Liverpool need consistency of selection to challenge for the Premiership title
Forget the star players.
Benitez needs to focus on choosing his best XI and sticking with it throughout the whole season, barring injuries and suspensions. In this way he’ll be taking a leaf out of the Ferguson and Mourinho handbook when it comes to giving your team the best chance of winning the title.
In that case, the consistency of selection is key to settling the team into a rhythm thus giving them the platform to play football which is both entertaining and effective for getting results home and crucially, away from Anfield.
In my opinion given the players at Liverpool’s disposal (plus two additional world class strikers in the Villa and Tevez mould) Rafa should adopt a more radical tactical formation for the upcoming 2007/08 season. The 3-2-3-2 would be somewhat of a ground-breaker in the Premiership, but I believe it would give Liverpool Football Club every chance of winning the league next season, most factors withstanding.
The formation and it’s players would look something like this.
Reina
Carragher Hyypia Agger
Mascherano Alonso
Pennant Gerrard Kewell
Tevez Villa
Essentially the ‘balance’ in the team would be almost perfect with five men defending and five men attacking. With such a formation Liverpool would be able to score freely against teams ‘parking the bus’ at Anfield and their own patch. In reference to the formation, the five attacking protagonists can all inter-change and thereby creating confusion amongst the opposition in terms of their difficulty in picking up set players and so getting dragged out of set positions.
For example, Pennant and Kewell can switch wings as both are adept at using their so called ‘weaker foot’. In the case of Kewell he can also switch with Gerrard and play off the front two because of his intelligent passing and creativity while Gerrard has experience playing on the right side of midfield where he can drive at the opposing full back and whip effective crosses into the box.
Conversely, in this position Stevie G can offer increased stability when Liverpool don’t have possession as he has the energy levels and more importantly, the discipline to track back and help his full back put the opposition’s winger or full back, or both as the case may be, under pressure. Additionally, Tevez can drop into Gerrard’s position if Steven is out wide right and play off the front two in a traditional ‘number 10′ ala Diego Maradonna role.
Consequently Liverpool’s creativity would greatly increase from this past season and see them rectify the absence of goals which has in the end cost them the title. In conclusion, this formation would send out a clear message - ‘you can score 3 against us, but we’ll put 4 past you.’
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I agree with the consistency bit, but not with Pool getting Tevez
You obviously don’t know waht you are talking about when it comes to football with the attitude of “you can score 3 and we’ll take 4″. In modern football all successful teams are builth from the back. If you analyse how Man U won the league this year it was by conceding signifiantly less goals than they have in previous years.
It’s impossible to fight for four trophies if you intend to stricly keeping the same starting 11. Rafa is right when he says you need 2 players for every position. Man U plays the same starting 11 for any big match because their bench does not have anyone good enough to stake a strong claim for any position, except Heinze, who will be leaving anyway. Considering their lack of depth, it is very impressive that they have won the league, but that may be all that they will win. Mourinho rotates, just not as much as Rafa. But the idea of the best starting XI is a flawed one. Tactics plays the most imporant role in choosing a team. You have to choose the best squad based on the skills of your opponents, and line them up correctly. Fatigue plays a role as well, while suspenions and injuries simply limits your options, but they should not be the only reasons to make changes.
Maciej,
Heinze is not leaving. Stop reading the shit tabloids. Deal with it.
thats not from the tabloids but just how i feel about the situation. he’s a center back at heart, and has no chance of getting that role, and now he’s no longer the first choice left-back. there’s plenty of teams that would want him in their back 4.
I agree with you generally but not on the basis of not resting our first choice. We do need to establish a first choice, get them to gel, and REST them as EARLY as possible every week. We need to give enough rest to our first choice without disrupting the team in general.
In order to do this, we need to make as few changes as possible to our first eleven. WHen we keep sending out a team with TOO many changes, it essentially becomes a different team.
I like our idea of outting our best 3 central midfielders on the field at one time but this, again will tire them in the long run. WE should pick the teams to play against, and against most teams we can do with Stevie G and Mascherano in the centre with Alonso coming in to replace Stevie G after the hour mark.
I’m afraid I’m certain this formation wouldn’t work.
If you want to play 3 at the back, you need to play with wingbacks, that would be Riise/Aurelio and Finnan / Arbeola.
Having just central defenders + two holding midfielders is going to leave you very exposed on the flanks, and Kewell and Pennant aren’t players very inclined to fall back and defend as wing backs.
Rafa has used this formation a couple of times this year with decent results, essentially against weaker teams at their ground, but play this system against the top, say, 6 teams and you will get punished.
Sticking with a preffered XI over 60 games a season is just ludicrous. There’s no way you can manage it. The only possible way to do that is to say at the beginning of the season, that we will go for the premiership, and use the reserves for domestic and european cups, essentially knocking LFC out of the three cups, so that the magnificent 11 can do their best to secure the Premiership. It’s a dodgy strategy at the best of times…
So you’ve all gone off Sissoko?
As for the team selection…well I must say I find it hard to take seriously any team which signposts its focus on consistency whilst at the same time including Harry Kewell, mr inconsistent, at the very least in terms of injuries (inconsistently fit, or consistently injured :-)), if not in terms of performances.
You’ve made 2 points here
1) That Rafa needs to be consistent and pick the same team each week. I only half agree with you here, Rafa needs a consistent first choice 11 that will, barring injury play most games. However to expect that the same 11 players can play most games in 4 competitions in one season is ridiculous. Rafa rotates his players and expects the players he brings in to for his first choice to do the job. I’m sure they know their job but asking someone like Zenden to pass as well as Alonso or be like Gerrard is impossible because he isn’t good enough. Hence we need 2 quality players for every position, players good enough that they can step into the team and not disrupt our form.
And for that we will need more than just Villa and Tevez. We’d need 2 wingers and maybe a couple of full backs.
2) As for the 3-2-3-2 formation, well unfortunately you’re doomed to failure using that formation. Every formation that plays 3 at the back plays with wing backs so that the opposition don’t stretch them out at the back. Pennant and Kewell are hardly wing backs and by asking them to play that role you’re effectively changing your 3-2-3-2 formation to a 3-5-2 formation.
If 3-2-3-2 was a valid formation it most probably would have been invented by now. Most modern day formations are variations of existing formation eg. France used 4-2-3-1 at the world cup which is effectively a more defensive and flexible version of the 4-3-3.
A few things:
One, your defensive alignment pulls out Steve Finnan; Any first XI discussions for Liverpool MUST include him. Also, I don’t know if you noticed, but Sami Hyypia is getting old…Yeah.
Two, “Pennant and Kewell can switch wings as both are adept at using their so called ‘weaker foot’.” Are you SERIOUS?? That has been one of the most frustrating things this season, watching Mr. Pennant get plenty of space to cross with his left and instead continue to dribble, trying to get it on his right. The man has NO left foot (Trust me, I constantly watch to see if he will use it). Unfortunately we don’t have anyone else to turn to without pulling Stevie G out of the middle. I agree with Kewell though; would be nice if he could stay healthy, but the quality is there.
Finally, Tevez and Villa? I don’t know. Why wouldn’t you put Crouchie in there to hold the ball up and let one of those guys run off of him, ala Toshack and Keegan. I would much prefer that.
My first XI based on this season
Defense: Finnan, Carra, Agger, Arbeloa
Mascherano
Gerrard Alonso Riise
Kuyt Crouch
If we can replace pennant with a player more capable of good service and passing than I think the only thing missing is adding a quality striker like Tevez, Villa, or (my personal favorite) Torres. With the formation above, Stevie G can still press towards the middle when Finnan comes up the wing in attack support, due to the fact that Mascherano adds an extra layer of security in front of that defense.
Interesting formation. I do not agree with SteelScouser that Pennant need to be replaced. Pennant is getting better and better. Give him more time. He’s becoming more and more like Aaron Lennon. Quick, sharp and intelligent. I like David Villa but it’s abit of a risk to pay 25 to 30 million pounds. Look at Shevchenko, you will know what I mean. Not to disrepect Shevchenko, he’s good but he cant adjust to premiership. Tevez looks good, but can he score as many goals as Henry, Ruud or Drogba or even Ronaldo? We are seriously lacking a goal machine. Honestly, I prefer the skillful Dimitar Berbatov. He’s well fitted into the premiership and playing really well for Tottenham. Wonder if they will listen to offers. Simao looks good as well as he can play in many positions.
Here is a crazy idea .. Why not try playing attacking football?
How about a christmas tree formation, the one Milan killed Manu with, and about to drop it on you? 4-3-2-1
Finnan - Carragher - Agger - Risse
Sissoko - Mascherano - Alonso
Gerrard - Bellamy
Kuyt
Then just get Tevez and another attacking midfielder in the form of Kaka(fantasy football) or Simao. That should be a good starting eleven to cause anyone problems.It would be the same boring controlled football played, but if Kuyt, Gerrard and the new goal machine that comes in GET goals, there you have it, Milan-esque quality football that will win you the league if Manchester United and Chelsea don’t turn up next season.
Many teams in the Premiership lack goal machines, Manchester United and Liverpool dont have one. The truth is there is a huge shortage of top class strikers in the world.
My first Eleven this season:
-Reina-
-Finnan-Carragher-Agger-Warnock-
-Pennant-Gerrard-Alonso-Gonzalez-
-Bellamy-Crouch-
A lot of flaws in your logic i must say. Firstly i dont know why you have assumed liverpool are going to get both tevez and villa. There is no proof of even one coming forget both. Secodly i do agree with you that you have to play the same team to achieve success in the league. The rotation policy works when your playing for cup competitions, as proves by rafa, but it doesnt work in the league, also proven by rafa. I think all liverpool supporters will agree that they rather win the league than the champions league. The fact that liverpool are 21 points behing the leaders says a lot. Thirdly i dont think your formation is going to work at all. Its just way to narrow. I like the idea your going with but there is just no way team it is going to work down on the pitch. The midfield will be so dam crowded that there wont be any place or time for gerrard or alonso to create anything. Also i dont know why suddenly everyone thinks wingers are interchangeable ? just because ronaldo and giggs can do it doesnt mean any player can be played anywhere on the park. and score 3 against us we will score 4 against you ? mate that is rubbish. All clubs should think you will score nothing against us and we will score 4 against you. Like Laz said, the decisive factor in United and Chelsea’s success has been the fact that they concede a lot less than most and by playing 3 at the back your inviting wide players to attack the defence on the counter. A nice idea mate but no way is it going to work.
I don’t agree with the consistency bit or the 3-2-3-2 business.
Liverpool lack 4 genuinely good wingers that is why they can’t challenge effectively for the premiership. The side lacks balance. The two good natural wingers they possess, Kewell and Garcia are injured and there are no consitent right wingers. Hence the desperate need for Simao and Alves. Consistent selection has little to do with it. Rafa won the league in Spain with rotation. Inter have won the Serie A with it too.
If Liverpool have Simao, Alves, Kewell and Garcia to select for wing duty next season they will be considerably better.
With Penanant and Gerard adding other possibilities.
As for the 3-2-3-2 system! please.! Those center backs are so slow most premiership wingers would have a field day against them. The slowness of Alonso and Mascherano protecting them wouldn’t hep either
Liverpool just need Garcia and Kewell fit for a season and Simao. Then they should be okay. Also they should sale Bellamy and get a finisher like Huntelaar.
4-2-3-1 is he system that would bring Pool glory:
————–Reina——–
Finann—-Agger——Carragher—–Rise
—–Mascherano/Sissoko—-Alonso
Simao/Pennant———Gerrard———–Kewell/Garcia
————- Huntelaar/Crouch/Kuyt—————
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Rafa’s rotational system. He got the results in the second half of both this season and last. I think its more a matter of them getting an ‘early start’. I also don’t think they need to spend majorly. The current team is good enough.
Liverpool Will not win the league, or if they wanted to challenge for it, they would have to drop the 3 other competitions they “play” for.
Everyone claims Liverpool is such a huge club, now im not one to deny that, BUT what i do see is a vast difference between Liverpool comparing them to Chelsea and Man u.
Liverpool Every year play for one competition. Man u and chelsea play for 4.
Chelsea may not have much to show this year, but progression towards their goal of the treble or even Quad is there, with them getting to the final of the FA Cup and winning the CC. Semi final in CL and 2nd By some margin in PL.
Liverpool seem to cement Europe weather it be 3rd 4th or 5th, then rest every player and play in opne competition, having a greater chance of winning it as they keep their players fresh.
My point here is that Liverpool wont win the CL AND PL in the same year, they are simply not good enough and if they played for 4 competitions this year or the year before or even the year before that they would come out empty handed. They are a one competition team, and something in me says they will remain that way for quite some time.
Wow that is quite the statement richard. How exactly do you figure that Liverpool don’t play for more than one trophy? It seems to me that they have won the FA cup, and are on track to win their 2nd CL in 3 years. Thats a bit more than I can say for chelski. Oh, my mistake, its a HELL of a lot more, seeing as how chelsea has never won one. Chelsea, im afraid to say, is simply a team which has bought its titles. At the same time, the players that they have brought in to “compete for 4 trophies” as you put it, are so technically oriented that they fail in the premiership. With the American takeover of Liverpool, the money gap will shrink drastically, and if LFC are able to sign Villa/Torres/Eto’o/Tevez, Chelsea will soon revert to their historic position behind Englands two main clubs.
@Richard
Never though of it that way. Makes a lot of sense.
Really dont think that formation would work against teams with good width, and you cant challenge on all four fronts without some form of rotation. Also, what makes you think you will get two top class strikers?
PS Jarrett, Richards comment makes alot more sense than yours, and its funny you say that Chelsea players arent suited to succeed in the premiership when there 15 points ahead of Liverpool, and this is from an Arsenal fan
I dont think that formation can work at all, it doesnt account for opposition width. Also I doubt Liverpool will be able to pick up two great strikers. I dont totally disagree with not rotating though. Look how well Manu, whos bench is worse than Newcastles, have done this year an all fronts.
PS Jarrett, how can you say chelseas players fail in the Premiership when they managed to finish 15 points above Liverpools?
It’s a mistake to fault Rafa for Liverpool’s underperformance this season (only made to look good because of the fact that several other big name teams outperformed them at underperforming). Obviously there’s been a division between the results Liverpool has been getting in the second half of the season and the results Liverpool was getting in the first half of the season. But I think it’s wrong for this to be blamed on a Rafa rotational policy.
First of all a rotational policy is designed to keep players from getting fatigued - something which is not a real problem at the START of a season. Instead the reason why Rafa rotated players was simply because he didn’t know who his best eleven was. There were so many newcomers this season and this, combined with the fact that Liverpool has several ‘x factor’ players whose affect on the game is extremely unpredictable (ie Crouch) made selection very difficult.
Rafa will be in a much better position. In fact this is quite a good reason to think that not only will Liverpool not make many acquisitions over summer - they just flat out SHOULDN’T make many.
As for your formation, I’m not sure Liverpool can get the job done with three at the back (consistency starts with solid defending, remember) and I can’t help but feel that Sami Hyypia is about a mile over the hill.
Jarett, The truth hurts mate doesnt it??! Liverpool could compete for 4 competitions, but its too risky to suceed that much, they could lose everything alah chelsea have blown the biggest two this year, they are afraid, but they wouldnt do half of what chelsea acheived this year.
Liverpool have done a hell of alot more? Last time they won the prem, i seem to remember winning it twice in the last two years, and throw in cups. Better than one a season isnt it? 38 games two years in a row. Awesome.
best team to play
trust me i know!
————–Reina——–
Finnan -Carragher —Agger – aurelio
Simao Gerrard Alonso Rise
Huntelaar kuyt
screw all the sisiko and machoreno crap they both dnt come close to scoring and crouch can be subed on
Johnny, you cant judge a midfirelder solely on their ability to score goals, nearly all the best teams need a holding mid, that midfield would get torn apart against a good team rafa wouldnt go with that.
Where did simao come from?
gooooooooooood
————-reina———–
-finan–carragher–agger–aurelio-
–penant————Alonso——
———-gerrard———-rise—
(voronin)/bobel/(kyjt)–torress