5 Nov 2013

Aldo warns: 'Rusty' £17m LFC star has to start 'chipping-in' with goals.

With 16 goals out of team total of 21, Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have scored 76% of Liverpool's goals this season (all competitions). The only other players who've scored from open play are Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling, and Victor Moses, which highlights the concerning paucity of goals from other areas of the team. For the 352 formation to be successful, midfielders and wing-backs have to regularly chip-in with goals, and Anfield legend John Aldridge has warned Glen Johnson that he needs to get on the scoresheet more often.

In a recent column on the 5-Times website, Aldo - who scored 63 goals in 104 appearances for the Reds - observed:

"If we are going to persist with this [352 formation] we need Glen Johnson to chip in with a few goals too.

"He looked a bit rusty [against West Brom] but he didn’t play badly and we won 4-1.

"Steven Gerrard in a more prominent role will get you 10 goals a season but...the wing backs have to contribute too".


Prior to Johnson's return to injury, many fans - myself included - were excited at the prospect of him playing as a wing-back. After all, it's the closest we'll probably get to seeing him play as an out-and-out winger, something fans have repeatedly called for over the years.

To be honest, though, Johnson - who cost the Reds £17m in 2009 - hasn't really set the world alight as a wingback so far. Granted, he's just returned from injury, but one shot on goal in two games - plus an average of 2 goals a season since 2009 - doesn't suggest that regular goalscoring is on the horizon (!)

Still, the more Johnson plays in that role, the more comfortable he will become, and that should (hopefully) lead to some much-needed goals and assists.

As for the 352 formation: as I see it, the problem with its effectiveness is simple: Liverpool don't have the right players to make the system work properly:

* Midfield is a real problem. With (ostensibly) five defenders on the pitch, the midfielders need to chip-in creatively, and that just isn't happening. Gerrard, Lucas and Henderson have zero league goals from open play so far, and we're already a quarter of the way through the season.

* Cissokho is nowhere near effective enough as a wingback, and against Arsenal, he struggled to get up and down the pitch in the first half, and left lots of space on the left-hand side. Plus, is he going to score goals for LFC? Doubtful.

* Ditto right-wingback. Without Johnson, who is there? Flanagan? The youngster didn't play too badly on Saturday, but his attacking penetration/impact was negligible.

* Coutinho is (seemingly) the only player capable of effectively playing as a number 10, and if he's out, there's no one else who can play the role well. The irony here is that Liverpool changed formation when he entered the game on Saturday, so we didn't get to see him play just behind Sturridge/Suarez.

Liverpool have achieved a few results with 352, but (IMO), the players in the squad are more suited to 433/4231, or variations thereof. With everyone available (and using current form), my preferred line-up is:

------------------ Mignolet

Johnson ----- Skrtel -- Toure ----- Enrique

------------- Hendo ----- Gerrard

------- Moses ---- Coutinho ----- Suarez

----------------- Sturridge

* Everyone playing positions in which they're comfortable and/or highly effective.
* At home, play the above team. AWAY: bring Lucas in, and swap Moses with Hendo.
* Where necessary, use Joe Allen in the second half of games to help with ball retention.
* Give Luis Alberto pitch time by rotating him with Coutinho in the second half of games.
* If Enrique is unfit, play Agger as left back.
* Rotate Toure/Sakho in defence (or as form dictates)

Author:


44 comments:

  1. Seems like Rodgers is keen to give Coutinho, Suarez and Sturridge their optimal positions but finding the formation to do it is proving a bit troublesome, in relation to the balance of the team. Bit like Uruguay and Cavani, Suarez and Forlan. They sometimes use the 3-5-2. They sometimes end up sacrificing Cavani and putting him deeper on the wing, albeit in a different formation. So Rodgers may well have to look at getting one of the trio to play a role that is not their best role, even though they should be/are comfortable at it.


    We may have a first XI that could/can do the business with the 3-5-2 but once injuries start popping up, the alternative players are finding it hard to slot in seamlessly. Although to be fair, it is early days, especially some are new players. I think Rodgers is better off going to a flat four based system, especially if there are injuries.

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  2. sakho reminds me of viera and should be in midfield to replace gerrard and agger back in defense against fulham

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  3. I'm a d!ck. Babel was under rafa anyway. shamefull chan I know

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  4. Aldo, he's a fullback. I'd be more concerned with the lack of goals so far from Aspas, Moses, Coutinho et al more than I would be with Glen.

    Granted, there have been injury problems/players have been settling in... But I genuinely can't think of the last time somebody scored from open play and their surname didn't begin with S..

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  5. Johnson has missed about half the games through injury and sickness...so I think some slack should exist for his score sheet. I like Moses and he should start. I like your line-up with the following notes.
    * Rotate Toure and Sakho regardless of form/injury because Toure is 32, will eventually get hurt and having Sakho comfortable in the position is a season long plus. It would also give Toure some rest and might prevent him from getting hurt. When/if Toure gets hurt, then platoon Sakho and Agger for the same reason.
    * Rotate SG with whoever is practising better for half the game...JA if we're ahead and LA if we're not. Pains me to say it but SG's energy level can't stay high enough for 90 minutes anymore. Whoever plays best is your new SG when SG goes down for injury. LA absolutely needs game time if PC hurts his frail little body again.
    * Save one sub for late game needs, either defense or offense, or injury emergencies
    * Make Lucas work harder for his spot because he looks absolutely listless.

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  6. Maybe the size is similar, but that's about it for me. Viera was quick and had great ball skills. Sakho is big and strong, but he looks like a fish out of water with the ball.

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  7. Johnson has missed about half the games through injury and sickness...so I think some slack should exist for his score sheet. I like Moses and he should start. I like your line-up with the following notes.
    * Rotate Toure and Sakho regardless of form/injury because Toure is 32, will eventually get hurt and having Sakho comfortable in the position is a season long plus. It would also give Toure some rest and might prevent him from getting hurt. When/if Toure gets hurt, then platoon Sakho and Agger for the same reason.
    * Rotate SG with whoever is practising better for half the game...JA if we're ahead and LA if we're not. Pains me to say it but SG's energy level can't stay high enough for 90 minutes anymore. Whoever plays best is your new SG when SG goes down for injury. LA absolutely needs game time if PC hurts his frail little body again because LA will have to fill the #10 role...there's nobody else until at least January.
    * Save one sub for late game needs, either defense or offense, or injury emergencies
    * Make Lucas work harder for his spot because he looks absolutely listless.
    And one final note: the entire team other than SAS needs a dose of whatever SAS are taking. There is no take charge attitude or energy anywhere behind SAS.

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  8. Good stuff, hopefully he shows up to play - which he probably will. Sometimes a good sitting on the bench helps players - Downing certianly improved. Allen can too, and SG will probably benefit from rest, and knowing he has back up.

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  9. Viera great ball skills ? He was big strong and got better at passing like sakho would do, Jamie carra started in def.mid and I think sakho would make a good holding player and free a place for agger up, because agger is going to be sold rather than left on the bench but we need a tough tackling midfielder who can pass like sandro or lars bender at sammi hypias team
    Sent from my HTC

    ----- Reply message -----

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  10. You'll be waiting a long time, then. Gerrard struggle to regain his place? No chance. As soon as he's even half-fit, he'll be back in the team. Rodgers doesn't have the cojones to drop Gerrard for a significant amount of time, and given SG's status, that's definitely understandable.

    Allen will probably replace SG this weekend, and he may have a tidy game (passing accuracy etc), but he is not going to solve the immediate problem: goals from midfield and that is the issue that needs to be addressed.

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  11. So the year between Yesil an Ilori has something to do with it? Alberto and Ilori though not looking up to prem standard yet have a lot of ability for anyone to see. Both young from different leagues.

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  12. Gerrard, Henderson, Moses, Coutihno are just some of the manes i'd like to see scoring before i start to worry about Glen pitching in. (i would add Lucas to that list, i'd also like Ronaldo on the left for us which is probably more likely)

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  13. Yes, you're right about Yesil. Probably a little harsh. As for Sakho - I have to admit, he hasn't done as well as I thought he would, but it's early days yet. He never seemed this uncertain in possession in Ligue One; he always seemed assured and in control, possibly because the pace of the game is slower. Whenever he gets the ball for LFC - especially in tight situations - my heart is in my mouth.


    I think he'll be at LFC for the long-haul, mainly due to his massive transfer fee, but whether he'll be a success - a solid, reliable, consistent, dependable central defender - remains to be seen. LFC needed another Hyypia; looks like the club got another Skrtel/Agger type player, i.e. someone capable of great performances, but prone to lapses of concentration/errors.

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  14. I do see Sakho's qualities - I was very much in favour of signing him months before LFC got him. He just hasn't lived up to what I thought LFC would get, but that may change. IMO, he'll be more solid playing in a back four, where he knows the role inside out.

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  15. Not every player. The only relevant player to this discussion is Allen because in the article he has been considered as a failure. Allen is 22 and he has lots of experience, and he also cost 15M. So therefore he is expected to make some sort of contribution. At 22 and already in the Premier League age should not be a factor in his ability to perform and contribute something to the team.


    Yesil and Illori on the other hand, have (arguably) years before they are expected to perform. We may see Illori next season but we may not see Yesil for 2-3 years as he is only 18/19. Can you see the difference in expectations of Allen compared to the likes of Yesil, Illori etc...?

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  16. In the reply above I highlight the different expectations we should have of these players.


    Yesil, Illori, even Alberto...They have at least 2 or 3 years before we should expect something from them. At the time of signing Yesil was 18, Illori 20 and Alberto 19. There is a clear difference between them and the likes of Allen who was 22 at the time and more importantly cost 15M.

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  17. I'm struggling to remember the exact details but I'm pretty sure the team was playing 4-3-3. Midfield was Allen, Sahin and Gerrard. Sometimes Shelvey was thrown in there too and you're right about Lucas, he was injured.


    So looking at it now, Allen was the deeper player, Sahin was in between and Gerrard had the more advanced role. So is that not Sahin's preferred position? It's the same role he is currently playing. Either way, it's no reason to moan because after all Madrid clearly do not want you and you're getting some game time. And Rodgers cannot be blamed because the Sahin we all heard about and watched at Dortmund certainly did not show up. Would Sahin get in our team now? I wouldn't pick him and would actually prefer the Welsh Xavi.

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  18. Good point about that. Sahin is clearly better than Lucas and miles far from Hendo. So... managerial problem! Just the same as it was last Saturday against Arsenal. Playing 3-5-2 against a top top team was too childish not to say stupid. 4-4-2 would made the job against them IMO

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  19. Allen was playing as the holding player in Lucas's absence with Gerrard alongside him. Sahin was playing further ahead, in most games. He did not play the same role he plays/ed at Dortmund for most of his time at Liverpool.


    I still stand by the notion that this one is on Rodgers as well as preferring Sahin over Allen.


    This is what Sahin said:


    '“Brendan Rodgers wanted me to play as a No 10. But I do not play behind the forwards,” he said.
    “I spoke with him and asked him why I was playing there. It is not my real position.'

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  20. No, some instance you are referring to is when refree does not blows the whistle but rather let the play go on by seeing that the ball is in the feet of the fellow teammates of the attacking team and the offender is booked at next stoppage. Also, if a play is stopped for a normal foul then refree can allow quick freekick but if it is for a bookable offence and refree has already blown the whistle to stop play then refree must book the offender before play is continued.

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  21. thought it was going to be about how Hendo needs to chip in a few more

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  22. Well I'm confused because he said "Brendan wanted me to play as a 10". Okay. Then "But I did not play behind the forwards", so he did not actually play the 10? If he wasn't the 10 he was deeper and then he asked Rodgers why he was playing deep...? That's my understanding unless I'm missing something, he's complaining about not playing further up and from what I can see from each Dortmund game, he's in the same deep position to me.

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  23. He said "but i do not play behind forwards" as in 'that is not my style', 'that isn't me' i.e., Rodgers wanted him as a 10-type player but playing behind the forwards is not what he is about, is what Sahin is getting across. IMO, where he played for us was and is not where he plays for Dortmund, nor are the responsibilities he has. It is blatant he is the main go-to man for Dortmund in the deep position for recycling and distributing possession (a la Xabi), whereas at Liverpool, he was never given that license as that was Stevie G's department, Sahin was used as more of a sideshow midfielder to support the forwards (bit like Hendo's duties, albeit Hendo executes it differently).

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  24. You're right, I didn't realise the rules were so restricting in terms of when to book the player. The refs only option was to simply not book Sagna at all and allow the quick restart. He could have, but obviously he thought booking Sagna was more important. Liverpool fans and players would argue otherwise and I'd say maybe the rules themselves need a re-think.


    Also very easy to say "lets move on now" when you're an Arsenal supporter and your team won the game. Of course LFC fans are going to pick over the missed chances and poor decisions. Although we'll never know what would have happened if the ref allowed the quick play we can certainly say that Liverpool had Sturridge free in an advanced position and the Arsenal defence was going to be stretched. Of course they would have done more if the game had played on. The whole point of the article JK has written is discuss the decision, saying it's done and we should move on is entirely the opposite to that.

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  25. Ref is totally within his right to not book the player at all, he could have let the play continue. It's only the technical interpretation of the rules that stop the ref from issuing the card at a subsequent stoppage and so not booking him at all would turn out to be a technicality. In fact he could have allowed the quick free kick, pushed for all players to continue and then spoken with Sagna at some other point, giving him a unofficial warning. All of that is perfectly within the rules, it's simply up to the ref to decide if he absolutely has to book the player or allow the game to continue. Still very much within his power.


    As for the goal being allowed ... it seems a moot point because the ref didn't allow the play to continue. Of course the goal shouldn't have been allowed because the ref never signalled play on. The game had stopped so there is no "goal" to be allowed or disallowed, it's just Liverpool players acting on their own after the stoppage. Perhaps the choice of words being used are at fault here. LFC supporters might argue that the ref should have allowed play to continue, and had that happened no one really knows the outcome. A goal was never guaranteed, only that Liverpool had players in a very advanced position with the defence stretched.

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  26. Both systems can work. The goals simply need to come from someone other than SAS. Hendo, Gerrard and Coutinho all have the ability to get goals and that's the main requirement for the team moving forward. Johnson could chip in but it's not really the role of a winger the way it would be for a wing forward in a more traditional formation. He's going to spend plenty of time in those wide areas and not in the box, even more than in previous seasons, so I'd say from a tactical point of view Aldridge is a bit off the mark. Depending on the formation we have up to 5 players in positions where they could be expected to get on goal and score from free play. That's enough without bringing the wingers into it, they are there to provide space and width.


    Everyone should remember that Hendo has had plenty of chances this season but his composure has let him down. I think for now he's the player from whom we'll want to see more goals and that requires another step-up in both skill and attitude. He's putting himself into good positions and we've seen him take the more relatively simple chances, what he needs to do now is be technically better so that the tougher chances are put on target.

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  27. I think the team is still struggling with the demands of the tactics and Rodgers has plenty of work to do. Players are still falling out of formation, making tactical errors and needing instruction from the sideline. I'd honestly say it will be closer to the end of this current seasons when Liverpool will be at a level that is properly indicative of their potential.

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  28. I'd say we needs Lars Bender and then sell Lucas in the next Jan window if he plays exceptional like he does for Hypia.

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  29. Its the mid that needs to get goals and not wing-backs!!!

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  30. Okay, yeah I misread the quote. :)

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  31. Funnily enough, Mikel Arteta was sent off against Crystal Palace for a debatable call roughly the same distance from goal. The ref this time could've done the same to Sagna and I don't know that we could have complained. It seems that there wasn't really a correct call the ref could make to not upset one side or the other.

    Me saying "let's move on" is more in the spirit of no team being able to take the previous match's results, good or bad, and dwell too long on them.

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  32. Why are Liverpool`s directors not after Juan Iturbe??? Do they really mean business going after players like Aspas and Borini, Allen. Sign this guy if you want to win Premier League.

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  33. LFC very big loss if only Luis Suarez,Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard can score the goal.What happen to others players ? J.Henderson.Joe Allen is expensive signing but still cannot score many goal.Lucas Leiva also have good credit at tackle but some times fail to hit best perform.

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  34. Spot on Jamie, the formation is key to our success at the moment. We don't have the flair in midfield to utilize the 532 formation therefore back to 433 etc. We really need some quality in January in the shape of 2 midfielders and some wing backs. Also, I would seriously consider selling Allen and one of Agger or Skrtle as we have too many centre backs. I do wonder why we bought Sahko if we are not selling one of the above. I really like Rogers but he has made some questionable signings. Maybe he needs a director of football to sign the players for him. We can't afford to make losses in the amounts the Allen, Aspas, Borini and possibly Sahko. Thats a combined value of £50 million give or take. We would have been better off buying 2 world class players instead.

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  35. I think the problem with 3 at the back came on saturday when Glen and Jose were missing. It was asking too much of Flanno and Cisso to step up to the league leaders. Henderson maybe could have been on the right, i'd compare him to Mcateer, both bought for CM but not really got the quality to play there for LFC so stick em out there and use their best assets (energy).

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  36. Hehe, happens to us all ;)

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  37. Your not the only one this happens to, happens to us all!

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  38. He just signed a new contract at Bayer. Good player though. Would have been nice to see him join his brother at Dortmund, although tactically they don't need him.


    I wouldn't mind seeing Fernando or Matic here.

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  39. for me your line up is spot on. Lucas doesn't deserve to be a certain starter, and playing three centre backs against one Arsenal striker was a bit stupid (by rightly playing two strikers, we were already slightly out-numbered in the middle so why make it worse for no obvious gain?). Johnson will be fine when over his recent troubles - he's a top player. i'd like to see Joe allen get a run in the side soon, before we give him away for peanuts....

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  40. I really think the only formation Liverpool can play using all players in their strongest positions is a 4-3-3.
    With a front 3 of Coutinho behind Sturridge and Suarez. The midfield would lack width however and a central midfielder with legs would be needed to cover for attacking fullbacks (Johnson & Enrique).
    Regardless of what formation Liverpool play a new central midfielder is a must!

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  41. I watched the game against Arsenal twice now and, to be honest, I believe the goals will come from Henderson. He got in the right position MANY times and, in time, he will start putting them in the right place. I have confidence in him.

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  42. Skrtel is not as effective in a 4-5-1 system as in the current 3-5-2 system. I'd rather have Sakho or Agger in the team instead ....

    We also have a problem at midfield. Ideally, we'd play two attacking midfielders (at least at home against the likes of Fulham), who can attack the opposition deep in their own half. It worked well against West Brom with Henderson and Gerrard playing in front of Lucas as the single defensive midfielder. I am just not convinced that Coutinho could do that kind of a job very well ... if he wasn't tracking back, our midfield could be overrun. Also, Gerrard might not have the legs do that over 90 minutes every weak.

    Therefore I'd like to field us four midfielders ... two attacking ones (henderson and Coutinho) and two defensive ones (Gerrard, Allen/Lucas), covering the two attacking ones. Add the two strikers and play four at the back with no wingers or wing backs. Defensivly we'd have two proper full backs and offensivly we'd have four attacking players in Henderson, Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez, who are all mobile enough to cover the width of the field when in possesion.

    My team would thus be:

    -------------------------- Suarez ---- Sturridge

    ------------------ Henderson ----------- Coutinho

    ------------------ Gerrard ---------------- Lucas

    ------ Enrique ------ Agger ----- Touré --------- Johnson

    ------------------------------- Mignolet

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  43. Fernando is somebody who we can get if we show some intent towards him. Matic might cost too much for a DM and I don't even think BR is too much worried about it.

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  44. Yep, usually charge a arm and a leg, these Portuguese clubs when the players have a long contract.

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