I thought the return of Lucas (still early days yet) would make the system look a lot more stable but it just hasn't. I think it can work but I agree that it needs two midfielders that are prepared to sit so that the two fullbacks can provide the width. Suarez drops deep, the two wide players go central and it becomes a 2-2-3-1-2: STARTING SYSTEM: GK RB - CB - CB - LB CM - CM - CM RW - F9 - LW GOES TO: GK CB - CB CM - CM RB - CM - LB F9 CF - CF
I feel that we need two holding mids because we look so vulnerable on the counter. 2 holding mids should help with this.
If we do play 2 holding mids then don't play Allen there. So then you are left with the question of where do you play him?
Lucas is 100% holding but the other doesn't have to be, they just need to be aware. Under Rafa it was claimed we had two holding midfielders in Mascherano and Alonso, however only Javier was a true holding player, Alonso was free to move about in front of JM but behind Gerred, why can't Joe Allen or Sahin fulfill this role alongside Lucas...?
Agree with Gerez. The Alonso and Mascherano partnership was a proper midfield partnership and one that we can't replicate just yet. I think Allen would compliment Lucas very well but I reckon BR wants to push him forward which then leaves Lucas isolated. Strange thing is that there is nothing to suggest that Allen would excel in advanced position. He really impressed me when he sitting deeper when he first came to LFC.
Allen has proved that he does not have the capacity to play as a DM. I'm sorry Allen's only value to the team is as a spare man when the goalkeeper has the ball and a means of shifting the ball towrds the halfway line. After that he is average to say the least. Gerrard can fulfill the role but i would prefer him to play in the 'hole'. I haven't seen enough of Sahin to make a valued judgement.
But that's my point, Allen wouldn't be a DM, he would be a conservative CM with strict instructions that it is up to him to provide cover IF it is needed. He (or Sahin) would be our new Alonso (obviously not as good though).
Disagree about Gerrard. The midfield needs energy and he lacks it. He already plays quite deep and I have seen him getting beat on so many occasions which allows the opposition an easy path to our defence. I believe Gerrard should be in the front 3. Allen needs to play deeper. Rodgers claimed that Allen is better playing higher up the pitch but I get the impression that he panics when he is closed down. Sahin had a patch of 2-3 games when he looked really good and bagged a few goals. He has since tailed off but he has come out and said that he still getting used to the new English style, and also he would prefer to play deeper. A midfield consisting of Gerrard, Shelvey, Henderson, Cole does not instill any confidence and it doesn't really strike any fear IMO.
What you said but Keep Gerrard ( for now) for Sterling. Much much much better end product and delivery. Might not have the pace but has the intelligence, movement, and final ball in the attacking third would be better.
In a 433 you ideally need all three central midfielders to be energetic, unfortunately Gerrard no longer fits this bill IMO but he is still a top player when purely focusing on the attacks. Therefore, IMO, I don't think Gerrard should be part of the midfield unless we have two dedicated holding type players that allow Stevie to not worry about defending, even then we would have to expect the two wide players to track back more effectively making it a 4231 system. If we want that right level of energy in the middle then it has to be three of Lucas, Allen, Henderson or Sahin
True that. I think with Enrique,Suarez,Gerrard there is enough invention and the final ball to create a lot. Suso behind to be creative and look for the slipped passes,give gos, shots from outside the box. Would like to see that actually against Fulham but we know it won't happen. It will probably be Assaidi ( not sure why, gut feeling), Shelvey out wide.
I know mate, just stating what will probably happen. Same with Suso for me, he is an AM play him there to get the best. Still confused with Assaidi and why he hasn't even had a kick of the ball in quite awhile. Then you got Cole, Downing......... never mind put Shelvey there.
This is partly because our squad is incomplete. Image having the RW as Sturridge and LF as Borini. Plus a good run of fitness for Enrique.
Sorry lads but I think there's a certain case of rose tinted specs here. One of Rafas biggest failings was the teams inability to punish the weaker teams at home. Why?because we had a total over-reliance on two players to get the goals and if either Torres or Gerrard had off days we generally didn't win. As good as Masch and Alonso were it too often left us with far too many men behind play. We had exactly the same problem Saturday except we now haven't got a player of anywhere near the class of Alonso and we now only need Suarez to have an off day and we're ****ing useless. I tried to watch the tactical set up quite closely on Saturday and once we'd conceded the limitations in the formation were glaringly obvious. We were so open to the counter it was untrue. When you play with 3 forwards you shouldn't be so reliant on the full backs to attack. It is crazy to have 3 forwards and yet still seem to have so few bodies in the box whilst at the same time having no width either? What the ****'s all that about?
You thinking we should go a 4-4-2? Back 5 pick itself- Sterling,downing( I guess), Lucas/Sahin/Shelvey/Gerrard, Suarez/Borini/Gerrard/Suso?
I think this is why we can afford to have 2 holding midfielders - because we already have the front 3 and then 2 wing backs attacking. This should provide enough bodies in the box.
Under Rafa we had six defensive and four attacking. In Rodgers' 433 we have seven attacking and three defensive players. Is there any wonder we are conceding goals...? I agree that the 4231 system Rafa had us playing had its limitations but it work most of the time, hence us finishing second with what was to that point the highest points total in a 38 game premier league season. the problem with it wasn't the players or system it self, it was Rafa's stubbornness. He blatantly refused to change it when we needed to, including in the dying minutes of games where he would refuse to stick another striker on!
