Lucas

[Redspin]

Move Can up. Play Gerrard as the right of the 3 CB's

Mignolet

Gerrard Skrtel Sahko

Markovic Henderson Can Moreno

Sterling Coutinho

Sturridge

You clearly haven't seen Gerrard playing in a deep role for us. He's a disaster anywhere near the defence. He should be permanently benched and only brought on if absolutely necessary. We are always, but always, worse when he starts a match for us.

It happens to the best players. They eventually lose the dynamism that made them special and the decline accelerates exponentially the longer they play. Gerrard is a lot worse than he was last season and has got progressively worse as the season's gone on. His inclusion in the starting eleven pretty much guarantees we'll drop points in games we should be winning. Rodgers needs to grow a pair and stop massaging Gerrard's ego

[RedReet]

Of course Kolo!!! Panic is indeed over.

I'd be interested to see Lovren in a back 3 though in a back two both him and Skrtel didn't cover themselves in any glory whatsoever but since the move to a back 3 Skrtel has been very good.

I think this is a fair point from an article posted in the news section...

'Especially with Rodgers having settled on a 3-4-2-1 system which places big emphasis on the centre-backs’ ability to defend in wide areas.

Sakho has done that well, Can too. Lovren, though, has looked uncomfortable whenever he has been asked to do so, tending to dive in and struggling against nimble, pacy opponents. Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports highlighted his tendency to stay centrally, leaving gaps in the channels which smart attackers could exploit.'


Think it probably explains why he hasn't had a look in recently and I imagine Johnson will remain above him in the pecking order.

[baitman]

Nightmare about Lucas being injured..so typical. Definitely move Can into midfield beside Henderson. Johnson or Lovren at RCB is not inspiring to say the least.

agree that we will get more out of can if he plays in the middle alongside henderson.

plugging the gap left by can if the bigger issue.
lovren always seems to be the one who wants to attack the oppo player and intercept. if lovren is playing in the middle he is then leaving big gaps and his team mates are then forced to try and come inside from the wide positions to cover and invariably are always trying to catch the attacker who has the lead on them.

if lovren has a better pairing in front of him [like at saints] he wont be the first line of defence. he will panic less [hopes and prays]. if he plays as the right or left CB [in a three] even if he steps out to intercept he will have skrtel there to clean up his mess. we have seen how assured skrtel is and how he helps tidy for his team mates.

will can have the control to ensure he doesnt go missing. if only there were more of him to go around

[RedReet]

Of course Kolo!!! Panic is indeed over.

I'd be interested to see Lovren in a back 3 though in a back two both him and Skrtel didn't cover themselves in any glory whatsoever but since the move to a back 3 Skrtel has been very good.

Kolo playing in a back 3 for IC. He'll slot in no bother.

Kolo.

[Chazza]

Liverpool made to sweat over Lucas Leiva injury in Merseyside derby

LIVERPOOL face an anxious wait to discover the extent of the injury that forced Lucas Leiva out of the Merseyside derby.

The return of the Brazilian midfielder to Liverpool’s starting line as coincided with an upturn in fortunes, but he is out of Tuesday’s pivotal showdown with Tottenham and could be facing a lengthy absence.

Lucas missed the FA Cup win over Bolton Wanderers last Wednesday with a thigh problem linked to his adductor muscle and had not trained properly in the build up to the stalemate with Everton.

He was withdrawn after 15-minutes at Goodison Park, and replaced by Joe Allen, amid fears he suffered a new injury in the same area rather than aggravating the existing problem.

Manager Brendan Rodgers was assessing his walking wounded in the aftermath of Saturday’s goalless stalemate with Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho both substituted after receiving knocks to their foot and knee respectively.

Liverpool are four points behind fifth-placed Tottenham and can ill-afford to lose any ground, but looked leggy against Everton as if their recent schedule is catching up with them.

“The only downfall of being in cup competitions is the number of games, but whatever happens with injuries to players the squad will be better for the experience,” said Rodgers.

“If we are playing one game a week it is because we are not in cup competitions and not doing as well as we would want. We want the games to come.

“This is a challenging year, but we will be better when we come out of this year and so will the players. Phil Coutinho had a knock on his knee and Raheem had a knock on his foot.

“We had fresh players on the bench to bring on and hopefully they will be fit for Tuesday.”

Adam Lallana hopes to be available for the visit of Tottenham when Liverpool’s defensive improvement will be put to the test by in-form striker Harry Kane.

In the last 822 minutes that Emre Can, Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho have played in a three man defence, Liverpool have conceded four goals. In the last 822 minutes they haven’t Rodgers side has leaked 11.

“We are happy for that because from the beginning of the season there was a lot of criticising of the defending,” said Skrtel. “I’m happy we improved that and in recent games we kept a lot of clean sheets. I think in this year I think we have only conceded in one game from open play so that is very goad. We just need to carry on that way.

“I said that many times, defending is not only about the defenders but the defending of the whole team. We improved that.

“We play Tottenham and then we play Southampton later on so it is the game against the opponents that are also fighting for the top four so they are going to be crucial games.

“We are just going from game to game, and try to get as many points as we can. We just believe we can finish in the top four.”

Skrtel also hailed the impact of 19-year-old Jordon Ibe – who was born after Everton last won a trophy - against Roberto Martinez’s side.

“He was great,” said the defender. “He came back from loan and it is not easy for young players to join the game like this because obviously it is a derby, it is a massive game but I think he was great.

“He did well, he hit the post and he was unlucky he didn’t score. I’m just happy for him.

“He showed his quality on the pitch. We knew he has got the quality because we can see him every day in the training. I’m just happy he played like that today and hopefully he can carry on playing that way.”

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/556902/Liverpool-Wait-Lucas-Leiva-Injury-News-Merseyside-Derby

[Shaggy]

Dominic King @DominicKing_DM
Concerns for @LFC as club sweating on fitness of Lucas amid fears he could be facing a month out. Story on @MailSport

[SB]

Ouch. That would be tough.

[Alex]

****, just as we steady the ship one of the main reasons for it goes injured.

Id like us to keep formation and push Can forward as suggested.

[meffin]

****, just as we steady the ship one of the main reasons for it goes injured.

Id like us to keep formation and push Can forward as suggested.

Obvious choice, but would we want to change the back 3 after finally settling down and stopping leaking goals?

[The_weatherman]

Maybe Allen can do a job now in the new formation, but this is a blow for us. Shows the need to buy another DM in the summer.

[SB]

Obvious choice, but would we want to change the back 3 after finally settling down and stopping leaking goals?

I'd stick with the back 3 & Allen & if it's not working during the match then push Can into midfield.

[Darkon]

Allen is not a good defensive midfielder, or at least haven't showed is thus far.

It's our biggest problem now we've changed formation we are very vulnerable in that one crucial role. We only had Lucas for that and we almost shipped him out.

Throwing Can or Henderson down there seems a better fit, but would cost us in other areas. With Can we have finally managed to get a decent defence, so I would be very heistant throwing in Lovren or Toure instead there and we would loose some of our box to box play if Allen came in instead of Henderson.

Perhaps if Henderson is moved back we can get Lallana playing his position should be ready again...

[Fierce]

Move Henderson back from where? He's been playing alongside Lucas in the main

Allen didn't look capable against Everton

Can would be my pick also, with Toure or Lovren (shudder) replacing him

[Alex]

Obvious choice, but would we want to change the back 3 after finally settling down and stopping leaking goals?

I dont have much faith that others can do the job of Lucas though.

[Scratch]

Problem for Allen is the majority of time he's played the DM role, it's been alongside Gerrard, in the same way that Lucas and Gerrard doesn't work.

However, if it's just a like for like swap, and it will be an Allen/Henderson midfield then it might not be as bad as feared.

Might not.

Might.