Liverpool FC Forum

[Cool Hand Luke]

Might work:

                           Reina

            Hyypia    Carragher    Agger
Finnan                                            Riise

                          Alonso
             Gerrard               Zenden
                                         
                     Kuyt   Crouch/Bellamy

[Cool Hand Luke]

Suits Zenden and Gerrard far more.

[Cool Hand Luke]

And Riise for that matter.

[Bad Bob]

We'll never know who's right though, as its all hypothetical.

Yup, it's all what ifs.  One thing I'm sure of...if we had managed to score first, it would have been a very different result.  We might still have lost but I know we would not have been humbled like we were.  The lads simply cannot bounce back when they concede of late and that's the big worry.  My hope is that, whatever formation we settle on at Boro, we come out of the gates flying and score a quick one to get the monkey off our backs.

[ivor_the_injun]

I'd like both wingers to just keep hammering away at the fullbacks. I thought we'd see genuine wing play when we signed Gonzo and Pennant, but they're just far too apprehensive whenever they get the ball.

Even if you get tackled 90% of the time you try and bomb down the wing, it could be that other 10% that wins you the game.

I do think that an on-form Gerrard, playing in the middle, would help both wingers no end. No-one's taking the midfield by the scruff at the minute, and until they do, we'll carry on struggling away from home.

The funny thing is, I now think Zenden's going to be a huge player for us this term. Didn't think I'd be saying that at the beginning of the season.

[A.B.]

I don't know why people are still suggesting that we play Zenden in the middle. He's sh!t period. He's lost quite a lot of his pace and he's no longer a threat on the flank as he once was.

At Middlesbrough he played as an offensive midfielder, not a anchorman. He's simply not suited to the role given in the middle. He's clueless, soft in a tackle, and poor in possession.

We need quick centerbacks if we're going to push higher up the pitch which we have, however Carragher nor Hyypia are quick. They've gone forward to their credit this season but against top seasons they're found out and we're screwed when the opposition counters.

Finnan also isn't particulary fast and Riise is so and so. [Look at Arsenal's squad, especially their back four, every one of them is quick as feck].

If we had another Agger and perhaps an Alves type of player on the left and right wing-back position then we could play 3-5-2. But we can't.

I don't care what we played against AC Milan in Istanbul, this is the Premiership we're talking about and it's not the same thing.

I think we're quite capable of playing good football, we've done it at home but are having problems replicating it away from home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7fLdk9MCOU

That was Rafa's team against us a couple of years ago, they -raped us and gave us a lesson in football like no one has. F#ck Arsenal,Chelsea and Manure, those lads played better than any of them.

Benitez is trying to do the same with us. We're getting there but it's going to take time. People wanted to us to play better football so we've pushed up but we're poor away from home. The game against Villa was some of the best football we've played in years.

We have the capability to keep the ball for long periods of times like Valencia did  but at times we look clueless because we lack creativity. Our players have movements off the ball and it's cuasing us problems.

[Smeg]

I'm a fan of 3 5 2, really works well cos Agger gets more freedom to push up with the ball, so you get Xabi and extra ten yards up the field. That's another thing, with Agger as a centre back in 4 4 2, we tend to let xabi push further up the field, mainly becasue Agger is better at picking people out with passes, and coming forward with the ball than Carra and deffo Sami who has never really impressed me with his distribution (can be shocking at times)

[LittleHobo]

I'm a fan of 3 5 2, really works well cos Agger gets more freedom to push up with the ball, so you get Xabi and extra ten yards up the field. That's another thing, with Agger as a centre back in 4 4 2, we tend to let xabi push further up the field, mainly becasue Agger is better at picking people out with passes, and coming forward with the ball than Carra and deffo Sami who has never really impressed me with his distribution (can be shocking at times)

get your coat lad

that post is a laughing stock

[AussieKopite]

I'm amazed how some of these people go from "I dream of a team of Carraghers" to "Carragher can't handle pressure".

[red37]

some additional food for thought on this:

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/cgi/NGoto/171258389?-11194

[account deleted by request]

I actually think Rafa is seriously considering 3 -5 - 2 after his comments yesterday about "having ideas about a possible answer".

[mattylfc]

A lot of what the article said was very much inline with my thinking.  There are definate benefits to this formation.  Agger will certainly gain from the formation and his ability to come out of defense with the ball and link up is something that we definately do require.  A combination of Aggers ability on the ball, Hyppias height and reading of the game and JC's all round play can surely only be a good thing.

The other main factor is the fact that we dont actually use our wide men to their full potential anyway.  Gerrard would benefit just as much from playing a free role behind the forwards, or in the middle with Alonso whilst Sissoko is out and have Garcia in the hole.

When Sissoko is fit this formation will allow us to play our strongest players in their best positions.  Agger, Hyppia and JC are all battling it out for a place in defence.  Gerrard, Alonso and Sissoko are no doubt our three best midfielders and would all be able to play in their most effective positions.  It also means that there will be no need for any 'fringe' players until required (i.e. pennant, gonzalez, zenden), who at present are not performing.

Risse /Aurelio could certainly fill the left hand side slot and Finnan the right, although he may not be as effective.

The main problem with this formation in my opinion is the effect it may have on Alonso.  The middle of the pitch will no doubt be much more compact and Alonso will struggle at times to find the space he requires.  With no width, Alonso may also have a problem as he does love to spray balls out wide and swith the play from left to right. This may become difficult if finnan and Risse dont get forward enough.

3-5-2 is a formation that requires every single player to have a clear role and an understanding throughout the team.  Its a formation that can take quite a few games until we see the real benefits.  This is something that Liverpool simply cannot afford at this present time with our away record.  When things arent going too well the general philosophy is to go back to basics and what people know best.

Its something that should definately be considered but whether this is the right time to experiment, im not sure.

[Scottbot]

3-5-2 is a formation that requires every single player to have a clear role and an understanding throughout the team.  Its a formation that can take quite a few games until we see the real benefits.  This is something that Liverpool simply cannot afford at this present time with our away record.  When things arent going too well the general philosophy is to go back to basics and what people know best.

Its something that should definately be considered but whether this is the right time to experiment, im not sure.

Spot on with those comments.


The formation has a few positives, it would get Agger into the line-up and would get Gerrard playing further up the pitch. However, while i'm not against playing 3-5-2, it is very 'champ manageresque' to think that switching from the 4-4-2 (which is working perfectly at Anfield) will solve all our away day problems. Given our away form it's worth a punt (what isn't?) but you only have to look at England a few weeks back to see just how unfamiliar the players are with this set-up. It can be particularly difficult from a defensive point of view where the 3 centre backs can become uncertain about 'who should be attacking the ball' or 'who should be playing as the spare man'. It can also be very difficult when teams play with one-up and one playing 'off the front man' (as is the norm these days) and if the opposition's wingers play high and wide you can find your wing-backs 'pinned' and then you're playing 5 at the back. I also think that Finnan is over-rated as an attacking player, he's fairly comfortable on the ball and tidy in posession but i beleive he would be no more effective in that role than Gary Chuckle was for England in their last game.

As for our away form. I still maintain it's all about confidence. The moment Arsenal scored first i knew (so did most of you i suspect) that it was all over and worse still, i think the players knew it as well. For all the negative comments in the match-day thread (i've only read some of it) the fact is we were playing well untill they scored. The team look like they have developed an 'away day complex' and it needs a win (no matter how ugly) to break it

[stmichael]

I also think that Finnan is over-rated as an attacking player, he's fairly comfortable on the ball and tidy in posession but i beleive he would be no more effective in that role than Gary Chuckle was for England in their last game.

I agree that the key to that formation working is having a natural attacking rightback. Without it we'll be more narrow in attack than we currently are.

Strange really because earlier in the season Steve Finnan was regularly an overlapping fulback but for whatever reason he seems to have been told to stop doing this recently. It's a waste because he is a decent crosser of the ball with either foot.

[floppo]

I agree that 3-5-2 does have many things going for it, Agger getting a starting place is one and obviously it gets Stevie into centre mid where most fans want him. I'm sure we've tried it before under Rafa away from home in Europe, Deportivo away a few seasons ago I believe, and it worked well that night.

On paper the team certainly looks strong in a 3-5-2 set up, but my main concern would be the wing backs - they need to cover a lot of ground and provide all the width and attack from the flanks, which Riise could do ok but not so sure about Finnan. However, I rate Finnan as one of the top right full backs in the epl, just don't think he's a wing back, which is a totally different role.

I agree that confidence is the main problem though, not the formation. As soon as we go behind away from home, I like many others feel the game is as good as over. With this in mind I would go for an attacking 4-4-2 line up against Boro.

Reina,

Finnan, Agger, Carra, Riise

Pennant, Gerrard, Alonso, Garcia/Gonzales

Kuyt Bellamy.

Having played all the 'big' teams away, it's time to give the new players a decent run in the team - and time for them to show they have what it takes to be a Liverpool player.