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Back 4 vs Spurs

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rurikbird

rurikbird

Part of the Furniture
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Before you name your back 4, have a long think about it. Lots of things to consider:

  • Does Sakho retain his place at the expense of Agger?
  • 3 own goals in 3 games for Skrtel. Keep him or play Kolo?
  • If Sakho-Toure seems like a logical choice to you, is it too risky playing them for the first time together (in a back 4) in a game as difficult as away at Spurs?
  • Can Flanagan deal with the Spurs wingers?
  • If not, is Kelly fit enough?
  • What about the idea of switching Johnson to the left with Kelly or Toure on the right? Would it be disruptive to our attacking play on the right flank, particularly the link-up between Johnson and Henderson?
  • How about Agger or Sakho on the left?
  • Would it make sense to switch to 3 at the back for this game?
I don't know the answer to this riddle. No matter what you do, the fact is we don't have anywhere near settled back 4 and this shows in the soft goals we are conceding. I wouldn't really blame Rodgers for this, a manager can't just "settle" a defense with a wave of a magic wand – there were lots of injuries, variations of form and legitimate competition that needs to play out over time. But in the meanwhile, what should we do in the next game?
 
Skrtel doesn't deserve to be left out but this back line would be interesting:

Johnson---Agger---Sakho----Kelly
 
Left footer playing on the right, right footer playing on the left. Interesting all right 🙂
 
Yes, but Agger is playing RCB in your back 4.

After thinking a bit, I think I would do this:

Johnson--Skrtel--Sakho--Kelly

Skrtel and Sakho played together in the last game, so there would be at least some continuity. And Kelly deserves a chance just as much as Flanagan does. I watched the last 13 minutes of the game again, following Kelly. Not much information, frankly, but I thought he looked all right.
 
Yes, but it's quite rare as far as I know. Pretty much all left-footed CBs play on the left side.
 
Johnson - Skrtel - Sakho - Flanagan

Give Flanagan instructions to stay back more and just focus on keeping Lennon honest and I think he'll be able to cope. He tried to get forward a bit more yesterday and that might have had some impact on his performance. I didn't think he was as bad last night as some made him out to be anyway. You can see Sterling getting better with increased minutes in the last couple of games; I think Flanagan deserves the same chance. He's not going to get any MOTM , but he's no Cissokho either, so he deserves a crack until he shows that he's really not up to the job.

As much as I like Kelly, he's not played much senior football for a while; maybe Cardiff at home would be a better game to ease him back and give him 90 minutes.
 
Sakho Toure would be madness.

Watch how deep stevie was when Toure was on the pitch. Toure was pressed back & didn't have the pace to make space for himself for a pass, so stevie recognised the danger & would drop back, effectively taking the short pass each time to play it forward. It reduced Gerrard's effectiveness & also made us exceptionally predictable.

If Gerrard is injured, then you're asking Allen or Henderson to do the same.
 
Bit of a riddle alright. Would feel sorry for Agger being left out as he'd then miss the Captains armband, but can understand it is no easy feat. Actually thought Skrtel were better than Sakho - whom lost their man for Ming's top save - first half but his own goals are getting a bit silly. Rodgers will have a headache over this alright, tough choice.
 
I would be tempted a back-4 with Sakho LB. Looks like he has got the pace and as Flanno offers very little going forward I think we'd probably gain from having Sakho out there. Not sure, perhaps.
 
the_khl said:
I would be tempted a back-4 with Sakho LB. Looks like he has got the pace and as Flanno offers very little going forward I think we'd probably gain from having Sakho out there. Not sure, perhaps.
Click to expand...

The Anfield Wrap podcast have mentioned a few times that he can play left back actually.

You'd assume Rodgers knows that & doesn't fancy him there for some reason.
 
I'm shitting myself about this game, I'm convinced they're going to get a very lucky and undeserved win.
 
Play a back 3/5 so any time our full-backs get skinned a centre back can step across and challenge...

Toure--------Skrtel----------Sakho
----Johnson---------------------------------------------------Flanagan (though I'd throw Brad Smith in)
---------------------------Allen---------Lucas----------------------------
-------------------------------Henderson--------------------------------
----Sterling------------------------------------------Coutinho----------
-------------------------------Suarez--------------------------------------
 
In any case, why are we worrying about Spurs wingers?

Only Sigurdsson & Soldado have scored more than one league goal in their entire team.

Fuck Spurs.

They should be shitting themselves about how they'll cope with a rampant Suarez.
 
StevieM said:
In any case, why are we worrying about Spurs wingers?

Only Sigurdsson & Soldado have scored more than one league goal in their entire team.

Fuck Spurs.

They should be shitting themselves about how they'll cope with a rampant Suarez.
Click to expand...

So? We're gifting lesser teams goals atm.
 
Buddha said:
Play a back 3/5 so any time our full-backs get skinned a centre back can step across and challenge...

Toure--------Skrtel----------Sakho
----Johnson---------------------------------------------------Flanagan (though I'd throw Brad Smith in)
---------------------------Allen---------Lucas----------------------------
-------------------------------Henderson--------------------------------
----Sterling------------------------------------------Coutinho----------
-------------------------------Suarez--------------------------------------
Click to expand...



I know Spurs don't score too many goals, but I don't think it warrants going in without a goalkeeper 🙂
 
I must be one of the few here, but I don't think Toure has been all that as is being made out. He is not shite, which for a player his age is a bonus. But we can't kid ourselves into thinking that he is anything other than a cover, a back-up CB. He is good enough to be the first back up....but it should be two from Agger, Skittles and Sakho for me.
 
rurikbird said:
Yes, but it's quite rare as far as I know. Pretty much all left-footed CBs play on the left side.
Click to expand...

But if its a pairing of Agger and Sakho then one of them is going to have to be on the right since they are both left footed.
 
Do they still play Lennon on the right and an attacking midfield who drifts into central positions on the left?

If so, I'd be inclined to put Johnson up against the pacey winger with Sterling in front of him, Flanno and Henderson against the other one and have Lucas covering.

Skrtel and Sakho to keep their places for consistency sake. If we find ourselves under the cosh somewhat then two backs against the walls centre-backs might not be a bad idea.
 
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