Liverpool’s 3-4-3 compared to Barca’s Dream Team 3-4-3 tactics

The Reds have used the 3-4-3 system to improved effect in recent games

In the last three games Liverpool have played a 3-4-3 system.

Against Manchester United, Liverpool lost 3-0 but had 19 shots, almost twice as many as United, with 9 of them on target. Sterling missed three one on ones and Balotelli also had some very good chances. However defensively Liverpool were still their old selves.

Against Bournemouth Liverpool again looked good offensively. Fluid, direct, pacey, with plenty of movement and interchanging of positions. A rare sight this season. Again defensively there were mistakes, Skrtel & Lovren were easily beaten by a mazy run by Wilson that should have been the opening goal.

Later in the first half Lovren was twice skinned out on the left flank leading to chances that could have been taken. But Bournemouth lacked the finishing of United, Liverpool were more clinical and deservedly won 3-1. Against Arsenal, the Reds were unlucky not to score many more than the two goals the team managed to.

After the United game Rodgers stated it was one of our best creative performances of the season, despite the lack of goals. After the Bournemouth game he said it was the closest Liverpool had come to recreating the form of last season.

Brendan was certainly brave in picking a system we had never used before. A number of Premier League sides, including Liverpool, have used 3 at the back, but there is a big difference between 3-5-2 and 3-4-3. The latter is more offensive, even with a front 3 who aren’t pure forwards but are instead attacking midfielders.

Rodgers was criticised before the United game for playing such an experimental system, including Raheem Sterling as a striker (although he was more like a false-9 or what Rodgers calls a 9 & 1/2) and it got me to thinking – which is the best side that has played this system?

In fact, one of the greatest ever teams played 3-4-3: Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona Dream team.

A Barcelona side that won 4 consecutive La Ligas, the Cup winners Cup and the European Cup (also losing in another final, although with a different system). It was Barcelona’s greatest ever team, before Pep Guardiola eventually turned his hand to management.

Cruyff’s Barca team obviously had far superior players to Liverpool, but it is interesting to look at how they set up tactically when they used the 3-4-3 system.

*Note – This eleven is arguably the best possible, although there was a limitation on foreigners rule

Cruyff’s team was especially offensively structured. It can be argued that it only had 3 defensive players in it, with Guardiola a deep lying playmaker who covered for the defence but who you couldn’t call defensive.

The biggest difference is in the midfield, with the diamond. Where in Liverpool’s recent system it is more of a flat 4. Gerrard & Lucas sitting with Markovic/Moreno & Henderson operating more like wingbacks/wide-midfielders. For Cruyff he had the energetic Eusebio to the right of Guardiola and the brilliant attacking Laudrup on the left. Bakero usually operated as a No.10. This would provide a lot less defensive cover in wide areas, particularly on the left, and required everyone to take mutual defensive responsibilities.

Another big difference is that the left and right ‘centre-backs’ in Cruyff’s team, Sergi and Ferrer, are really full backs so they’d be very comfortable out wide filling the space if necessary. Contrast this to Lovren struggling when he came out to cover the left flank when Markovic was advanced. Sakho is more suited to this role, not only because of his pace but because he’s actually played left back before. Simiarly Toure has also played at right back in his illustrious past.

With Markovic playing left midfield, and doing it brilliantly against Bournemouth, it can be difficult to even classify him as a wingback. Perhaps against better opposition the space in behind him can be a bigger issue defensively.

Upfront Liverpool played essentially with 3 attacking midfielders, but Cruyff’s Barca team played with forwards. Txiki Begiristain was a winger/forward while Romario & Stoitchkov were two of the world’s best strikers.

Barca’s complete domination of the ball meant in this system they would always have quality players in and around the box and opponents would struggle to cope. Liverpool’s system is more about having extra players in midfield and breaking fast from transition. It will of course evolve when Sturridge returns.

This Barca team was superlative, and while it is incomparable with the Liverpool team in terms of quality of players, it’s also interesting that Cruyff used the 3-4-3 structure in a rather different tactical set up.

Let’s hope in the coming matches the Liverpool team continues to improve in the system while tightening up our defence. We’re certainly a very long way away from emulating Cruyff’s Barcelona.

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