Agger backs strikers

Daniel Agger admits Liverpool's lack of goals is a worry.

Liverpool have managed to score just 21 times in their 18 league games - fewer than both Bolton and Blackburn, the Premier League's bottom two clubs - and it is costing them precious points at Anfield.

Their draw against Blackburn on Boxing Day was their sixth from their nine home games and their inability to score is seriously undermining their Champions League bid.

Agger accepts it is a concern and says the Reds must work harder to find their goalscoring touch.

"When you don't take your chances, you don't win football games," said the frustrated Dane.

"It's a worry, but what can you do? The only way to solve it is to create more chances.

"I really think for 80 per cent or 90 per cent of the time we are playing well. That's the strange thing, as normally when you play well you get a bit more luck.

"But somehow we are missing that final touch. We need to find that. Normally when you try harder, you get the luck and that's what we must keep doing."

Agger refuses to blame Liverpool's misfiring strikeforce of Luis Suarez, Andy Carroll, Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy, even though they have managed just nine league goals between them.

He says the whole team must shoulder the goalscoring burden, including him and his fellow defenders.

"It's not just the strikers," said Agger. "It's not just one or two players. It's all of us. We all have chances and don't score.

"It's like when we defend - it's not just the defenders who defend. We all need to be chipping in with goals."

Liverpool also drew with Wigan in their previous game, but Agger rejected any suggestion that the Reds had underestimated them and Blackburn.

"It wasn't down to complacency," he said. "We all know that every game in the Premier League is difficult.

"When you play for Liverpool Football Club and play at Anfield you have to go out and win games, especially ones like this."

Steven Gerrard's return after two months out with an ankle infection was the one positive for Liverpool and the Reds have missed his creativity and goals.

Kenny Dalglish must buy a striker in the transfer window, as he faces up to losing Suarez for his eight-game ban and will hope he does better than his other big-money buy 12 months ago.

Yet again Carroll, starting alongside Suarez, failed to impress, and he remains stuck in a rut at Anfield.

His Reds team-mate and former Toon colleague Jose Enrique still believes in him though, and says the England striker just needs a goal to spark him into life.

"The most important thing for him was he had the opportunity to play again," said the Spaniard.

"He had three good chances to score, but it was the same for him as everyone.

"Andy is a great player - nobody pays £35million for a player for nothing. When he starts to score one goal, he will score many goals

Liverpool held by Rovers

This was their fifth league draw in six home matches – 10 dropped points that already threaten a top-four finish.

Dalglish’s side have actually won only one more Premier League home game than Blackburn have and, given Kean’s comments about the likes of Anfield and Old Trafford being a welcome escape for his side, that again speaks volumes.

Strangely, Liverpool do not lack confidence.

They are playing well enough, are creative and stylish going forward and, by and large, are controlling games.

Yet they lack conviction in front of goal.

For that, there can be no excuse.

Yes, Rovers defended impressively, with Chris Samba offering rock-like resistance at the heart of the team and stand-in keeper Mark Bunn deputising magnificently for the injured Paul Robinson.

But the visitors had several kids in an injury-ravaged line up, with teenager Adam Henley making his full debut.

So, given their travails of late, they were ready-made opponents for Liverpool after Wednesday’s disappointing draw at Wigan.

A frustrated and moody crowd made Andy Carroll their whipping boy, the striker receiving increasing amounts of stick as the game went on.

But while it is true he seemed reluctant to burst towards the six-yard box in the manner of his Newcastle heyday, he was far from the only culprit.

Carroll hasn’t played that much this season, so he can be excused a certain rustiness - especially given that he was sporting a black eye following a recent training-ground knock.

Luis Suarez doesn’t have that excuse, and neither does Stewart Downing, and they both missed as many chances as Carroll did.

Suarez failed with four in the opening 20 minutes alone, before Carroll saw a snap-shot brilliantly saved by the impressive Bunn.

Inevitably, amazingly, Rovers weathered that first-half pressure, then scored with their first attack.

It was a fluke goal, too - a corner from Morten Gamst Pedersen that saw Charlie Adam, under pressure from Mauro Formica, slice the ball into the roof of his own net.

It somehow sums up Liverpool’s luck.

The fact that Rovers were ahead at Anfield at half-time also summed up their character.

They were resilient and committed, and showed immense spirit for a side who have been undermined so badly by their own support.

It is a credit to the players and to Kean that they played like they did.

Even when they conceded a soft equaliser with a third of the game remaining, they did not falter.

For once, Rovers failed to clear a cross, and when Martin Skrtel hooked it back in, Maxi Rodriguez was allowed to head home unchallenged - the visitors’ only major mistake of the afternoon.

It was Maxi’s 11th goal in 12 starts, but even he missed more chances, as he headed over from substitute and returning skipper Steven Gerrard’s free-kick.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the afternoon was that Gerrard didn’t inspire a late victory, because he usually does.

But no matter how good his promptings and delivery, he could not produce a fairy tale of his own in his first appearance in two months.

He came close though.

From his corner, with the last kick of the game, 17-year-old debutant Henley cleared Daniel Agger’s header off the line, moments after Carroll had seen a goal-bound effort saved brilliantly by Bunn.

So, more frustration for Liverpool.

They have dropped 12 points at Anfield already, and even a fraction of those – against teams at the foot of the table – would have put them in the top three.

But take nothing away from Blackburn. They deserved their surprise present and unwrapped it enthusiastically.

Boss Kean may not survive much beyond Old Trafford on New Year's Eve, but at least his side showed real Christmas spirit.