[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=35440.msg931915#msg931915 date=1251149116]
[quote author=vikas link=topic=35440.msg931891#msg931891 date=1251148609]
Torres
Riera Gerrard Benayoun Kuyt
Mascherano
Insua Carragher Skrtel Johnson
Reina
From now until Aquilani is fit please.
[/quote]
I'd leave it the way it is,the trick is not to panic.
it's like fantasy football things go tits up for people because they are too trigger happy, we HAVE a system and it was a system that almost won us the league. a (major) part of the system is gone but we've improved on another part. we have to ride this storm out and not panic. Anyway I know rafa wont change the system so it's a moot point.
[/quote]
I know what you're saying, and its not one of those panic fix it all formations. Usually I defend Lucas in him having the natural footballing talent to do a job, but I really do worry about his lack of confidence in putting himself in pressure positions on the pitch, his lack of mobility/strength, and importantly how it seems to be manifesting itself in the players in front of him with Gerrard constantly dropping back, with Torres hence remaining woefully isolated. Mascherano also then seems to be having to take a lead role in initiating our attacks each and every time, I know its been touched upon, but Alonso's presence was key in the formation due to his ability to initiate play from deep effectively, something that very few players in world football can do, let alone Lucas, its not invalid at all to suggest we should update our system to cater for his loss.
If Riera is still a red by Saturday, he and Kuyt's combined tracking back should make us relatively decent defensively, along with keeping a natural width that'll bring others into play. We really do have enough talent and options on that first team I put up to beat a lot of sides convincingly.
