Wayne Rooney: Liverpool suffering lack of leadership amid bad run of form

Liverpool's struggles are not just down to the team's youth and lack of experience, but also a dearth of leadership. Former England captain Wayne Rooney believes that the Reds' top players, including Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, have failed to step up during their current run of form.

Rooney's assertion is backed by his observations of the players' body language, which he says has become 'deflated'. He believes that the team's poor performance can be attributed to the lack of leadership from its key players. Rooney notes that when Liverpool wins big games, Salah and Van Dijk seem to be on top of their game, but in their current struggles, they appear to be going through the motions.

This criticism comes as Liverpool is struggling to find consistency in its performances this season. The team's poor form has raised questions about the leadership qualities of its players, particularly those who are expected to lead by example. Rooney's assessment suggests that the Reds' top players need to take responsibility for their performances and show more fight to get out of these difficult situations.

The lack of leadership from Salah and Van Dijk is not limited to their individual performances but also affects the entire team's mentality, according to Rooney. This means that even when they do score goals or win games, it's often in a lackluster manner, leaving fans feeling underwhelmed by the final product. The former England captain believes that if Liverpool can establish a more cohesive leadership from its key players, the team may be able to turn their season around.

In his view, Salah and Van Dijk are 'big players' who have let everyone down with their subpar performances. Rooney's comments highlight the importance of leadership in football, particularly when it comes to big games against top opponents like Manchester United and Atletico Madrid.

Rooney's assessment of Liverpool's struggles is a stark reminder that even the best teams need strong leadership to overcome adversity. The Reds' ability to bounce back from their current slump will depend on the emergence of more leaders within the team, rather than just relying on individual brilliance.

Ugh, Salah and Van Dijk have officially become a couple's therapy session - always on the verge of collapse . Rooney is right though, leadership matters, especially when it comes to big games . It's not like they're getting paid to be inconsistent (although that's true too). I'm not buying into Rooney's 'deflated' body language tho , but I do think the team needs more cohesion from their top players . Maybe a good old-fashioned motivational speech or two wouldn't go amiss . Until then, I'll just be over here watching them struggle to find consistency in their performances . Can we please just get some wins already?

I don't know about this Rooney guy, but it sounds like he's having a meltdown . I mean, come on, Salah and Van Dijk can't be expected to carry the whole team on their shoulders all by themselves. In my day, we used to call that "being part of a team" . And what's with this body language stuff? Can't they just give us something to cheer about when they're playing well? Like, I remember watching Rooney play for England back in the day, he was always so confident on the pitch . Now he's saying that Salah and Van Dijk are "going through the motions"? That's just harsh, man . The team's struggles are a lot more complex than just a few players not being leaders. There must be other factors at play... maybe they're just having an off season?

They're not wrong about Salah and Van Dijk though... they've been in this position before & failed to come out on top . Can't blame them for being deflated, but it's on the players to lift each other up . Lack of fight is a different story tho - we need to see more from these 'big players'

I mean, come on, Rooney's right! It's not just about the youth and lack of experience, it's about those big-name players stepping up when it matters most. When they're playing badly, it's like the whole team is phoning it in. The fans are left feeling underwhelmed and disappointed. I think Salah and Van Dijk need to take more responsibility for their performances, you know? They can't just coast on their past achievements and expect everything to fall into place. The team needs leaders who can inspire and motivate the others. Otherwise, they'll continue to struggle like this

I'm not loving lfc's season atm they need some real leaders in midfield and up front salah & van dijck r supposed 2 b the ones leadin by example but atm dey're just goin through de motions maybe time 4 jürgen klopp 2 make some changes

idk about this rooney guy... his "analysis" comes outta nowhere like has he been following lfc closely? i mean he's a former england captain but that was ages ago... when were his last 2-3 games for edinburgh? lol what does he know bout the team now?

I think Rooney makes some valid points about Liverpool's struggles. Like, yeah, those top players need to step up and show more fight when things aren't going well. It's not just about individual brilliance, it's about leadership and taking responsibility for the team's performances. I mean, when Salah and Van Dijk are on fire, they're almost unstoppable, but when they're in a slump, it affects the whole team's mentality... It's like, you want to see more from your star players, especially when it comes to big games against top teams. And I think Rooney hits the nail on the head when he says Liverpool needs to establish more cohesion and leadership within the team. If they can do that, maybe they can turn their season around...

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I think Wayne Rooney might be onto something with his observations about Liverpool's top players . It's not just about youth or lack of experience, but the way these players perform when it really matters. Salah and Van Dijk have been instrumental in big wins before, but now they're seeming kinda... meh . If they can step up their game and show more fight, I think Liverpool could turn this season around . It's not just about individual brilliance, but leadership that makes a difference . And let's be real, if even the best players aren't leading by example, it's hard to expect the rest of the team to follow suit .

im telling ya, this is not just about the team's youth or lack of experience... it's like, have you noticed how all of a sudden everyone's just phoning it in? Salah and Van Dijk are supposed to be these superstars but now they're just going through the motions. Rooney's right, they need to step up their game and show some real leadership. And it's not just them, the whole team seems like they're lacking that spark. I mean, we've seen it before in other teams when they lose key players or coaches... Liverpool needs to find a way to overcome this slump without relying on individual brilliance alone

I think Wayne Rooney makes a solid point ... Liverpool's struggles this season aren't just about youth and inexperience, it's about the lack of leadership from top players like Salah and Van Dijk. When they're winning big games, they seem to be on fire , but now it's like they're just going through the motions . The fans are feeling really underwhelmed by their performances right now ... I think the team needs some strong leaders to come forward and take charge . If Salah and Van Dijk can step up their game and show more fight, maybe they can turn this season around ... it's all about establishing a cohesive leadership within the team .

man... i feel like rooney's got a point lfc's struggles are way deeper than just youth and inexperience... they need some real leaders to step up and take ownership of their performances. it's not just salah and van dijk, tho... the whole team's mentality is affected by it. when they do win games, it's like they're phoning it in . but i'm not sure if that's entirely on salah and van dijk... maybe they need some guidance from management or coaching staff? either way, it's clear that leadership is key to getting lfc back on track

OMG, this is like, super insightful ! I was thinking same thing about Salah and Van Dijk's performances lately... they seem so meh, like they're just phoning it in . Rooney makes a valid point that leadership matters, especially when it comes to big games. I mean, you can't just rely on individual greatness all the time, you need guys who can rally the team and lead by example. Fingers crossed Salah and Van Dijk step up their game ASAP !

Salah & Van Dijk need to step up their game , not just score goals, but lead by example

Liverpool needs some tough love right now . Rooney's on point about the lack of leadership from top players like Salah and Van Dijk. It's not just about them having a bad game, it's about being consistently unimpressive. The team's mentality is affected by this too... it feels like they're just going through the motions . The Reds need to find that spark again, and it starts with their leaders stepping up . If those big players can't deliver when it matters most, who will?

omg i feel like rooney is totally right!! i mean we all know salah and van dijk are supposed to be the leaders of that team but they're not stepping up when it matters most . their body language is def lacking and it's affecting the whole squad . i think it's time for them to take responsibility and show more fight, like rooney said . if they can't pull it together, the fans will be so disappointed . but on the bright side, maybe this means we'll see some new leaders emerge within the team

.. I think Rooney's got a point . Liverpool's struggles go beyond just youth and experience. Those top players need to step up and show some real leadership . When they're on fire, Salah and Van Dijk are unstoppable , but right now it feels like they're just going through the motions . It's not just about individual performances, it's about the team's mentality too. If they can't even muster up that energy to win convincingly, then what's the point? I'm not sure if a few new leaders will suddenly fix everything, but it's definitely worth exploring .

Lmao like they're just phoning it in Salah and Van Dijk gotta step up their game! It's not just about being the best players, it's about leadership 2.0 You feel me? They got that sauce when they win big, but against decent teams, they're just waltzing through like they don't even care . Rooney's right, Liverpool needs some real leaders on the pitch to lift their game ️. Can't just rely on Salah and Van Dijk being their usual selves, gotta bring the fire !