading into another international break in a healthy league position. Second on goal difference is a drop from being in top spot when the last international break brought an unwelcome disruption of the club scene fans love so dearly. FIFA can be so insensitive sometimes and maybe should consider our feelings for once. Emotional.

So, this undiagnosed problem. We had the reverse last season with the performances but not the results. Now we have the results but not quite the performances. Which state is preferable? Both indicate that there's still work to do and maybe this is the season of picking up results while Rodgers works out how to marry performances with collecting points feverishly. The problem is with how we perceive all of this because at some stage, we'll see matches this season when the team is switched on in both halves, picking up points, and giving performances that are worthy of this great club.

It's frustrating. It's irritating. It's perplexing. Why so? It looks like we're close to something and it looked like that last season against many sides in the league. They were not better. They were not smarter. We were at least equals in many contests yet the results did not reflect that. We have the results but where are some of those effervescent performances from earlier in the year? Is it a sign of a deeper problem? Is it just one of those things in football? Is it all part of the plan or can we ascribe the term "work in progress" to what's going on right now? Should there even be a question when Liverpool sit second in the league albeit after only seven games?

We should feel like we're doing well at the moment but when we watch the games, it just doesn't feel that way does it? The league table tells one story and probably tells the tale that history remembers the most. It is often said that the league table does not lie. However, do our own eyes lie to us? What we see in most second halves this season is not some pernicious illusion or a craftily constructed fiction. The Liverpool fan base appears to respect Brendan Rodgers more than ever but remains ever so discordant in its discourse within its borders. Anfield still retains that muted atmosphere from last season where away fans are in louder voice than they should be.

We're waiting and expecting something more. Somehow, some way, and sometime we'll see it but until then should we not enjoy the journey under Brendan Rodgers?

• Round up time begins in England. Manchester United might just have a new star but what happened to Wilfried Zaha? Wasn't he meant to be the youngster who could raise the bar while leaving opposing defenders with twisted blood and mental scars? It's difficult to judge the situation from afar but right now, that's how things are. Manchester United needed inspiration against a determined Sunderland side desperate for points in a period of depression but Adnan Januzaj deviated from the current David Moyes script. Two quick goals, one was particularly sublime, from the youngster overturned Sunderland's one goal advantage to provide Man United with a precious victory. There were wins for Manchester City and Chelsea to keep them within one result of joining or overtaking the current league leaders while Fulham's players helped ease pressure on the affable Martin Jol.


• Sunday's Premier League fixtures threw up a few interesting results apart from the predictable Chelsea victory. Big Sam did one over a foreigner whose job he probably should have as West Ham travelled to White Hart Lane to take all three points and score three goals. Tottenham scored none. André Villas-Boas has to find an answer to Tottenham's inconsistency, Lamela might be worth a start, and Soldado needs to get a couple of goals from open play to help him settle into the league. He's not the only striker struggling to acclimatise to the EPL. Wilfried Bony, Ricky van Wolfswinkel, and Samuel Eto'o have been surprised by the pace in England's top tier. Southampton and Mauricio Pochettino continue to progress in tandem. There's ambition at the club and the club's key players have remained for a full season under the young, talented manager. Fourth and victory over Swansea at St Mary's continues a good start for Southampton. They beat Liverpool so they must be good.


• Serie A had a few big clashes over the weekend. Another game and another Napoli win. Well done Rafa but winning six and drawing one isn't enough for top spot when another club has a perfect seven. That's right, AS Roma under the auspices, that's what it feels like right now, of Rudi Garcia are top. Seven games. Seven victories. A trip to Inter Milan? Easy. A clean sheet and three goals for a Roma side in super from. The rejuvenation of Gervinho has been written about on whoscored.com and it's worth a few minutes while you're pretending to work or listen to whoever is talking to you. Francesco Totti is still amazing. Florenzi has been mentioned on here before and the youngster is continuing to make progress. Pjanic, De Rossi, and Strootman make an excellent midfield three. Ljajic is a serious talent but never left the bench. Goals from Totti and Florenzi brought Roma victory and that capital train is still chugging on. Can they be credible challengers for Juventus' Serie A crown?


• Misery for Internazionale and as a strong sympathiser of the Nerazzuri, ETW knew only despair for the other side in Milan would bring any solace to being thumped at home. Enter AC Milan. A trip to Turin to face Juventus is never a pleasant experience and Max Allegri's Milan suffered a 3-2 defeat and a sending off. Mexes needs to work on his discipline but that's been said for years and AC don't need any performances like that from Ricky Montolivio. Juventus still haven't found a successful blend in attack and it's an area where the club can still improve. AC Milan have to play their next home game behind closed doors for chanting and Mexes is banned for four games for punching Chiellini. Much joy for Berlusconi and Allegri, that couple with the strongest of relationships while Juventus continue to keep close to both Napoli and Roma.


• Bundesliga time. Bayern are back on top of the Bundesliga pile after Borussia Dortmund inexplicably lost to Borussia Mönchengladbach. It was one of those games where the best way to win was to hold on and score late so that's what Lucien Favre's Gladbach did. Late goals from Max Kruse, one of ETW's Bundesliga favourites, and Raffael brought a first league defeat of the season for Klopp's Dortmund. The other two clubs in the title conversation played each other knowing that Dortmund's slip up offered an opportunity to take advantage. Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich played out a draw to send Bayern top. Schalke 04 and Hamburger SV are two sides who should be around the top four or five spots in the league with their respective fanbases and squad quality. This weekend both would signal an intention to press ahead with huge victories. Schalke destroyed Augsburg 4-1 in Gelsenkirchen while Hamburg journeyed to Nurnberg to hammer the home side 5-0. The Bundesliga needs these sides to add to the competition higher up in the league and Hamburg in particular possesses the affluence in the area combined with the history to really compete if managed well. Here's hoping Bert van Marwijk is the head coach Hamburg need and four points from his first two games is a good start.

That's it for now; Ligue 1 and La Liga will have to wait until next time. We're doing well at the moment with plenty to improve on and let's try to enjoy this season if we can. Until next time, why not catch up on the best 25 goals from last season during the international break?

Liverpool FC - Top 25 Goals 2012 / 2013 - MRCLFCompilations (via MRCLFCompilations)