Skrtel

[keniget]

At some point Sakho is going to be a first team starter. We can all roll out cliches about not changing a winning team, earning your place and all that jazz, but Sakho wouldn't have begrudgingly left his boyhood team after being told he needs games to make the World Cup squad to come sit on the bench for a lesser team. He's going to be given the opportunity to succeed whereas perhaps at this point in time on or two of the others aren't.

 

[rurikbird]

Sakho doesnt have a lack of pace though.

We might play 3 at the back in some games since we now actually have options. But why for the love of God should we change it around now that we've played 3 very solid defensive performances.

Agger shouldnt be dropped because he hasnt done anything to warrant that. Neither has Toure or Skrtel.
Skrtel was brilliant against Utd and Toure is struggeling with an injury and it will all depend on his fitness but its not a type of injury that we want to rush back into action.

I'd start Skrtel and Agger with Toure on the bench (if fit).

Haven't you been reading this forum lately? We need to change something, because Lucas didn't score enough goals.

He also failed to prevent the opposition from shooting in our direction sometimes. Unacceptable.

Seriously though, Rodgers will need to start integrating Sakho into the team in the next few games. Neither Toure or Agger deserve to be dropped, and it also wouldn't be fair to put Skrtel back in the doghouse after his performance against United. So there are only two options: (1) rotate CBs from game to game or (2) switch to a system with 3 CBs, which would make it easier to give everyone playing time. In this case a holding midfielder will be sacrificed and Lucas and Allen will compete for one remaining position in CM to partner Gerrard.

I also think it's just a matter of time before Rodgers starts experimenting with Hendo as a wing-back. I called Downing at LB last season; this season I predict we'll see Henderson as a full-back at some point.

 

[mark1975]

We saw him as a fullback last season and he was gash.

 

[juniormember]

Was drinking with a lad from Paris last night.
He said everyone loved the lad but the two negatives were that supporters were always nervous that 1 in 3 passes would be given away by him, and that if he didn't get his way he'd not put his head down and get on with it, but would always go crying to the press.
They still loved him though, and weren't happy he was sold, but at the same time acknowledge that he hasn't progressed for the last couple of years.
He reckons Liverpool was a good move for him as he'll hopefully be motivated enough to knuckle down and improve.
Interesting stuff...

 

[juniormember]

Talking about Sahko of course.

 

[keniget]

Well, yeah. I think we shouldn't be under the illusion that we've bought the finished product in Sakho. We've gambled big on potential that I guess Rodgers thinks he can fulfill. Hopefully he does!

 

[rurikbird]

We saw him as a fullback last season and he was gash.

Which game was that, I forgot?

 

[mark1975]

Which game was that, I forgot?

One of the cup games, I'm sure he might have tried it another time too, I can't remember, he filled in though and got targeted a fair bit. I'm sure Downing played left back in the same game?

Given Rodgers' favoured setup and our current form, I'd be really surprised if he went three at the back. It's probably more likely that Illori and Sakho will fill in other roles aswell as centre back.

 

[rurikbird]

Well, Hendo was playing poorly in some games last season, no matter the position, especailly earlier in the season. So I think one less-than-positive experience is not enough to definitively say he can't play there. For sure with Suarez returning and Moses coming in, Hendo will not get nearly as much game time playing in the front 4. So I expect Rodgers to start looking for other positions where he can be useful.

Also, playing as a wing-back is a bit different than full-back. I have some doubts about Hendo as a full-back, but he can be a decent wing-back for sure.

 

[Judge Jules]

We've suffered from that kind of tinkering in the past though. The classic example was Uncle Roy, whose signings generally made good sense at the time - IMO anyway - but who then ruined too many of them (e.g.McAteer, Leonhardsen) by shuffling them into different positions from those they were playing in when we signed them. This doesn't mean we shouldn't try things, but IMO such experiments should be kept to a necessary minimum.

 

[keniget]

Do we want a decent wing-back though?

He was a bit of a non-entity on the right flank during his first year under Kenny and he's only now starting to win plaudits for his improvement in more of a central midfield role. Do we really want to fuck with that at this point for an outcome that in all liklihood will amount to nothing more than 'decent'?

If we're going to go with wing-backs I reckon Johnson and Enrique are still best suited.

 

[Modo]

I don't think we're playing 5-3-2 or 3-5-2. We might do it once or twice this season but I don't see Rodgers changing his plans that much.

 

[Boozer]

Was drinking with a lad from Paris last night.
He said everyone loved the lad but the two negatives were that supporters were always nervous that 1 in 3 passes would be given away by him, and that if he didn't get his way he'd not put his head down and get on with it, but would always go crying to the press.
They still loved him though, and weren't happy he was sold, but at the same time acknowledge that he hasn't progressed for the last couple of years.
He reckons Liverpool was a good move for him as he'll hopefully be motivated enough to knuckle down and improve.
Interesting stuff...

Haven't people posted stats saying he had one of the best pass completion rates (90+%) in the French league last season?

 

[juniormember]

Haven't people posted stats saying he had one of the best pass completion rates (90+%) in the French league last season?

Haven't a clue.

 

[StevieM]

Have we not suggested putting Agger in midfield yet.

Surely their cant be that much difference between an "out of position ball playing centre back" and a "crab like passer and zero threat going forward defensive mid".

Then we could play people who can actually defend in defence and someone who's name is not Lucas at DM.

 

[Modo]

Agenda

 

[StevieM]

Eh?

 

[TSD]

Have we not suggested putting Agger in midfield yet.

Surely their cant be that much difference between an "out of position ball playing centre back" and a "crab like passer and zero threat going forward defensive mid".

Then we could play people who can actually defend in defence and someone who's name is not Lucas at DM.

Agger is always an interesting shout for DM but the crucial part is in what you said, the positional difference. The view of the game can change massively just taking a few yards forward.

 

[StevieM]

Agger is always an interesting shout for DM but the crucial part is in what you said, the positional difference. The view of the game can change massively just taking a few yards forward.

Just to clarify - I wasn't being in any way serious with that suggestion.

 

[rurikbird]

Do we want a decent wing-back though?

He was a bit of a non-entity on the right flank during his first year under Kenny and he's only now starting to win plaudits for his improvement in more of a central midfield role. Do we really want to fuck with that at this point for an outcome that in all liklihood will amount to nothing more than 'decent'?

If we're going to go with wing-backs I reckon Johnson and Enrique are still best suited.

Hendo has been starting on a wing in the last 3 games, hasn't he?

 

[Markeh]

Hendo has been starting on a wing in the last 3 games, hasn't he?

vs United

I wouldn't mess with Hendersons position, he's settling into a role and doing pretty well for himself.

What are we doing with Moses will Rodgers be using him on the right or left?

 

[rurikbird]

Johnson's heat map - not much difference.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Haven't people posted stats saying he had one of the best pass completion rates (90+%) in the French league last season?

Please get an avatar!!!

 

[gkmacca]

Pst, Boozer, here's one:

 

[Ryan]

We'll play 3 at the back.

I like this suggestion from one of the writers over at This is Anfield:

My best XI is a brave, 3-4-1-2 experiment which starts by leveraging the number of CB’s Liverpool currently have in place. The rationale is simple – Toure and Agger looks a great partnership, so keep it. Sakho’s mobility and talent could allow more obvious protection for Gerrard and Joe Allen to press higher up the pitch and control games in the opposition half. Henderson is in outstanding form, so allow his workrate to offer both solid defence & functional attack down the right. Johnson’s versatility makes him an interesting option down the left. Suarez loves to cut inside, so let him do so, while Coutinho and Sturridge can still link up in arguably their best positions on the pitch. From a substitutes point of view, Moses, Sterling, Lucas, Enrique could all offer tactical variations as the formation can shift to allow 4 at the back in a 4-2-3-1 or our usual 4-3-3 shape. (Marco Lopes)

Aye, cos that'll happen.

 

[mark1975]

Quite, why would we fuck with what we're doing? Top of the league, not conceded, etc.. Ok, we shouldn't be blind to the fact that the hardest is still to come and we're hardly blowing teams away, but still, we need to tweak, that's just completely turning the game on it's head for the sake of it.