Liverpool defence are NOT to blame for poor form, says Martin Skrtel... as Real Madrid's Galacticos prepare for Anfield visit

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Martin Skrtel insists the blame for Liverpool’s defensive frailties must be shared collectively as they prepare for the ultimate test against Real Madrid.

Though the Champions League holders look set to be without Gareth Bale on Wednesday night, they still arrive on Merseyside with a scintillating array of attacking options and players who will be aware of how vulnerable Liverpool have been this year.

Liverpool have shipped 16 goals in all competitions and have not had a clean sheet since their one and only shutout against Tottenham on August 31, so many will be anticipating that Cristiano Ronaldo, James Rodriguez and Co will pick them off at will.

Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren both agree that Liverpool need to improve when they face Real Madrid

Skrtel clears the ball off the line during the 3-2 win against QPR on Sunday, in which the defence was poor

A game against Real Madrid would, ordinarily, have the city gripped with excitement for days beforehand but on Monday the mood was flat, stemming from the fortuitous 3-2 win over Queens Park Rangers, a performance that was strewn with defensive errors.

Skrtel, however, believes it would be unfair to make the back four and goalkeeper Simon Mignolet culpable every time they concede and has called for unity in the build-up to a contest that he points out has the capacity to transform Liverpool’s campaign.

‘The easiest way is always to criticise the defenders and keeper,’ said Skrtel, who is only one of two players to remain from the starting line-up (Steven Gerrard is the other) the last time Liverpool faced Real Madrid in March 2009 — an extraordinary game which saw Rafa Benitez’s side win 4-0.

‘But I’ve said it before that defending isn’t only about the back four, it is about the whole team. We are attacking together and we are defending together. We know it wasn’t good enough (at QPR), but we will try to improve. 

Skrtel says the whole team is to blame for Liverpool's disappointing form, not only their defence

Lovren says he was unhappy after the QPR game, despite Philippe Coutinho's late winner at Loftus Road

'Every game is important for us, especially in the Champions League because you only have six group matches and we want to qualify for the next round.

‘Every game has its own story. Maybe we will be happy with a point, maybe disappointed but at the moment we are only thinking of getting three.

‘This is what we play for. The Champions League is the best competition in the world because you face the best players in the world. In my eyes, they are the best team in the world so this is a big challenge for us, but we’ll do our best and try to get a good result.’

That message was shared by Dejan Lovren, Skrtel’s partner at the heart of the defence. Having looked a colossus when he scored a thumping header to crown an impressive display in a friendly against Borussia Dortmund, his form has since matched that of his new team.

He has looked increasingly shaky but, to his credit, the Croatia centre half has recognised that standards have not been good enough and he wants to banish the memory of what happened at Loftus Road in the best possible manner.

Cristiano Ronaldo (right) has started the season in blistering form, with 18 goals in 10 competitive games

Skrtel described last year's Champions League winners Real Madrid as the 'best team in the world'

VIDEO Real ready for tough week - Ancelotti 

‘I was glad it was over because I think one minute more and it would have been 3-3,’ said Lovren with brutal honesty. ‘It is the first time in my career I was unhappy after the game even though we won because we didn’t play good.

‘We need to be better and in our next game against Real Madrid we need to show more . . . their players, we know who they are and we will prepare a little bit different. But we will not play like that against Real Madrid, you can be sure of that. We will be better.’

Brendan Rodgers, meanwhile, has admitted the sale of Luis Suarez ‘halted’ the momentum that carried Liverpool to second place in the Barclays Premier League last season but, in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, Rodgers insisted there was reason for ‘excitement’ at Anfield.

Gareth Bale is set to miss out on the trip to Anfield, but Real's attack will still carry plenty of threat

Ronaldo has never scored a goal at Anfield, but did win three of his five trips there with Manchester United

‘The natural progress of the team has been halted in some way in the summer with Luis Suarez leaving and lots of new players coming in,’ said Rodgers, who also revealed that he has an ambition to manage in Spain one day.

‘It’s an exciting time at Liverpool with lots of young players coming in but if we are going to get better, we are going to take the short-term hit at the moment knowing that in the long term the club will be better for it.’

Brendan Rodgers says the natural progression of the team has been slowed by Luis Suarez's move to Barca