Is Hodgson the right man for LFC

[alunevans]

I said the other day that Roy's tactics seemed to be the total anathema of the qualities in our playing staff

He wants us to sit deep, surrender possession but this means you are more susceptible to the opposition crossing the ball/throwing in high balls

To counteract that you have to be dominant in the air - which we are most certainly not

Reina himself will also then have to virtually stay in his 6 yard box and will be under pressure to come for more crosses (which is definitely not his strong point)

Reina is a top class keeper but he prefers his defence to have a higher line than Hodgson is imposing on us. This allows him to have a higher starting position in the penalty box and then act like a sweeper

As I keep saying Hodgsons tactics are TOTALLY bewildering when you look at our playing staff

4-4-2 with Meireles wide right,
Playing your most attacking threat from midfield deeper thereby diminishing that threat
Defence sitting deep and allowing crosses into the box which we clearly struggle to cope with
Hoofing the ball out of the back when you have Torres upfront

I think you're right about Reina's goalkeeping style. He does like to be patrolling his entire area as a sweeper and sitting deep doesn't suit this.

I don't understand why Meireles is wide right either when there is such a dearth of quality in the centre.

Not sure we're really hoofing it out of the back mind you. More like passing it around but without tempo or progress or penetration.

But I agree with the bulk of your critique there.

[dww]

I think you're right about Reina's goalkeeping style. He does like to be patrolling his entire area as a sweeper and sitting deep doesn't suit this.

I don't understand why Meireles is wide right either when there is such a dearth of quality in the centre.

Not sure we're really hoofing it out of the back mind you. More like passing it around but without tempo or progress or penetration.

But I agree with the bulk of your critique there.

I think that there is an argument that while we pass the ball around short at times that the transition balls from deep/defensive positions is far too often a long, low odds ball. I'm not sure that we should be looking for penetrating balls from those areas but should be aiming to move the opposition players around and looking to get players free in areas where they can.

If we are going to have such a narrow midfield we have to be looking to have quick one two to set players free - however whenever I have seen us we have just mechanically shuffled the ball around. A young Gerrard might have tied it together into something vaguely effective but the player he is now I don't think it can be made to work with the players we have.

[Lecter]

I think you're right about Reina's goalkeeping style. He does like to be patrolling his entire area as a sweeper and sitting deep doesn't suit this.

I don't understand why Meireles is wide right either when there is such a dearth of quality in the centre.

Not sure we're really hoofing it out of the back mind you. More like passing it around but without tempo or progress or penetration.

But I agree with the bulk of your critique there.

We are definitely hoofing it more than last year

Whether that is a function of the players being selected or tactics I dont know (although if you believe that Agger interview its a definite tactic)

Skrtel is nowhere near the ball player that Agger is and Konchesky hoofs far more than Insua or Aurelio did

[DannyMan2006]

Finally, the following is from a Fulham season ticket holder, and was written in the summer. I thought it was worthy of a wider audience, given how it matches up with what we’ve seen so far.

On substitutions:

He’ll make few substitutions, those he does will come late in the game and be mechanical. For example at Fulham he’ll take off Danny Murphy on 75 mins, every game. His philosophy is essentially one of Plan A, Plan A, Plan A. He’s worked on a plan with his team (no really, he has) and he’ll see it through on the basis that it is just a question of keep on working at it and it will work eventually. He is not short on believing in his convictions.

On selections:

He believes in having a first 11. He will work out who it is and then stick with it, week in week out. Others will play in the Europa League and the cups [now labeled his Liverpool ‘B team’]. Don’t expect to see him at the Academy too often, just not his thing.

On formation / tactics:

He’ll get his team to sit back in two banks of four, very narrow and basically say to the opposition, “go on play through us”. It had some success against teams like Arsenal. When you win the ball back, first option will be a ball to the striker and let him hold it up. Wide midfielders will often play on the side opposite their best foot to cut in (like Damien Duff at Fulham) and the fullbacks will have to provide any width. You’ll find it frustrating to watch as they won’t press, and as a fan it is very hard to get into the game when there is limited energy in attack or defence.

At Fulham the fans get into it because their expectations are lower and they have more games against what they see as better teams, and anything from the games is a victory of some sorts they can support. I think you’ll find it tougher to hang on to that at Anfield.

**** this. We are Fulham Mark II. It is crystal clear after reading that from the Tompkins article. If anyone had any doubts about him going before, that piece should wrap it up.

The way we are playing is an absoloute ****ing joke. We don't even have the players Fulham had to play like them. We don't have a giant CB in Hangeland, we don't have a perfect target man in Zamora and we don't have wingers like Duff and Davies.

What we have is better players, but not players suited to Hodgsons system. No doubt with every transfer window that passes we would be better as he got in players who could play his system, but it will never end up a team that any of us would enjoy watching and it would never be a team that could challenge for honours.

SACK HIM NOW!

[Lecter]

I think that there is an argument that while we pass the ball around short at times that the transition balls from deep/defensive positions is far too often a long, low odds ball. I'm not sure that we should be looking for penetrating balls from those areas but should be aiming to move the opposition players around and looking to get players free in areas where they can.

If we are going to have such a narrow midfield we have to be looking to have quick one two to set players free - however whenever I have seen us we have just mechanically shuffled the ball around. A young Gerrard might have tied it together into something vaguely effective but the player he is now I don't think it can be made to work with the players we have.

I always go on what Paisley said

"Its not the long ball or short ball that matters, its the right ball that counts"

Now to me the long balls we are playing a 40-50 yard ball hit into the air are not effective you need a target man to be effective with that tactic

Put a 40-50 yard ball into the channel on the floor for Torres to chase and you might be onto something

This is what I keep sayinhg about Hodgson his tactics dont suit the players we have

If hes going to sit deep and invite crosses he needs someone dominant in the air like Hangeland or Hyypia

If hes going to encourage hoofing long balls forward to the striker to win in the air he needs someone different to Torres

If hes going to play 4-4-2 he needs wide players who provide width, you cant do that by moving Meireles and Cole out wide

Hodgson either has to change tactics to suit the players we have OR buy the players he needs in January

I would not like to be waiting till January playing these tactics and even then there is no guarantee we will have the cash to buy the players he needs

That said its clear from the comments of Hodgson and the players he wont change

This is why I am worried, I honestly dont believe things will improve

[DannyMan2006]

this is what i keep sayinhg about hodgson his tactics dont suit the players we have

if hes going to sit deep and invite crosses he needs someone dominant in the air like hangeland or hyypia

if hes going to encourage hoofing long balls forward to the striker to win in the air he needs someone different to torres

if hes going to play 4-4-2 he needs wide players who provide width, you cant do that by moving meireles and cole out wide

hodgson either has to change tactics to suit the players we have or buy the players he needs in january

Bang on!

[Lecter]

**** this. We are Fulham Mark II. It is crystal clear after reading that from the Tompkins article. If anyone had any doubts about him going before, that piece should wrap it up.

The way we are playing is an absoloute ****ing joke. We don't even have the players Fulham had to play like them. We don't have a giant CB in Hangeland, we don't have a perfect target man in Zamora and we don't have wingers like Duff and Davies.

What we have is better players, but not players suited to Hodgsons system. No doubt with every transfer window that passes we would be better as he got in players who could play his system, but it will never end up a team that any of us would enjoy watching and it would never be a team that could challenge for honours.

SACK HIM NOW!

Absolutely 100% agree

Its why I want him gone

[DannyMan2006]

I will go as far to say that if Hodgson is still here in January we need to sell Torres for as much as we can get, because Torres will never excel in this style of football.

Sell him for £55m (likely all we'll get as he'll continue to look **** under Hodgson), bring in a tall CB, a target man up top and a couple of wingers.

Do that and we will look a lot better.

Ideally though I'd rather sack Hodgson and actually get someone in who plays proper football as to what we are used to.

[dww]

I always go on what Paisley said

"Its not the long ball or short ball that matters, its the right ball that counts"

I remember when John Beck returned to Cambridge for his second spell he used that quote.

I largely agree with the rest of your post.

[DannyMan2006]

With Wigan beating Wolves we are now 4th from bottom. If West Ham beat Fulham at home today we'll be in the bottom 3!

That said, such is the league table, a win against Blackpool tomorrow could take us into mid table.

EDIT: In fact, if West Ham OR Everton win, we'll be in the bottom three. If both win, we'll be second bottom.

[Arn]

I will go as far to say that if Hodgson is still here in January we need to sell Torres for as much as we can get, because Torres will never excel in this style of football.

Sell him for £55m (likely all we'll get as he'll continue to look **** under Hodgson), bring in a tall CB, a target man up top and a couple of wingers.

Do that and we will look a lot better.

Ideally though I'd rather sack Hodgson and actually get someone in who plays proper football as to what we are used to.

If Hodgson stay then I can't see any of our big stars staying. Torres, Gerrard, Agger, Meireles, Johnson and Reina. I doubt that they want to stay and play ultra defensive football.

So it's either Roy or a team without great players.

[DannyMan2006]

If Hodgson stay then I can't see any of our big stars staying. Torres, Gerrard, Agger, Meireles, Johnson and Reina. I doubt that they want to stay and play ultra defensive football.

So it's either Roy or a team without great players.

Hodgsons football works well with limited players methinks. So we'd probably do better if that was the case.

[Roboklopp]

Right, those quotes from Reina are the final straw for me. He is thevest keeper in the league by a distance and deliberately training him out of the sweeper dimension of his game is complete ****ing madness,

[DannyMan2006]

IMO, if we're talking about final straws I'd have lost about ten continuous games of ker-plunk! by now. Depressing stuff.

[G]

With Wigan beating Wolves we are now 4th from bottom. If West Ham beat Fulham at home today we'll be in the bottom 3!

That said, such is the league table, a win against Blackpool tomorrow could take us into mid table.

EDIT: In fact, if West Ham OR Everton win, we'll be in the bottom three. If both win, we'll be second bottom.

And so it comes to pass.

On yer bike Roy and take the Yanks/Board who appointed you with you