Formation, tactics or personnel?

[Howard_lfc]

I don't wanna go over old ground again, but last week I believe that (although the performance wasn't as bad as people made out), Rafa made a mistake with his team selection/formation/tactics.
But what I'm curious about is which of these three is the most important and affects the outcome of the game more often?

Taking last week as an example, I wasn't bothered by the 4-3-3 set up. Against teams like Reading we should be able to field 11 decent players and get a result. To a point.
The tactics were to attack, which away from home, is a bonus IMO. But the personnel used wasn't right. I'd never use Crouch on the left in a 4-3-3 formation. Never.


At the risk of posting a negative thread before a hugely important (must win!) game against ManU, I'm intrigued to find out what you lot believe is the most important feature of the team sheet: formation, tactics or personnel.

I have my own opinion but I'm interested in yours.

[AFII]

To have eleven players on the pitch with a good first touch, game intelligence and that are prepared to work their socks off for the team.

Then you can use a lot of different formations during the game.

Sissoko should never have played against Reading for example. Lucas would have given us much more stability and ball control.

[breakfast4tea]

Well as a supporter I have to say first and foremost that football is a game that raises the emotional level in many a supporter. The live match has us shouting squirming, seething,and so on.During the game this is of course fine , but to carry abuse over into forums etc long after the match is over is totally uncalled for is it not.

Liverpool is the greatest team on the planet and in the universe for us ,and thats not because we win cups galore etc ,have done will again, but because it is OUR team, the team which is associated with the place of our birth. When the team does well, the city seems to do well.Thats how I feel about it anyways.

I am not a heretic when I say winning is not everything ,financially these days it is, but I am content if I know that the team that goes out on the pitch gives their all and nothing less.

I like to watch good football being played ,and more so when it is my team that is playing it.

So that being said, when I read the teamsheet for the reading game I really couldnt understand it, and I thought immediately that we were going to have a lot of trouble.Not because of the players themselves , but the positions they were given to play in.

I also for the good of the team now would let sissoko go , his service in the past has been fantastic ,and he is a fine player. I may shock a few by saying that Alonso should not be an immediate choice when he is available. Why ?

Because I truly believe our strongest midfield does not include him at present.

Rotation is a funny old world.I understand the wanting to rest players, and then I think of all the cups home and european we have won in the past without freaking out over rotation.

Some more subjective opinions of mine

Raffa is the best man for the job

regards

[Red_Polo]

I don't wanna go over old ground again, but last week I believe that (although the performance wasn't as bad as people made out), Rafa made a mistake with his team selection/formation/tactics.
But what I'm curious about is which of these three is the most important and affects the outcome of the game more often?

Taking last week as an example, I wasn't bothered by the 4-3-3 set up. Against teams like Reading we should be able to field 11 decent players and get a result. To a point.
The tactics were to attack, which away from home, is a bonus IMO. But the personnel used wasn't right. I'd never use Crouch on the left in a 4-3-3 formation. Never.


At the risk of posting a negative thread before a hugely important (must win!) game against ManU, I'm intrigued to find out what you lot believe is the most important feature of the team sheet: formation, tactics or personnel.

I have my own opinion but I'm interested in yours.

Tactics and personnel are inextricable, way I see it you can't talk about one without considering the other. I think you point to that yourself when you talk about Crouch playing on the left in a 4-3-3 against Reading. It's not 4-3-3 that's wrong, nor is it playing Crouch - it's the way personnel and tactics / formation combine that's important.

[rage]

to have our best 11 players on the pitch instead of trying to keep squad players happy. There's no reason why babel could not have played on the left of the 3 against reading for instance.

i'd also like to see rafa be a lot more pro-active with his substitutions. the final last year springs to mind as too little too late

[tomasjj]

I reckon the most important thing is to play a tactic and formation that suits the personell you have available.
So, not to play a formation or tactic cause you think it is the best, but to find one that suits the players you have.

If that made any sense...

[Johnny]

Personnel.



10 outfield players that can keep posession and pass a football help to maintain an attack and stifle the oposition.

[Exiled_red]

It has to be a combination of all three tactics, formation and personnel.

I think that the 433 formation could work but the two wide forwards I would play would be winger type players (Kewell and Babel) that's what is required to make the formation work, also the main striker would have to be someone that would stay forward and be in the box for all the attacking moves

[Joe King]

I think its a combination. Rafa needs to play a system which all the players are soo used to like the game against Marseille instead of a hybrid of formations to confuse the players in what they are supposed to play. Sometimes Rafa will over complicate it to confuse the opposition however if hes own players don't know what to do, then its no good.