When Liverpool signed Victor Moses, I'm sure most fans assumed he'd be used as a wide player, but since Rodgers instituted the 352 formation at Anfield, the 21-year old attacker has been used as a number ten, playing centrally behind Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez. Is this a good position for him? Anfield legend John Barnes doesn't think so.
In his column for the 5-Times website this week, Barnes bemoaned the loss of Philippe Coutinho, arguing that it has 'consequences' for Sturridge's 'positioning, and suggested that Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is not using €10m-rated Moses in the right way. He observed:
"Moses has been used there [as the number 10] in some games, but I think his best work will be out wide and I think he could be a good signing in the right system".
I totally agree with this. In terms of specific, measurable impact, Moses's impact from the more central number ten role is zero so far. Yes, he's a tidy player, and keeps the ball well, but in terms of attacking penetration and end product, the role is not doing him any favours.
Moses - recently described by Jose Mourinho as a 'terrific' player - has played the number 10 role in the last three games, and he's been subbed off in all three (leaving the field earlier in each passing game), which suggests Rodgers is aware of the issue. Conversely, on his debut against Swansea, Moses players out wide on the left, and he scored a great goal. Coincidence?
Moses himself doesn't seem to mind the number 10 role. In a recent interview, he told LFC.com:
"I'm very comfortable in the No.10 role. I don't really mind wherever I play up front. I'm confident with wherever the manager wants to play me. So, for me, it's just about enjoying my football. The manager has said he wants me to go out there and enjoy my football, create and score goals."
As Barnes suggest, to get the best out of Moses, he should be moved to a wide role, but to do that, Rodgers would need to switch back to 433, or use 4231, which seems unlikely at the moment.
Using the players currently available, what is Liverpool's best team/formation? I would go with the following:
------------- Mignolet
Kelly --- Skrtel -- Toure --- Enrique
-------------- Lucas
--------- Hendo -- Gerrard
---- Moses ----------- Suarez
----------- Sturridge
When Johnson, Cissokho and Coutinho return, the 352 formation could be very effective, but where does Moses fit in? Rodgers can't fit Henderson, Lucas, Moses, Gerrard and Coutinho into the same team, so who is going to make way? Moses is a given; there's no way he'll start ahead of Coutinho, and Hendo should (IMO) be in the team ahead of Lucas. My preferred team (352):
---------------- Mignolet
-------- Toure - Skrtel - Sakho
-- Johnson -------------------- Cissokho
---------- Hendo ----- Gerrard
-------------- Coutinho
------ Suarez -------- Sturridge
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
In his column for the 5-Times website this week, Barnes bemoaned the loss of Philippe Coutinho, arguing that it has 'consequences' for Sturridge's 'positioning, and suggested that Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is not using €10m-rated Moses in the right way. He observed:
"Moses has been used there [as the number 10] in some games, but I think his best work will be out wide and I think he could be a good signing in the right system".
I totally agree with this. In terms of specific, measurable impact, Moses's impact from the more central number ten role is zero so far. Yes, he's a tidy player, and keeps the ball well, but in terms of attacking penetration and end product, the role is not doing him any favours.
Moses - recently described by Jose Mourinho as a 'terrific' player - has played the number 10 role in the last three games, and he's been subbed off in all three (leaving the field earlier in each passing game), which suggests Rodgers is aware of the issue. Conversely, on his debut against Swansea, Moses players out wide on the left, and he scored a great goal. Coincidence?
Moses himself doesn't seem to mind the number 10 role. In a recent interview, he told LFC.com:
"I'm very comfortable in the No.10 role. I don't really mind wherever I play up front. I'm confident with wherever the manager wants to play me. So, for me, it's just about enjoying my football. The manager has said he wants me to go out there and enjoy my football, create and score goals."
As Barnes suggest, to get the best out of Moses, he should be moved to a wide role, but to do that, Rodgers would need to switch back to 433, or use 4231, which seems unlikely at the moment.
Using the players currently available, what is Liverpool's best team/formation? I would go with the following:
------------- Mignolet
Kelly --- Skrtel -- Toure --- Enrique
-------------- Lucas
--------- Hendo -- Gerrard
---- Moses ----------- Suarez
----------- Sturridge
When Johnson, Cissokho and Coutinho return, the 352 formation could be very effective, but where does Moses fit in? Rodgers can't fit Henderson, Lucas, Moses, Gerrard and Coutinho into the same team, so who is going to make way? Moses is a given; there's no way he'll start ahead of Coutinho, and Hendo should (IMO) be in the team ahead of Lucas. My preferred team (352):
---------------- Mignolet
-------- Toure - Skrtel - Sakho
-- Johnson -------------------- Cissokho
---------- Hendo ----- Gerrard
-------------- Coutinho
------ Suarez -------- Sturridge
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
BR is making the best of what he has, taking into consideration the injures we have at the moment. IMO we are doing just fine playing the players we have been, JB is entitled to his opinion but BR is the manager and doing a fine job at it may i add, once the players are fit i don't expect him to play as a No10.
ReplyDeleteInteresting you have left Agger out.
ReplyDeleteThat is why JK inst the manager LOL :P
ReplyDeleteAs a wide player, one of Moses' strengths is that he tracks back well and supports the full back on defence.
ReplyDeleteIn the 3 -4-1-2 formation Moses could be an alternative to Enrique (and Cissokho) in the left wing back role. He could be brought on when we are chasing games as a more potent attacking threat than Enrique.
how on earth can you put henderson in over Lucas. Lucas plays a very important specialised role in midfield that henderson can't perform. Not to mention that if we judge ourselves as a good footballing side, someone with Henderson technical ability and pass accuracy should not be in the side
ReplyDeletei agree with your Lucas comment, but are you staying that Hendo isn't good enough for LFC? apologies if i read that wrong but that's how it looks!
ReplyDeleteBR has little choice we are still short of AM and this is so evident with the loss of coutino we are doing well but i fear we will drop off as the season progresses we have no were near the strenght of the teams in the top four fight aldo i believe manure are in danger of missing top four aswell
ReplyDeletehe was fantastic last week!
ReplyDeletethe new system means wingers are not needed , they are mainly used as strikers good back up for sturridge
ReplyDeleteThe important part here is LIverpool should play a strong team else they will be run over. In my opinion playing any other in that No 10 role will have a zero effect if not negative. Moses to say the least is an experienced PL player and should accommodate any role until the right person comes back from injury. (Mr. John Barnes you cant take the risk of starting a game with the likes of alberto/aspas and getting man handled!) Just think rodgers knows what he is doing in this case!
ReplyDelete"Conversely, on his debut against Swansea, Moses played out wide on the left and scored a great Goal. Coincidence?"
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a coincidence. He took that goal well, but he also got in for two sitters against Stoke, he just missed them. He also missed a decent chance against Utd.
Agree wholeheartedly with you. Whilst JB was a fantastic player for the club he hasn't exactly inspired anywhere as a coach or pundit an if it was a toss up between the best place to play the €10m rated Moses (on loan) and the €80m Suarez.... it becomes a mute point
ReplyDeletestrange that cissoko merits a start over jose when hes only made a brief appearance ..
ReplyDeletehendo played that role and then some at the weekend
ReplyDeletemoses should be used as back up to liverpool players and not the other way around
ReplyDeleteYou cant knock that second team, if we can start to get our control in matches sorted out especially in the second half of matches then the SS upfront as Alan Brazil calls them have proven they can be effective together along with Coutinho in behind supplying them has certainly got to be the way forward with current crop of players. I agree with Hendo inclusion, i feel he's got better and better in this last 12 months and still only 22
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jaimie's 3-5-2 and the personnel therein.
ReplyDeleteIt is settled.
I'll phone Brendan.
Who knows, Moses might be a better player to come on as sub, and make an impact, when Coutinho returns.
ReplyDeleteI would go along with the 352 team you picked JK, though I hav'nt seen enough of Sissoko yet to really assess him fully.
We must buy well in January, to further improve the team.
Also, we dont need any injuries in the International games in the coming days, that might put us back further until January.
We have some crucial away games before January, Arsenal and Everton away in November, plus Spurs, Man C and Chelsea away in December.
We need all our best players to get a fair share of points from those games.
5 - 8 points from those five games would be more than brilliant for me.
I rather another midfielder than an extra center back. I think 532 is a nice formation to control but it's going a bit too far.
ReplyDeleteIf we weren't struggling so much to stop the midfield force of week teams as palace it wouldn't have bothered me that much.
We need new midfielders coming Jan anyway; The current set-up is growing rusty and can break any second.
O. But you gotta keep in mind Toure for RCB and Skrtel for LCB.
ReplyDeleteHenderson has been player of the season so far he should be first on the team sheet
ReplyDeletewhat? and meanwhile sturrudge has single-handedly gave us more than half of our points!
ReplyDeletepraise goes to hendo, but to overhype is not gonna help
henderson is doing quite well - but nowhere on earth is he the player of the season... sturridge, toure showed much much more
ReplyDeleteI'm quite surprised by your comment
ReplyDeletehe has previously made it crystal clear agger on the current form doesn't deserve to be in the first eleven
Shit, I meant to say Palace, he didn't even play against Stoke. My bad :-)
ReplyDeleteIm still surprised Gerard hasn't been tried in the number ten role with hendo and Lucas sitting deep doing the ball carrying. With Suarez and Sturbridge in front and pace either side his mobility wouldn't be an issue. Just small turns and lay offs and still a danger from the edge of the box
ReplyDeletePersonall i think we should play a 4-1-3-2.. With Gerrard and Hendo alternating..
ReplyDeleteJohnson Skrtel/Toure Agger/Sakho Enrique/Cissoko
Lucas
Gerrard/Hendo Coutinho Moses/Sterling
Suarez Sturridge
When Coutinho returns, Moses should move to a wing positon and stay in the lineup. If that means less time for Gerrard, or Lucas or Cissoko, so be it. He is a horse and isn't afraid to run back or front. Not using him in his more suited slot would be dumb and criminal.
ReplyDeleteUntil Coutinho returns, Moses should be the #10. He's doing a better job than anybody else so far and will grow better into the position.
ReplyDeleteInterestig but lets cut out silly rumour koke for 17million - more 29 million
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking that exactly...
ReplyDeletecan u forward me email address for BR,my email{ndiyes@rocketmail.com}
ReplyDeleteMine too, I was like -- I don't remember that against Stoke, but... ok!
ReplyDeleteHe has got into good positions, hasn't he. And has a great engine, and is always looking to support the attack. Sometimes -- this is just a guess -- he might commit himself to run beyond the centre forward too soon, which is perhaps part of the reason we've not been able to put teams under sustained pressure, cuz there's not that out ball back to the number 10, who can switch play or drive in again. A bit more patience from him would be helpful. But you'd expect that, given that he's usually played wide. Hopefully he can learn to play between the lines, would be a great asset for the team to have another number 10, one with a slightly different skill set to Coutinho.
I don't fancy Moses in the middle, he has the pace but gets caught in posession a lot. On the left he is more of a threat IMO.
ReplyDeleteHendo has indeed played well, but I still argue that he is a jack of all trades player, and does not offer us something specific apart from a good engine and a fighting spirit.
ReplyDeleteBeing played in several positions does not help as well, I think we need to play him in the center. Not as a wing back or right winger.
Exactly right, I do agree that out wide is his best position, but it doesn't mean he can't be an effective no.10 aswell. Statistics can't tell you everything, especially this early in his LFC career
ReplyDeleteWhy does Enrique gets dropped...i think hes done a great job at left back and has vision to pick out the front players. To be honest havent seen cissoko play but in the form that enrique is i would think 2wice before dropping him
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about the same thing. since his defensive abilities are a not as reliable
ReplyDeleteAs good a player JB was, he is equally opposite as a pundit & probably even worse as Manager/Coach. I am convinced that BR is quite astute tactically & knows what he is doing. He is playing VM as No. 10 as he is only option left. We failed to get Makterian, didn't go for Ericksesn, has loaned Suso & now have lost Coutinho & Johnson. Also, SG seems to have catching age too fast & too early. Once his 3 major players return, he 'll go back to his favorite 433 (4231).
ReplyDeleteMignolet
Aly, Mamadou, Kolo, Johnson
Lucas, Coutinho, Hendo
Moses, Suarez, Sturridge
Bench: Jones, SG, Agger, Aspas, Sterling, Allen, Kelly
The outside men have a thankless job covering the entire channel. There is not too many that have the engines like Hendo and Enrique to cover those areas -and- be effective. They were really working hard vs Palace. Johnson has pace and I think can do the job, not too convinced Kelly and Cissokho can perform the job in this system and remain effective. Remember the far man is expected to shift to make a 4 man back line and then join the attack when needed. That is a tremendous amount a ground. All game up and down. Anyone know who covered the most ground against Palace? I'd bet our two wing backs were way up there.
ReplyDeleteCan't do it mate. Your name is too similar to King Kolo and that kind of confusion could derail our title bid.
ReplyDeleteSoz, lad.