Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge has expressed his concerns over current owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks refinancing their bank loan before the October deadline. He wrote in his column in the Liverpool Echo:
“In all the years I have followed Liverpool, I have never known the mood to be quite as bleak and pessimistic as it is right at this moment in time. We all know that it is thanks – in no small part – to the misery that Tom Hicks and George Gillett have heaped on the club and, once again on Saturday, we saw how high passions are running amongst supporters, who vehemently oppose their reign. Everything surrounding the owners is making the masses feel miserable and there is no doubt that the players have been affected by what is going on – they are reading what we are reading and it will be dragging them down, no question. . . Yes, there is a chance a new owner could come in and give Roy Hodgson money to start operating at the top end of the transfer market but what happens if Hicks and Gillett manage to pull a rabbit from the hat and refinance That doesn’t bear thinking about at the moment and please God, it won’t happen. What’s more, there is little that could be done to change it”
Aldridge does believe that changes can be made on the pitch though:
“Everyone wants to see a Liverpool team passing, moving and expressing themselves but the only way we are going to see that happen is when the team that Roy is trying to form gets used to one another and builds up a rapport. We can sit and dwell on the Northampton and Sunderland results but isn’t it better to just look forward to the games with FC Utrecht and Blackpool and think about the boost two wins would give? Let’s see Fernando Torres get his chance to shine in Holland, then; let’s see Joe Cole get another 90 minutes under his belt rather than all the chopping and changing that has been going on – you never know, the next 180 minutes might just give everyone the left that is needed.”
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Torres would do much better when he is supported well. Have Joe Cole play in the hole with Stevie G and Meireles controlling midfield both are box to box material with great understanding of the game and adept at both attacking and defending. On the wings, play Glen Johnson down right and Milan on the left. We do not have natural wingers but Glen is as good as any we have who can work down that line. This will bring width and free up the central players, all of Torres, Joe Cole, Stevie G and Meireles. They will have more space to operate and great support. Plus Agger may be used both in set pieces as well as an additional threat going up field.
Which leaves us with defence.
We can have Poulsen sitting behind the central midfield pairing and in front of the back 3- being Agger, Skrtel and Carra. Carra to move and cover the right when we press from the right and Agger to cover the left when we press from the left. When we attack through the centre, both wingers hug the line and Agger to move into dangerous areas where his ball control and heading abilities are put into action.
We then basically play with a 3 man defense when we are attacking and automatically with a 5 man defense ( wingers drop back ) when under attack.
This can greatly reduce the aerial threats we have been getting. The only problem is when the wingers move up, Poulsen or one of the central midfielders must have the discipline to cover that flank before they get to break as well if and when needed. And the 3rd central defender to stay out wide until the winger nearest to him drops back and then switch. The other central defenders are NOT to be dragged out wide. They must have the discipline to stay in their zone no matter what, even if it means an opponent having acres of space to put a cross in. Should play be opened over across the field, the 1st central defenders SLOWLY to move over the other side, trusting that Poulsen will act in his role to disrupt any plays that involve the strikers in the centre, while having the wingers drop back to cover the sides. The 3rd central defender to fall back into the centre and the winger nearest to him to conduct his defensive duties a little out wide. Carra is still needed for his understanding and experience of the game in the defensive set up. However, Martin Kelly can still be given some time on the field as he will be aided well in thi set up ( as he will have Glen Johnson to cover him as well )
the owners need to go…plain and simple..RBS should NOT grant them a refinancing deal…no bank should as a matter of fact..push them to a corner and make them sell…only with a change of ownership will we see players rise from their current gloomy state of mind…and start playing football…
don’t they get it? no one on this planet wants them to stay as owners of Liverpool, not the fans, not the manager, not the players…bugger off!!
Leo, I like much of your idea, but I would leave Skrtel out of the team and bring agger at cb. Play four at the back with Konchesky and Kelly as the full backs. I don’t trust a 3 man defence. Having said that though, it’s worth a try, why not