Tactics geeks of the world unite...

I would like a team like this next season:
Mignolet
Manquillo/Flanagan-new CV/Skrtel-Sakho-Moreno
Lucas/new DM
Henderson-Can
Sterling/Ibe/Markovic-Coutinho/Lallana
                           Sturridge

h

Lallana hasn't the stamina? u wot m8?

And you can count the good games M'n'M have had in one hand combined this season. I thin Ibe has more upside to either of them and deserves a crack.

Virtually every game for the Saints last season he came off around 70mins apparently suffers from ulcerative colitis.

Edit  In my opinion both M&M have a huge ceiling, they are both young and still learning their trade.

At least Adam is very strong on either foot and can put in a shift down the flank on both ends of the pitch. And his decision making is by far the better of all our options. He might not hug his touchline but he can operate as a left winger like he did at Southampton and be a threat cutting in or staying wide.

Right now Moreno and Markovic offer nothing, in my mind. They have the width but Moreno either flogs it in to the box to no one or turns around and lays it off to someone else. Markovic runs dead ends and then gives it away.

Big difference playing left wing to left sided midfield though mate.

At Southampton, he could play on the left and cut in, without making the middle too congested because Southampton would either be playing one in the hole or none at all. It'd also create space for the left back to bomb on and make use of.

If, in our current system, he's on the left and cuts in then he's going to be in the same area as Coutinho, Sterling and possibly one of the centre mids if they've pushed on. Also, he'd be leaving a big gap on the left with nobody to exploit it because we no longer play with orthodox full backs. It's the wide players of the midfield four who must offer us the width in this current system.

I don't think there is much that needs changing at the moment given the quality of our play the last couple of months tbh.

- Are we looking defensively solid? YES - This is the best we have ever looked under Brendan.
- Have the team found the tempo, passing rhythm and fluidity of last season? - YES
- Are we creating chances? - YES, we aren't finishing enough of them BUT that should now improve with the return of Studge

I don't see any need to tweak or change based on our recent performances. Our wide players (Moreno and Markovic) aren't turning out 8/9 out of 10 displays but they don't need to. They have both been sound defensively (for the most part), they both have a good engine, get up and down the pitch, have the pace and endurance to make recovery runs and have been very much a part of our new found defensive resilience. They might not be as eye catching going forward but in this system the onus is very much on Couto, Raheem, Lallana and Studge to make things happen in the final third. the two wide players have really played a supporting role, they are usually available for a pass to feet, they keep the ball moving, provide the odd cross (in Moreno's case) and there have been some good moments from Markovic when the game has allowed. I would say that its a tough job to be a wide player in a 5 man midfield without full-backs because you don't have those natural 2 on 1 situations occurring regularly in a game so are often on your own out there. For Moreno in particular this is an issue because he is very left footed, his options on the ball tend to be to find space to put in a cross or to simply give a square pass back in field to one of our central players. I don't have a problem with this because our central players are popping up all over the place and causing defences all sorts of problems. As for Lazar I think that his future is as a more orthodox attacking player BUT this experience will do him a lot of good and will make him a far better player in the long run. There have been games where he has been able to operate as a right midfielder and show his attacking talents but for the most part the defensive responsibilities of the role have limited this. He is doing well though, a really solid job.

I wouldn't mess with it, you could stick players like Ibe in and ask them to play the position but why mess with our new found defensive solidity? It's been a long bloody time coming after all!

Ibe and lallana as wing backs?

Big difference playing left wing to left sided midfield though mate.

At Southampton, he could play on the left and cut in, without making the middle too congested because Southampton would either be playing one in the hole or none at all. It'd also create space for the left back to bomb on and make use of.

If, in our current system, he's on the left and cuts in then he's going to be in the same area as Coutinho, Sterling and possibly one of the centre mids if they've pushed on. Also, he'd be leaving a big gap on the left with nobody to exploit it because we no longer play with orthodox full backs. It's the wide players of the midfield four who must offer us the width in this current system.

Like Moreno leaving gaps everywhere then? Lallana will run all day up the left and give us an outlet to make a proper pass inside to someone instead of a sh*te cross or turning around and passing it back because he has no right foot.

Lallana is not my solution to the position but Moreno is definitely not doing a job out there. As soon as we were down 1-0, Alberto saw that as a reason to stay up field and not track back at all. Sakho played left back and centre back for that period.

We get nothing out of the wide lads in defence and attack - might as well try someone different.

Like Moreno leaving gaps everywhere then? Lallana will run all day up the left and give us an outlet to make a proper pass inside to someone instead of a sh*te cross or turning around and passing it back because he has no right foot.

Lallana is not my solution to the position but Moreno is definitely not doing a job out there. As soon as we were down 1-0, Alberto saw that as a reason to stay up field and not track back at all. Sakho played left back and centre back for that period.

We get nothing out of the wide lads in defence and attack - might as well try someone different.

We get nothing out of the wide boys in defence and attack........Wow talk about exaggerating! They are part of a system thst is working, could they offer more individually for sure.

We get nothing out of the wide lads in defence and attack - might as well try someone different.

Everybody in this system contributes to our defence and attack, particularly in defence, it's the first time we have EVER looked defensively solid since Brendan came in and we are making chances as well. Why would anybody risk that by changing things? A team's performance is the sum total of it's parts, some players may be more important and contribute more than others in certain aspects but they all contribute. The boys out wide are serving their purpose just fine.

Can-Lucas-Ibe-Coutinho-Sterling-Sturrdge looks very good

Can-Lucas-Ibe-Coutinho-Sterling-Sturrdge looks very good

You forgot Henderson

You forgot Henderson

Yes Can-Henderson in the middle then

This isn't necessarily a "tactics" article but more of a "geeks" article.  I'll post both for those who can be bothered wading through the "academia speak" of the original.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254614000647

http://www.thisisanfield.com/2015/02/revealed-the-science-behind-liverpool-fc/

It seems we're leading the way with the Sports Science stuff and it's great that the work being done behind the scenes isn't just helping us but is being recognised in the Sport and Science world by getting their work published.

Personally I'd prefer to keep this sort of stuff inhouse as it gives us an advantage but having your work published is the pinnacle for any Scientist.

I'll hammer at it again but our wingers/wingbacks are offering absolutely nothing. Ibe has come in and shown exactly how to play that role whereas Markovic and Moreno have missed the step once more.

Lallana and Ibe for me right now. Markovic and Moreno need a spell to learn the game from a distance now because they offered nothing in attack (again) and nothing in defence at all. Continually picked off by the City wingers and really unaware of opposition wingers.

No surprise to me our changes today were both of them coming off.

I'll hammer at it again but our wingers/wingbacks are offering absolutely nothing. Ibe has come in and shown exactly how to play that role whereas Markovic and Moreno have missed the step once more.

Lallana and Ibe for me right now. Markovic and Moreno need a spell to learn the game from a distance now because they offered nothing in attack (again) and nothing in defence at all. Continually picked off by the City wingers and really unaware of opposition wingers.

No surprise to me our changes today were both of them coming off.

I don't think it was a coincidence that Can came out of defence a lot further once Markovic was swapped for Lallana.

I'd rather see Can in Markovic's place, when Sakho returns.

I'll hammer at it again but our wingers/wingbacks are offering absolutely nothing. Ibe has come in and shown exactly how to play that role whereas Markovic and Moreno have missed the step once more.

Lallana and Ibe for me right now. Markovic and Moreno need a spell to learn the game from a distance now because they offered nothing in attack (again) and nothing in defence at all. Continually picked off by the City wingers and really unaware of opposition wingers.

No surprise to me our changes today were both of them coming off.

Yes shocking isn't it how we are top of the current form league with such awful wing backs. 

I'll hammer at it again but our wingers/wingbacks are offering absolutely nothing. Ibe has come in and shown exactly how to play that role whereas Markovic and Moreno have missed the step once more.

Lallana and Ibe for me right now. Markovic and Moreno need a spell to learn the game from a distance now because they offered nothing in attack (again) and nothing in defence at all. Continually picked off by the City wingers and really unaware of opposition wingers.

No surprise to me our changes today were both of them coming off.

Where's your evidence? Especially in defence? I saw very little success from Man City down both flanks today. I don't have a clue what you're watching. Moreno and Markovic, while questionable in attack at the moment are perfectly content in their positions. Their pace and work rate alone is a large factor to our sound defensive performances of late. They cover a lot of ground on those flanks. The idea of dropping Moreno is utterly bizarre as well considering the serious lack of options we have there.

Yes shocking isn't it how we are top of the current form league with such awful wing backs. 

Indeed!

I don't think there is much that needs changing at the moment given the quality of our play the last couple of months tbh.

- Are we looking defensively solid? YES - This is the best we have ever looked under Brendan.
- Have the team found the tempo, passing rhythm and fluidity of last season? - YES
- Are we creating chances? - YES, we aren't finishing enough of them BUT that should now improve with the return of Studge

I don't see any need to tweak or change based on our recent performances. Our wide players (Moreno and Markovic) aren't turning out 8/9 out of 10 displays but they don't need to. They have both been sound defensively (for the most part), they both have a good engine, get up and down the pitch, have the pace and endurance to make recovery runs and have been very much a part of our new found defensive resilience. They might not be as eye catching going forward but in this system the onus is very much on Couto, Raheem, Lallana and Studge to make things happen in the final third. the two wide players have really played a supporting role, they are usually available for a pass to feet, they keep the ball moving, provide the odd cross (in Moreno's case) and there have been some good moments from Markovic when the game has allowed. I would say that its a tough job to be a wide player in a 5 man midfield without full-backs because you don't have those natural 2 on 1 situations occurring regularly in a game so are often on your own out there. For Moreno in particular this is an issue because he is very left footed, his options on the ball tend to be to find space to put in a cross or to simply give a square pass back in field to one of our central players. I don't have a problem with this because our central players are popping up all over the place and causing defences all sorts of problems. As for Lazar I think that his future is as a more orthodox attacking player BUT this experience will do him a lot of good and will make him a far better player in the long run. There have been games where he has been able to operate as a right midfielder and show his attacking talents but for the most part the defensive responsibilities of the role have limited this. He is doing well though, a really solid job.

I wouldn't mess with it, you could stick players like Ibe in and ask them to play the position but why mess with our new found defensive solidity? It's been a long bloody time coming after all!

I would just repeat what I said before, it's a slightly sacrificial role to play wide in this set up. You don't benefit for the natural two on ones that you get with a flat back four, this particularly makes it tougher for a player like Moreno (given he is so one footed) to really affect things further forward BUT he is always available as an outlet, he is possibly the fittest player In the team and the width he provides gives space to our front three to do damage. And that ultimately is the strength of this formation, those two players playing between the lines and causing mayhem, as was the case today

Speaking of tactics I actually felt that City were the first team to have properly figured this formation out in that first half. They were knocking balls between the wing-backs and centre halves for Aguero to run onto, our two lads in the middle were pressing the ball higher up the pitch only for them to keep slipping balls into Arguero and Silva behind us as they played between the lines and we couldn't get anywhere near Toure. I was actually asking for a switch back to a flat back four at half time but what do I know! Excellent half time adjustments from the gaffer, he said in his post match presser that they talked about shortening the pitch and that's exactly what we did, just stepped up to the half way line, got on top of Toure and the boys at the back did a great job on Aguero anytime they tried to release him thereafter. I thought they were all superb in that second half, even the wing backs! It was a dominant performance against a top side who have been bang on form.

Most impressive for me was the bravery to step out even further and press the ball this last ten minutes, this goes against every defensive instinct which says drop off and defend and takes balls to do.

I completely take my hat off to the manager he played a blinder

I'd rather see Can in Markovic's place, when Sakho returns.

Aye. That makes a lot of sense.

Aye. That makes a lot of sense.

Another pearl from old George.

If you watched Can at Leverkusen you would have known that he played alot of games as a winger/wingback for them.

A trio of Sakho-Skrtel-Lovren in defence wouldn't be such an insane theory, with Can moving on the right in Markovic's place. What's so wrong about this ?

If you watched Can at Leverkusen you would have known that he played alot of games as a winger/wingback for them.

A trio of Sakho-Skrtel-Lovren in defence wouldn't be such an insane theory, with Can moving on the right in Markovic's place. What's so wrong about this ?

Can never played wing back at Laverkusen he played as a make shift left back for a few games. Entirely different to playing wing back where a player must be extremely pacy. Can has a bit of pace when he gets into his stride but he does not have quick enough acceleration to move up and down the wing at pace transitioning quickly from defence into attack and vice versa. It wouldn't work.