The Front Five

Who here could argue that our back 6 when fit is among the best if not the best in the league. Reina,Gj,Jose,Dagger,Skrtel with Lucas in front is absolute top drawer. We have a group of dedicated professionals on long term deals in their prime ages of mid to late 20's playing well every week. Now that Lucas is back we seem stronger than ever at the back.

However, Attack is often referred as the best form of defence. Playing a 4-3-3 we need more than mere possession to get results we need goals and to be a dangerous attacking threat especially at home.

Now that Lucas is back Allens pass % is nowhere close to 90+% anymore.  Alongside Lucas we have another sidewards passer which is safe but 2 in the same team means your attacking 4 should be all double figure goals men.Allen Playing more advanced he is offering no goals threat with no attacking penetration either through runs or passing.

Our now attacking 4 has one cm left in Stevie. Hes been so incredible for the club and still has a role to play but honestly he doestn have the legs to be be an AM. He could play in one of the other 2 CM positions but not as a penetrating attacker.

That leaves us with 3 players left to actually get us goals. Of our front line of 3 only suarez has more than one PL goal. So our wide attacking players have no goals in them. They are neat and tidy in possession but dont strike fear into defenses. There is also little pace or size up front so we are relying on sheer skill to get goals.

Insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. How are we supposed to score goals and beat teams if we offer little threat going forward?? Either we are going to have to change the system with the players we currently have or buy new players to change what we are doing..

For the midfield 3 if Lucas is to remain in there he has enough to break up play and distribute the ball and start the attack. Allen has to be dropped for me. Hendo gives us more energy but Gerrard is still a better option for the second midfield spot. I dont believe we have someone with the engine and goals in their game to play the 3rd midfield position so thats an absolute must for me if this system is to work. Tough call for me this one but essential to give the drive that Stevie used to give us. Cant think of available names with the required skillset so will be tough to find imo.

If Suarez is to remain in the attacking 3 then we need 2 new options with size/pace/goals in their game. The quality we have now in midfield and attakc will suffice as good cover options for the higher qualit players we can bring in. To move this team on we will need the quality of the likes of Cavani, Llorente, Sanchez all names being touted about with short contracts and in prime condition physically.considering the massive cuts that have been made and some players still to move on there should be no problem financially getting these players Llorente isnt even playing CL at the moment, Sanchez cant get a game this season and Cavani has the uruguay connection here with not much time on his contract.

There is also Walcott/sturridge/ince available if we want an english option all relatively cheap on short contracts available in January.

I just cant see us moving to the next level without these changes os lets get going NESV !!!!!!

Who here could argue that our back 6 when fit is among the best if not the best in the league. Reina,Gj,Jose,Dagger,Skrtel with Lucas in front is absolute top drawer. We have a group of dedicated professionals on long term deals in their prime ages of mid to late 20's playing well every week. Now that Lucas is back we seem stronger than ever at the back.

Struggling to get past this first paragraph, considering you wrote this just as the game today was finishing.

Struggling to get past this first paragraph, considering you wrote this just as the game today was finishing.

Actually wrote it last week but didnt finish it.. I still believe our problems at the back are down to posing no attacking threat

Actually wrote it last week but didnt finish it.. I still believe our problems at the back are down to posing no attacking threat

I think so mate, easy example remove Messi, Ineasta, Xabi then we never see the Barcelona of today. Our biggest problem is no one clinical enough to finish chances created, and I believed with the like of van Persie in this team we could be in top four already.

I'm not against the idea of bring in the wide player (Steridge, Walcott, Ince etc) but I always said it's not a priority but the top quality finisher is. Again I don't believe Luis Suarez is a natural finisher, BR may try to develop him the way Barca success with Messi but at his age Suarez is nowhere near Messi in the most important attribute of the finisher - the composure.

I once said I like to see we play similar to this :

                                      Reina
                             
                          Skrtel             Ageer               
        Johnson                                           Enrique
                                 Lucas
                                            Gerrard   
        Suso (?)                                          Sterling
                                   Suarez

                                   (Finisher)             

The at RW we may need someone so I said I'd welcome Walcott as I hope to see him play there for us. Then we will have to invest big money (if we still persisted to work with no scouting system ) on the top quality finisher, the like of Cavani.

Re Allen I said before in the question who will be dropped if Lucas comeback I said it's Allen as I see he will offer less attacking than Gerrard Sahin or Shelvey. One thing is the way BR subbed Shelvey off and keep Allen last night against Aston Villa is nothing less of surprise. I'll say I'm very disappointed as I think keep Shelvey and replace Allen with Suso at half time thing can be much better.

Hi all, newbie here ...I agree with you are saying & no doubt, I have felt the same way about Gerrard too.

He doesn't have the legs to be a box to box midfielder anymore but still possess the passing range & vision so he can be in front of Lucas orchestrating our attacks with someone fresher like Shelvey or like, rampaging into the box with hopefully a new attacking profile come January.

We need to get clinical as we start the games quite fast to catch teams on the hop so hopefully that will be sorted with the likes of Ince & Strurridge, not big names I know, but guys that are hungry to prove a point which enable us to move up a level where we can be consistent in qualifying for CL. Only then when we are consistent in doing that, we will be able to be in position to attract a better calibre of player.

Until then, I 'm backing Rodgers as like his style of football so am prepared to put with short term pains for long term gains...