Liverpool FC Forum

[cptrios]

I like JoeTerp's 3-5-2, in one of these iterations:

                    Reina

Finnan           Carra          Aurelio/Riise

                  Sissoko

Pennant  Gerrard   Alonso   Gonzalez

        Bellamy         Kuyt

Or:
                   Reina
Finnan          Carra          Riise/Aurelio
 
         Sissoko       Alonso

Pennant     Gerrard      Gonzo

         Bellamy      Kuyt

We could use the 3-5-2 against the weaker teams (i.e. Sheff U) at the beginning of the season, and switch to the 4-4-2 against better opponents (unless the 3-5-2 is a ridiculous success). And in the 4-4-2, as much as I'd like to see Momo and Xabi on the field at the same time, I think one of them should be sacrificed in order to let Gerrard into the center and Pennant into the right wing. Pennant's pace is invaluable.

By the way JoeTerp, are you still at UMD? If so, how's our (American) football team doing?

[JoeTerp]

Yes, I am still at UMD, I am going to be a Jr. our American team is sh.ite.  Have been since I showed up, we have had 2 5-6 seasons in a row. The three years before we had 10 wins each season and we went to a bowl game.  Doesn't look much better this year becasue our schedule is really difficult, all our away games are against teams that went to bowl games last year, and FSU and Miami are at home and they would kill us even if we were allowed to play with 12 men.  Although The Fridge is now calling plays so our Offense shouldn't be inept like it was the last two years, and we should bounce back somewhat, but Ralph Fridgeon has never proven he can win with his own players, only with the ones he inherited.   Basketball is looking worse, people are starting to call for Gary Williams head, but we did win national championship in "real" football last year, and look to repeat, as well as going to final 4 in LAX, which is really the sport that matters in Maryland.

[ALONSO]

I prefer to see gerrard playing in the centre without doubt.

[aCe']

I prefer to see gerrard playing in the centre without doubt.

if we didnt have sissokoand Alonso in midfield... would have prefered having gerrard in a central midfield role too.. except we do, and both are looking too good to be dropped out at the moment ! Gerrard is a great player and has proved he can play in the right flank and perform beyond expectations... i agree his scoring tally will take a blow if he is played in RM, but i think playing Alonso and Sissoko is worth what we have to lose !

[aCe']

aaaand...i dont see us playing 3-5-2 next season.... unless we start Riise or Aurelio (left wing) alongside 3 central defenders which pretty much brings us back to the 4-4-2 formatiion !
4-4-2  and 4-5-1 are the two formations we'll be seeing much of next season imo !
Kuyt should be played regularly and should feature in the first team asap... maybe not sheff.'s game but anything after that i'd like to see him part of!

[cptrios]

A lot of people seem to be talking Aurelio on the left wing. From what I've read about the Lincoln game, it seems as though his best spot is left back. Wouldn't putting him in the midfield kind of negate Gonzo's signing? Although he does seem to have the makings of a supersub, I'd like to see him eventually starting most of the time after the amount of time it's taken to finally get him to Anfield.
Who knows though, maybe with Kuyt on the team we can play a 4-5-1 and actually score with moderate frequency.

And JoeTerp, I was lucky enough to have my freshman year coincide with the beginning of the Fridge era and the bball national championship, but unlucky enough to see the real football team barely miss out on glory for four straight years. Though I did get to see them beat DC United, which was fun. I still think that powerhouse college football teams like Maryland and Indian can play with most of the MLS. Which isn't saying much, of course.

[ALONSO]

if we didnt have sissokoand Alonso in midfield... would have prefered having gerrard in a central midfield role too.. except we do, and both are looking too good to be dropped out at the moment ! Gerrard is a great player and has proved he can play in the right flank and perform beyond expectations... i agree his scoring tally will take a blow if he is played in RM, but i think playing Alonso and Sissoko is worth what we have to lose.
Fair point ace, do you not think Pennant should start? Its great we have so many options. If Crouch starts I would play Pennant if not I can see the argument for Gerrard on the right.
How do you put that text in the white box like you did with my comment?

[Scottbot]

We can all speculate but you know Rafa, it's likely he will use every formation and combination that's been put up on here and then plenty that haven't.

[JoeTerp]

Fair point ace, do you not think Pennant should start? Its great we have so many options. If Crouch starts I would play Pennant if not I can see the argument for Gerrard on the right.
How do you put that text in the white box like you did with my comment?

you click the quote button on top of what the person said in the top right corner.  I also think that when Crouch starts, Pennant should play on the right, becaue he sends in a lot of crosses that are ideal for his header. 

CPtrios, were you able to catch the National Championship game against New Mexico last year? and if my calculations are correct did you graduate in 2005?

[cptrios]

I also think that when Crouch starts, Pennant should play on the right, becaue he sends in a lot of crosses that are ideal for his header.

That's a good point, but have you watched Kuyt's top ten goals on YouTube? Looks like he's pretty good with his head. Of course, he's only 6 feet...but Crouch still has a lot of work to do on improving his actual heading skills. Of course this is really just an argument for playing with two strikers, isn't it? I think it's going to be fun watching Crouch work with someone who can actually finish.

And yeah, I was out in 2005. I was in France for the the final though, and needless to say they don't show American college soccer over there 

Although it wouldn't hurt, because French football is pretty miserable.

[Espionage]

Pretty silly thread in retrospect, its just so some of us can sit here creaming ourselves in anticipation of a new season.....

It was worth it

[aCe']

Fair point ace, do you not think Pennant should start? Its great we have so many options. If Crouch starts I would play Pennant if not I can see the argument for Gerrard on the right.
How do you put that text in the white box like you did with my comment?

thats what i was thinking too... except now that Kuyt signed and i dont think we'll be playing Crouch AND Kuyt together much, i think Gerrard should play in RM ! i said earlier in another thread that playing pennant without playing Crouch would not make much sense if Crouch is available.... the way  i see it...its either we play Alonso and have Gerrard in RM or drop ALonso and have Pennant in RM....dont see alonso being dropped...sorry ! and sissoko is just out of the question...against stronger clubs....he is a key player for us !

[aCe']

Strting 11... i'd go for

GK..Reina

LB..[/B]Aurelio[/B]
RB..Finnan
CB..Hyypia
CB..Carragher

LW..Gonzales
RW..Gerrard
CM..Alonso
CM..Sissoko

SS..Bellamy
CF..Kuyt

would love to see garcia in the bench.... can turn a game around coming in as a sub !

im thinking Aurelio should start in LB too... Riise is good, but from what i'v seen of Aurelio in Valencia... i think he should get that LB role if he can prove himself when he's given a run !
LM... dont know why Rafa played him there more than once in preseason... i think its because he wants to make sure he has cover for Gonzo if Kewell's injury last longer than expected, or is injured again in the season.... i think Kewell and Gonzales will fight it for that LM role, and now that Kewell is injured for the start of the season, Gonzales sseems to have the chance of commanding that position !

[JoeTerp]

http://umterps.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/081606aab.html

thats is a link to a really good preview of how the terps will try and win back to back titles.  I hope to go to some of the games this year so I can experience what the game is like live, I went to one as a freshman, but was too drunk to remember anything, but I'm pretty sure I had a good time.
Yes I did watch Kuyt's  youtube highlight, he looked really good, but you are supposed to look good on your highlight tape he seemed like a very good all around striker, and also desplayed some very good accuracy with his headers.  he isn't the fastest (paceist?) guy in the world, and thats why he should complement bellamy really well.  I read earlier from a Dutchman that Kuyt won striker of the year, not just because of the amount of goals he racked up, but that he had a very high number of assists, which should make him a good compliment to both crouch and bellamy.  I think Kuyt and Bellamy is our most balanced and lethal pair we can put on the pitch, and I only mentioned teh Pennant to Crouch thing because Momo and Alonso  are playing so well in Centre midfield that it doesn't make sense to throw gerrard in there for one of them right now, and it makes less sense to leave him off the field, so that puts him at RM and Pennant on the bench.  In games agaisnt lesser opponents, or to give momo/alsono/gerrard a break, or just to mix things up, Pennant is going to get some  starts or come on as a sub, and it makes sense to also put your best aerial threat on the pitch at the same time as your best threat to send in a quality cross from the wing.  Course I think this would only apply to the 4-4-2, which I personally am not As big a fan of as I am the 3-5-2, but that option doesn't seem likely.

Lots of people mention that Rafa will mostly likely play a 4-5-1 away and a 4-4-2 at home, why wouldn't he base his strategy more on the the team he is playing and their strengths and weaknesses?  Is it because it is so hard to win on the road regardless and he is playing not to loose?  Or is it that he wants to control the midfield and try to control the pace of the game, trying to take the crowd factor out?

[Lando_Griffin]

It's an interesting one, tbh.

I'd say we'd line up thus at home:

                                                               Reina

                  Finnan                   JC                                 Sami                    Aurelio

                                                         Alonso/Sissoko

   Pennant                                                                                                     Gonzalez
                                                             Gerrard
   

                                                 Bellamy                Kuyt.


Away, I can see us dropping to a 4-5-1, where Bellamy is the lad to miss out:


                                                              Reina

                Finnan                      JC                          Sami                   Aurelio


                                   Alonso                                  Sissoko   


Pennant                                              Gerrard                                                     Gonzalez

                         
                                                      Kuyt/Crouch.



Any way Rafa plays it, we'll given anyone a game.