I do have an issue if this does occur though. Dirk Kuyt looked very effective helping out Torres in the middle of the park against Chelsea, and putting Meireles into another unnatural position doesn’t sit too comfortably with me either. I would much prefer to see Raul in central midfield but the form of Lucas Leiva and Steven Gerrard would make me reluctant to break up the partnership. In an ideal world at the moment, although I know it will probably not happen, I would like to see Maxi on the right, Gerrard and Lucas in the centre, with Joe Cole or Milan Jovanovic wide left and Dirk Kuyt off Torres.
In this formation though, I would leave out Meireles; something I would be reluctant to do considering he is gradually settling into the English game. I think it is a dilemma that Roy is also deliberating over. At the moment, he is being used to fill any vacant spot left in the side, and has invariably been used in positions, either off the front or on the right hand side, which are foreign to him. Perhaps when Stevie plays off Torres, then Raul can fit into the team in his favoured position but, as Roy says, this won’t happen all the time.
“When Steven plays in that role [off Torres], which he does brilliantly, he’s always been set up for the criticism that he’s better when he goes deeper. But then when he goes deeper, people say he should play further forward because he’s needed closer to the front – he is the ultimate cleft stick really! Because we can’t clone him, we have to make a choice – sometimes we have to push him further forward and sometimes we have to bring him further back.”
In some ways I am surprised how well Raul Meireles has played considering Roy has endeavoured to put him as a square peg in a round hole on a number of occasions. Let’s hope we find the best use for him.
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These would tel u lfc is going no where dis season wit Roy.Liverpool formation isn’t 4-4-2 rather 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.D first two MF wil b playin tactical football ie 1 4 attacking n d other 4 pass. 3 others wil b 2 attackers off d flanks wit d other 1 which wil b STEV G in their middle playin free role with d striker upfront comfortably. INFACT WE MISS RAFA BENITEZ TERRIBLY.
We don’t miss Rafa because he is a negative, aragont and he will lose a match to prove a point. He made Benayoun leave our club and considering the squad he has, he is doing a poor job at Inter. I would rather Roy thank you
said it time and time again – 433 is the way forwards and what our players are best suited to playing in!
Meireles/Gerrard/Lucas (Cole/Pacheco/Shelvey/Poulsen etc.)
Babel/Torres/Jovanovich (Kuyt/Pacheco/Amoo etc.)
Get some pace in the team and power into the team and we’re not far off
433 is the best formation to play in the modern game i agree with that however none of Babel/Torres/Jovanovich/Kuyt/Pacheco/Amoo (except Torres) have proved good enough for a title challenging team we need to recruit more wingers if we are going to do that
None of Kuyt/Cole/Maxi/Meireles/Jovanovich (ZERO exceptions) have proven to be good enough to play on the wings for a title challenging team in a four man midfield – we need to recruit wingers to play in a 4411 or 442 moreso than we do to switch to a 433…
In contrast, Jovanovich is typically used in a 433 for his country (as are Kuyt & Babel) and apparently was also used to great success in that formation for Liege, rather than on the wings in a 4 man midfield.
All of Meireles, Pacheco or Shelvey are players that look to get the ball to feet, pass and move rather than run onto the ball behind the defence and are well out of position out wide in a 4 man midfield, while only Pacheco looks to be a natural behind the striker (rather than deeper in midfield) so we are not getting the best out of those players by sticking to 4411/442 either
Amoo (& Ecclestone) was a striker before, that is being converted into a wide man, and so would also be more naturally suited to an attacking role out wide in a 433 than a conventional midfield role.
I’m really struggling to see where the argument to stick with a 4411 or 442 stacks up…
to play 433 a team need lot of technical abilty and a squad with talent and vision only steve maxi torres and cole hv the technical ability..
to play 442 you need a lot of pace and power throughout the team to effectively cover the space across the pitch and a talented forward that links the midfield to the striker – hmmmm…
It’s not a position alien to him at all. He’s played there for Portugal. Do your research.
it seems to be a ‘mantra’ that most lfc players are played out of their best position! it has, unfortunately, been going on for years in the first team.
the answer is there! Glen J at RM! he’s played that pos. well before. eg at portsmouth.
i’ll second that, Glen can’t defend, but he can run defenders ragged and get himself along the line and into the box with ease.
Martin Kelly RB and Glen on the wing. What winds me up is that we all know this, Roy must see it too, but no one dares take the chance!
4-3-3 formation is too narrow…we need more width and for that we need to bring in genuine wingers in jan and play 4-4-2
chelsea never look narrow. it would be fine as long as the lB and RB dont come out of their own half and we use a flat back 4. but then johnson is useless as a right back
play a diamond in d middle….jst lyk d chelsea days under mourinho….a gud defensive midfielder at d back of d diamond…meirelees n lucas on ryt n left respectively n gerrard on top…perfect..
we dont have a good enough defensive midfielder though
Aayush. thank god your not the liverpool manager
The problem is that Meireless plays in Gerrards position as an attacking midfielder. Why Hodgson signed him i’m not quite sure, we are crying out for another quality striker or natural winger so why spend all that money on a player who plays in the captains positon? He is a good player and a useful addition to the squad but he wasn’t a necessity and that’s why Hodgson has tried to fit him in. When Cole comes back and with Kuyt now back where will he play him? He could alternate him with Lucas, playing Meireless in the home games and Lucas in the away games.