Rodgers needs to bring his A-team to this. Agger and Allen. We simply NEED to get back to our own way of at least trying to control the game, dictate pace and win possession and we certainly do NOT need a flat 3-man central defense against Fulham either.
.....................................Mignolet.........................................................
Johnson/Toure........Skrtel.....................Agger...........Enrique/Sakho
...........................................Henderson...............................................
.................................Gerrard.............Allen..........................................
.........Suarez.......................Sturridge.....................Coutinho..............
I don't think any of our central defenders have played poorly of late, on the other hand 3 at the back are NOT helping us out especially when the ONE central defender in the team who'd actually thrive from being allowed to roam forward are being kept on the bench. Then it is just a flat back 3 with 3 good defenders waiting to defend. Some may then add that is their job, and it is, but it is also in the greater benefit to the team with more possession and greater composure at the back. Especially when your midfield is not very capable at retaining possession either. We need ballplayers in the team and that means Agger and Allen should both be picked against Fulham imo.
Some of us knew that Rodgers had lost the Emirates on beforehand mainly because of his choice of formation and secondly to some extent his choice of personnel. When your options on the wing are Cissokho who is struggling massively and young Flanno and you don't have ANY midfielder that can dictate play when in possession you are bound to crash and burn against Arsenal, blatantly obvious.
I even think he knew this too why he was so quick to change formation and a player as soon as half time, Rodgers just didn't dare to change "a winning team" on beforehand. I think he showed a lack of guts here, but that's just my opinion of course.
Despite my concerns with regards to Allen in the no. 10 role I simply don't think Rodgers have any options left. Alberto obviously isn't ready, Aspas is injured and more of a winger, Moses is a winger, Suso is in Spain and neither of Gerrard or Henderson are fast enough in movement and mind to be the one binding us together and Coutinho is as much use on the flank.
Allen, whom never really scores or assists, at least has shown he can play in triangles, make himself available, keep the ball moving at pace. We would benefit massively from this as a team especially with Coutinho back as he should be allowed to roam in central as well as Suarez from the other wing.
If neither Enrique nor Johnson are fit I would defo pick Sakho and Toure for the wingbacks instead as they are not any worse when going forward than the options, though far better defensively.
This is just my 5 pence, but I really think now is the time to pick ourselves back up and find our way back to the basics and drop this slightly desperate 3-5-2/5-3-2 counter-attacking mode that seemed to be ignited more by the fact we have one too many CB and one to few creative midfielder rather than some tactical managerial shrewdness.
