CONFUSION rules my mind when I think of my football team these days. This Liverpool team confuses me. Brendan Rodgers confuses me.
Question marks are everywhere and never more so than now in the aftermath of defeat to Real Madrid and prior to the impending visit of Chelsea. I have no idea of how I should even be feeling at the moment.
Should I be proud that an ‘under strength’ Liverpool XI were so resolute and committed away to a side clearly superior to them in the Spanish capital? Or should I be worried that we’ve essentially been reduced to playing a Hail Mary pass in the Bernabeu as early as November?
Should I be pleased that Kolo Toure was reintroduced on Tuesday and looked solid during 90 testing minutes against one of the most potent attacking outfits on the planet? Or do I instead lament the fact that Dejan Lovren — a player we signed for an eye watering £20m — currently looks less reliable than everyone’s favourite internet meme from the Ivory Coast? I like Kolo, I just don’t like the thought of having to trust in him very often.
Should I be encouraged that Javi Manquillo put in another accomplished defensive performance at right back on his to return to Madrid? Or do I worry that, come Saturday, the Spaniard’s attacking limitations may leave Brendan Rodgers unable to resist yet another roll of the human dice that is Glen Johnson? Roll a six and you’re rewarded with the composed, enterprising Glen from Cardiff away in March. One through five though and you get Glen from, well, take your pick from any number of stinkers over the past 18 months. Rodgers has rolled that particular dice many times and it’s fair to say he’s not landed on six very often lately.
Should I admire Fabio Borini’s endless movement and insatiable levels of graft or remain frustrated by his ultimate lack of oomph when it really matters? Fabio has movement and graft in abundance but bloody hell how he could use some additional oomph.
Mario has oomph. Loads of it, in fact. But he lacks the movement and some would say the graft. Together I could see Mario and Fabio being something. Sadly, I suspect they will be separated again on Saturday for yet another ‘one up top’ job that I have come to despise of late. The disjointed 4-2-3-1 system the team has adopted recently may offer an obvious scapegoat for people in the form of an isolated and frustrated Balotelli, but it’s providing precious little threat to our opponents. Of all the question marks against this team and it’s manager right now it is the consistent use of a system that seems to suit none of the club’s best players that is undoubtedly the most infuriating.
And so to Chelsea.
I hope Brendan surprises me this weekend and abandons the recent approach of Gerrard playing deep with a partner alongside him, two wide players and a lone(ly) striker. Whatever the reasons Rodgers has for playing in this manner, it’s clear that it’s not been working and I would very much like to see it binned.
Brendan used to be brilliant at rectifying his mistakes and solving problems. These days he appears to be making the same cock ups over and over while creating further dilemmas in the process. Perhaps having to juggle a larger squad deprived of its two greatest offensive weapons from last term has muddled his mind. Maybe he needs to go back to his roots. I’d certainly like to see him revisit a buzzword of his that he was previously rather fond of: meritocracy.
The footballers who perform well deserve to play again and duly do so. Those out form don’t, regardless of their status or price tag. Going back to that word and all that it implies at this stage would require balls. It could mean selecting a kid with fewer than 20 senior league games to his name over an experienced international full back to mark the magnificent Eden Hazard.
The real world implementation of that buzzword would also require the manager to accept his own mistakes and set about rectifying them rather than ploughing on regardless full of bloody mindedness and blind faith. It could mean laughing stock/cult hero (delete as applicable) Kolo Toure coming in for a prolonged run in the side at the expense of the woefully out of form ‘defensive leader’ that the manager (transfer committee/manager and/or transfer committee/scouts – Ed) recklessly splashed £20m on this summer.
Based on the idea of a footballing meritocracy Fabio Borini should play against Chelsea too. I doubt he will but if he does then I hope it’s not as a lone striker. The alternative may very well mean relinquishing midfield control against high-class opponents to facilitate a conventional strike partnership comprised of two Italian lads, neither of whom seems to have the manager’s full trust — but why not try it?
It seems no more likely to fail than persisting with the unimpressive setup we’ve seen recently. Who knows, it might just help to get something out of Balotelli and it would certainly allow Raheem Sterling to play with more freedom in the centre of the pitch rather than being confined to the touchline playing as an default winger or an auxiliary wing back.
One positive from the defeat to Real was that, whether you agreed with his decisions or not, Rodgers clearly showed everyone that does indeed have the balls to make big decisions. His team selection left him wide open to a media lynching had Liverpool been humbled. In truth he’s still received a lot of criticism for the starting 11. If he follows that with a defeat to Chelsea one can only imagine the hysteria that could ensue.
Yet, despite the obvious negative reaction and ramifications of his selection in Madrid, the manager stuck to his guns and rotated heavily. It didn’t work as well as some are implying — we lost, that’s never an indication of success. But the performance was of a high enough level to provide him with a shield to defend himself with.
It hasn’t pacified everyone and losing to Chelsea will only compound the anger that many are feeling right now but at the very least Rodgers did it his way on Tuesday night. Rights or wrongs can be debated but this wasn’t a half-baked plan and nor was it only partially executed. It was a clear and obvious ploy with genuine thought behind it. He went about his task with absolute conviction.
I want to see more of that.
More certainty. More clarity. For better or for worse. Losing football matches will always hurt no matter what the circumstances but as long as there is a clear plan on show then there is always hope of a brighter tomorrow. That’s the reason that Man United fans are more upbeat with fewer points under Louis van Gaal than they were at the same stage under David Moyes last season. They feel like they’re building toward something again rather than merely flinging muck forlornly at a wall and hoping for the best.
Giving Manquillo, Toure and Borini a run of games may not be what Rodgers envisaged in August fresh from throwing £100m around the transfer market but it would at least offer some stability at a time when it is badly needed. So would allowing Borini and Balotelli the opportunity to get a partnership going before Daniel Sturridge returns. Whether these potential changes would succeed or not is up for debate – what isn’t right now? – but at least they would restore some order and return some semblance of identity to a team who appear to have lost theirs of late.
Whatever path the manager decides to go down from here we must hope that he embarks upon it devoid of the murky, muddled thinking that has surrounded his team selections too often this season. Liverpool need their identity back. Confusion currently reigns but confused teams can never reign. It’s high time Liverpool stepped out of the gloom and got back to the business of being about something again.
Anfield on Saturday is as good a place to start as any.
Pics: David Rawcliffe
I love that analogy of rolling the dice. It’s so accurate. I’ll probably use that when I’m out at the weekend. Prior to the Newcastle game I’d spent the previous month moaning about having 1 up front. Admittedly, I also wondered if we had the personnel to do anything else but when the team was announced I was pleased. I thought that’s the team I’d hoped for. Maybe I thought Mario was gonna get at least a hat-trick after his League Cup goal. I also hoped he might have a look at Sterling with Mario. Either way I was pleased. Why? Because exactly like you said, You’re rolling the dice with a lot of those players. All of them are capable of brilliance and it leads to that glimmer of hope. Sadly, the 11 dice rolled onto 1 and have too many times recently. I’m at the stage now (post Newcastle) where I’ll probably be angry if we get more of the same on Saturday. We need to shake it up a bit. It’s completely flat.
Excellent article. Agree completely that the manager needs to show the same courage as on Tuesday and pick in form players regardless of price tag. It may be stretching things to say that toure is in form – note the blunder against Boro in the league cup – but he does bring a certain leadership and authority to the team which is currently missing. He also looked surprisingly mobile on Tuesday I thought.
Balotelli needs to be paired with Borini. Trouble is how do you accommodate two forwards against a team with real midfield quality? Play three at the back? I think that might be the best option this weekend
Toure wasn’t at fault for the goal against Boro. It was all Sterling’s fault as he gave a horrible back pass when we were attacking their half (full backs up the pitch and everything) which basically let the Boro striker through on goal. Kolo was trying his best to do something in the box but the back pass was so bad that the striker was already goal side him. Kolo shoved him off the ball and Boro won a penalty. No mistake there. Sterling hung Kolo out to dry with that crazy pass. Sterling did something similar by giving a terrible back pass which allowed Ludogorets to score. Another thing is that our relatively inexperienced full backs, especially the attack-minded Moreno, need to learn to stay back and stop bombing on when we are trying to see out a slender 1 goal lead.
Sometimes there can more than 1 at fault for a goal.
This:
The disjointed 4-2-3-1 system the team has adopted recently may offer an obvious scapegoat for people in the form of an isolated and frustrated Balotelli, but it’s providing precious little threat to our opponents. Of all the question marks against this team and it’s manager right now it is the consistent use of a system that seems to suit none of the club’s best players that is undoubtedly the most infuriating.
Even more infuriating given how the Hodge was roundly derided for playing Gerrard and Henderson in exactly this system with predictable results in the World Cup.
Kolo, Can and Borini should start tomorrow. Brendan’s got his formation and players right once this season: Spurs away.
I believe we shout stick with the players that are performing with a coupla changes. For me that would be Migs, Moreno, Kolo, Skrtel, Manquillo, Gerrard, Can, Henderson, Coutinho, Balotelli, Borini in a 4-1-2-1-2 perhaps switching to a 4-3-1-2. Johnson has been poor for 2 yrs now and is our worst right back. Lovren is our worse centreback at the min and needs taken out of the spotlight to regain his confidence. Too much expectation was put on him when he arrived. He was meant to hit the ground running AND be the dominant force for our defensive unity but at the min he’s done neither so it’s time to give him a break and then ease him back in. Chelsea are a big physical team so no need for the likes of Allen or Lallana starting. Balotelli needs a partner so why not the dynamo Borini??
I could guess Chelsea’s plan already. They’ll sit back and invite us on then try and hit on the counter. Perhaps knick something from a set piece.
I’d also consider (which somebody – one of the Mikes? – suggested a while back on the podcast) 4-1-2-2-1.
Using Lucas as the defensive one allows Gerrard up the pitch with Sterling to be the two behind Balotelli. That gives Balo the movement around him that he needs, and increases Gerrard’s goal threat. Henderson and Coutinho as the two ahead of Lucas; Coutinho has shown the ability to get stuck in as well as be creative.
Lallana, Allen, Can, and Borini from the bench can allow pretty much any change of shape/tactics.
One the one hand I feel like Borini deserves more than being on the bench but on the other hand I just can’t shake the feeling that once players click with Balotelli, and maybe if he just starts clicking on his own, then the reward will be so much greater.
Moreno, Manquillo, and Skrtel all on merit, and I would consider Lovren ahead of Toure in the hope that he performs better with Lucas in front of him. Mignolet in goal.
Yep, I like this.
If Chelsea bring their ‘A’ game they win and it won’t matter what formation we play, but I think we give ourselves our best chance by doing something that causes Mourinho to reassess his own plans. No matter how good his Chelsea teams have been in the past, he’s consistently revealed himself to be the ultimate pragmatist. He never just sends his teams out saying “go play”. He always incorporates into his own thinking a plan to handle what he anticipates to be the opposition’s greatest theats, and to exploit their biggest weaknesses.
The worst thing we could do is step out on that pitch with a team and formation that Mourinho guessed 3 days ago. By pushing Gerrard further forward and having Sterling dovetail with Balotelli, we’re at least gving him pause for thought.
Migs?
What does Lucas have to do to gain credit for his displays? He has been, to use Rodgers favourite adjective, ‘outstanding’ in the games he has been allowed to play. He is our only defensive midfielder and gives everything when he pulls on the shirt. To persist with Gerrard as an auxiliary centre back, another link in the chain that sees the ball move slowly across the back is so sapping to watch, and I suspect be part of.
Did Rodgers show some balls against Madrid? An alternative is that as Liverpool FC (five times European Champions) went there as no hopers, a radical team selection was easy. Win, lose (heavily even) or draw could be seen as acceptable given the team’s new status as minnows compared to Europe’s top team.
The test of Rodgers’ mettle will be tomorrow and other games where bold decisions should be made. However I suspect he will reinstate his favourites and hope they do the job. As a supporter I hope whatever he does it works, as so far precious little he’s done on or off the pitch has worked this season.
It looks like the club is back to manager’s mates and cliques post new contracts and large bonuses after a single successful season. Same ol’ same LFC. Back to floating near the top of the middle table filler.
Let’s face reality, other than a nice cup here and there, it’s been like this for almost a quarter of a century. Think on that.
I’d be tempted to push Sterling up top and through the middle, making runs past Balotelli. He may not be a centre-forward, but given that brief i fail to see how he couldn’t be just as effective as a Borini at his best.
I think I’d probably find room for Lucas, maybe deployed in front of the back four with Gerrard moving 20 yards further up the pitch.
Don’t know about Toure. It wouldn’t be the worst shout in the world, but 2 games in 5 days against Real and Chelsea is a big ask when you’ve hardly kicked a first team ball all season.
Been saying the same thing about Sterling for weeks. We’re in a situation where we’ve got nothing to lose, or no alternative at least.
Agreed. If Walcott can do it with some level of effectiveness, I’m sure Sterling can.
Put it this way: if I were Terry/Cahill, that combination would worry me more than any other we can currently field.
Defo agree. Hadn’t read this before I posted above about 4-1-2-2-1 but the core sentiment is a similar one.
Lads not to put a downer on this whole topic but in my opinion, this season is a write off. Rodgers himself said this summer was a one off spending wise so the players we have now, barring another raid from Barce or Madrid for Sterling/ Sturridge, are who we will have for the foreseeable future, meaning coaching, coaching and more coaching.
I think the idea is to treat every competition as a chance to train the players to a system rather than adapt the system to the players as we did last season. One of the major positives of investing in youth in fact, is that the players are not only more able, but more willing to learn a new system and style of play.
With that in mind, I think it’s this 4-2-3-1/ 4-3-3 with a lone striker that is how the players will have to get better at.
I think if we all treat this season as a learning exercise, and the players are given time to learn and grow, then the potential is definitely there for this side to have a great future, just don’t expect any more than a League Cup win, 5th place in the league and last 16 of the CL this season. A League Cup win may not be much to hope for, but instilling a winning mentality has to start somewhere.
Great article, as always. Captures my own confusion/frustration.
Differ on one point. I don’t think BR is muddled or murky in his thinking. Stubborn as a jackass, yes.
To me, BR has been crystal clear in his thinking. He wants to revert to the system that served him well at Swansea (covered presumably in his ‘manual’). He bought an excess of wide players this transfer window with this in mind, and the tweak at wingbacks (at Newcastle) was to serve the ‘single striker’ pointhead while flooding the midfield. (Lots of thought behind it; however, still flawed.)
It is clear to all that it’s not working given that we don’t have a pointhead striker, but BR’s stubbornness is disconcerting given how flexible he was last season.
I’ve always been a big fan of his and hold out hope that he will get it right yet. Let’s just hope the season does not get away from us before then.
This thread shows that’ve a number of fans have more tactical
knowledge than the manager.