Don't try and define how we play. Rodgers doesn't, the players don't and the majority of opponents and their managers just know that they can't cope with it. When you can define it and synthesise it, you can plan to overcome it. This season, whatever you call it, our play has changed to fit either the team that we are playing or the personnel that we have available. The style we had in the first 4 matches bears little resemblance to the style we are demonstrating now. Whilst it has a strong emphasis upon attack our much maligned defence hasn't done too badly (only 4 clubs have conceded less). With 3 exceptions (goalie and CBs), no player has a truly fixed position. But we are cerainly not a defensive side. We are certainly not playing what came to be known as Tika-Taka or even Total Football. So if I have to put a name to it I'd call it Fluid Football. Now I don't know what that means and I'm sure our opponents don't either. But I think some of you may understand where I'm coming from without being able to define it further yourself.
Y'know, the Swansea lot said it was Martinez that got them playing good attractive football (the kind that made Barcelona want to become the 'Spanish Swansea'). They said all Rodgers did was not upset the boat and told the players to keep playing how Martinez did. They said Rodgers doesn't know how to coach. Any success for Swansea under Rodgers was just the team remembering what Martinez taught them. Looking at the transformation of Liverpool, that obviously isn't true. Was he influenced by Martinez? Maybe. Was he influenced by Mourinho at Chelsea? Maybe- maybe his man management came from there, tactics didn't. Was he influenced with alcohol when he signed Iago Aspas? Almost certainly. One thing is for sure though, no matter where he learned his stuff- he's doing a bloody good job on his own now. I like Martinez too- on a personal level he seems a nice bloke, and he is proving himself quite impressive with Everton too... outperforming the Chosen One at United. I've read silly rumours about Rodgers buggering off to Spain to manage Real or Barcelona next season. I don't believe it for a second; nonetheless, if he were to go- I'd love to poach Martinez from Everton... if we could.
I would say Gerrard's position is fairly fixed too. He doesn't pop up on the wings or in the opposition area often either. The fullbacks can attack at will but spend most the game on the line, occasionally coming inside in the final third. But our forward three and the other two midfielders to me just looks like he says (with the ball) do whatever the **** you want, wherever you want. They roam and drift and swap positions so much that it makes it a nightmare to mark them and follow runners. I assume it's something he actively works on in training and not down to simply not giving them instructions, but it works great with our players. There have been times where we have looked like a counter attacking team - tough away games in particular where we sit back then burst at pace - but that's a tactical switch for that fixture rather than a consistent style. I couldn't say what kind of team we are, Rodgers mixes it up well depending on who we're playing and who's available. And I like it.
I'd describe our playing style as "Intelligent". We do have tendencies. Compared to other teams we do a lot less crossing the ball into the box from the flanks. Previous managers would do this too... run down the flank- cross the ball into the box and hope someone would be there to knock it in. This seems to be the "way" in English football last decade... we don't do that. We tend to keep the ball low, except for set pieces when we have the mighty hammerhead of Suarez (not of RHC). There is a lot more passing into space than other teams play. A lot of teams pass to a player- we do a lot more passing to where we want/hope/expect our team members to be. It keeps the game moving fast and keeps the opposition unsettled. We're a lot smarter about our attacks too. I loved Rafa's reign... but one thing that his teams were guilty of was passing the ball endlessly around the penalty box waiting for an opening to magically happen... there was little risk... we take chances, there is obviously more creativity AND more drilled manoevers to get past the defense in this scenario. Rafa was always about strengthening the wings... we always seemed to be hunting for a winger- and placing a central player or striker on the wings. Under Rodgers we play more central... more defined at trying to strike the centre... we're not scared of going down the wings when it's open space- but we're heading straight for goal... we're not looking for a way in through the outside.
So do I! I did think about including Gerrard in the fixed positions but he does rumble into the opponents half so I left him out.
Truth is, we can mix it up depending on the opponent and situation. We can keep possession and build patiently (like we did against Cardiff) or we blitz opponents from the off and play on the Counter (Everton, Arsenal). We can player 4-3-3 or the diamond. Very exciting stuff
Introducing the diamond system in the Swansea game proved indeed very helpful for the road games that followed. In the summer, I would like Brendan to experiment with a high-up 433, where we take the counter to the opponents throat from the get-go. It ceases to be a counterattacking game at that point, more of a 'siege by fireball catapults' system . It does require a high defensive line though, which we are not too comfortable with yet, but one which we should be able to master.
As I don't watch a lot of Euro football, I will restrict my comments to the Premiership teams. There is not one Premiership side who has successfully employed a High Line defence. The pace and running that distinguishes Premiership sides almost precludes that system being used successfully. As it is, our back 4 come under more pressure than most due to our attacking orientation.
High lines work in Europe like Germany or Spain because the top quality sides dint need to defend as much when playing lower opposition, when the top quality play each other, they always drop back. In the Prem, regardless of who you play a team will create a chance, using a high line will always run that risk.
