Is Kenny trying to rebuild his 80s side?

[Section_31]

Obviously not with the original players like, but the kinds of players he's going for.

 

Watching Suarez's cameo last night it was clear he revels in that role behind the striker and enjoys his flick-ons Beardsley style. With Carroll you've got your Aldo figure, a strong target man, commited who brings others into play and knows where the goal is.

 

With Charlie Adam, it's still not clear where he would have played, but it's more than possible he could have been earmarked for a wide position like Houghton - who wasn't a winger, but would often drift inside to make a three man midfield, but could put crosses in when neccessary. He was the perfect balance for the marauding Barnes.

 

Ashley Young, flying winger, the Barnes figure, obviously not in the same league - but who the fuck is?

 

Thoughts what?

[Anny Road]

I think all managers do this especially if the team was successful. This is part of our current malaise as Hodgson spent 6 months trying to recreate his title winning Malmo team.

It is a case of an evolving model. I am sure Kennys side was inspired by Paisleys and Shanks before him.

[Section_31]

I think all managers do this especially if the team was successful. This is part of our current malaise as Hodgson spent 6 months trying to recreate his title winning Malmo team.

It is a case of an evolving model. I am sure Kennys side was inspired by Paisleys and Shanks before him.

 

I disagree to a point, I think that side was revolutionary in many ways. The flexibility of the players was something rarely seen in English football at the time, nor was the idea of a floating striker like Beardsley (something Sky later obscenely termed 'the Cantona role', like it had never been tried before, with Hughes as their Aldo).

 

The side's attacks were built around the winger not just being a winger who got chalk on his boots in the traditional sense, but could merge with the strikers in a three man assault, much like Wenger's first great Arsenal side with Overmars running on and Parlour drifting in to pack the midfield.

 

The only constant in that side was the strength of Aldo, the others moved off him, I think Kenny has that role in mind for Carroll.

[a stoner]

He's building his team for the teenies based on his knowledge of the game and how it has evolved. He may not have managed in 10 years but he's always been around football and loved football. Everything we have seen so far has been a step, nay, a giant leap forward for the team on the pitch and the club in general. If it ends up with a similar model to the one that he built in the 80's and we start kicking some ass again that's fine with me.

[MOGLET]

To be honest, Kenny can build what he likes, he has made us look like Liverpool again.

We play with more passion and effort that we have for a long time, I dont watch a match now and think we are going to lose, I watch and wonder how many we are going to win by.

 

A lot of people dont want to go back to the old ways, but there is a saying, and that is, "If it aint broke, dont fix it" .

 

When he was our boss last time around, we won things, we played great football, and we didnt take second best as the norm.

 

So to get anything close to what he did with us last time, I for one dont care what he builds, it will be perfect.

[Anny Road]

I disagree to a point, I think that side was revolutionary in many ways. The flexibility of the players was something rarely seen in English football at the time, nor was the idea of a floating striker like Beardsley (something Sky later obscenely termed 'the Cantona role', like it had never been tried before, with Hughes as their Aldo).

 

The side's attacks were built around the winger not just being a winger who got chalk on his boots in the traditional sense, but could merge with the strikers in a three man assault, much like Wenger's first great Arsenal side with Overmars running on and Parlour drifting in to pack the midfield.

 

The only constant in that side was the strength of Aldo, the others moved off him, I think Kenny has that role in mind for Carroll.

I agree with you that Kennys side broke from tradition in terms of personnel and tactics but at it's heart was the team striving as one keeping the ball on the deck and moving it as fast as you can when the time was right. Quick quick slow slow. That's how I always remember Liverpool playing and how my old fella introduced me to the Liverpool style.

You could say through gritted teeth that Ferguson did to some extent recreate this style and key to that success has been players like Giggs and Ronaldo plus numerous strikers from Cole to RVN who new where the goal was.

The problem is I don't see a Barnes, Macmanaman, Roanldo, Giggs, Robben type player available at the mo and that will be key to Kennys team.

 

Unless you gamble on players like hazzard who I will admit to knowing f all about.

[Ribbler]

lille are obviously top of the league at the moment, and hazard is quality.

 

barcelona want him, and arsenal. i can see fabregas maybe being used here. also lille are building a new stadium 55,000 i think, and their president would like hazard to remain to play there for 1 season.

 

i doubt we will get him unless someone works some serious magic

[Red Nick]

When Carroll is fit we will have a much better idea of what Kenny has in mind but I do think Carroll is a totally different player to Aldridge, a cross between Drogba and Shearer.

 

pretty clear we need a quality wide player to give hm servcie and a boss DM player and we have the basis of a title winning team.

[Megadrive Man]

Yeah I was thinking this earlier, its interesting that Sterling has been given a squad number, as he looks like a winger in the John Barnes mold from what i've seen of him.

 

but the lads only just turned 16, surely he won't be thrown in yet?

[Stormbringer]

I disagree to a point, I think that side was revolutionary in many ways. The flexibility of the players was something rarely seen in English football at the time, nor was the idea of a floating striker like Beardsley (something Sky later obscenely termed 'the Cantona role', like it had never been tried before, with Hughes as their Aldo).

 

The side's attacks were built around the winger not just being a winger who got chalk on his boots in the traditional sense, but could merge with the strikers in a three man assault, much like Wenger's first great Arsenal side with Overmars running on and Parlour drifting in to pack the midfield.

 

The only constant in that side was the strength of Aldo, the others moved off him, I think Kenny has that role in mind for Carroll.

 

Actually for me that was the role of our two great 7's of the 70's. They both played off the top man be it toshack/johnson and then rush

[CWD82]

Intriguing idea and one that looks a possibility just looking at the strikeforce.

 

Would it be Gerrard for the McMahon role and Adam for the Molby role? Looks a bit flimsy, especially against a 5 man opposition midfield.

 

I think with a 442 our main problem is Meireles. Great player he is but he's competing against Gerrard for centre mid, and Suarez to play off Caroll. If we're going with a 4 man midfield I think we really need a tackler next to Gerrard. I thought with a 5 man of Adam, Gerrard and Meireles (plus 2 widemen) the numbers would make up for the lack of a ball winner but if it was Gerrard and another maybe we need more bite.

 

How did Molby and McMahon work? (I was only 5 at the time you see)

 

Could Adam and Gerrard do the same? My Dad tells me Gerrard is far better than McMahon going forward but McMahon had a bit more discipline defensively. Adams' passing isn't in Jans league but they are similar players for me.

 

Good topic

[Best Believe It]

For 442 to work we'd need a lot of new players and it would be difficult to play both Raul and Gerrard in centre midfield as that combination would offer next to no defensive cover. For me, Dalglish is edging towards a 433 or, probably more accurately, a 4-1-2-3, with Lucas holding, Gerrard and Meireles in front of him, and Suarez, Carroll and Kuyt as the three. Long term I think we'll see Kuyt replaced by someone like Ashley Young, who will play slightly deeper than Suarez and alternate flanks.

[CWD82]

For 442 to work we'd need a lot of new players and it would be difficult to play both Raul and Gerrard in centre midfield as that combination would offer next to no defensive cover. For me, Dalglish is edging towards a 433 or, probably more accurately, a 4-1-2-3, with Lucas holding, Gerrard and Meireles in front of him, and Suarez, Carroll and Kuyt as the three. Long term I think we'll see Kuyt replaced by someone like Ashley Young, who will play slightly deeper than Suarez and alternate flanks.

 

Why go for Adam then? Squad player?

 

I can see where you're coming from and it's how I thought we would line up, however the way that they're being spoken of suggests that it's going to be Carroll and Suarez upfront and that was where Suarez is speaking about playing (talking about linking up with another centre forward in his interview)

 

All a bit of a mystery still I suppose

[Einch]

Intriguing idea and one that looks a possibility just looking at the strikeforce.

 

Would it be Gerrard for the McMahon role and Adam for the Molby role? Looks a bit flimsy, especially against a 5 man opposition midfield.

 

I think with a 442 our main problem is Meireles. Great player he is but he's competing against Gerrard for centre mid, and Suarez to play off Caroll. If we're going with a 4 man midfield I think we really need a tackler next to Gerrard. I thought with a 5 man of Adam, Gerrard and Meireles (plus 2 widemen) the numbers would make up for the lack of a ball winner but if it was Gerrard and another maybe we need more bite.

 

How did Molby and McMahon work? (I was only 5 at the time you see)Could Adam and Gerrard do the same? My Dad tells me Gerrard is far better than McMahon going forward but McMahon had a bit more discipline defensively. Adams' passing isn't in Jans league but they are similar players for me.

 

Good topic

 

Jan was never the most mobile player and McMahon did a fair bit of running for both. Xabi's last season will have shown you what Jan was all about and the similarity in terms of play was at times uncanny. I think McMahon had more about him offensively than Mascherano but he and Xabi were as close a comparison as I have seen in recent times. Could Adam and Gerrard do the same? No. Neither is positionally as sound as either McMahon or Jan were defensively but you need to put it into the context that teams came to us knowing they were going to get beat and even when we went away the oppo' knew we were better than evens to win. We don't have that fear factor back yet so we get pressure on our possession both home and away earlier and more consistently than in the Kenny's first spell in charge. I think Adam and Gerrard would be suicidal in Europe so we need more flexibility and I agree that 4-3-3 is the way to go and we need to keep improving our short passing and movement to get the best out of it.

[Best Believe It]

Why go for Adam then? Squad player?

 

I can see where you're coming from and it's how I thought we would line up, however the way that they're being spoken of suggests that it's going to be Carroll and Suarez upfront and that was where Suarez is speaking about playing (talking about linking up with another centre forward in his interview)

 

All a bit of a mystery still I suppose

 

Yeah, squad player. Different option in midfield. That's how I see it, anyway.

[paddyberger15]

Steve McMahon was a cracking all round Midfielder. He ran, he tackled, he got forward, he chipped in with important goals, he broke up play and he set it in motion again. He was a key player in Kenny's great sides.

[silverlining]

McMahon was a great, great player, and exactly what we need. He formed good partnerships with some very different players, Molby, Whelan and occasionally Spackman, and adapted his game for all of them.

 

Essentially he was pretty mobile, a demon tackler, had a cracking shot and a wonderful passing range. He knew when to hold, when to attack, and was an integral part of perhaps the greatest Liverpool side ever.

 

If we could find a player like him for our midfield, we'd be closer to a great side. But they're not common, or cheap. Unless we grab a younger player and take a chance. A McMahon today at the age of 24-25 would be worth £30m.

[VladimirIlyich]

Kenny is just trying to replicate his method of a tried and trusted successful style of play when he was manager first time around and which he also took Blackburn to the title with.

He hasnt had 35 years of mediocrity as a manager he had a decade of success.

 

Somebody said that currently we might struggle in Europe with what we have at the moment but i think in the summer that might change although as Shanks said 'the domestic league is our bread and butter' and i think this is the way we will try to go in the near future.

[rubble-rouser]

I agree with Section that Adam might have ended up playing in an inside-left kind of position. The thought went through my mind last week, although the player that sprang to mind was a young Ronnie Whelan on the left.

[Einch]

McMahon was a great, great player, and exactly what we need. He formed good partnerships with some very different players, Molby, Whelan and occasionally Spackman, and adapted his game for all of them.

 

Essentially he was pretty mobile, a demon tackler, had a cracking shot and a wonderful passing range. He knew when to hold, when to attack, and was an integral part of perhaps the greatest Liverpool side ever.

 

If we could find a player like him for our midfield, we'd be closer to a great side. But they're not common, or cheap. Unless we grab a younger player and take a chance. A McMahon today at the age of 24-25 would be worth £30m.

 

Agreed. He was some player and no-one really wanted to mess with him. I just don't think there is a player anywhere who is as capable and flexible available today. Banega has matches where you think "good player" based on how spoilt we were with Souness and McMahon and then he has matches where you think "wtf?". M'Vila is another who is looking good but is so raw you know that it might be a massive gamble especially at the price point we would be quoted.

[Mathewbet1]

Mvilla would be good buy imo.

[Section_31]

Steve McMahon was a cracking all round Midfielder. He ran, he tackled, he got forward, he chipped in with important goals, he broke up play and he set it in motion again. He was a key player in Kenny's great sides.

 

Spot on Rob, I loved McMahon, and loved that side in general.

[bri]

I'm liking our short passing game which should now see us through the majority of the games. Attacking as a four instead of a 1.5man frontline will knick us wins. The test of metal then will be as usual the other top 4 teams. The style of footie is there all be it were still a bit shite at the back and weak in centre mid. Sunday is the test, of courecand actually if kenny gets the physcology right we can knick a win. The players must be fuming and we need to direct that into energy on the pitch.

[Carvalho Diablo]

I completely agree with the OP.

 

Exactly what I've been thinking, but the King has a long fucking way to go and NESV will need to back him big time to complete the transformation.

 

That 88 / 89 team was, and still is the greatest Liverpool side I've ever had the honour of watching. Just incredible, exciting football.

 

That side would have had at least another 2 European Cups had it not been for our our ban. Would have battered Milan in my opinion.

 

What I would give for another Barnsey or Stevie Nicol now though.

[Baldi]

Not looking forward to the part when he signs Glenn Hysen and David Speedie