A number of Liverpool players have benefited from being used in Rodgers’ current system
A new year always brings fresh hope and the possibility of revitalisation, no matter how precarious your position is. Notably, this effect is beginning to be seen on Liverpool, with the Reds coming away from Birmingham 2-0 winners this weekend against Aston Villa in impressive fashion.
In a similar manner to the preceding fixture against Sunderland, Liverpool fashioned plenty of chances in the first half and could have been out of sight by half-time, representing the progress they still have to make in returning to the clinical fashion of last season. However, after a Villa onslaught in the second half, Liverpool held on and Rickie Lambert ensured the three points.
There are small signs of improvement defensively and this match certainly demonstrated that, with back to back away Premier League clean sheets always a good sign. Furthermore, Liverpool have now only lost one of their last fourteen matches and are only five points off the top four. However, this is for all competitions, including games against the likes of Bournemouth and AFC Wimbledon, and the Reds have only recorded 8 wins in this run of form. Nevertheless, whilst it is not a return to the incredible heights of last season, it is marked progress.
That progress could gather serious momentum tomorrow night as the Reds welcome Chelsea to Anfield in yet another cup fixture between the two, this time a League Cup semi-final.
There may not always been room for Gerrard in the current system
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is seeking his first major trophy since returning to England, while Rodgers is simply looking to open his account for the first time. Key to any chance of achieving this in the first major of 2015 will be the formation Rodgers picks.
In the first few months of the season, Rodgers chopped and changed systems and formations in order to find the one best suited to his new group of players, as teams worked out the 4-4-2 diamond. Captain Steven Gerrard could no longer continue in the defensive role he excelled in last season (but should never have been seen as a long term move without a proper defensive midfield partner – ala Javier Mascherano) as he was being man-marked out of games, while the reason for the system – to fit round Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge – was no longer necessary with Suarez’s departure to Barcelona.
Recently Rodgers has settled on a 3-4-2-1 formation which has allowed the pressing and high-energy game to return, suiting the established and fresh crop of players. Moreover, defensively they look tighter as they can revert to a five man backline with Jordan Henderson and particularly Lucas Leiva also shielding the defence, although they are still extremely susceptible to set-pieces, as AFC Wimbledon proved in the FA Cup.
The Reds are now suited and used to this formation and even once Sturridge returns there shouldn’t be any issues as he can play the lone striker and is by far the best forward at the club. Any changes will lead to doubts which will result in uncertainty creeping back into the confidence that Liverpool have been slowly rebuilding.
This cannot happen against an in-form and ruthless Chelsea, as they proved in the 2-1 win at Anfield in November.
Henderson being used in the centre has seen a big improvement in his form
The team-sheet shouldn’t experience too many changes either. With the exception of Gerrard’s return, the line-up against Aston Villa should be the same for the game against Chelsea. It may only be three days rest and Liverpool do have a fairly big squad, but little rotation to a winning team helps with building momentum and confidence. It also helps increase trust in the players around you and what runs and passes they are likely to make.
Fabio Borini did score against Villa, but he and Lambert have still been extremely underwhelming and scoring one goal doesn’t merit them a start against the league leaders given the form of the rest of the team, alongside Gerrard himself – this season’s top scorer with nine goals.
Liverpool need to play their best team if they have realistic ambitions of beating Chelsea and going on to win the League Cup, and Gerrard certainly should be in that team, alongside everyone else from the weekend.
It would mean Raheem Sterling playing upfront, but Rodgers seems to have this in mind for the long-term given the recall of winger Jordan Ibe and the lack of activity in the January transfer window.
Some of Rodgers’ January signings are finally beginning to bear fruit, particularly Emre Can, Lazar Markovic, Alberto Moreno and Adam Lallana (prior to his injury). This upturn has only been apparent in recent games and could easily decline, but given the age of many of the new signings (Can – 20, Moreno – 22, Markovic – 20, Javi Manquillo – 20) and the adjustment period needed for many foreign signings to adjust to English culture and the expectations of a club of Liverpool’s stature, perhaps now they are starting to emerge as the players Rodgers believed he had signed.
Lucas may well have been the biggest beneficiary of Rodger’s system switch
It would be just in time too, given the battle for Champions League football next season and with the Reds still in the hunt for the League Cup, FA Cup and Europa League.
Alongside the new recruits, Lucas’ form and consistent run in the side has been pivotal in this Red resurgence, emphasising the need for a proper defensive midfielder in any successful team. Allied to Simon Mignolet in goal, who did show signs of improvement against Villa, these two positions have to be addressed in the summer to ensure long-term progress for Liverpool. Even January additions would be welcomed, particularly to replace Mignolet, but they seem increasingly unlikely.
Liverpool tend to perform better in the second half of seasons, from the early days of Rafael Benitez to the astonishing run that almost resulted in the league title last season. There is plenty to play for between now and May, but now the Reds at least are looking somewhat like themselves again with this new formation and line-up consistently shaping the team-sheet.
It needs to remain this way – if they wish to achieve some success at the end of what has been a turbulent season thus far.
