'How team can earn more clean sheets'
An increase in aggression is an important requirement for Liverpool to turn around a record that has brought just one clean sheet so far in 2014-15, according to goalkeeping coach John Achterberg.
Brendan Rodgers' Reds enter their 10th contest of the campaign on Saturday when in-form West Bromwich Albion journey north to Anfield for an afternoon kick-off in the Barclays Premier League.
Having been winless in the division since the final day of August, three points are positioned safely at the top of the wish-list this weekend - although an unblemished scoresheet is not too far behind.
For in their nine previous encounters of the season to date, Liverpool have registered just a single clean sheet, in the efficient dismantling of Tottenham Hotspur away from home five weeks ago.
"It's frustrating for everyone, because obviously if you keep a clean sheet then you have a good chance to win the game," Achterberg reflected to Liverpoolfc.com ahead of the Baggies' visit.
"We have been unfortunate a few times to concede in the last minute of games as well. The players have to try to get into a clean sheet mentality, and that is from the goalkeeper to the front.
"As a team, you have to have the aggression to try to stop everything. Sometimes it comes off; unfortunately, it has not been coming off in the last few games."
Frustration is channelled into lesson-learning when competitive action gives way to Melwood training, however, and Achterberg is particularly well placed to provide potential solutions.
With defending from set-pieces a pertinent topic given the manner of the goals shipped against FC Basel and Everton, the Dutchman insisted that aggression is paramount to prevent problems.
He continued in his analysis: "Sometimes you are a little bit unlucky, but it has to be in the mindset of the players to want to stop the ball going into the goal.
"Make sure you win your challenge and deal with the cross coming in. That's a mindset and aggression that you need to create for yourself.
"Basically be first to the ball to win the ball all the time, if it's the first or last ball we need to be first, with the right aggression. That is something we need to try to focus on.
"Everyone hates losing games, so when you are back on the pitch then you can take that aggression out onto the pitch to try to put it right and get into the right frame of mind for the next game.
"You want to win every game and we have to try to win this game - then hopefully we can build on that and work toward the next game coming up."