Our style of play

[Sarb]

It is the slow boring possession style football he played when he first came here. Doesn't play to the strength of many of our players in all honesty. Even Gerrard likes to move the ball on quickly. Think it is genuinely the style of football he wants to play. It's a style that a lot of teams have sussed out how to play against. Not really sure what kind of forward is required in that system either

[john316]

It's a really bad version of 'Tiki-Taka' if it is that. Seems more like to me it's 'safe option' football. Too many easy passes with no direction or cutting edge. Too many players who don't want to take games by the scruff of the neck. Monday Night Football illustrated it perfectly with Coutinho vs Palace but it has been evident for weeks amongst others. Dreadful movement and a distinct lack of anything being developed at Melwood.

[Sarb]

It's a really bad version of 'Tiki-Taka' if it is that. Seems more like to me it's 'safe option' football. Too many easy passes with no direction or cutting edge. Too many players who don't want to take games by the scruff of the neck. Monday Night Football illustrated it perfectly with Coutinho vs Palace but it has been evident for weeks amongst others. Dreadful movement and a distinct lack of anything being developed at Melwood.

It's the version that Pep called ****. Passing for passing's sake. Compounded by the fact that the keeper cant pass, Lovren's passing is abysmal, Johnson passes it to the opposition and Gerrard is usually man marked

[Lecter]

It's the version that Pep called ****. Passing for passing's sake. Compounded by the fact that the keeper cant pass, Lovren's passing is abysmal, Johnson passes it to the opposition and Gerrard is usually man marked

I mentioned in another thread about Jimmy Case and his comments during our first few months under Brendan

He said that back in the 70's & 80's we had always been a team that wanted to have possession. But we didnt want possession just for the sake of having possession we wanted it because without it you couldnt score!!!

[Sarb]

I mentioned in another thread about Jimmy Case and his comments during our first few months under Brendan

He said that back in the 70's & 80's we had always been a team that wanted to have possession. But we didnt want possession just for the sake of having possession we wanted it because without it you couldnt score!!!

As the season has progressed we seem to be doing it a lot more. Noticed it lots in the Chelsea game that even when Mourinho pushed his forwards onto our defenders, Mignolet still gave it to them. It could have cost 2 or 3 more goals had Chelsea been more ruthless. Never really understood why he has gone back to that style when there is zero confidence in ability of Mignolet to use his feet, nor Johnson and probably Skrtel also.

It's a definite change in style back to one that didnt work. When he tried it first he ended up changing when we get Coutinho and Sturridge. I dont really see the high pressing either. Very strange

[Maxiedge]

I can see the thinking behind possession based football when your squad is in transition and you're integrating new players. It's supposed to slowly build confidence on the ball and initiate basic interplay. A sort of team building exercise, if you may.

The problem is, with this possession football, you need some sort of solid foundation to base it on. There's absolutely no facet of our game currently that is reliable. Confidence is so low and fragile that there's no real belief that we can keep possession.

So what it becomes, in it's simplest form, is just passing around at the back until we lose the ball and they score.

[Lecter]

So what it becomes, in it's simplest form, is just passing around at the back until we lose the ball and they score.

[RichC]

I mentioned in another thread about Jimmy Case and his comments during our first few months under Brendan

He said that back in the 70's & 80's we had always been a team that wanted to have possession. But we didnt want possession just for the sake of having possession we wanted it because without it you couldnt score!!!

To be honest though I don't think we want it for the sake of possession!!

The side is suffering from a huge lull in confidence and we need to try and find how to get that back, this is down to the players and the manager as without both sides working at it the problems we're suffering with will continue.

[danperkins]

The amount of aimless passing that goes between our back line is ridiculous. And inevitably they get caught in possession & hoof it up the pitch.. I include Gerrard in that. We don't play nice football, it's slow, lethargic & predicable. Nobody wants to make a mistake, so nobody tries to be progressive & so nothing much happens.

For me, we are even worse without the ball. Nobody is moving into positions to receive the ball & nobody is making any runs to get into the areas of the pitch that will hurt the opposition. So not only are we slow on the ball, when we want to make a progressive pass... there's **** all options. So we get the side to side, safe pass we've been seeing all season.

And then when the opposition have the ball, we don't press or push them back. We drop, and drop and drop. We concede so much space in the midfield & we find ourselves defending the ball in the danger areas. Any manager that plays against us this season would just tell his midfield to go out and have a high intensity & work rate... and that's a winner for them. There is no confidence throughout the entire team & it's times like this when you wonder if the players aren't being inspired by the manager or is something else wrong... or do we need a change? Such a timid,meek attitude. No determination to fight & scrap for the ball & no desire to win. It's pitiful stuff. Any player can play ****e or have a bad run of form but the very least you can do is break your bollox for the team.

I don't know with the players Rodgers has brought in what style of play he was actually looking to go for. Sturridge is perfect as a lone striker but was never going to stay fit all season. So we bring in Lambert & Balotelli who cannot & never have played as a lone striker. We need an organising CB, so we bring in Lovren the maniac, who runs around like a head less chicken & even makes Skrtel look as assured as Franz Beckenbauer. Rodgers said we brought in Lovren because he was a "leader and organiser". So either we actually didn't scout him properly or Rodgers definition of a leader and organiser is distorted.

Moreno has done ok and will need until next season to really progress, same with Manquillo. Can looks a prospect but with Gerrard there he's not getting a look in. We forked out mad money on Lallana & he's been in and out of the team. Markovic seems a really unnecessary purchase.

So i'm not sure what exactly Rodgers had in mind when he signed these particular players. It seems like with the players we have that we cannot find a balance in the team.

[Lecter]

It's a definite change in style back to one that didnt work. When he tried it first he ended up changing when we get Coutinho and Sturridge. I dont really see the high pressing either. Very strange

I am absolutely convinced the high pressing is a function of 2 up top and the diamond behind

His traditional formation which we have reverted to (4-2-3-1 / 4-1-4-1) allows less pressure high up the pitch and this in turn affects your ability to counter

All the criticisms I have of the side now are the same problems we had during his first 5 or 6 months in charge (possibly even worse)

Brendan was brave going 2 up top then and he reaped the rewards for that bravery

If he doesnt show the same type of boldness hes going to find himself out of a job because continuing in the same vein as we have been (in terms of formations, selections etc..) will not turn things around

[Lecter]

To be honest though I don't think we want it for the sake of possession!!

The side is suffering from a huge lull in confidence and we need to try and find how to get that back, this is down to the players and the manager as without both sides working at it the problems we're suffering with will continue.

Again we were like this v Southampton our first game so I am not convinced its confidence to me its categorically linked to the system change

The only game when we have actively gone at somebody with tempo, pace and aggression has been Spurs when he changed back to last years system

Virtually every other game has been the slow plodding game that takes us nowhere

[dww]

To be honest though I don't think we want it for the sake of possession!!

The side is suffering from a huge lull in confidence and we need to try and find how to get that back, this is down to the players and the manager as without both sides working at it the problems we're suffering with will continue.

For me the natural solution would be to put Lucas and Borini in the team. A bit more natural shape in midfield and movement up top. Players like Coutinho and Lallana only really thrive with players to hit up top with quick passes. Otherwise their natural game can become too pedestrian. That said if they are to become top level players they have to get beyond playing in their comfort zone when the chips are down.

If the management feel Gerrard is undropabble then I'd move him up the pitch.

[Lecter]

The amount of aimless passing that goes between our back line is ridiculous. And inevitably they get caught in possession & hoof it up the pitch.. I include Gerrard in that. We don't play nice football, it's slow, lethargic & predicable. Nobody wants to make a mistake, so nobody tries to be progressive & so nothing much happens.

For me, we are even worse without the ball. Nobody is moving into positions to receive the ball & nobody is making any runs to get into the areas of the pitch that will hurt the opposition. So not only are we slow on the ball, when we want to make a progressive pass... there's **** all options. So we get the side to side, safe pass we've been seeing all season.

And then when the opposition have the ball, we don't press or push them back. We drop, and drop and drop. We concede so much space in the midfield & we find ourselves defending the ball in the danger areas. Any manager that plays against us this season would just tell his midfield to go out and have a high intensity & work rate... and that's a winner for them. There is no confidence throughout the entire team & it's times like this when you wonder if the players aren't being inspired by the manager or is something else wrong... or do we need a change? Such a timid,meek attitude. No determination to fight & scrap for the ball & no desire to win. It's pitiful stuff. Any player can play ****e or have a bad run of form but the very least you can do is break your bollox for the team.

I don't know with the players Rodgers has brought in what style of play he was actually looking to go for. Sturridge is perfect as a lone striker but was never going to stay fit all season. So we bring in Lambert & Balotelli who cannot & never have played as a lone striker. We need an organising CB, so we bring in Lovren the maniac, who runs around like a head less chicken & even makes Skrtel look as assured as Franz Beckenbauer. Rodgers said we brought in Lovren because he was a "leader and organiser". So either we actually didn't scout him properly or Rodgers definition of a leader and organiser is distorted.

Moreno has done ok and will need until next season to really progress, same with Manquillo. Can looks a prospect but with Gerrard there he's not getting a look in. We forked out mad money on Lallana & he's been in and out of the team. Markovic seems a really unnecessary purchase.

So i'm not sure what exactly Rodgers had in mind when he signed these particular players. It seems like with the players we have that we cannot find a balance in the team.

Can cannot play Gerrards position

Look how that lad plays hes more like Henderson than Gerrard

Still think he should be playing and I would have him playing on the opposite side of the diamond to Henderson just in front of the holding player (whoever that might be)

[Lecter]

For me the natural solution would be to put Lucas and Borini in the team. A bit more natural shape in midfield and movement up top. Players like Coutinho and Lallana only really thrive with players to hit up top with quick passes. Otherwise their natural game can become too pedestrian. That said if they are to become top level players they have to get beyond playing in their comfort zone when the chips are down.

If the management feel Gerrard is undropabble then I'd move him up the pitch.

The only thing with Borini is hes ****ing ****e when the ball comes near him (luckily against Palace he didnt touch it)

Yeah the lad shows good movement but its kind of useless if you cant kick a ball

[BigChief]

The only thing with Borini is hes ****ing ****e when the ball comes near him (luckily against Palace he didnt touch it)

Yeah the lad shows good movement but its kind of useless if you cant kick a ball

Completely agree, very little difference between him and Aspas. But Borini is a cog that we need to get the system working again. Without this ****ty cog the system stops and we lose games.

Better cogs can come in later, but we need the system up now.