Liverpool FC Forum

[Paul C]

Do you think we should go back to style of the 2001 season by hitting teams on the break, it worked at Old Trafford the other week.  Ever since we started trying to play attacking football our league positions have dropped from 3rd then 2nd to 5th last year and whereever we finish this season.

I just want some improvement cos we just don't know how to create in midfield, maybe we haven't got the right players to play the attacking style, I personally think Didi is a great player but peple I have spoken to think he is too defensive and should be replaced by another attacking midfielder to go forward with Gerrard and let the defenders do there job

[Leonmc0708]

I really could not give a s##t if we played defensively, it worked for us so well.

I dont care about moves, just points and preferably three at a time.

[Paul C]

I agree, I thought it would be great to see some Arsenal style 'sexy' attacking football at Anfield but it just hasn't worked, we need to go back to basics and start getting a consistant 3 points 

[glenbuck patriot]

I'd be completely overjoyed if we went BACK to the Liverpool WAY of playing.... PASS & MOVE!, it's IMO been completely lacking in ALL of GH's teams (Oh wait for the critcism!)...

Hitting teams on the break, yeah but in the old controlled style, we used to be able to adapt OUR Football to whatever the opposition wanted to play... Kick & rush, Long Ball, Eleven Goalpost's, they used to call US predictable, BUT, for ALL the right reasons, Now we're predictable for All the wrong reason's.

Some, May argue,(Counter Attacking one up front, ala "The Treble"!) that IT get's results 3/5 trophies in ONE season, (If that's how you want to look at thing's).

Me personally I'd like to go back to the basic's..., a hoard of players wearing a RED shirt offering options to the Man on the ball, wide Men getting to the byline.

However we seem to playing zonal football, every man has a position to cover, no-one apart from Stevie G taking overall resposibility, ONE lone striker, who feed's upon an " eye of the needle" pass that comes off maybe once/ twice a game.

Let's GET REAL, sack the sh##e that dictate's this, then maybe we'll have a chance at playing the GAME that we all once loved

[dawson99]

My opinion? Well since you asked
I think we have anaturally attacking team. With Finnan and riise as wing backs and gerrard bombing up we should be getting in better attacking positions. Id like to see a few more red shirts in the box when a cross is made. The whole hamman thing doesnt really make sense to me. I think he is doing a good job there and he gives Gerrard more freedom to his own thing. Didi also does his occasional run and has had a few good shots ud have to agree.

The main fault id say is having owen up alone. Why hit long balls to someone who is a foot shorter than the defenders? Of course he wont win too many balls that way! Hopefully cisse will change that and Kewell will start doing his thing. Right now though i think we gotta concentrate on getting a class right winger

[fritzylfc]

to be honest, the problem lies in the ball distibution, henchoz, hypia carragher,and most of the other defenders can not pass a football .if we hit the long ball it very rarely hits and sticks. which in turn by passes the slow midfield.how often our front players facing the wrong way? we need a play maker in defence also in midfield. woodgate type in defence decco of porto in midfield.  

[fritzylfc]

the problem is bad ball distrbution, henchoz hypia carraghher, hammnan and the rest of the defence can not pass a decent ball between them.long balls very rarely hit and stick. how often our players facing the wrong way due to badly played balls. we need woodgate type in defence a  decco of porto in mdfield. ball control is whats missing.

[daddyo]

the problem is bad ball distrbution, henchoz hypia carraghher, hammnan and the rest of the defence can not pass a decent ball between them.long balls very rarely hit and stick. how often our players facing the wrong way due to badly played balls. we need woodgate type in defence a  decco of porto in mdfield. ball control is whats missing.

I agree with a lot of what's said here. For a long time i have been saying that we bypass our midfield too often. That coupled with the fact that too many of our players take too many touches of the ball mkes us easier to play against.

The most penetrative teams will (most often) play THROUGH the midfield, CREATING chances rather than playing percentage.

Its interesting to note, that of all the goals we score, how many times can you say we "carve through the centre of defences?" We don't usually.

We take too many touches and our movement is 'reactive', that is to say we move just a little too late.

In short we take too long to do what we need to.

[Redtribe]

Pass and move

How simple is that!

Hamann is far too negative and too slow.
If you watch him he holds on to the ball for too long and will check back and pass backwards or sideways!
This alows teams to regroup set up solid banks of defence thus cutting our options and resulting in a ball being pinged over the top!
Watch other top teams and the passing has more urgency direction and purpose!

Its not a matter of playing attacking or devensive but  just playing with purpose. sometimes a backs to the wall approach is needed.

I feel he is trying to adapt be it using some limited players in vital areas!

Damn i've just opened a can of worms i'm putting the lid back on before it gets out of control!

[115-1073096938]

Square and backwards passes are sound.

I'm sick of people slagging the team and players off when someone keeps possession. Theres a time and a place for it all.

[Redtribe]

Yes but not when there are better options!

As i said and you too there is a time and a place!

Not always and forever!

I think hamann did a wonderful job for us a couple of years ago!
But he is not that same player anymore and i feel that is why Germany is having a hard time as well at the moment!
He is noticably slower to me both mentally and physicaly!

Some players have lost there way and i'm not just saying Didi!

There are some very pacey players in the team and they need to be used more often!

I think thats what we saw more of against boro and we looked much better there!

I think Houlier can bring us through i just hope he brings in the right player for the right positions

[Starbridge42]

The problem is exactly what my own club side (that I play for) has.  In the box players are taking to many touches.  Players are passing on responsibility rather than trying to create something when they are in space.  Too many players are kicking the ball and then admiring the kick rather than move up with the ball.  Its basic stuff that Liverpool used to do but doesn't anymore.

[Redtribe]

Yep Pass and move Starbridge!

Its a wonderful idea

[Paul C]

We need to play balls through the defence to strikers making runs, how many times this season have you seen Owen make a run to beat the offside trap and go one on one with the goal, he just doesn't make those runs anymore, I don't want to yarp on about Arsenal but Henry is a class example, he always makes great runs especially with that trick he does of coming back from an offside possition and then making a run straight away, our footie is too predicable and thats why we need a creative midfielder.

[Fowler_E7]

i feel we have to stick to attacking football, its proven throughut english football history that counter attacking defensive minded teams dont win titles. Granted it can work in knock out competitions but it wont win us the league