Liverpool U18s have had turbulent campaign so far and head coach Simon Wiles has pointed to an obvious issue
Liverpool under-18 head coach Simon Wiles
Liverpool under-18 head coach Simon Wiles(Image: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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Statistics don't always tell the full story in football. But there's one that says everything about a turbulent season for Liverpool's under-18 side.
A hugely disappointing 7-0 reverse at home to Manchester United at the weekend meant the 11 games in which the Reds have played in the U18 Premier League North this term have seen an astonishing combined total of 73 goals.
The heavy loss at the Academy in Kirkby continued a trend of sizeable home defeats over the past few months, with a 5-3 reverse to Sunderland followed by a 6-3 beating against Nottingham Forest. Earlier in the season, Blackburn Rovers won 8-3 at Kirkby.
Since inflicting leaders Manchester City's only reverse of the league campaign in mid-October, Liverpool have taken just one point and now stand ninth in the 14-team league.
Unlike United, the Reds have been juggling midweek European commitments this season, and six of the players who featured on Saturday also played in the 1-0 UEFA Youth League win against PSV Eindhoven three days earlier that sealed progress to the knockout stages with a game to spare.
The setback against United - for whom 15-year-old JJ Gabriel scored a hat-trick - would have been particularly keenly felt by U18s boss Simon Wiles, who travelled down the East Lancs Road in the summer when moving from the Manchester club to Liverpool.
And assessing the season so far, Wiles pinpointed an obvious reason for the lack of security in defence.
"You don't want to put excuses on why we have conceded so many goals so far, because ultimately we want to give the lads game time and get them up to the level we know they can get to," he said.
"Defensively has been our Achilles heel unfortunately. We have had injuries all across the back and we have been playing midfielders at full-back, pairings at centre-half have had to change a lot.
"There have been a few things we have had to deal with and we have missed key players at the back. I always say, though, regardless of that it gives other players opportunities.
"That gives them the chance to perform and trying to help them in those moments is part and parcel of the job. The defenders who have been out will be returning to fitness soon and that is something we will look forward to."
While Liverpool continue their U18 Premier League North campaign at Middlesbrough on Saturday (kick-off 12.30pm), the U21s are without a competitive game until January 9 having last played in Premier League 2 almost a month ago.
Rob Page's side have instead scheduled a series of friendlies and beat Salford City in one such encounter at the AXA Training Centre last Saturday, with Keyrol Figueroa and Tommy Pilling scoring in a 2-0 win.