Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has conceded he has not been playing to his best so far this season, but has vowed to recapture his peak form.
Carragher has come under fire from some critics following some below-par performances by the normally reliable defender.
The Reds have struggled to keep clean sheets this season and have conceded 12 goals in eight Premier League games this term.
Carragher is determined to get back to his best and help Liverpool rediscover their defensive strength in the next few weeks
"We aren't playing well as a back four and I'm not playing well personally," Carragher told the club's official website. "I need to hit better form and hopefully that will come in the next few games.
"Over the last five or six years we have been renowned as a team who have kept a lot of clean sheets and for keeping it tight. I think that's why we get a bit more criticism because people don't expect it of Liverpool - and rightly so.
"We take the plaudits when things are going well so you have to take the criticism when it's not going well.
"I know I need to improve myself and we also need to improve as a team."
Liverpool have endured a difficult start to the season, losing three of their opening eight games and Carragher admits it has made their bid to win the Premier League title even tougher.
No side has won the championship after losing three of the first eight league games since Manchester United in 1967, but Carragher is refusing to be pessimistic about Liverpool's chances of finally ending their long wait for the title.
"You can shape statistics to make them look however you want them to," added Carragher.
"We've now got the same points as Manchester United had at this point last season. That's another statistic you could look at because they went on to win the league with 90-odd points.
"Whatever statistic you throw at us, we know we haven't made a good start. We don't need to look at them because we know ourselves that we haven't performed as well as we would have liked in certain games. We now have to put that right.
"Points are what matter and how many you end up with at the end of the season. We've lost six games in our previous two Premier League seasons.
"To lose that many in 76 games - that's some achievement and yet we still haven't won the league. Man United have lost more than us and won the league for the past two years.
"So as far as we are concerned it's now all about getting points on the board."
Carragher has come under fire from some critics following some below-par performances by the normally reliable defender.
The Reds have struggled to keep clean sheets this season and have conceded 12 goals in eight Premier League games this term.
Carragher is determined to get back to his best and help Liverpool rediscover their defensive strength in the next few weeks
"We aren't playing well as a back four and I'm not playing well personally," Carragher told the club's official website. "I need to hit better form and hopefully that will come in the next few games.
"Over the last five or six years we have been renowned as a team who have kept a lot of clean sheets and for keeping it tight. I think that's why we get a bit more criticism because people don't expect it of Liverpool - and rightly so.
"We take the plaudits when things are going well so you have to take the criticism when it's not going well.
"I know I need to improve myself and we also need to improve as a team."
Liverpool have endured a difficult start to the season, losing three of their opening eight games and Carragher admits it has made their bid to win the Premier League title even tougher.
No side has won the championship after losing three of the first eight league games since Manchester United in 1967, but Carragher is refusing to be pessimistic about Liverpool's chances of finally ending their long wait for the title.
"You can shape statistics to make them look however you want them to," added Carragher.
"We've now got the same points as Manchester United had at this point last season. That's another statistic you could look at because they went on to win the league with 90-odd points.
"Whatever statistic you throw at us, we know we haven't made a good start. We don't need to look at them because we know ourselves that we haven't performed as well as we would have liked in certain games. We now have to put that right.
"Points are what matter and how many you end up with at the end of the season. We've lost six games in our previous two Premier League seasons.
"To lose that many in 76 games - that's some achievement and yet we still haven't won the league. Man United have lost more than us and won the league for the past two years.
"So as far as we are concerned it's now all about getting points on the board."
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