Is it OK to be selfish? Is it a problem for the team if a player is selfish? According to Steve Gerrard its a big problem if players are selfish. In fact, Gerrard criticized his U19 squad who lost to Spartak. Gerrard accused his players of playing for themselves. After their defeat Gerrard said "I thought we were very individual and I thought people were searching for the headlines and a bit of glory themselves instead of connecting as a team."
Clearly Gerrard was not happy and thought some players were thinking individually instead of as a team. What about the senior team, could this same issue exist? Is it time for Klopp to call out some who are thinking individually?
Specifically, it seems at times that Loris Karius is more interested in his individual results rather than Liverpool's. The goalkeeper has been criticized following the 1-1 draw with Spartak because of a free kick he failed to save. But, if you re-visit his quotes prior to the game, is he being selfish and thinking too much about himself?
First, let's look at his competitor for the #1, Simon Mignolet. After coming up with a huge penalty kick versus Jamie Vardy to preserve a Liverpool victory, Mignolet was asked about his big save. This was his time to take the spotlight and pat himself on the back. After all, he is often ripped when Liverpool lose so he should enjoy the moment correct?
He did not think so. Instead of talking about himself, Mignolet was quick to discuss the club. “I’m not interested in records or how good my penalty record is, the main thing is it gained us three points. That’s what we needed and what we can build on," he said.
Now back to Karius. What was his mindset prior to the clash with Spartak? Clearly he would be discussing the importance of the game and how Liverpool could rise to the top of the group, right?
Nope. Karius instead was doing what Gerrard criticized his youngsters of doing, playing for themselves. When asked about the game and being the starter, Karius said "Of course I'm very excited to play in this competition, the Champions League. It's my first season in the Champions League, so on top of that I see it as a big chance to perform well and show myself to the manager, tell him I'm ready for whatever, if you need me in the Premier League I'll be there, so it's a chance for me."
Mignolet used words like "us" and "we" while Karius was saying "my" and "me."
Perhaps this is not fair to Loris Karius. All players should want to prove themselves to their manager. However, in light of the recent criticizm from Steve Gerrard, the recent comments by Karius seem to be selfish and individual. Does this have any impact on the clubs performance on the pitch? That is the ultimate question.