Liverpool FC Forum

by **stmichael** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:16 pm

the good thing is, we've got a lot more flexilbility now in terms of how we set up. people say it was 4-4-2 the other night but it was good in that it could easily be turned into a flexible 4-3-3 with mereiles tucking in and suarez moving out left of carroll and kuyt down the right.

i still don't see us going down the route of out and out wingers in the near future. i think wingers tucking in is probably going to be the way forward.

by **PabloMedina28** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 5:33 pm

I dont think people are bovered whether its out and out wingers or wide forwards, we just wont quality players on the pitch whatever formation or tactics we use.

by **Reg** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 4:26 am

PabloMedina28 wrote:I dont think people are bovered whether its out and out wingers or wide forwards, we just wont quality players on the pitch whatever formation or tactics we use.

I disagree for obvious reasons, Man City's aimless accumulation of class players who are unable to match up and execute a gameplan has shown that the strategy must be the first priority, then go out there and buy the correct players capable of executing it.

The emphasis is on the manager to know exactly what style of play/formation he wants then with Comolli find the players, and with Steve Clark, execute the plan. Kenny's methods, style and vision of how we should be playing on the pitch is the starting point of everything the club is working towards - hence offering the guy a 12 month or 2 year extension seems dubious when clearly such a task requires a 3-5 year plan.

by **stmichael** » Tue May 10, 2011 12:28 pm

Pass and move is well and truly back, and how. Some of our play last night was some of the best I've seen since the back end of 2008/9 when we were destroying teams left right and centre.

The movement off the ball was just fantastic. I think Maxi's 2nd goal is up there with my favourite all season. If you watch it again, there is a number of close quick passes played between a few players before releasing Johnson and then Maxi. It was sublime stuff.

Everyone wanted to get on the ball and everyone had 4 or 5 options when they did receive it. Everyone was eager to attack (just look at how many players we had in the area for the first goal for example) almost as if they had been let off the leash. Johnson was basically playing as an auxilary right winger most of the time. Whenever somebody did bomb forward somebody else just filled in. There was a fluidity about the system and everybody looked comfortable. As for what happens when Carroll comes back into the side, I think we'll probably see more of a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 system with Carroll down the middle and Suarez taking up more of a wide position. I don't see this as a major problem as he spends a lot of time running the channels anyway.

It's almost as if our philosophy is now 'well we will score more than you' rather than 'we will concede less than you'. I'm not saying we're gun ho because we still have a good solidity to us, mainly due to Lucas who is is the form of his life and is the glue that holds the team together. It's refreshing to see and I for one can't wait for next season.

by **stmichael** » Fri May 13, 2011 2:35 pm

It's also no surprise that our improved attacking play has seen a lot of pressure lifted off the back line and Reina.

We have not conceded a goal from open play since Hernandez scored for United on March 6th.

by **neil** » Fri May 13, 2011 2:54 pm

from the guardian

Liverpool's form since the Second Coming of Kenny makes fine reading for a team that found themselves in the relegation zone during the opening exchanges of the season. Over those 16 Premier League games they are second in the league form table, behind only Chelsea. They have the best goal difference in the division. No team have scored as many goals (they have 35 to Chelsea's 31 and champions-elect Manchester United's 30) while only Chelsea have conceded fewer (though Liverpool have eight clean sheets, the best record in the division, to Chelsea's six). During this period, Liverpool have scored in every single league game, a record no other club can boast.

sweet

by **metalhead** » Fri May 13, 2011 2:56 pm

neil wrote:from the guardian

Liverpool's form since the Second Coming of Kenny makes fine reading for a team that found themselves in the relegation zone during the opening exchanges of the season. Over those 16 Premier League games they are second in the league form table, behind only Chelsea. They have the best goal difference in the division. No team have scored as many goals (they have 35 to Chelsea's 31 and champions-elect Manchester United's 30) while only Chelsea have conceded fewer (though Liverpool have eight clean sheets, the best record in the division, to Chelsea's six). During this period, Liverpool have scored in every single league game, a record no other club can boast.

sweet

not good enough!!!!! :angry:

by **PabloMedina28** » Fri May 13, 2011 5:29 pm

Reg wrote:
PabloMedina28 wrote:I dont think people are bovered whether its out and out wingers or wide forwards, we just wont quality players on the pitch whatever formation or tactics we use.

I disagree for obvious reasons, Man City's aimless accumulation of class players who are unable to match up and execute a gameplan has shown that the strategy must be the first priority, then go out there and buy the correct players capable of executing it.

The emphasis is on the manager to know exactly what style of play/formation he wants then with Comolli find the players, and with Steve Clark, execute the plan. Kenny's methods, style and vision of how we should be playing on the pitch is the starting point of everything the club is working towards - hence offering the guy a 12 month or 2 year extension seems dubious when clearly such a task requires a 3-5 year plan.

Well yeh thats a given i didnt think id have to explain that. Obviously we want quality players who can work as a team like Tevez as apposed to the Balotellis of this world but whether its 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 or whatever, no one cares aslong as it works.

by **PabloMedina28** » Fri May 13, 2011 5:35 pm

Always said one of our biggest weakness and why we were so unattractive to watch is because there was no movement off the ball. Now like saint said a player gets the ball and he has 3-4 options everytime. Also we have a nice balance between fast 3-pass attacks and keeping the ball when needed. Something im actually worried about going out the window when Gerrard returns believe it or not.

by **Thommo's perm** » Fri May 13, 2011 9:24 pm

PabloMedina28 wrote:Always said one of our biggest weakness and why we were so unattractive to watch is because there was no movement off the ball. Now like saint said a player gets the ball and he has 3-4 options everytime. Also we have a nice balance between fast 3-pass attacks and keeping the ball when needed. Something im actually worried about going out the window when Gerrard returns believe it or not.

KK will find a use for him

by **Kenny Kan** » Sat May 14, 2011 11:51 am

Kenny's methods: Pass and Move.

by **metalhead** » Sat May 14, 2011 9:29 pm

I think Kenny answered my question lol. Its great to see our football been enjoyable, long it may continue

by **stmichael** » Mon May 16, 2011 1:11 pm

Yesterday was a bit of a reality check and reaffirms exactly what we still need. Despite the fact that we've played some great stuff recently we still badly lack pace out wide. Infact the whole left hand side of the pitch needs addressing (Johnson is not the long term answer at left back).

I think its clear we are looking to play a fluid 4231 with the flexibility and intelligent players to morph that into other formations within a game. Ashley Young and Charlie Adam would be ideal players for this system.

by **Raoul** » Tue May 17, 2011 4:28 am

It is interesting that when we've had nothing to play for we've been flying, but when we finally got our noses ahead of Spurs, and we had something to play for, we were awful. It reminded me of Braga all over again. It hasn't happened enough to say there is a definite pattern here, but I am a little concerned about it. I'd hate to see us play with freedom only when expectations are low, and freeze when expectations are high. We'll get nowhere next year if that is to be the case.

by **Thommo's perm** » Tue May 17, 2011 12:47 pm

Raoul wrote:It is interesting that when we've had nothing to play for we've been flying, but when we finally got our noses ahead of Spurs, and we had something to play for, we were awful. It reminded me of Braga all over again. It hasn't happened enough to say there is a definite pattern here, but I am a little concerned about it. I'd hate to see us play with freedom only when expectations are low, and freeze when expectations are high. We'll get nowhere next year if that is to be the case.

I dont know whether it was down to that. Im hoping it wasnt anyway!
I think its more down to KK changing the team and bringing Carroll in. We had smashed the opposition before sundays game and I for one was convinced we would do the same to spurs. Reality bit me on the ar'se but Im still hopeful for next season.
Watch us tw@t villa on sunday and spurs get fu'cked by birmingham...
:eyebrow

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