So what has to change for us to play well?

[fowlen]

We just seem unable to play proper football at the minute.
Our performances have been well below scratch and sadly too many of our 'top' players seem to be a in a slump and not performing as we would expect.
So what has to change??

For me I think Rafa has to stop his tinkering and decide on a preferred system. It is far easier for players to rotate in a team that is playing well.

I would keep an unchanged defense for a while, the same as last season.
In midfield Pennant does not even warrant a place on the bench. His approach play is good, and he beats players really easily, but the amount of times he cuts infield, or fails to deliver on crosses is infuriating.

I reckon SG should play on the right, Alonso and Sissoko in the middle, and give Luis a free reign (especially at home). Riise will always gallop up the left to provide support on that end.

Up front Kuyt has to start, maybe with Crouch. Bellamy has a been a big dissapointment and I believe the big fella deserves a run in the team.

Once you have decided on your favoured formation, please do not chop and change Rafa!

[Depth_Charge]

The problem isn't specifically that we're not playing well - it's that we're not grinding out results when we're not playing well. That is always a mark of a team who are going to be challenging for the Prem - nicking a result when you're having an off day. Worst thing about this run is that we're playing OK (in patches anyway), but we keep conceding goals at regular intervals.

I think that we need to concentrate on maintaining a regular backbone within the team and build on that, we need some sort of consistency. Whilst we can rotate players (because we have better players than we have had in a while), in my opinion we need to maintain a core and rotate periphery players around that. It's going to be a balancing act to keep everyone happy, but that's why Rafa is the boss. As with last season (and the season before that) - we need to start winning games away from home and picking up points when we deserve them as well as when we don't - it's as simple as that.

All in all I'd say we need to get some of our bollox back, because recently we seem to have lost them... There has been no evidence of the sp[irit of Istanbul or the Cup final recently - perhaps we're waiting for the Cups again...

[brikkis]

• Keep the back four the same every match unless theres injuries obviously
• Play Gerrard in the middle and keep him there - A happy Gerrard is awesome
• Take our chances

[dww]

• Keep the back four the same every match unless theres injuries obviously
• Play Gerrard in the middle and keep him there - A happy Gerrard is awesome
• Take our chances

I think your first point is key. We need a steady base to build from, i would also like to see less rotation in the middle but I wouls stick with Alonso and Momo infront of the back 4.

Gerrard seemed happy enouh last year on the right, he is pretty much given a free role when he plays wide any way.

[Joe Le Toff]

• Keep the back four the same every match unless theres injuries obviously
  Agreed but would take this a little further and say the spine of the team needs to remain the same, 7 to 9 players week in week out
• Play Gerrard in the middle and keep him there - A happy Gerrard is awesome
  Gerrard should be on the right IMO, especially while we are trying to get some level of consistency going this season - its more important at the moment to get his form back rather than the endless debates about playing on the right or in the middle.
• Take our chances
  Far too many missed this season by people who really ought to be sticking them away. Seems almost a carbon copy of last season - we're not playing bad per se, rather that we are playing some lovely stuff albeit in patches until it has to be finished off and we're just not taking them.

[DeeGame]

Play 4-2-3-1

----------------reina----------------
-----Finnan-Carra--Agger--Riise------
------------Momo--Xabi-------------
--Gerrard-------Garcia-------Kewell--
----------------Kuyt----------------

[Anfield Mole]

I agree that Benitez needs to stop tinkering with the side to the extent he does.

Last season players were rotated, but 8 or 9 players stayed the same week in week out. There will be times when it is beneficial to say bring in a sturdier winger or a quicker forward but the core of the side should stay the same. This especially applies to defence to my mind, defenders need to play alongside each other week in week out to build up an understanding. It is no coincidence that the meanest defences (eg Dixon - Bold - Adams - Winterburn) were made of players who played with each other every week.

I'd also like to see Gonzalez getting a propper run of games on the left with Garcia/Gerrard taking the right wing berth as Pennant doesn't look up to it.

[Nic83]

I don't think Gerrard has 1 assist to his name this season in the prem, let alone a goal. People are on about the new signings underperforming but for me, Gerrard's lack of form is the main problem.

[Fan65]

I agree that Benitez needs to stop tinkering with the side to the extent he does.

Last season players were rotated, but 8 or 9 players stayed the same week in week out. There will be times when it is beneficial to say bring in a sturdier winger or a quicker forward but the core of the side should stay the same. This especially applies to defence to my mind, defenders need to play alongside each other week in week out to build up an understanding. It is no coincidence that the meanest defences (eg Dixon - Bold - Adams - Winterburn) were made of players who played with each other every week.

I'd also like to see Gonzalez getting a propper run of games on the left with Garcia/Gerrard taking the right wing berth as Pennant doesn't look up to it.

8 prem games so far ,

Defence
Finnan Missed one game due to injury
Carragher Missed one game due to injury
Hyppia Missed two games
Agger Missed three games 2 to injury
Riise Missed three games 2 to injury
Aurelio Missed one game


I can't see where Rafa is tinkering, Hyppia rested to bring Agger up to speed as his eventual replacement seems ok to me, apart from Riise/Aurelio covering left midfield any tinkering is to cover injuries.

[puredale]

I don't think Gerrard has 1 assist to his name this season in the prem, let alone a goal. People are on about the new signings underperforming but for me, Gerrard's lack of form is the main problem.

is right

[MrMichael]

Play 4-2-3-1

----------------reina----------------
-----Finnan-Carra--Agger--Riise------
------------Momo--Xabi-------------
--Gerrard-------Garcia-------Kewell--
----------------Kuyt----------------

or get Gerrard in the middle.....

----------------reina----------------
-----Finnan-Carra--Agger--Riise------
------------Momo--Xabi-------------
--Bellamy-------Gerrard-------Garcia--
----------------Kuyt----------------

or... (add numerous 4-2-3-1 formations)

[Mumsafan]

Make sure the opposition get less goals than us. Simple.