Roy Hodgson made Liverpool's stars "worried" to play at Anfield, according to ex-Reds full-back Glen Johnson.
Hodgson had an ill-fated 31-match tenure as Liverpool boss from July 2010 to January 2011 before he was dismissed having claimed just 13 wins.
And Johnson believes Liverpool players were fearful of running out in front of their home supporters - even against supposed inferior opposition.
“Well Roy, no disrespect, had come from smaller clubs and I don’t think he was ready to manage Liverpool," the former England defender told The Anfield Wrap.
"We had players like Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano, players like that and we’d be worried about playing a smaller team at Anfield.
“No disrespect to the smaller teams but you have to grab the bull by the horns and just go and put them to bed, and he just didn’t have that sort of mentality, it was all a bit straight line and defensive.”
Kenny Dalglish replaced Hodgson and Liverpool would go on to finish sixth in the Premier League.
Johnson spent six years at Anfield, playing 200 games and scoring nine goals.
He won only one major honour during his time on Merseyside, claiming the League Cup under Dalglish in 2012.
