Henrikh Mkhitaryan - just a smokescreen

[the_khl]

@rurikbird

You mention that Henrikh is a midfielder and as such his goal tally is amazing - which it is either way you see it - but whenever I've seen him play he's looked far more a forward/striker.

Shakhtar are one of the fastest counter attacking sides I've seen in recent years and Henrikh seems to be a very important factor in this. Good speed, never ending deep runs, good on the ball even at pace and a very good eye for goal. To me it seems he is utilized best as the deep lying frontman, perhaps starting slightly from the wing moving towards the center.

In our setup I can only see him play on either the wing or as the frontman. If we were to play him behind say Sturridge and with Coutinho/RW on the sides I don't think we'd be able to hold as high a line, keeping possession as what I believe Rodgers are aiming for. As you say yourself he's certainly not a playmaker.

However, when played in one of the front positions, which I also believe he has done lately for Shakthar and Armenia, and you may correct me on this, then he's a splendid team-player that'll not only add power and pace but also goals.

Am I wrong?

 

[Rosco]

@rurikbird

You mention that Henrikh is a midfielder and as such his goal tally his amazing - which it is either way you see it - but whenever I've seen him play he's looked far more a forward/striker.

Shakhtar are one of the fastest counter attacking sides I've seen in recent years and Henrikh seems to be a very important factor in this. Good speed, never ending deep runs, good on the ball even at pace and a very good eye for goal. To me it seems he is utilized best as the deep lying frontman, perhaps starting slightly from the wing moving towards the center.

In our setup I can only see him play on either the wing or as the frontman. If we were to play him behind say Sturridge and with Coutinho/RW on the sides I don't think we'd be able to hold as high a line, keeping possession as what I believe Rodgers are aiming for. As you say yourself he's certainly not a playmaker.

However, when played in one of the front positions, which I also believe he has done lately for Shakthar and Armenia, and you may correct me on this, then he's a splendid team-player that'll not only add power and pace but also goals.

Am I wrong?

Based on the Youtubes solely - I think you're spot on

 

[the_khl]

Based on the Youtubes solely - I think you're spot on

Cheers mate.

*Just to make perfectly clear I am not deemed a Youtube scout, I haven't seen any of his clips. Well, apart from the first 15 seconds on the last one in here where someone tackled him of the ball. I just hope the rest of the clip gave him a bit more credit 🙂

 

[Ryan]

Maybe we won't play the same formation every week?

Mental I know.

Fucking CHRIST.

 

[the_khl]

Maybe we won't play the same formation every week?

Mental I know.

Fucking CHRIST.

Formation doesn't matter really in this argument. Ability does.

Henrikh to me is in the same bracket of players like Sturridge and Borini, dynamic, hard-working, surging runs, all players for the forward positions no matter the formation, whereas the likes of Allen, Coutinho are different types, that are much more dependable on us being in possession.

This is interesting because, if we are to buy Henrikh for a lot of money, where would he fit? If he's seen as a midfielder, then we'd be expecting a new striker coming in too, if he's seen as a forward, then we'd expect a new midfielder being brought in OR perhaps Coutinho being moved in central with more widemen like Aspas and Alberto joining the team.

I believe in the latter but perhaps I am wrong but it has nothing to do with formation, much more so our style of play.

 

[King Binny]

Maybe we won't play the same formation every week?

Mental I know.

Fucking CHRIST.

Indeed. It'll allow us to switch between different variations, seeing that he's started out at Shakhtar as a DM/CM before being pushed upfront in recent season.

 

[StevieM]

Are we looking at Gerrard's replacement?

 

[Jerry Laser]

Its pretty obvious he will play in the hole behind Sturridge with Coutinho on the left and A.N Other on the right hand side.

 

[Athens]

Who's this A.N Other guy?

 

[gkmacca]

Who's this A.N Other guy?

He lacks pace. I know that much.

 

[Athens]

He lacks pace. I know that much.

Sounds foreign if you ask me. I think we should be focusing on local talent.

 

[gkmacca]

Juan Other is more up Brendan's street.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I think the chap has some Native American blood in his ancestry; explains his name: Make-It-The-Rain.

I hope he turns out good; then I can call him... McDermott.

 

[kennyd]

Nationality isn't a factor but by all account Armenia are worldbeaters I suppose and 20M by Liverpool standards isn't a massive gamble.

Armenia are shit. Therefore mickeyT is not that good. Easy really isn't it?
Thank fuck we're not in for the new George Weah from Liberia. Or Falcao from Colombia. Or Eto. Or Bale. Or Giggs. etc etc etc......What the fuck has someone's nationality got to do with it? You, my man, are a tool.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

Armenia are shit. Therefore mickeyT is not that good. Easy really isn't it?
Thank fuck we're not in for the new George Weah from Liberia. Or Falcao from Colombia. Or Eto. Or Bale. Or Giggs. etc etc etc......What the fuck has someone's nationality got to do with it? You, my man, are a tool.

Exactly most of our best players have played for countries that are shit at football. Dalglish, Rush, Molby, Gerrard, the list goes on...

 

[Silver Sean]

Messi is poor in the air though

 

[RolandG]

Dear Kennyd,

You have simply missed the point. While many of our legends come from countries that are "shit" at football, I daresay none of their signings were perceived as a gamble on the scale of ole' Henri. In this financial climate 20M spent by the club is a massive gamble for an Armenian player thats ace in the Russian League. You may beg to differ and that's your prerogitive.

I'm a tool? That coming out of the mouth of an idiot. How rich!

Regards

 

[Fabio]

Dear Kennyd,

You have simply missed the point. While many of our legends come from countries that are "shit" at football, I daresay none of their signings we perceived as a gamble on the scale of ole' Henri. In this financial climate 20M spent by the club is a massive gamble for an Armenian player thats ace in the Russian League. You may beg to differ and that's your prerogitive.

I'm a tool? That coming out of the mouth of an idiot. How rich!

Regards

It's not the Russian league
Nationality, like age, is irrelevant. If you're good enough you're good enough
City just spend 35m on a defensive mid from the same team.

It really, really is all irrelevant.

I'm positive 95% of us have seen him play in less than 5 games.

I'm trusting our new scouting team because so far, they've been tops.

 

[RolandG]

I'm trusting our new scouting team because so far, they've been tops.

I'm trusting our scouting team too. God knows that we don't need anymore expensive transfer duds.

 

[gene hughes]

I just asked an Armenian friend about him, he said he was excellent but then added that he's a lot like Aqualani, but without the injuries. Can't see it myself.

 

[Fabio]

I just asked an Armenian friend about him, he said he was excellent but then added that he's a lot like Aqualani, but without the injuries. Can't see it myself.

Everything I've heard about this guy is that he's hardworking.... Surely he's mistaken

 

[gene hughes]

He said he has lots of energy but isn't very aggressive. He works hard but doesn't win the ball back much. Said he has a great shot from outside the box but can't head the ball for shit.

 

[Fabio]

Interesting...

 

[mark1975]

Indeed. It'll allow us to switch between different variations, seeing that he's started out at Shakhtar as a DM/CM before being pushed upfront in recent season.

Agreed, but we do have a preferred formation and the most that changing it around usually amounts to is flipping the triangle around in the middle of the park. Occasionally we've played three at the back, and occasionally we've gone 442, but anyway, it's not churlish or naive to suggest we might have a favoured lineup and formation earmarked, because when you look over the course of a season we'll have played one setup for the majority of the time, it's only natural, you just have options beyond that which allow you to shake things up and give you some flexibility. I don't think it's that mental to have a "how will we line up" thread, because alot of time our team pretty much picks itself.

 

[Fabio]

. I don't think it's that mental to have a "how will we line up" thread, because alot of time our team pretty much picks itself.

Ideally this season that won't be the case

 

[mark1975]

Ideally this season that won't be the case

Well quite, but your best players always settle into the side and cement their place. So however good we might push on to be this season, I'm sure there will be a point where most people will be able to say, "that's the team I want/expect to see"

 

[Modo]

He said he has lots of energy but isn't very aggressive. He works hard but doesn't win the ball back much. Said he has a great shot from outside the box but can't head the ball for shit.

ALBERTO!!!!

 

[Squiggles]

This is all guesswork based on fuck all, but to me this signing suggests Suarez is off, Coutinho's likely to be moved back to the wider positions, and we're going to line up 4-2-3-1 next season, as opposed to the 4-3-3 variations of last year.

 

[rurikbird]

@rurikbird

You mention that Henrikh is a midfielder and as such his goal tally is amazing - which it is either way you see it - but whenever I've seen him play he's looked far more a forward/striker.

Shakhtar are one of the fastest counter attacking sides I've seen in recent years and Henrikh seems to be a very important factor in this. Good speed, never ending deep runs, good on the ball even at pace and a very good eye for goal. To me it seems he is utilized best as the deep lying frontman, perhaps starting slightly from the wing moving towards the center.

In our setup I can only see him play on either the wing or as the frontman. If we were to play him behind say Sturridge and with Coutinho/RW on the sides I don't think we'd be able to hold as high a line, keeping possession as what I believe Rodgers are aiming for. As you say yourself he's certainly not a playmaker.

However, when played in one of the front positions, which I also believe he has done lately for Shakthar and Armenia, and you may correct me on this, then he's a splendid team-player that'll not only add power and pace but also goals.

Am I wrong?

Why not? Would couldn't we keep possession? Sorry, I didn't quite understand your post. Also, by "frontman" do you mean a CF? And "deep lying frontman" is a false 9, right? Mkhitaryan is neither of those things.

In Shakhtar last year the front 6 formation was basically this:

-------------Luis Adriano------------
Willian-----Mkhitaryan-----Ilsinho
------Fernandinho--Hübsmann--

A typical 4-2-3-1 with Fernandinho as a deep-lying playmaker, and Hubsmann as a Lucas-like DM. Both wingers cut inside and full-backs pushed as far forward as possible.

The year before that, Fernandinho had a long-term injury and Mkhitaryan broke into the team as an attack-minded CM

-------------Luis Adriano------------
Willian-------Jadson-------Teixiera
------Mkhitaryan--Hübsmann----

If you only see the goals highlights I understand how it might seem that Mkhitaryan is almost a centre-forward because he goes on so many runs inside the penalty area and actually quite a few of his goals are from beating the offside trap and running 1 on 1 with the keeper. But when building the attack, Mkhitaryan plays deeper and when defending he can drop quite deep. I don't think he would be effective as a CF, he causes damage running INTO the penalty box at speed, not jostling for position inside the box.

By Mhi not being a playmaker I mean that he is more of a willing receiver of a through-balls and the maker of the runs, rather than someone who slows the game down and tries to pick a pass. He is good at one-twos and he can play triangles in midfield all day long, but his own passing is rarely adventurous - he likes to be on the end of an adventurous pass rather than initiate it, if you know what I mean.

In Liverpool, I think he would probably play behind Sturridge, with Allen as a deep-lying playmaker and Coutinho as a trequartista (advanced playmaker who starts out on the wing, but has license to roam). I don't know which midfield 2 will prove to work best, will it be Gerrard-Lucas or Gerrard-Allen or Allen-Lucas - that's a big question for Rodgers to solve next season.

 

[mark1975]

He looks like the type of player we've missed, the kind of Garcia/Meireles type who makes those runs from deep (or wide), that are difficult to pick up, ghosting into the box between defenders (though with alot more ability when running with the ball).

I like the look of him, though we need more steel in midfield too.