Liverpool Vs Southampton (August 17th, 2014)

[Allan]

No not really. Gerrard became a centre-back r most of the game until we switched back to the diamond. Lucas was the only holding-midfielder. But yes, you are right. You can't really designate the shape too well with any set formation. I just thought that 4-3-3 was what described it best.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree...

[TheHowieLama]

Henderson wasn't on the right. He played deeper than that and further inside.

 

As I said watching the shape of the team is just one way of determining a formation. 

 

Also seemed like we went to a one deep midfield triangle when Allen came on then a midifeld diamond when Lambert came on.

 

again, just from watching

[TheHowieLama]

No not really. Gerrard became a centre-back r most of the game until we switched back to the diamond. Lucas was the only holding-midfielder. But yes, you are right. You can't really designate the shape too well with any set formation. I just thought that 4-3-3 was what described it best.

 

WTF are you talking about?!  A CB? yeah thats what he becam - he took up the exact same position all of last year when we had possesion and the CBs split - again, using the watching method.

 

Of coursed Lucas was off the pitch when we went to the diamond - you saw that didn't you?

[Luxembourg]

As I said watching the shape of the team is just one way of determining a formation.

 

Also seemed like we went to a one deep midfield triangle when Allen came on then a midifeld diamond when Lambert came on.

 

again, just from watching

I've found watching to be the best way.

[Luxembourg]

WTF are you talking about?! A CB? yeah thats what he becam - he took up the exact same position all of last year when we had possesion and the CBs split - again, using the watching method.

 

Of coursed Lucas was off the pitch when we went to the diamond - you saw that didn't you?

Watch the game again. Manquillo and Johnson pushed forward and Gerrard either went to the left or right side of a back 3. It isn't the same as last season because Gerrard wasn't a sort of half-back today. Lucas was in front of the centre-backs as a holding midfielder.

[JoeyJones65]

 

Opta stat:

 

Neither Glen Johnson or Lucas Leiva completed a single tackle for Liverpool against Southampton.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Watch the game again. Manquillo and Johnson pushed forward and Gerrard either went to the left or right side of a back 3. It isn't the same as last season because Gerrard wasn't a sort of half-back today. Lucas was in front of the centre-backs as a holding midfielder.

 

It was exactly the same as last season, when our centre halves split and Stevie dropped a little deeper to fill in. No biggie.

 

The difference is that Lucas was never more than half a dozen yards away, (trying to do the exact same thing ?), offering little or no progressive option or link to our attackers.

[Luxembourg]

It was exactly the same as last season, when our centre halves split and Stevie dropped a little deeper to fill in. No biggie.

 

The difference is that Lucas was never more than half a dozen yards away, (trying to do the exact same thing ?), offering little or no progressive option or link to our attackers.

I think it is different because I see it as how Rodgers is trying to make the defence tighter. Now we have the double security of another holding-midfielder (though Lucas doesn't do the job very well).

[Dr Nowt]

Tough game but the first few are always tricky of a new season. Would not read too much into it but it's fair to say when a team attacks us we look shaky maybe we should have bought Schnerdlin instead of Lallana and lost Allen and Lucas.  Good late save by Mignolet and a draw would have been a fair result but fuck it we got the 3 points and that is all that matters.

 

Sturridge never ceases to amaze me the amount of different goals he scores is crazy. My only worry is I want to see him in the box a bit more as he went looking a bit much at certain times in this game. Not his fault as there was not much supply but if you are playing 1 up top it is a totally different role than when he played with Suarez.

 

I think that's a decent observation, and gives the lie to any idea we should be looking for a back-up to Sturridge/that Remy wouldn't have played often; even abiding by the revolutionary idea that we can't "replace replace" Suarez, this side is still more dangerous when we have a dual striker goal threat.

 

As Sturridge was pulling wide a lot today and we spent the first half trying to spring Raheem through the centre, it does appear we may be at least aiming for more of the same as last season in terms of a fluid front 2/3, where 2 first choice strikers interchange positions, albeit without someone as good as Suarez sharing duties.

[Iceman]

Could we play Sterling in Suarez role and let Lallana / Markovitch play Sterlings old position?

[Gym Beglin]

Lucas and Johnson were appalling and should be ashamed of themselves.

[TheHowieLama]

Could we play Sterling in Suarez role and let Lallana / Markovitch play Sterlings old position?

 

Brillz.

[Mathewbet1]

.................Strurridge.....................

Markovic,,,,Raheem.......Lallana

..................Cout..........................

[TheHowieLama]

Erm, no.

[Hand Shandy]

You can't deny it would be exacting...

[Hand Shandy]

You can't deny it would be exacting...

Ha! Meant exciting, but exacting works as well...

[Paco]

Lucas and Johnson were appalling and should be ashamed of themselves.

as was coutinho

[Dr Nowt]

Could we play Sterling in Suarez role and let Lallana / Markovitch play Sterlings old position?

 

I don't know Ice, I just don't.  I would be inclined to say no personally if it is by choice and design, though no doubt he could make a good fist of it if required as a fallback.  The Rodge trying for Sanchez and Remy and whoever else says its better not to, and that seems wise to me, I suspect we'd lose something from him.

 

For me, 2 strikers interchanging, aided by the creative talents of him, Markovic, Lallana, Coutinho and hopefully Ibe if he stays around and gets some minutes, is as sticky buns to Eamonn Holmes. And I'm a tell ya, that's pretty fucking drool-inducing.

[cmuller]

We need another player who'll drag a performance out of the rest of the players like Suarez used to.

 

Only Lovren, Skrtel and Allen played with the intensity and attitude I got so used to seeing last season.

[Paco]

maybe it was all part of the plan. let lucas kick shit out of them for 70 mins then bring on allen to torture them til full time.

 

rodgers is a genius.

[Megadrive Man]

A hugely disappointing display by us today. Only poor finishing by them stopped us drawing or losing this game.

 

I thought only Lovren, Henderson and Sterling played well today. Allen did ok when he came on too.

 

Lovren was outstanding. He looks so calm and assured on the ball and really leads from the back. I know it's only one game, but I don't think I'm over reacting by saying that he is future captain material.     

[Carvalho Diablo]

I thought Manquillo played well too.

[Strontium]

I can see us conceding 45-50 goals again this season.

 

Nah, I reckon we'll only have conceded 30 by the end of summer.

[mattyq]

What a difference Allen made. Thought he made a huge impact when he came on for Lucas. Dunno what made Brendan give Lucas a start, but dont think it will happen again if the others are fit.

 

I knew there'd be plenty of people saying this...unfortunately it isn't true.

Lucas wasn't very good today - he was poor. 

Allen came on and changed us not a jot. His first touch was poor and he gave the ball away far more than he normally does.

We only really got some urgency when Lambert came on and we altered the shape. It won us the game which is the important thing but we were dis-jointed and lacklustre but lucky.

City will murder us if we play that badly again

I don't want to see Hendo on the right again...it's just a waste of an excellent CM

[JustTosh]

Invest as much in defenders as you want, but if Rodgers can't see that as long as we two central midfielders that can't track opposition players' runs from deep we will keep on shedding in goals. Gerrard is constantly ball watching, he hasn't got a single clue who's making runs behind him. Ward-Prowse kept on sitting in between our defense and midfield lines, and he never even tried to close down that space. And, the less said about Lucas, the better. I've always maintained last season that the reason we concede so much has far more to do with the awful midfield protection than the defense itself. It's so easy for the opposition to get into these threatening positions behind the midfield line, the defense can only do so much. The ridiculously deep defensive line doesn't help either.

 

Anyway, at least we got the three points, not that we truly deserved these.

 

 

Just as I see it.at

 

The lack of midfield protetcion cost us a lot of goals last seasnon and it appears we'll see more of the same this season. If Allen and Can starts, maybe it will be better? I certainly hope so.