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What's our best side?

magneto

By magneto
in Liverpool FC

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magneto

magneto

Posted
Posted

My take on things:

 

Assumptions: Crouch, Jones, Figueroa (IN) , Mascherano, Insua (Out). Reina in goal perpetually.

 

Formation: 4 - 1 - 4 - 1

 

Back 4: Johnson - Carra - Agger - Figueroa

Holding midfielder: Poulsen

Wingers: Jovanovic and Kuyt

Midfielders: Gerrard and Cole

Striker: Torres

 

Formation: 4 - 4 - 2

 

Back 4: Johnson - Carra - Agger - Figueroa

Wingers: Jovanovic and Kuyt

Midfielders: Gerrard (defensive role) and Cole

Striker: Torres and Crouch

 

If no Figueroa, then Aurelio ahead of Kelly?

David Hodgson

David Hodgson

Posted
Posted

If we play with two orthodox strikers (Torres and Crouch) then you'd think Cole might go wide.

 

This would be my dream team :

 

.........................Reina

 

Kelly ........Carra........Agger......Aurelio

 

Johnson.....Gerrard.......poulsen......Cole

 

...................,Torres.......Crouch

Flasher

Flasher

Posted
Posted

Whichever way you look at it, if Torres stays fit, he should score bucket loads this season. Should be some real good service for him this year.

Jarg Armani

Jarg Armani

Posted
Posted

Tricky aways

 

Johnson Carra Agger Aurelio

Lucas Poulsen

Kuyt Gerrard Cole

Tog

 

Homes

 

Johnson Carra Agger Aurelio

Poulsen

Maxi Gerrard

Cole

Torres Crouch

 

or

 

Johnson Carra Agger Aurelio

Kuyt Aquilani Gerrard

Cole Tog Maxi

 

There's a lot of movement to be had in these, especially with Gerro and Cole. And I'd have a goalie before any of you wags start.

I see Jova, Crouch and Maxi as your best subs for a lot of games, not expecting to see much of Rybabs, will be pleasantly surprised by anything other than peripheral stuff from Aquilani.

Sion

Sion

Posted
Posted

Whichever way you look at it, if Torres stays fit, he should score bucket loads this season. Should be some real good service for him this year.

 

Not if Gerrard plays CM to accomodate Cole.

KIDORIGINAL

KIDORIGINAL

Posted
Posted

I'd swap Gerrard and Aquilani there.

 

I like Gerrard right behind Torres for obvious reasons but that may be best. Aquilani's passing has seemed quite erratic recently.

Logic

Logic

Posted
Posted

Against good opponents:

 

Two good tacklers. Carra for his experience. The three attacking midfielders switching positions often but staying narrow.

 

           Reina
Johnson Carra Agger Aurelio
        Poulsen   Lucas
Gerrard      Aquilani       Cole
              Torres

Against weaker sides:

 

Put Skrtel in for Carra because of two things: 1) Rests Carra (Hyypia role basically), 2) Skrtel faster allowing us to push up. Gerrard bursting forward as much as possible.

 

Jova and Maxi starting wide but attacking in allowing fullbacks to bomb on. Cole linking with Torres.

 

             Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Aurelio
      Lucas Gerrard
Jovanovic   Cole     Maxi
          Torres

David Hodgson

David Hodgson

Posted
Posted

Tricky aways

 

Johnson Carra Agger Aurelio

Lucas Poulsen

Kuyt Gerrard Cole

Tog

 

Homes

 

Johnson Carra Agger Aurelio

Poulsen

Maxi Gerrard

Cole

Torres Crouch

or

 

Johnson Carra Agger Aurelio

Kuyt Aquilani Gerrard

Cole Tog Maxi

 

There's a lot of movement to be had in these, especially with Gerro and Cole. And I'd have a goalie before any of you wags start.

I see Jova, Crouch and Maxi as your best subs for a lot of games, not expecting to see much of Rybabs, will be pleasantly surprised by anything other than peripheral stuff from Aquilani.

 

Not sure I get these two. In the first 'home' one is Gerrard effectively playing wide, albeit in a narrow diamond ?

 

In the second one it looks like you've effectively got Cole and Maxi playing wide in a 4-5-1 (which is fine) but then Kuyt central with AA and Gerrard. How would that work ?

Bailo

Bailo

Posted
Posted

Generally like your two teams there Logic, in terms of what we have, but you've totally missed out Dirk, who should be in at least the "good" team, and arguably in the "bad" team too.

David Hodgson

David Hodgson

Posted
Posted

Against good opponents:

 

Two good tacklers. Carra for his experience. The three attacking midfielders switching positions often but staying narrow.

 

           Reina
Johnson Carra Agger Aurelio
        [b]Poulsen   Lucas[/b]
Gerrard      Aquilani       Cole
              Torres

Against weaker sides:

 

Put Skrtel in for Carra because of two things: 1) Rests Carra (Hyypia role basically), 2) Skrtel faster allowing us to push up. Gerrard bursting forward as much as possible.

 

Jova and Maxi starting wide but attacking in allowing fullbacks to bomb on. Cole linking with Torres.

 

             Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Aurelio
      Lucas Gerrard
Jovanovic   Cole     Maxi
          Torres

 

Playing Lucas and Poulsen is just going to be repeating the problems we had with Masch and Lucas , I would have thought, unless Poulsen's a significantly better passer than Mascherano. If Alosno was still here no one would advocate dropping him for big games because we needed more muscle in deeper midfield. For me, if it's Man Utd away we play Gerrard with Poulsen in centre mid. If we're under pressure Stevie would stay deep and win the ball and press with Poulsen, but have the ability to spring us onto the attack with his passing. Either Joe Cole or Aquilani could then support Torres further forward, or Crouch could come in to help make the ball 'stick' when we came out.

 

I don't necessarily see a massive difference in first choice personnel between the big games and the home bankers, other than in that we can allow greater attacking license against the softer touches. At home to Bolton, say, Gerrard could split from Poulsen and get forward to support the attack with near reckless abandon, whereas in the big games, he may to largely 'sit' and bide his time.

 

One thing in most of these teams I am seeing a lack of is real pace in the wide midfield. Assuming Babel goes, then I don't see where it comes from. Jovanovic is no slouch, but Maxi and Kuyt have no real pace. That's why, if it were me, I'd often be tempted to use Johnson further forward, and let Kelly work with him from right back.

Logic

Logic

Posted
Posted

Generally like your two teams there Logic, in terms of what we have, but you've totally missed out Dirk, who should be in at least the "good" team, and arguably in the "bad" team too.

I'm very undecided about Dirk. I both really like him and at the same time absolutely hate him (as a player in both cases, no one can fault his persona).

 

He's a good worker and an excellent team-mate but I want us to get more into the pass-and-move philosophy and I'm afraid he'd slow us down. I'd use him as a very important squad member but I'm not a real fan of the "defensive" winger/forward.

 

It would probably depend on how the team is performing if he'd come in for one of the wingers/forwards or not. Like I say, I'm very undecided about him. :)

Logic

Logic

Posted
Posted

Playing Lucas and Poulsen is just going to be repeating the problems we had with Masch and Lucas , I would have thought, unless Poulsen's a significantly better passer than Mascherano. If Alosno was still here no one would advocate dropping him for big games because we needed more muscle in deeper midfield. For me, if it's Man Utd away we play Gerrard with Poulsen in centre mid. If we're under pressure Stevie would stay deep and win the ball and press with Poulsen, but have the ability to spring us onto the attack with his passing. Either Joe Cole or Aquilani could then support Torres further forward, or Crouch could come in to help make the ball 'stick' when we came out.

I'm just afraid that Stevie wouldn't be able to hold his position in the centre. I'd rather have him pushing up and pressing/covering the defensive midfielders and defenders trying to force an error in that area of the field.

 

I'd also want us to play in a way that the players would be closer to each other allowing faster and shorter passing and thereby not having to rely on the Alonso type pass that the team was set up for under Rafa. If the front four are closer to our defense (denying the opposition space in our half of the field) I believe we can get away with two holding players there. IMO we relied too much on Masch/Lucas to release the forwards under Rafa meaning we were too toothless when our worldclass players weren't fit or on their game. I'd also want Lucas to move further up the field when we then receive the ball and not stay back (often under Rafa we had two of Alonso/Masch/Lucas just infront of the centrebacks while we were in possession.) Lucas would therefore have more of a box-to-box role than just sitting infront of the centrebacks.

I don't necessarily see a massive difference in first choice personnel between the big games and the home bankers, other than in that we can allow greater attacking license against the softer touches. At home to Bolton, say, Gerrard could split from Poulsen and get forward to support the attack with near reckless abandon, whereas in the big games, he may to largely 'sit' and bide his time.

I mostly agree with this but with the exception that I'm not sure Stevie can sit back and let others control the game. He want's to get involved and he wants to press and tackle (IMHO).

One thing in most of these teams I am seeing a lack of is real pace in the wide midfield. Assuming Babel goes, then I don't see where it comes from. Jovanovic is no slouch, but Maxi and Kuyt have no real pace. That's why, if it were me, I'd often be tempted to use Johnson further forward, and let Kelly work with him from right back.

I'm hoping Babel will make it this year and if he does he'd be in the team more often than not. But I do agree that we need more pace in the team.

 

But I don't think moving Johnson forward is a good idea. I think he needs to come from deep to create something because I worry that he isn't technically good enough to cause the same damage if he got a fullback stuck to him.

Cam

Cam

Posted
Posted

I agree with those advocating 4-1-4-1 for this season. With it being flexible to become 4-3-3. I'd try Kuyt but I'm not entirely sure he can do the quick lay-offs and one-touches that Hodgson seems to want.

 

-----------Reina

Johnson Carragher Agger Aurelio

----------Poulson

-------Gerrard Cole

Kuyt-------------------Jovanovic

-----------Torres

 

 

Turning in to

 

-------Poulson

Kuyt-----------Jovanovic

-----Gerrard Cole

--------Torres

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