We don't have a team full of cowards, we've got a team that is completely bereft of top attacking around Luis Suarez, and crucially lacks any creativity behind him linking with midfield. So we play a lot of wing play as we should, but without the players particularly for it, and when we do free up space in midfield, or get someone free cutting in from the wing, we end up with scoring opportunities falling to players who haven't scored routinely at any point in their career and never will. This midfield isn't going anywhere in attack despite the amazing and constant movement of Suarez. The only rays of hope are the idea that the promising Shelvey will play to his potential and finish opportunities (at least there's a chance), that somehow Gerrard will find some understanding with Suarez in the same way he did with Torres, as well as a time machine, or that somehow when Lucas gets back, the balance will be returned to the force.
None of it is likely to happen. We can see incremental improvement in this side, but it just doesn't have the quality to make this system work. That doesn't mean it's a waste of time trying to make it work, but it does if we don't bring significantly better suited players and more depth in goal scoring. Otherwise it's a prettier new version of the do nothing machine we've been for several years now. If we bring the right players in, the work we've put in figuring out how to play this style will be useful.