A few months ago, I wrote about how I believed that Liverpool’s Glen Johnson was being wasted at right back and would be better utilised in a more forward position. Since then, I have noticed a number of people have started to warm to this idea, after a shocking defensive start to the season by the former Portsmouth player. Here, I am going to take a look at how Johnson and a couple of other Liverpool players would be more effective used elsewhere.
As the most obvious candidate (and, perhaps, the most expensive), I will start with Glen Johnson. The England man’s start to the 2010-11 season has been awful, at best. I wouldn’t wish bad form on any player, just to prove myself right but Johnson’s has been poor and it has simply highlighted that he is not a naturally defensive right back. Just as Jamie Carragher – despite what his coach must have believed early in his career – is not a striker. It is strange that Johnson has reached his mid-20’s with managers still believing he is best suited as a right back but there is still time for that to be rectified. Johnson has some superb qualities; great technical ability, stamina, good pace and speed. What he doesn’t do too well, is read the game, or well… defend. With that in mind, I suggested back at the beginning of the season that he be converted in to a right midfielder/winger, and was roundly abused for that opinion. With all that has happened since though, it may be wise to reconsider, particularly with Joe Cole being out of sorts and Maxi being favoured on the left. The only obstacle to Johnson being given a run out on the right is Dirk Kuyt’s long term fitness and whether Hodgson is prepared to give him another chance to redeem himself elsewhere. With Martin Kelly’s solid showing against the Champions on Sunday, Johnson may well find it even more difficult to win his place back, so now could be the ideal time to push him further forward.
Another player who is clearly well worth his place in the side (but nobody seems to yet know his best position) is our newest signing – Raul Meireles. This man is quite obviously a very handy player; highly talented, confident and adept at any range of passing. He has even shown glimpses that he is on the same wavelength as the likes of Torres and Gerrard when it comes to breaking down the opposition in the blink of an eye but, as yet, Roy hasn’t found his strongest role in the team. So far, we have seen him used primarily on the left or right. Neither seems to be his best position. We have also seen him behind the lone striker and played through the middle and while he appears more comfortable here, he still seems to be drifting around the pitch a lot to get involved. It would seem to be a similar problem to what we’ve seen managers have with Joe Cole over the years: there is no clear position for him to fill.
Continue Reading on Page 2 . . .
Stella WDM ECLIPSE
TOP TEN LIVERPOOL MOMENTS OF THE DECADE
CLICK ON THE IMAGE OR HERE TO BEGIN THE COUNTDOWN
433
Johnson(Kelly)-Kyrgiakos(Kelly/Skrtel)-Agger(Carragher/Wilson)-Aurelio(Konchesky)
Gerrard(Meireles/Lucas)-Meireles(Lucas/Poulson)-Cole(Pacheco/Shelvey)
Babel(Amoo/Kuyt)-Torres(N’gog)-Jovanovich(Kuyt/Ecclestone/Pacheco)
In defence, the use of Kyrgiakos & Agger would allow us to hold a higher line than we do with Carragher at the back. Johnson remains at right back, but we use attack as the best form of defence.
In midfield, if Meireles can’t handle the responsibility of anchoring the 3 man midfield, then Lucas or Poulsen takes his place and he competes with Gerrard & Cole for a more attacking role from the middle. The playmakers play in a deeper role than at present so that they can get onto the ball easier with more time to pick out passes and with more options ahead of them.
In attack, the use of Babel & Jovanovich gives the playmakers more options alongside Torres, and more pace up front so that we can counter attack quickly and also get to the byline much more, thereby allowing the central midfielders to attack the box.
Using the squad in this way would also allow the younger players to come through in positions more natural to them, thereby giving them more opportunity to flourish
Both the wings have been a well documented problem for us, given Kelly’s flying display against Chelsea Johnson has to be moved up to the right wing. At this time it seems amazingly obvious, hope Roy sees it proper.
While we all bemoan the lack of striking options in our squad, why don’t we try Kuyt up front? After all that is why he was brought to us by Benitez.
Could not agree with the article more about Raul, he seems a really talented and versatile player, a midfielder to take charge and control the upward movement.
Roy Hodgson continues to drive the fans crazy by his team selections.
Without going into details, how could he possibly pick the same starting line-up for Wigan as against Chelsea? Many players, including Torres and Stevie, were on their knees in the second half and we’ve another bruising match against Stoke coming right up.An injury to either and we’re in trouble again.
He’s got to protect the key players by using rotation and substitutions. Why bring on Shelvey and not Jovanovic ? Shelvey and Eccleston are some distance from the Premier League. Pacheco has far better basic skills. They both need to understand the value of holding possession. Has Hodgson also lost faith in Poulsen? Spearing is already a far better all-round player.
And why was Meireles brought off ? I thought it was one of the worst displays from one of our players in a long time. He’s like a fishout of water wide.
Come on Roy, choose combinations of players to enable rotation.
i agree shelvy is not ready yet he looked shell shocked at wigan eccleston is a diffrent story give the lad more games but play him in the right place on the right pacheco is class start bringing them in slowly not in the heat of battle when the score is one all start them for the first half or when we have the game won keep your head up jonjo your time will come
Shelvey is not a right sided midfielder (or a support striker either for that matter!), Ecclestone is not a left sided midfielder and Babel, Pacheco & Wilson all weren’t supposed to still be playing exclusively in the reserves this season!
If he wants the fringe players to flourish, they need to be put in a position to succeed, not hung out to dry by our manager
Those are signs of a manager who is going to be a flop at Liverpool if you can’t take risks as Liverpool and keeps playing it safe in the end we won’t get anything coz at Liverpool its all about risks. I wonder when we make a draw he’s happy and contented now those are not signs of a manager who is going to be a success. Am tired of seeing Liverpool play negative football. How can you keep playing Raul on the right wing when you have Babbel on the bench?? How do you keep playing Maxi when Jova is on the bench surely he’
s not showing any positive signs.
we all need to stop dreaming and let the man do his job,what i read from this article is the following XI reina in goal, back four of kelly carragher skertl and konchesky, this is a good defence on paper ive no qualms there.in midfield as i understand it you want johnson and maxi on the wings with a midfield partnership of meirles and lucas which also looks possible all able to break down play create chances and plenty of width and pace in the midfield.. up front is the partnership of torres and kuyt which could lead to the best partnership in the premiership both know how to score and work well with each other as weve seen against chelsea,no problems with the team mate but if i was to pick a liverpool team the first player id pick would be gerrard and i wouldnt be trying to fit players that are not good enough for liverpool into a system that is not possible with the current playing squad,so as ive already stated,let the man do his job,hodgson was hired for a reason and weve only played 11 games he deserves a season at least before we pick the team before him
if you think konchesky is a good left back you need to see a head shrink be carefull if there is a knock on your door it will be 5 men in white coats and a straight jacket
my friend i was merely highlighting the fact that the original article picked a team excluding our captain and hodgson should be left to do the job,i cannot disagree that konchesky has to date been simply ineffectual but as supporters we should stand by our players and manager konchesky is only a small part of our problem but hes a player that the manager knows well and he knows how to get the best from him so we should give him a chance at least,it took ronaldo 14 months to settle into a manchester united team,henry took almost 8 months nothing happens overnight so just give these guys achance and support them not cross them off,maybe the buckles on my white coat have become loose but i do think that the current squad needs time to gel and plans are afoot to expand the squad weve just got to wait and see
well said mark, konchesky is poor though still…….. better than Insua
Its true we should be behind our players but RH hasn’t done anything to prove he will be a success. i don’t know how you can play Raul as a right back and the persistent of him playing Maxi on the left why not play Pachecco????? Offensively we’re such a bad team that we can take 30 mins to register a shot on target against small team when Blackpool plays attacking football against Chelsea at the Bridge RH not Liverpool coz he’s not good at all.
How much time we need to give Roy. Its 11 games. We have to remember what cheal done to scolari.
Even Holloway is far better than Roy.
By the way what about Holloway (he is taking inspirations from Shank)
massive yawn
Could not agree more with this post.
I wish Roy would read this.
Valid points in terms of attack as well, from Jay Wright.
Using our wide players to more effect would greatly increase our chances of attacking the box, which could be and needs to be exploited so much more…
That is when Liverpool looks at its best, when relentlessly attacking the box centrally.
And when LFC are in that zone, we have that mentality that however many goals the opposition scores, we will always score more…
So you want to play Johnson on the right of midfield, Lucas and Meiereles (albeit in a free role) in the centre of midfield, and Kuyt and Torres up top? OK, they’re all well-argued points independently, but put all three together and I do have one question for you – where do you play Gerrard given the only vacancy is wide left?
indeed, where does Gerrard play? It’s clear, he must play instead of meireles. The fact is meireles is similar player to gerrard. If he cannot be effective on the wings then he must simply be a squad player. This is unfortunate because he is very good, but nobody could displace gerrard. Playing Johnson on the right really does make sense. Cole/Maxi on the left with Kuyt playing off torres looks to me worht a go.
Johnson on the right wing, Meireles in the centre cause he’s the most effective there and also Roy’s got to give Jovanovic a run out either up front or on the left. His team selection and substitutions really does surprise me cause I don’t think the likes of Shelvey and Eccleston are quite ready yet so I think Jovanovic, Babel and Pacheco should be given more playing time.
Just give Roy a chance, he needs the season to be judged.