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SWOT analysis of Liverpool’s 5-3-2 system

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SWOTRooney Lucas Moses analysis is a simple but often effective business tool used to analyse problems and situations in work environments. It stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

Following our foray into the world of 5-3-2 in the frustrating 1-0 loss to arch rivals Manchester United I thought I’d look at how the system worked on the night, and how it may work better in the future.

Strengths

– Three centre-backs better utilises our abundance of central defenders. Given that we are short of quality midfielders or experienced wide players it can makes sense to play a system that uses more of our better players.

– Of our central defenders Sakho and Skrtel in particular like to break ranks to quickly close down players – trying to win the ball back and hurry the opposition. With 3 centre-backs they can do this knowing that there’s plenty of cover behind them.

– It allows for both Suarez and Sturridge to play centrally without losing an extra man in the middle of the park in midfield. In a 4-3-3, one of the two would have to play wide, and in a 4-4-1-1, Lucas and Gerrard can be swamped by teams who play an extra midfielder.

– Against an, all be it, much changed Manchester United team, Liverpool had long stretches of controlled offensive football and created plenty of chances. Apart from the first 15 minutes when the players looked to be adapting, the team seemed comfortable and if it wasn’t for a very poor piece of defending by Enrique that cost the game, no one could have complained if Liverpool had ended up winning the game.

Weaknesses

– For the system to work, 5-3-2 when we don’t have the ball needs to morph effectively into 3-5-2 when we do have the ball. This relies heavily on having quality wing-backs, who not only know how to defend and attack equally well, but have the tactical and positional nous to do so at the right times.

Glen Johnson would seem well suited to the role, but Jose Enrique, despite clearly relishing getting forward, is simply far too erratic in possession and in the final third to be effective. Jordan Henderson did okay against United, using his stamina well to get up and down, but looked shy and indecisive in the final third and wary of mistiming his defensive challenges. Unless Aly Cissokho is more comfortable in this type of role (which is unlikely) and Kelly, in Johnson’s absence, recovers his attacking verve, the lack of quality wing-backs is a key limitation to the system’s success.

– With Lucas and Gerrard regulars in the Liverpool midfield the third attacking midfielder should be someone who is capable of linking midfield to attack and supplying ammunition for the strikers. Both Suarez and Sturridge showed good movement and linked up with each other. If their first touches (particularly Sturridge’s who continually miscontrolled) had been better on a number of occasions Liverpool could have won the game comfortably. However Moses did not look well suited to this role. Despite being a goal threat, he doesn’t have the vision and range of passing to slip in the attackers or play effectively in-between the lines.

– If the fullbacks get pressed deep while defending then it can be difficult to provide offensive width, but against Man United both Enrique and Henderson got forward and provided good width, aided by the willingness of Suarez and Sturridge to go wide and offer passing options. Similarly playing 3 at the back can expose the left and right sided centre-backs if the opposition wingers press high and keep the width (like Barcelona’s or Bayern’s wide men do), but with Kagawa frequently wanting to come in-field, and Nani playing poorly, this was fortunately not a problem during this particular game.

Opportunities

– The free attacking midfield role that Moses struggled in seems perfect for Philippe Coutinho, but in the absence of the mercurial Brazilian I would have liked us to have tried Luis Alberto. Starting in a cup tie away at Old Trafford is perhaps not the best game for a young Barcelona B starlet to make his starting debut, but if we play this system again before Coutinho returns, I hope he is given this opportunity as he should be better suited to it than Moses or Sterling. If he finds the role as hard as Moses did then perhaps it’s best to wait for Coutinho before trying the system again.

– Martin Kelly was brought on into the right wing-back role in the second half and looked solid. Prior to his injury Kelly used to charge forward from fullback and while he seemed more restrained in his return to the first team, I hope he recovers his earlier form. However, John Flanagan is still a Liverpool player and nowadays when he does get an opportunity to play, sometimes dropping back into the U21s, he’s gotten forward with real gusto. Flanno will be desperate to work his way back into Rodgers’ thinking, and while he isn’t technically gifted, he has a great engine and drive to get forward and defend in equal measure, and may be a good fit for the right wing-back role.

Threats

– We can already see how the loss of two key players particular suited to this system, Glen Johnson and Philippe Coutinho, negatively affects the teams ability to excel in this tactical set up. There are other players who are also important to the system’s viability. Despite being one of Liverpool’s weak links, if Jose Enrique isn’t fit, there is no-one else who can play this role.

Sakho, who deputised at left-back in the miserable defeat to Southampton, certainly does not look like he’s got the attacking credentials, and while we are yet to see Aly Cissokho in a full Liverpool game, he is known more for his defensive capabilities than attacking ones. I for one hold onto the distant hope that we try and sign the disillusioned but top class Fabio Coentrao in January or indeed next Summer. He’d help solve the problem left-back/wing-back position that has troubled us since John Arne-Riise’s peak, and many would argue since Alan Kennedy’s heyday.

– Confidence is an important part of top level football. And with our first foray into this system this season ending in defeat and being knocked out of the cup, despite playing fairly well, negativity around this system can set in. If we next try this system and don’t get a positive result, the players can develop a lack of faith in the system, even if poor results are less to do with the system as they are with individual mistakes (e.g. Enrique’s). Hence, I would only try this system again against weaker opposition and at Anfield, where we should have a better chance of winning.

– The largest threat to any one system, is always another system that may work better. While LFC is weak in midfield options, we do have a number of young and/or inexperienced wide players available. Raheem Sterling hasn’t started a Premier League game yet and Jordan Ibe is still awaiting his chance. Aspas has failed to impress playing centrally, but has done okay out wide and Victor Moses’ best position is clearly as a winger. Perhaps a return to a simple 4-4-2 would yield dividends if Rodgers is willing to risk playing with 2 wingers, rather than just one winger and Jordan Henderson on the flanks.

Personally, despite the defeat, I felt we played well and the players looked rather comfortable playing 5-3-2. Even though we were playing United’s reserves, Old Trafford is still a tough place to come and Man Utd had plenty of experience on the field. We must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water, and discard a promising system because of a single 1-0 defeat away from home at the Champions.

Ideally I wouldn’t try 5-3-2 again until after Philippe Coutinho and Glen Johnson return, because, with our weak squad options, we don’t have strong enough replacements and we can’t afford to drop more points in the Premier League with too many more experimental line ups.

You can catch more from me on my own blog: http://taintlessred.blogspot.co.uk/

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Gabriel Darshan (Writer) - aka Sutha Nirmalananthan aka TaintlessRed. I am a lifelong Liverpool fan who has followed the Reds from near (e.g. living in Kirkby) and far (e.g. living in Johannesburg), though am again living back home in the UK. I’ve watched football in stadia all around the world, from the Maracana to the Camp Nou, though Anfield will of course always be the greatest! I enjoy healthy football debate, preferring reasoned analysis based on sound evidence over gossip. I also write a blog at http://taintlessred.blogspot.co.uk/ on all things Liverpool FC and you can follow me on twitter @taintlessred

25 comments

  • FSG Out says:

    Doesnt matter what formation we play, with this manager & squad we are going nowhere. Face up to it.

  • F S G IN says:

    F S G have spent the money – they did not choose Allen Borini and Aspas

  • Denis D says:

    The Problem is B Rodgers needs to bring in more class, quality Defensive and attacklng players to the club in next two Transfer Windows: All summer B Rodgers was saying he was looking to bring an offensive attacking midfielder who brought more goals to side. Yet he did not bring one in at all

    In January the owners need to give B Rodgers : £50-£60M to bring in these 5 important players:

    1: GK: A Mccarthy(23) Of Reading for £4-£7M to compete and Cover Mignolet for next 5-10 years. ( For Now and Future)

    2: DM: M’Vila (24) Of Rubin Kazan for £10-£15M to compete and Cover Lucas, A more mobile, powerful, Quicker, Tough Tackling player than Lucas Leiva who would do well against the players Lucas Struggles against Powerful, strong dominant midfielders( Capoue, Dembele, Mulumbu, Nzonzi, Schneiderlin, Sissoko, Tiote, Yaya and Wanyama)

    3: RW / RWF: J Montero(23) Of Monarcas Morelia in Mexico for £4-£7M to compete and Cover Sterling.

    4: LW /LWF: B Arfa(26) Of Newcastle for £10-£15M to compete and Cover with IBE

    5: FD: A Hernandez (23) Of Palermo should definately be brought to club for £3-£8M to compete with Sturridge and Suarez.

    Then in the summer: These 5 dead wood average players need to be shipped out and shown the door:

    1: GK: B Jones 2: CB: S Coates 3: RB: J Flanagan 4: FD: F Borini

    5: RW / RWF: Assaidi

    And then the owners would need to give B Rodgers another £70m-£100M in the summer to bring in Four class, quality Marquee attacking players. All of them being Marquee signings.

    1: AM: I Munian(21) Of A Bilbao for £16-£23m to compete and cover Coutinho

    2: CM: A Herrera(24) Of A Bilbao for £25-£29M to take Over from Gerrard. And to compete with Allen and Henderson for next 5-7 years at club

    3: FD: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang(24) Of B Dortmund for £20-£25M to compete with Sturridge and hopefully Hernanderz ( If Club sign him in January)

    4:FD: Michu (27) Of Swansea for £15-£22M to compete and Cover Suarez.

    Over the next two Transfer windows: The Four dead wood average players need to be shown the door. ( Assaidi, Borin

    And 9 players need to brought to club for £120-£170m over next two transfer windows, Those 9 players would get our club back competing for the league titles year in year out and also have us competing and challenging the likes of A.C Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Champions League again.

    In January, the 5 class, quality signings i have mentioned will help us maintain top 4 hopes. Then hopefully we make top 4, then in summer owners need to spend £100M ON the 4 Marquee signings. To show Europe and world we are not back in Champions League just for sake of it, we are back there to try and win our 6TH Champions League trophy

    • TaintlessRed says:

      Nice ideas for sure, though doubt we can spend £20m for a backup for Suarez and not sure Michu would perform so well at a top club. Also Dortmund aren’t going to let aubemayang go I don’t think.

      • Denis D says:

        Michu would perform at a top club.

        And if Our club aims to be a top club competing at the top in Premier league and In Europe year in and Year out, then these are the type of players Liverpool need to start going for and bringing to the club.

        We need more players of Coutinho and Suarez class, creativity at club.

      • Denis D says:

        Come January, If Bayern Munich Or Real Madrid offer 70 milllion plus for him, he should be sold. No matter how class or great Suarez is , he is not bigger than the club. He wants out and as long as he is not sold to another Premiership side and for No Less than £70M then he should go.

        As Tottenham finished 5th last season and spent £109.5mnthis season to try and get in top 4, where as we finished 7th last season and spent £34M

        FSG need to give Rodgers £170M to spend over the next two transfer windows to bring in the 9 players i mentioned. Whilst shipping out the 5 dead wood players i mentioned and bringing in £20-£25 for selling the dead wood players.

  • don says:

    can we try this formation?
    mignolet

    kelly toure sakho enrique

    lucas

    hendo alberto

    sturridge suarez moses

    i think gerrard needs a rest .. the midfield set up need a boost and the diamond formation with only one at the tip isnt enough for pressing and attacking . we need one as destroyer and two organisers .

    • TaintlessRed says:

      I agree that it look like Gerrard needs a rest. I like the formation, though I’d probably swap Suarez and Sturridge around. I’d like to see Alberto given a go too!

  • Erin says:

    In the last 2 games we have played 4 central defenders and now 3. Over the course of last season, we played (second half) Henrique- carragher-agger-johnson. Now, i know Johnson is injured but i dont see why Kelly can not be trusted with that role?
    Enough experimentation. Play Kelly, henrique at the back in the absence of Cissokho. Lets play the players in the positions they perform best and formations they are most familiar with.

    We are out of the cup now and have 2 competitions to play for. Our guys will have 34 cup finals. My maths say, win 14 home games (with room to draw/lose the other 3 left. makes around 42 points, add 10 on board makes it 52. we must find another 18 points minimum to get to that top 4 place or at least a challenge. Which means, 6 away wins.

    Now, starting from Sunday, teams like Sunderland, C Palace, West Broom, West Ham, Norwich and co must be beaten home and away. It is possible but defeats to Southampton at home must be a one off. one in a season if we are to stand any chance at all about regaining the top 4.

    Denis, 40-50 million to be given in January? No chance mate. This club must be run properly and not on borrowing money from the banks.

    My idea is simple, get to 70 points plus this season, see if we can get top 4. Then, we can sell Suarez and do a SPURS. Meaning, spend any profits from the season plus the Luis money to consolidate, challenge for the title. We saw this summer whats like going for players when they demand CL football as a bare minimum.

    To attract players, you need either CL football, or a CL manager in the shape of ancelloti, Mourinho, Rafa. We have to have BR which is maddening but make due with what you have got.

    Finally, it seems like Rogers is here to stay. Pascoe is a nobody working with him. We have seen the rewards of a scouting team for finding sturridge and Coutinho. I asked this before. Why not hire an advisor in the shape of ONE Jup Heinke? or Luis Aragones? Someone who has been there/done that/ and can debate ideas/ coach Rogers into becoming a top 4 manager. He clearly needs help.

    YNWA

    • Denis D says:

      Erin, If Tottenham finished 5th last Season and Spent £109.5m to try and get into the Top 4.

      In Football now, You have to spend top draw money to stay ahead of competition and to be a success in football.

      And If Rodgers does not spend £50-£60M on the five Players i mentioned: We will not be making the top 4 this year. We have been out of Champions League for Five Years now, that is £100m we have lost out on over 5 years.

      And that is just for getting past the qualifying game to get into Champions League, If club get past the further team progresses then the pay out his more.

      Do you seriously think the squad we currently have would do well in the champions league? The answer is NO as the squad we have now would struggle in the Europa League let alone the Champions League:

      We have too many average / mediocre players in squad who are no way near champions league class and quality:

      Alberto, Allen, Assaidi, Aspas, Borini, Coates, Flanagan, Henderson, Jones, Kelly, Sterling and Wisdom.

      Thats 12 players.

      We have some class players: Cissokho,Coutinho, Enrique, Lucas, Llori, Mignolet, Skrtel, Moses and Sturridge.

      Thats 9 players

      And these are the world class players we have at club: Agger, Gerrard and Suarez.

      Thats 3 players

      So out of Squad of 24 players, half of them are average or mediocre, 9 of them are class and quality and there are 3 world class players. But you claim we can’t and shouldn’t be spending £50-£60M in January. Then we will missing out on Champions League again next season

      • Ozred says:

        We desperately need another attacking mid and that should be priority in summer. If we r in a position similar to where we currently are then there’s no reason this wouldn’t be achievable

        Coutinho Gerard Suarez Sturridge are as good as most big clubs best attacking options but we fall down with Henderson not having a final ball and aspas not having much of anything. Moses comes in and out and sterling is still in nappies.

        No thanks to michu, u forgot to include sakho in your list and the reality of the situation is that the club won’t spend 170m in 2 windows. Also, re spurs, they had a net spend of about 15m. Apples with apples

        • Denis D says:

          Ozred, if you knew anything really about football. You’d know we are descent but have scrapped results and held on to wins or draws.

          This season the reason its so close, is not just because so many managers have changed is because there are so many managers trying to implement good playing football with technical players. Even stoke are losing their bully boy team status, Most teams in the league are trying to dictate play keep ball on the floor and play technical football. Its no surprise why Arsenal are top of the league, as they have been technically the best club in the league for over decade and play the best football. And now every team is trying to play nice football on the deck, Arsenal are better than most teams in league hands down. And that is why they are doing well this season and will do well this season, as most teams in the league now are trying to have a go at one another and play nice attractive free playing football.

          If our club had better players, do in centre midfield than Allen, Henderson and Cover for Coutinho? We would have beat Swansea and we would never have lost to Southampton.

          Gerrard is a great and loyal servant and has super quality, but against the Young, Mobile, Ball playing midfielders who will get stuck in Gerrard and Lucas both get unstuck. Gerrrard is 33, not 23. He should be used wisely, Not week in week out.

          As i said: The likes of Alonso, Carrick, Gerrard, Iniesta, Lampard, Parker,Pirlo are coming to an end.

          Its now about the Cazorla, Coutinho, Eriksen,Fabregas,Gotze, Herrera, Isco, Mata, Munian, Modric, Oscar, Ozil, Paulinho,Ramsey,Sigurdsson, Thiago, Wiltshire type players who will start to dominate the centre of park.

          Henderson and Allen are no where near as good as any of the names , mentioned as if they were S Gerrard would be getting sufficient rest time that he needs.

          Rodgers has now sorted out the defence for next 3-6 years, but if there is two dead wood defenders that still need to be shipped out in Summer: Coates CB and Flanagan RB

          P Reina (30) Is still a world class GK, just for last three seasons he was too inconsitant due to lack of class, quality competition for his place and the weak squad we had, so he struggled. Rodgers needs to bring in A Mccarthy(23) Of Reading in January for 4-7M to compete with Mignolet for the next 5-8 years at club. So they are both kept on their toes and No complacency creeps into Mignolet

          Lucas is struggling to find the form he had two seasons ago before he was injured in game at Chelsea in Carling Cup. But as he is only midfielder at club that protects back 4 well and gets stuck in the middle of park and gets foot in, he is vital. There is no one else in whole squad that does that role, so he plays week in week out even if has not played well game before.

          M’Vila (24) Of Rubin Kazan needs to be brought to club in January for 12-16M to compete and Cover Lucas, M’Vila would make Lucas stay on the bench. M’Vila is powerful, Mobile, Quick , Tough tackling Defensive Midfielder.

          M’Vila has strength, height, mobility, Speed and Youth over Lucas and would be a great addition to squad and he is a player who if we did get back in Champions League has Champions League Quality.

          Ozred, God forbid anything happens to Suarez and Sturridge at same time, where are the goals coming from?

          Coutinho will score 5-7 goals a season
          Sterling 1-3 Goals a season
          Henderson 3-5 Goals a season
          Gerrard 4-8 Goals a season
          Moses(Loan) 2-5 Goals a season

          Is that enough goals for club?

          Along with A GK and Solid DM, Rodgers needs to bring two pacey quick widemen who bring class, creativity, excitement, entertainment, goals and width to side on either wing.

          RW / RWF: Ozred: Check out J Montero(23) Of Monarcas Morelia in Mexico, He plays for Ecuador: He is terrorising Argentina, Portugal and International defenders for fun at the moment and would be a great signing for us. Rodgers could sign him for 4-7M and he would bring in 10-20 goals a season to side, whether assisting or scoring them

          LW / LWF: B Arfa(26) Of Newcastle: We were after him in the summer, but tried to offer Newcastle a pathetic amount for him: How could Rodgers spend 10.5M on Borini, 7.7M on Aspas, 6.8M on Alberto and try to offer just 8M for B Arfa. B Arfa should be brought to club for 12-16M in January

          And lastly B Rodgers should bring in A Hernandez (23) Of Palermo to compete with Aspas, Sturridge and Suarez

          Ozred, Rodgers is a good manager but over the season and quarter he has been at club, he has wasted 40m on Alberto, Allen and Assaidi, Aspas, Borini.

          Instead that 40m could and should of been spent on De Guzman, Eriksen,Capoue, Arfa and G Rossi.

          S Gerrard has one more good year of football in him at best, But in J Allen and Henderson, both of them cannot come anywhere near Gerrard.

          S Gerrard needs to be replaced by a A Herrera(23) Of A Bilbao for 25-30M , he is a young mobile Skilful Alonso type player, who scores goals.

          But Herrera will not score as many goals as Gerrard scored for club, not many midfielders upcoming in world football will be like Gerrard or Lampard at scoring goals. But what Herrera offers is real class, quality and dictates the tempo and has a range of passing that will see him be a regular in the spain National side in the next two years.

          • Ozred says:

            Well done. So in summary if we have better players we’ll win more games. Employ this man now.

          • Ozred says:

            God forbid united lose vp or Rooney. Or any team loses their 2 best strikers for that matter.

            Your happy to point fingers at br for borini aspas etc but will u give him any credit for Sturridge coutinho toure mignolet?

            Every supporter in the world would agree that we need more midfield class and depth and I’m certain that will come in jan. Henderson aspas Allen etc all don’t play in a premiership team and that needs to be fixed. But unless we sell Suarez for 70 – 80m then there’s no way we r going to spend the amount your talking about over 2 windows.

            World class creative goal scoring mid is what is desperately needed. If u dropped one of fabragas, ozil modric etc into the current team, our best team would be as good as anyone’s.

      • Ozred says:

        And not at all surprising that your stupid rants are back as soon as we have a couple of results go against us.

        • Denis D says:

          Ozred, This is where Rodgers has gone wrong and why so many of managers have gone wrong at Liverpool, As they bring in more average dead wood players than Class quality players.

          Rodgers has signed Allen, Alberto, Assaidi, Aspas, Borini, Coutinho, Llori, Mignolet, Sakho, Sturridge and Toure.

          And the defenders will come good in future, but the 40M wasted on Allen, Alberto, Assaidi, Aspas and Borini is comical.

          And yeah coutinho and Sturridge have been great class buys, but the 4 other attacking players he brought to club are not up to scratch simple.
          Alberto,Assaidi, Aspas and Borini.

          And your judged on where you finish in league and if your brought more class and quality to club than rubbish, Even the loan signing of Moses is a joke to be honest. We need quick pacey goalscoring wingers at club, Moses is good but he is not great.

          And Ozred, its not about just spending money on Potential, we do not have any five years to try and get back in Champions league. Even Southampton are spending serious money and bringing in top class players now.

          In the summer, the Defensive signings were good and quality. The attacking signings have been weak and pathetic, We need players of Coutinho, Gerrard, Sturridge and Suarez ability in attack who will hit the ground running straight away.

          Swansea brought in better attackers than us and so did Southampton, Bony and Pozuelo are better than Aspas and Alberto. And Osvaldo is better than Aspas also.

          Rodgers should have spent 27m on bring B Arfa and C Eriksen to club, instead of spending 15M on Potential/ unknowns

          Arfa and Eriksen are already Champions League Class,Quality players : Aspas and Alberto will need at least two to three years to get anywhere near Champions League Quality

        • Denis D says:

          Ozred, Your a clown. The wins we have had have not been convincing, we are playing well in periods of game. And then being dominated and holding on for results, when we get better players in. And ship most of the dead wood average clubs still at club, then we will start to dominate games and win games more comfortable.

          Ozred, Man United have had a weak centre midfield for two seasons now, carrick, cleverly, Anderson and Kagawa are nowhere near as good as their past teams great midfield: Keane, Ince and Scholes.

          Just like our centre midfield is nowhere near as good as what it was: Allen, Alberto, Old Ageing Gerrard, Henderson and Lucas.

          When we had : Young Alonso, Gerrard at his peak, Experienced Hamman, Young Sissoko, Mascherano and a Young Lucas Leiva who could get nowhere near the first 11 if everyone was fully fit and injury free.

          Our midfield like M United’s is very weak, to be honest.

          Where Arsenal have the likes of Arteta, Cazorla, Diaby, Ozil, Ramsey, Rosicky and Wiltshire. Diaby and Rosicky are sick notes, but when fit, their class and quality are second to none and it shows like Napoli found out last night in Champions league.

          If Rodgers and FSG Seriously aim to get the club back to the top, serious money is needed to get the club back there. There is no ways about it.

          Allen and Henderson are average at best. And they cost club 35M

          Over the next three transfer windows: Year and a Half:

          One More Centre Back: K Papadopolous(21) Of Schalke for 10-14m to be the future centre back partner of Sakho in year or two for next 5- 7 years.

          Two Centre midfielders are needed: To compete with Allen and Henderson: For the next 3- 5 years:

          A Herrera(23) and B Etxebarria(26) Of A Bilbao should be both brought to club for 42-50M

          A Defensive Midfielder is needed to compete with Lucas for next 3-5 years:

          M’Vila(23) Of Rubin Kazan for 11-15M

          Two Pacey Quick Goalscoring Wide Men on either wing:

          RW / RWF

          LW/ LWF

          An AM who will compete with Coutinho and Suso for the next 4-6 years at club:

          I Munian(21) Of A Bilbao should also be brought to club for 12-18m

          And two to three forwards need to be brought to club as Aspas, Borini are not good enough and Suarez still wants out of the club

          And as long as he is not sold to any other premiership club and he is not sold for no less than 70M, then he should be sold.

  • david says:

    Same story as last season. Everybody talking about new steal after three 1-0 wins but truth is we didn’t perform that great and lucky not to concede. So a penalty save in the last minute of first game and a couple of fantastic saves from Mignolet in the dying moments of the second game means with have new stronger mentality ?? please ! We didn’t go strong enough after our main targets in the summer and are suppose to be believe Sakho is a marquee signing? Gerrard doesn’t need a rest, he has a new role which is suppose to prolong his career, so he can influence games from the back but he cant change the games when we need him like before. I would rather have 60 mins of the old gerrard bombing forward than watch this player disintegrate slowly . He needs players better than Henderson , Aspas, even Moses ahead of him to be effective in his new role. I hope we get Alonso back in January, we desperately need top 4 by hook or by crook this season , otherwise its goodbye Suarez and no top players will join next summer.

    • Ozred says:

      Yea same as last season…

      2nd on ladder after 6 rounds.
      Beat Man U in the league.
      Clearly out play 4 teams for a deserved 12 points.
      Keeper who can stop
      Defensive options

      Same old story. Another 3 points this week might just see us to the top of the table. Not bad for a side missing one of the best strikers in the world, the best right back in the comp and their only creative mid for the past few weeks.

      Same old story

  • pino pino says:

    It amazes me how Br still plays Sturridge 4 90mins, very lazy player I doubt cum january he will still be in the first xi.

  • paul says:

    sarko n ilori cash could have bought great playmaker like nasri,ericsen etc.

    • Ozred says:

      Agree

      • Denis D says:

        Ozred, in two years time. If Rodgers is still at the club and the FSG are still owners, if our club has spent well and brought in the 10 players i mentioned in the next three Transfer windows( Year and Half).

        Then this will be the Starting line up that challenges year in year out in League and Champions League:

        Mignolet
        Kelly Papadopolous Sakho Enrique

        M’Vila Herrera
        Montero Coutinho Or Munian Arfa

        Aubameyang Or Sturridge

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