will we see a more attacking liverpool next season?

[Magic8Ball]

I've often thought this league has a bias for winning, that is over 2 games it's better to win one and lose one rather than draw both. I was thinking about this and Rafa's famed "play not to lose" style when I came across this article. I got to wondering, does Rafa now have enough confidence in his team to go for the jugular from the start of next season ?

 

Rafa Benitez should have gone for broke earlier

 

Matt Hughes

 

Rafael Benitez could be forgiven for feeling despondent this morning as the reality that a season which promised so much is likely to end without a single trophy slowly sets in, but he must resist the temptation to wallow in self pity. There is a real danger that such understandable dejection could give birth to far greater problems.

 

Liverpool have been re-born as the great entertainers in the last week, sharing two thrilling 4-4 draws in the space of eight days that effectively ended their interest in the Champions League and the Premier League, but it does not follow that their failure was due to the inherent flaws in their new expansive style. On the contrary, it is possible to mount a reasonably convincing case that Liverpool’s change of style was a case of too little, too late.

 

While it may have felt like it at Anfield on Tuesday night, Liverpool have not lost out in the title race because of Andrey Arshavin’s remarkable demonstration of the goalscorer’s art, or their own desperate ambition to nullify the Russian’s breathtaking contributions. When Benitez looks back over the season in forensic detail in a couple of months the Spaniard will surely conclude that it was his side’s failure to beat lesser sides at home throughout the campaign that cost them dear, most specifically the goalless draws against Stoke City, Fulham and West Ham United. If he is honest with himself Benitez will accept that he should have gone for broke earlier.

 

The biggest swing in the Premier League title race occurred after Manchester United returned from Tokyo as World Club Cup winners in the middle of Decemeber, but the champions were only allowed to storm back to the top of the table because Liverpool carelessly left the door ajar. In the space of three weeks from 22 November Liverpool drew three successive home matches against teams that any championship-winning side should have been capable of dispatching, Fulham, West Ham and Hull City. Even if they had converted just one of those draws into a win then the title race would still be alive.

 

Similarly in the Champions League, Liverpool were eliminated because of their reckless attacking play, but paid the price for their earlier caution. Despite their incredible fight-back at Stamford Bridge the tie was really decided at Anfield the previous week, when after equalising to bring the score back to 1-1 Chelsea had the confidence to push on in search of further goals. Benitez was surprised by such a show of impudence and unable to respond, only going for it when he had little option six days later.

 

Given such disappointments Benitez will be tempted to revert to type when he plans another assault on the championship next season, but falling back on his old conservatism would be a huge mistake. The history of the Premier League shows that it is generally won by a team playing adventurous attacking football, which is why United have an 11th title in their sights. As for the other winners, Arsenal’s swashbuckling style is well known, Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea may have been functional but the manager was never less than bold, while Blackburn Rovers possessed the briefly devastating strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton even if Kenny Dalglish’s side is remembered with little fondness.

 

Dalglish could do worse than remind Benitez of an old English saying if the Scot does return to Liverpool in an advisory capacity – he who dares wins.

 

http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/200...ke-earlier.html

[MFletcher]

I've often thought this league has a bias for winning, that is over 2 games it's better to win one and lose one rather than draw both. I was thinking about this and Rafa's famed "play not to lose" style when I came across this article. I got to wondering, does Rafa now have enough confidence in his team to go for the jugular from the start of next season ?

 

Quite clearly that's better, because it means one more point. However, it also increases the chances of getting no points as well.

[Cooger]

I think it will be the same approach.

 

The difference recently is more down to the fact we've had Torres back more than anything else. 7 goals in 8 games, shows us exactly what we've missed, he totally changes our attack.

 

Considering the few games he's started alongside Gerrard I think yes, we probably will see a more attacking approach as they are pretty much the main part of our attacking game.

[Swipe]

I think our poor defensive form over three recent games has been massively overplayed.

 

We were rubbish against Chelsea at Anfield and in the return leg and against Arsenal we were chasing the game and left holes and made really out of character mistakes.

 

We've still got a rock hard defense. Although Carra does look dead on his feet to be fair!

[Woodsyla]

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea may have been functional but the manager was never less than bold

 

A lot of that article is cobblers but this beams out of it. Rafa's Liverpool are Mourinho's Chelsea, Mourinho just had better attacking players. He was flamboyant and made g******* substitutions but that didn't actually get them any more points. Their relentless control of the game and ability to get that 2nd goal when going 1-0 won them the league. It was 1-0 to the Arsenal back in the 80's. It was 2-0 to the Chelsea week in week out under Mourinho. That's where we should be heading not this attack at all costs. There are times at home against dross where Rafa really should let them off the leash, but 80% of the time the tactics are spot on it's just that the personel aren't good enough.

[Cooger]

The reason we conceeded four goals to Arsnela was more down to the fact we made silly errors, rather than leaving holes at the back which they exposed.

 

We gave the ball away in our final third three times with sloppy play.

[Magic8Ball]

A lot of that article is cobblers but this beams out of it. Rafa's Liverpool are Mourinho's Chelsea, Mourinho just had better attacking players. He was flamboyant and made g******* substitutions but that didn't actually get them any more points. Their relentless control of the game and ability to get that 2nd goal when going 1-0 won them the league. It was 1-0 to the Arsenal back in the 80's. It was 2-0 to the Chelsea week in week out under Mourinho. That's where we should be heading not this attack at all costs. There are times at home against dross where Rafa really should let them off the leash, but 80% of the time the tactics are spot on it's just that the personel aren't good enough.

well to further complicate an answer, the once attack oriented Slur Alex is top of the league with Manchester's version of Mourinho's Chelsea - TBH I was loving the way we played until the Chelsea game

[Snoeker]

The history of the Premier League shows that it is generally won by a team playing adventurous attacking football, which is why United have an 11th title in their sights.

 

If that run of lucky s*** on a stick 1-0's is "adventurous attacking football", I'll stick to Rafa's cautious approach. What is also forgotten is that in these draws we absolutely battered the opposition, all that was needed was a deflection or two.

[Magic8Ball]

If that run of lucky s*** on a stick 1-0's is "adventurous attacking football", I'll stick to Rafa's cautious approach. What is also forgotten is that in these draws we absolutely battered the opposition, all that was needed was a deflection or two.

We scored against Stoke ... that's all I'm gonna say

[Farmer's Tan]

i think we are playing the type of football now we should be playing,the tempo and drive added to the belief you cant argue with it,our only downfall has been individual errors which may have been made more likely by how fast we are playing the game.the difference between 4-4 and 4-1 against arsenal was 3 f*** ups and some wonderful finishing by arshavin,most players wont get 4 chances and score 4 goals.