As always, match data from Stats Zone, except shot location from Squawka and average player position from ESPN FC.
(Nota Bene: Here's the formation diagram usually included in match reviews)
Steven Gerrard – so nearly a hero yet again – said it best. Liverpool got exactly what they deserved, from yesterday's match and from this Champions League campaign.
We can complain about the underlying statistics, the same complaints that have been aired here over the last few weeks and months. Especially the shooting statistics: the slow start, the poor accuracy, etc. But you've heard those complaints before.
I'm far more concerned with Liverpool's – read: Brendan Rodgers' – philosophy and tactics yesterday.
Because I don't see Brendan Rodgers' philosophy anymore. But I do see Rodgers abandoning both the tactics which nearly saw Liverpool win the league last season and the players bought over the summer.
Liverpool's Starting XI
• Mignolet (Rodgers)
• Johnson (Benitez)
• Skrtel (Benitez)
• Lovren (Rodgers)
• Enrique (Dalglish)
• Lucas (Benitez)
• Allen (Rodgers)
• Sterling (Benitez, but debuted under Dalglish)
• Gerrard (Academy, debuted under Houllier)
• Henderson (Dalglish)
• Lambert (Rodgers)
There were as many players in the starting XI bought by a manager who was fired more than four years ago as were signed by the current manager. That's the most damning indictment of the recent transfer strategy I've seen, and I've seen a few. Meanwhile…
Liverpool's Bench
• Jones (Hodgson)
• Sakho (Rodgers)
• Moreno (Rodgers)
• Can (Rodgers)
• Lallana (Rodgers)
• Coutinho (Rodgers)
• Markovic (Rodgers)
Sigh. That's an awful lot of talent left on the bench. And an awful lot of transfer fees. And six of seven players who were bought by the current manager.
The starting XI was, for lack of a better word, embarrassing. It was overly cautious, overly ponderous, and seemingly failed to take into account Basel's (and Liverpool's) strengths.
- A return to the defense which led to the abomination at QPR. Sure, Toure was injured and Sakho's just back from injury (and who knows how match fit he is), but there's absolutely no argument for Enrique over Moreno or Manquillo except for that intangible "experience." Manquillo is stronger in the tackle, better at blocking crosses, and usually smarter in his positioning. Moreno has the much-needed pace that Liverpool's XI so sorely lacked. At least that was rectified at halftime.
- Lambert, clearly fatigued in the last two league matches, started for the sixth time in 16 days. Again, Liverpool's aren't overflowing with options (that Liverpool thought it a good idea to begin a campaign with Lambert and Borini as third- and fourth-choice strikers when the first choice is often injured and you've no idea what you're getting from the second is a valid, but different, discussion) but everyone – everyone! – had seen that was a recipe for disaster. If I saw it, and I'm an idiot, I've no idea how Rodgers didn't. Or, he still thought that a fatigued Lambert was still a better option than Borini or Sterling or Markovic or even Gerrard up front. Which is a damning indictment of the first player he signed for Liverpool, a player who hasn't made an appearance since the loss at Palace, among other things. At least that was rectified at halftime.
- Lucas had looked better as the sole defensive midfielder with two players ahead of him, but yesterday's he partnered with Allen, seemingly reacting to Basel's shape with Zuffi and Elneny ahead of Frei. And it led to multiple moments like this one, with Liverpool's midfield out of position because one midfielder's not sure if it's time to go forward but yep it's time to go forward oh shit wait we're both going forward and Liverpool have lost possession and yikes. And moments like the goal – starting from a Liverpool giveaway in its own half, because Liverpool are not good at passing from the back when pressured – with Frei and Zuffi passing around Lucas and Frei dancing past Allen, although Skrtel's backing off of those two was just as culpable.
- Henderson on the left, because Xhaka is a more attacking fullback than Safari, I guess. A position he's started in once (at Newcastle this season, with Sterling again on the right, which went well) since the beginning of 2013-14.
Hindsight's 20/20 etc., but Liverpool needed pace against Basel's press and counter, not a ponderous midfield, a fatigued striker, a central midfielder on the flank, and defenders who look utterly terrified every time the ball's at their feet. It's no coincidence that Liverpool improved after halftime, bringing on the speedy Markovic and Moreno for the hapless Lambert and Enrique, beginning to take the game to Basel rather than vice versa.
Liverpool weren't vastly better, but Liverpool were better. Liverpool were proactive rather than reactive. Liverpool were actually almost threatening. In just 15 minutes, Markovic completed more successful dribbles than any player except Sterling and Safari.
Yes, that strategy was doomed by a hilariously bad red card to Markovic. But Liverpool still kept pushing, still played on the front foot, and, yes, were obviously helped by Basel happy to defend a one-goal lead rather than seeking out more. Once Gerrard conjured a moment of magic – and no matter the (often valid) complaints about him and how he's used these days, no other Liverpool player is capable of that magic – Liverpool went for it, and Liverpool nearly succeeded. But it's funny that occurred with Skrtel left up front. Resorting to a center-back up front is something you'd expect from Mourinho, or Hodgson, or most managers, but not Rodgers. But in the 90th minute, Skrtel almost scored the winner by making a near post run, the type of run that Liverpool strikers have failed (or been unable) to make since Sturridge was injured.
I still have more time for Brendan Rodgers than most, but this cannot keep happening. For once, Rodgers' in-game changes improved the side, but his starting XI was chosen in the hopes of not losing rather than winning, despite Liverpool needing to win. I can't help but remember Rafa Benitez's final, horrible season. Needing to overhaul a deficit in the Europa League knockout rounds, he went guns blazing – despite his usual inclination to do nothing of the sort, especially in European competition – and hammered Lille and Benfica, both sides vastly better than this Basel side.
It's easy to say from behind a computer, but Rodgers has to have more faith in his team, his transfers, and his tactics. He's got to dance with the one that brought him here. Or it's going to be a very long and very uncomfortable six months before a probable summer exit.
4 comments :
Well ranted, Nate. So now do we go all-in on Thursday Night Lights knowing winner gets UCL spot? Top 4 prospects sure aren't looking good right now. Long way to go, but this has been largely cirrhosis-inducing so far.
The new guys haven't been good, so he plays the old guys, leading to a more defensive/reactive shape.
The old guys aren't good, so he's supposed to play the newer aggressive guys.
Maybe the guys just aren't good?
Without Suarez we were defensively poor, so it was no surprise to me we were going to have a bad season once he was sold and we spent £25m for Lallana (he is the second highest paid player LFC ever purchased). For that alone BR should be sacked, Lallana is a mediocre British talent who had one good season. Not to mention all the other players BR purchased over the past three seasons who could barely make the bench (Borini, Assaidi, Sahin, Teixeira, Alberto, Aspas, Cissokho, Ilori, Moses). BR has nothing on his resume that attracts top players to LFC, so we will continue to overpay for potential success. Constantly playing players out of position shows that the team can’t gel. I can’t see BR taking this team further, if we lose to United I can’t see him being LFC manager until end of the season.
Not sure who his replacement will be, but it needs to be someone who has credentials. Also now that we are in even worse shape than we were with Suarez it won’t be easy feat to find a manager who is willing to deal with owners and now a displaced team.
In Rodgers 3 years as a top flight manager, his teams have performed significantly better in the second half of the season.
-------------------1st---2nd--Season--Place
-------------------Half--Half
2011/12 Swansea----19----27----46----9th
2012/13 Liverpool----25---36-----61---7th
2013/14 Liverpool----36---48-----84---2nd
I would not be surprised at all for this to be the case again this season.
The team have looked much more composed defensively with Lucas as DM (+Kolo as CB). The last 5 games, since Lucas (+ Kolo) has come back in to the side we have 2 shutouts and have conceded "only" 4 goals. Once Sakho is healthy and Lucas continues as DM our defense should be significantly better. M&M, Skrtel, Sakho & Lucas should do the trick for our back line.
Borini is frozen completely out of the match day squad. Wouldn't be surprised and expect to see him move in January. (Certainly in the summer). And I expect the transfer committee to bring in a quality striker as well. If Sturridge can get back to health and combine well with Balo and we pick up another quality striker, we should be much better up top and in the final third. We can't be any worse or more impotent, to be honest.
We have a decent squad right now for our mids. Stevie, Hendo, Lallana, Coutinho, Can, Marko, Allen. I'm fully expecting all of those guys to have strong second half of the year. Markovic is starting to show glimpses of the guy we thought we were getting. Lallana is settling in fairly well and has a couple of important goals. Can has shown some quality. Hendo and Cou will get on track. We just need that quality cutting edge striker to be making good runs and who is able to create scoring opportunities for those mids to be able to add an extra dimension to their game.
Post a Comment