A case for the defence - Cliché i know, but anyway.......
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:01 amMany things will have and are always written about football. Every man and his dog thinks that they know the right way to play, the tactics to employ, and the right formation.
The current vogue (amongst the commentators at least) is the 4-5-1 formation, with a recognised striker dropping off, often to the left or right wing, and leaving one up front. Now although I see why people think this is the way teams play, strikers dropping off is nothing new, The King was expert at it, but nobody ever thought we played 4-5-1 in the 80's.
It is a common (wrong) perception, with the surge of Andy Gray like idiots who analyse and over analyse the games till the early hours, but the fact of the matter is, strikers dropping off to pick up the ball is nothing new.
I do not think that Rafa played five in midfield last night, surely he would be crazy to play our most in form highest scoring striker in midfield! A mate of mine said that we play better with 4-5-1, but I beg to differ.
I beleive the reason for our success last night, and most teams success throughout the years has been on a solid and sound defence. Let me explain......
The return of Steve Finnan, (my how we missed the lad at right back) is a joy to behold. After a year long sabatical in his first season, where he flattered to deceive, and left most of us baffled as to what happened to the solid attacking right back we had seen at Fulham, Steve has come back this season under Rafa, and impressed me a hell of a lot. When he was asked to do a job at right wing due to the injuries, he was superb. He also proved to Rafa he is the best right back at the club following his return to the defence after Josemi's nightmare. A quiet, unassuming Irish man, solid and dependable, with the liverbird upon his chest, it takes me back.............
Jamie Carragher, what can you say about the lad. Surely every Scouse reds' hero following pound throwing and rumours of Stevie G getting a clip round the ear for thinking he was as good as the London press (who where simply paving the way for a move to Chelski) where telling him he was. Despite being the target of the boo boys on the Kop a couple of seasons ago for his apparent reluctance to pass the half way line, Jamie has grown into a callosus (sp?) and is surely as influential as Alonso, Baros and Stevie G himself in terms of what he brings to the team. A loud, brash, heart on the sleeve, local lad who sweats blood for the cause, that takes me back......
Pellegrino has a lot to prove, but following Carraghers instructions last night in the tunnel (not seen it yet, but SKY+ will provide the evidence later), he did exactly what you wanted him to, NOTHING stupid, NOTHING fancy, and dealt with it. I personally do not think it is a mere co-incedence that he looked a much more accomplished player, and more like a two times la liga winner, when Carragher was alongside. I think Sami may struggle to get back in if those two build up a rapport.
And then there was Djimi. What can you say about the lad, someone must have pulled him to one side, and said "Écoutent l'jeune homme, je vous avais observé jouer et vous êtes vraiment bon, ces tours, et les overs d'étape, vous êtes vraiment un maître de l'art footballing " (In English that is "Listen lad, I have been watching you play and you are really good, those turns, and the step overs, you are really a master of the footballing art"). Why he needs to complicate things with the constant step overs and turns is beyond me. I think Djimi will be replaced once we either get a new lad in, or Kewell comes back and Riise reverts to left back. The fact that in the 93rd minute, whilst marauding down the wing, instead of running the ball into the corner Djimi tried another of those ill fated turns tells me this lad is not for turning, and we are best to sell him to whoever will give us half a million.
The solidity and reliability of the defece breeds confidence, and allows the midfielders to get on with building attacks instead of worrying about helping a dodgy back four. This is the reason we won, and the best way to ensure we continue to fair better.
The lads get a nice break now, with no game for almost a fortnight, so recuperation and rest are the order of the day. No Injuries (hopefully), and fitter stronger fresher players (including possibly Smicer I hear) for the business end of the season.
Cardiff here we come............
The current vogue (amongst the commentators at least) is the 4-5-1 formation, with a recognised striker dropping off, often to the left or right wing, and leaving one up front. Now although I see why people think this is the way teams play, strikers dropping off is nothing new, The King was expert at it, but nobody ever thought we played 4-5-1 in the 80's.
It is a common (wrong) perception, with the surge of Andy Gray like idiots who analyse and over analyse the games till the early hours, but the fact of the matter is, strikers dropping off to pick up the ball is nothing new.
I do not think that Rafa played five in midfield last night, surely he would be crazy to play our most in form highest scoring striker in midfield! A mate of mine said that we play better with 4-5-1, but I beg to differ.
I beleive the reason for our success last night, and most teams success throughout the years has been on a solid and sound defence. Let me explain......
The return of Steve Finnan, (my how we missed the lad at right back) is a joy to behold. After a year long sabatical in his first season, where he flattered to deceive, and left most of us baffled as to what happened to the solid attacking right back we had seen at Fulham, Steve has come back this season under Rafa, and impressed me a hell of a lot. When he was asked to do a job at right wing due to the injuries, he was superb. He also proved to Rafa he is the best right back at the club following his return to the defence after Josemi's nightmare. A quiet, unassuming Irish man, solid and dependable, with the liverbird upon his chest, it takes me back.............
Jamie Carragher, what can you say about the lad. Surely every Scouse reds' hero following pound throwing and rumours of Stevie G getting a clip round the ear for thinking he was as good as the London press (who where simply paving the way for a move to Chelski) where telling him he was. Despite being the target of the boo boys on the Kop a couple of seasons ago for his apparent reluctance to pass the half way line, Jamie has grown into a callosus (sp?) and is surely as influential as Alonso, Baros and Stevie G himself in terms of what he brings to the team. A loud, brash, heart on the sleeve, local lad who sweats blood for the cause, that takes me back......
Pellegrino has a lot to prove, but following Carraghers instructions last night in the tunnel (not seen it yet, but SKY+ will provide the evidence later), he did exactly what you wanted him to, NOTHING stupid, NOTHING fancy, and dealt with it. I personally do not think it is a mere co-incedence that he looked a much more accomplished player, and more like a two times la liga winner, when Carragher was alongside. I think Sami may struggle to get back in if those two build up a rapport.
And then there was Djimi. What can you say about the lad, someone must have pulled him to one side, and said "Écoutent l'jeune homme, je vous avais observé jouer et vous êtes vraiment bon, ces tours, et les overs d'étape, vous êtes vraiment un maître de l'art footballing " (In English that is "Listen lad, I have been watching you play and you are really good, those turns, and the step overs, you are really a master of the footballing art"). Why he needs to complicate things with the constant step overs and turns is beyond me. I think Djimi will be replaced once we either get a new lad in, or Kewell comes back and Riise reverts to left back. The fact that in the 93rd minute, whilst marauding down the wing, instead of running the ball into the corner Djimi tried another of those ill fated turns tells me this lad is not for turning, and we are best to sell him to whoever will give us half a million.
The solidity and reliability of the defece breeds confidence, and allows the midfielders to get on with building attacks instead of worrying about helping a dodgy back four. This is the reason we won, and the best way to ensure we continue to fair better.
The lads get a nice break now, with no game for almost a fortnight, so recuperation and rest are the order of the day. No Injuries (hopefully), and fitter stronger fresher players (including possibly Smicer I hear) for the business end of the season.
Cardiff here we come............
(he's got aerial presence and to be fair, has improved under rafa.) but dispensible really.
